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To undergo fuch ample grace and honour,

It is lord Angelo.

SCENE II.

Enter Angelo.

DUKE. Look where he comes.

ANG. Always obedient to your grace's will,

I come to know thy pleasure.

DUKE. Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life,
That to th' obferver doth thy history
Fully unfold. Thyfelf and thy belongings
Are not thine own fo proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues; them on thee.
Heav'n doth with us, as we with torches do,
Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike

As if we had them not.

Spirits are not finely touch'd,

But to fine iffues; nor nature never lends

The fmalleft fcruple of her excellence,

But, like a thrifty goddefs, fhe determines
Herfelf the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and ufe. But I do bend my speech

To one that can, my part in him advertise;

Hold therefore Angelo:

In our remove, be thou at full our felf.

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart; old Efcalus,
Though firft in queftion, is thy fecondary.
-Take thy commission.

ANG. Now, good my lord,

Let there be fome more teft made of my metal,

Before fo noble and so great a figure

Be stampt upon it.

DUKE. Come, no more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Our hafte from hence is of fo quick condition,
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings fhall importune,
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befal you here. So, fare ye well.
To th' hopeful execution do I leave you

Of

your commiffions.

ANG. Yet give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you fomething on the way.
DUKE. My hafte may not admit it.

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple; your scope is as mine own,
So to inforce, or qualify the laws,

As to your foul seems good. Give me your hand,
I'll privily away. I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes;
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause, and Ave's vehement:
Nor do I think the man of fafe difcretion,
That does affect it. Once more, fare ye well.
ANG. The heav'ns give safety to your purposes!
ESCAL. Lead forth, and bring you back in happiness.
DUKE. I thank you, fare ye well.

ESCAL. I fhall defire you, Sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place ;

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[Exit.

A pow'r I have, but of what strength and nature
I am not yet inftructed.

ANG. "Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,

And we may foon our fatisfaction have

Touching that point.

ESCAL. I'll wait upon your honour.

SCENE III.

The street.

Enter Lucio, and two gentlemen.

[Exeunt.

LUCIO. If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to compofition with the king of Hungary, why, then all the dukes fall upon the king.

1 GENT. Heav'n grant us its peace, but not the king of Hungary's!

2 GENT. Amen.

LUCIO. Thou conclud❜st like the fanctimonious pirate, that went to fea with the ten commandments, but fcrap'd one out of the table.

2 GENT. Thou shalt not fteal?.

LUCIO. Ay, that he raz'd.

I GENT. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the reft from their functions; they put forth to fteal. There's not a foldier of us all, that, in the thankf giving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2 GENT. I never heard any foldier dislike it.

LUCIO. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where. grace was faid.

2 GENT. No? a dozen times at least.

GENT. What? in meeter?

Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language.
I GENT. I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO. Ay, why not? grace is grace, defpite of all controversy; as for example thou thyself art a wicked villain, defpite of all grace.

I GENT. Well; there went but a pair of fheers between us? Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet. Thou art the lift.

I GENT. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet; thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now?

LUCIO. I think thou doft; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

J GENT. I think, I have done myself wrong, have I not? 2 GENT. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free.

Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes.
I GENT. I have purchased as many diseases under her roof,

as come to

2 GENT. To what I pray?

I GENT. Judge.

2 GENT. To three thousand dollars a year.

1 GENT. Ay, and more.

LUCIO. A French crown more.

IGENT. Thou art always figuring diseases in me;

But thou art full of error; I am found.

Lucio. Nay, not as one would fay healthy; but so found,

as things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow; impiety hath made a feaft of thee.

SCENE V.

Enter Bawd.

I GENT. How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ?

BAWD. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carry'd to prifon, was worth five thousand of you all.

I GENT. Who's that, I pr'ythee?

BAWD. Marry, Sir, that's Claudio; fignior Claudio.
I GENT. Claudio to prifon? 'tis not so.

BAWD. Nay, but I know 'tis fo. I faw him arrested; faw him carried away; and, which is more, within thefe three days his head is to be chopt off.

LUCIO. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it fo. Art thou fure of this?

BAWD. I am too fure of it; and it is for getting madam Julietta with child.

LUCIO. Believe me, this may be. He promifed to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precife in promisekeeping.

2 GENT. Besides, you know, it draws fomething near to the speech we had to fuch a purpose.

I GENT. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation. LUCIO. Away, let's go learn the truth of it.

Manet Bawd.

[Exe.

BAWD. Thus, what with the war, what with the fweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cu tom fhrunk. How now, what's the news with you?

SCENE V.

Enter Clown.

CLOWN. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon.

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