Enter LUCIO. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister To her unhappy brother Claudio? Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; The rather, for I now must make you know I am that Isabella, and his sister. Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Isab. Woe me! For what? Lucio. For that, which if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks: He hath got his friend with child. Isab. Sir, make me not your story.5 I would not - though 'tis my familiar sin It is true. With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, By your renouncement, an immortal spirit; As with a saint. Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. 5 make me not your story.] Perhaps, Do not divert yourself with me, as you would with a story; but Mr. MALONE thinks we ought to read, “Sir, mock me not:—your story. Luc. 'Tis true, &c." 6 -'tis my familiar sin With maids to seem the lapwing,] The modern editors have not taken in the whole similitude here: they have taken notice of the lightness of a spark's behaviour to his mistress, and compared it to the lapwing's hovering and fluttering as it flies. But the chief, of which no notice is taken, is, “. and to jest." [See Ray's Proverbs.] "The lapwing cries, tongue far from heart;" i. e. most farthest from the nest. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover have embrac'd: As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time, 8 Isab. Some one with child by him?- My cousin. Juliet? Lucio. Is she your cousin? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Isab. O, let him marry her! Governs lord Angelo: a man, whose blood Is very snow-broth; one who never feels The wanton stings and motions of the sense; 7 To teeming foison;] Foison is plenty. 8 Tilth-] Tilth is tillage. 9 Bore many gentlemen, In hand, and hope of action:] To bear in hand is a common phrase for to keep in expectation and dependance; but we should read: with hope of action. JOHNSON. to give fear to use-] To intimidate use, long countenanced by custom. that is, practices As mice by lions,) hath pick'd out an act, Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother. Lucio. Has censured him 2 Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath A warrant for his execution. Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me To do him good? Lucio. Assay the power you have. Isab. My power! Alas! I doubt, · Lucio. Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, As they themselves would owe them. Isab. I'll see what I can do. Lucio. But, speedily. No longer staying but to give the mother Isab. Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt. 2 Has censur'd him—] i. e. sentenced him. 3 would owe-] To owe, in this place, is to have. ACT II. SCENE I. A Hall in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost, Officers, and other Attendants. Ang. We must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch, and not their terror. Escal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would save, had a most noble father. Let but your honour know, (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) That in the working of your own affections, Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose, Err'd in this point which now you censure him, And pull'd the law upon you. Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May, in the sworn twelve, have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice, That justice seizes. What know the laws, That thieves do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant, 4 Provost,] The Provost here is not a military officer, but a kind of sheriff or gaoler. 5 That thieves do pass on thieves?] Pass or decide. 6 'Tis very pregnant,] 'Tis plain that we must act with bad as with good; we punish the faults as we take the advantages that lie in our way, and what we do not see we cannot note. The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, Ang. Where is the provost? See that Claudio Prov. Here, if it like your honour. [Exit Provost. Escal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: Some run from brakes of vice 7, and answer none; Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away: if these be good people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses, I know no law; bring them away. Ang. How now, sir! What's your name? and what's the matter? Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors. Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are they? are they not malefactors? 7 brakes of vice,-] the meaning of this word. lection, a thicket of vices. of torture. The commentators have not decided |