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made you good; the goodness, that is cheap in beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace,. being the foul of your complexion, fhall keep the body of it ever fair. The affault, that Angelo hath made on you, fortune hath convey'd to my underftanding; and but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I fhould wonder at Angelo: how will you do to content this Subftitute, and to fave your brother? Ifab. I am now going to refolve him: I had rather my brother die by the law, than my fon fhould be unlawfully born. But, oh, how much is the good Duke deceiv'd in Angelo? if ever he return, and I can fpeak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his Government.

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Duke. That fhall not be much amifs; yet as the matter now ftands, he will avoid your accufation he made trial of you only. Therefore faften your ear on my advifings: to the love I have in doing good, a remedy prefents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may moft uprightly do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no ftain to your own gracious perfon; and much please the abfent Duke, if, peradventure, he fhall ever return to have hearing of this business.

Ifab. Let me hear you speak farther; I have fpirit to do any thing, that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit.

Duke. Virtue is bold, and Goodness never fearful: have you not heard fpeak of Mariana, the fifter of Frederick. the great foldier who miscarried at sea?

Ifab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name.

Duke. Her fhould this Angelo have marry'd; was affianc'd to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed: between which time of the contract, and limit of the folemnity, her brother Frederick was wreckt at sea, having in that perifh'd vessel the dowry of his

fifter.

fifter. But mark, how heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman; there fhe loft a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever moft kind and natural; with him the portion and finew of her fortune, her marriage-dowry; with both, her combinate husband, this well-feeming Angelo.

Ifab. Can this be fo? did Angelo fo leave her?

Duke. Left her in tears, and dry'd not one of them with his comfort; fwallow'd his vows whole, pretending, in her, difcoveries of dishonour: in few, bestow'd her on her own lamentation, which fhe yet wears for his fake; and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not.

Ifab. What a merit were it in death to take this poor maid from the world! what corruption in this life, that it will let this man live! but how out of this can fhe avail?

Duke. It is a rupture that you may easily heal; and the cure of it not only faves your brother, but keeps you from difhonour in doing it.

Ifab. Shew me how, good father.

Duke. This fore-nam'd maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection; his unjuft unkindnefs, (that in all reason should have quenched her love,) hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo, anfwer his requiring with a plaufible obedience; agree with his demands to the point; only refer yourself to this advantage: firft, that your stay with him may not be long; that the time may have all fhadow and filence in it; and the place answer to convenience. This being granted, in course now follows all: we fhall advife this wronged maid to ftead up your appointment, go in your place; if the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him to her recompence; and here by this is your brother faved, your Honour untainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt Deputy fcaled. The maid'

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will I frame, and make fit for his attempt: if you think well to carry this as you may, the doubleness of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof. What think you of it?

Ifab. The image of it gives me content already, and, I truft, it will grow to a moft profperous perfection.

Duke. It lies much in your holding up; hafte you fpeedily to Angelo; if for this night he intreat you to his bed, give him promise of fatisfaction. I will prefently to St. Luke's; there at the moated Grange refides this dejected Mariana; at that place call upon me, and dispatch with Angelo, that it may be quickly. Ifab. I thank you for this comfort: fare you well, good father. [Exeunt Jeverally.

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Re-enter Duke as a Friar, Elbow, Clown, and Officers.

Elb.

AY, if there be, no remedy for it, but that

you will needs buy and fell men and women like beafts, we fhall have all the world drink brown. and white bastard.

*

Duke. Oh, heav'ns! what stuff is here?

Clown. 'Twas never merry world fince of two ufuries the merrieft was put down, and the worser allow'd by order of law. *** a furr'd gown to keep

baftard.] A Kind of sweet Wine then much in Vogue. the Italian, Baflardo.

From

+--- and the worfer allow'd by order of law. A furr'd gown, &c.] Here a Satire on Ufury turns abruptly to a Satire on the Person of the Ufurer, without any Kind of Preparation. We may be affured then, that a Line or two, at leaft, have been loft. The Subject of which we may eafily difcover, a Comparison between the two Ufurers; as, before, between the two Ufuries. So that for the Future the Paffage fhould be read with Alterisks thus-- by order of law. ***ja furr'd gown, &c.

him warm, and furr'd with fox and lamb-fkins too, to fignify, that craft, being richer than innocency, ftands for the facing.

Elb. Come your way, Sir: bless you, good father Friar.

Duke. And you, good brother father; what offence hath this man made you, Sir?

Elb. Marry, Sir, he hath offended the law; and, Sir, we take him to be a Thief too, Sir; for we have found upon him, Sir, a ftrange pick-lock, which we have fent to the Deputy.

Duke Fie, Sirrah, a bawd, a wicked bawd!
The evil that thou causeft to be done,

That is thy means to live. Doft thou but think,
What 'tis to cram a maw, or clothe a back,
From fuch a filthy vice? fay to thyself,
From their abominable and beaftly touches
I drink, I eat, array myself, and live.
Canft thou believe thy living is a life,
So ftinkingly depending! go mend, mend.

Clown. Indeed, it doth ftink in fome fort, Sir; but yet, Sir, I would prove

Duke. Nay, if the devil have giv'n thee proofs for
fin,

Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prifon, officer;
Correction and inftruction muft both work,

Ere this rude beast will profit.

Elb. He must before the Deputy, Sir; he has given him warning; the Deputy cannot abide a whoremaster; if he be a whore-monger, and comes before him, he were as good go a mile on his errand.

Duke. That we were all, as fome would feem to be, Free from all faults, as faults, from feeming, free!

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Elb.

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IS neck will come to your wafte, a cord, Sir.

H'Clown. Ifpy comfort: I cry, bail: here's

a gentleman, and a friend of mine.

Lucio. How now, noble Pompey? what, at the wheels of Cæfar? art thou led in triumph? what, is there none of Pigmalion's images, newly made woman, to be had now, for putting the hand in the pocket, and extracting it clutch'd? what reply? ha? what fay'ft thou to this tune, matter and method? * It's not down i'th' laft reign. Ha? what say'st thou, trot? is the world as it was, man? which is the way? is it fad and few words? or how? the trick of it?

Duke. Still thus and thus ; ftill worfe?

Lucio. How doth my dear morfel, thy mistress? procures fhe ftill? ha?

Clown. Troth, Sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and fhe is herself in the tub.

Lucio. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be fo. Ever your fresh whore, and your powder'd bawd; an unshunn'd confequence, it must be so. Art going to prifon, Pompey?

Clown. Yes, faith, Sir.

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Lucio. Why, 'tis not amifs, Pompey: farewel: go, fay, I fent thee thither for debt, Pompey; or howElb. For being a bawd, for being a bawd.

Lucio. Well, then imprison him; if imprisonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his Right. Bawd is he, doubtless, and of antiquity too; bawd born. Farewel, good Pompey: commend me to the prifon,

Is'r not Drown'd 'th' laft Rain?] This ftrange Nonfenfe fhould be thus corrected, It's not down i'th laft Reign, i. e. these are Severities unknown to the old Duke's Time. And this is to the Purpose.

Ponipey;

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