Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch, Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: so our decrees, The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Fri. It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful: Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home, SCENE V. A Nunnery. Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more; Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him ; You may; I may not; you are yet unsworn : When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the prioress : Then, if you speak, you must not show your face; Or, if you show your face, you must not speak.He calls again; I pray you, answer him. [Exit FRAN. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? 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; 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. Lucio. It is true. I would not, though 'tis my familiar sin As with a saint. so: Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. 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, That from the seedness the bare fallow brings To teeming foison; even so her plenteous womb [9] It is a quality of the lapwing, that is here alluded to, perpetually to fly so low and so near the passenger, that he thinks he has it, and then is suddenly gone again. This made it a proverbial expression to signify a lover's falsehood; and it seems to be a very old one. WARBURTON. [1] i.e. Be assured, I would not mock you. So afterwards: "Do not believe it:" i.e. Do not suppose that I would mock you. MALONE. Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry. 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. Lucio. She it is. Isab. O, let him marry her! The duke is very strangely gone from hence; Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Lucio. Assay the power you have. And make us lose the good we oft might win, 28* VOL. I. As they themselves would owe them. Lucio. But, speedily. Isab. I will about it straight; Isab. Good sir, adieu. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I.- A Hall in ANGELO's House. Enter AN GELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost, Officers, and other Attendants. Angelo. 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,) Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Because we see it ; 3 but what we do not see, You may not so extenuate his offence, When I, that censuse him, do so offend, Let mine own judgment pattern out my death, Escal. Be it as your wisdom will. Ang. Where is the provost ? Pro. Here, if it like your honour. Be executed by nine to-morrow morning : Escal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all ! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall : 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 abuse 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 ? Elb. If it please your honour, I know not well what they are: but precise villains they are, that I am sure of; and void of all profanation in the world, that good christians ought to have. Escal. This comes off well; here's a wise officer. Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow ? Clown. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow. Ang. What are you, sir? Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one that [3] '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. JOHNSON. [4] i.e. because, by reason that I have had such faults. JOHNSON. |