First Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full of error; I am sound.

Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter Mistress Overdone.

First Gent. How now! which of your hips has the

most profound sciatica?

Mrs Ov. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested 60

and carried to prison was worth five thousand
of you all.

Sec. Gent. Who's that, I pray thee?

Mrs Ov. Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
First Gent. Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.

Mrs Ov. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested;
saw him carried away; and, which is more, within
these three days his head to be chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have
it so. Art thou sure of this?

Mrs Ov. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting
Madam Julietta with child.

Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet
me two hours since, and he was ever precise in
promise-keeping.

Sec. Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. First Gent. But, most of all, agreeing with the pro

clamation.

Lucio. Away! let's go learn the truth of it.

70

80

[Exeunt Lucio and Gentlemen.

Mrs Ov. Thus, what with the war, what with the

sweat, what with the gallows, and what with

poverty, I am custom-shrunk.

Enter Pompey.

How now! what's the news with you?

Pom. Yonder man is carried to prison.
Mrs Ov. Well; what has he done?

Pom. A woman.

Mrs Ου. But what's his offence ?

Pom. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
Mrs Ov. What, is there a maid with child by him ?
Pom. No, but there's a woman with maid by him.

90

You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Mrs Ov. What proclamation, man?

Pom. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be

plucked down.

Mrs Ov. And what shall become of those in the city ? Pom. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

Mrs Ov. But shall all our houses of resort in the

suburbs be pulled down?

Pom. To the ground, mistress.

Mrs Ov. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth! What shall become of me?

Pom. Come; fear not you: good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered.

100

Mrs Ov. What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's IIO

Pom. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's Madam Juliet.

[Exeunt.

Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet and Officers. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,

But from Lord Angelo by special charge.

Claud. Thus can the demigod Authority

Make us pay down for our offence by weight
The words of heaven;-on whom it will, it will; 120
On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.

Re-enter Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty :

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,
A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.

Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I 130
would send for certain of my creditors: and yet,
to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery
of freedom as the morality of imprisonment.
What's thy offence, Claudio ?

Claud. What but to speak of would offend again.
Lucio. What, is 't murder?

Claud. No.

Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, sir! you must go.

Claud. One word, good friend.

140

Lucio, a word with you.

Lucio. A hundred, if they 'll do you any good.

Is lechery so look'd after ?

Claud. Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract

I got possession of Julietta's bed :

You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends;
From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
Till time had made them for us. But it chances
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment
With character too gross is writ on Juliet.
Lucio With child, perhaps?
Claud.

Unhappily, even so.

And the new Deputy now for the Duke, -
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,

150

Or whether that the body public be

A horse whereon the governor doth ride,

Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;

160

Whether the tyranny be in his place,

Or in his eminence that fills it up,

I stagger in :- but this new governor

Awakes me all the enrolled penalties

Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall

So long, that nineteen zodiacs have gone round,
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,

Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me: 'tis surely for a name.

170

Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle
on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in
love, may sigh it off. Send after the Duke, and
appeal to him.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found.
I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service :
This day my sister should the cloister enter
And there receive her approbation:
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends 180
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him:
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as move men; besides, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,

And well she can persuade.

Lucio. I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus fool- 190 ishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.

Lucio. Within two hours.
Claud.

Come, officer, away!

[Exeunt.

Scene III.

A monastery.

Enter Duke and Friar Thomas.

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought;
Believe not that the dribbling dart of love