When she will play with reason and difcourfe, Lucio. I pray, the may; as well for the encourage ment of the like, which elfe would ftand under grievous impofition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be forry fhould be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Claud. Come, officer, away. SCENE [Exeunt, VII. A MONASTERY. Enter Duke, and Friar Thomas. Duke. Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a compleat bofom: why I defire thee More grave, and wrinkled, than the aims and ends Fri. May your Grace speak of it? Duke. My holy Sir, none better knows than you, And held in idle price to haunt Affemblies, " (A man of strict ure and firm abftinence) 5 A man of STRICTURE and firm abftinence] Ari&ure makes no fenfe in this place. We should read, A man of STRICT URE and firm abftinence. i. e. a man of the exacteft conduct, and practifed in the fubdual of his paffions. Ure an old word for ufe, practice, fo enur'd, habituated to. And And fo it is receiv'd: now, pious Sir, Duke. We have ftrict Statutes and moft biting Laws, 6 (The needful bits and curbs for head-ftrong Steeds,) Which for these nineteen years 7 we have let fleep; Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers Fri. It refted in your Grace T'unloose this ty'd up juftice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful. Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father, Who may in th' ambush of my name ftrike home, To do in flander: And to behold his fway, 6 The needful bits and curbs for headftrong WEEDS,] Common fenfe, and the integrity of the metaphor, fhews that Shakespear wrote headftrong STEEDS. 7 We have let SLIP; Even like an o'er-grown lion in a cave,] The fimilitude fhews that Shakespear wrote, -we have let SLEEP. I will, I will, as 'twere a Brother of your Order, Like a true Friar. More reasons for this action "Is more to bread than stone: hence fhall we see, If pow'r change purpose, what our feemers be. [Exe. S CE N E VIII. A Nunnery. Enter Ifabella and Francifca. Ifab. AND have you Nuns no further privileges? Nun. Are not these large enough? Ifab. Yes, truly; I fpeak not as defiring more; Upon the fifter-hood, the votarifts of Saint Clare. Nun. It is a man's voice: gentle Ifabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may; I may not; you are yet unfworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men, But in the presence of the Priorefs; Then, if you speak, you must not fhew your face; Or, if you fhew your face, you must not speak. 8 When you bave vow'd, you must not speak with men, He Then, if you speak, you must not fhew your face; Or, if you fhew your face, you must not speak.] This is a very artful preparation for the effects that Ifabel's folicitation had on Angelo in the following Scene, as it fhews the mifchiefs of beauty He calls again; I pray you, anfwer him. [Exit Franc, Ifab. Peace and profperity! who is't that calls? Enter Lucio. Lucio. Hail, virgin, (if you be) as thofe cheek-rofes A novice of this place, and the fair sister Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask [you; Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets Not to be weary with you, he's in prifon. Ifab. Wo me! for what? Lucia. For that, which, if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks He hath got his friend with child. Ifab. Sir, make me not your story. [liar fin Lucio. 'Tis true:- I would not (tho' 9 'tis my famiWith maids to feem the lapwing, and to jeft, Tongue far from heart) play with all virgins fo. I hold you as a thing en-sky'd, and fainted; beauty to be fo great, that the Religious had laid down rules and regulations to prevent its inordinate influence, which leffens our furprise at Angelo's weakness. 9 tis my familiar fin With maids to feem the lapwing,-] The Oxford Editor's note, on this paffage, is in these words. The lapwings fly with Seeming fright and anxiety far from their nefts, to deceive thofe who feek their young. And do not all other birds do the fame ? But what has this to do with the infidelity of a general lover, to whom this bird is compared. It is another quality of the lapwing, that is here alluded to, viz. its perpetually flying fo low and fo near the paffenger, that he thinks he has it, and then is fuddenly gone again. This made it a proverbial expreffion to fignify a lover's falfhood: and it feems to be a very old one; for Chaucer, in his Plowman's Tale, fays And lapwings that well conith lie. VOL. I. B b By By your renouncement, an immortal Spirit ; As with a Saint. Ifab. You do blafpheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover having embrac'd, As thofe that feed grow full, as bloffoming time That from the feednefs the bare fallow brings To teeming foyfon; fo her plenteous womb Expreffeth his full tilth and husbandry. [Juliet? İfab. Some one with child by him?-my coufin Lucio. Is fhe your coufin? 2 Ifab. Adoptedly, as fchool-maids change their names, By vain, tho' apt, affection. Lucio. She it is. Ifab. O, let him marry her! The Duke is very strangely gone from hence; Governs lord Angelo; a man whose blood, 1 That from the feednefs-] An old word for feed-time. So the lawyers tranflate femen hyemale & quadragefimale, by winter feedness, and lent feedness. 2foy son ;] Harveft. Mr. Pope. Falls |