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Claud. *The Prieftly Angelo?

Ifab. Oh, 'tis the cunning livery of hell,
The damned'ft body to inveft and cover

In Prieftly guards. Doft thou think, Claudio,
If I would yield him my virginity,

Thou might'ft be freed?

Claud. Oh, heavens! it cannot be.

Ifab. Yes, he would give thee for this rank offence, So to offend him ftill. This night's the time That I fhould do what I abhor to name, Or elfe thou dy't to-morrow.

Claud. Thou shalt not do't. · Ifab. Oh, were it but my life, I'd throw it down for your deliverance

As frankly as a pin.

Claud. Thanks, deareft Ifabel.

Ifab. Be ready, Claudio, for your death to-morrow.
Claud. Yes. Has he affections in him,

That thus can make him bite the law by th' nofe,
When he would force it? fure, it is no fin;
Or of the deadly feven it is the least.

Ifab. Which is the leaft?

Claud. If it were damnable, he being so wise,
Why would he for the momentary trick
Be perdurably fin'd? oh Isabel!

Ifab. What fays my brother?

Claud. Death's a fearful thing.
Ifab. And fhamed life a hateful.

Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where;

To lie in cold obftruction, and to rot;

The Princely Angelo?-Princely guards.] Some Editors mistaking Guards for Satellites,) whereas it here fignifies Lace) altered Prieftly, in both Places, to Princely. Whereas Shakespear wrote it Priefly, as appears from the Words themselves. In the firft Place we fee that Guards here fignifies Lace, as referring to Livery, and as having no Sense in the Signification of Satellites. Now priestly Guards means Sanctity, which is the Senfe required. But princely Guard means nothing but rich Lace, which is a Senfe the Paffage will not bear.

This

This fenfible warm motion to become
A kneaded clod; and the delighted fpirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to refide
In thrilling regions of thick-ribb'd ice;
To be imprifon'd in the viewless winds,
And blown with restless violence round about.
The pendant world; or to be worse than worst
Of thofe, that lawless and incertain thoughts
Imagine howling; 'tis too horrible!

The wearieft and most loathed worldly life,
That age, ach, penury, imprisonment
Can lay on nature, is a paradise

To what we fear of death.

Ifab. Alas! alas !

Claud. Sweet fifter, let me live;
What fin you do to fave a brother's life,
Nature difpenfes with the deed fo far,
That it becomes a virtue.

Ifab. Oh, you beaft!

Oh, faithlefs coward! oh, dishonest wretch!

Wilt thou be made a man, out of

Is't not a kind of inceft, to take life

my vice?

From thine own fifter's fhame? what should I think? Heav'n grant, my mother plaid my father fair!

For fuch a warped flip of wilderness

Ne'er iffu'd from his blood. Take my defiance,
Die, perish! might my only bending down
Reprieve thee from thy fate, it fhould proceed.
I'll
pray a thousand prayers for thy death;

No word to fave thee.

Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel.

Ifab. Oh, fie, fie, fie!

Thy fin's not accidental, but a trade;

Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd;

'Tis beft, that thou dy'ft quickly.

Claud. Oh hear me, Isabella.

SCENE

Duke.

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To them, Enter Duke and Provoft.

VOUCHSAFE a word, young fifter; but

one word.

fab. What is your will?

Duke. Might you dispense with your leisure, I would by and by have fome fpeech with you; the fatisfaction I would require, is likewife your own

benefit.

Ifab. I have no fuperfluous leifure; my stay muft be stolen out of other affairs: but I will attend you a while.

Duke. Son, I have over-heard what hath past between you and your Sifter. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; only he hath made an affay of her virtue, to practise his judgment with the difpofition of natures. She, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gracious denial, which he is moft glad to receive: I am Confeffor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore prepare yourself to death. Do not falfify your refolution with hopes that are fallible; to-morrow you muft die; go to your knees, and make ready.

Claud. Let me afk my fifter pardon; I am so out of love with life, that I will fue to be rid of it.

Duke. Hold you there; farewel. with you.

Prov. What's your will, father?

[Exit Claud. Provost, a word

Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone; leave me a while with the maid: my mind promises with my habit, no loss shall touch her by my com

pany.

[Exit Prov.

Prov. In good time.
Duke. The hand, that hath made you fair, hath

made

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 Ángelo: how will you do to content this Substitute, 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 difco

ver his Government.

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 person; and much please the absent Duke, if, peradventure, he fhall ever return to have hearing of this business.

Ifab. Let me hear you speak farther; I have spirit 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 speak 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 fea, having in that perifh'd veffel 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, discoveries of dishonour: in few, beflow'd her on her own lamentation, which the 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 dishonour 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 unjust unkindnefs, (that in all reason fhould 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 courfe now follows all: we fhall advife this wronged maid to flead 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

will

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