the captain and all the rest from their functions: they put forth to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. 2 Gent. I never heard any soldier dislike it. Lucio. I believe thee; for, I think, thou never wast where grace was said. 2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What, in metre? Lucio. In any proportion, or in any language. 1 Gent. I think, or in any religion. Lucio. Ay; why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy: as for example; thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace. 1 Gent. Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us'. Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet thou art the list. 1 Gent. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet: thou art a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee. I had as lief be a list of an English kersey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now? Lucio. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee. 1 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong, have I not? 2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted, or free. 1 Well, there went but a pair of sheers between us.] A proverbial expression to show that they were both cut off the same piece. It is of common occurrence in our old dramatists. 2- as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet.] The point of this retort depends upon the similarity of sound between pil'd, in reference to the pile of velvet, and pill'd, in reference to a person losing his hair. Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes 3! 1 Gent. I have purchased as many diseases under her roof, as come to— 2 Gent. To what, I pray? Lucio. Judge. 2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a-year *. 1 Gent. Ay, and more. Lucio. A French crown more. 2 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 Bawd. 1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica? Bawd. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 2 Gent. Who's that, I pray thee? Bawd. Marry, sir, that's Claudio; signior Claudio. 1 Gent. Claudio to prison! 'tis not so. Bawd. 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? Bawd. I am too sure of it; and it is for getting madam Julietta with child. 3 Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes !] The old copies give the whole of this speech to Lucio, but the latter part of it probably belongs to 1 Gent. Pope, and Malone following him, took it altogether from Lucio, but there is no reason for depriving him of the observation respecting the approach of the Bawd, who enters just afterwards, though the folios mark it here. To three thousand dollars a-year.] A quibble upon dollar and dolour. We meet with it again in "The Tempest," A. II., sc. 1. 13 Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since, and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1 Gent. But most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away: let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I How now? what's the news with am custom-shrunk. you? Enter Clown. Clo. Yonder man is carried to prison. Bawd. Well: what has he done? Clo. A woman. Bawd. But what's his offence? Clo. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clo. No; but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Bawd. What proclamation, man? Clo. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down. Bawd. And what shall become of those in the city? too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down? Clo. To the ground, mistress. Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth! What shall become of me? Clo. 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. Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw. Clo. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Same. Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers; LUCIO, and two Gentlemen. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to th' world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, 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, 5 What's to do here, Thomas Tapster?] She uses the name "Thomas Tapster," merely as a designation of the Clown's business. Thomas, or Tom Tapster, was a common mode of speaking of a drawer. • Thus can the demi-god, Authority,] "Authority," Henley remarks, being absolute in Angelo, is finely styled by Claudio, "the demi-god." To this uncontroulable power, the poet applies a passage from St. Paul to the Romans, ch. ix. v. 15. 18, which he properly styles, “the words of heaven :" "for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," &c. And again: "Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy," &c. 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 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? 8 Claud. What but to speak of would offend again. Claud. No. Lucio. Lechery? Claud. Call it so. Prov. Away, sir: you must go. Claud. One word, good friend.-Lucio, a word with you. [Takes him aside. 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, 9 Remaining in the coffer of her friends, From whom we thought it meet to hide our love, But it chances, The stealth of our most mutual entertainment And when we drink, we die.] The following lines from Chapman's "Revenge for Honour," 1654, as quoted by Steevens, form an excellent commentary upon this passage: "Like poison'd rats, which, when they've swallowed The pleasing bane, rest not until they drink; — as the MORALITY -] The old copies have mortality. The correction was made by Sir W. Davenant in his adaptation of this play. 9 Only for PROPAGATION of a dower] "I suppose the speaker means (says Steevens) for the sake of getting the dower." Malone suggested prorogation instead of "propagation," to which he was perhaps led by the spelling of the first folio "propogation." |