Lest thou a feverous life should'st entertain, Claud. Why give you me this shame? Think you I can a resolution fetch From flowery tenderness? If I must die, I will encounter darkness as a bride, And hug it in mine arms. Isab. There spake my brother: there my father's grave Did utter forth a voice. Yes, thou must die: In base appliances. This outward-sainted deputy, His filth within being cast, he would appear Claud. The princely Angelo'? Isab. O, 'tis the cunning livery of hell, The damned'st body to invest and cover In princely guards! Dost thou think, Claudio, 9 and follies doth ENMEW,] The old reading is emmew: the meaning is, that Angelo makes follies mew up or hide themselves, as the falcon compels the fowl to conceal itself. 1 The PRINCELY Angelo ?] The first folio has "the prenzie Angelo," and the second substituted "princely " for prenzie. The word occurs again three lines lower, where Isabella talks of "prenzie guards.” But for this repetition it might have been thought that Shakespeare meant to introduce the Italian word prence, as applied to Angelo, to designate his rank. Warburton would read priestly in both places, and Tieck suggests precise, which sounds ill as regards the metre, the accent falling on the wrong syllable. However, this would not constitute a sufficient objection, and the emendation deserves attention. We have followed the second folio, which in cases like this ought to have considerable weight. Warburton's priestly would answer the purpose at least as well, but it is not supported by any old authority. 2 In princely GUARDS !] "A guard in old language (observes Malone correctly) If I would yield him my virginity, Thou might'st be freed. Claud. O, heavens! it cannot be. Isab. Yes, he would give't thee from this rank offence, So to offend him still. This night's the time That I should do what I abhor to name, Or else thou diest to-morrow. Isab. Be ready, Claudio, for your death to-morrow. That thus can make him bite the law by the nose, Or of the deadly seven it is the least. Isab. Which is the least? Claud. If it were damnable, he being so wise, Why would he for the momentary trick Be perdurably fin'd?-O Isabel! Isab. What says my brother? Death is a fearful thing. Isab. And shamed life a hateful. Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where ; To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot; This sensible warm motion to become A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit meant a welt or border of a garment," "because (says Minsheu) it guards and keeps the garment from tearing." These guards were afterwards sometimes taken for ornaments, and the word is so used by Shakespeare in "the Merchant of Venice," A. II. sc. 2. Imagine howling!-'tis too horrible. The weariest and most loathed worldly life, To what we fear of death. Isab. Alas! alas! Claud. Sweet sister, let me live. What sin you do to save a brother's life, Isab. O, you beast! O, faithless coward! O, dishonest wretch! Wilt thou be made a man out of my vice? Is't not a kind of incest to take life From thine own sister's shame? What should I think? Ne'er issu'd from his blood. Take my defiance: Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel. Isab. Thy sin's not accidental, but a trade. Mercy to thee would prove itself a bawd: "Tis best that thou diest quickly. Claud O, fie, fie, fie! [Going. O hear me, Isabella! Re-enter DUKE. Duke. Vouchsafe a word, young sister; but one word. 3 Isab. What is your will? penury,] The oldest copy has perjury. It was corrected in the second folio. In a previous line it has thought for "thoughts." — a warped slip of WILDERNESS] i. e. Of wildness—a wild slip, not proceeding from the grafted stock. Beaumont and Fletcher, Dekker, Milton, and others, use "wilderness" in the same sense. Duke. Might you dispense with your leisure, I would by and by have some speech with you: the satisfaction I would require, is likewise your own benefit. Isab. I have no superfluous leisure: my stay must be stolen out of other affairs; but I will attend you a while. Duke. [To CLAUDIO.] Son, I have overheard what hath past between you and your sister. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; only he hath made an essay of her virtue, to practise his judgment with the disposition of natures. She, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gracious denial which he is most glad to receive: I am confessor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore prepare yourself to death. Do not satisfy your resolution with hopes that are fallible: to-morrow you must die. Go; to your knees, and make ready. Claud. Let me ask my sister pardon. I am so out of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it. Duke. Hold you there: farewell. Re-enter Provost. Provost, a word with you. Prov. What's your will, father? [Exit CLAUDIO. 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 company. Prov. In good time. [Exit Provost. Duke. The hand that hath made you fair hath made you good: the goodness that is cheap in beauty makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the soul of your complexion, shall keep the body of it ever fair. The assault, that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my understanding; and, but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I should wonder at Angelo. How will you do to content this substitute, and to save your brother? Isab. I am now going to resolve him. I had rather my brother die by the law, than my son should be unlawfully born. But O, how much is the good duke deceived in Angelo! If ever he return, and I can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his government. Duke. That shall not be much amiss; yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation: he made trial of you only 5.-Therefore, fasten your ear on my advisings: to the love I have in doing good a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit, redeem your brother from the angry law, do no stain to your own gracious person, and much please the absent duke, if, peradventure, he shall ever return to have hearing of this business. Isab. 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 sister of Frederick, the great soldier who miscarried at sea? Isab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name. Duke. She should this Angelo have married; he was affianced to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed: between which time of the contract, and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wrecked at sea, having in that perish'd vessel the dowry of his sister. But mark how heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman there she lost a noble and renowned brother, 5 he made trial of you only.] i. e. He will avoid your accusation by alleging that "he made trial of you only.” was affianced 6 He was affianced to her BY oath,] The first folio reads merely, to her oath :" by was supplied by the second folio, but he was still wanting to render the sentence complete. The modern editors have,-" Her should this Angelo have married," altering the nominative case to the verb, which is needless, if he be inserted before "was." The old printers, confounding the cases of "she" and her, perhaps omitted "he" as unnecessary. |