Lucio. I believe thee: for, I think, thou never wast where grace was faid. 2 Gent. No? a dozen times at least. 1 Gent. What, in meeter? Lucio. 9 In any proportion, or in any language. I Lucio. Ay, why not? grace is grace, despight of all controverfie; as for example, thou thy felf art a wicked villain, defpight of all grace. 1 Gent. Well; there went but a pair of sheers be tween us. Lucio. I grant; as there may between the lifts and the velvet. Thou art the lift. I Gent. And thou the velvet; thou art good velvet; thou'rt a three-pil'd piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a lift of an English kerfey, as be pil'd, as thou art pil'd, for a French velvet. Do I fpeak feelingly now? Lucio. I think, thou doft; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy fpeech: I will, out of thine own confeffion, learn to begin thy health; but, whilft I live, forget to drink after thee. 1 Gent. I think, I have done my felf wrong, have I not? 2 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art tainted, or free. Lucio. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes. 9 In any proportion, &c.] Here the Oxford Editor gives us a dialogue of his own, inftead of this: and, as one would expect, neither fo clear nor fo lively. And all for want of knowing the meaning of the word proportion, which fignifies measure: and refers to the queftion, What, in meeter? 1 defpight of all controverfie; ] Satirically infinuating that the controverfies about grace were fo intricate and endless, that the difputants unfettled every thing but this, that grace was grace; which, however, in fpite of controverfy, ftill remained certain. 1 Gent. 1 Gent. I have purchas'd as many diseases under her roof, as come to 2 Gent. To what I pray?... 1 Gent. Judge. 2 Gent. To three thousand dollars a year. 1 Gent. Ay, and more. Lucio. A French crown more. 1 Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full of error; I am found. Lucio. Nay, not as one would say healthy; but fo found, as things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow; impiety hath made a feast of thee. SCENE IV. I Gent. How now, Enter Bawd. profound sciatica? Bawd. Well, well; which of your hips has the most there's one yonder arrefted, and carry'd to prifon, was worth five thousand of you all. I Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee? Bawd. Marry, Sir, that's Claudio; Signior Claudio. ■ Gent. Claudio to prison ? 'tis not fo. Bawd. Nay, but I know, 'tis fo; I faw him arrefted; faw him carry'd away; and, which is more, within these three days his head is to be chopt off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it fo: art thou fure of this? Bawd. I am too fure of it; and it is for getting madam Julietta with child. Lucio. Believe me, this may be; he promised to meet me two hours fince, and he was ever precife in promife-keeping. 2 Gent. Befides, you know, it draws fomething near to the fpeech we had to such a purpose. 1 Gent. I Gent. But most of all agreeing with the Procla mation. Lucio. Away, let's go learn the truth of it. Manet Bawd. [Exit. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the fweat, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cuftom-fhrunk. How now? what's the news with you? SCEN E V. Clown. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon, Clown. A woman. Bawd. But what's his offence? Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What? is there a maid with child by him? Clown. No; but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the Proclamation, have you? Bawd. What Proclamation, man? Clown. All houfes in the fuburbs of Vienna muft be pluck'd down. 2 Bawd. And what shall become of thofe in the city? Clown. They fhall ftand for feed; they had gone down too, but that a wife burgher put in for them. Bawd. But fhall all our houses of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down? Clown. To the ground, mistress, 2 They shall ftand for feed; ] Seneca, in his mock Apotheofis of Claudius, ridiculing him for having extended the rights of Roman citizens fo immoderately, makes Clotho fay, Ego mehercule, pufillum temporis adjicere illi volebam, dum hos pauculas, qui fuperfunt, civitate donaret: conftituerat enim omnes Græcos, Gallos, Hifpanos, Britannos, togatos videre. Sed quoniam placet aliquos peregrinos IN SEMEN RELINQUI, et tu ita jubes fieri, fiat. Bawd. Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the common-wealth; what fhall become of me? Clown. Come, fear not you; good counfellors lack no clients; though you change your place, you need not change your trade: I'll be your tapfter ftill. Courage, there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be confidered. Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapfter? let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provost to prison; and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt Bawd and Clown. SCENE VI. Enter Provoft, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers. Lucio and two Gentlemen. Claud. Fellow, why doft thou fhow me thus to th' Bear me to prifon, where I am committed. Claud. 3 Thus can the Demi-god, Authority, 3 Thus can the Demi-god, Authority, Make us pay down, for our offence, by weight The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will; Lucio On whom it will not, fo; yet still 'tis juft. ] The wrong pointing of the fecond line hath made the paffage unintelligible. There ought to be a full ftop at weight. And the fenfe of the whole is this: The Demi-god, Authority, makes us pay the full penalty of our offence, and its decrees are as little to be questioned as the words of heaven, which pronounces its pleafure thus, Ipunish and remit punishment according to my own uncontroulable will; and yes Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes, this restraint? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty; As furfeit is the father of much faft, So ev'ry scope by the immod'rate ufe Lucio. If I could speak fo wifely under an arrest, I would fend for certain of my creditors; and yet, to fay 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 fpeak of, would offend again. Lucio, What is't, murder? Claud. No. Lucio. Letchery? Claud. Call it fo. Prov. Away, Sir, you must go. Claud. One word, good friend:Lucio, a word with you. Lucio. A hundred; if they'll do you any good: is letchery fo look'd after? Claud. Thus ftands it with me; upon a true contract I got poffeffion of Julietta's bed, (You know the lady,) fhe is faft 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, Make us pay down, for our yet who can fay what doft thou. offence, by weight, is a fine expreffion, to fignify paying the full penalty. The metaphor is taken from paying money by weight, which is always exact; not fo by tale, on account of the practice of diminishing the species. The |