SCENE III.
Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers; Lucio and two Gentlemen.
Claud.
Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?
Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Prov.
I do it not in evil disposition,
But from lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud.
Thus can the demi-god, authority3 note
,
-- 19 --
Make us pay down for our offence by weight.—
The words of heaven;9Q0158—on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just. 9Q0159
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,
(Like rats that ravin4 note
down their proper bane)
A thirsty evil; and, when we drink, we die5 note
.
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?
Claud.
What, but to speak of, would offend again.
Lucio.
What is it? murder?
Claud.
No.
-- 20 --
Lucio.
Lechery?
Claud.
Call it so.
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 lechery so look'd after?
Claud.
Thus stands it with me,—Upon a true contract,
6 noteI got possession of Julietta's bed;
You know the lady; she is fast 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,
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio.
With child, perhaps?
Claud.
Unhappily, even so.
And the new deputy now for the duke,—
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness7 note
; 9Q0160
Or whether that the body public be
A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
-- 21 --
He can command, let's it straight feel the spur:
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in:—But this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties,
Which have, like unscour'd armour8 note
, hung by the wall,
So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone round9 note
,
And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
Freshly on me: 9Q0161—'tis, surely, for a name.
Lucio.
I warrant, it is: and thy head stands so
tickle1 note
on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be
in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and
appeal to him.
Claud.
I have done so, but he's not to be found.
I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation: 9Q0162
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him;
-- 22 --
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect2 note
, 9Q0163
Such as moves men; beside, she hath prosperous art
When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.
Lucio.
I pray, she may; as well for the encouragement
of the like, which else would stand under grievous
imposition3 note; as for the enjoying of thy life, who
I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game
of tick-tack. 9Q0164 I'll to her.
Claud.
I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio.
Within two hours,—
Claud.
Come, officer, away.
[Exeunt.
-- 23 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
