Harp not on That; nor do not banish reason 9 Duke. Many, they are not mad, Ifab. I am the fifter of one Claudio, Was fent to by my brother. One Lucio Lucio. That's I, an't like your Grace: I came to her from Claudio, and defir'd her To try her gracious fortune with lord Angelo, Ifab. That's he, indeed. Duke. You were not bid to speak. [To Lucio. Lucio. No, my good lord, nor wifh'd to hold my Duke. I wish you now then; Pray you, take note of it: and when [peace. you have A bufinefs for yourself, pray heav'n, you then Be perfect. Lucio. I warrant your Honour. Duke. The warrant's for yourfelf; take heed to't. Ifab. This gentleman told fomewhat of my tale. Lucio. Right. Duke. It may be right, but you are in the wrong To speak before your time. Proceed. Ifab. I went To this pernicious caitiff Deputy. Duke. That's fomewhat madly fpoken. The phrafe is to the matter. -do not bani reafon For inequality; • } Let · not the high quality of my ad verfary prejudice you against me. Duke. Mended again: the matter;-proceed. Release my brother; and after much debatement, Duke. This is most likely! Ifab. Oh, that it were as like, as it is true! * Or else thou art fuborn'd against his honour Ifab. And is this all? Then, ch, you bleffed minifters above! Oh, that it were as like, as it is true!] Like is not here ufed for probable, but for feemly. She catches at the Duke's word, and turns it to another fenfe; of which there are a great many examples in Shakespear, and the writers of that time. WARB. I do not fee why like may not ftand here for probable, or why the Lady fhould not wish that fince her tale is true it may ob tain belief. If Dr. Warburton's explication be right, we should read, O! that it were as likely as 'tis true. Like I have never found for jeemly. 3 In bateful practice.] Practice was used by the old writers for any unlawful or infiduous ftratagem. So again, this must needs be practice; and again, let me bave way to find this practice out. Keep Keep me in patience; and with ripen'd time, 4 In countenance. Heav'n fhield your Grace from woe, As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go. Duke. I know, you'd fein be gone. An officer To prison with her.-Shall we thus permit A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall On him fo near us? this needs must be practice. Who knew of your intent, and coming hither? Ifab. One that I would were here, Friar Lodowick. Duke. A ghoftly father, belike: Who knows that Lodowick? Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a medling I do not like the man; had he been Lay, my lord, Duke. Words against me? this is a good Friar, belike; And to fet on this wretched woman here Againft our Substitute!let this Friar be found. I faw them at the prifon :-a fawcy Friar, Peter. Bleffed be your royal Grace! I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard As fhe from one ungot. Duke. We did believe no less. Know you that Friar Lodowick, which the speaks of? 4 In countenance] i. e. in par tial favour. As 5 nor a temporary medler.] WARBURTON. It is hard to know what is meant by As he's reported by this gentleman; And, on my Trust, a man that never yet Of a strange fever. On his meer requeft, Whenever he's convented. 6 Firft, for this woman; So vulgarly and perfonally accus'd, Her fhall you hear difproved to her eyes, 'Till fhe herself confess it. Duke. Good Friar, let's hear it, by a temporary medler. In its ufual fente, as oppofed to perpetual, it cannot be used here. It may fland for temporal: the fenfe will then be, I know him for a holy man, one that meddles not with fecular affairs: It may mean temporizing: I know him to be a boly man, one who would not temporife, or take the opportunity of your abfence to defame you. Or we may read, Not fcurvy, nor a tamperer and medler; not one who would have tampered with this woman to make her a falfe evidence against your Deputy. 6 Whenever he's CONVEN'D.] The firft Folio reads CONVENTED, and this is right: for to convene fignifies to affemble; but convent, to cite,.or fummons. Yet, becaufe convented hurts the meafure, the Oxford Editor fticks to con ven'd, tho' it be nonfense, and fignifies, Whenever he is affembled, together. But thus it will be, when the author is thinking of one thing and his critic of another.. The poet was attentive to his fenfe, and the Editor, quite throughout his performance, to nothing but the measure: which Shakespear having entirely neglected, like all the dramatic writers of that age, he has fpruced him up with all the exactness of a modern measurer of Syllables. This being here taken notice of once for all, fhall, for the future, be forgot, as if it had never been. WARBURTON. 7 So vulgarly.] Meaning either, fo grofy, with fuch indecency of invective, or by fo mean and inadequate witneffes. Do Do you not fmile at this, lord Angelo? 8 Of your own Caufe. Is this the witnefs, Friar? [Ifabella is carried off, guarded. First let her fhew her face; and, after, speak. Duke. What, are you marry'd? Mari. No, my lord. Duke. Are you a maid? Mari. No, my lord. Duke. A widow then? Mari. Neither, my lord. Duke. Why, are you nothing then? neither maid, widow, or wife. Lucio. My lord, fhe may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, or wife. Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had fome cause to prattle for himself. Lucio. Well, my lord. Mari. My lord, I do confefs, I ne'er was marry'd ; And, I confefs, befides, I am no maid; |