Measure for Measure Part 18

_Prov._ So please you, this friar hath been with him, 200 and advised him for the entertainment of death.

_Escal._ Good even, good father.

_Duke._ Bliss and goodness on you!

_Escal._ Of whence are you?

_Duke._ Not of this country, though my chance is now 205 To use it for my time: I am a brother Of gracious order, late come from the See In special business from his Holiness.

_Escal._ What news abroad i' the world?

_Duke._ None, but that there is so great a fever on goodness, 210 that the dissolution of it must cure it: novelty is only in request; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking.

There is scarce truth enough alive to make societies secure; but security enough to make fellowships accurst:-- 215 much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you, sir, of what disposition was the Duke?

_Escal._ One that, above all other strifes, contended especially to know himself. 220

_Duke._ What pleasure was he given to?

_Escal._ Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at any thing which professed to make him rejoice: a gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous; and let 225 me desire to know how you find Claudio prepared. I am made to understand that you have lent him visitation.

_Duke._ He professes to have received no sinister measure from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of justice: yet had he framed to himself, 230 by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to him, and now is he resolved to die.

_Escal._ You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have laboured 235 for the poor gentleman to the extremest sh.o.r.e of my modesty: but my brother justice have I found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him he is indeed Justice.

_Duke._ If his own life answer the straitness of his proceeding, it shall become him well; wherein if he chance to 240 fail, he hath sentenced himself.

_Escal._ I am going to visit the prisoner. Fare you well.

_Duke._ Peace be with you! [_Exeunt Escalus and Provost._

He who the sword of heaven will bear Should be as holy as severe; 245 Pattern in himself to know, Grace to stand, and virtue go; More nor less to others paying Than by self-offences weighing.

Shame to him whose cruel striking 250 Kills for faults of his own liking!

Twice treble shame on Angelo, To weed my vice and let his grow!

O, what may man within him hide, Though angel on the outward side! 255 How may likeness made in crimes, Making practice on the times, To draw with idle spiders' strings Most ponderous and substantial things!

Craft against vice I must apply: 260 With Angelo to-night shall lie His old betrothed but despised; So disguise shall, by the disguised, Pay with falsehood false exacting, And perform an old contracting. [_Exit._ 265

NOTES: III, 2.

SCENE II.] om. Ff. SCENE IV. Pope.

Enter ... Pompey] Enter Elbow, Clowne, Officers. Ff.

5: _usuries_] _usancies_ Collier MS.

7: Punctuated as in Hanmer. Ff place a semicolon after _law_.

Pope a full stop. Warburton supposes a line or two to be lost.

_furred gown_] _furred lambskin gown_ Capell.

8: _fox and lamb-skins_] _fox-skins_ Capell. _fox on lamb-skins_ Mason conj.

11: _father_] om. Johnson conj.

22: _eat, array myself_] Theobald (Bishop conj.).

_eat away myself_ Ff.

24: _Go mend, go mend_] _Go mend, mend_ Pope.

25: _does_] _doth_ Pope.

36: _From our faults_] F1. _Free from our faults_ F2 F3.

_Free from all faults_ F4.

_as faults from seeming_] _as from faults seeming_ Hanmer.

_or from false seeming_ Johnson conj.

_or faults from seeming_ Id. conj.

36: SCENE V. [Enter LUCIO. Pope.

37: _waist_] Johnson, ed. 1778. _wast_ F1 F2 F3. _waste_ F4.

40: _wheels_] _heels_ Steevens.

43: _it_] Pope. om. Ff.

44, 45: _this tune ... Is't not_]

_this? tune ... method,--is't not?_ Johnson conj.

45: _matter and method] the matter and the method_ Hanmer.

_Is't not ... rain_] _It's not down in the last reign_ Warburton.

46: _Trot_] _to't_ Dyce (Grey conj.). _troth_ Jackson conj.

52: _her_] _the_ Pope.

69, 70: _bondage: ... patiently,_] Theobald.

_bondage ... patiently:_ Ff.

80: SCENE VI. Pope.

93: _general_] _gentle_ Warburton.

95: _a great_] _great_ Rowe.

98: _this_] Ff. _the_ Pope.

104: _is a motion generative_] _is a motion ungenerative_ Theobald.

_has no motion generative_ Hanmer.

_is not a motion generative_ Capell.

_is a motion ingenerative_ Collier MS.

_is a notion generative_ Upton conj.

_is a mule ungenerative_ Anon. conj.

114: _detected_] _detracted_ Capell.

123: _shy_] _sly_ Hanmer.

126: _I_] om. Rowe.

142: _dearer_] Hanmer. _deare_ F1 F2. _dear_ F3 F4.

157: _little_] _a little_ Hanmer.

_again._] _again?_ Ff.

168: _this Claudio_] _this: Claudio_ Edd. conj.

171: _He's not past it yet, and I say to thee_] Hanmer.

_He's now past it, yet (and I say to thee)_ Ff.

_He's now past it: yea, and I say to thee_ Capell.

172: _smelt_] _smelt of_ Rowe.

173: _said_] _say_ Pope.

179: SCENE VII. Pope 183: _swear_] _swerve_ Hanmer. _severe_ Farmer conj.

202: _even_] F4. _'even_ F1 F2 F3.

207: _See_] Theobald. _Sea_ Ff.

212: _and it is as_] F3 F4. _and as it is as_ F1 F2.

213: _undertaking. There_] _undertaking, there_ Collier.

220: _especially_] _specially_ Pope. These two lines are printed as verse by Ff, ending _strifes, ... himself._ 232: _leisure_] _lecture_ Capell conj.

234: _your function_] _the due of your function_ Collier MS.

243: SCENE VIII. Pope.

[Exeunt....] Capell. [Exit. F2. om. F1.