DUKE. Bound by my charity, and my blest order,
I come to vifit the afflicted fpirits

Here in the prifon; do me the common right

To let me fee them, and to make me know

The nature of their crimes; that I may minister

To them accordingly.

PROV. I would do more than that, if more were need{u}.

Enter Juliet.

Look, here comes one; a gentlewoman of mine

Who falling in the flaws of her own youth,

Hath blifter'd her report: She is with child;

And he, that got it, fentenc'd; a young man.
More fit to do another fuch offence,

Than die for this.

DUKE. When must he die?

PROV. As I do think, to-morrow.

I have provided for you; ftay a while,

And you fhall be conducted.

{To Juliet.

DUKE. Repent you, fair one, of the fin you carry?

JULIET. I do; and bear the shame most patiently.

DUKE. I'll teach you, how you shall arraign your confcience, And try your penitence, if it be found,

Or hollowly put on.

JULIET. I'll gladly learn.

DUKE. Love you the man that wrong'd you?

JULIET. Yes, as I love the woman that wrong'd him.

DUKE. So then, it feems, your moft offenceful act
Was mutually committed.

JULIET. Mutually.

DUKE. Then was your fin of heavier kind than his.
JULIET. I do confefs it, and repent it, father.

DUKE. 'Tis meet fo, daughter; but repeat you not,

As that the fin hath brought you to this shame,

Which forrow's always tow'rds ourselves, not heav'n;
Shewing, we'd not feek heaven, as we love it,

But as we stand in fear.

JULIET. I do repent me, as it is an evil;

And take the shame with joy.

DUKE. There rest.

Your partner, as I hear, muft die to-morrow,

And I am going with instruction to him.

So, grace go with you! benedicite.

JULIET. Muft die to-morrow! oh, injurious love,

[Exit.

ANG. When I would pray and think, I think and pray

To fev'ral subjects: heav'n hath my empty words,
Whilst my intention, hearing not my tongue,
Anchors on Ifabel. Heav'n's in my mouth,
As if I did but only chew its name;

And in my heart the strong and swelling evil
Of my conception. The state, whereon I studied,
Is like a good thing, being often read,
Grown fear'd and tedious; yea, my gravity,
Wherein (let no man hear me) I take pride,

Could I with boot change for an idle plume
Which the air beats for vain. Oh place! oh form!
How often doft thou with thy cafe, thy habit,

Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wifer fouls

To thy false feeming? Blood, thou art but blood:
Let's write good angel on the devil's horn;

"Tis not the devil's creft.

Enter Servant.

How now, who's there?

SERV. One Ifabel, a sister, defires access to you.

ANG. Teach her the way.

[Solus.] Oh heav'ns!

Why does my blood thas muster to my heart,

Making both that unable for itself,

And difpoffeffing all my other parts
Of necessary fitnefs?

So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons;
Come all to help him, and so stop the air

By which he should revive: and even fo
The gen'ral fubjects to a well-wish'd king
Quit their own part, and in obfequious fondness
Crowd to his prefence, where their untaught love

ISAB. I am come to know your pleasure.

ANG. That you might know it, would much better please

me,

Than to demand, what 'tis. Your brother cannot live.

ISAB. Ev'n fo?-Heav'n keep your honour!
ANG. Yet may he live a while; and, it may be,

As long as you or I; yet he must die, ̧
ISAB. Under your fentence?

[Going.

ANG. Yea.

ISAB. When? I beseech you; that in his reprieve, Longer or fhorter, he may be so fitted,

That his foul ficken not.

ANG. Ha? fie, thefe filthy vices! 'twere as good
To pardon him, that hath from nature ftol'n
A man already made, as to remit

Their sawcy sweetness, that do coin heav'n's image
In ftamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easie,
Falfely to take away a life true made;
As to put metal in restrained means,

To make a false one.

ISAB. 'Tis fet down fo in heav'n, but not in earth.
ANG. And say you so? then I shall poze you quickly.
Which had you rather, that the most just law
Now took your brother's life; or, to redeem him,
Give up your body to fuch fweet uncleanness,
As fhe, that he hath stain'd?

ISAB. Sir, believe this,

I had rather give my body than my soul.

ANG. I talk not of your foul; our compell'd fins
Stand more for number than for compt.

ISAB. How fay you ?

ANG. Nay, I'll not warrant that; for I can speak
Against the thing I fay. Answer to this:
I, now the voice of the recorded law,
Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life;
Might there not be a charity in fin,..........
To fave this brother's life?

ISAB. Please you to do't,

I'll take it as a peril to my foul,
It is no fin at all, but charity.

VOL. I.

T

ANG. Pleas'd you to do't at peril of your foul,
Were equal poize of fin and charity.

ISAB. That I do beg his life, if it be fih,

Heav'n, let me bear it! you, granting my fuit,

If that be fin, I'll make it my morn-pray'r

To have it added to the faults of mine,
And nothing of your answer.

ANG. Nay, but hear me

Your fenfe purfues not mine; either, you're ignorant ; Or feem fo, craftily; and that's not good.

J

ISAB. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good,
But gracioufly to know I am no better.
ANG. Thus wifdem wishes to appear most bright,
When it doth tax itfelf; as these black mafts
Proclaim an en-fhield beauty ten times loader,
Than beauty could display'd. But mark me,
To be received plain, I'll speak more grofs;
Your brother is to die.

ISAB. So.

ANG. And his offence is fo, as it appears
Accountant to the law upon that pain.
ISAB. True.

ANG. Admit no other way to fave his life,
(As I fubfcribe not that, nor any other,
But in the lofs of question) that you his fifter,
Finding yourself defir'd of fuch a person,
Whofe credit with the judge, or own great place,
Could fetch your brother from the manacles
Of the all-binding law; and that there were
No earthly mean to fave him, but that either
You must lay down the treafures of your body
To this fuppofed, or else let him faffer;