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yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all。
FIRST GENTLEMAN。 Who's that； I pray thee？ MRS。 OVERDONE。
Marry； sir； that's Claudio； Signior Claudio。 FIRST GENTLEMAN。
Claudio to prison？ 'Tis not so。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Nay； but I know 'tis so：
I saw him arrested； saw him carried away； and； which is more； within
these three days his head to be chopp'd off。 LUCIO。 But； after all this
fooling； I would not have it so。 Art thou sure of this？ MRS。 OVERDONE。
I am too sure of it； and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child。 LUCIO。
Believe me； this may be； he promis'd to meet me two hours since； and he
was ever precise in promise…keeping。 SECOND GENTLEMAN。 Besides；
you know； it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose。
FIRST GENTLEMAN。 But most of all agreeing with the proclamation。
LUCIO。 Away； let's go learn the truth of it。 Exeunt Lucio and
GENTLEMEN MRS。 OVERDONE。 Thus； what with the war； what with
the sweat； what with the gallows； and what with poverty； I am custom…
shrunk。
Enter POMPEY
How now！ what's the news with you？ POMPEY。 Yonder man is
carried to prison。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Well； what has he done？ POMPEY。
A woman。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 But what's his offence？ POMPEY。
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 What！ is there
a maid with child by him？ POMPEY。 No； but there's a woman with maid
by him。 You have not heard of the proclamation； have you？ MRS。
OVERDONE。 What proclamation； man？ POMPEY。 All houses in the
suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 And what
shall become of those in the city？ POMPEY。 They shall stand for seed；
they had gone down too； but that a wise burgher put in for them。 MRS。
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OVERDONE。 But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd
down？ POMPEY。 To the ground； mistress。 MRS。 OVERDONE。 Why；
here's a change indeed in the commonwealth！ What shall become of me？
POMPEY。 Come； fear not you： good counsellors lack no clients。 Though
you change your place you need not change your trade； I'll be your tapster
still。 Courage； there will be pity taken on you； you that have worn your
eyes almost out in the service； you will be considered。 MRS。 OVERDONE。
What's to do here； Thomas Tapster？ Let's withdraw。 POMPEY。 Here
comes Signior Claudio； led by the provost to prison； and there's Madam
Juliet。 Exeunt
Enter PROVOST； CLAUDIO； JULIET； and OFFICERS； LUCIO
following
CLAUDIO。 Fellow； why dost thou show me thus to th' world？ Bear
me to prison； where I am committed。 PROVOST。 I do it not in evil
disposition； But from Lord Angelo by special charge。 CLAUDIO。 Thus
can the demigod Authority Make us pay down for our offence by weight
The words of heaven： on whom it will； it will； On whom it will not； so； yet
still 'tis just。 LUCIO。 Why； how now； Claudio； whence comes this restraint？
CLAUDIO。 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 ravin down their proper
bane； A thirsty evil； and when we drink we die。 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？ CLAUDIO。 What but to
speak of would offend again。 LUCIO。 What； is't murder？ CLAUDIO。 No。
LUCIO。 Lechery？ CLAUDIO。 Call it so。 PROVOST。 Away； sir； you must
go。 CLAUDIO。 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？
CLAUDIO。 Thus stands it with me： upon a true contract I 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 dow'r 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
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chances The stealth of our most mutual entertainment； With character too
gross； is writ on Juliet。 LUCIO。 With child； perhaps？ CLAUDIO。
Unhappily； even so。 And the new deputy now for the Duke… Whether it be
the fault and glimpse of newness； Or whether that the body public be A
horse whereon the governor doth ride； Who； newly in the seat； that it may
know He can command； lets 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
armour； hung by th' wall So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round
And none of them been worn； and； for a name； Now puts the drowsy and
neglected act Freshly on me。 'Tis surely for a name。 LUCIO。 I warrant it is；
and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders that a milkmaid； if she be in
love； may sigh it off。 Send after the Duke； and appeal to him。 CLAUDIO。
I have done so； but he's not to be found。 I prithee； Lucio； do me this kind
service： This day my sister should the cloister enter； And there receive her
approbation； 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。 I
have great hope in that； for in her youth There is a prone and speechless
dialect Such as move 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 imposition； as for the enjoying of thy life； who I
would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick…tack。 I'll to
her。 CLAUDIO。 I thank you； good friend Lucio。 LUCIO。 Within two hours。
CLAUDIO。 Come； officer； away。 Exeunt
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SCENE III。 A monastery
Enter DUKE and FRIAR THOMAS
DUKE。 No； holy father； throw away that thought； Believe not that the
dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom。 Why I desire thee To
give me secret harbour hath a purpose More grave and wrinkled than the
aims and ends Of burning youth。 FRIAR。 May your Grace speak of it？
DUKE。 My holy sir； none better knows than you How I have ever lov'd
the life removed； And held in idle price to haunt assemblies Where youth；
and cost； a witless bravery keeps。 I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo； A man
of stricture and firm abstinence； My absolute power and place here in
Vienna； And he supposes me travell'd to Poland； For so I have strew'd it in
the common ear； And so it is received。 Now； pious sir； You will demand of
me why I do this。 FRIAR。 Gladly； my lord。 DUKE。 We have strict statutes
and most biting laws； The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds；
Which for this fourteen years we have let sleep； Even like an o'ergrown
lion in a cave； That goes not out to prey。 Now； as fond fathers； Having
bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch； Only to stick it in their children's
sight For terror； not to use； in time the rod Becomes more mock'd than
fear'd； so our decrees； Dead to infliction； to themselves are dead； And
liberty plucks justice by the nose； The baby beats the nurse； and quite
athwart Goes all decorum。 FRIAR。 It rested in your Grace To unloose this
tied…up justice when you pleas'd； And it in you more dreadful would have
seem'd Than in Lord Angelo。 DUKE。 I do fear； too dreadful。 Sith 'twas my
fault to give the people scope； 'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall
them For what I bid them do； for we bid this be done； When evil deeds
have their permissive pass And not the punishment。 Therefore； indeed； my
father； I have on Angelo impos'd the office； Who may； in th' ambush of my
name； strike home； And yet my nat