Street.
 Enter LUCIO and two other GENTLEMEN.

Lucio	If the duke, with the other dukes, come not to composition 
	with the King of Hungary, why then, all the dukes fall upon 
	the king.

1st Gentleman	Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's!

2nd Gentleman	Amen.

Lucio	Thou conclud'st like the sanctimonious pirate that went to 
	sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped one out of the 
	table.

2nd Gentleman	Thou shalt not steal?

Lucio	Ay, that he razed.

1st Gentleman	Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the 
	rest from their functions: they put forth to steal. There's 
	not a soldier of us all that, in the thanksgiving before 
	meat, do relish the petition well that prays for peace.

2nd Gentleman	I never heard any soldier dislike it.

Lucio	I believe thee, for I think thou never wast where grace was 
	said.

2nd Gentleman	No? A dozen times at least.

1st Gentleman	What, in metre?

Lucio	In any proportion, or in any language.

1st Gentleman	I think, or in any religion.

Lucio	Ay, why not? Grace is grace despite of all controversy; as 
	for example, thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of 
	all grace.

1st Gentleman	Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.

Lucio	I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet - 
	thou art the list.

1st Gentleman	And thou the velvet. Thou art good velvet; thou'rt a three-
	piled piece, I warrant thee. I had as lief be a list of an 
	English kersey as be piled, as thou art piled, for a French 
	velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?

Lucio	I think thou dost, and indeed with most painful feeling of 
	thy speech. I will, out of thine own confession, learn to 
	begin thy health, but whilst I live forget to drink after 
	thee.

1st Gentleman	I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?

2nd Gentleman	Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.

                         Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE.

Lucio	Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! I have 
	purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to-

2nd Gentleman	To what, I pray?

Lucio	Judge.

2nd Gentleman	To three thousand dolours a year.

1st Gentleman	Ay, and more.

Lucio	A French crown more.

1st Gentleman	Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full 
	of error: I am sound.

Lucio	Nay, not, as one would say, healthy, but so sound as things 
	that are hollow; thy bones are hollow, impiety has made a 
	feast of thee.

1st Gentleman	How now, which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

Overdone	Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried to 
	prison was worth five thousand of you all.

2nd Gentleman	Who's that, I pray thee?

Overdone	Marry sir, that's Claudio, Signor Claudio.

1st Gentleman	Claudio to prison? 'Tis not so.

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 chopped off.

Lucio	But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art 
	thou sure of this?

Overdone	I am too sure of it; and it is for getting Madam Julietta 
	with child.

Lucio	Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours 
	since, and he was ever precise in promise-keeping.

2nd Gentleman	Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we 
	had to such a purpose.

1st Gentleman	But most of all agreeing with the proclamation.

Lucio	Away! Let's go learn the truth of it.
										[Exeunt LUCIO and GENTLEMEN.

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.

Overdone	Well, what has he done?

Pompey	A woman.

Overdone	But what's his offence?

Pompey	Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

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?

Overdone	What proclamation, man?

Pompey	All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

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.

Overdone	But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled 
	down?

Pompey	To the ground, mistress.

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.

Overdone	What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw.

Pompey	Here comes Signor Claudio, led by the Provost to prison. 
	And there's Madam Juliet.
													[Exeunt.

              Enter PROVOST, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and OFFICERS;
                       LUCIO and the two GENTLEMEN.

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 looked 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 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?

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 enrolld penalties
	Which have, like unscoured armour, hung by the 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.
