MEASURE

FOR

MEASURE.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

VINCENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

Angelo, Lord Deputy in the Duke's absence.

Efcalus,}

An ancient Lord, join'd with Angelo in the
Deputation.

Claudio, a young Gentleman.

Lucio, a Fantaflick.

Two Gentlemen.

Varrius, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.
Provoft.

Thomas, }

Peter,

A Justice.

two Friars.

Elbow, a fimple Conftable.

Froth, a foolish Gentleman.

Clown, Servant to Mrs. Over-done.

Abhorfon, an Executioner.

Barnardine, a diffolute Prifoner.

Ifabella, Sifter to Claudio.

Marina, betrothed to Angelo.

Juliet, beloved of Claudio.

Francifca, a Nun.

Miftrefs Over-done, a Bard.

Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna.

MEA

MEASURE for Measure.

A CT I.

SCENE, the Duke's PALACE.

Enter Duke, Efcalus, and Lords.

DUKE.

SCALUS,

Efcal. My Lord.

Duke. Of Government the properties t'un fold,

Would feem in me t'affect speech and dif

course.

Since I am not to know, that your own Science
Exceeds, in that, the lifts of all advice

My ftrength can give you: then no more remains: (1)

05

then no more remaines:

Put

(1) Put that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able And let them work] 1 doubt not, but this Passage, either from the Impertinence of the A&tors, or the Negligence of the Copyifts, has come maim'd to us. In the firft Place, what an unmeasurable, inharmonious, Verse have we here; and, then, how lame is the Senfe! What was Efcalus to pur to his Sufficiency? Why, his Science. But his Science and his Sufficiency were but One and the fame Thing. On what then does the: Relative, them, depend? The old Editions read thus.

Then

Put that to your fufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people,
Our city's inftitutions, and the terms

Of common juftice, y'are as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember. There is our Commiffion,

From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,
I fay, bid come before us Angelo:

What figure of us, think you, he will bear?
For you must know, we have with special foul
Elected him our Abfence to fupply;

Lent him our Terror, dreft him with our Love;
And giv'n his Deputation all the organs

Of our own Power: fay, what think you of it?
Efcal. If any in Vienna be of worth

To undergo fuch ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Enter Angelo.

Duke. Look, where he comes.

Ang. Always obedient to your Grace's will,

Then no more remaines,

But that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able,
And let them work.

Here, again, the Senfe is manifeftly lame and defective, and as the Verfification is fo too, they concur to make me think, a Line has accidentally been left out. Perhaps, something like This might fupply our Author's Meaning.

-Then no more remains,

But that to your Sufficiency you add

Due Diligency, as your Worth is able;
And let them work.

By fome fuch Supplement both the Senfe and Measure would be cur'd. But as the Conjecture is unfupported by any Authorities, I have not pretended to thrust it into the Text; but fut mit it to Judgment. They, who are acquainted with Books, know, that, whete two Words of a fimilar Length and Termination happen to lie under one another, nothing is more common than for Transcribers to glance their Eye at once from the first to the undermoft Word, and fo leave out the intermediate part of the Sentence,