Prov. His name is Barnardine. Duke. I would, thou hadst done so by Claudio.- As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd, Ang. I am sorry, that such sorrow I procure : Re-enter Provost, BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO, and Duke. Which is that Barnardine ? Prov. This, my lord. Duke. There was a friar told me of this man :Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no further than this world, And squar❜st thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd; I leave him to your hand.-What muffled fellow's that? That should have dy'd when Claudio lost his head; [Unmuffles CLAUDIO. Duke. If he be like your brother, for his sake [To ISAB. Is he pardon'd; And, for your lovely sake, Give me your hand, and say you will be mine, He is my brother too: But fitter time for that. Look, that you love your wife; her worth, worth yours.- And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon ; You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward, [To Luc. One all of luxury, an ass, a mad-man ; Wherein have I deserved so of you, That you extol me thus ? Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick: if you will hang me for it, you may; but I had rather it would please you I might be whipp'd. Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.— Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore Your highness said even now, I made you a duke; good my lord, do not recompense me, fin making me a cuckold. Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. Remit thy other forfeits :-Take him to prison : Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging. Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.— She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.- I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue. Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness: What's mine is your's, and what is your's is mine :- OBSERVATIONS. SHAKSPEARE might have taken the general plan of this comedy from a translation of the Menæchmi of Plautus, by W. W. i. e. (according to Wood) William Warner, in 1595, whose version of the acrostical argument hereafter quoted is as follows: "Two twinne borne sonnes a Sicill marchant had, "The grandsire nam de the latter like his brother: "Where th' other dwelt inricht, and him so like, "Father, wife, neighbours, each mistaking either, "Much pleasant error, ere they meet togither." Perhaps the last of these lines suggested to Shakspeare the title for his piece. In this play we find more intricacy of plot than distinction of character; and our attention is less forcibly engaged, because we can guess in great measure how it will conclude. STEEVENS. I suspect this and all other plays where much rhyme is used, and especially long hobbling verses, to have been among Shakspeare's more early productions. BLACKSTONE |