_seeding_ Collier MS.
44: _his_] _its_ Hanmer.
49: _O, let him_] F1. _Let him_ F2 F3 F4. _Let him then_ Pope.
50: _is_] _who's_ Collier MS.
52: _and_] _with_ Johnson conj.
_do_] om. Pope.
54: _givings-out_] Rowe. _giving-out_ Ff.
60: _his_] _it's_ Capell.
63: _for long_] _long time_ Pope.
68: _hope is_] _hope's_ Pope.
70: _pith of business 'Twixt_] _pith Of business betwixt_ Hanmer.
See note (VI).
_pith of_] om. Pope.
72: _so seek_] _so, Seeke_ Ff. _so? seek_ Edd. conj.
_Has_] _H'as_ Theobald.
71-75: Ff end the lines thus:-- _so,--already--warrant--poor--good._
Capell first gave the arrangement in the text.
73: _as_] om. Hanmer.
74: _A warrant for his_] _a warrant For's_ Ff.
78: _make_] Pope. _makes_ Ff.
82: _freely_] F1. _truely_ F2 F3 F4.
Enter _Provost_ inserted by Capell.

ACT II.

SCENE I. _A hall in ANGELO'S house._

_Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, and a _Justice, Provost, Officers_,
and other _Attendants_, behind._

_Ang._ We must not make a scarecrow of the law,
Setting it up to fear the birds of prey,
And let it keep one shape, till custom make it
Their perch, and not their terror.

_Escal._ Ay, but yet
Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, 5
Than fall, and bruise to death. Alas, this gentleman,
Whom I would save, had a most noble father!
Let but your honour know,
Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,
That, in the working of your own affections, 10
Had time cohered with place or place with wishing,
Or that the resolute acting of your blood
Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose,
Whether you had not sometime in your life
Err'd in this point which now you censure him, 15
And pull'd the law upon you.

_Ang._ 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall. I not deny,
The jury, passing on the prisoner's life,
May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two 20
Guiltier than him they try. What's open made to justice,
That justice seizes: what know the laws
That theives do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant,
The jewel that we find, we stoop and take't,
Because we see it; but what we do not see 25
We tread upon, and never think of it.
You may not so extenuate his offence
For I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
When I, that censure him, do so offend,
Let mine