1. Mur. What if it come to thee again?
2. Mur. I'll not meddle with it; it makes
a man a coward; a man cannot steal, but it
accuseth him; a man cannot swear, but it checks 140
him; a man cannot lie with his neighbour's wife,
but it detects him: 'tis a blushing shamefac'd
spirit, that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills
a man full of obstacles; it made me once restore 144
a purse of gold that, by chance, I found; it beg-
gars any man that keeps it; it is turned out of
towns and cities for a dangerous thing; and every
man that means to live well endeavours to 148
trust to himself and live without it.
1. Mur. 'Tis even now at my elbow, persuading
me not to kill the duke.
2. Mur. Take the devil in thy mind, and 152
believe him not: he would insinuate with thee
but to make thee sigh.
1. Murur. I am strong-framed; he cannot pre-
vail with me. 156
2. Mur. Spoke like a tall man that re-
spects thy reputation. Come, shall we fall to
work?
1. Mur. Take him on the costard with 160
the hilts of thy sword, and then throw him into
the malmsey-butt in the next room.
2. Mur. O, excellent device! and make a sop
of him. 164
1. Mur. Soft! he wakes.
2. Mur. Strike!
1. Mur. No, we'll reason with him.
142 shamefac'd: bashful
153 him: refers to conscience
insinuate: ingratiate
157 tall: doughty, valiant
160 costard: head; cf. n.
161 hilts: hilt
162 malmsey: a kind of wine
163 sop; cf. n.
