The Case is Altered Act 3. Scene 1

Enter Angelo, solus.

My young and simple friend, Paulo Fer-
neze,
Bound me with mighty solemn conjurations
To be true to him, in his love to Rachel,
And to solicit his remembrance still
1 In his enforced absence. Much, i' faith!
True to my friend in cases of affection!
In women's cases! what a jest it is?
How silly he is that imagines it!
He is an ass that will keep promise strictly
In any thing that checks his private pleasure,
Chiefly in love. 'Sblood am not I a man?
Have I not eyes that are as free to look,
And blood to be enflam'd as well as his?
And when it is so, shall I not pursue
Mine own love's longings, but prefer my
friend's?
I, 'tis a good fool, do so; hang me then.
Because I swore? alas, who does not know
That lover's perjuries are ridiculous?
Have at thee, Rachel; I'll go court her sure,
For now I know her father is abroad.

Enter Jaques.

'Sblood see, he's here. O what damn'd luck
is thus?
This labour's lost, I must by no means see
him. Tau, dery, dery.

[ Exit.

1In his enforced absence much i' faith.] It should be printed thus:
In his enforced absence. Much, i' faith!
This ironical use of the word much, as a term of disdain, hath been remarked before.