Shakespeare in the restoration: Puritan austerity and its cure in Davenant's adaptation of 'Measure for Measure'

William Davenant's The Law against Lovers (1662), the first of a wave of adaptations of Shakespeare's plays during the Restoration, is based on Measure for Measure, but - apart from including allusions to various other Shakespearean comedies - it replaces the brothel scenes of the subplot by the combats of wit between Benedick and Beatrice from Much Ado about Nothing. The merriment among the town gallants functions as a protest against the rule of puritanical austerity. Even Angelo, who for some time figures as a Malvolio in the genteel society of the play, ultimately has to give way to the mirth of the town gallants. Davenant shows that the regimentation of manners during the Commonwealth period had been wholly unnecessary, since the ruling class can maintain a sufficient degree of public order by adhering to the traditional code of love, honour and loyalty to the monarch. All conflicts are happily resolved when the Duke drops his disguise: he proves himself a merciful monarch, just like Charles 11 after the restoration of the Stuart monarchy.