Duke. I know you'd fain be gone. An officer! [The officers advance.

To prison with her! Shall we thus permit
A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall
On him so near us? This needs must be a
practice.

Who knew of your intent and coming hither?
Isab. One that I would were here, Friar
Lodowick.

Duke. A ghostly father, belike. Who knows that Lodowick?

Lucio. My lord, I know him; 't is a meddling friar;

I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord,

For certain words he spoke against your grace In your retirement, I had swinged him

Do

Duke.

you

160

Good friar, let's hear it. [Exit Isabella, guarded.

not smile at this, Lord Angelo? O heaven, the vanity of wretched fools! Give us some seats. [The attendants bring two chairs of state from within the city gates.] Come, cousin Angelo;

In this I'll be impartial; be you judge
Of your own cause.

[Mariana advances, veiled. Duke and
Angelo seat themselves.

Is this the witness, friar? First, let her show her face, and after speak. Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face

And I confess, besides, I am no maid:

I have known my husband; yet my husband knows not

That ever he knew me.

Lucio. He was drunk, then, my lord: it can be no better.

Duke. For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so too!

Lucio. Well, my lord.

191

Duke. This is no witness for Lord Angelo.
Mari. Now I come to 't, my lord:

She that accuses him [of fornication,]
In self-same manner doth accuse my husband;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms
[With all the effect of love.]

Ang. Charges she more than me?
Mari.

201

Not that I know. Duke. No? you say your husband. Mari. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo,

[Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body,

But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's.] Ang. This is a strange abuse.3 Let's see thy face.

Mari. My husband bids me; now I will
unmask.
[Unveils.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which once thou swor'st was worth the looking

3 Abuse, deception, delusion.

4 Garden-house, summer-house.

5 Proportions, shares of real and personal estate, i.e. marriage portion.

But stir not you till you have well determin'd Upon these slanderers.

Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly. [Exit Duke. Angelo and Escalus sit. Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum: honest in nothing but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most villanous speeches of the duke.

Escal. We shall entreat you to abide here till he come, and enforce them against him: we shall find this friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word. 269 Escal. [To an Officer] Call that same Isabel here once again: I would speak with her. [Exit Officer through city gates.] Pray you, my lord, give me leave to question; you shall see how I'll handle her.

[Lucio. Not better than he, by her own) report.

5 "The cowl does not make the monk."

Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd friar,

Is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women To accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth, And in the witness of his proper ear,

310

To call him villain? and then to glance from him

To the duke himself, to tax him with injustice? Take him hence; [Officers advance] to the rack with him! We'll touse2 you

Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose. What, unjust?

Duke. Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he Dare rack his own: his subject am I not, Nor here provincial.3 My business in this state Made me a looker-on here in Vienna, Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble Till it o'er-run the stew; laws for all faults, But faults so countenanc'd, that the strong statutes

Be not so hot; the duke

Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,
As much in mock as mark.

319

Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison!

[Two Officers approach the Duke.

Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke so of him; and much more, much worse. Lucio. O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose for thy speeches?

Duke. I protest I love the duke as I love myself.

Ang. Hark, how the villain would close* now, after his treasonable abuses!

Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talked withal. Away with him to prison! Where is the provost? [Provost advances.] Away with him to prison! lay bolts enough upon him: let him speak no more. Away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate companion!

[Officers advance to seize Isabella and Mariana. The Provost arrests the Duke.

Duke. [To Provost] Stay, sir; stay awhile. Ang. What, resists he? Help him, Lucio.

Lucio. Come, sir; come, sir; come, sir; foh, sir! Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal, you must be hooded, must you? Show your knave's visage, with a pox to you! show your sheepbiting face, and be hanged an hour! Will't not off?

360

[Pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers the Duke. Angelo and Escalus start up from their seats. Lucio steps back amazed.

Duke. Thou art the first knave that e'er mad'st a duke.

4 Close, come to an agreement, make reparation. 5 Giglots, wantons.

That yet can do thee office? If thou hast,

Rely upon it till my tale be heard,
And hold no longer out.

Ang. I was, my lord.

370

Ang.
O my dread lord,
I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,
To think I can be undiscernible,
When I perceive your grace, like power divine,
Hath look'd upon my passes.2 Then, good
prince,

No longer session hold upon my shame,
But let my trial be mine own confession:
Immediate sentence then, and sequent death,
Is all the grace I beg.
Duke.

Come hither, Mariana. [Mariana advances. Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman?

1 Do thee office, i.e. do thee service.

2 Passes, proceedings.

381

Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly. [Angelo goes to Mariana. Do you the office, friar; which consummate, Return him here again. Go with him, provost. [Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Friar Peter, and Provost through the city gates. Escal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour

Than at the strangeness of it.
Duke.

Come hither, Isabel. [Duke and Escalus rise. [Your friar is now your prince: as I was then Advértising3 and holy to your business, Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorney'd at your service.]

3 Advertising, i.e. assisting with counsel.