Lucio. O, pretty Isabella! I am pale at mine heart, | And dull to all proceedings. A deflowered maid, to see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient. I am And by an eminent body, that enforc'd fain to dine and sup with water and bran; I dare not for my head fill my belly: one fruitful meal would set me to 't. But, they say, the duke will be here tomorrow. By my troth, Isabel, I loved thy brother; if the old fantastical duke of dark corners had been at home, he had lived. [Exit ISABELLA. Duke. Sir, the duke is marvellous little beholding to your reports; but the best is, he lives not in them. Lucio. Friar, thou knowest not the duke so well as I do he's a better woodman than thou takest him for.

The law against it!-But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her
no;

Escal. He shows his reason for that: to have a despaten of complaints, and to deliver us from devices hereafter,

Which shall then have no power to stand against us.
Ang. Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaim'd:
Betimes i' the morn, I'll call you at your house.
Give notice of such men of sort and suit,
As are to meet him.
Escal.

For my authority bears such a credent bulk
That no particular scandal once can touch,
But it confounds the breather. He should have liv'd,
Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense,
Might in the times to come have ta'en revenge,
For so receiving a dishonour'd life

With ransom of such shame. Would yet he had liv'd !
Alack! when once our grace we have forgot,
Nothing goes right: we would. and we would not. [Exit.
SCENE V.-Fields without the Town.
Enter DUKE, in his own habit, and Friar PETER.
Duke. These letters at fit time deliver me.

[Giving them.'

Where you may have such vantage on the duke,
He shall not pass you. Twice have the trumpets

sounded:

I shall, sir fare you well. [Exit. The generous and gravest citizens

Ang. Good night.—
This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant,

Have hent the gates, and very near upon
The duke is ent'ring: therefore hence, away. [Exeunt

ACT V.

Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you. Ang. and Escal. Happy return be to your roya grace!

SCENE I.—A public place near the City Gate. MARIANA, (veil'd.) ISABELLA and PETER, at a distance. Enter at several doors, Duke, VARRIUS, Lords; AnGELO, ESCALUS, LUCIO, Provost, Officers and Citizens. Duke. My very worthy cousin, fairly met.1 Knight and other eds. print this and Angelo's former speech in prose. of: in f. e. 3 letters: in f. e. Start off. tc veil full purpose: 1x e

Duke. Many and hearty thankings to you both. We have made inquiry of you; and we hear Such goodness of your justice, that our soul

Pray you, take note of it; and when you have
A business for yourself, pray heaven, you then
Be Be perfect.
Lucio.

Duke. Mended again: the matter?-Now proceed
Isab. In brief,-to set the needless process by,
How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd,
How he refell'd me, and how I replied,
(For this was of much length) the vile conclusion
I now begin with grief and shame to utter.
He would not, but by gift of my chaste body
To his concupiscible intemperate lust,
Release my brother; and, after much debatement,

Nay, it is ten times strange. My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour,

strange: in f. e. • Most strange, but yet, &c. : in f. e.

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 spake against your grace,
In your retirement, I had swing'd him soundly.

Duke. Words against me? This a good friar, belike.
And to set on this wretched woman here
Against our substitute !-Let this friar be found.
Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar
I saw them at the prison. A saucy friar,
A very scurvy fellow.

F. Peter.

Blessed be your royal grace!
I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abus'd. First, hath this woman
Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute,
Who is as free from touch or soil with her,
As she from one ungot.

Duke.
We did believe no less.
Know you that friar Lodowick, that she speaks of?
F. Peter. I know him for a man divine and holy;
Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler,
As he 's reported by this gentleman;
And, on my truth', a man that never yet
Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace.

Lucio. My lord, most villainously: believe it.

F. Peter. Well; he in time may come to clear him-
self,

But at this instant he is sick, my lord,
Of a strange fever. Upon his mere request,
Being come to knowledge that there was complaint
Intended 'gainst lord Angelo, came I hither,

To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true, and false; and what he with his oath,
And all probation, will make up full clear,
Whensoever he's convented. First, for this woman,
To justify this worthy nobleman,
So vulgarly and personally accus'd,
Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes,
Till she herself confess it.
Duke.

Good friar, let's hear it.
[ISABELLA is carried off guarded; and MARIANA
comes forward.

Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo?-
O heaven, the vanity of wretched fools!-
Give us some seats.-Come, cousin Angelo,
In this I'll be impartial: be you judge
Of your own cause. Is this the witness, friar?
First, let her show her face, and after speak.
Mari. Pardon, my lord, I will not show my face,
Until my husband bid me.

Duke.

What, are you married?

Neither, my lord.

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Mari. My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married;
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.

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 th' effect of love.

Ang.

Mari. Not that I know.
Duke.

Charges she more than me?

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.-Let's see thy face.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.
[Unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which once, thou swor'st, was worth the looking on :
This is the hand which with a vow'd contract,
Was fast belock'd in thine: this is the body
That took away the match from Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house'
In her imagin'd person.

Duke.

Know you this woman?

As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue,

I am affianc'd this man's wife, as strongly

As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,
But Tuesday night last gone, in 's garden-house,

He knew me as a wife. As this is true
Let me in safety raise me from my knees,
Or else for ever be confixed here,
A marble monument.

Ang.

I did but smile till now:
Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
No, my lord. My patience here is touch'd. I do perceive,
These poor informal women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier member,
That sets them on. Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice out.
Duke.
Ay, with my heart;
And punish them unto your height of pleasure.-
Thou foolish friar, and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that 's gone, think'st thou, thy oaths
Though they would swear down each particular saint,

Duke. Why, you Are nothing then neither, maid, widow, nor wife? Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had some

cause

To prattle for himself.

1 trust in f.e * Im, that is, very partial, a common use of the prefix.

Summer-house. Not in fe • Senseless.

F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, What! unjust? indeed,

Hath set the women on to this complaint.

Your provost knows the place where he abides,
And he may fetch him.

retort: in f. e.his: in. e. Knight transfers this word to the beginning of the next line. • Wantons. food, and discovers the DUKE. in " e. • Not in f. e.

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. 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.—
Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman?
Ang. I was, my lord.

Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly.
Do you the office, friar; which consummate,
Return him here again.-Go with him, provost.

[Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour, Than at the strangeness of it.

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

Isab.

O, give me pardon, That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd Your unknown sovereignty!

Duke.

You are pardon'd, Isabel
And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.
Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart;
And you may marvel, why I obscur'd myself,
Labouring to save his life, and would not rather
Make rash demonstrance of my hidden power,
Than let him so be lost. O, most kind maid
It was the swift celerity of his death,
Which I did think with slower foot came on,
That brain'd my purpose: but all peace be with him!
That life is better life, past fearing death,
Than that which lives to fear. Make it your comfort,
So happy is your brother.

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost.
Isab.
I do, my lord.

Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here,
Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd
Your well-defended honour, you must pardon

For Mariana's sake. But, as he adjudg'd your brother,
(Being criminal, in double violation

Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach,
Thereon dependent, for your brother's life,)
The very mercy of the law cries out

Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
"An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!"
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure,
Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure
Then, Angelo, thy fault 's thus manifested,

Which, though thou would'st deny, denies thee vantage.
We do condemn thee to the very block
Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste.
Away with him.

Mari.

O, my most gracious lord!

I hope you will not mock me with a husband.
Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with
husband.

Consenting to the safeguard of your honour,
I thought your marriage fit; else imputation,
For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choke your good to come.
For his possessions,
Although by confiscation they are ours,
We do instate and widow you withal,
To buy you a better husband.

1 Not in f. e.

[Kneeling.

I crave no other, nor no better man.
Duke. Never crave him: we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle my liege,-
Duke.
You do but lose your labour.
Away with him to death.-Now, sir, [To LUCIO.] to you.
Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take my part
Lend me your knees, and all my life to come,
I'll lend you all my life to do you service.

Duke. Against all sense you do importune her:
Should she kneel down in mercy of this fact,
Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.

Mari.

Isabel,
Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me:
Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all.
They say, best men are moulded out of faults,
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: so may my husband.
O, Isabel! will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab.
Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.
Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if my brother liv'd. I partly think,
A due sincerity govern'd his deeds,
Till he did look on me since it is so,

: Let him not die. My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died:
For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;

And must be buried but as an intent

That perish'd by the way. Thoughts are no subjects,
Intents but merely thoughts.

Mari.

Merely, my lord. Duke. Your suit's unprofitable: stand up, I say.

[They rise.

I have bethought me of another fault.-
Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded
At an unusual hour?
Prov.

It was commanded so.
Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed?
Prov. No, my good lord: it was by private message,
Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office:
Give up your keys.

Prov.

Pardon me, noble lord :

I thought it was a fault, but knew it not,
Yet did repent me, after more advice;
For testimony whereof, one in the prison,
That should by private order else have died,
I have reserv'd alive.

What's he?

Duke.
Prov.
His name is Barnardine.
Duke. I would thou had'st done so by Claudio.-
Go, fetch him hither: let me look upon him.

[Exit Provost.
Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise
As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I am sorry that such sorrow I procure;

a And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart,
That I crave death more willingly than mercy :
'T is my deserving, and I do entreat it.
Re-enter Provost, BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO (muffled3),
and JULIET.
Duke. Which is that Barnardine ?
Prov.
This, my lord
Duke. There was a friar told me of this man.-
Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul,