And credulous to false prints. That is, a woman; if you be more, you're none; Isab. I have no tongue but one: gentle my lord, Isab. My brother did love Juliet; and you tell me, That he shall die for it. Ang. He shall not, Isabel, if you give me love. Isab. I know, your virtue hath a licence in't, Which seems a little fouler than it is, To pluck on others. Ang. Believe me, on mine honour, My words express my purpose. me a present pardon for my brother, Or with an outstretch'd throat, I'll tell the world Ang. That you shall stifle in your own report, Fit thy consent to my sharp appetite; That banish what they sue for; redeem thy brother By yielding up thy body to my will; Or else he must not only die the death, Bet thy unkindness shall his death draw out To lingering sufferance: answer me to-morrow, Or, by the affection that now guides me most, Isab. To whom shall I complain? Did I tell this, Then Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die : Til tell him yet of Angelo's request, And it his mind to death, for his soul's rest. [Exit. ACT III. SCENE LA Room in the Prison. Enter DUKE, CLAUDIO, and PROvost. Duke. So, then you hope of pardon from lord Angelo ? Claud. The miserable have no other medicine, Bet only hope: Itave hope to live, and am prepar'd to die. Duke. Be absolute for death; either death, or life, Shall thereby be the sweeter. Reason thus with lifeIf I do lose thee, I do lose a thing That none but fools would keep: a breath thou art, I sat dost this habitation, where thon keep'st, For him thou labour'st by thy flight to shun, For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork Do curse the gout, serpigo, and the rheum, age; But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep, Of palsied eld; and when thou art old, and rich, Claud. 116 In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great As when a giant dies. Why give you me this shame? I will encounter darkness as a bride, [grave Isab. There spake my brother; there my father's In base appliances. This outward-sainted deputy,- The princely Angelo? Thou might'st be freed? Claud offence, So to offend him still: this night's the time Claud. Isab. I have no superfluous leisure; my stay most be stolen out of other affairs; but I will attend you a while. Duke. (To Claudio, aside.) Son, I have overheard what hath past between you and your sister Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; only he hath made an essay of her virtue, to practise h judgment with the disposition of natures; she, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gre cious denial, which he is most glad to receive: In confessor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore prepare yourself to death: do not satish your resolution with hopes that are fallible: to morrow you must die; go to your knees, and make ready. Claud. Let me ask my sister pardon. I am so out Thou shalt not do't. of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it. Duke. Hold you there: farewell. [Exit Claudi Re-enter Provost. Isab. O, were it but my life, Claud. Thanks, dear Isabel. Isab. Be ready, Claudio, for your death to-morrow. Claud. If it were damnable, he, being so wise, Death is a fearful thing. Provost, a word with you. Prov. What's your will, father? Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone leave me awhile with the maid; my mind promises with my habit, no loss shall touch her by my compan Prov. In good time. [Exit Provest Duke. The hand that hath made you fair, hath made you good: the goodness, that is cheap a beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace being the soul of your complexion, should keep the body of it ever fair. The assault, that Angelo b made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my under standing; and, but that frailty hath examples for falling, I should wonder at Angelo. How would you do to content this substitute, and to save your brother Isab. I am now going to resolve him: I had ther my brother die by the law, than my son shunil be unlawfully born. But O, how much is the good duke deceived in Angelo! If ever he return, and can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain. discover his government. Duke. That shall not be much amiss: yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation be made trial of you only.-Therefore, fasten y ear on my advisings; to the love I have in d good, a remedy presents itself. I do make mysel believe, that you may most uprighteously do a p wronged lady a merited benefit; redeem your . ther from the angry law; do no stain to your eve Sweet sister, let me live: gracious person; and much please the absent duk The weariest and most loathed worldly life, To what we fear of death. Isab. Alas! alas! Claud. What sin you do to save a brother's life, Isab. O, you beast! [think? O, faithless coward! O, dishonest wretch! Ne'er issu'd from his blood. Take my defiance! Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel. if, peradventure, he shall ever return to have bea ing of this busines. Isab. Let me hear you speak further; I ka spirit to do any thing that appears not foul int truth of my spirit. Duke. Virtue is bold, and goodness never far ful. Have you not heard speak of Mariana, the sist of Frederick, the great soldier, who miscarried a sea? Isab. I have heard of the lady, and good word went with her name. Duke. Her should this Angele have married; affianced to her by oath, and the nuptial appointe between which time of the contract, and limit the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wrecke at sea, having in that perish'd vessel the dowry his sister. But mark, how heavily this befel to th poor gentlewoman there she lost a noble and re nowned brother, in his love toward her ever most kind and natural; with him the portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage-dowry; with both, her combinate husband, this well-seeming Angelo. Isab. Can this be so? Did Angelo so leave her? Duke. Left her in her tears, and dry'd not one of them with his comfort; swallowed his vows whole, pretending in her discoveries of dishonour: in few, bestowed her on her own lamentation, which she yet wears for his sake; and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not. Isab. What a merit were it in death, to take this poor maid from the world! What corruption in this fe, that it will let this man live!-But how out of tas can she avail? Duke. It is a rupture that you may easily heal: and the cure of it not only saves your brother, but keeps you from dishonour in doing it. Isab. Show me how, good father. Dake. This fore-named maid hath yet in her the <atinuance of her first affection; his unjust unkindless, that in all reason should have quenched her Love, hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo; answer his requiring with a plausible obedience; agree with his demands to the point: only refer yourself to this advantage,-first, that your stay with him may not be long; that the time may have all shadow and ence in it, and the place answer to convenience: Las being granted in course, now follows all. We all advise this wronged maid to stead up your appointment, go in your place; if the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him to ter recompense: and here, by this, is your brother saved, your honour untainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt deputy scaled. The maid will I frame, and make fit for his attempt. If you think well to carry this as you may, the doubless of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof. What think you of it? Isab. The image of it gives me content already; and, I trust, it will grow to a most prosperous per lection. Dake. It lies much in your holding up: haste you speedily to Angelo; if for this night he entreat you to his bed, give him promise of satisfaction. I will resently to St. Luke's; there, at the moated grange, resides this dejected Mariana: at that place call po me; and despatch with Angelo, that it may be ckly. Isab. I thank you for this comfort: fare you well, good father. [Exeunt severally. SCENE II.-The Street before the Prison. Exter Duke, as a Friar; to him ELBOW, Clown, and Officers. Elb. Nay, if there be no remedy for it, but that 100 will needs buy and sell men and women like easts, we shall have all the world drink brown and wate bastard. Duke. O, heavens! what stuff is here! Cio. 'Twas never merry world, since, of two usur, the merriest was put down, and the worser alow'd by order of law a furr'd gown to keep him Warm; and furr'd with fox and lamb-skins too, to gify, that craft, being richer than innocency, stands for the facing. [friar. Elb. Come your way, sir.-Bless you, good father Duke. And you, good brother father: what offence hath this man made you, sir? Elb. Marry, sir, he hath offended the law; and, Ad, we take him to be a thief too, sir; for we have found upon him, sir, a strange pick-lock, which we save sent to the deputy. Duke. Fy, sirrah; a bawd, a wicked bawd! I drink, I eat, array myself, and live. Elb. He must before the deputy, sir; he has given him warning: the deputy cannot abide a whoremaster; if he be a whoremonger and comes before him, he were as good go a mile on his errand. Duke. That we were all, as some would seem to be, Free from our faults, as faults from seeming, free! Enter LUCIO. Elb. His neck will come to your waist, a cord, sir. Clo. I spy comfort; I cry, bail: here's a gentleman, and a friend of mine. Lucio. How now, noble Pompey? What, at the heels of Cæsar? Art thou led in triumph? What, is there none of Pygmalion's images, newly made woman, to be had now, for putting the hand in the pocket, and extracting it clutch'd? What reply? Ha! What say'st thou to this tune, matter, and method? Is't not drown'd i' the last rain? Ha! What say'st thou, trot? Is the world as it was, man? Which is the way? Is it sad, and few words? Or how? The trick of it? Duke. Still thus, and thus! still worse! Lucio. How doth my dear morsel, thy mistress? Procures she still? Ha? Clo. Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and she is herself in the tub. Lucio. Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it: it must be so ever your fresh whore, and your powder'd bawd: an unshunn'd consequence; it must be so: art going to prison, Pompey? Clo. Yes, faith, sir. Lucio. Why, 'tis not amiss, Pompey: farewell: go; say, I sent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? Or how? Elb. For being a bawd, for being a bawd. Lucio. Well, then imprison him: if imprisonment be the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right: bawd is he, doubtless, and of antiquity too: bawd-born.— Farewell, good Pompey: commend me to the prison, Pompey you will turn good husband now, Pompey; you will keep the house. the wear. [bail. Clo. I hope, sir, your good worship will be my Lucio. No, indeed, will I not, Pompey; it is not I will pray, Pompey, to increase your mettle is the more. Adieu, trusty Pompey.-Bless bondage: if you take it not patiently, why, your you, friar. Duke. And you. Lucio. Does Bridget paint still, Pompey? Ha? Elb. Come your ways, sir; come. Clo. You will not bail me then, sir? Lucio. Then, Pompey? nor now.-What news abroad, friar? What news? Elb. Come your ways, sir; come. [Exeunt Elbow, Clown, and Officers. What news, friar, of the duke? Duke. I know none can you tell me of any? Lucio. Some say, he is with the emperor of Russia; other some, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you? Duke. I know not where but wheresoever, 1 wish him well. Lucio. It was a mad fantastical trick of him to steal from the state, and usurp the beggary he was never born to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence: he puts transgression to't. Duke. He does well in't. Lucio. A little more lenity to lechery would do no harm in him: something too crabbed that way, friar. Duke. It is too general a vice, and severity must cure it. Lucio. Yes, in good sooth, the vice is of a great kindred; it is well ally'd: but it is impossible to extirp it quite, friar, till eating and drinking be put down. They say, this Angelo was not made by man and woman, after the downright way of creation: is it true, think you? Duke. How should he be made, then? Lucio. Some report, a sea-maid spawn'd him:Some, that he was begot between two stock-fishes: -But it is certain, that when he makes water, his urine is congeal'd ice; that I know to be true: and he is a motion ungenerative, that's infallible. Duke. You are pleasant, sir; and speak apace. Lucio. Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the rebellion of a cod-piece, to take away the life of a man? Would the duke, that is absent, have done this? Ere he would have hang'd a man for the getting a hundred bastards, he would have paid for the nursing a thousand: he had some feeling of the sport; he knew the service, and that instructed him Duke. "Tis not possible. Lucio. Who? not the duke? yes, your beggar of fifty;—and his use was, to put a ducat in her clackdish: the duke had crotchets in him: he would be drunk too; that let me inform you. Duke. You do him wrong, surely. Lucio. Sir, I was an inward of his: a shy fellow was the duke: and, I believe, I know the cause of his withdrawing. Duke. What, I pr'ythee, might be the cause? Lucio. No,-pardon ;-'tis a secret must be lock'd within the teeth and the lips: but this I can let you understand, The greater file of the subject held the duke to be wise. Duke. Wise? why, no question but he was. Lucio. A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow. Duke. Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking; the very stream of his life, and the business he hath helmed, must, upon a warranted need, give him a better proclamation. Let him be but testimonied in his own bringings forth, and he shall appear to the envious a scholar, a statesman, and a soldier: therefore, you speak unskilfully; or, if your knowledge be more, it is much darken'd in your malice. yet would have dark deeds darkly answer'd; he Duke. No might nor greatness in mortality Enter ESCALUS, Provost, Bawd, and Officers. Escal. Double and treble admonition, and stil forfeit in the same kind? This would make mercy swear, and play the tyrant. Prov. A bawd of eleven years continuance, may it please your honour. Bawd. My lord, this is one Lucio's information against me: mistress Kate Keep-down was with child by him in the duke's time, he promised her marriage: his child is a year and a quarter old, come Philip and Jacob: I have kept it myself; and see how he goes about to abuse me. Escal. That fellow is a fellow of much license:let him be called before us.-Away with her t prison: go to; no more words. [Exeunt Bawd and Officers.] Provost, my brother Angelo will not be alter'd, Claudio must die to-morrow: let him be furnish'd with divines, and have all charitable pre paration; if my brother wrought by my pity, it should not be so with him. Prov. So please you, this friar hath been with him, and advised him for the entertainment of deat Escal. Good even, good father. Duke. Bliss and goodness on you! Duke. Not of this country, though my chance is now To use it for my time: I am a brother Escal. What news abroad i' the world? Lucio. Sir, I know him, and I love him. Duke. Love talks with better knowledge, and constant in any undertaking. There is scarce truth knowledge with dearer love. Lucio. Come, sir, I know what I know. Duke. I can hardly believe that, since you know not what you speak. But, if ever the duke return, (as our prayers are he may,) let me desire you to make your answer before him: if it be honest you have spoke, you have courage to maintain it: I am bound to call upon you; and, I pray you, your name? Lucio. Sir, my name is Lucio; well known to the duke. Duke. He shall know you better, sir, if I may live to report you. Lucio. I fear you not. Duke. O, you hope the duke will return no more; or you imagine me too unhurtful an opposite. But, indeed, I can do you little harm: you'll forswear this again. Lucio. I'll be hang'd first: thou art deceiv'd in me, friar. But no more of this: canst thou tell, if Claudio die to-morrow, or no? Duke. Why should he die, sir? Lucio. Why? for filling a bottle with a tun-dish. I would, the duke, we talk of, were return'd again : this ungenitur'd agent will unpeople the province with continency; sparrows must not build in his house-eaves, because they are lecherous. The duke enough alive, to make societies secure ; but security enough, to make fellowships accurs'd: much upos this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This new is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you, sir, of what disposition was the duke? Escal. One, that, above all other strifes, coutended especially to know himself. Duke. What pleasure was he given to? Escal. Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at any thing which profess'd to make him rejoice: a gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous; and let me desire to know, how you find Claudio prepared. I am made to understand, that you have lent him visitation. Duke. He professes to have received no sinister measures from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the determination of justice : yet had he framed to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to him, and now is he resolved to die. Escal. You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have labour'd for the poor gentleman, to the extremest shore of my modesty; but my brother justice have I found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him, he is indeed-justice. Duke. If his own life answer the straitness of his proceeding, it shall become him well; wherein, if le chance to fail, he hath sentenced himself. Escal. I am going to visit the prisoner fare you well. Duke. Peace be with you! : [Exeunt Escalus and Provost. He, who the sword of heaven will bear, Should be as holy as severe; Pattern in himself to know, Grace to stand, and virtue go; Mere nor less to others paying, Than by self-offences weighing. Shame to him, whose cruel striking Kids for faults of his own liking! Twice treble shame on Angelo, To weed my vice, and let his grow! O what may man within him hide, Though angel on the outward side! How may likeness, made in crimes, Making practice on the times, Draw with idle spiders' strings Most pond'rous and substantial things! Craft against vice I must apply: With Angelo to-night shall fie H's old betrothed, but despis'd; S disguise shall, by the disguis'd, Pay with falsehoold false exacting, And perform an old contracting. Duke. Do you persuade yourself, that I respect you! [found it. Mari. Good friar, I know you do, and have Duke. Take then this your companion by the hand, Who hath a story ready for your ear: I shall attend your leisure; but make haste; Will't please you walk aside? [eyes And rack thee in their fancies!-Welcome! How agreed? Re-enter MARIANA and ISABELLA. Isab. She'll take the enterprise upon her, father, If you advise it. Duke. But my entreaty too. Isab. It is not my consent, When you depart from him, but, soft and low, Mari. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-A Room in the Prison. Enter Provost and Clown.. Prov. Come hither, sirrah: can you cut off a man's head? Clo. If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can: but if he be a married man, he is his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head. Prov. Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine here is in our prison a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper; if you will take it on you to assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment, and your deliverance with an unpitied whippping; for you have been a notorious bawd. Clo. Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd, time out of mind; but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow partner. [there? Prov. What ho, Abborson! Where's Abhorson, |