Or else forever be confixed here,
A marble monument!
Ang.
I did but smile till now:
Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
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 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.

Not that I know. 200
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. 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 sworest wast worth the look-
ing on;

This is the hand which, with a vow'd contract,
Was fast belock'd in thine; this is the body 210
That took away the match from Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house
In her imagined person

Duke.
Know you this woman?
Lucio. Carnally, she says.
Duke.

Sirrah, no more! Lucio. Enough, my lord. [woman: Ang. My lord, I must confess I know this And five years since there was some speech of marriage

Though they would swear down each particular

saint,

Were testimonies against his worth and credit
That's seal din approbation? You, Lord Escalus,
Sit with my cousin; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abuse, whence 'tis derived.
There is another friar that set them on;
Let him be sent for.

Fri. P. Would he were here, my lord! for he indeed

250

Hath set the woman on to this complaint: Your provost knows the place where he abides And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go do it instantly. [Exit Provost. And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin, Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth, Do with your injuries as seems you best, In any chastisement: I for a while will leave you; But stir not you till you have well determined Upon these slanderers.

Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly. 260 (Exit Duke. 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. Escal. Call that same Isabel here once again: I would speak with her. [Exit an Attendant. 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. Escal. Say you?

Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess: perchance, publicly, she'll be ashamed.

Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midnight.

281

Re-enter OFFICERS with ISABELLA; and PROVOST with the DUKE in his friar's habit. Escal. Come on, mistress: here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said.

Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here with the provost.

Escal. In very good time: speak not you to him till we call upon you. Lucio. Mum.

Escal. Come, sir: did you set these women

Duke. 'Tis false.

291

Escal. How! know you where you are? Duke. Respect to your great place! and let the devil

Be sometime honor'd for his burning throne! Where is the duke? 'tis he should hear me speak.

Escal. The duke's in us; and we will hear you speak :

Look you speak justly.

Duke. Boldly, at least. But, O, poor souls, Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox? 300 Good night to your redress. Is the duke gone? Then is your cause gone too. The duke's unThus to retort your manifest appeal, [just, And put your trial in the villain's mouth Which here you come to accuse.

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; to the rack with him! We'll touse you

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

Duke. Be not so hot; the duke Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he Dare rack his own; his subject am I not, Nor here provincial. 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, 321 But faults so countenanced, that the strong

statutes

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

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

Ang. What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio?

Is this the man that you did tell us of?

Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman baldpate: do you know me?

Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice: I met you at the prison, in the absence of the duke.

Lucio. O, did you so? And do you remember what you said of the duke?

Duke. Most notedly, sir.

Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?

341

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?

him: let him speak no more. Away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate companion!

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 sheep-biting face, and be hanged an hour! "Will't not off? 360

[Pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers the Duke. Duke. Thou art the first knave that e'er madest a duke.

First, provost, let me bail these gentle three. [To Lucio] Sneak not away, sir; for the friar and you

Must have a word anon. Lay hold on him. Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging. Duke. To Escalus] What you have spoke I pardon: sit down: you We'll borrow place of him. [To Angelo] Sir, by your leave.

370

Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence,
That yet can do thee office? If thou hast,
Rely upon it till my tale be heard,
And hold no longer out.
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,
Hathlook'd upon my passes. Then, good prince,
No longer session holds 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. 381

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, Friar Peter, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonor

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, 390
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 obscured myself.
Laboring to save his life, and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance 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, 400
That brain'd my purpose. But, peace be with
him!

That life is better life, past fearing death,

comfort,

So happy is your brother. Isab

I do, my lord.

410

O my most gracious lord,

Mari.

her:

441

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. Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me, Isabel, 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 lived: I partly think

450

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
That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no
And must be buried but as an intent
subjects:

Intents but merely thoughts.

Mari.

Merely, my lord.

Duke. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say.

460

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; For testimony whereof, one in the prison, 470 Yet did repent me, after more advice: That should by private order else have died, I have reserved alive. Duke. Prov. His name is Barnardine. Duk. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio. Go fetch him hither; let me look upon him. Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so (Exit Provost.

wise

What's he?

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 pro

cure:

And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart 480 That I crave death more willingly than mercy; 'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it. Re-enter PROVOST, with Barnardine, CLAUDIO muffled, and JULIET.

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?
Prov.
Duke. There was a friar told me of this man.
This, my lord.
Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul,
And squarest thy life according. Thou'rt con-
That apprehends no further than this world,
demn'd:

And pray thee take this mercy to provide
But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all;
For better times to come. Friar, advise him; 490
I leave him to your hand. What muffled fellow's
that?

Who should have died when Claudio lost his head;
Prov. This is another prisoner that I saved,
As like almost to Claudio as himself.

I find an apt remission in myself:

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.
[To Lucio] You, sirrah, that knew me for a
fool, a coward,

One all of luxury, an ass, a madman;
Wherein have I so deserved of you,
That you extol me thus?

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick. If you will hang me for it, you may; but I had rather it would please you I might be whipt.

Duke. Whipt first, sir, and hanged after. Proclaim it, provost, round about the city, Is any woman wrong'd by this lewd fellow, As I have heard him swear himself there's one Whom he begot with child, let her appear, And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd, Let him be whipt and hang'd.

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore. Your highness said even now, I made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honor, thou shalt marry her.

Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal
Remit thy other forfeits. Take him to prison;
And see our pleasure herein executed.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

530

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it. [Exeunt Officers with Lucio. She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore. Joy to you, Mariana! Love her, Angelo: I have confess'd her and I know her virtue. Thanks. good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness:

540

There's more behind that is more gratulate.
Thanks, provost, for thy care and secrecy :
We shall employ thee in a worthier place.
Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
The head of Ragozine for Claudio's:
The offence pardons itself. Dear Isabel,
I have a motion much imports your good;
Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline,
What's mine is yours and what is yours is mine.
So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show
What's yet behind, that's meet you all should
know.
[Exeunt.

SOLINUS, duke of Ephesus. ÆGEON, a merchant of Syracuse. ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse,

twin brothers, and sons to Ægeon and Æmilia.

twin brothers, and attendants on the two Antipholuses.

DROMIO of Ephesus, DROMIO of Syracuse, BALTHAZAR, a merchant. ANGELO, a goldsmith.

ACT I.

First Merchant, friend to Antipholus of Syracuse Second Merchant, to whom Angelo is a debtor. PINCH, a schoolmaster.

EMILIA, wife to Egeon, an abbess at Ephesus.
ADRIANA, wife to Antipholus of Ephesus.
LUCIANA, her sister.

LUCE, servant to Adriana.
A Courtesan.

Jailer, Officers, and other attendants.

SCENE I. A hall in the DUKE's palace. Enter DUKE, EGEON, Jailer, Officers, and other Attendants.

Ege. Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall,
And by the doom of death end woes and all.
Duke. Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more;
I am not partial to infringe our laws:
The enmity and discord which of late
Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke
To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,
Who wanting guilders to redeem their lives
Have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their
bloods,

Excludes all pity from our threatening looks. 10
For, since the mortal and intestine jars
"Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us,
It hath in solemn synods been decreed,
Both by the Syracusians and ourselves,
To admit no traffic to our adverse towns:
Nay, more,

If any born at Ephesus be seen
At any Syracusian marts and fairs;
Again: if any Syracusian born

Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies,

20

His goods confiscate to the duke's dispose,
Unless a thousand marks be levied,
To quit the penalty and to ransom him.
Thy substance, valued at the highest rate,
Cannot amount unto a hundred marks;
Therefore by law thou art condemn'd to die.
Ege. Yet this my comfort: when your words
are done,

My woes end likewise with the evening sun.
Duke. Well, Syracusian, say in brief the cause
Why thou departed'st from thy native home 30
And for what cause thou camest to Ephesus.
Ege. A heavier task could not have been im-
Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable: [posed
Yet, that the world may witness that my end
Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence,
I'll utter what my sorrow gives me leave.
In Syracusa was I born, and wed
Unto a woman, happy but for me,
And by me, had not our hap been bad.

With her I lived in joy; our wealth increased 40
By prosperous voyages I often made
To Epidamnum; till my factor's death
And the great care of goods at random left
Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse:
From whom my absence was not six months old
Before herself, almost at fainting under
The pleasing punishment that women bear,
Had made provision for her following me,
And soon and safe arrived where I was.
There had she not been long but she became 50
A joyful mother of two goodly sons;
And, which was strange, the one so like the other
As could not be distinguish'd but by names.
That very hour and in the self-same inn
A meaner woman was delivered
Of such a burden, male twins, both alike:
Those, for their parents were exceeding poor,
I bought and brought up to attend my sons,
My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys,
Made daily motions for our home return: 60
Unwilling I agreed; alas! too soon
We came aboard.

71

A league from Epidamnum had we sail'd,
Before the always wind-obeying deep
Gave any tragic instance of our harm:
But longer did we not retain much hope;
For what obscured light the heavens did grant
Did but convey unto our fearful minds
A doubtful warrant of immediate death; (braced,
Which though myself would gladly have em-
Yet the incessant weepings of my wife,
Weeping before for what she saw must come,
And piteous plainings of the pretty babes,
That mourn'd for fashion, ignorant what to fear,
Forced me to seek delays for them and me.
And this it was, for other means was none:
The sailors sought for safety by our boat,
And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us:
My wife, more careful for the latter-born,
Had fasten'd him unto a small spare mast, 80
Such as seafaring men provide for storms;
To him one of the other twins was bound,
Whilst I had been like heedful of the other:
The children thus disposed, my wife and I,
Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix'd,
Fasten'd ourselves at either end the mast;