PERSONS REPRESENTED.

VINCENTIO, duke of Austria.
Angelo, lord deputy in the duke's absence.
Escalus, an ancient lord, joined with Angelo in the

deputation.
Claudio, a young gentleman.
Lucio, a fantastick.
LEOPOLD

FREDERICK

, } two gentlemen.

Provost.
Peter, a friar.
ELBOW, a simple constable.
Froth, a foolish gentleman.
POMPEY, servant to Mrs. Over-done.
ABHORSON, an executioner.
BARNARDINE, a dissolute prisoner.
Thomas, servant to Angelo.
ISABELLA, sister to Claudio.
MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo.
FRANCISCA, a nun.
MISTRESS OVER-DONE.

Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Vienna.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

An Apartment in the Duke's Palace.

The DUKE, ESCALUS, FREDERICK, and LEOPOLD,

discovered.

Duke. Escalus, Escal. My lord. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse, Since I am put to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists' of all advice My strength can give you : The nature of our people, Our city's institutions, and the terms For common justice, you are as pregnant in? As art and practice hath enriched any That we remember: There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp.

Call hither,

ESCALUS kneels, and takes his commission, I say, bid come before us, Angelo.

[Exit LEOPOLD. What figure of us, think you, he will bear? For you

must know, we have, with special soul,

Elected him our absence to supply ;
Lent him our terror, dress’d him with our love;
And given his deputation all the organs
Of our own power :

What think

you

of it?
Esca. If any in Vienna be of worth
To undergo such ample grace and honour,
It is lord Angelo.

Enter LEOPOLD and ANGELO.

Duke.

Look, where he comes.
Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will,
I come to know your pleasure.
Duke.

Angelo,
There is a kind of character in thy life,
That, to the observer, doth thy history
Fully unfold :
In our remove, be thou at full ourself;
Mortality and mercy in Vienna
Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus,
Though first in question, is thy secondary :
Take thy commission.
Ang.

Now, good my lord,
Let there be some more test made of my metal,
Before so noble and so great a figure
Be stamp'd upon it.
Duke. We have, with a leaven'd and prepared

choice, Proceeded to you; therefore take your

honours. [Angelo kneels and receives his commission.

We shall write to you, As time and our concernings shall importune, How it goes with us; and do look to know What doth befall you

here. So, fare you To the hopeful execution do I leave you Of

your commissions. Ang.

Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way.

well :

Duke. My haste may not admit it: I'll privily away:

[Exeunt LEOPOLD and FREDERICK
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own.
So to inforce, or qualify the laws,
As to your soul seems good.

Once
more,

fare
you

well. Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes: Esca. Lead forth, and bring you back in happi

ness!
Duke. I thank you :-

Fare
you

well.

[Exit DUKE.
Esca. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place:
A power I have; but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.
Ang. "Tis so with me:- Let us withdraw to-

gether,
And we may soon our satisfaction have
Touching that point.
Esca.
I'll wait upon your

honour. [Exeunt Angelo and ESCALUS

SCENE II.

The Garden of a Monastery.

/

Enter FRIAR PETER and the DUKE. Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom: why I desire thee To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends Of burning youth. Peter.

May your grace speak of it?

a

Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you
How I have ever loved the life removed ;
And held in idle price to haunt assemblies,
Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.
I have deliver'd to lord Angelo,
(A man of stricture, and firm abstinence,)
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell’d to Poland;
For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is received. Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this ?

Peter. Gladly, my lord.
Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting

laws,
(The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds)
Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep:
Now, as (fond fathers
Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's sight,
For terror, not to use,) in time the rod
Becomes more mock'd, than fear’d: so our decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose:
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.
Peter.

It rested in your grace, To unloose this tied-up justice, when you pleased : And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd, Than in lord Angelo. Duke.

I do fear, too dreadful : Sith 'twas my fault, to give the people scope, 'Twould be my tyranny, to strike and gall them For what I bid them do: For we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permissive pass, And not the punishment. Therefore, my father, I have on Angelo imposed the office; Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home. And, to behold his

sway, I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,

,