TAN

ACT V.

SCENE I.- A public Place near the City Gate.
MARIANA (veil'd), ISABELLA, and PETER, at a
distance. Enter at opposite doors, DUKE, VARRIUS,
Lords; ANGELO, ESCALUS, LUCIO, Provost,
Officers, and Citizens.

Duke. My very worthy cousin, fairly met :-
Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you.
Ang. and Escal. Happy return be to your royal
grace!

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
Cannot but yield you forth to public thanks,
Forerunning more requital.

Ang.
You make my bonds still greater.
Duke. O, your desert speaks loud; and I should
wrong it,

To lock it in the wards of covert bosom,
When it deserves with characters of brass
A forted residence, 'gainst the tooth of time,
And razure of oblivion: Give me your hand,
And let the subject see, to make them know
That outward courtesies would fain proclaim
Favours that keep within. - Come, Escalus;
You must walk by us on our other hand;
And good supporters are you.

PETER and ISABELLA come forward.
F. Peter. Now is your time; speak loud, and

kneel before him.

Isab. Justice, O royal duke! Vail your regard
Upon a wrong'd, I'd fain have said, a maid!
O worthy prince, dishonour not your eye
By throwing it on any other object,

Till you have heard me in my true complaint,
And given me justice, justice, justice, justice!
Duke. Relate your wrongs: In what? By whom?
Be brief:

Here is lord Angelo shall give you justice;
Reveal yourself to him.

Isab.
O, worthy duke,
You bid me seek redemption of the devil:
Hear me yourself; for that which I must speak
Must either punish me, not being believ'd,
Or wring redress from you: hear me, O, hear me, here.
Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm:
She hath been a suitor to me for her brother
Cut off by course of justice.
Isab.
By course of justice!
Ang. And she will speak most bitterly and strange.
Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly will I speak:
That Angelo's forsworn, is it not strange?
That Angelo's a murderer, is't not strange?
That Angelo is an adulterous thief,

An hypocrite, a virgin-violator;
Is it not strange, and strange?
Duke.

There is another comfort than this world,
That thou neglect me not, with that opinion
That which but seems unlike: 'tis not impossible,
That I am touch'd with madness: make not impossible
But one the wicked'st caitiff on the ground,
May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute,
As Angelo; even so may Angelo,
In all his dressings 3, characts, titles, forms,
Be an arch-villain: believe it, royal prince,
If he be less, he's nothing; but he's more,
Had I more name for badness.

- Proceed.

Duke. Mended again: the matter? -
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 reply'd;

Nay, ten times strange. (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 person
Release my brother; and after much debatement
My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour,
And I did yield to him: But the next morn betimes,
His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant
For my poor brother's head.

Isab. It is not truer he is Angelo,
Than this is all as true as it is strange :
Nay, it is ten times true: for truth is truth
To the end of reckoning.
Duke.
Away with her: Poor soul,
She speaks this in the infirmity of sense.
Isab. O prince, I cónjure thee, as thou believ'st

2 Lower.