Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven, As make the angels weep; who, with our spleens, Would all themselves laugh mortal. Lucio. [To ISAB.] O, to him, to him, wench! will relent: He's coming; I perceive't. He [Aside.] Pray heaven, she win him! Isab. You cannot weigh our brother with yourself: Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them, But in the less foul profanation. Lucio. [To ISAB.] Thou'rt in the right, girl: more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. Lucio. [Aside.] Art avis'd o' that? more on't. Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me? Isab. Because authority, though it err like others, Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself, That skins the vice o' the top. Go to your bosom; Ang. Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back. Ang. I will bethink me.-Come again to-morrow. Isab. Hark, how I'll bribe you. Good my lord, turn back. Ang. How! bribe me? Dost thou desire her foully for those things Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share with you. When judges steal themselves. What! do I love her, That I desire to hear her speak again, Lucio. [Aside.] You had marr'd all else. Isab. Not with fond circles of the tested gold, Or stones, whose rates are either rich or poor As fancy values them; but with true prayers, That shall be up at heaven, and enter there Ere sun-rise prayers from preserved souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. Ang. Well; come to me to-morrow. Lucio. [To ISAB.] Go to; 'tis well away! Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe! Ang. And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on? With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous To sin in loving virtue. Never could the strumpet, [Going. [Aside.] Amen: For I am that way going to temptation, Where prayers cross. Isab. At what hour to-morrow Shall I attend your lordship? Ang. Isab. Save your honour! [Exit. SCENE III.-A Room in a Prison. Duke. Bound by my charity, and my bless'd order, I come to visit the afflicted spirits Here in the prison: do me the common right At any time 'fore noon. Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough, Prov. I would do more than that, if more were Enter JULIET. Duke. When must he die? As I do think, to-morrow.[TO JULIET.] I have provided for you: stay a while, And you shall be conducted. Duke. Repent you, fair one, of the sin you carry? Juliet. I do, and bear the shame most patiently. Duke. I'll teach you how you shall arraign your Juliet. Mutually. Duke. Then was your sin of heavier kind than his. As that the sin hath brought you to this shame; Juliet. I do repent me, as it is an evil, There rest. [Exit. SCENE IV.A Room in ANGELO'S House. Enter ANGELO. Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and To several subjects: heaven hath my empty words, As if I did but only chew his name, Of my conception. The state, whereon I studied, How now! who's there? Serv. Desires access to you. O heavens! One Isabel, a sister, Please you to do't, I'll take it as a peril to my soul : It is no sin at all, but charity. Ang. Pleas'd you to do't, at peril of your soul, Isab. That I do beg his life, if it be sin, Isab. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, When it doth tax itself: as these black masks Teach her the way. [Exit Serv. Proclaim an inshell'd beauty ten times louder Than beauty could displayed.-But mark me : Your brother is to die. Isab. So. Ang. And his offence is so, as it appears Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, Isab. As much for my poor brother, as myself: That longing I've been sick for, ere I'd yield Ang. Your brother die. Then must Isab. And 'twere the cheaper way. Ang. Ha! Fie, these filthy vices! It were as good Better it were, a brother died at once, To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen A man already made, as to remit Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easy As to put metal in restrained means, Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. Than that a sister, by redeeming him, Should die for ever. Ang. Were not you, then, as cruel, as the sentence Isab. Ignomy in ransom, and free pardon, Nothing akin to foul redemption. Ang. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant; Isab. O, pardon me, my lord! it oft falls out, mean. I something do excuse the thing I hate, Isab. 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, 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. Isab. Ha! little honour to be much believ'd, And most pernicious purpose!-Seeming, seeming! I will proclaim thee, Angelo; look for't: Or with an outstretch'd throat I'll tell the world Ang. Or else he must not only die the death, To lingering sufferance. Answer me to-morrow, Say what you can, my false o'erweighs your true. [Exit. Then, Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die : [Exit. ACT III. SCENE I.-A Room in the Prison. Enter DUKE, as a Friar, CLAUDIO, and Provost. No other medicine, but only hope. I have hope to live, and am prepar'd to die. Duke. Be absolute for death; either death, or life, That none but fools would keep a breath thou art, Thou bear'st thy heavy riches but a journey, Of palsied eld: and when thou art old and rich, Claud. I humbly thank you. To sue to live, I find, I seek to die, : Prov. Who's there? come in the wish deserves a welcome. grave Did utter forth a voice. Yes, thou must die: In base appliances. This outward-sainted deputy, Nips youth i' the head, and follies doth enmew The priestly Angelo? In priestly garb! Dost thou think, Claudio, Claud. Claud. Thou shalt not do't. Isab. And shamed life a hateful. Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where; To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot; This sensible warm motion to become To what we fear of death. Isab. Alas! alas! Sweet sister, let me live. What sin you do to save a brother's life, Isab. Is't not a kind of incest to take life From thine own sister's shame? What should I think? Duke. Vouchsafe a word, young sister; but one word. Isab. What is your will? Duke. Might you dispense with your leisure, I would by and by have some speech with you: the satisfaction I would require, is likewise your own benefit. Isab. I have no superfluous leisure: my stay must be stolen out of other affairs; but I will attend you a while. Duke. [To CLAUDIO.] 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 his judgment with the disposition of natures. She, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gracious denial which he is most glad to receive: I am confessor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore, prepare yourself to death. Do not satisfy 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 of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it. Duke. Hold you there: farewell. [Exit CLAUDIO. Re-enter Provost. 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 company. Prov. In good time. [Exit Provost. Duke. The hand that hath made you fair hath made you good: the goodness that is chief in beauty makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the soul of your complexion, shall keep the body of it ever fair. The assault, that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my understanding; and, but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I should wonder at Angelo. How will you do to content this substitute, and to save your brother? Isab. I am now going to resolve him. I had rather my brother die by the law, than my son should be unlawfully born. But O, how much is the good duke deceived in Angelo! If ever he return, and I can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his government. Duke. That shall not be much amiss; yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation: he made trial of you only.-Therefore, fasten your ear on my advisings: to the love I have in doing good a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit, redeem your brother from the angry law, do no stain to your own gracious person, and much please the absent duke, if, peradventure, he shall ever return to have hearing of this business. Isab. Let me hear you speak farther. I have spirit to do any thing that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit. Duke. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful. Have you not heard speak of Mariana, the sister of Frederick, the great soldier who miscarried at sea? Isab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name. violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo: answer his Duke. Her should this Angelo have married; he was affianced to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed: between which time of the contract, and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wrecked at sea, having in that perish'd vessel the dowry of his sister. But mark how heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman: there she lost a noble and renowned 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 dried 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, as marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not. Isab. The image of it gives me content already, Duke. It lies much in your holding up. Haste you Isab. What a merit were it in death to take this poor maid from the world! What corruption in this life, that it will let this man live! But how out of this 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. SCENE II.-The Street before the Prison. Elb. Nay, if there be no remedy for it, but that you Duke. This fore-named maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection: his unjust unkindness, that in all reason should have quenched her love, hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more Duke. O, heavens! what stuff is here? Clo. "Twas never merry world, since, of two usances, the merriest was put down, and the worser allow'd by order of law a furr'd gown to keep him warm; and furr'd with fox and lamb-skins too, to signify that craft, being richer than innocency, stands for the facing. Elb. Come your way, sir.-Bless you, good father friar. Duke. And you, good brother father. What offence hath this man made you, sir? Elb. Marry, sir, he hath offended the law: and, sir, we take him to be a thief too, sir; for we have found upon him, sir, a strange pick-lock, which we have sent to the deputy. Duke. Fie, sirrah: a bawd, a wicked bawd! Clo. Indeed, it does stink in some sort, sir; but yet, sir, I would prove Duke. Nay, if the devil have given thee proofs for sin, Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prison, officer: Correction and instruction must both work, Ere this rude beast will profit. 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, From our faults, as faults from seeming, free! |