One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate, A man of Claudio's years; his beard, and head, Duke. O, 't is an accident that Heaven provides! And sent according to command; whiles I Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently. And how shall we continue Claudio, To save me from the danger that might come, Duke. Let this be done : Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio: Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting To yonder generation, you shall find Your safety manifested. Prov. I am your free dependant. And send the head to Angelo. Quick, despatch, [Exit Provost. Now will I write letters to Angelo, The provost, he shall bear them,-whose contents Shall witness to him I am near at home; Re-enter Provost. Prov. Here is the head; I'll carry it myself. For I would commune with you of such things Prov. I'll make all speed. [Exit. Duke. The tongue of Isabel :-She 's come to know, Enter ISABELLA, Isab. Ho, by your leave. Duke. Good morning to you, fair and gracious Isab. The better, given me by so holy a man. Isab. Nay, but it is not so. Duke. It is no other: Show your wisdom, daughter, in your close patience. Duke. This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot; By every syllable, a faithful verity: The duke comes home to-morrow;-nay, dry your eyes; One of our convent, and his confessor, Gives me this instance: Already he hath carried Notice to Escalus and Angelo; Who do prepare to meet him at the gates, There to give up their power. If you can, pace your wisdom 1 In that good path that I would wish it go; And general honour. Isab. I am directed by you. Duke. This letter then to friar Peter give; "T is that he sent me of the duke's return: Say, by this token, I desire his company At Mariana's house to-night. Her cause, and yours, And shall be absent. Wend you with this letter: Lucio. O, pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart, to see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient: I am fain to dine and sup with water and bran; I dare not for my head fill my belly; one fruitful meal would set me to 't: But they say the duke will be here to-morrow. By my troth, Isabel, I loved thy brother: if the old fantastical duke of dark corners had been at home, he had lived. [Exit ISAB. Duke. Sir, the duke is marvellous little beholden to your reports; but the best is, he lives not in them. Lucio. Friar, thou knowest not the duke so well as I do: he's a better woodman than thou takest him for. Duke. Well, you'll answer this one day. Fare ye well. a Bosom-wish, heart's desire. b Combined-bound. Lucio. Nay, tarry; I'll go along with thee; I can tell thee pretty tales of the duke. Duke. You have told me too many of him already, sir, if they be true; if not true, none were enough. Lucio. I was once before him for getting a wench with child. Duke. Did you such a thing? Lucio. Yes, marry, did I: but I was fain to forswear it; they would else have married me to the rotten medlar. Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honest: Rest you well. Lucio. By my troth, I'll go with thee to the lane's end: If bawdy talk offend you, we 'll have very little of it. Nay, friar, I am a kind of burr, I shall stick. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-A Room in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS. Escal. Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched other. Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. His actions show much like to madness: pray Heaven, his wisdom be not tainted! And why meet him at the gates, and re-deliver our authorities there? Escal. I guess not. Ang. And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his entering, that, if any crave redress of injustice, they should exhibit their petitions in the street? Escal. He shows his reason for that: to have a despatch of complaints; and to deliver us from devices hereafter, which shall then have no power to stand against us. Ang. Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaim'd: Escal. I shall, sir fare you well. [Exit. The law against it!-But that her tender shame How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her No :a That no particular scandal once can touch, But it confounds the breather. He should have liv'd, With ransom of such shame. 'Would yet he had liv'd! Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not. [Exit. SCENE V.-Fields without the Town. Enter DUKE in his own habit, and Friar PETER. Duke. These letters at fit time deliver me. [Giving letters. Though sometimes you do blench from this to that, F. Peter. It shall be speeded well. [Exit Friar. Reason, which is here personified, dares her with the no which forbids her to speak. b Bears is used in the sense of figures,-is seen, |