I am combined by a sacred vow,
And shall be absent. Wend you with this letter:
Command these fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart; trust not my holy order,
If I pervert your course.-Who's here?

Lucio.

Good even!

Enter Lucio.

Not within, sir.

Friar, where is the provost?

Duke.

Lucio. O, pretty Isabella, I

The law against it!-But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss
How might she tongue me? Yet reason dares
her?-no:

For my authority bears a credent' bulk,
That no particular scandal once can touch,

But it confounds the breather. He should have liv'd,
Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense,
Might, in the times to come, have ta'en revenge,
By so receiving a dishonour'd life,

am pale at mine With ransom of such shame. 'Would yet he
had liv'd!

heart, to see thine eyes so red: thou must be pa

tient: I am fain to dine and sup with water and Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
bran; I dare not for my head fill my belly; one Nothing goes right; we would and we would not.
fruitful meal would set me to't: But they say the
duke will be here to-morrow. By my troth, Isabel,

I lov'd thy brother: if the old fantastical duke of SCENE V.-Fields without the town.
dark corners had been at home, he had lived.
Duke in his own habit, and Friar Peter.
Duke. These letters at fit time deliver me.

[Exit Isabella.

[Exit. Enter

[Giving letters.

Duke. Sir, the duke is marvellous little beholden to your reports; but the best is, he lives not in them. The provost knows our purpose, and our plot. Lucio. Friar, thou knowest not the duke so well The matter being afoot, keep your instruction, as I do: he's a better woodman than thou takest And hold you ever to our special drift;

him for.

Duke. Well, you'll answer this one day. Fare ye well.

Lucio. Nay, tarry; I'll go along with thee; can tell thee pretty tales of the duke.

Though sometimes you do blench" from this to that
As cause doth minister. Go, call at Flavius' house,
And tell him where I stay: give the like notice,
To Valentinus, Rowland, and to Crassus,
And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate;
al-But send me Flavius first.

I

Duke. You have told me too many of him ready, 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?"

Duke. I thank thee, Varrius; thou hast made good haste;

Lucio. Yes, marry, did I but was fain to for- Come, we will walk: There's other of our friends swear it; they would else have married me to the Will greet us here anon, my gentle Varrius. [Exe. rotten medlar.

Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honest: SCENE VI.-Street near the city gate. Enter Rest you well.

Ang. And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his entering, that if any crave redress of injus- Where you may have such vantage" on the duke,' tice, they should exhibit their petitions in the street? He shall not pass you: Twice have the trumpets Escal. He shows his reason for that: to have a

sounded;

despatch of complaints; and to deliver us from The generous and gravest citizens devices hereafter, which shall then have no power Have hent" the gates, and very near upon to stand against us. The duke is ent'ring; therefore hence, away. [Exe.

Jur old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you. In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms,
Ang. &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.

Friar 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 give 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,

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

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.

Duke.

By mine honesty,
If she be mad (as I believe no other,)
Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense,
Such a dependency of thing on thing,
As e'er I heard in madness.

Isab.

O, gracious duke,
Harp not on that; nor do not banish reason
For inequality: but let your reason serve
To make the truth appear, where it seems hid;
And hide the false, seems true.

Duke.
Many that are not mad,
Have, sure, more lack of reason.-What would

you say?

Isab. I am the sister of one Claudio,
Condemn'd upon the act of fornication
To lose his head; condemn'd by Angelo:
I, in probation of a sisterhood,

Was sent to by my brother: One Lucio
As then the messenger ;-
Lucio.

I

That's I, an't like your grace?
came to her from Claudio, and desir'd her
To try her gracious fortune with lord Angelo,
For her poor brother's pardon.

Isab.

That's he indeed.

Duke. You were not bid to speak.
Lucio.

Nor wish'd to hold my peace.

No, my good lord;

Duke.
I wish you now then;
Pray you, take note of it: and when you have
A business for yourself, pray heaven, you then
Be perfect.

Lucio.

I warrant your honour.

Duke. The warrant's for yourself; take heed

Duke. Mended again: the matter:-Proceed.
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;
(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 body

Nay, ten times strange. To his concupiscible intemperate lust,

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 conjure thee, as thou believ'st
There is another comfort than this world,
That thou neglect me not, with that opinion
That I am touch'd with madness: make not im-
possible

That which but seems unlike: 'tis not impos-
sible.

But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground,
May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute,
As Augelo; even so may Angelo,

(1) Lower. (2) Habits and characters of office,
(3) Refuted. (4) Pity, (5) Foolish,

Release my brother; and, after much debatement,
My sisterly remorse4 confutes mine honour,
And I did yield to him: But the next morn betimes,
For my poor brother's head.
His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant

Duke.

This is most likely!
Isab. O, that it were as like, as it is true!
Duke. By heaven, fond' wretch, thou know'st
not what thou speak'st;

Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour,
Stands without blemish: next, it imports no reason,
In hateful practice :-First, his integrity
That with such vehemency he should pursue
Faults proper to himself: if he had so offended,
He would have weigh'd thy brother by himself,
And not have cut him off: Some one hath set you on

(6) Conspiracy,

Confess the truth, and say by whose advice
Thou cam'st here to complain.

Isab.

And is this all?

Duke. A widow then?

Then, oh, you blessed ministers above,
Keep me in patience; and, with ripen'd time,
Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up

In countenance!-Heaven shield your grace from
WO,

As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go!

Duke. I know, you'd fain be gone:-An officer!
To prison with her ;-Shall we thus permit
A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall
On him so near us? This needs must be a practice.
-Who knew of your intent, and coming hither?
Isab. One that I would were here, friar Lodowick.
Duke. A ghostly father, belike:-Who knows
that Lodowick?

Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a meddling friar;
I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord,
For certain words he spake against your grace
In your retirement, I had swing'd' him soundly.
Duke. Words against me? This' a good friar,

belike!

And to set on this wretched woman here
Against our substitute?-Let this friar be found.
Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that
friar

I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar,
A very scurvy fellow.
Blessed be your royal grace!
F. Peter.
I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abus'd: First, hath this woman
Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute;
Who is as free from touch or soil with her,
As she from one ungot.
Duke.

We did believe no less.

Know you that friar Lodowick, that she speaks of?|
F. Peter. I know him for a man divine and holy;
Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler,
As he's reported by this gentleman;
And, on my trust, a man that never yet
Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace.
Lucio. My lord, most villanously; believe it.
F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear
himself;

But at this instant he is sick, my lord,
Of a strange fever: Upon his mere2 request
(Being come to knowledge that there was complaint
Intended 'gainst lord Angelo,) came I hither,
To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true, and false; and what he with his oath,
And all probation, will make
full clear,
up
Whensoever he's convented. First, for this woman
(To justify this worthy nobleman,

So vulgarly and personally accus'd,)
Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes,
Till she herself confess it.
Duke.

Good friar, let's hear
[Isabella is carried off, guarded;
Mariana comes forward.

Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo?-
O heaven! the vanity of wretched fools!-
Give us some seats.-Come, cousin Angelo;
In this I'll be impartial; be you judge

Mari.

Duke.

Are nothing then :-Neither maid, widow, nor wife?
Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many
of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.
Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had

Lucio. Well, my lord.

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.
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 swor'st, was 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
That took away the match from Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house,
In her imagin'd person.

Duke.

Know you this woman?

Or else for ever 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 punish them unto your height of pleasure.-
Thou foolish friar; and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone! think'st thou, thy
oaths,

Though they would swear down each particular
saint,

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

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

Be some time honour'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?
Good night to your redress. Is the duke gone?
Then is your cause gone too. The duke's unjust,
Thus to retort your manifest appeal,
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 car,

Te call him villain?

F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, And then to glance from him to the duke himself;

indeed,

Hath set the women 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

To tax him with injustice?-Take him hence;
To the rack with him:-We'll touze you joint by

joint,

But we will know this 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,

Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble,

well

Determined upon these slanderers.

Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly.—[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;
[To an attendant.] I would speak with her: 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.

Till it o'er-run the stew: laws, for all faults;
But faults so countenanc'd, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,"
As much in mock as inark.

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 bald-pate: 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?

Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke

Re-enter Officers, with Isabella; the Duke, in the so of him; and much more, much worse.

friar's habit, and Provost.

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

Escal. Come on, mistress: [To Isabella.] 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 on to slander lord Angelo? they have confess'd you

d.

Duke. "Tis false.

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 talk'd withal:Away with him to prison:-Where is the provost ? Away with him to prison; lay bolts enough upon him; let him speak no more. Away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate companion. [The Provost lays hands on the Duke. Duke. Stay, sir; stay a while.

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,

(1) Crazy. (2) Conspiracv. (3) To the end. (4) Refer back. (5) Accountable. (6) Wantons,

with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach, and be hang'd an hour! Will't not off?

Thereon dependant, for your brother's life,) The very mercy of the law cries out Most audible, even from his proper' tongue, An Angelo for Claudio, death for death. Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; First, provost, let me bail these gentle three: Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure. Sneak not away, sir; [To Lucio.] for the friar and