1

Nor here provincial: My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,

Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble,
Till it o'errun the stew; laws, for all faults;
But faults so countenanced, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,

As much in mock as mark.2

Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison.

Ang. What can you vouch against him, seignior

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? what you said of the duke? Duke. Most notedly, sir.

And do you remember

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 so of him; and much more, much worse.

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.

1 Provincial is pertaining to a province; most usually taken for the circuit of an ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The chief or head of any religious order in such a province was called the provincial, to whom alone the members of that order were accountable.

2 Barbers' shops were anciently places of great resort for passing away time in an idle manner. By way of enforcing some kind of regularity, and perhaps at least as much to promote drinking, certain laws were usually hung up, the transgression of which was to be punished by specific forfeits; which were as much in mock as mark, because the barber had no authority of himself to enforce them, and also because they were of a ludicrous nature.

Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talked 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 giglots1 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, with a pox to you! Show your sheep-biting face, and be hanged an hour! Wilt not off?

[Pulls off the Friar's hood, and discovers the Duke. Duke. Thou art the first knave that e'er made a

duke.

First, provost, let me bail these gentle three :-
Sneak not away, sir; [To Lucio.] for the friar and
Must have a word anon :-lay hold on him.

you

Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.
Duke. What you have spoke, I pardon; sit you

down.

[TO ESCALUS. We'll borrow place of him :-sir, by your leave:

[TO ANGELO.

Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence,
That yet can do thee office? If thou hast,
Rely upon it till my tale be heard,

And hold no longer out.

Ang.

O my dread lord,

I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,

To think I can be undiscernible,

When I perceive, your grace, like power divine,

2

Hath looked upon my passes: Then, good prince,

No longer session hold upon my shame,

But let my trial be mine own confession;

Immediate sentence then, and sequent death,

Is all the grace I beg.

1 Giglots are wantons.

2 Passes, probably put for trespasses; or it may mean courses from

passes (Fr.).

Duke.

Come hither, Mariana ;

Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman?
Ang. I was, my lord.

Do

Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly.— you the office, friar; which consummate,

Return him here again :-go with him, provost.

[Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonor, Than at the strangeness of it.

Duke. Come hither, Isabel: Your friar is now your prince: as I was then Advértising, and holy to your business, Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorneyed at your service.

Isab.

O, give me pardon, That I, your vassal, have employed and pained Your unknown sovereignty.

Duke.

You are pardoned, Isabel: And now, dear maid, be you as free to us. Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart; And you may marvel why I obscured myself, Laboring to safe his life; and would not rather Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power, Than let him so be lost: O, most kind maid,

2

It was the swift celerity of his death,
Which I did think with slower foot came on,

That brained my purpose: but peace be with him!
That life is better life, past fearing death,

Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort,
So happy is your brother.

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost.

Isab.

I do, my lord.

Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here, Whose salt imagination yet hath wronged

Your well-defended honor, you must pardon

For Mariana's sake; but as he adjudged your brother,

1 Advertising and holy, attentive and faithful.

2 Perhaps we should read demonstrance.

(Being criminal, in double violation
Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach,
Thereon dependent 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;
Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifested;

Which, though thou would'st deny, denies thee vantage: 1

We do condemn thee to the very block

Where Claudio stooped to death, and with like haste ;-
Away with him.

Mari.
O, my most gracious lord,
I hope you will not mock me with a husband!
Duke. It is your husband mocked you

band:

with a hus

Consenting to the safeguard of your honor,
I thought your marriage fit; else imputation,
For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choke your good to come; for his possessions,
Although by confiscation they are ours,

We do instate and widow you withal,

To buy you a better husband.

Mari.

O, my dear lord, I crave no other, nor no better man. Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive. Mari. Gentle, my liege,— Duke. You do but lose your labor; Away with him to death.-Now, sir, [To Lucio.]

to you.

[Kneeling.

Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take my

part;

Lend me your knees, and, all my life to come,

I'll lend you all my life to do you service.

Duke. Against all sense you do impórtune her: Should she kneel down, in mercy of this fact,

VOL. I.

1 i. e. "to deny which will avail thee nothing."

53

Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.

Mari.

Isabel,

Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me;

Hold up your hands; say nothing; I'll speak all.
They say, best men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: so may my husband.
O, Isabel! will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab.

Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.

Look, if it please you, on this man condemned,
As if my brother lived: I partly think,

A due sincerity governed his deeds,
Till he did look on me: since it is so,

Let him not die: My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died:
For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;

And must be buried but as an intent

That perished by the way: thoughts are no subjects, Intents but merely thoughts.

Mari.

Merely, my lord.

Duke. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say.— I have bethought me of another fault:—

Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded

At an unusual hour?

Prov.

It was commanded so.

Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed? Prov. No, my good lord; it was by private message. Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office. Give up your keys.

Prov.
Pardon me, noble lord:
I thought it was a fault, but knew it not;
Yet did repent me, after more advice:
For testimony whereof, one in the prison
That should by private order else have died,
I have reserved alive.