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.1
-Who knew of your intent, and coming hither?
Isa. 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 medling 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 swinged 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.

F. Peter.

Blessed be your royal grace!

I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard

Your royal ear abused. First, hath this woman
Most wrongfully accused your substitute;

Who is as free from touch or soil with her,
As she from one ungot.

1 Conspiracy.

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 medler,
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 mere request,
(Being come to knowlege 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 path,

And all probation, will make up full clear,
Whensoever he's convented.

man;

(To justify this worthy nobleman,

2

First, for this wo

So vulgarly and personally accused)

Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes,
Till she herself confess it.

Duke.

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

Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo ?

O heaven! the vanity of wretched foois !—

Give us some seats.-Come, cousin Angelo;
In this I'll be impartial; be you judge

Of your own cause.—Is this the witness, friar?
First let her show her face, and after speak.

Mar. Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face, Until my husband bid me.

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 some

cause

To prattle for himself.

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Mar. My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married; And, I confess, besides, I am no maid :

I have known my husband; yet my husband knows not

That ever he knew me.

Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can be no better.

Duke. For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so too!

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Duke. This is no witness for lord Angelo.

lord:

Mar. Now I come to 't, my

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?

Mar. Not that I know.

Duke.

No you say, your husband.

Mar. 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.1-Let's see thy face.

Mar. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.
[unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which, once thou sworest, was worth the looking

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 imagined person.

Duke.

Know you this woman?

Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Carnally, she says.

Duke.

Lucio. Enough, my lord.

1 Deception.

Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman, And, five years since, there was some speech of marriage

Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off,

Partly, for that her promised proportions

Came short of composition;

but, in chief,

For that her reputation was disvalued

In levity since which time, of five years,

:

I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, Upon my faith and honor.

As there comes light from heaven, and words from

breath,

As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue,

I am affianced 2 this man's wife, as strongly
As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,
But Tuesday night last gone, in his garden-house,
He knew me as a wife. As this is true,

Let me in safety raise me from my knees;
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 3 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.

1 Fell short of the contract.
3 Crazy.

2 Betrothed.

4 Conspiracy.