The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Ang. Always obedient to your Grace's will, I come to know your pleasure. Duke.

Angelo,

Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants. There is a kind of character in thy life,

Duke. Escalus.

Escal. My lord?

Duke. Of government the properties to unfold,

Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse,
Since I am put to know that your own science 5
Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
My strength can give you: then no more remains,
But that, to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
And let them work. The nature of our people, 9
Our city's institutions, and the terms
For common justice, you're as pregnant in,
As art and practice hath enriched any
That we remember. There is our commission,
[Giving it.
From which we would not have you warp. Call
hither,

I say, bid come before us Angelo.

That, to th' observer doth thy history
Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
Are not thine own so proper, as to waste
Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, 32
Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike
As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely
touch'd

But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends
The smallest scruple of her excellence,
But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
To one that can my part in him advertise;
Hold, therefore, Angelo:

[Tendering his commission. In our remove be thou at full ourself; Mortality and mercy in Vienna Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus, Though first in question, is thy secondary. Take thy commission.

Ang.

[Giving it. Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my metal, Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamp'd upon it.

Duke.

No more evasion:

We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice 24 Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.

Our haste from hence is of so quick condition 53
That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd
Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall importune, 56
How it goes with us; and do look to know
What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:
To the hopeful execution do I leave you
Of your commissions.

Ang.
Yet, give leave, my lord, 60
That we may bring you something on the way.
Duke. My haste may not admit it;
Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
With any scruple: your scope is as mine own, 64
So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand; I'll privily away: I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes.
Though it do well, I do not relish well
Their loud applause and Aves vehement,
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
That does affect it. Once more, fare you well. 72
Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes!
Escal. Lead forth and bring you back in
happiness!

Duke. I thank you. Fare you well. [Exit.
Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To look into the bottom of my place:
A power I have, but of what strength and nature
I am not yet instructed.

Ang. 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,

And we may soon our satisfaction have
Touching that point.

Escal.

I'll wait upon your honour.

SCENE II.-A Street.

[Exeunt.

First Gent. Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou art full of error: I am sound. 57 Lucio. Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE.

more, within these three days his head to be Enter PROVOST, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers. chopped off.

Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this?

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?

128

Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Prov. I do it not in evil disposition,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud. Thus can the demi-god Authority
Make us pay down for our offence' by weight.
The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so: yet still 'tis just. 132
Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen.

Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes
this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:

136

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue—
Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,-
A thirsty evil, and when we drink we die.

Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors. 92 And yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality of imprisonment. What's thy offence, Claudio?

Mrs. Ov. What proclamation, man?
Pom. All houses of resort in the suburbs

of Vienna must be plucked down.

104

144

Claud. One word, good friend. Lucio, a word [Takes him aside.

with you.

Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.

Mrs. Ov. And what shall become of those in Is lechery so looked after? the city?

Pom. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

109 Mrs. Ov. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?

112

Pom. To the ground, mistress. Mrs. Ov. Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth! What shall become of me?

Pom. Come; fear not you: good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage! there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered.

120

Claud. Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract

And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. T.

This day my sister should the cloister enter, 188 Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead, 28
And there receive her approbation:
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him: 192
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as move men; beside, she hath prosperous
art

It rested in your Grace
T' unloose this tied-up justice when you pleas'd;
And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd
Than in Lord Angelo.

Duke.

I do fear, too dreadful: When she will play with reason and discourse, Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, 35 And well she can persuade. 197 'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them Lucio. I pray she may: as well for the en- For what I bid them do: for we bid this be done, couragement of the like, which else would stand When evil deeds have their permissive pass under grievous imposition, as for the enjoying And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus my father, foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Lucio. Within two hours. Claud.

Come, officer, away!

SCENE III.-A Monastery.

[Exeunt.

Enter DUKE and FRIAR THOMAS.

I have on Angelo impos'd the office,
Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike
home,

And yet my nature never in the sight
To do it slander. And to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
Visit both prince and people: therefore, I
prithee,

Supply me with the habit, and instruct me

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that How I may formally in person bear me
thought:

Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. T.
May your Grace speak of it?
Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than
you

Like a true friar. Moe reasons for this action
At our more leisure shall I render you;
Only, this one: Lord Angelo is precise;
Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see,
If power change purpose, what our seemers be.
[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. A Nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.

Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges?

Isab. Some one with child by him? My cousin Juliet?

Lucio. Is she your cousin?

Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their

names

By vain, though apt affection.
Lucio.

Isab. O! let him marry her.
Lucio.

This is the point.

The duke is very strangely gone from hence;
Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,
In hand and hope of action; but we do learn 52
By those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs Lord Angelo; a man whose blood
Is very snow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton stings and motions of the sense,
But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge 60
With profits of the mind, study and fast.
He, to give fear to use and liberty,
Which have for long run by the hideous law,
64
As mice by lions, hath pick'd out an act,
Under whose heavy sense your brother's life
Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it,
And follows close the rigour of the statute,
To make him an example. All hope is gone, 68
Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer
To soften Angelo; and that's my pith of business
Twixt you and your poor brother.
Isab. Doth he so seek his life?
Lucio.
He's censur'd him 72
Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath
A warrant for his execution.

Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me
To do him good?

Lucio.

Assay the power you have. 76 Isab. My power? alas! I doubt— Lucio.

Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo, And let him learn to know, when maidens

sue,

Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel,

All their petitions are as freely theirs
As they themselves would owe them.
Isab. I'll see what I can do.
Lucio.

But speedily. 84

Isab. I will about it straight; No longer staying but to give the Mother Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you: Commend me to my brother; soon at night 88 I'll send him certain word of my success. Lucio. I take my leave of you. Isab.

Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt.

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