that Angelo knows not: for he this very day receives letters of strange tenor; perchance, of the duke's death; perchance, entering into some monastery; but, by chance, nothing of what is writ. Look, the unfolding star calls up the shepherd: Put not yourself into amazement, how these things should be all difficulties are but easy when they are known. Call your executioner,and off with Barnardine's head; I will give him a present shrift, and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amazed; but this shall absolutely resolve you. Come away; it is almost clear dawn. [Exeunt, SCENE III. Another Room in the same. 419 42 Enter Clown.

Clo. I am as well acquainted here, as I was in our house of profession: one would think, it were mistress Overdone's own house, for here be many of her old customers. First, here's young master Rash; he's in for a commodity of brown paper and old ginger, nine score and seventeen pounds; of which he made five marks, ready money: marry, then, ginger was not much in request, for the old women were all dead. Then is there here one master Caper, at the suit of master Threepile the mercer, for some four suits of peachcolour'd satin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young. Dizy, and young master Deep-vow, and master Copper-spur, and master Starve-lackey the rapier and dagger-man, and young Drop-heir that kill'd lusty Pudding, and master Forthright the tilter, and brave master Shoe-tie the great traveller, and wild Half-can that stabb'd Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in our trade, and are now for the Lord's sake.

Enter ABHORSON.

Abhor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither. Clo. Master Barnardine! you must rise and be hang'd, master Barnardine!

Abhor. What, ho, Barnardine! Barnar. [Within.] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that noise there? What are you? Clo. Your friends, sir; the hangman: You must be so good, sir, to rise and be put to death. Barnar. [Within.] Away, you rogue, away; I am sleepy.

Abhor. Tell him, he must awake, and that quickly too.

Clo. Pray, master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and sleep afterwards. Abhor. Go in to him, and fetch him out. Clo. He is coming, sir, he is coming; I hear his straw rustle.

ཞ་ན་་་

Clo. O, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hang'd betimes in the morn ing, may sleep the sounder all the next day. Enter DUKEN(Ph.

Abhor. Look you, sir, here comes your ghostly father; Do we jest now, think you? hearing how hastily you are to depart, I am Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and come to advise you, comfort you, and pray with you.

Barnar. Friar, not I; I have been drinking hard all night, and I will have more time to prepare me, or they shall beat out my brains with billets: I will not consent to die this day, that's certain.d/

Duke. O, sir, you must: and therefore, I beseech you,

Look forward on the journey you shall go. Barnar. I swear, I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion.

Duke. But hear you,15

Barnar. Not a word; if you have any thing to say to me, come to my ward for thence will not I to-day., nopeianu{Exit.de Enter Provost...

Prov.

Duke. Unfit to live,or die: 0,gravel heart!— After him, fellows; bring him to the block. 12-114. [Exeunt ABHORSON and Clown. Prov. Now,sir,how do you find the prisoner? Duke. A creature unprepar'd, unmeet for And, to transport him in the mind he is, [death; Were damnable di pane i them and Here in the prison, father, There died this morning of a cruel feveri One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate, A man of Claudio's years; his beard, and head, Just of his colour: What if we do omits!? This reprobate, till he were well inclined; And satisfy the deputy with the visage of Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio? [vides!

Duke. O, 'tis an accident that heaven pro-
Despatch it presently; the hour draws on
Prefix'd by Angelo: See, this be done,
And sent according to command; whiles I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
Prou This shall be done, good father,
presently.:

But Barnardine must die this afternoon:"
And how shall we continue Claudio,
To save me from the danger that might come,
If he were known alive?
[holds,

Duke. Let this be done;-Put them in secret Both Barnardine and Claudio: Ere twice The sun bath made his journal greeting to The under generation*, you shall find Your safety manifested.

"

Prov. I am your free dependant. Duke Quick, despatch, And send the head to Angelo. [Exit Provost. Now will I write letters to Angelo, [tents The provost, he shall bear them,-whose conShall witness to him, I am near at home; And that, by great injunctions, I am bound To enter publicly him I'll desire() To meet me at the consecrated fount, A league below the city; and from thence,

1

Prov. Here is the head; I'll carry it myself. Duke. Convenient is it: Make a swift return; For I would commune with you of such things, That want no ear but yours.

Prov. Pil make all speed. [Exit. Isab. [Within.] Peace, ho, be here ! [know, Duke. The tongue of Isabel :-She's come to If yet her brother's pardon be come hither But I will keep her ignorant of her good, To make her heavenly comforts of despair, When it is least expected..

Enter ISABELLA..

Isab, Ho, by your leave. [cious daughter.
Duke. Good morning to you, fair and gra
Isab. The better, given me by so holy a man.
Hath yet the deputy sent my brother's pardon?
Duke. He hath releas'd him, Isabel, from the
His head is off, and sent to Angelo. [world;
Isab. Nay, but it is not so.
Duke.
It is no other: 55
Show your wisdom, daughter, in your close
patience.
[eyes.
Isab. O, I will to him, and pluck out his
Duke. You shall not be admitted to his sight.
Isab. Unhappy Claudio! Wretched Isabel!
Injurious world! Most damned Angelo! [jot:
Duke. This nor hurts him,nor profits you a
Forbear it therefore; give your cause to heaven.
Mark what I say; which you shall find
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.

In that good path that I would wish it go; And you shall have your bosom on this wretch, Grace of the duke, revenges to your heart, And general honour.

Isab.

I am directed by you. Duke. This letter then to friar Peter give; 'Tis 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

Duke. Sir, the duke is marvellous little beholden to your reports; but the best is, he lives hot in them.

Lucio. Friar, thou knowest not the duke so well as I do: he's a better woodman than thou takest him for.

1

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

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 yon such a thing? ›.

Lucio. Yes, marry, did I: but was fain to forswear it; they would else have married me to the rotten mediar.

Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honest: Rest you well.

am

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, 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 dis vouch'd other.

Ang In most uneven and distracted man. ner. 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. [claim'd:

Ang. Well, I beseech y, let it be pro Betimes i' the morn, I'll call ou at your house: Give notice to such men of sort and suitŷ, ' As are to meet him.

Escal. I shall, sir: fare you well. [Exit. Aug. Good night.→→→→→→→ [pregnant, This deed unshapes me quite, makes me un And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid! And by an eminent body, that enforc'd 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:

Figure and rank.

For my authority bears a credent bulk,, ;
That no particular scandal once can touch,
But it confounds the breathert. He should
have liv'd,
[sense,
Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous
Might, in the times to come, have ta'en revenge,
By so receiving a dishonour'd life, [had liv'd!
With ransome of such shame. 'Would yet he
Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
Nothing goes right; we would, and we would
not.
Exit.
SCENE V.Fields without the Town.
Enter DUKE in his own habit, and Friar

3

PETER.

Duke. These letters at fit time deliver me. Giving letters. The provost knows our purpose, and our plot The matter being afoot, keep your instruction, And hold you ever to our special drift; Though sometimes you do blench from this to that, [house, As cause doth minister. Go, call at Flavius' 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; But send me Flavius first.

F. Peter.

It shall be speeded well. [Exit Friar

SCENE VI. Street near the City Gate.
Enter ISABELLA and MARIANA.
Isab. To speak so indirectly, I am loath;
I would say the truth; but to accuse him so,
That is your part: yet I'm advis'd to do it;
He says, to veil fully purpose.
Mariz
Be rul'd by him. [ture
Isab. Besides, he tells me, that, if peradven-
He speak against me on the adverse side,
I should not think it strange; for 'tis a physic,
That's bitter to sweet end.

Mari. I would, friar Peter 1 IN
Isab.
O, peace; the friar is come.
Enter Friar PETER.

F. Peter. Come, I have found you out a

stand most fit,

[duke, Where you may have such vantage on the He shall not pass you; Twice have the trumApets sounded;

The generous ¶ and gravest citizens
Have hent the gates, and very near upon
The duke is ent'ring; therefore hence, away.
[Exeunt.

A public Place the City Gute.

MARIANA, (veild,) Ud, ISABELLA, and PETER, at a distance. Enter at opposite doors, DUKE, VARRIUS, Lords; ANGELO, ESCA LUS, LUCIO, Provost, Officers, & Citizens. Duke, My very worthy cousin, fairly met:Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see 1 o [royal grace! Ang, and Escal. Happy return be to your Duke. Many and hearty thankings to you both.

Ang.

you.

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.
You make my bonds still greater.
Duke. O, your e
desert speaks loud and I
should wrong its 19 and
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

PETER and ISABELLA come forward. F. Peter. Now is your time; speak loud, and kneel before him.

Credit unquestionable.

Isab. Justice, O, royal duke! Vailt your regard

worthy prince, dishonour not your eye Upon a wrong'd, I'd fain have said, a maid! By throwing it on any other object, Till you have heard me in my true complaint, And given 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.
+1 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. I
[firm:
Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not
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. R
[I speak :

Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will That Angelo's forsworn; is it not strange? That Angelo's a murderer; i'st not strange? That Angelo is an adulterous thief, An hypocrite, a virgin-violator; Is it not strange, and strange? Duke. Nay, ten times strange. Isab. It is not truer he is Angelo, Than this is all ás 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 timpossible

[sible, That which but seems unlike 'tis not impos. But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground, May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute, As Angelo; even so may Angelo,! In all his dressings characts, titles, forms, 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

9

Lucio. That's I, an't like your grace; I 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. No, my good lord; Nor wish'd to hold my peace.

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

Lucio. I warrant your honour. [to it.
Duke, The warrant's for yourself; take heed
Isab. This gentleman told somewhat of my
Lucio. Right.,
[tale.

Duke. It may be right; but you are in the
wrong

To speak before your time.-Proceed.
Isab

I went

(For this was of much length,) the vile con

clusion Team

I now begin with grief and shame to utter:
He would not, but by gift of my chaste body
To his concupiscible intemperate lust, [ment,
Release my brother; and, after much debate-
My sisterly remorset confutes mine honour,
And I did yield to him: But the next morn
10 betimes,

His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant
For my poor brother's head.

Duke.Add 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,
In hateful practice: First, bis integrity,
Stands without blemish:-next, it imports no
reason,

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;

Confess the truth, and say by whose advice,
Thou cam'st here to complain.
Isab.
And is this all?
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 woe,

As I, thus wrong'd, bence unbelieved go! Duke. I know, you'd fain be gone:-An officer!

A

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.-

ན་**

Who knew of your intent, and coming hither?
Isab. One that I would were here, friar
Lodowick. t [that Lodowick?
› Duke. A ghostly father, belike:-Who knows
Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a med
Adding friar;
[lord,
I do not like the man: had he been lay, my
For certain words he spake against your grace
In your retirement, I had swing'dhim soundly.
Dukes Words against me? This' a good friar,
belike!

Conspiracy.

Beat.

F.Peter. I know him for a man divine and Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler, [holy; 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. [clear himself; F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to But at this instant he is sick, my lord, Of a strange fever: Upon his mere request, (Being come to knowledge that there was complaint

Intended 'gainst lord Angelo,) came 1 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 up full clear,
Whensoever he's convented t. First, for this
(To justify this worthy nobleman, [woman;
So vulgarly and personally accus'd,)
Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes,
Till she herself confess it.

Do

Duke.

Good friar, let's hear it. [ISABELLA is carried off, guarded; and MARIANA comes forward. 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 yon judge Of your own cause.-Is this the witness, friar? First, let her show her face; and, after, speak. Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not show Until my husband bid me. [my face, Duke. What, are you married?

Mari. No, my lord.

Duke.

Are you a maid?

Mari.

Duke. A widow then?

No, my lord. Neither, my lord.

Mari.

Duke.

Why, you 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. [some cause Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had To prattle for himself.

Lucio. Well, my lord. [married; Mari, My lord, I do confess I ne'er was And, I confess, besides, I am no maid: I have known my husband; yet my husband That ever he knew me. [knows not, Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can

be no better.

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.
[unmask. (Unveiling.
Mari, My husband bids me; now I will
This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, [ing on:
Which, once thou swor'st, was worth the look-
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?

Lucio. Carnally, she says. Duke.

Sirrah, no more. [woman;

Lucio. Enough, my lord.
Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this
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
Upon my faith and honour. [from her,
Mari.
Noble prince,
As there comes light from heaven, and words
from breath,

As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue,
I am affianc'd this man's wife, as strongly
As words could make up vows: and, my good
lord,
[house,
But Tuesday night last gone, in his garden-
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 ¶ women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier mem-
ber,
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,

[saint,

Though they would swear down each particular
Were testimonies against his worth and credit,
That's seal'd in approbation?-You, lord Es-
calus,

Sit with my consin; 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.
[he, indeed,
F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for
Hath set the women on to this complaint;

• Simple.

+ Convened.

Publicly.

Her fortune fell short.