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 4 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

yours,
I'll perfect him withal; and he shall bring you
Before the duke ; and to the head of Angelo
Accuse him home, and home. For my poor self,
I am combined by a sacred vow,
And shall be absent. Wends you with this letter:
Command these frétting waters from your eyes
With a light heart; trust not my holy order,
If I pervert your course. Who's here?

cause, and

Enter Lucio.

Lucio.

Good even ! Friar, where is the provost? Duke.

Not within, sir. Lucio. O, pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart, to see thine eyes so red : thou must be patient : I am fain to dine and sup with water and bran; I dare not for my head fill my belly; one 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 dark corners had beeni at home, he had lived.

[Exit ISABELLA. Duke. Sir, the duke is marvellous little beholden, to your reports; but the best is, he lives not in them.

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

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 you such a thing ?

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

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

well. 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, I am a kind of burr, I shall stick.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

guess not.

A Room in Angelo's House.

Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS. Escal. Every letter he hath writ hath disvouch'd 6 other.

Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. 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

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.

Ang. Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaim'd:
Betimes i' the morn, I'll call you at

your
Give notice to such men of sort and suit, ?
As are to meet him.
Escal.
I shall, sir : fare you' well.

[Erit.
Ang. Good night.
This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant,
And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid!

house :

6 Contradicted.

7 Figure and rank.

VOL. II.

H

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 8 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,
With ransome of such shame. 'Would yet he had

liv'd!
Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not.

(Exit.

SCENE V.

<

Ficlds without the Town.

Enter Duke in his own habit, and Friar 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,
Ana hold you ever to our special drift;
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,

* Calls, challenges her to do it.

Utterer.

9 Credit unquestionable. Start off.

2

And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate ;
But send me Flavius first.
F. Peter.

It shall be speeded well.

[Exit Friar Enter VARRIUS. Duke. I thank thee, Varrius; thou hast made good

haste : Come, we will walk: There's other of our friends Will greet us here anon, my gentle Varrius. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Street near the City Gate.

Enter Is A BELLA 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 adyis'd to do it;
He
says, to veil full3

purpose. Mari.

Be rul'd by him.
Isab. Besides, he tells me, that, if peradventure
He speak against me on the adverse side,
I should not think it strange ; for 'tis a physick,
That's bitter to sweet end.

Mari. I would, friar Peter
Isab.

O, peace; the friar is come.

Enter Friar PETER. F. Peter, Come, I have found you out a stand most fit,

3 Availful.