A very scurvy fellow.

Peter. Blessed be your royal grace!

I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abus'd: First, hath this woman.
Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute;
Who is as free from touch or soil with her

As she from one ungot.

Duke. We did believe no less.

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Know you that friar Lodowick, which she speaks of ? 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 villainously; believe it. 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 knowledge that there was complaint "Intended 'gainst lord Angelo) came I hither, 172 "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, "Whenever he's convented. First," for this woman; (To justify this worthy nobleman,

So vulgarly and personally accus'd)

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

Duke. Good friar, let's hear it.

Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo ?—

K

181

O heaven!

O heaven! the vanity of wretched fools!-
Give us some seats.-Come, cousin Angelo ;
In this I will be impartiak; be you judge
Of your own cause.-Is this the witness, friar?
[ISABELLA is carried off, guarded.

Enter MARIANA, veil'd.

First, let her shew her face; and, after, speak. ** Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not shew my face,

Until my husband bid me.

Duke. What, are you marry'd?

Mari. No, my lord.

Duke. Are you a maid?

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Mari. No, my lord.

Duke. A widow then?

Mari. Neither, my lord. ・・

Duke. Why you are nothing then :

Neither maid, widow, nor wife?

Lucio. My lord, she may bea punk; for many of them

Are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had some causé

To prattle for himself.

Lucio. Well, my lord.

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: Mari. My lord, I do confess, I ne'er was marry'd ;* 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.
Mari. Now I come to't, my lord:
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?

Mari. Not that I know.

Duke. No? you say, your husband.

211

[TO MARI.

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.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.
[Unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which, once thou swor'st, 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 imagin'd person.

Duke. Know you this woman?

Lucio. Carnally, she says.

Duke, Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Enough, my lord.

231

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

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 disvalu'd

In levity since which time, of five years,

:

241

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

Mari. Noble prince,

As there comes light from heaven, and words from breath,

As there is sensé 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, "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 i
Or else for ever be confixed here,

A marble monument!

Ang. I did but smile 'till now;

251

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 member,
That sets them on: let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice.out.

Duke. Ay, with my heart;

261

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, Though they would swear down each particular saint,

Were

1

Were testimonies against his worth and credit,
That's seal'd in approbation ?—You, lord Escalus,
Sit with my cousin; 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.

271

Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, in

deed,

Hath set the women on to this complaint:

Your provost knows the place where he abides,
And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go, do it instantly.

And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin,

Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,
Do with your injuries as seems you best,

In any chastisement: I for a while

Will leave you; stir not you, till you have well
Determined upon these slanderers.

280

[Exit.

Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly.-Signior Lucio, did not you say, you knew that friar Lodo-· wick to be a dishonest person?

Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum

honest in no

thing, but in his cloaths; and one that hath spoke most villainous speeches of the duke.

Escal. We shall intreat you to abide here till he come, "and enforce them against him:" We shall find this friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.

292

Escal. Call that same Isabel here once again; I would speak with her: Pray you, my lord, give me Kiij

leave