Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you.
Ang. & Escal. Happy return be to your royal
grace!

Duke. Many and hearty thankings to you both.
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.

Ang. You make my bonds still greater.
Duke. O, your desert speaks loud; and I should
wrong it,

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.

Friar Peter and Isabella come forward.

F. Peter. Now is your time; speak loud, and
kneel before him.

Isab. Justice, O, royal duke! Vail' your regard
Upon a wrong'd, I'd fain have said, a maid!
O worthy prince, dishonour not your eye
By throwing it on any other object,

Till you have heard me in my true complaint,
And give 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.

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.

Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm:
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.

Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will I
speak:

That Angelo's forsworn; is it not strange?
That Angelo's a murderer; is't not strange?
That Angelo is an adulterous thief,

A hypocrite, a virgin-violator;
Is it not strange, and strange?
Duke.

To this pernicious caitiff deputy.
Duke. That's somewhat madly spoken.
Isab.

The phrase is to the matter.

Pardon it;

Duke. Mended again: the matter:-Proceed.
Isab. In brief,-to set the needless process by,
How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd,
How he refell'd' me, and how I reply'd;
(For this was of much length,) the vile conclusion
I now begin with grief and shame to utter:
He would not, but by gift of my chaste body

Nay, ten times strange. To his concupiscible intemperate lust,

Isab. It is not truer he is Angelo,
Than this is all as 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 im-
possible

That which but seems unlike: 'tis not impos-
sible.

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,

(1) Lower. (2) Habits and characters of office.
(3) Refuted. (4) Pity. (5) Foolish.

Release my brother; and, after much debatement,
My sisterly remorse4 confutes mine honour,
And I did yield to him: But the next morn betimes,
His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant
For my poor brother's head.

Duke.

This is most likely!
Isab. O, that it were as like, as it is true!
Duke. By heaven, fond' wretch, thou know'st
Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour,
not what thou speak'st;
In hateful practice :-First, his 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

(6) Conspiracy.

P

WO,

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.
-Who knew of your intent, and coming hither?
Isab. 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 meddling 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 swing'd' 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 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.

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 meddler,
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 mere2 request
(Being come to knowledge 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 oath,
And all probation, will make
full clear,
up
Whensoever 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.
[Isabella is carried off, guarded; and
Mariana comes forward.

Do 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 you 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 my face,
Until my husband bid me.
Duke.

Mari. No, my lord.

(1) Beat.

Publicly.

What, are you married?

(2) Simple. (3) Convened.

I

Mari.

Duke.

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.

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

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.

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,

Though they would swear down each particular
saint,

Were testimonies against his worth and credit,
That's sealed 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.

Escal. How! know you where you are?
Duke. Respect to your great place! and let the
devil

Be some time honour'd for his burning throne :—
Where is the duke? 'tis he should hear me speak.
Escal. The duke's in us; and we will hear you
speak:

Look, you speak justly.

Duke. Boldly, at least:-But, O, poor souls,
Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox?
Good night to your redress. Is the duke gone?
Then is your cause gone too. The duke's unjust,
Thus to retort your manifest appeal,
And put your trial in the villain's mouth,
Which here you come to accuse.

Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of.
Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd
friar!

Is't not enough, thou hast suborn'd these women
To accuse this worthy man; but, in foul mouth,
And in the witness of his proper ear,

Te call him villain?

F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, And then to glance from him to the duke himself; indeed,

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.- [Exit Provost.
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

To tax him with injustice?-Take him hence;
To the rack with him:-We'll touze you joint by

joint,

But we will know this purpose:-What! unjust?
Duke. Be not so hot; the duke

Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he
Dare rack his own; his subject am I not,
Nor here provincial: My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,

Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, well

Determined upon these slanderers.

Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly.-[Exit Duke.] Signior Lucio, did not you say, you knew that friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person? Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum: honest in nothing, but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most villanous speeches of the duke.

Till it o'er-run the stew: laws, for all faults;
But faults so countenanc'd, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,
As much in mock as mark.

Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to
prison.

Ang. What can you vouch against him, signior

Lucio?

Escal. We shall entreat you to abide here till Is this the man that you did tell us of? he come, and enforce them against him: we shall find this friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.
Escal. Call that same Isabel here once again;
[To an attendant.] I would speak with her: Pray
you, my lord, give me leave to question; you shall
see how I'll handle her.

Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report.
Escal. Say you?

Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess; perchance, publicly she'll be ashamed.

Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord.-Come hither, goodman bald-pate: Do you know me?

Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice: I met you at the prison, in the absence of the duke.

Lucio. O, did you so? And do you remember what you said of the duke?

Duke. Most notedly, sir.

Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?

Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke

Re-enter Officers, with Isabella; the Duke, in the so of him; and much more, much worse.

friar's habit, and Provost.

Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midnight.

Escal. Come on, mistress: [To Isabella.] here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said. Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here, with the provost.

Escal. In very good time:-speak not you to him, till we call upon you. Lucio. Mum.

Escal. Come, sir: Did you set these women on to slander lord Angelo? they have confess'd you rid.

Duke. 'Tis false.

Lucio. O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose, for thy speeches ?

Duke. I protest I love the duke, as I love myself. Ang. Hark! how the villain would close now, after his treasonable abuses.

Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal:Away with him to prison :-Where is the provost ? Away with him to prison; lay bolts enough upon him; let him speak no more. Away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate companion. [The Provost lays hands on the Duke. Duke. Stay, sir; stay a while.

Ang. What! resists he? Help him, Lucio.

Lucio. Come, sir; come, sir; come, sir; foh, sir: Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal! you must be hooded, must you? Show your knave's visage,

(1) Crazy. (2) Conspiracy. (3) To the end. (4) Refer back. (5) Accountable. (6) Wantons.

with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach,
and be hang'd an hour! Will't not off?
[Pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers
the Duke.

Duke. Thou art the first knave, that e'er made
a duke.-

First, provost, let me bail these gentle three:-
Sneak not away, sir; [To Lucio.] for the friar and
you

Must have a word anon:-lay hold on him.
Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.
Duke. What you have spoke, I pardon; sit you
down.-
[To Escalus.
We'll borrow place of him :-Sir, by your leave:
[To Angelo.

Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence,
That yet can do thee office?

If thou hast,

Rely upon it till my tale be heard,
And hold no longer out.

Ang.

O my dread lord,
I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,
To think I can be undiscernible,
When I perceive, your grace, like power divine,
Hath look'd upon my passes: 2 Then, good prince,
No longer session hold upon my shame,
But let my trial be mine own confession;
Immediate sentence then, and sequent' death,
Is all the grace I beg.

Duke.

Come hither, Mariana:Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman? Ang. I was, my lord.

Duke. Go, take her hence, and marry her in-
stantly.-

Do you the office, friar; which consummate,
Return him here again:-Go with him, provost.
Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost.
Escal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dis-
honour,

Than at the strangeness of it.

Duke.

4

Come hither, Isabel:
Your friar is now your prince: As I was then
Advertising, and holy to your business,
Not changing heart with habit, I am still
Attorney'd at your service.

Isab.

O, give me pardon, That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd Your unknown sovereignty.

Duke.

You are pardon'd, Isabel:
And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.
Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart;
And you may marvel, why I obscur'd myself,
Labouring to save his life; and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power,
Than let him so be lost: 0, most kind maid,
It was the swift celerity of his death,
Which I did think with slower foot came on,
That brain'd my purpose: But, peace be with him!
That life is better life, past fearing death,
Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort,
So happy is your brother.

Re-enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost.
Isab.
I do, my lord.
Duke. For this new-married man, approaching
here,

Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd
Your well-defended honour, you must pardon
For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudg'd your
brother

(Being criminal, in double violation

Thereon dependant, for your brother's life,)
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper' tongue,
An Angelo for Claudio, death for death.
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure
Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifested:
Which though thou would'st deny, denies thee
vantage:

We do condemn thee to the very block
Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like
haste;-
Away with him.
Mari.
O, my most gracious lord,
hope you will not mock me with a husband!
Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with a
husband:

I

Consenting to the safeguard of your honour,
I thought your marriage fit; else imputation,
For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choke your good to come: for his possessions
Although by confiscation they are ours,
We do instate and widow you withal,
To buy you a better husband.
Mari.

O, my dear lord,
I crave no other, nor no better man.
Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle my liege,-
[Kneeling.
Duke.
You do but lose your labour:
Away with him to death.-Now, sir, [To Lucio.]
to you.

Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take
my part;

Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
I'll lend you, all my life to do you service.

Duke. Against all senses do you impórtune her:
Should she kneel down, in mercy of this fact,
Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.

Mari.

Isabel,
Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me;

Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all.
They say, best men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: so may my husband.
O, Isabel! will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab.

Most bounteous sir,
[Kneeling.

Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if my brother liv'd: I partly think,
A due sincerity govern'd his deeds,
Till he did look on me; since it is so,
Let him not die: My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died:
For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent,
And must be buried but as an intent
That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects,
Intents but merely thoughts.

Mari.
Merely, my lord.
Duke. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say..
I have bethought me of another fault:-
Provost, how came it, Claudio was beheaded
At an unusual hour?

Prov.
It was commanded so.
Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed?
Prov. No, my good lord; it was by private mes-

sage.

Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office

(6) Reason and affection.

What's he?

Duke.
Prov.
His name is Barnardine.
Duke. I would thou had'st done so by Claudio.-
Go, fetch him hither; let me look upon him.
[Exit Provost.
Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise
As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I am sorry, that such sorrow I procure :
And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart,
That I crave death more willingly than mercy:
'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.

Let him be whipp'd and hang'd.

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, I made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me, in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her.
Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal
Remit thy other forfeits:-Take him to prison:
And see our pleasure herein executed.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

restore.

Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.-
She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you
Joy to you, Mariana!-love her, Angelo;
I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.-
Thanks, good friend Escalus,for thy much goodness:
There's more behind, that is more gratulate.
Thanks, provost, for thy care, and secrecy;
We shall employ thee in a worthier place:-
Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
The head of Ragozine for Claudio's;

Re-enter Provost, Barnardine, Claudio, and Juliet. The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel,

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?
Prov.

This, my lord.

I have a motion much imports your good;
Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline,
What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine:--

What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know.

[Exeunt.

Duke. There was a friar told me of this man:-So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show
Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul,
That apprehends no further than this world,
And squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd;
But, for those early faults, I quit them all;
And

pray thee, take this mercy to provide
For better times to come:- -Friar, advise him;
I leave him to your hand.-What muflied fellow's
that?

Prov. This is another prisoner, that I sav'd,
That should have died when Claudio lost his head;
As like almost to Claudio, as himself.

[Unmuffles Claudio.! Duke. If he be like your brother, [To Isabella.]

for his sake

Is he pardon'd; And, for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine,
He is my brother too: But fitter time for that.
By this, lord Angelo perceives he's safe:
Methinks, I see a quickening in his eye:-
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:
Look that you love your wife; her worth, worth

yours.

I find an apt remission in myself:

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon;
You, sirrah, [To Lucio.] that knew me for a fool,
a coward,

One all of luxury,3
an ass, a madman;
Wherein have I so deserv'd of you,
That you extol me thus?

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick: If you will hang me for it, you may, but I had rather it would please you, I might be whipp'd.

Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.-
Proclaim it, provost, round about the city;
If any woman's wrong'd by this lewd fellow
(As I have heard him swear himself, there's one
Whom he begot with child,) let her appear,
And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd,

The novel of Giraldi Cinthio, from which Shakspeare is supposed to have borrowed this fable, may be read in Shakspeare Illustrated, elegantly translated, with remarks which will assist the inquirer to discover how much absurdity Shakspeare has admitted or avoided.

modelled the novel of Cinthio, or written a story
I cannot but suspect that some other had new-
which in some particulars resembled it, and that
Cinthio was not the author whom Shakspeare im-
mediately followed. The emperor in Cinthio is
named Maximine: the duke, in Shakspeare's enu-
meration of the persons of the drama, is called Vin-
centio. This appears a very slight remark; but
since the duke has no name in the play, nor is ever
mentioned but by his title, why should he be called
Vincentio among the
but because the name
persons,
was copied from the story, and placed superflu-
ously at the head of the list, by the mere habit of
transcription? It is therefore likely that there was
then a story of Vincentio duke of Vienna, different
from that of Maximine emperor of the Romans.

Of this play, the light or comic part is very natural and pleasing, but the grave scenes, if a few pasThe plot is rather intricate than artful. The time sages be excepted, have more labour than elegance. of the action is indefinite: some time, we know not how much, must have elapsed between the recess of the duke and the imprisonment of Claudio; for he must have learned the story of Mariana in his disguise, or he delegated his power to a man already known to be corrupted. The unities of action and place are sufficiently preserved.