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 now begin with grief and shame to utter : He would not, but by gift of my chaste body To his concupiscible intemperate lust, Release my brother; and, after much debatement, My sisterly remorse 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 ! Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour, Confess the truth, and say by whose advice Isab. I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard Duke. As he's reported by this gentleman; And, on my trust, a man that never yet Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it. But at this instant he is sick, my lord, Of a strange fever: Upon his mere request, So vulgarly and personally accus'd,) Good friar, let's hear it. [ISABELLA is carried off, guarded; and MARIANA Comes forward. Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo? Duke. Mari. No, my lord. What, are you married? Duke. Are you a maid? Mari. And is this all? Duke. A widow then? Mari. Duke. No, my lord. Neither, my lord. Why, you 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 I have known my husband; yet my husband knows | That's seal'd in approbation?—You, lord Escalus. not, That ever he knew me. Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can be There is another friar that set them on; 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. In self-same manner doth accuse my husband; Ang. Charges she more han me? Mari. Not that I know. Ang. This is a strange abuse:-Let's see thy face. This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, Duke. Know you this woman? Lucio. Carnally, she says. Lucio. Enough, my lord. Sirrah, no more. Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman; And, five years since, there was some speech of Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off, For that her reputation was disvalued In levity since which time of five years, : I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, Mari. Noble prince, Let him be sent for. F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he Hath set the women on to this complaint: Duke. Go, do it instantly. - [Exit Provost. Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have well Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly. -[Exil. 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 villainous speeches of the duke. Escal. We shall entreat 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. 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. Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess: perchance, publickly she'll be ashamed. Re-enter Officers, with ISABELLA; the DUKE, in the Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. 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 As there comes light from heaven, and words from 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 did. Duke. 'Tis false. Escai. How! know you where you are? Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne: Duke. Boldly, at least: But, O, poor souls, Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. friar! Is't not enough, thou hast suborn'd these women, I should be guiltier than my guiltiness, To think I can be undiscernible, To accuse this worthy man; but, in foul mouth, And in the witness of his proper ear, To call him villain? And then to glance from him to the duke himself; To tax him with injustice? Take him hence; To the rack with him :- We'll touze you joint by joint, -What! unjust? But we will know this purpose: - Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison. Ang. What can you vouch against him, signior Is this the man that you did tell us of? Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither good-man 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 flesh-monger, 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 so of him; and much more, much worse. 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 awhile. 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, with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, 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, Ang. O my dread lora, Duke. You are pardon'd, Isabel : Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd (Being criminal, in double violation We do condemn thee to the very block Mari. Consenting to the safeguard of your honour, Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd. Let him not die: My brother had but justice His act did not o'ertake his bad intent; That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects; 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? It was commanded so. Prov. message. Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office: Give up your keys. Prov. Pardon me, noble lord: I thought it was a fault, but knew it not; Yet did repent me, after more advice: For testimony whereof, one in the prison, That should by private order else have died, I have reserv'd alive. Duke. Prov. What's he? 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. This, my lord. Duke. There was a friar told me of this man: 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 earthly 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 muffled 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, yours. I find an apt remission in myself: And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon : One all of luxury, an ass, a madman; 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; Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, I made ycu 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. Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it. She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore. 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 ; The offence pardons itself. - Dear Isabel, I have a motion much imports your good; Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline, What's mine is your's and what is your's is mine: — So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know [Exeunt. Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and others, with a Messenger. Leon. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina. Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him. Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don | Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness. Leon. Did he break out into tears? Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weep ing? Beat. I pray you, is signior Montanto returned from the wars, or no? Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Mess. O, he is returned, and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt. - I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing. |