Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,

As if my brother lived: I partly think

A due sincerity govern'd his deeds,

Till he did look on me: since it is so,

445

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

450

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.

455

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

460

Prov.

His name is Barnardine.

466

Duke. I would thou hadst 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 judgement 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.

470

475

Re-enter PROVOST, with BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO muffled, and JULIET.

Prov.

This, my lord.

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?

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 squarest thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd: 480
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 saved,
Who should have died when Claudio lost his head;
As like almost to Claudio as himself. [Unmuffles Claudio.

466 would] F1. wouldst F2F3F4. wish
Capell (corrected in Errata to
would).

467 [Exit Provost.] Johnson.
470 the heat] heat Pope.
476 SCENE VII. Pope.

Re-enter...] Re-enter Provost, with
Barnardine; Claudio behind, and
Julietta, both muffi'd up. Capell.

485

Duke. [To Isabella] If he be like your brother, for his sake

Is he pardon'd; and, for your lovely sake,

Give me your hand, and say you will be mine,

490

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. 495

I find an apt remission in myself;

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.

[To Lucio] You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward, One all of luxury, an ass, a madman;

Wherein have I so deserved of you,

That you extol me thus?

500

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 whipt.

Duke. Whipt first, sir, and hang'd after.
Proclaim it, provost, round about the city,
If any woman 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,

505

510

Let him be whipt 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.

515

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

whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it.

521

[Exeunt Officers with Lucio.

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 yours, and what is yours is mine.
So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show
What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know.

525

530

535

NOTES.

NOTE I.

1. 1.7-10. The suggestion that a line has been lost in this place came first from Theobald. It is scarcely necessary to say that there is no mark of omission in the Folios. Malone supposes that a similar omission has been made II. 4. 123. The compositor's eye (he says) may have glanced from 'succeed' to 'weakness' in a subsequent hemistich.

In order to relieve the plethoric foot-note we set down in this place some conjectures for which we are indebted to Mr Halliwell's note on the passage.

(3)

But that your sufficiency, as your worth, be able...

The reading assigned in the foot-note to Steevens is found in a note to the Editions of 1773, 1778, 1785, 1793. He afterwards changed his

VOL. I.

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