Clo. Master Barnardine! you must rise and be hang'd, master Barnardine
Abhor. What, ho, Barnardine! Barnar. [Within.] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that noise there? What are you?
Clo. Your friends, sir; the hangman: You must be so good, sir, to rise and be put to death. Barnar. [Within.] Away, you rogue, away; I am sleepy.
Abhor. Tell him, he must awake, and that quickly too.
Clo. Pray, master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and sleep afterwards.
Abhor. Go in to him, and fetch him out.
Clo. He is coming, sir, he is coming; I hear his straw rustle.
Abhor. Is the axe upon the block, sirrah? Clo. Very ready, sir.
Barnar. How now, Abhorson? what's the news with you?
Abhor. Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayers; for, look you, the warrant's come. Barnar. You rogue, I have been drinking all night, I am not fitted for't.
Clo. O, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hang'd betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day.
Abhor. Look you, sir, here comes your ghostly father; Do we jest now, think you?
how hastily you are to depart, I am come to advise Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing you, comfort you, and pray with you.
Barnar. Friar, not I; I have been drinking! hard all night, and I will have more time to prepare me, or they shall beat out my brains with billets: I will not consent to die this day, that's
Duke. Unfit to live, or die: O, gravel heart!After him, fellows; bring him to the block.
[Exeunt Abhorson and Clown. Prov. Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner ? Duke. A creature unprepar'd, unmeet for death; And, to transport him in the mind he is, Were damnable.
Prov. Here in the prison, father, There died this morning of a cruel fever One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate, A man of Claudio's years; his beard, and head, Just of his colour: What if we do omit This reprobate, till he were well inclined; And satisfy the deputy with the visage Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
Duke. O, 'tis an accident that heaven provides! Despatch it presently; the hour draws on Prefix'd by Angelo: See, this be done, And sent according to command; whiles I Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die. Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently. But Barnardine must die this afternoon: And how shall we continue Claudio,
To save me from the danger that might come, If he were known alive?
Duke. Let this be done ;-Put them in secret holds,
Both Barnardine and Claudio: Ere twice The sun hath made his journal greeting to The under generation, you shall find Your safety manifested.
Isab. O, I will to him, and pluck out his eyes. Duke. You shall not be admitted to his sight. Isab. Unhappy Claudio! Wretched Isabel ! Injurious world! Most damned Angelo!
Duke. This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot: Forbear it therefore; give your cause to heaven. Mark what I say; which you shall find By every syllable, a faithful verity: The duke comes home to-morrow ;-nay, dry your One of our convent, and his confessor, [eves; Gives me this instance: Already he hath carried Notice to Escalus and Angelo;
Who do prepare to meet him at the gates, 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 on this wretch, Grace of the duke, revenges to your heart, And general honour.
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 cause, and 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. Wend you with this letter: Command these fretting waters from your eyes With a light heart; trust not my holy order, If I pervert your course.-Who's here.
duke will be here to-morrow. By my troth, Isabel, I lov'd thy brother: if the old fantastical duke of dark corners had been 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 forswear 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, 1 am a kind of burr, I [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-A Room in Angelo's House.
SCENE VI.-Street near the City Gate. Enter Isabella 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 advis'd to do it; He says, to veil full purpose. Mari. Be rul'd by him. Isab. Besides, he tells me, that, if peradventure He speak against me on the adverse side, should not think it strange; for 'tis a physick, That's bitter to sweet end. Mari. I would, friar PeterIsab.
O, peace; the friar is come. Enter Friar Peter.
F. Peter. Come, I have found you out a stand most fit,
Where you may have such vantage on the duke, He shall not pass you; Twice have the trumpets sounded;
The generous and gravest citizens Have hent the gates, and very near upon The duke is ent'ring; therefore hence, away.
SCENE I.-A publick Place near the City Gate. Mariana (veiled,) Isabella, and Peter, at a distance. Enter at opposite doors, Duke, Varrius, Lords; Angelo, Escalus, Lucio, Provost, Officers, and Citizens.
Duke. My very worthy cousin, fairly met :Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you. Ang. and 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.
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 given 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,
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
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, An hypocrite, a virgin-violator; Is it not strange, and strange? Duke.
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 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 be- His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant [times 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 not what thou speak'st;
Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour, In hateful practice: First, his integrity Stands without blemish :-next, it imports no rea- That with such vehemency he should pursue [son,
Nay, ten times strange. Faults proper to himself: if he had so offended,
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 impossible 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,
In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms, Be an arch-villain; believe it, royal prince, If he be less, he's nothing; but he's more, Had I more name for badness.
If she be mad, as I believe no other, Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense, Such a dependency of thing on thing, As e'er I heard in madness.
Isab. O, gracious duke, Harp not on that: nor do not banish reason For inequality; but let your reason serve To make the truth appear, where it seems hid; And hide the false, seems true. Duke. Many that are not mad, Have, sure, more lack of reason.-What would Isab. I am the sister of one Claudio, [you say? Condemn'd upon the act of fornication To lose his head; condemn'd by Angelo : 1, in probation of a sisterhood,
Was sent to by my brother. One Lucio As then the messenger ;-
That's I, an't like your grace: I came to her from Claudio, and desir'd her To try her gracious fortune with Lord Angelo, For her poor brother's pardon. Isab.
That's he, indeed. No, my good lord; I wish you now then; Pray you, take note of it: and when you have A business for yourself, pray heaven, you then Be perfect.
Duke. You were not bid to speak. Lucio.
Nor wish'd to hold my peace.
Lucio. I warrant your honour.
Duke. The warrant's for yourself; take heed to it. Isab. This gentleman told somewhat of my tale. Lucio. Right.
Duke. It may be right; but you are in the wrong To speak before your time.-Proceed. Isab.
To this pernicious caitiff deputy. Duke. That's somewhat madly spoken.
He would have weigh'd thy brother by himself, And not have cut him off: Some one hath set you Confess the truth, and say by whose advice [on; Thou cam'st here to complain. Isab. And is this all? Then, oh, you blessed ministers above, Keep me in patience; and, with ripen'd time, Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up In countenance!-Heaven shield your grace from As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go! [woe,
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, And to set on this wretched woman here [belike! Against our substitute !-Let this friar be found. Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar, [friar A very scurvy fellow.
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 villainously; believe it. F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear But at this instant he is sick, my lord, [himself; Of a strange fever: Upon his mere 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 up full clear, 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.
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.
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; 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, [saint, Though they would swear down each particular Were testimonies against his worth and credit, No, my lord. 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.
Why, you 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 To prattle for himself.
Lucio. Carnally, she says. Duke.
Lucio. Enough, my lord.
F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he 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.- [Erit 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 Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have 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 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. Escal. Say you?
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 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,
Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this wo-till we call upon you.
And five years since, there was some speech of 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 disvalued In levity: since which time of five years,
I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, Upon my faith and honour.
As there comes light from heaven, and words from breath,
As there is sense 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; Or else for ever be confixed here, A marble monument ! Ang. I did but smile till now; Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice; My patience here is touch'd: I do perceive,
Be sometime 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:
í ook, you speak justly. Duke. Boldly, at least: But, 0, 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
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,
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, Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, 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 Is this the man that you did tell us of? [Lucio? 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?
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, That yet can do thee office? If thou hast, Rely upon it till my tale be heard, And hold no longer out.
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; 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 amazed at his dis- Than at the strangeness of it. [honour, Duke. 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. That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd Your unknown sovereignty.
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 com- So happy is your brother. [fort,
Re-enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost. Isab. I do, my lord. Duke. For this new-married man, approaching Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd [here, Your well-defended honour, you must pardon For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudg'd your bro- (Being criminal, in double violation [ther, Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach, Thereon dependent, 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 thec vantage: We do condemn thee to the very block Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like Away with him. [haste; Mari. O, my most gracious lord, I hope you will not mock me with a husband! Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with a husband:
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.
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.j
Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take my Lend me your knees, and all my life to come [part; I'll lend you all my life to do you service.
Duke. Against all sense you do importune 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.
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.
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