SCENE IV.

A Room in Angelo's House.

Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS.

Escal. Every letter he hath writ hath disvouch'd other.

Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. His actions show much like to madness: pray heaven, his wisdom be not tainted! And why meet him at the gates, and re-deliver our authorities there? Escal. I guess not.

Ang. And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his entering, that, if any crave redress of injustice, they should exhibit their petitions in the street?

Escal. He shows his reason for that: to have a despatch of complaints; and to deliver us from devices hereafter, which shall then have no power to stand against us.

Ang. Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaim'd: Betimes i' the morn, I'll call you at your house: Give notice to such men of sort and suit,3

And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid!
And by an eminent body, that enforc'd

The law against it!-But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,

3

sort and suit,] Figure and rank, or perhaps, his vassals bound to hold suit and service to their over-lord.

How might she tongue me? Yet reason dares her? -no:1

4

For my authority bears a credent bulk,

That no particular scandal once can touch,

But it confounds the breather.5 He should have liv'd,

Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense, Might, in the times to come, have ta'en revenge, By so receiving a dishonour'd life,

With ransome of such shame. 'Would yet he had

liv'd!

Alack, when once our grace we have forgot, Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not. [Exit.

SCENE V.

Fields without the Town.

Enter Duke in his own habit, and Friar PEter. Duke. These letters at fit time deliver me.

[Giving letters.
The provost knows our purpose, and our plot.
The matter being afoot, keep your instruction,
And hold you ever to our special drift;

Though sometimes you do blench from this to that,
As cause doth minister. Go, call at Flavius' house,
And tell him where I stay: give the like notice,
To Valentinus, Rowland, and to Crassus,

4

Yet reason dares her?-no:] Yet does not reason challenge or incite her to accuse me?-no, (answers the speaker,) for my authority, &c. To dare, in this sense, is yet a schoolphrase. MALONE.

5 my authority bears a credent bulk,

That no particular scandal, &c.] Credent is creditable, inforcing credit, not questionable.

6 you do blench] To blench is to start off.

And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate;

But send me Flavius first.

F. Peter.

Duke. I thank thee, Varrius; thou hast made good haste:

Come, we will walk: There's other of our friends Will greet us here anon, my gentle Varrius.

[Exeunt.

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,

I should not think it strange; for 'tis a physick,
That's bitter to sweet end.

Mari. I would, friar Peter-
Isab.

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;

8

The generous' and gravest citizens
Have hent the gates, and very near upon
The duke is ent'ring; therefore hence, away.

[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I. A publick place near the City Gate.

MARIANA, (veil'd,) 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 justice, that our soul

Cannot but yield you forth to publick 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;

? The generous, &c.] i. e. the most noble, &c. • Have hent the gates,] Have seized or taken possession of

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, 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,

9

Vail your regard-] i. e. condescend to look, from

higher things, upon, &c.