Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart,
And general honour.

140

I am directed by you.

Isab.

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 151
With a light heart; trust not my holy order,

If I pervert your course.- -Who's here?

Lucio. O pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart to see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient. I am fain to dine and sup with water and bran; I dare not for my head fill my belly; one fruit- 160 ful meal would set me to 't. But they say the

Duke will be here to-morrow. By my troth, Isabel, I loved 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 beholding 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 170 him for.

Duke. Well, you'll answer this one day.

well.

Fare ye

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 I 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.

180

ΙΟΙ

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, I am a kind of burr
shall stick.

; I

[Exeunt. 190

actions show much like to madness: pray
heaven his wisdom be not tainted!

And why

meet him at the gates, and redeliver our authori

Ang. And why should we proclaim it in an hour be

fore 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
dispatch 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 proclaimed betimes i' the morn; I'll call you at your house: give notice to such men of sort and suit as are to meet him.

20

Escal. I shall, sir.

Fare you well.

Ang. Good night.

[Exit Escalus.

This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant,
And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid!
And by an eminent body that enforced

The law against it! But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no;
For my authority bears of a credent bulk,

That no particular scandal once can touch

30

But it confounds the breather. He should have lived,
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 ransom of such shame. Would yet he had lived!
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 nie: [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 Valentius, Rowland, and to Crassus,

And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate;
But send me Flavius first.

Fri. P.

It shall be speeded well. [Exit. ΙΟ

Enter Varrius.

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.