Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd friar, Is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women

To accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth,
And in the witness of his proper ear,

305

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 touse you
Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose.

310

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,

315

Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble
Till it o'er-run the stew; laws for all faults,

But faults so countenanced, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,
As much in mock as mark.

320

Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison! Ang. What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio? Is this the man that you did tell us of?

Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman baldpate: 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?

you said of the Duke?

Duke. Most notedly, sir.

And do you remember what

Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the Duke a flesh

305. in] with Theobald. 307-311. Capell ends the lines: villain?...himself... hence; ... by joint, ...unjust?

307. to glance] glance Pope. 309. you] him Malone conj. 310. Joint by joint] Even joint by joint Hanmer.

his] this Hanmer. your Col

lier MS.

311. What,] What? He Hanmer. 311, 312. the duke Dare no more] Capell, the duke dare No more Ff.

311-313. Pope ends the lines:
stretch...own...not.

319. forfeits] forceps Jackson conj.
321. Two lines in Ff.

325

330

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 335 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 340 treasonable abuses!

Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talked 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 giglets too, and with the other 345 confederate companion!

Duke. [To Provost] 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, 35° must you? Show your knave's visage, with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, and be hanged 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 madest a Duke.

First, provost, let me bail these gentle three.

355

[To Lucio] Sneak not away, sir; for the friar and you

Must have a word anon. Lay hold on him.

Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.

Duke. [To Escalus] What you have spoke I pardon: sit you down:

We'll borrow place of him. [To Angelo] Sir, by your leave. 360 Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence,

When I perceive your Grace, like power divine,

Hath look'd upon my passes. Then, good prince,

No longer session hold upon my shame,

370

But let my trial be mine own confession:
Immediate sentence then, and sequent death,
Is all the grace I beg.

Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman?

Ang. I was, my lord.

Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly.

375

Do you the office, friar; which consummate,

Return him here again. Go with him, provost.

[Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Friar Peter and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonour Than at the strangeness of it.

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.

O, give me pardon,

That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd
Your unknown sovereignty!

Duke.

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 obscured myself,
Labouring to save his life, and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power

380

385

390

Than let him so be lost. O 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 comfort,
So happy is your brother.

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, FRIAR PETER, and PROVOST.

395

Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here, Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd

Your well-defended honour, you must pardon

400

For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudged your brother,-
Being criminal, in double violation

Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach

Thereon dependent, for your brother's life,—

The very mercy of the law cries out

405

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 wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.
We do condemn thee to the very block

410

Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste.
Away with him!

I hope you will not mock me with a husband.

Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with a husband.

391. so be] F,F2F3. be so F4. 394. brain'd] bain'd Warburton. But] But now Hanmer. 398. SCENE VI. Pope. 400. pardon] pardon him Hanmer. 401. he adjudged your brother] a judge Hanmer.

402. Being criminal, in double violation] Being doubly criminal in viola

tion Hanmer.

403. of promise-breach] in promisebreach Hanmer. of promise Malone conj.

410. fault's thus manifested;] Ff. faults are manifested; Rowe. faults are manifest; Hanmer. fault thus manifested- Dyce.

411. deny, denies] deny 'em, deny Hanmer.

413. haste.] haste, F4.

415

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.

Mari.

O my dear lord,

I crave no other, nor no better man.

420

425

[Kneeling.

- Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle my liege,-
Duke.
You do but lose your labour.
Away with him to death! [To Lucio] Now, sir, to you.
Mari. O my good lord! Sweet Isabel, take my part; ·
Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
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.
Isab.

Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.·

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,

Let him not die. My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died:

421. confiscation] F2F3F4 con- withall F2F3. futation F.

422. withal] F4. with all F..

VOL. I.

426. [Kneeling.] Johnson.
441. [Kneeling.] Rowe.

CC

430

435

440

445