but I shall follow it, as the flesh and fortune shall better determine. Whip me? No, no; let carman whip his jade; The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade. [Frit. Escal. Come hither to me, master Elbow; co. e hither, master Constable. How long have you beer in this place of constable? Elb. Seven year and a half, sir. Escal. I thought, by your readiness in the office, you had continued in it some time: You say, seven years together? Elb. And a half, sir. Escal. Alas! it hath been great pains to you! They do you wrong to put you so oft upon't: Are there not men in your ward sufficient to serve it? Elb. Faith, sir, few of any wit in such matters: as they are chosen, they are glad to choose me for them; I do it for some piece of money, and go through with all. Escal. Look you, bring me in the names of some six or seven, the most sufficient of your parish. Elb. To your worship's house, sir? Escal. To my house: Fare you well. [Exit ELBow. What's o'clock, think you? Just. Eleven, sir. ISABELLA. Enter Lucio and Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. Ang. Stay a little while. [To ÏSAB.] You are welcome: What's your will? Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your honour, Please but your honour hear me. Ang. Well; what's your suit? Isab. There is a vice, that most I do abhor, And most desire should meet the blow of justice; For which I would not plead, but that I must; For which I must not plead, but that I am At war, 'twixt will, and will not. Ang. Well; the matter? Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die : I do beseech you, let it be his fault, And not my brother. Prov. Heaven give thee moving graces. Ang. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it! Why, every fault's condemn'd, ere it be done; Mine were the very cipher of a function, To find the faults, whose fine stands in record, And let go by the actor. Isab. O just, but severe law! - Heaven keep your honour! [Retiring. Lucio. [To ISA B.] Give't not o'er so: to him There's no remedy. [Exeunt. I had a brother then. - again, intreat him; Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown ; Isab. Must he needs die? Maiden, no remedy. Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon him, And neither heaven, nor man, grieve at the mercy. Isab. wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse As mine is to him? Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [To ISABELLA. Isab. Too late? why, no; I, that do speak a word, May call it back again: Well, believe this, No ceremony that to great ones 'longs, Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe, Become them with one half so good a grace, As mercy does. If he had been as you, And you as he, you would have slipt like him; But he, like you, would not have been so stern. Ang. Pray you, begone. Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, And you were Isabel? should it then be thus? No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge, And what a prisoner. Lucio. Ay, touch him: there's the vein. [Aside. Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once; Ang. morrow. Yet show some pity. Ang. I show it most of all, when I show justice; For then I pity those I do not know, Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall; And do him right, that, answering one foul wrong, Lives not to act another. Be satisfied; Your brother dies to-morrow; be content. Isab. So you must be the first, that gives this sentence; And he, that suffers: O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous Lucio. That's well said. Isab. Could great men thunder As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, For every pelting, petty officer, Would use his heaven for thunder: nothing but thunder. Merciful heaven! Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Lucio. O, to him, to him, wench: he will relent; He's coming, I perceive't. Prov. Pray heaven, she win him! Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them; But, in the less, foul profanation. Lucio. Thou'rt in the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a cholerick word Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. Lucio. Art advis'd o' that? more on't. Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me? Isab. Because authority, though it err like others, Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself, That skins the vice o' the top: Go to your bosom ; Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue Ang. Such She speaks, and 'tis that sense, my sense breeds with it. you well. Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back. Fare Ang. I will bethink me:- Come again to Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share with you. Lucio. You had marr'd all else. Isab. Not with fond shekels of the tested gold, Or stones, whose rates are either rich, or poor, As fancy values them: but with true prayers, That shall be up at heaven, and enter there, Ere sun-rise prayers from preserved souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. Ang. To-morrow. Well come to me Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe! Am that way going to temptation, Isab. Isab. Save your honour! Ang. At any time 'fore noon. [Exeunt Lucio, ISABELLA, and Provost. Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, When judges steal themselves. What? do I love her, That I desire to hear her speak again, Whilst my invention, hearing not my tongue, Duke. Bound by my charity, and my bless'd order, Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wiser souls I come to visit the afflicted spirits Here in the prison: do me the common right To let me see them; and to make me know Prov. I would do more than that if more were Prov. As I do think, to-morrow. — To thy false seeming? Blood, thou still art blood: So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons; By which he should revive: and even so I have provided for you; stay a while, [Tc JULIET. The general, subject to a well-wish'd king, Duke. Repent you, fair one, of the sin you carry? And try your penitence, if it be sound, I'll gladly learn. Juliet. Duke. So then, it seems, your most offenceful act Mutually. Quit their own part, and in obsequious fondness Enter ISABElla. How now, fair maid? Isab. Even so?- Heaven keep your honour! Ang. Yea. Isab. When, I beseech you? that in his reprieve, Ang. Ha! Fye, these filthy vices! It were as To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen Their sawcy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image, In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easy As to put mettle in restrained means, To make a false one. Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in Please you to do't, I'll take it as a peril to my soul, Ang. Pleas'd you to do't, at peril of your soul, Were equal poize of sin and charity. Isab. That I do beg his life, if it be sin, Heaven, let me bear it! you granting of my suit, If that be sin, I'll make it my morn prayer To have it added to the faults of mine, And nothing of your, answer. Ang. Nay, but hear me : Your sense pursues not mine: either you are ignorant, Or seem so, craftily; and that's not good. Isab. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, But graciously to know I am no better. Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, When it doth tax itself: as these black masks Proclaim an enshield beauty ten times louder Than beauty could displayed. But mark me; To be received plain, I'll speak more gross : Your brother is to die. Isab. So. Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, (As I subscribe not that, nor any other, But in the loss of question,) that you, his sister, Finding yourself desir'd of such a person, Whose credit with the judge, or own great place, Could fetch your brother from the manacles Of the all-binding law; and that there were No earthly mean to save him, but that either You must lay down the treasures of your body To this supposed, or else let him suffer; What would you do? Isab. As much for my poor brother, as myself: That is, Were I under the terms of death, The impression of keen whips I'd wear as rubies, And strip myself to death, as to a bed That longing I have been sick for, ere I'd yield My body up to shame. Ang. Then must your brother die. Isab. And 'twere the cheaper way: Better it were, a brother died at once, Than that a sister, by redeeming him, Should die for ever. Ang. Were not you then as cruel as the sentence That you have slander'd so? Isab. Ignominy in ransom, and free pardon, Are of two houses: lawful mercy is Nothing akin to foul redemption. Ang. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant; And rather prov'd the sliding of your brother A merriment than a vice. Isab. O, pardon me, my lord; it oft falls out, To have what we'd have, we speak not what we mean: I something do excuse the thing I hate, For his advantage that I dearly love. Ang. We are all frail. Else let my brother die, If not a feodary, but only he, Owe, and succeed by weakness. Which are as easy broke as they make forms. Ang. I think it well: And from this testimony of your own sex, (Since, I suppose, we are made to be no stronger Than faults may shake our frames,) let me be bold; I do arrest your words; Be that you are, That is, a woman; if you be more, you're none; If you be one, (as you are well express'd By all external warrants,) show it now, By putting on the destin'd livery. Isab. I have no tongue but one: gentle my lord, Let me intreat you speak the former language. Ang. Plainly conceive, I love you. Isub. My brother did love Juliet; and you tell me, That he shall die for it. Ang. He shall not, Isabel, if you give me love. Isab. I know, your virtue hath a licence in't, Which seems a little fouler than it is, To pluck on others. Ang. Believe me, on mine honour, My words express my purpose. Isab. Ha! little honour to be much believed, And most pernicious purpose! - Seeming, em, ing! I will proclaim thee, Angelo; look for't: Ang. That banish what they sue for; redeem thy brother Or else he must not only die the death, [Exit. Isab. To whom shall I complain? Did I tell this, Then Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die: I'll tell him yet of Angelo's request, And fit his mind to death, for his soul's rest Erit. SCENE I.-A Room in the Prison. Enter DUKE, CLAUDIO, and Provost. ACT III Duke. So, then you hope of pardon from lord Angelo? Claud. The miserable have no other medicine, But only hope : I have hope to live, and am prepar❜d to die. Duke. Be absolute for death; either death, or life, Shall thereby be the sweeter. Reason thus with life,If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing That none but fools would keep a breath thou art, (Servile to all the skiey influences,) That dost this habitation, where thou keep'st, For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork For ending thee no sooner: Thou hast nor youth, nor age; But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep, Of palsied eld; and when thou art old, and rich, Claud. The princely Angelo? Isab. O, 'tis the cunning livery of hell, The damned'st body to invest and cover In princely guards! Dost thou think, Claudio, Isab. What, ho! Peace here; grace and good If I would yield him my virginity, Enter ISABELLA. company! Thou might'st be freed? |