'Twould be my tyranny to strike, and gall them, For what I bid them do: For we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permiffive pass,

And not the punishment.

Therefore, indeed, my father,

I have on Angelo impos'd the office;

Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home,
And yet my nature never in the fight,

To do it flander: And to behold his fway,

I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,

Vifit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee,
Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in person bear me

Like a true friar. More reasons for this action,
At our more leifure fhall I render you;
Only, this one :-Lord Angelo is precise ;
Stands at a guard with envy; fcarce confeffes
That his blood flows, or that his appetite

Is more to bread than ftone: Hence fhall we fee,
If power change purpose, what our feemers be. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

A Nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.

Ifab. And have you nuns no further privileges?
Fran. Are not these large enough?

Ifab. Yes, truly: I speak not as defiring more;

But rather wishing a more strict restraint

Upon the fifter-hood, the votarifts of faint Clare.
Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place!

Ifab.

[Within.]

Who's that which calls?

Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella,

Turn

Turn you the key, and know his business of him ;
You may, I may not; you are yet unfworn:
When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men,
But in the presence of the prioress :

Then, if you speak, you must not show your face;
Or, if you show your face, you must not speak.
He calls again; I pray you, answer him.

[Exit FRANCISCA.

Ifab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls?

Enter LUCIO.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-rofes
Proclaim you are no lefs! Can you so stead me,
As bring me to the fight of Isabella,

A novice of this place, and the fair fifter

To her unhappy brother Claudio?

Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me afk; The rather, for I now must make you know

I am that Isabella, and his fifter.

Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.

Ifab. Woe me! For what?

Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks :

He hath got his friend with child.

Ifab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio.

It is true.
I would not-though 'tis my familiar fin
With maids to feem the lapwing, and to jeft,
Tongue far from heart,-play with all virgins so:
I hold you as a thing ensky'd, and fainted;
By your renouncement, an immortal spirit;

And

And to be talk'd with in fincerity,

As with a faint.

Ifab. You do blafpheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewnefs and truth, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover have embrac'd:

As thofe that feed grow full; as bloffoming time,
That from the feednefs the bare fallow brings
To teeming foifon; even fo her plenteous womb
Expreffeth his full tilth and husbandry.

Ifab. Some one with child by him ?-My coufin Juliet ?
Lucio. Is the your cousin ?

Ifab. Adoptedly; as fchool-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection.

Lucio.

Ifab. O, let him marry her!

Lucio.

She it is.

This is the point.
The duke is very strangely gone from hence;
Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,
In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn
By thofe that know the very nerves of state,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
From his true meant defign. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs lord Angelo; a man, whose blood
Is very fnow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton ftings and motions of the sense;
But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge
With profits of the mind, study and fast.
He (to give fear to use and liberty,

Which have, for long, run by the hideous law,
As mice by lions,) hath pick'd out an act,
Under whofe heavy sense your brother's life
Falls into forfeit: he arrefts him on it;
And follows close the rigour of the ftatute,

Το

To make him an example: all hope is gone,
Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer
To foften Angelo: and that's my pith

Of business, 'twixt you and your poor brother.
Ifab. Doth he so seek his life?

Lucio.

Has cenfur'd him

Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath

A warrant for his execution.

Ifab. Alas! what poor ability's in me To do him good?

Lucio.

Affay the power you have.
Ifab. My power! alas! I doubt,—
Lucio.

Our doubts are traitors,

And make us lofe the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt: Go to lord Angelo,
And let him learn to know, when maidens fue,
Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel,
All their petitions are as freely theirs

As they themselves would owe them.
Ifab. I'll fee what I can do.

Lucio.

But, speedily.

Ifab. I will about it straight;
No longer staying but to give the mother
Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you :
Commend me to my brother: foon at night
I'll fend him certain word of my fuccefs.
Lucio. I take my leave of you.

Ifab.

Good fir, adieu.

[Exeunt.

ACT

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Hall in Angelo's House.

Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Juftice, Provost, Officers, and other Attendants.

Ang. We must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey,

And let it keep one shape, till custom make it

Their perch, and not their terror.

Efcal.

Ay, but yet

Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,

Than fall, and bruife to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would fave, had a most noble father.

Let but your honour know,

(Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,)

That, in the working of your own affections,

Had time coher'd with place, or place with wishing,
Or that the refolute acting of
your blood

Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose,

Whether you had not sometime in your life

Err'd in this point which now you censure him,

And pull'd the law upon you.

Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny,

The jury, paffing on the prisoner's life,

May, in the fworn twelve, have a thief or two

Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice,

That justice seizes. What know the laws,

That thieves do país on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant,

The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it,

Because