And yet my nature never in the sight,
To do it slander: And to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
Visit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'y-
thee,

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 leisure shall I render you;
Only, this one:-Lord Angelo is precise;
Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see,
If power change purpose, what our seemers be.
[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-A Nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.

Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges?

Fran. Are not these large enough? Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of saint Clare. Lucio. Ho! Peace be in this place! [Within.] Isab. Who's that which calls?

Fran. It is a man's voice: Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn: When you have vow'd, you must not speak with But in the presence of the prioress: [men, 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. Isub. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls?

Enter LUCIO.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek

roses

Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me,
As bring me to the sight of Isabella,
A novice of this place, and the fair sister
To her unhappy brother, Claudio?

Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask;
The rather, for I now must make you know
I am that Isabella, and his sister."

Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you:

Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.
Isab. 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.

Isab. Sir, make me not your story.t
Lucio. It is true.

I would not-though 'tis my familiar sin
With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest,
Tongue far from heart,-play with all virgins so:
I hold you as a thing enskied, and sainted;
By your renouncement, an immortal spirit;
And to be talk'd with in sincerity,
As with a saint.

Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me.

Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus:

Your brother and his lover have embrac❜d:
As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time,
That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
⚫ On his defence.

+ Do not make a jest of me. t In few and true words.

To teeming foison; even so her plenteous womb
Expresseth his full tiltht and husbandry.
Isab. Some one with child by him?-My
cousin Juliet?

Lucio. Is she your cousin?

Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names,

By vain though apt affection.
Lucio. She it is.

Isab. O, let him marry her!
Lucio. This is the point.

sense

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 those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs lord Angelo; a man, whose blood
Is very snow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton stings and motions of the se;
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 whose heavy sense your brother's life
Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it;
And follows close the rigour of the statute,
To make him an example: all hope is gone,
Unless you have the graces by your fair prayer
To soften Angelo: And that's my pith
Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother.
Isab. Doth he so seek his life?
Lucio. Has censur'd|| him

Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath
A warrant for his execution.

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

Lucio. Assay the power you have.
Isab. My power! "Alas! I doubt,-
Lucio. Our doubts are traitors,

And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt: Go to lord Angelo,
And let him learn to know, when maidens sue,
Men give like gods; but when they weep and
All their petitions are as freely theirs [kneel,
As they themselves would owe¶ them.
Isab. I'll see what I can do.
Lucio. But speedily.

Isab. 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: soon at night
I'll send him certain word of my success.
Lucio. I take my leave of you.
Isab. Good Sir, adieu.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

(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 resolute 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, passing on the prisoner's life, May, in the sworn 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 passt on thieves? "Tis very pregnant,t

The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it,
Because we see it; but what we do not see,
We tread upon, and never think of it.
You may not so extenuate his offence,
Fors I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
When I, that censure|| him, do so offend,
Let mine own judgement pattern out my death,
And nothing come in partial. Sir, he must die.
Escal. Be it as your wisdom will.
Ang. Where is the provost?
Prov. Here, if it like your honour.
Ang. See that Claudio

Be executed by nine to-morrow morning:
Bring him his confessor, let him be prepared;
For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage.

Exit PROVOST.

Escal. Well, heaven forgive him; and forgive us all!

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: Some run from brakes of vice, and answer

none;

And some condemned for a fault alone.

Enter ELBOW, FROTH, CLOWN, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away: if these be good people in a common-weal,** that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses, I know no law; bring them away.

Ang. How now, Sir! What's your name? and what's the matter?

Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, Sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors.

Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are they? are they not malefactors?

Elb. If it please your honour, I know not well what they are: but precise villains they are, that I am sure of; and void of all profanation in the world, that good Christians ought to have.

Escal. This comes off well;tt here's a wise officer.

Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak,

Elbow?

Escal. How know you that? Elb. My wife, Sir, whom I detest* before heaven and your honour,

Escal. How! thy wife?

Elb. Ay, Sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an honest woman,

Escal. Dost thou detest her therefore?

Elb. I say, Sir, I will detest myself also, as well as she, that this house, if it be not a bawd's house, it is pity of her life, for it is a naughty house.

Escal. How dost thou know that, constable? Elb. Marry, Sir, by my wife; who, if she had been a woman cardinally given, might have been accused in fornication, adultery, and all uncleanliness there.

Escal. By the woman's means?

Elb. Ay, Sir, by mistress Overdone's means: but as she spit in his face, so she defied him. Clo. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not

So.

Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it.

Escal. Do you hear how he misplaces? [TO ANGELO.

Clo. Sir, she came in great with child; and longing (saving your honour's reverence,) for stew'd prunes; Sir, we had but two in the house, which at that very distant time stood, as it were, in a fruit dish, a dish of some threepence; your honours have seen such dishes; they are not China dishes, but very good dishes. Escal. Go to, go to: no matter for the dish,

Sir.

Clo. No, indeed, Sir, not of a pin; you are therein in the right: but, to the point; As I say, this mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and being great belly'd, and longing, as I said, for prunes; and having but two in the dish, as I said, master Froth here, this very man, having eaten the rest, as I said, and, as I say, paying for them very honestly;-for, as you know, master Froth, I cou'd not give you threepence again.

Froth. No, indeed.

Clo. Very well: you being then, if you be remember'd, cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes.

Froth. Ay, so I did, indeed.

Clo. Why, very well: I telling you then, if you be remember'd, that such a one, and such a one, were past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they kept very good diet, as I told you. Froth. All this is true.

Clo. Why, very well then.

Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose.-What was done to Elbow's wife, that he hath cause to complain of? Come me to what was done to her.

Clo. Sir, your honour cannot coine to that yet. Escal. No, Sir, nor I mean it not.

Clo. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your honour's leave: And, I beseech you, look into master Froth here, Sir; a man of fourscore pound a year; whose father died at Hallow mas:-Was't not at Hallowmas, master Froth? Froth. All-hollond eve.

Clo. Why, very well; I hope here be truths: He, Sir, sitting, as I say, in a lowert chair, Sir;-'twas in the Bunch of Grapes, where, indeed, you have a delight to sit: Have you not?

Froth. I have so; because it is an open room, and good for winter.

Clo. Why, very well then;-I hope here be truths.

* For protest. + Eve of All Saints day. Easy.

Ang. This will last out a night.in Russia, When nights are longest there: I'll take my leave,

And leave you to the hearing of the cause; Hoping, you'll find good cause to whip them all. Escal. I think no less: Good morrow to your lordship. [Exit ANGELO. Now, Sir, come on: What was done to Elbow's wife, once more?

Clo. Once, Sir? there was nothing done to her once.

Elb. I beseech you, Sir, ask him what this man did to my wife.

Clo. I beseech your honour, ask me. Escal. Well, Sir: What did this gentleman to her?

Clo. I beseech you, Sir, look in this gentleman's face:-Good master Froth, look upon his honour; 'tis for a good purpose: Doth your honour mark his face?

Escal. Ay, Sir, very well.

Clo. Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.
Escal. Well, I do so.

Clo. Doth your honour see any harm in his face?

Escal. Why, no.

Clo. I'll be supposed upon a book, his face is the worst thing about him: Good then; if his face be the worst thing about him, how could master Froth do the constable's wife any harm? I would know that of your honour.

Escal. He's in the right: Constable, what say you to it?

Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a respected house; next, this is a respected fellow; and his mistress is a respected woman.

Clo. By this hand, Sir, his wife is a more respected person than any of us all.

Elb. Varlet, thou liest; thou liest, wicked varlet: the time is yet to come, that she was ever respected with man, woman, or child.

Clo. Sir, she was respected with him before he married with her.

Escal. Which is the wiser here? Justice, or Iniquity? Is this true?

Elb. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wicked Hannibal! I respected with her, before I was married to her? If ever I was respected with her, or she with me, let not your worship think me the poor duke's officer:Prove this, thou wicked Hannibal, or I'll have mine action of battery on thee.

Escal. If he took you a box o'ear, you might have your action of slander too.

Elb. Marry, I thank your good worship for it: What is't your worship's pleasure I should do with this wicked caitiff?

Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some offences in him, that thou wouldst discover if thou couldst, let him continue in his courses, till thou know'st what they are.

Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it: Thou seest, thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon thee; thou art to continue thou varlet; thou art to continue.

now,

Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband.

Clo. Nine, Sir; Over-done by the last. Escal. Nine!-Come hither to me, master Froth. Master Froth, I would not have you acquainted with tapsters; they will draw you master Froth, and you will hang them: Go you gone, and let me hear no more of you.

Froth. I thank your worship: For mine own part, I never come into any room in a taphouse, but I am drawn in.

Escal. Well; no more of it, master Froth: farewell. [Exit FROTH.]-Come you hither to me, master tapster; what's your name, master tapster?

Clo. Pompey.

Escal. What else?

Clo. Bum, Sir.

Escal. "Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you; so that, in the beastliest sense, you are Pompey the great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey, howsoever you colour it in being a tapster. Are you not? come, tell me true; it shall be the better for you.

Clo. Truly, Sir, I am a poor fellow, that would live.

Escal. How would you live Pompey? by being a bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade?

Clo. If the law would allow it, Sir. Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor it shall not be allowed in Vienna. Clo. Does your worship mean to geld and spay all the youth in the city?

Escal. No, Pompey.

Clo. Truly, Sir, in my poor opinion, they will to't then: If your worship will take order for the drabs and the knaves, you need not to fear the bawds.

Escal. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell you: It is but heading and hanging.

Clo. If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten year together, you'll be glad to give out a commission for more heads. If this law hold in Vienna ten year, I'll rent the fairest house in it, after threepence a bay: If you live to see this come to pass, say, Pompey told you so.

Escal. Thank you, good Pompey and, in requital of your prophecy, hark you,-I advise you, let me not find you before me again upon any complaint whatsoever, no, not for dwelling where you do; if I do, Pompey, I shall beat you to your tent, and prove a shrewd Cæsar to you; in plain dealing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt: so for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

Clo. I thank your worship for your good counsel; 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.

[Exit.

Escal. Come hither to me, master Elbow; come hither, master Constable. How long have you been 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?

* Measures.

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?

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,

Just. Eleven, Sir.

Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me. Just. I humbly thank you.

Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio;

But there's no remedy.

Just. Lord Angelo is severe.

Escal. It is but needful:

Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so;
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe:
But yet,-Poor Claudio!-There's no remedy.
Come, Sir.

[Exeunt. SCENE II.-Another Room in the same.

Enter PROVOST and a SERVANT.

Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come I'll tell him of you. [straight.

Prov. Pray you, do. [Exit SERV.] I'll know His pleasure; may be, he will relent: Alas, He hath but as offended in a dream!

All sects, all ages smack of this vice; and he To die for it!

Enter ANGELO.

Ang Now, what's the matter, provost? Prov. Is it your will Claudio shall die to

morrow?

Ang. Did I not tell thee, yea? hadst thou not Why dost thou ask again? [order?

Prov. Lest I might be too rash:
Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution, judgement hath
Repented o'er his doom.

Ang. Go to; let that be mine:

Do you your office, or give up your place,
And you shall well be spar'd.

Prov. I crave your honour's pardon.What shall be done, Sir, with the groaning [Juliet?

She's very near her hour.
Ang. Dispose of her

To some more fitter place; and that with speed.

Re-enter SERVANT.

And let go by the actor.

Isab. O just, but severe law!

I had a brother then.-Heaven keep your hon[Retiring.

our!

Lucio. [To ISAB.] Give't not o'er so: to him

again, entreat him;

Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown;
You are too cold: if you should need a pin,
You could not with more tame a tongue desire
To him, I say.

Isab. Must he needs die?
Ang. Maiden, no remedy.

him,

[it:

Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon [mercy. And neither heaven, nor man, grieve at the Ang. I will not do't.

Isab. But can you, if you would?

Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. Isub. But might you do't, and do the world

no 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.
Isub. Too late? why, no; I, that do speak a

May call it back again: Well believe this,
word,
Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword,
No ceremony that to great ones 'longs,
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,

Desires access to you.

Ang. Hath he a sister?

If not already.

Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Exit SERV. See you, the fornicatress be remov'd; Let her have needful, but not lavish, means; There shall be order for it.

Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA.

Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. Ang. Stay a little while. [To ISAB.] 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 inatter?