There's many have committed it. Those many had not dar'd to do that evil, If the first man that did the edict infringe, 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 in heaven, and enter there, Ere sun-rise; prayers from preserved souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate Well; come to me Takes note of what is done; and, like a prophet,To nothing temporal. Looks in a glass, that shows what future evils Isab. 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; Ang. To-morrow. Lucie. Go to; it is well; away. (Aside to Isab. Am that way going to temptation, Isab. Amen: for I [Aside. At what hour to-morrow Shall I attend your lordship? Ang. At any time fore noon. Isab. Save your honour! [Ere. Luc. Isa, and Pro, From thee; even from the virtue ! Ang. Isab. So you must be the first, that gives this What's this? what's this? Is this her fault, or mine? Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Lucio. Thou art in the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric 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 vet a kind of medicine in itself, ; That skims the vice o' the top: Go to your bosom Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue Ang. Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back. Ang. I will bethink me:-Come again to-morrow. Isab. Hark, how I'll bribe you: Good my lord, turn back. Ang. How bribe me? The tempter, or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on? SCENE III-A room in a prison. Enter Duke, habited like a Friar, and Provost. Duke. Hail to you, provost; so, I think you are. Prov. I am the provost: What's your will, good friar? Duke. Bound by my charity, and my bless'd come to visit the afflicted spirits order, I Who falling in the flames of her own youth, Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share More fit to do another such offence, with you. (1) Paltry. (2) Knotted. (3) Attested, stamped. (4) Preserved from the corruption of the world. Juliet. Mutually. Duke. Then was your sin of heavier kind than his. Juliet. I do confess it, and repent it, father. Duke, 'Tis meet so, daughter: But lest you do repent, As that the sin hath brought you to this shame,Which sorrow is always toward ourselves, not heaven; Showing, we'd not spare' heaven, as we love it, Juliet. I do repent me, as it is an evil; There rest. 'Tis pity of him. SCENE IV.-A room in Angelo's house. Angelo. [Exeunt. Enter I Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray To several subjects: heaven hath my empty words; The general, subject to a well-wish'd king, Enter Isabella. How now, fair maid? Than to demand what 'tis. Your brother cannot live. Ang. Yea. Isab. When, I beseech you? that in his reprieve, Longer, or shorter, he may be so fitted, That his soul sicken not. Ang. Ha! Fie, these filthy vices! It were as good Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image, Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. Sir, believe this, had rather give my body than my soul. Ang. I talk not of your soul: Our compell'd sins Stand more for number than accompt. Isab. Isab. 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 receiv'd plain, I'll speak more gross: Your brother is to die. (As I subscribe1 not that, nor any other, Isab. As much for my poor brother, as myself: Ang. Then must your brother die. Ang. Were not you then as cruel as the sentence Isab. Ignomy in ransom, and free pardon, Ang. You seem'd of late to make the law a ty- And rather prov'd the sliding of your brother Isab. O, pardon me, my lord; it oft falls out, mean: I something do excuse the thing I hate, 103 Sign me a present pardon for my brother, Then Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die : If not a feodary, but only he, Ang. Nay, women are frail too. Isab. Ay, as the glasses where they view them- Which are as easy broke as they make forms. And fit his mind to death, for his soul's rest. [Exil. ACT III. Claudio, and Provost. In profiting by them. Nay, call us ten times frail; SCENE 1.-A room in the prison. Enter Duke And from this testimony of your own sex Isab. I have no tongue but one: gentle my lord, Isab. My brother did love Juliet; and you Ang. He shall not, Isabel, if you give me love. (1) Agree to. (2) Conversation. (3) Ignominy. Associate. (5) Own. (6) Impressions. I Duke. So, then you hope of pardon from lord Claud. The miserable have no other medicine, But only hope: have hope to live, and am prepar'd to die. Duke. Beabsolute 10 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 For him thou labour'st by thy flight to shun, valiant: For thou dost fear the soft and tender fork. (7) Hypocrisy. (8) Attestation. (9) Reluctant For what thou hast not, still thou striv'st to get; nor age; But, as it were, an after-dinner's sleep, Claud. Lord Angelo, having affairs to heaven, Is there no remedy? Claud. But is there any? Claud. Claud. Claud. Let me know the point. Isab. O, I do fear thee, Claudio; and I quake Affects, affections. (2) Leprous eruptions. The sense of death is most in apprehension; Claud. I will encounter darkness as a bride, Isab. There spake my brother; there my father's grave Did utter forth a voice! Yes, thou must die: In base appliances. This outward-sainted deputy, Claud. Claud. offence, So to offend him still: This night's the time Thou shalt not do't. Isab. O, were it but my life, That thus can make him bite the law by the nose, Claud. If it were damnable, he, being so wise, Death is a fearful thing. where ; To lie in cold obstruction, and to rot; Isab. Alas! alas! Claud. Sweet sister, let me live: O, you beast! (8) Laced robes. (9) Freely. (10) Lastingly. (11) Invisible. Ó, faithless coward! O, dishonest wretch! Heaven shield, my mother play'd my father fair! Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel. O, fie, fie, fie! I [Going. O hear me, Isabella. Re-enter Duke. Duke. That shall not be much amiss: yet, as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accusation; he made trial of you only.-Therefore, fasten your ear on my advisings; to the love I have in doing good, a remedy presents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may most uprighteously do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no stain to your own gracious person; and much please the absent duke, if, peradventure, he shall ever return to have hearing of this business. Isab. Let me hear you speak further; I have spirit to do any thing that appears not foul in the truth of my spirit. Duke. Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful. Have not you heard speak of Mariana, the sister of Frederick, the great soldier, who miscarried at sea? Isab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name. Duke. Vouchsafe a word, young sister, but one affianced to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed: word. Isab. I have no superfluous leisure; my stay must be stolen out of other affairs; but I will attend you a while. Duke. Her should this Angelo have married; was between which time of the contract, and limit of the solemnity, her brother Frederick was wrecked at sea, having in that perish'd vessel the dowry of his sister. But mark, how heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman: there she lost a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever most kind and natural; with him the portion and sinew of her fortune, her marriage-dowry; with both, her combinates husband, this well-seeming Angelo. Duke. [To Claudio, aside.] Son, I have overIsab. Can this be so? Did Angelo so leave her? heard what hath passed between you and your sisDuke. Left her in her tears, and dry'd not one of ter. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; them with his comfort; swallowed his vows whole, only he hath made an essay of her virtue, to practise pretending, in her, discoveries of dishonour: in few, his judgment with the disposition of natures: she, bestowed her on her own lamentation, which she having the truth of honour in her, hath made him yet wears for his sake; and he, a marble to her that gracious denial which he is most glad to re- tears, is washed with them, but relents not. ceive; I am confessor to Angelo, and I know this to Isab. What a merit were it in death, to take this be true; therefore prepare yourself to death: do not poor maid from the world! What corruption in this satisfy your resolution with hopes that are fallible: life, that it will let this man live!-But how out of to-morrow you must die; go to your knees, and this can she avail? make ready. Claud. Let me ask my sister pardon. I am so out of love with life, that I will sue to be rid of it. Duke. Hold you there: farewell. [Ex. Claud. Re-enter Provost. Provost, a word with you. Prov. What's your will, father? Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone leave me a while with the maid; my mind promises with my habit, no loss shall touch her by my company. : Duke. It is a rupture that you may easily heal: and the cure of it not only saves your brother, but keeps you from dishonour in doing it. Isab. Show me how, good father. Duke. This fore-named maid hath yet in her the continuance of her first affection; his unjust unkindness, that in all reason should have quenched her love, hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo; answer his requiring with a plausible obedience; agree with his demands to the point: only refer yourself to this advantage,-first, that your Prov. In good time. [Erit Provost. stay with him may not be long; that the time may Duke. The hand that hath make you fair, hath have all shadow and silence in it; and the place made you good: the goodness, that is cheap in answer to convenience this being granted in beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, course, now follows all. We shall advise this being the soul of your complexion, should keep the wronged maid to stead up your appointment, go in body of it ever fair. The assault, that Angelo hath your place; if the encounter acknowledge itself made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my under- hereafter, it may compel him to her recompense; standing; and, but that frailty hath examples for and here, by this, is your brother saved, your hohis falling, I should wonder at Angelo. How would nour untainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and you do to content this substitute, and to save your and make fit for his attempt. If you think well to the corrupt deputy scaled. The maid will I frame, brother? Isab. I am now going to resolve him: I had carry this as you may, the doubleness of the benefit rather my brother die by the law, than my son defends the deceit from reproof. What think you should be unlawfully born. But O, how much is of it? the good duke deceived in Angelo! If ever he re- Isab. The image of it gives me content already; turn, and I can speak to him, I will open my lips and, I trust, it will grow to a most prosperous perin vain, or discover his government. Duke. It lies much in your holding up: haste (1) Wildness. (2) Refusal. (3) An established habit. fection. (5) Betrothed. (6) Gave her up to her sorrows. (7) Have recourse to.. (8) Over-reached. |