To do it slander: and to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
Visit both prince and people: therefore, Í 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 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.
Enter Isabella and

SCENE V.-A nunnery.

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

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.
Isab. 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. Wo 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.2
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 ensky'd, 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

By vain though apt affection.
Lucio.

Isab. 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 those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
And with full line of his authority,
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,

Governs lord Angelo; a man, whose blood
Is very snow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton stings 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 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 grace" 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 kneel,
All their petitions are as freely theirs
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 motheri
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.

ACT II.

Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt.

SCENE 1.-A hall in Angelo's house. Enter
Angelo, Escalus, a Justice, Provost, Officers, and
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.

Power of gaining favour. (8) Sentenced.
Have. (10) Abbess.
(11) Scare.

Escal.

Ay, but yet

Escal. How know you that?

Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest12 before hea

Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,
Than fall, and bruise to death: alas! this gentleman, ven and your honour,-
Whom I would save, had a most noble father..

Let but your honour know1

(Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,)
That, in the working of your own affections,
Had time coher'd2 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 pass on thieves? 'Tis very
nant,4

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 Over-done'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
preg-honourable man, prove it.
Escal. Do you hear how he misplaces?

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,,
For I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
When I, that censure him, do so offend,
Let mine own judgment 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 prepar'd;
For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage. [Ex. Prov.
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.

[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 fruitdish, a dish of some three-pence: 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 therefore 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 could not give you three-pence 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.

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 be remember'd, that such a one, and such a one, Clo. Why, very well: I telling you then, if you their abuses in common houses, I know no law; were past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they bring them away. kept very good diet, as I told you.

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.

Froth. All this is true.

Clo. Why, very well then.

Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool: to the pur pose.-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 come 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; Escal. This comes off well; here's a wise officer.whose father died at Hallowmas :-Was't not at Ang. Go to: what quality are they of? Elbow Hallowmas, master Froth? is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow? Clo. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow. Ang. What are you, sir?

Froth. All-hollond13 eve.

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

Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; parcel10-bawd; one that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, was, Froth. I have so; because it is an open room, as they say, pluck'd down in the suburbs; and now she professes a hot-house, which, I think, is a very ill house too.

(1) Examine. (2) Suited. (3) Pass judgment. Plain. (5) Because. (6) Sentence. Thickest, thorny paths of vice. (8) Wealth.

and good for winter.

(9) Well told. (10) Partly. (11) Keeps a bagnio.
(12) For protest. (13) Eve of All Saints day.
(14) Easy.

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

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. Mistress Over-done.

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; get 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, Escal. Well; no more of it, master Froth: fare

Clo. Once, sir? there was nothing done to her but I am drawn in.

once.

Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man well. [Exit Froth.]-Come you hither to me, 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.

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.

Clo. I'll be suppos'd' upon a book, his face is Escal. How would you live, Pompey? by being the worst thing about him: good then; if his face a bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pombe the worst thing about him, how could master pey? is it a lawful trade? Froth do the constable's wife any harm? I would Clo. If the law would allow it, sir. Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey;

know that of your honour.

Escal. He's in the right: constable, what say nor it shall not be allowed in Vienna. you to it?

Clo. Does your worship mean to geld and spay

Escal. No, Pompey.

Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a re-all the youth in the city? spected house; next, this is a respected fellow and his mistress is a respected woman.

;

Clo. Truly, sir, in my poor opinion, they will Clo. By this hand, sir, his wife is a more to't then: if your worship will take order for the respected person than any of us all. drabs and the knaves, you need not to fear the bawds.

Elb. Varlet, thou liest; thou liest, wicked varlet: the time is yet to come, that she was ever rcspected 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?

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 Elb. O thou eaitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wick-in it, after three-pence a bay: if you live to see ed Hannibal! I respected with her, before I was this come to pass, say Pompey told you so. married to her? If ever I was respected with her, Escal. Thank you, good Pompey: and, in reor she with me, let not your worship think me the quital of your prophecy, hark you,-I advise you, poor duke's officer:-Prove this, thou wicked Han- let me not find you before me again upon any comnibal, or I'll have mine action of battery on thee. plaint whatsoever, no, not for dwelling where you Escal. If he took you a box o' the ear, you do if I do, Pompey, I shall beat you to your tent, might have your action of slander too. and prove a shrewd Cæsar to you; in plain dealElb. Marry, I thank your good worship for it: ing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt: so for this what is't your worship's pleasure I should do with time Pompey, fare you well. this wicked caitiff?

Clo. I thank your worship for your good counEscal. Truly, officer, because he hath some of-sel; but I shall follow it, as the flesh and fortune fences in him, that thou wouldst discover if thou shall better determine. couldst, let him continue in his courses, till thou Whip me! No, no; let carman whip his jade; 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 now, thou varlet; thou art to continue.

Escal. Where were you born, friend? [To Froth.
Froth. Here, in Vienna, sir.

Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year?
Froth. Yes, and't please you, sir.
Escal. So. What trade are you of, sir?
[To the Clown.
Clo. A tapster: a poor widow's fapster.
Escal. Your mistress's name?

(1) Deposed, sworn. (2) Constable or Clown.)

The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade. [Ex. Escal. Come hither to me, master Elbow; come hither, master Constable. How long have you been in this place of constable?

Elb. Seven years 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 For which I must not plead, but that I am
them; 1 do it for some piece of money, and go At war, 'twixt will, and will not.
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.
Elbow.] What's o'clock, think you?
Just. Eleven, sir.

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

[Exit

Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio;
But there's no remedy.

Just. Lord Angelo is severe.
Escal.

I

Ang.

Well; the matter?
Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die:
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 cypher of a function,
To find the faults, whose fine stands in record,
And let go by the actor.
Isab.

O just, but severe law!
I had a brother then.-Heaven keep your honour!
[Retiring.
Lucio. [To Isab.] Give't not o'er so: to him
again, entreat him;
Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown;
[Exeunt. You are too cold: if you should need a pin,
You could not with more tame a tongue desire it:
Enter To him, I say.

It is but needful:|
Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so:
Pardon is still the nurse of second wo:
But yet,-Poor Claudio!-There's no remedy.
Come, sir.

SCENE II. Another room in the same.
Provost and a Servant.

Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come
straight.

I'll tell him of you.

Prov. Pray you, do. [Exit Servant.] 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
order?

Isab. Must he needs die?
Ang.
Maiden, no remedy.
Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon him,
And neither heaven, nor man, grieve at the mercy.
Ang. I will not do't.

Isab.
But can you, if you would?
Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do.
Isab. 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.
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,
Lest I might be too rash: The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe,
Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword,

Why dost thou ask again?
Prov.

Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution, judgment 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.
Dispose of her

Ang.

To some more fitter place; and that with speed.
Re-enter Servant.

Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd,

Desires access to you.

Hath he a sister?

Ang.
Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid,
And to be shortly of a sisterhood,
If not already.

Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Ex. 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 woful 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;

(1) Pity. (2) Be assured.

Become them with one half so good a grace,
As mercy does. If he had been as you,
But he, like you, would not have been so stern.
And you as he, you would have slipt like him;
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
Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law,
And you but waste your words.
Alas! alas!

Isab.

Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once:
And He that might the vantage best have took,
Found out the remedy: How would you be,
If He, which is the top of judgment, should
But judge you as you are? O, think on that;
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.
Ang.
Be you content, fair maid:
It is the law, not I, condemns your brother:
Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son,
It should be thus with him ;-He must die to-mor-

row.

Isab. To-morrow? O, that's sudden! Spare him,
spare him:

He's not prepar'd for death! Even for our kitchens
We kill the fowl of season; shall we serve heaven
With less respect than we do minister

To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink
you:

Who is it that hath died for this offence?

(3) When in season.

Shall I attend your lordship?
Ang.
Isab. Save your honour! [Exe. Luc. Isa. and Pro.
Ang. From thee; even from thy virtue !-

Isab. So you must be the first, that gives this What's this? what's this? Is this her fault, or mine?

Look, here comes one; a gentlewoman of mine, Who falling in the flames of her own youth, Hath blister'd her report: She is with child; And he that got it, sentenc'd: a young man Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share More fit to do another such offence, Than die for this. Duke.