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As the from one ungot.

DUKE. We did believe no lefs.

Know you that Friar Lodowick, which she speaks of?
PETER. I know him for a man divine and holy;
Not fcurvy, nor a temporary medler,

As he's reported by this gentleman;

And, on my trust, a man that never yet
Did, as he vouches, mifreport your grace.
Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it.
PETER. Well: he in time may come to clear himself,
But at this inftant he is fick my lord,

Of a strange fever. On his meer request,

(Being come to knowledge that there was complaint
Intended 'gainst lord Angelo) came I hither
To speak as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true, and falfe; and what he with his oath
By all probation will make up full clear,
Whenever he's convented. First, for this woman;
To justify this worthy nobleman,

So vulgarly and perfonally accus'd,

Her fhall you hear difproved to her eyes, 'Till the herfelf confefs it.

DUKE. Good Friar, let's hear it,

Do you not fmile at this, lord Angelo ?
O heav'n! the vanity of wretched fools!
Give us fome feats ;-come, Cousin Angelo,
In this I will be partial: be you judge

Of your own caufe. Is this the witness, Friar?

[Ifabella is carried off, guarded

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First let her fhew her face; and, after, speak.

MARI. Pardon, my lord, I will not fhew my face,

Until my husband bid me.

DUKE. What, are you marry'd?

MARI. No, my lord.

DUKE. Are you a maid?

MARI. No, my lord.

DUKE. A widow then?

MARI. Neither, my lord.

DUKE. Why, are you nothing then? neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Lucio. My lord, fhe may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, or wife.

DUKE. Silence that fellow: I would, he had fome cause to prattle for himself.

LUCIO. Well, my lord.

MARI. My lord, I do confefs, I ne'er was marry'd;

And, I confefs, befides, I am no maid;

I've known my husband; yet my husband knows not,
That ever he knew me.

LUCIO. He was drunk then, my lord, it can be no better.
DUKE. For the benefit of filence, would thou wert fo too.
LUCIO. Well, my lord.

DUKE. This is no witness for my lord Angelo,

MARI. Now I come to't, my lord.

She, that accuses him of fornication,

In felf-fame manner doth accuse my husband;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time,
When I'll defpofe I had him in my arms,

With all th' effect of love.

ANG. Charges fhe more than me?
MARI. Not that I know.

DUKE. NO? you fay, your husband.

[To Mariana,

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MARI. Why, juft, my lord; and that is Angelo;
Who thinks, he knows, that he ne'er knew my body;
But knows, he thinks, that he knows Tabel's.
ANG. This is a strange abuse-Let's fee thy face.
MARI. My husband bids me; now I will unmask. [Unveiling,
This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,

Which, once thou fwor'ft, was worth the looking on:

This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract,

Was faft belock'd in thine: this is the body,

That took away the match from Ifabel;

And did fupply thee at thy garden-house
In her imagin'd perfon.

DUKE. Know you this woman?
LUCIO. Carnally, she says.

DUKE. Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Enough, my lord.

ANG. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman;
And five years fince there was fome fpeech of marriage
Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off,
Partly, for that her promised proportions
Came short of compofition; but, in chief,
For that her reputation was difvalu'd

In levity; fince which time, of five years

I never fpake with her, faw her, nor heard from her,
Upon my faith and honour.

MARI. Noble prince,

As there comes light from heav'n, and words from breath,

As there is fenfe in truth, and truth in virtue,

I am affianc'd this man's wife, as ftrongly

As words could make up vows; and, my good lord,

But Tuesday night laft gone, in's garden-house,

He knew me as a wife. As this is true,

Let me in fafety raise me from my knees;

Or elfe for ever be confixed here,

A marble monument!

ANG. I did but fmile 'till now.

Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
My patience here is touch'd; I do perceive,

These poor

informal women are no more

But inftruments of fome more mighty member,
That fets them on. Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice out.

DUKE. Ay, with my heart;

And punish them unto your height of pleasure.
Thou foolish Friar, and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone; think'st thou, thy oaths,
Tho' they would fwear down each particular faint,
Were teftimonies 'gainst his worth and credit,
That's feal'd in approbation? You, lord Escalus,
Sit with my coufin; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abufe, whence 'tis deriv'd.
There is another Friar, that set them on;

Let him be fent for.

PETER. Would he were here, my lord; for he, indeed,

Hath fet the women on to this complaint.

Your Provost knows the place, where he abides;

And he may fetch him.

DUKE. Go, do it inftantly.

And you, my noble and well-warranted coufin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth;
Do with your injuries as feems you best,

In any chastisement: I for a while

Will leave you: ftir not you, 'till you have well
Determined upon these flanderers,

[Exit.

SCENE IV.

ESCAL. My lord, we'll do it throughly. Signior Lucio, did not you fay, you knew that Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest perfon?

LUCIO. "Cucullus non facit monachum ;" honeft in nothing, but in his cloaths; and one that has spoke most villainous fpeeches of the duke.

ESCAL. We fhall intreat you to abide here 'till he come, and inforce them against him; we shall find this Friar a notable fellow.

LUCIO. As any in Vienna, on my word.

ESCAL. Call that fame Ifabel here once again; I would speak with her: pray you, my lord, give me leave to queftion; you fhall fee how I'll handle her.

LUCIO. Not better than he, by her own report.

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LUCIO. Marry, Sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she should fooner confefs; perchance, publickly she'll be afhamed.

SCENE V.

En er Duke in the Friar's habit, and Provoft. Ifabella is brought in.

ESCAL. I will go darkly to work with her.

LUCIO. That's the way; for women are light at midnight. ESCAL. Come on, mistress: here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have faid,

LUCIO. My lord, here comes the rafcal I fpoke of, here with the Provo.t.

ESCAL In very good time-speak not you to him, 'till we call upon you.

LUCIO. Mum

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