Act V, Scene i
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[MARIANA (veiled), ISABELLA, and PETER, at a distance. Enter atopposite doors DUKE, VARRIUS, Lords; ANGELO, ESCALUS, LUCIO,PROVOST, Officers, and Citizens.]
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | My very worthy cousin, fairly met;— | |
| | Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you. | |
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| | ANGELO and ESCALUS.: | |
| | Happy return be to your royal grace! | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Many and hearty thankings to you both. | |
| | We have made inquiry of you; and we hear | |
| | Such goodness of your justice that our soul | |
| | Cannot but yield you forth to public thanks, | |
| | Forerunning more requital. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | You make my bonds still greater. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | O, your desert speaks loud; and I should wrong it | |
| | To lock it in the wards of covert bosom, | |
| | When it deserves, with characters of brass, | |
| | A forted residence 'gainst the tooth of time | |
| | And rasure of oblivion. Give me your hand, | |
| | And let the subject see, to make them know | |
| | That outward courtesies would fain proclaim | |
| | Favours that keep within.—Come, Escalus; | |
| | You must walk by us on our other hand: | |
| | And good supporters are you. | |
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[Enter PETER and ISABELLA come forward.]
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| | PETER.: | |
| | Now is your time; speak loud, and kneel before him. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | Justice, O royal duke! Vail your regard | |
| | Upon a wrong'd, I'd fain have said, a maid! | |
| | O worthy prince, dishonour not your eye | |
| | By throwing it on any other object | |
| | Till you have heard me in my true complaint, | |
| | And given me justice, justice, justice, justice! | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Relate your wrongs. In what? By whom? Be brief: | |
| | Here is Lord Angelo shall give you justice. | |
| | Reveal yourself to him. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | O worthy duke, | |
| | You bid me seek redemption of the devil: | |
| | Hear me yourself; for that which I must speak | |
| | Must either punish me, not being believ'd, | |
| | Or wring redress from you; hear me, O, hear me here! | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm: | |
| | She hath been a suitor to me for her brother, | |
| | Cut off by course of justice. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | By course of justice! | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | And she will speak most bitterly and strange. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak: | |
| | That Angelo's forsworn, is it not strange? | |
| | That Angelo's a murderer, is't not strange? | |
| | That Angelo is an adulterous thief, | |
| | An hypocrite, a virgin-violator, | |
| | Is it not strange and strange? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Nay, it is ten times strange. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | It is not truer he is Angelo | |
| | Than this is all as true as it is strange: | |
| | Nay, it is ten times true; for truth is truth | |
| | To the end of reckoning. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Away with her!—Poor soul, | |
| | She speaks this in the infirmity of sense. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | O prince! I conjure thee, as thou believ'st | |
| | There is another comfort than this world, | |
| | That thou neglect me not with that opinion | |
| | That I am touch'd with madness: make not impossible | |
| | That which but seems unlike; 'tis not impossible | |
| | But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground, | |
| | May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute, | |
| | As Angelo; even so may Angelo, | |
| | In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms, | |
| | Be an arch-villain; believe it, royal prince, | |
| | If he be less, he's nothing; but he's more, | |
| | Had I more name for badness. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | By mine honesty, | |
| | If she be mad, as I believe no other, | |
| | Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense, | |
| | Such a dependency of thing on thing, | |
| | As e'er I heard in madness. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | O gracious duke, | |
| | Harp not on that: nor do not banish reason | |
| | For inequality; but let your reason serve | |
| | To make the truth appear where it seems hid | |
| | And hide the false seems true. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Many that are not mad | |
| | Have, sure, more lack of reason.—What would you say? | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | I am the sister of one Claudio, | |
| | Condemn'd upon the act of fornication | |
| | To lose his head; condemn'd by Angelo: | |
| | I, in probation of a sisterhood, | |
| | Was sent to by my brother: one Lucio | |
| | As then the messenger;— | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | That's I, an't like your grace: | |
| | I came to her from Claudio, and desir'd her | |
| | To try her gracious fortune with Lord Angelo | |
| | For her poor brother's pardon. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | That's he, indeed. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | You were not bid to speak. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | No, my good lord; | |
| | Nor wish'd to hold my peace. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | I wish you now, then; | |
| | Pray you take note of it: and when you have | |
| | A business for yourself, pray Heaven you then | |
| | Be perfect. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | I warrant your honour. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | The warrant's for yourself; take heed to it. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | This gentleman told somewhat of my tale. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | It may be right; but you are in the wrong | |
| | To speak before your time.—Proceed. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | I went | |
| | To this pernicious caitiff deputy. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | That's somewhat madly spoken. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | Pardon it; | |
| | The phrase is to the matter. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Mended again. The matter;—proceed. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | In brief,—to set the needless process by, | |
| | How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd, | |
| | How he refell'd me, and how I replied,— | |
| | For this was of much length,—the vile conclusion | |
| | I now begin with grief and shame to utter: | |
| | He would not, but by gift of my chaste body | |
| | To his concupiscible intemperate lust, | |
| | Release my brother; and, after much debatement, | |
| | My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour, | |
| | And I did yield to him. But the next morn betimes, | |
| | His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant | |
| | For my poor brother's head. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | This is most likely! | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | O, that it were as like as it is true! | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | By heaven, fond wretch, thou know'st not what thou speak'st, | |
| | Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour | |
| | In hateful practice. First, his integrity | |
| | Stands without blemish:—next, it imports no reason | |
| | That with such vehemency he should pursue | |
| | Faults proper to himself: if he had so offended, | |
| | He would have weigh'd thy brother by himself, | |
| | And not have cut him off. Some one hath set you on; | |
| | Confess the truth, and say by whose advice | |
| | Thou cam'st here to complain. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | And is this all? | |
| | Then, O you blessed ministers above, | |
| | Keep me in patience; and, with ripen'd time, | |
| | Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up | |
| | In countenance!—Heaven shield your grace from woe, | |
| | As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go! | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | I know you'd fain be gone.—An officer! | |
| | To prison with her!—Shall we thus permit | |
| | A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall | |
| | On him so near us? This needs must be a practice. | |
| | Who knew of your intent and coming hither? | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | One that I would were here, Friar Lodowick. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | A ghostly father, belike. Who knows that Lodowick? | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | My lord, I know him; 'tis a meddling friar. | |
| | I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord, | |
| | For certain words he spake against your grace | |
| | In your retirement, I had swing'd him soundly. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Words against me? This's a good friar, belike! | |
| | And to set on this wretched woman here | |
| | Against our substitute!—Let this friar be found. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar, | |
| | I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar, | |
| | A very scurvy fellow. | |
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| | PETER.: | |
| | Bless'd be your royal grace! | |
| | I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard | |
| | Your royal ear abus'd. First, hath this woman | |
| | Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute; | |
| | Who is as free from touch or soil with her | |
| | As she from one ungot. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | We did believe no less. | |
| | Know you that Friar Lodowick that she speaks of? | |
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| | PETER.: | |
| | I know him for a man divine and holy; | |
| | Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler, | |
| | As he's reported by this gentleman; | |
| | And, on my trust, a man that never yet | |
| | Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | My lord, most villainously; believe it. | |
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| | PETER.: | |
| | Well, he in time may come to clear himself; | |
| | But at this instant he is sick, my lord, | |
| | Of a strange fever. Upon his mere 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 false; and what he, with his oath | |
| | And all probation, will make up full clear, | |
| | Whensoever he's convented. First, for this woman— | |
| | To justify this worthy nobleman, | |
| | So vulgarly and personally accus'd,— | |
| | Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes, | |
| | Till she herself confess it. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Good friar, let's hear it. | |
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[ISABELLA is carried off, guarded; and MARIANA comes forward.]
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| | Do you not smile at this, Lord Angelo?— | |
| | O heaven! the vanity of wretched fools! | |
| | Give us some seats.—Come, cousin Angelo; | |
| | In this I'll be impartial; be you judge | |
| | Of your own cause.—Is this the witness, friar? | |
| | First let her show her face, and after speak. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face | |
| | Until my husband bid me. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | What! are you married? | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Neither, my lord. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Why, you are nothing then:—neither maid, widow, nor wife? | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, | |
| | widow, nor | |
| | wife. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Silence that fellow: I would he had some cause | |
| | To prattle for himself. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married, | |
| | And I confess, besides, I am no maid: | |
| | I have known my husband; yet my husband knows not | |
| | That ever he knew me. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | He was drunk, then, my lord; it can be no better. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so too! | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | This is no witness for Lord Angelo. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Now I come to't, my lord: | |
| | She that accuses him of fornication, | |
| | In self-same manner doth accuse my husband; | |
| | And charges him, my lord, with such a time | |
| | When I'll depose I had him in mine arms, | |
| | With all the effect of love. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | Charges she more than me? | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Not that I know. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | No? you say your husband. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo, | |
| | Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body, | |
| | But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | This is a strange abuse.—Let's see thy face. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | My husband bids me; now I will unmask.[Unveiling.] | |
| | This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, | |
| | Which once thou swor'st was worth the looking on: | |
| | This is the hand which, with a vow'd contract, | |
| | Was fast belock'd in thine; this is the body | |
| | That took away the match from Isabel, | |
| | And did supply thee at thy garden-house | |
| | In her imagin'd person. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Know you this woman? | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Carnally, she says. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | My lord, I must confess I know this woman; | |
| | And five years since there was some speech of marriage | |
| | Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off, | |
| | Partly for that her promis'd proportions | |
| | Came short of composition; but in chief | |
| | For that her reputation was disvalued | |
| | In levity: since which time of five years | |
| | I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, | |
| | Upon my faith and honour. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Noble prince, | |
| | As there comes light from heaven and words from breath, | |
| | As there is sense in truth and truth in virtue, | |
| | I am affianc'd this man's wife as strongly | |
| | As words could make up vows: and, my good lord, | |
| | But Tuesday night last gone, in his garden-house, | |
| | He knew me as a wife. As this is true, | |
| | Let me in safety raise me from my knees, | |
| | Or else for ever be confixed here, | |
| | A marble monument! | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | I did but smile 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 instruments of some more mightier member | |
| | That sets them on. Let me have way, my lord, | |
| | To find this practice out. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Ay, with my heart; | |
| | And punish them to your height of pleasure.— | |
| | Thou foolish friar, and thou pernicious woman, | |
| | Compact with her that's gone, thinkst thou thy oaths, | |
| | Though they would swear down each particular saint, | |
| | Were testimonies against his worth and credit, | |
| | That's seal'd in approbation?—You, Lord Escalus, | |
| | Sit with my cousin; lend him your kind pains | |
| | To find out this abuse, whence 'tis deriv'd.— | |
| | There is another friar that set them on; | |
| | Let him be sent for. | |
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| | PETER.: | |
| | Would lie were here, my lord; for he indeed | |
| | Hath set the women on to this complaint: | |
| | Your provost knows the place where he abides, | |
| | And he may fetch him. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Go, do it instantly.— | |
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| | And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin, | |
| | Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth, | |
| | Do with your injuries as seems you best | |
| | In any chastisement. I for a while | |
| | Will leave you: but stir not you till you have well | |
| | Determined upon these slanderers. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | My lord, we'll do it throughly. | |
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| | Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that Friar Lodowick to be | |
| | a dishonest person? | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | 'Cucullus non facit monachum': honest in nothing but in his | |
| | clothes; and one that hath spoke most villainous speeches of the | |
| | duke. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | We shall entreat you to abide here till he come and enforce them | |
| | against him: we shall find this friar a notable fellow. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | As any in Vienna, on my word. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | Call that same Isabel here once again[to an Attendant]; I would | |
| | speak with her. Pray you, my lord, give me leave to question; you | |
| | shall see how I'll handle her. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Not better than he, by her own report. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would | |
| | sooner confess: perchance, publicly, she'll be ashamed. | |
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[Re-enter Officers, with ISABELLA.]
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | I will go darkly to work with her. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | That's the way; for women are light at midnight. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | Come on, mistress[to ISABELLA]; here's a gentlewoman denies all | |
| | that you have said. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of, here with the Provost. | |
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[Re-enter the DUKE in his friar's habit, and PROVOST.]
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | In very good time:—speak not you to him till we call upon you. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | Come, sir: did you set these women on to slander Lord Angelo? | |
| | they have confessed you did. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | How! Know you where you are? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Respect to your great place! and let the devil | |
| | Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne!— | |
| | Where is the duke? 'tis he should hear me speak. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | The duke's in us; and we will hear you speak: | |
| | Look you speak justly. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Boldly, at least. But, O, poor souls, | |
| | Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox, | |
| | Good night to your redress! Is the duke gone? | |
| | Then is your cause gone too. The duke's unjust | |
| | Thus to retort your manifest appeal, | |
| | And put your trial in the villain's mouth | |
| | Which here you come to accuse. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd friar, | |
| | Is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women | |
| | To accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth, | |
| | And in the witness of his proper ear, | |
| | To call him villain? | |
| | And then to glance from him to the duke himself, | |
| | To tax him with injustice? Take him hence; | |
| | To the rack with him!—We'll touze you joint by joint, | |
| | But we will know his purpose.—What! unjust? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Be not so hot; the duke | |
| | Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he | |
| | Dare rack his own; his subject am I not, | |
| | Nor here provincial. My business in this state | |
| | Made me a looker-on here in Vienna, | |
| | Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble | |
| | Till it o'errun the stew: laws for all faults, | |
| | But faults so countenanc'd that the strong statutes | |
| | Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop, | |
| | As much in mock as mark. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | Slander to the state! Away with him to prison! | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio? | |
| | Is this the man that you did tell us of? | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, good-man bald-pate. | |
| | Do you know me? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice. I met you at the | |
| | prison, in the absence of the duke. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | O did you so? And do you remember what you said of the duke? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Most notedly, sir. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Do you so, sir? And was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a | |
| | coward, as you then reported him to be? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | You must, sir, change persons with me ere you make that my | |
| | report: you, indeed, spoke so of him; and much more, much worse. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose for thy | |
| | speeches? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | I protest I love the duke as I love myself. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | Hark how the villain would gloze now, after his treasonable | |
| | abuses! | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | Such a fellow is not to be talked withal. Away with him to | |
| | prison!—Where is the provost?—Away with him to prison! lay | |
| | bolts enough upon him: let him speak no more.—Away with those | |
| | giglots too, and with the other confederate companion! | |
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[The PROVOST lays hands on the DUKE.]
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Stay, sir; stay awhile. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | What! resists he?—Help him, Lucio. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Come, sir; come, sir! come, sir; foh, sir! Why, you bald-pated | |
| | lying rascal! you must be hooded, must you? Show your knave's | |
| | visage, with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, and be | |
| | hanged an hour! Will't not off? | |
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[Pulls off the Friar's hood and discovers the DUKE.]
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Thou art the first knave that e'er made a duke.— | |
| | First, Provost, let me bail these gentle three:— | |
| | Sneak not away, sir[To Lucio.]; for the friar and you | |
| | Must have a word anon:—Lay hold on him. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | This may prove worse than hanging. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | What you have spoke I pardon; sit you down.—[To ESCALUS.] | |
| | We'll borrow place of him.—[To ANGELO.]Sir, by your leave. | |
| | Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence, | |
| | That yet can do thee office? If thou hast, | |
| | Rely upon it till my tale be heard, | |
| | And hold no longer out. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | O my dread lord, | |
| | I should be guiltier than my guiltiness, | |
| | To think I can be undiscernible, | |
| | When I perceive your grace, like power divine, | |
| | Hath look'd upon my passes. Then, good Prince, | |
| | No longer session hold upon my shame, | |
| | But let my trial be mine own confession: | |
| | Immediate sentence then, and sequent death, | |
| | Is all the grace I beg. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Come hither, Mariana:— | |
| | Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Go, take her hence and marry her instantly. | |
| | Do you the office, friar; which consummate, | |
| | Return him here again.—Go with him, Provost. | |
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| |
[Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and PROVOST.]
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonour | |
| | Than at the strangeness of it. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Come hither, Isabel: | |
| | Your friar is now your prince. As I was then | |
| | Advertising and holy to your business, | |
| | Not changing heart with habit, I am still | |
| | Attorney'd at your service. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | O, give me pardon, | |
| | That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd | |
| | Your unknown sovereignty. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | You are pardon'd, Isabel. | |
| | And now, dear maid, be you as free to us. | |
| | Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart; | |
| | And you may marvel why I obscur'd myself, | |
| | Labouring to save his life, and would not rather | |
| | Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power | |
| | Than let him so be lost. O most kind maid, | |
| | It was the swift celerity of his death, | |
| | Which I did think with slower foot came on, | |
| | That brain'd my purpose. But peace be with him! | |
| | That life is better life, past fearing death, | |
| | Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort, | |
| | So happy is your brother. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| | I do, my lord. | |
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|
| |
[Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and PROVOST.]
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | For this new-married man approaching here, | |
| | Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd | |
| | Your well-defended honour, you must pardon | |
| | For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudg'd your brother,— | |
| | Being criminal, in double violation | |
| | Of sacred chastity and of promise-breach, | |
| | Thereon dependent, for your brother's life,— | |
| | The very mercy of the law cries out | |
| | Most audible, even from his proper tongue, | |
| | 'An Angelo for Claudio, death for death.' | |
| | Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; | |
| | Like doth quit like, and measure still for measure. | |
| | Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifested,— | |
| | Which, though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.— | |
| | We do condemn thee to the very block | |
| | Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste.— | |
| | Away with him. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | O my most gracious lord, | |
| | I hope you will not mock me with a husband! | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | It is your husband mock'd you with a husband. | |
| | Consenting to the safeguard of your honour, | |
| | I thought your marriage fit; else imputation, | |
| | For that he knew you, might reproach your life, | |
| | And choke your good to come: for his possessions, | |
| | Although by confiscation they are ours, | |
| | We do instate and widow you withal | |
| | To buy you a better husband. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | O my dear lord, | |
| | I crave no other, nor no better man. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Never crave him; we are definitive. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Gentle my liege—[Kneeling.] | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | You do but lose your labour.— | |
| | Away with him to death!—[To LUCIO.]Now, sir, to you. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | O my good lord!—Sweet Isabel, take my part; | |
| | Lend me your knees, and all my life to come | |
| | I'll lend you all my life to do you service. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Against all sense you do importune her. | |
| | Should she kneel down in mercy of this fact, | |
| | Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break, | |
| | And take her hence in horror. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Isabel, | |
| | Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me; | |
| | Hold up your hands, say nothing,—I'll speak all. | |
| | They say, best men moulded out of faults; | |
| | And, for the most, become much more the better | |
| | For being a little bad: so may my husband. | |
| | O Isabel, will you not lend a knee? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | He dies for Claudio's death. | |
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| | ISABELLA.: | |
| |
[Kneeling.]
Most bounteous sir,
| |
| | Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd, | |
| | As if my brother liv'd: I partly think | |
| | A due sincerity govern'd his deeds | |
| | Till he did look on me; since it is so, | |
| | Let him not die. My brother had but justice, | |
| | In that he did the thing for which he died: | |
| | For Angelo, | |
| | His act did not o'ertake his bad intent, | |
| | And must be buried but as an intent | |
| | That perish'd by the way. Thoughts are no subjects; | |
| | Intents but merely thoughts. | |
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| | MARIANA.: | |
| | Merely, my lord. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say.— | |
| | I have bethought me of another fault.— | |
| | Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded | |
| | At an unusual hour? | |
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| | PROVOST.: | |
| | It was commanded so. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Had you a special warrant for the deed? | |
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| | PROVOST.: | |
| | No, my good lord; it was by private message. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | For which I do discharge you of your office: | |
| | Give up your keys. | |
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| | PROVOST.: | |
| | Pardon me, noble lord: | |
| | I thought it was a fault, but knew it not; | |
| | Yet did repent me, after more advice: | |
| | For testimony whereof, one in the prison, | |
| | That should by private order else have died, | |
| | I have reserved alive. | |
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| | PROVOST.: | |
| | His name is Barnardine. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | I would thou hadst done so by Claudio.— | |
| | Go fetch him hither; let me look upon him. | |
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| | ESCALUS.: | |
| | I am sorry one so learned and so wise | |
| | As you, Lord Angelo, have still appear'd, | |
| | Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood | |
| | And lack of temper'd judgment afterward. | |
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| | ANGELO.: | |
| | I am sorry that such sorrow I procure: | |
| | And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart | |
| | That I crave death more willingly than mercy; | |
| | 'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it. | |
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| |
[Re-enter PROVOST, with BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO (muffled) andJULIET.]
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Which is that Barnardine? | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | There was a friar told me of this man:— | |
| | Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, | |
| | That apprehends no further than this world, | |
| | And squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd; | |
| | But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all, | |
| | And pray thee take this mercy to provide | |
| | For better times to come:—Friar, advise him; | |
| | I leave him to your hand.—What muffled fellow's that? | |
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| | PROVOST.: | |
| | This is another prisoner that I sav'd, | |
| | Who should have died when Claudio lost his head; | |
| | As like almost to Claudio as himself. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | If he be like your brother[to ISABELLA], for his sake | |
| | Is he pardon'd; and for your lovely sake, | |
| | Give me your hand and say you will be mine; | |
| | He is my brother too: but fitter time for that. | |
| | By this Lord Angelo perceives he's safe; | |
| | Methinks I see a quick'ning in his eye.— | |
| | Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well": | |
| | Look that you love your wife; her worth worth yours.— | |
| | I find an apt remission in myself; | |
| | And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.— | |
| | You, sirrah[to Lucio], that knew me for a fool, a coward, | |
| | One all of luxury, an ass, a madman; | |
| | Wherein have I so deserved of you | |
| | That you extol me thus? | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick. If you | |
| | will hang me for | |
| | it, you may; but I had rather it would please you I might be | |
| | whipped. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.— | |
| | Proclaim it, Provost, round about the city, | |
| | If any woman wrong'd by this lewd fellow,— | |
| | As I have heard him swear himself there's one | |
| | Whom he begot with child,—let her appear, | |
| | And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd, | |
| | Let him be whipp'd and hang'd. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your | |
| | highness said even now I made you a duke; good my lord, do not | |
| | recompense me in making me a cuckold. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. | |
| | Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal | |
| | Remit thy other forfeits.—Take him to prison; | |
| | And see our pleasure herein executed. | |
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| | LUCIO.: | |
| | Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and | |
| | hanging. | |
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| | DUKE.: | |
| | Slandering a prince deserves it.— | |
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|
| |
[Exeunt Officers with LUCIO.]
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|
| | She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.— | |
| | Joy to you, Mariana!—Love her, Angelo; | |
| | I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.— | |
| | Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness | |
| | There's more behind that is more gratulate. | |
| | Thanks, Provost, for thy care and secrecy; | |
| | We shall employ thee in a worthier place.— | |
| | Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home | |
| | The head of Ragozine for Claudio's: | |
| | The offence pardons itself.—Dear Isabel, | |
| | I have a motion much imports your good; | |
| | Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline, | |
| | What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine:— | |
| | So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show | |
| | What's yet behind that's meet you all should know. | |
| |
[Exeunt.]
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