How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd;
And held in idle price to haunt assemblies,
Where youth and cost, and witless bravery keeps.
I have deliver'd to lord Angelo

(A man of stricture and firm abstinence)
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is receiv'd: Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?
Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting

laws,

(The needful bits and curbs for head-strong steeds,) Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep; Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave,

That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers
Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
Only to stick it in their children's sight,
For terror, not to use; in time the rod

Becomes more mock'd than fear'd: so our decrees,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

I have on Angelo impos'd the office;

Who may,

in the ambush of my name, strike home, 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'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.

SCENE V.-A Nunnery.

Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.

[Exeunt.

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;

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 me Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth 2,

'tis thus:

Your brother and his lover have embrac'd:

Isab. My cousin Juliet?

Lucio. Is she your cousin?

Isab. Adoptedly: as school-maids change their

names,

By vain though apt affection.

The duke is very strangely gone from hence;
In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn
Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,

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 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'd3 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?

1 Do not make a jest of me.

2 In few and true words.

3 Sentenced.

Whom I would save, had a most noble father.
Let but your honour know,

(Whom I believe to be most straight 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 some time 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 pregnant,
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 prepared :
For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage.

[Exeunt ANGELO and Provost. Escal. Well, heaven forgive him; and forgive❘ us all!

Mercy is not itself that oft looks so,
Pardon is still the nurse of second woe.
But yet, poor Claudio! — - there's no remedy.

4 Have.

[Exit.

Because.

SCENE II.

- Another Room in the same.

Enter 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. [Erit Servant.] I'll know his pleasure; may be, he will relent:

Ang.

Enter ANGELO.

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 ?

Why dost thou ask again?

Prov.

Lest I might be too rash: 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.

Enter Lucio and ISABELLA. Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. Ang. Stay a little while. [To ÏSAB.] 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.

SCENE II.

Ang.

Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die: I do beseech you, let it be his fault, And not my brother.

Prov.

91

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, 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, intreat 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 it:
To him, I say.

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.
[To ISABELLA.
Lucio. You are too cold.
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,
Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword,
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,
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.

Isab.

Alas! alas!

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
O, think on that;
But judge you as you are
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.

Ang.

spare him:

He's not prepar'd for death!

Good, good my lord, bethink you :

Who is it that hath died for this offence?

There's many have committed it.

Lucio.

Ay, well said.

bath slept:

Pray heaven she win him! Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with yourself: Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them; But, in the less, foul profanation.

Lucio. Thou'rt 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 yet a kind of medicine in itself,

That skins the vice o' the top: Go to your bosom;
Knock there; and ask your heart, what it doth know
That's like my brother's fault: if it confess
A natural guiltiness, such as is his,

Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue
Against my brother's life.

[Exeunt Lucio, ISABELLA, and Provost.
Ang. From thee; even from thy virtue! →
What's this? what's this? Is this her fault or mine?
The tempter, or the tempted, who sins most? ha!
Not she; nor doth she tempt: but it is I,
That lying by the violet, in the sun,

Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower,
Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be,

That modesty may more betray our sense

enough,

Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary,

And pitch our evils there?

O, fye, fye, fye!

What dost thou? or what art thou, Angelo?
O, let her brother live :

Thieves for their robbery have authority,
When judges steal themselves. What? do I love her,
That I desire to hear her speak again,

And feast upon her eyes? What is't I dream on?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook! Most dangerous
Is that temptation, that doth goad us on

To sin in loving virtue; never could the strumpet
Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite ; ·
;- Ever, till now,

When men were fond, I smil'd, and wonder'd how.

[Exit.

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 order, I come to visit the afflicted spirits

Here in the prison: do me the common right
To let me see them; and to make me know

The nature of their crimes, that I may minister
To them accordingly.

Prov. I would do more than that, if more were needful.

[Exit. Juliet. Must die to-morrow! O, injurious love, That respites me a life, whose very comfort Is still a dying horror! Prov.

'Tis pity of him. [Exeunt.

· A Room in Angelo's House. Enter ANGELO.

Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and

pray

To several subjects: heaven hath my empty words. Whilst my invention, hearing not my tongue, Anchors on Isabel: Heaven in my mouth,

As if I did but only chew his name;

And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil
Of my conception: The state, whereon I studied,
Is like a good thing, being often read,
Grown fear'd and tedious; yea, my gravity,
Wherein (let no man hear me) I take pride,
Could I, with boot', change for an idle plume,
Which the air beats for vain. O place! O form!
How often dost thou with thy case, thy habit,
Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wiser souls
To thy false seeming?

Why does my blood thus muster to my heart; Making both it unable for itself,

And dispossessing all the other parts

Of necessary fitness?

So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons
Come all to help him, and so stop the air
By which he should revive: and even so
The general 2, subject to a well-wish'd king,
Quit their own part, and in obsequious fondness
Crowd to his presence, where their untaught love
Must needs appear offence.