LUCIO. Enough, my Lord.

ANG. 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 proportions1

Came short of composition;2 but in chief

For that her reputation was disvalu'd

In levity: since which time of five years,

I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her,
Upon my faith and honour!

211

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 's 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!

ANG.

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.

220

DUKE.
Ay, with my heart;
And punish them up to your height of pleasure.
Thou foolish Friar, and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone, think'st 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.

230

240

ACT V

Sc. I

There is another Friar that set them on:

Let him be sent for.

FRI. P. Would he 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.

DUKE. Go, do it instantly.

[Exit Provost.

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 awhile will leave you,
But stir not you, till you have well determin'd

Upon these slanderers.

250

ESCAL. My Lord, we'll do it thoroughly. [Exit DUKE.]
Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that Friar
Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

LUCIO. Cucullus non facit monachum: honest in nothing
but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most
villainous speeches of the Duke.

259

ESCAL. We shall entreat you to abide here till he come, and enforce them against him: we shall find this Friar a notable fellow.

LUCIO. As any in Vienna, on my word!

ESCAL. 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.

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

ESCAL. Say you?

310269

LUCIO. Marry, Sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess; perchance, publicly, she'll be asham'd.

Re-enter Officers, with ISABELLA, the DUKE, in the

Friar's habit, and Provost.

ESCAL. I will go darkly to work with her.

LUCIO. That's the way; for women are light at midnight.

ESCAL. [to ISABELLA.] Come on, Mistress! Here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said. no bair oT

LUCIO. My Lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here ACT V with the Provost.

ESCAL. In very good time: speak not you to him till

we call upon you.

LUCIO. Mum.

ESCAL. Come, Sir.

281

Did you set these women on to

slander Lord Angelo? They have confess'd you did. DUKE. "Tis false.

ESCAL. HOW! know you where you are?

DUKE. Respect to your great place, and let the Devil
Be sometimes honour'd for his burning Throne !
Where is the Duke? 'tis he should hear me speak.
ESCAL. The Duke's in us; and we will hear you
speak:

Look you speak justly.

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.

LUCIO. This is the rascal: this is he I spoke of.
ESCAL. 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 glance1 from him
To the Duke himself to tax him with injustice?
Take him hence! To the rack with him!
We'll touse2 you joint by joint but we will know
His purpose. What! unjust?

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

290

300

310

Sc. I

ANG. What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio?

Is this the man that you did tell us of?

LUCIO. 'Tis he, my Lord.

pate do you know me?

321

Come hither, Goodman Bald

DUKE. I remember you, Sir, by the sound of your voice:
I met you at the Prison in the absence of the Duke.
LUCIO. O, did you so? And do you remember what

you said of the Duke? DUKE. Most notedly, Sir.

And was the Duke a flesh

LUCIO. Do you so, Sir?
monger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported
him to be?
DUKE. You must, Sir, change persons with me, ere

331

you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke so of him; and much more, much worse.

LUCIO. O, thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose for thy speeches?

339

DUKE. I protest, I love the Duke as I love myself.
ANG. Hark! how the villain would close now, after his
treasonable abuses!
ESCAL. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd 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 giglots2 too,
and with the other confederate companion!

[The Provost lays hands on the DUKE.

DUKE. Stay, Sir; stay awhile.

ANG. What! resists he? Help him, Lucio.

LUCIO. Come, Sir; come, Sir; come, Sir; foh, Sir! Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal, you must be hooded, must you? Shew your knave's visage, with a pox to you! Shew your sheep-biting face, and be hang'd an hour! Will 't not off?

351

[pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers the DUKE. DUKE. Thou art the first knave that e'er mad'st a

Duke.

1 rules for mock penalties exhibited by barbers.

2 harlots. 8 hypocritical.

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.

LUCIO. This may prove worse than hanging.

DUKE. [to ESCALUS.] What you have spoke I pardon:

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.

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.1 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.

DUKE.

Come hither, Mariana: Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman? ANG. I was, my Lord.

DUKE. Go take her hence, and marry her instantly.

Do you the office, Friar; which consummate,
Return him here again. Go with him, Provost.

360

370

[Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. ESCAL. My Lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour Than at the strangeness of it.

ACT V
Sc. I