Mari. Not that I know.

Duke. You fay your husband.

Mari. Why, juft, my lord, and that is Angelo,

[To Mariana.

Who thinks, he knows that he ne'er knew my body;
But knows, he thinks, that he knew Ifabel's.

Ang. This is a ftrange 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, the fays.

Duke. Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Enough.

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 promifed proportions

Came fhort of compofition; but, in chief,
For that her reputation was disvalu’d
In levity; fince which time, of five years

I never spake with, faw, or 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 strongly

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 safety raise me from my knees;

Or elfe for ever be confixed here

A marble

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 informing women are no more

But instruments 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'ft thou, thy oaths,
Though they would swear 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 abuse, whence 'tis deriv'd.
There is another friar that fet 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. Do it inftantly.

And you, my noble and well-warranted coufin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,
Do with your injuries as seems you beft
In any chastisement: I for a while

Will leave you; but ftir not you, 'till you have
Determin'd well upon these flanderers.

SCENE IV.

[Exit.

Efcal. My lord, we'll do it throughly. Signior Lucio, did not you fay you knew that friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person? Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum; honeft in nothing but in his cloths, and one that hath spoke moft villanous fpeeches of

the duke.

Efcal.

Escal. We fhall 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.

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

:

Lucio. Not better than he by her own report.

Escal. Say you?

Lucio. Marry, fir, I think, if you handled her privately she should sooner confefs; perchance, publickly fhe'd be asham'd.

Enter Duke in the friar's habit, and provoft; Isabella
is brought in.

Efcal. I will go darkly to work with her.

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

Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of, here with the provoft.

Efcal. In very good time: fpeak not you to him 'till we call

upon you.

Lucio. Mum.

Efcal. Come, fir, did you set these women on to flander lord Angelo? they have confefs'd you did.

Duke. 'Tis falfe.

Efcal. How! know you where

you are?

Duke. Refpect to your great place! and let the devil

Be fometime honour'd for his burning throne.

Where is the duke? 'tis he fhould hear me speak.

Efcal. The duke's in us; and we will hear you speak:

Look you speak juftly.

Duke. Boldly at least I'll fpeak. But, o, poor fouls,
Come you to feek the lamb here of the fox?

Good-night to your redrefs: is the duke gone?
Then is your caufe gone too. The duke's unjuft,
Thus to retort your manifeft appeal,

Aaa 2

And

And put your trial in the villain's mouth
Which here you come to accufe

Lucio. This is the rafcal; this is he I fpoke of.
Efcal. Why thou unrev'rend and unhallow'd friar,
Is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women
T'accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth,
And in the witnefs of his proper ear,

To call him villain; and then glance from him
To th' duke himself, to tax him with injuftice?

Take him hence; to the rack with him: we'll toufe you
(Ev'n joint by joint) but we will know this purpose:
What? he unjust?

Duke. Be not fo hot; the duke

Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he
Dare rack his own: his fubject 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 ftew: laws for all faults,

But faults fo countenanc'd, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,*

As much in mock as mark.

Efcal. Slander to th' state! away with him to prison. Ang. What can you vouch against him, fignior Lucio? Is this the man that you did tell us of?

Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman bald-pate : know me?

Do you

Duke. I remember you, fir, by the found of your voice: I met you at the prison in the abfence of the duke.

Lucio. O, did you fo? and do you remember what you of the duke?

Duke. Moft notedly, fir.

faid

Lucio. Do you fo, fir? and was the duke a flesh-monger, a

It is a cuftom in the shops of all mechanicks to make it a forfeiture for any stranger to use or take up the tools of their trade: in a barber's fhop especially, when heretofore barbers practis'd the under parts of furgery, their inftruments being of a nice kind and their fhops generally full of idle people, there was hung up a table showing what particular forfeiture was required for meddling with each instrument.

fool,

fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?

Duke. You must, fir, change perfons with me ere 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 nofe for thy fpeeches?

Duke. I proteft, I love the duke as I love myself.

Ang. Hark how the villain would close now after his treasonable abuses.

Efcal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal: away with him to prison: where is the provoft? away with him to prifon; lay bolts enough upon him; let him speak no more; away with those giglets too, and with the other confederate companion. Duke. Stay, fir, ftay a while.

Ang. What! refifts he? help him, Lucio.

Lucio. Come, fir, come, fir, come, fir; foh, fir; why, you bald-pated, lying rascal! you must be hooded, muft you? show your knave's vifage, with a pox to you! fhow your sheep-biting face, and be hang'd; an hour? will't not off?

[Pulls off the friar's hood, and difcovers the Duke. Duke. Thou art the first knave that e'er mad'st a duke.

First, provoft, let me bail these gentle three.

Sneak not away, fir; for the friar and you

[To Lucio.

Must have a word anon: lay hold on him.

Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.

Duke. What you have spoke, I pardon; fit you down:

[To Efcalus.

We'll borrow place of him. Sir, by your leave:

[To Angelo.

Haft thou or word, or wit, or impudence,
That yet can do thee office? if thou haft,

Rely upon it 'till
it 'till my

tale be heard,

And hold no longer out.

Ang. O my dread lord,

I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,

To think I can be undifcernable,

When I perceive, your grace, like pow'r divine,

Hath