Measure for Measure - 7

_Lucio._ 'Cucullus non facit monachum:' honest in
nothing but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most
villanous speeches of the Duke.
_Escal._ We shall entreat you to abide here till he come,
and enforce them against him: we shall find this friar a 265
notable fellow.
_Lucio._ As any in Vienna, on my word.
_Escal._ Call that same Isabel here once again: I would
speak with her. [_Exit an Attendant._] Pray you, my lord,
give me leave to question; you shall see how I'll handle 270
her.
_Lucio._ Not better than he, by her own report.
_Escal._ Say you?
_Lucio._ Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately,
she would sooner confess: perchance, publicly, she'll be 275
ashamed.
_Escal._ I will go darkly to work with her.
_Lucio._ That's the way; for women are light at midnight.
_Re-enter OFFICERS with ISABELLA; and PROVOST with the DUKE in his
friar's habit._
_Escal._ Come on, mistress: here's a gentlewoman denies
all that you have said. 280
_Lucio._ My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here
with the provost.
_Escal._ In very good time: speak not you to him till
we call upon you.
_Lucio._ Mum. 285
_Escal._ Come, sir: did you set these women on to slander
Lord Angelo? they have confessed you did.
_Duke._ 'Tis false.
_Escal._ How! know you where you are?
_Duke._ Respect to your great place! and let the devil 290
Be sometime 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, 295
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 300
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, 305
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 touse you
Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose. 310
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, 315
Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble
Till it o'er-run the stew; laws for all faults,
But faults so countenanced, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,
As much in mock as mark. 320
_Escal._ Slander to the state! Away with him to prison!
_Ang._ What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio?
Is this the man that you did tell us of?
_Lucio._ 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman bald-pate:
do you know me? 325
_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. 330
_Lucio._ Do you so, sir? And was the Duke a flesh-monger,
a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him
to be?
_Duke._ You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you
make that my report: you, indeed, spoke so of him; and 335
much more, much worse.
_Lucio._ O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee
by the nose for thy speeches?
_Duke._ I protest I love the Duke as I love myself.
_Ang._ Hark, how the villain would close now, after his 340
treasonable abuses!
_Escal._ 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 giglets too, and with the other 345
confederate companion!
_Duke._ [_To Provost_] 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, 350
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?
[_Pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers the Duke._
_Duke._ Thou art the first knave that e'er madest a Duke.
First, provost, let me bail these gentle three. 355
[_To Lucio_] Sneak not away, sir; 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: sit you down:
We'll borrow place of him. [_To Angelo_] Sir, by your leave. 360
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.
_Ang._ O my dread lord,
I should be guiltier than my guiltiness, 365
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: 370
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. 375
Do you the office, friar; which consummate,
Return him here again. Go with him, provost.
[_Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Friar Peter and Provost._
_Escal._ My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonour
Than at the strangeness of it.
_Duke._ Come hither, Isabel.
Your friar is now your prince: as I was then 380
Advertising and holy to your business,
Not changing heart with habit, I am still
Attorney'd at your service.
_Isab._ O, give me pardon,
That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd
Your unknown sovereignty!
_Duke._ You are pardon'd, Isabel: 385
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 obscured myself,
Labouring to save his life, and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power 390
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, 395
Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort,
So happy is your brother.
_Isab._ I do, my lord.
_Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, FRIAR PETER, and PROVOST._
_Duke._ For this new-married man, approaching here,
Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd
Your well-defended honour, you must pardon 400
For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudged 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 405
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; 410
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!
_Mari._ O my most gracious lord,
I hope you will not mock me with a husband. 415
_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, 420
Although by confiscation they are ours,
We do instate and widow you withal,
To buy you a better husband.
_Mari._ O my dear lord,
I crave no other, nor no better man.
_Duke._ Never crave him; we are definitive. 425
_Mari._ Gentle my liege,-- [_Kneeling._
_Duke._ You do but lose your labour.
Away with him to death! [_To Lucio_] Now, sir, to you.
_Mari._ 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. 430
_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.
_Mari._ Isabel,
Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me; 435
Hold up your hands, say nothing,--I'll speak all.
They say, best men are 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? 440
_Duke._ He dies for Claudio's death.
_Isab._ Most bounteous sir, [_Kneeling._
Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if my brother lived: I partly think
A due sincerity govern'd his deeds,
Till he did look on me: since it is so, 445
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 450
That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects;
Intents, but merely thoughts.
_Mari._ Merely, my lord.
_Duke._ Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say.
I have bethought me of another fault.
Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded 455
At an unusual hour?
_Prov._ It was commanded so.
_Duke._ Had you a special warrant for the deed?
_Prov._ No, my good lord; it was by private message.
_Duke._ For which I do discharge you of your office:
Give up your keys.
_Prov._ Pardon me, noble lord: 460
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.
_Duke._ What's he?
_Prov._ His name is Barnardine. 465
_Duke._ I would thou hadst done so by Claudio.
Go fetch him hither; let me look upon him. [_Exit Provost._
_Escal._ 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, 470
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.
_Ang._ 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. 475
_Re-enter PROVOST, with BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO muffled, and JULIET._
_Duke._ Which is that Barnardine?
_Prov._ This, my lord.
_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 squarest thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd: 480
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?
_Prov._ This is another prisoner that I saved, 485
Who should have died when Claudio lost his head;
As like almost to Claudio as himself. [_Unmuffles Claudio._
_Duke._ [_To Isabella_] If he be like your brother, for his sake
Is he pardon'd; and, for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine, 490
He is my brother too: but fitter time for that.
By this Lord Angelo perceives he's safe;
Methinks I see a quickening in his eye.
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:
Look that you love your wife; her worth worth yours. 495
I find an apt remission in myself;
And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.
[_To Lucio_] You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward,
One all of luxury, an ass, a madman;
Wherein have I so deserved of you, 500
That you extol me thus?
_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 whipt.
_Duke._ Whipt first, sir, and hang'd after. 505
Proclaim it, provost, round about the city,
Is 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, 510
Let him be whipt and hang'd.
_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. 515
_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.
_Lucio._ Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, 520
whipping, and hanging.
_Duke._ Slandering a prince deserves it.
[_Exeunt Officers with Lucio._
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. 525
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 530
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. 535
So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show
What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know.
[_Exeunt._