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.

[Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amazed at his dishonor, Than at the strangeness of it.

Duke. Come hither, Isabel: Your friar is now your prince: as I was then Advértising, and holy1 to your business, Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorneyed at your service.

Isab.

O, give me pardon, That I, your vassal, have employed and pained Your unknown sovereignty.

Duke.

You are pardoned, 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 obscured myself,
Laboring to safe his life; and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power,
2
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 brained my purpose: but peace be with him!
That life is better life, past fearing death,

Than that which lives to fear: make it

So happy is your brother.

your comfort,

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost.

Isab.

I do, my lord.

Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here,

Whose salt imagination yet hath wronged

Your well-defended honor, you must pardon

For Mariana's sake; but as he adjudged your brother,

1 Advertising and holy, attentive and faithful.

2 Perhaps we should read demonstrance.

(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 would'st deny, denies thee vantage:1

We do condemn thee to the very block

Where Claudio stooped 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!

Duke. It is your husband mocked you with a husband:

Consenting to the safeguard of your honor,

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.

Mari.

O, my dear lord,
I crave no other, nor no better man.

Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle, my liege,-

[Kneeling.

Duke. Away with him to death.-Now, sir, [To LuCIO.]

You do but lose your labor;

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.

Duke. Against all sense you do impórtune her: Should she kneel down, in mercy of this fact,

VOL. I.

1 i. e. "to deny which will avail thee nothing."

53

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;
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?

Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab.

Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.

Look, if it please you, on this man condemned,
As if my brother lived: I partly think,
A due sincerity governed 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 perished 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
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:
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.

Prov. His name is Barnardine.

Duke. I would thou had'st 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 appeared,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of tempered 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.

Re-enter Provost, BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO, 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 squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemned;
But, for those earthly1 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,

That should have died when Claudio lost his head;
As like almost to Claudio as himself.

[Unmuffles CLAUDIO. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To ISABELLA.]

for his sake

Is he pardoned; 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 quickening in his eye:-
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:

1 i. e. so far as they are punishable on earth.
2 Requites.

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,2 an ass, a madman;
Wherein have I so deserved of you,
That you extol me thus?

3

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. Duke. Whipped first, sir, and hanged after.Proclaim it, provost, round about the city;

If any woman's wronged 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 finished,
Let him be whipped and hanged.

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.

Duke. Upon mine honor, 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, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it.

She, Claudio, that you wronged, look you restore.
Joy to you, Mariana!-Love her, Angelo;

I have confessed her, and I know her virtue.-
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness:
There's more behind, that is more gratulate.1

1 "Her worth worth yours;" that is, "her value is equal to yours; the match is not unworthy of you."

2 Incontinence.

3 Thoughtless practice.
4 i. e. more to be rejoiced in.