As I thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go!
Duke. I know you'd fain be gone. An officer;
To prifon with her. Shall we thus permit
A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall
On him fo near us? this must be a practice.
Who knew of our intent, and coming hither?

Ifab. One that I would were here, Friar Lodowick. Duke. A ghoftly father, belike: who knows that Lodowick? Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a medling Friar, I do not like the man; had he been Lay, my lord, For certain words he fpake against your Grace In your retirement, I had fwing'd him foundly.

Duke. Words againft me? this is a good Friar belike, And to fet on this wretched woman here Against our Substitute! let this Friar be found.

Lucio. But yefternight, my lord, fhe and that Friar, I faw them at the prison: a fawcy Friar,

A very fcurvy fellow.

Peter. Blefs'd be 2'your Grace !`

I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abus'd. Firft hath this woman
Moft wrongfully accus'd your Substitute,
Who is as free from touch or foil with her,
As fhe from one ungot.

Duke. We did believe

No lefs. Know you that Friar 'Lodowick ?
Peter. I know him for a man divine and holy;
Not fcurvy, nor a temporary medler,

As he's reported by this gentleman;

And, on my truft, a man that never yet

Did, as he vouches, mifreport your Grace.

Lucio, My lord, most + villainously he did; believe it.` Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear himself But at this inftant he is fick, my lord,

Of a strange fever. On his meer request,

(Being come to knowledge that there was complaint

2 your royal Grace!

4 villainously; believe it.

Bb 3

Inten

3. Lodowick, which the fpeaks of?

Intended 'gainst lord Angelo) came I hither
To fpeak as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true or falfe, and he upon his oath
By all probation will make up full clear,
Whenever he's conven'd, Firft, for this woman;
To juftifie this worthy nobleman,

So vulgarly and perfonally accus'd,
Her fhall you hear difproved to her eyes,
'Till fhe her felf confefs it.

Duke, Good Friar, let's hear it.
Do you not fmile at this, lord Angelo?
O heav'n! the vanity of wretched fools!
Give us fome feats; come, cousin Angelo,
In this I will be partial: be you judge
Of
your own caufe. Is this the witnefs, Friar?
[Ifabella is carried off, guarded,

First let her fhew her face, and after fpeak..

Mari. Pardon, my lord, I will not fhew my face

Until my husband bid me.

Duke. What, are you marry'd?

Mari. No, my lord.

Duke. Are you a maid?

Mari, No, my lord.

Duke. A widow then?

Mari. Neither, my lord.

Duke. Why, are you nothing then? neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Duke. Silence that fellow: I would he had fome caufe to prattle for himself.

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Mari. My lord, I do confefs I ne'er was marry'd,

5 and falfe, 6 I'll be impartial;

And

old edit. Theob. emend.

And I confefs befides, I am no maid;

I've known my husband, yet my husband knows not
That ever he knew me.

Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can be no better.
Duke. For the benefit of filence, would thou wert fo too.
Lucio. Well, my lord.

Duke. This is no witnefs for lord Angelo.
Mari. Now I come to❜t, my lord.
She that accufes him of fornication,

In felf-fame manner doth accuse my husband,
And charges him, my lord, with fuch a time,
When I'll depofe I had him in mine arms,
With all th' effect of love.

Ang. Charges the more.

Than me?

Mari. Not that I know.

Duke. 'You fay, your husband.

[To Mariana.

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

Aug. My lord, I must confefs I know this woman; And five years fince there was fome fpeech of marriage Betwixt my self and her; which was broke off,

Bb 4

Partly

9 Enough, my lord.

Partly for that her promised proportions
Came fhort of compofition; but in chief,
For that her reputation was dif-valu'd
In levity; fince which time, of five years
I never fpake ''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 ftrongly

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 fafety raise me from my knees;

Or else for ever be confixed here

A marble monument.

Ang. I did but fmile 'till now.

Now, good my lord, give me the scope of juftice;
My patience here is touch'd; I do perceive

2

These poor informing women are no more.
But inftruments 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 pleafure.
Thou foolish Friar, and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone; think'st thou thy oaths,
Tho' they would fwear down each particular Saint,
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 abufe, whence 'tis deriv'd.
There is another Friar that fet them on;
Let him be sent 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

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 feems 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.

[Exit.

Efcal. My lord, we'll do it throughly. Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that Friar Lodowick to be a dif honest person.

Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum; honeft in nothing but in his cloaths, and one that hath spoke most villainous fpeeches of the Duke.

Efcal. We fhall intreat you to abide here 'till he come, and inforce them against him; we fhall find this Friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.

Efcal. Call that fame Ifabel here once again: I would fpeak with her: pray you, my lord, give me leave to queftion; you shall fee how I'll handle her.

Lucio. Not better than he by her own report.

Escal. Say you?

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

afham'd.

Enter Duke in the Friar's habit, and Provost; Ifabella is brought in.

Efcal. I will go darkly to work with her.

Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midaight.

Efcal. Come on, miftrefs: here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have faid.

3 Well determin'd

Lucio