Come, we will walk. There's other of our friends
Will greet us here anon, my gentle Varrius.

Enter Ifabella and Mariana,

Ifab. To fpeak fo indirectly I am loth: I'd say the truth; but to accufe him so, That is your part; yet I'm advis'd to do it, He fays 'to 'vailful purpofe.

Mari. Be rul'd by him.

Ifab. Befides, he tells me, that if peradventure
He speak againft me on the adverfe fide,

I fhould not think it ftrange; for 'tis a phyfick
That's bitter to fweet end.

Mari. I would Friar Peter

Ifab. Oh, peace; the Friar is come.

Enter Peter.

[Exeunt

Peter. Come, I have found you out a ftand moft fit, Where you may have fuch vantage on the Duke,

He shall not pass you. Twice have the trumpets founded: The generous and graveft citizens

Have hent the gates, and very near upon

The Duke is entring: therefore hence, away. [Exeunt.

5 to vail full... old edit. Theob, emend.

ACT

ACT V. SCENE I.

The STREET.

Enter Duke, Varrius, Lords, Angelo, Efcalus, Lucio, and Citizens, at feveral doors.

M

DUKE.

Y very worthy coufin, fairly met;

Our old and faithful friend, we're glad to see you. Ang. and Efc. Happy return be to your royal Grace! Duke. Many and hearty thanks be to you both: We've made enquiry of you, and we hear Such goodness of your juftice, that our foul Cannot but yield you forth to publick thanks, Forerunning more requital.

Ang. You make my bonds ftill greater.

Duke. Oh, your defert fpeaks loud, and I fhould wrong it To lock it in the wards of covert bofom, When it deferves with characters of brafs A forted refidence, 'gainst the tooth of time, And razure of oblivion. Give me your hand And let the fubjects fee, to make them know That outward courtefies would fain proclaim Favours that keep within. Come, Efcalus, You must walk by us on our other hand; And good fupporters are you.

Peter. Now is your time: fpeak loud and kneel before him. Ifab. Juftice, O royal Duke! vail your regard

Upon a wrong'd, I'd fain have faid, a maid:

VOL. I.

"Bb

Oh

Oh worthy prince, difhonour not your eye
By throwing it on any other object,

'Till you have heard me in my true complaint,

And give me juftice, juftice, juftice, juftice.

Duke. Relate your wrongs; in what, by whom? be brief: Here is lord Angelo fhall give you justice:

Reveal your felf to him.

Ifab. Oh worthy Duke,

You bid me feck redemption of the devil:
Hear me your felf; for that which I muft fpeak
Muft either punish me, not being believ'd,
Or wring redress from you: oh, hear me here!
Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm:
Sh' 'ath been a fuitor to me for her brother,
Cut off by course of justice.

Ifab. Course of justice!

Ang. And the will fpeak moft bitterly, and ftrange. Ifab. Moft ftrange but yet most truly will I speak; That Angelo's forfworn: is it not strange?

That Angelo's a murth'rer: is't not strange?

That Angelo is an adult'rous thief,

An hypocrite, a virgin-violater:
Is it not strange and strange?

Duke. Nay, ten times strange.
Ifab. It is not truer he is Angelo,

Than this is all as true as it is ftrange:

Nay, it is ten times true; for truth is truth

To th' end of reckoning.

Duke. Away with her: poor foul,

She fpeaks this in th' infirmity of fenfe.

Ifab. Oh, I conjure thee, Prince, as thou believ't

There is another comfort than this world,

That thou neglect me not, with that opinion

That I am touch'd with madnefs. Make not impoffible
That which but feems unlike; 'tis not impoffible
But one, the wicked'ft caitiff on the ground,
May feem as fhy, as grave, as juft, as abfolute
As Angelo; ev'n fo may Angelo,

. In

In all his dreffings, caracts, titles, forms,
Be an arch-villain: truft me, royal Prince,
If he be less, he's nothing; but he's more,
Had I more name for badness.

Duke. By mine honour,

If fhe be mad, as I believe no other,
Her madness hath the oddest frame of fenfe,
Such a dependency of thing on thing,
As e'er I heard in madness.

Ifab. Gracious Duke,

Harp not on that; and do not banish reason
For inequality; but let your reason

Serve to make truth appear where it seems hid,
Not hide the falfe feems true.

Duke. Many 7 'not mad`

Have fure more lack of reafon. What would you say?
Ifab. I am the fifter of one Claudio,
Condemn'd upon the act of fornication,

To lose his head; condemn'd by Angelo:
I, in probation of a fifterhood,

Was fent to by my brother; 'one Lucio being
As then the messenger,

Lucio. That's I, an't like your Grace:

I came to her from Claudio, and defir'd her

To try her gracious fortune with lord Angelo,
For her poor brother's pardon.

Ifab. That's he indeed.

Duke. You were not bid to speak.

[To Lucio.

Lucio. No, my good lord, nor wish'd to hold my peace.

Duke. I wish you now then;

Pray you, take note of it: and when you have

A business for your self, pray heav'n you then

Be perfect.

Lucio. I warrant your honour, Sir.

Duke. The warrant's for your felf; "'be fure take heed to't.)
Ifab. This gentleman told fomething of my tale.
Lucio. Right.

Bb 2

Duke,

6 honesty, 7 that are not mad 8 one Lucio 9 take heed to't.

Duke. It may be right, but you are in the wrong To fpeak before your time. Proceed.

Ifab. I went

To this pernicious caitiff Deputy,

Duke. That's fomewhat madly spoken,
Ifab. Pardon it:

The phrafe is to the matter.

I

Duke. Mend again: the matter then; proceed.`
Ifab. In brief; (to fet the needlefs process by,
How I perfuaded, how I pray'd and kneel'd,
How he repell'd me, and how I reply'd,
For this was of much length) the vile conclufion
I now begin with grief and fhame to utter.
He would not, but by gift of my chafte body
To his concupifcent intemp'rate luft,
Release my brother; after much debatement,
My fifterly remorfe confutes mine honour,
And I did yield to him: next morn betimes,
His purpofe forfeiting, he fends a warrant
For my poor brother's head.

Duke. This is most likely!

Ifab. Oh that it were as like as it is true! [thou fpeak'ft; Duke. By heav'n, fond wretch, thou know'ft not what Or elfe thou art fuborn'd against his honour

In hateful practice. His integrity

Stands without blemish; it imports no reason,
That with fuch vehemence he should purfue
Faults proper to himself: if he had fo

Offended, he would have weigh'd thy brother by
Himself, and not have cut him off.

Some one
Hath fet you on, confefs the truth, and say
By whofe advice thou cam'ft here to complain.
Ifab. And is this all?

Then oh you bleffed minifters above,

Keep me in patience; and with ripen'd time,
Unfold the evil which is here wrapt up

In countenance! Heav'n fhield your Grace from woe,

the matter proceed.

As