Duke. Thou art the first knave, that e'er made a duke.

First, Provost, let me bail these gentle three :

Sneak not away, sir; [to Lucio.] for the friar and

you

Must have a word anon :-lay hold on him.

Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.
Duke. What you have spoke, I pardon; sit you

down.

[To Escalus.

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

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.

[To Angelo.

O my dread lord,

I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,

To think I can be undiscernable,

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;
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. 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 amaz'd at his dishonour, Than at the strangeness of it.

Duke.

Come hither, Isabel:

Your friar is now your prince: As I was then
Advértising, 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:

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 obscur'd myself,
Labouring to save his life; and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power,
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 68
my purpose: But, peace be with

him!

That life is better life, past fearing death,

Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort, So happy is your brother.

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 wrong'd

Your well-defended honour, you must pardon

For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudg'd your brother,

(Being criminal, in double violation
Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach,
Thereon dependant, 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:

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!

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,
Although by confiscation they are ours,

We do instate and widow you withal,

To buy you a better husband.

Mari.

I crave no other, nor no better man.

O, my dear lord,

[Kneeling.

You do but lose your labour;

Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.

Mari. Gentle, my liege,

Duke.

Away with him to death.-Now, sir, [to Lucio.] 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,

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 condemn'd,
As if my brother liv'd: I partly think,

A due sincerity govern'd his deeds,
Till he did look on me 69; 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 perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects;

Intents but merely thoughts.

Mari.

VOL. II.

Merely, my lord.

CC

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 mes-

sage.

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 reserv'd alive.

Duke.

Prov.

What's he?

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 appear'd,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgement 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.