In self-same manner doth accuse my husband;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time,
When, I'll depose, I had him in mine arms
With all the effect of love.

Ang. Charges she more than me?
Mari.

Not that I know.
Duke. No? you say your husband.
Mari. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo,
Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body,
But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's.
Ang. This is a strange abuse. Let's see thy face.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will un-
mask.
Unveiling. 201
This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which once thou swor'st was worth the looking

As there is sense in truth and truth in virtue,
I am affianc'd this man's wife as strongly
As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,

There is another friar that set them on; Let him be sent for.

242

Fri. Pet. Would he were here, my lord; for he indeed

Hath set the women on to this complaint: Your provost knows the place where he abides And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go do it instantly.

Exit Provost. And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin, Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth, 251 Do with your injuries as seems you best, In any chastisement: I for a while will leave you; But stir not you till you have well determin'd Upon these slanderers.

Escal. My lord, we 'll do it throughly. Exit DUKE. Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

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 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 her.

Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report. Escal. Say you?

271

Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess : perchance, publicly, she 'll be ashamed.

Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. Lucio. That's the way: for women are light at midnight.

He knew me as a wife. As this is true,

Let me in safety raise me from my knees,

Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
My patience here is touch'd. I do perceive 230
These poor informal women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier member
That sets them on. Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice out.
Duke.
Ay, with my heart;
And punish them to your height of pleasure.
Thou foolish friar, and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that 's gone, think'st thou thy
oaths,

Though they would swear down each particular saint,

Were testimonies against his worth and credit That's seal'd in approbation? You, Lord Escalus, Sit with my cousin: lend him your kind pains

Escal. Come, sir. Did you set these women on to slander Lord Angelo? they have confessed you did.

Duke. 'Tis false.

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,
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
Which here you come to accuse.

200

Lucio. This is the rascal: this is he I spoke of.

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 baldpate: do you know me?

Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice: I met you at the prison, in the absence of the duke.

Laucio. 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 fleshmonger, 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 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 treasonable abuses. 342 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 giglots too, and with the other confederate companion!

The Provost lays hand on the DUKE. Duke. Stay, sir; stay awhile. Ang. What! resists he? Help him, Lucio. 350 Lucio. Come, sir; come, sir; come, sir; foh! sir. Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal, you must be hooded, must you? show your knave's visage, with a pox to you! show your sheepbiting face, and be hanged an hour! Will't

not off?

Duke. To ESCALUS. What you have spoke I pardon; sit you down : We'll borrow place of him.

by your leave.

To ANGELO. Sir,

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,
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 :
Immediate sentence then and sequent death
Is all the grace I beg.
Duke.

372

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, Friar PETER, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour

Than at the strangeness of it.
Duke.

381

Come hither, Isabel. Your friar is now your prince: as I was then Advertising and holy to your business, Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorney'd at your service. Isub.

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, 391
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 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.
Isab.
I do, my lord. 400
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
For Mariana's sake. But as he adjudg'd 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
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 thus manifested,

410

Duke. What's he? Prov. His name is Barnardine. Duke. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio. Go fetch him hither: let me look upon him. 470 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 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
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, 481 That apprehends no further than this world, And squar'st thy life according. Thou 'rt condemn'd;

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 sav'd, That should have died when Claudio lost his head,

As like almost to Claudio as himself.

490

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,
He is my brother too. But fitter time for that.
By this Lord Angelo perceives he's safe :
Methinks I see a quick'ning in his eye.
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:
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. 500 To LUCIO. You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool,

a coward,

One all of luxury, an ass, a madman:
Wherein have I so deserv'd of you,
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 whipped.

510

Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after. 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, Let him be whipp'd 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.

521

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.

530

Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
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.

So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show 540 What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know.

Exeunt.

SOLINUS, Duke of Ephesus.

ÆGEON, a Merchant of Syracuse.
ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, Twin Brothers, Sons to
ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, Ageon and Emilia.
DROMIO of Ephesus, Twin Brothers, Attendants
DROMIO of Syracuse, on the two Antipholuses.
BALTHAZAR, a Merchant.
ANGELO, a Goldsmith.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-A Hall in the DUKE's Palace. Enter DUKE, ÆGEON, Gaoler, Officers, and other Attendants.

Age. Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall, And by the doom of death end woes and all. Duke. Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more. I am not partial to infringe our laws: The enmity and discord which of late Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen, Who, wanting guilders to redeem their lives, Have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their bloods, Excludes all pity from our threat'ning looks. For, since the mortal and intestine jars "Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us, It hath in solemn synods been decreed, Both by the Syracusians and ourselves, To admit no traffic to our adverse towns: Nay, more, if any born at Ephesus Be seen at Syracusian marts and fairs; Again, if any Syracusian born

10

Why thou departedst from thy native home,
And for what cause thou cam'st to Ephesus.

Age. A heavier task could not have been impos'd

40

Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable;
Yet, that the world may witness that my end
Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence,
I'll utter what my sorrow gives me leave.
In Syracusa was I born, and wed
Unto a woman, happy but for me,
And by me too, had not our hap been bad.
With her I liv'd in joy our wealth increas'd
By prosperous voyages I often made
To Epidamnum; till my factor's death,
And the great care of goods at random left,
Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse:
From whom my absence was not six months old,
Before herself, almost at fainting under
The pleasing punishment that women bear,
Had made provision for her following me,
And soon and safe arrived where I was.
There had she not been long but she became
A joyful mother of two goodly sons;
And, which was strange, the one so like the other,
As could not be distinguish'd but by names.
That very hour and in the self-same inn,
A meaner woman was delivered

Of such a burden, male twins, both alike.
Those, for their parents were exceeding poor
I bought, and brought up to attend my sons.
My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys,
Made daily motions for our home return:
Unwilling I agreed; alas! too soon
We came aboard,

50

GO