Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you. In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms, Duke. Many and hearty thankings to you both. Ang. To lock it in the wards of covert bosom, Friar Peter and Isabella come forward. F. Peter. Now is your time; speak loud, and Isab. Justice, O, royal duke! Vail' your regard Till you have heard me in my true complaint, Here is lord Angelo shall give you justice ; O, worthy duke, Or wring redress from you: hear me, O, hear me, Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm: strange. Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak: That Angelo's forsworn; is it not strange? A hypocrite, a virgin-violator By mine honesty, O, gracious duke, Duke. Isab. I am the sister of one Claudio, Was sent to by my brother: One Lucio I That's I, an't like your grace : Isab. That's he indeed. Duke. You were not bid to speak. Nor wish'd to hold my peace. Duke. No, my good lord; I wish you now then; Lucio. to it. Isab. This gentleman told somewhat of my tale. Duke. It may be right; but you are in the wrong Isab. I went To this pernicious caitiff deputy. The phrase is to the matter. Pardon it; Duke. Mended again: the matter:-Proceed. Nay, ten times strange. To his concupiscible intemperate lust, Isab. It is not truer he is Angelo, That which but seems unlike: 'tis not impos- But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground, (1) Lower. (2) Habits and characters of office. Release my brother; and, after much debatement, Duke. This is most likely! (6) Conspiracy. P Confess the truth, and say by whose advice Thou cam'st here to complain. Isab. And is this all? Duke. A widow then? Mari. Then, oh, you blessed ministers above, In countenance !-Heaven shield your grace from As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go! Duke. I know, you'd fain be gone:- An officer! To prison with her;-Shall we thus permit A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall On him so near us? This needs must be a practice. -Who knew of your intent, and coming hither? Isab. One that I would were here, friar Lodowick. Duke. A ghostly father, belike:-Who knows that Lodowick? Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a meddling friar; And to set on this wretched woman here I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar, F. Peter. Blessed be your royal grace!| I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard Your royal car abus'd: First, hath this woman Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute; Who is as free from touch or soil with her, As she from one ungot. Duke. We did believe no less. Know you that friar Lodowick, that she speaks of?| Lucio. My lord, most villanously; believe it. F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear himself; But at this instant he is sick, my lord, Good friar, let's hear it. [Isabella is carried off, guarded; and Mariana comes forward. Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo ?— Of your own cause.-Is this the witness, friar? What, are you married? (2) Simple. (3) Convened. Duke. Are nothing then:-Neither maid, widow, nor wife? Lucio. Well, my lord. Duke. This is no witness for lord Angelo. She, that accuses him of fornication, 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 unmask. [Unveiling. This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract, Duke. Know you this woman? Lucio. Carnally, she says. Duke. Lucio. Enough, my lord. Sirrah, no more. Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this wo Scene I. Or else for ever be confixed here, MEASURE FOR MEASURE. I did but smile till now; Ang. Ay, with my heart; Though they would swear down each particular saint, Were testimonies against his worth and credit, Escal. How! know you where you are? Duke. Respect to your great place! and let the Be some time honour'd for his burning throne :- Look, you speak justly. Duke. Boldly, at least:-But, O, poor souls, Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. Is't not enough, thou hast suborn'd these women F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, And then to glance from him to the duke himself; indeed, Hath set the women on to this complaint: Duke. Go, do it instantly. [Exit Provost. And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin, Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,3 Do with your injuries as seems you best, In any chastisement: I for a while To tax him with injustice?-Take him hence; joint, But we will know this purpose:-What! unjust? Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he Nor here provincial: My business in this state Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, well Determined upon these slanderers. Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly.-[Exit Duke. Siquior 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 And this friar a notable fellow. Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word. Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report. Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess; perchance, publicly she'll be ashamed. Till it o'er-run the stew: laws, for all faults; Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison. Lucio? Is this the man that you did tell us of? Lucio. Tis he, my lord.-Come hither, goodman bald-pate: Do you know me? Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your Lucio. O, did you so? And do you remember Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the duke a flesh- Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke Re-enter Officers, with Isabella; the Duke, in the 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. Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd 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 hands on the Duke. Duke. Stay, sir; stay a while. Ang. What! resists he? Help him, Lucio. 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, (4) Refer back. (5) Accountable. (6) Wantons. 1 with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach, and be hang'd an hour! Will't not off? Pulls off the friar's hood, and discovers the Duke. 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 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 sequent3 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, Than at the strangeness of it, 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: 0, 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. 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 (Being criminal, in double violation Service. (2) Devices. (3) Following. Attentive, (5) Angelo's own tongue. Thereon dependant, for your brother's life,) to you. Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take my part; Lend me your knees, and all my life to come Duke. Against all sense do you importune her; Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all, Most bounteous sir, His act did not o'ertake his bad intent, Mari. Prov. Give up your keys. Prov. What's he? Duke. Ang. I am sorry, that such sorrow I procure: 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. Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging. Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.- I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.- Re-enter Provost, Barnardine, Claudio, and Juliet. The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel, Duke. Which is that Barnardine? This, my lord. What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know. [Exeunt. Duke. There was a friar told me of this man:-So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no further than this world, And squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemn'd; But, for those early 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? The novel of Giraldi Cinthio, from which Shakspeare is supposed to have borrowed this fable, may be read in Shakspeare Illustrated, elegantly Prov. This is another prisoner, that I sav'd, That should have died when Claudio lost his head:translated, with remarks which will assist the inAs like almost to Claudio, as himself. [Unmuffles Claudio. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To Isabella.]] for his sake Is he pardon'd; And, for your lovely sake, yours. I find an apt remission in myself: One all of luxury,' an ass, a madman; 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 whipp'd. Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.- quirer to discover how much absurdity Shakspeare has admitted or avoided. I cannot but suspect that some other had new. modelled the novel of Cinthio, or written a story which in some particulars resembled it, and that Cinthio was not the author whom Shakspeare immediately followed. The emperor in Cinthio is named Maximine: the duke, in Shakspeare's enumeration of the persons of the drama, is called Vincentio. This appears a very slight remark; but since the duke has no name in the play, nor is ever mentioned but by his title, why should he be called Vincentio among the persons, but because the name was copied from the story, and placed superflu ously at the head of the list, by the mere habit of transcription? It is therefore likely that there was then a story of Vincentio duke of Vienna, different from that of Maximine emperor of the Romans. Of this play, the light or comic part is very natu ral and pleasing, but the grave scenes, if a few pasThe plot is rather intricate than artful. The time sages be excepted, have more labour than elegance. of the action is indefinite: some time, we know not how much, must have elapsed between the recess of the duke and the imprisonment of Claudio; for he must have learned the story of Mariana in his disguise, or he delegated his power to a man already known to be corrupted. The unities of action and place are sufficiently preserved. |