Hath look'd upon my paffes: then, good prince,
No longer feffion hold upon my fhame;

But let my trial be mine own confeffion :
Immediate fentence then, and fequent death,
Is all the grace I beg.

Duke. Come hither, Mariana: fay, waft thou
Contracted to this woman?

Ang. I was, my lord.

Duke. Go, take her hence, and marry her instantly. Do you the office, friar; which confummate,

Return him here again: go with him, provost.

[Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost.

SCENE V.

Efcal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour,

Than at the strangeness of it.

Duke. Come hither, Ifabel;

Your friar is now your prince: as I was then

Advertising, all holy, to your business,

Not changing heart with habit, I am still

Attorny'd at your service.

Ifab. O, give me pardon,

That I, your vaffal, have employ'd and pain'd
Your unknown fovereignty.

Duke. You are pardon'd, Ifabel:

And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.
Your brother's death, I know, fits at your heart:
And you may marvel why I obscur'd myself,
Labouring to fave his life; and would not rather
Make rash remonftrance of my hidden power,
Than let him be fo loft: o most kind maid,

It was the swift celerity of his death,
(Which I did think with flower foot came on)
That brain'd my purpose: but now peace be with him!
That life is better life, paft fearing death,

Than

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

SCENE VI.

Enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost.

Ifab. I do, my lord.

Duke. For this new-marry'd man, approaching here,
Whose falt imagination yet hath wrong'd

Your well-defended honour; you must pardon him
For Mariana's fake: but as a judge,

Being doubly criminal, in violation

Of facred chastity, and in promise-breach,
Thereon dependant for your brother's life,
The very mercy of the law cries out

Moft 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 ftill for Meafure.

Then, Angelo, thy faults are manifeft;

Which, though thou would'ft deny 'em, deny thee vantage.

We do condemn thee to the very block

Where Claudio ftoop'd to death; and with like hafte,
Away with him.

Mari. O my most gracious lord,

with a husband.

I hope, you will not mock me with a husband.
Duke. It is your husband mock'd you
Confenting to the fafeguard of your honour,
I thought your marriage fit; elfe imputation,
For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choke your good to come: for his poffeffions,
Although by confifcation they are ours,

We do enftate and widow you withal,
To buy you a better husband,

Mari. O my dear lord,

I crave no other, nor no better man..

Duke.

Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle my liege,

Duke. You do but lose your labour:

Away with him to death. Now, fir, to you.

Mari. O my good lord! Sweet Ifabel, 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. Againft all fense you do importune her;
Should the kneel down, in mercy of this fact,
Her brother's ghoft his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.

Mari. Ifabel,

Sweet Ifabel, do yet but kneel by me,

Hold up your hands, fay nothing; I'll speak all.
They fay, beft men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: fo may my husband.
O Isabel! will you not lend a knee?

Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Ifab. Moft bounteous fir,

Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if my brother liv'd: I partly think,

A due fincerity govern'd his deeds,

'Till he did look on me: fince it is fo,

Let him not die. My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he dy'd.
For Angelo, his act did not o'ertake

His bad intent, and must be bury'd but

As an intent that perifh'd by the way:

Thoughts are no subjects; intents, merely thoughts.
Mari. Merely, my lord.

Duke. Your fuit's unprofitable; ftand up, I say:
I have bethought me of another fault.

Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded

At at unusual hour?

Prov. 'Twas fo commanded.

[Kneeling.

Duke.

Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed?
Prov. No, my good lord; it was by private message.
Duke. For which I do discharge you of

Give up your keys.

Prov. Pardon me, noble lord.

I thought it was a fault, but knew is not;
Yet did repent me, after more advice:
For teftimony whereof, one in the prison,
That should by private order else have dy'd,
I have referv'd alive.

Duke. And what is he?

Prov. His name is Barnardine.

your office:

Duke. I would, thou had'ft done fo by Claudio: Go, fetch him hither; let me look upon him.

Efcal. I'm forry, one fo learned and so wife, As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd, Should flip fo grofly both in heat of blood, And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I'm forry, that fuch forrow I procure; And fo deep sticks it in my penitent heart, That I crave death more willingly than mercy: Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.

[Exit Prov.

Enter Provoft, Barnardine, Claudio, and Julietta.

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?

Prov. This, my good lord.

Duke. There was a friar told me of this man :

Sirrah, thou'rt faid to have a stubborn foul

That apprehends no further than this world,

And fquar'ft thy life accordingly: thou'rt condemn'd.
But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all:
pray thee, take this mercy to provide
For better times to come: friar, advise him;
I leave him to you. What muffled fellow's that?

VOL. I.

B b b

Prov.

Prov. This is another prifoner that I fav'd,
Who should have dy'd when Claudio loft his head,
As like almoft to Claudio as himself.

Duke. If he be like your brother, for his fake
He's pardoned; and for your lovely fake,
Give me your hand, fay you'll be mine, and he's
My brother too; but fitter time for that.
By this, lord Angelo perceives he's safe;
Methinks, I fee a quick'ning in his eye.
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well;

[uncovers him. [To Ifab.

Look, that you love your wife; her worth works yours.
I find an apt remiffion in myself,

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.

You, firrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward, [To Lucio. One all of luxury, an afs, a mad-man ;

Wherein have I deferved fo 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 whip'd.

If

Duke. Whip'd first, fir, and hang'd after. Proclaim it, provost, round about the city; any woman's 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 whip'd and hang'd.

Lucio. I befeech your highness, do not marry me to a whore: your highness faid even now, I made you a duke; good my lord, do not recompence me in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her:

Thy flanders I forgive, and therewithal

Remit thy other forfeits; take him to prison :

And see our pleasure herein execute.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is preffing to death, whip

ping, and hanging.

Duke.