Duke. No? you fay, your husband. [To Mariana.
Mari. Why, juft, 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 abufe; let's fee thy face.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.
[Unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which, once thou fwor'ft, was worth the looking on:
This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract,
Was faft belock'd in thine: this is the body,
That took away the match from Ifabel;
And did fupply thee at thy garden-house
In her imagin'd perfon.

Duke. Know you this woman?
Lucio. Carnally, she says.

Duke. Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Enough, my lord.

Ang. My lord, I muft confefs, I know this woman; And five years fince there was fome fpeech of marriage Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off, Partly, for that her promised proportions Came fhort of compofition; but, in chief, For that her Reputation was disvalu'd In levity; fince which time of five years

I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, Upon my faith and honour.

Mari. Noble Prince,

[breath,

As there comes light from heav'n, and words from As there is fenfe in truth, and truth in virtue,

I am affianc'd this man's wife, as ftrongly

As words could make up vows: and, my good lord, But Tuesday night laft gone, in's garden-house,

He knew me as a wife; as this is true,

Let me in fafety raise me from my knees;
Or else for ever be confixed here,

A marble monument !

Ang. I did but smile 'till now.

Now, good my lord, give me the scope of juftice; My patience here is touch'd; I do perceive,

These

poor informal women are no more
But inftruments of fome more mightier member,
That fets them on. Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice out.

. Duke. Ay, with my heart;

And punish them unto your height of pleasure.
Thou foolish Friar, and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone; think'st thou, thy
oath's,

Tho' they would fwear down each particular faint,
Were teftimonies 'gainst his worth and credit,
That's feal'd in approbation? You, lord Efcalus,
Sit with my coufin; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abuse, whence 'tis deriv'd.
There is another Friar, that fet them on;
Let him be sent for.

[deed,

Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, inHath fet the woman on to this complaint:

Your Provost knows the place, where he abides;
And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go, do it inftantly.

And you, my noble and well-warranted coufin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth;
Do with your injuries, as feems you best,

In

any chastisement: I for a while

Will leave you; but ftir

you, not 'till

Determined upon these flanderers.

SCENE

you have well

[Exit.

IV.

Efcal. M Lucio, did not you fay, you knew that

Y lord, we'll do it throughly, Signior

Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum; honeftin nothing,

but

but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most villanous fpeeches of the Duke.

Efcal. We fhall intreat you to abide here 'till he come, and inforce them against him; we fhall find this Friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.

Efcal. Call that fame Isabel here once again: I would speak with her: pray you, my lord, give me leave to queftion; you fhall fee how I'll handle her. Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report.

Efcal. Say you?

Lucio. Marry, Sir, I think, if you handled her privately, fhe fhould fooner confefs; perchance, publicly fhe'll be afham`d.

Enter Duke in the Friar's habit, and Provoft; Ifabella is brought in.

Efcal. I will go darkly to work with her.

Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midnight.

Efcal. Come on, mistress: here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have faid.

Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of, here with the Provoft.

Efcal. In very good time: fpeak not you to him, till we call upon you.

Lucio. Mum

Efcal. Come, Sir, did you set these women on to flander lord Angelo? they have confefs'd you did. Duke. 'Tis falfe,

Efcal. How? know you where you are?

Duke. Refpect to your great Place; and let the devil Be fometime honour'd for his burning throne. Where is the Duke? 'tis he fhould hear me speak. Efcal. The Duke's in us; and we will hear you speak: Look, you speak justly.

Duke. Boldly, at least. But oh, poor fouls, Come you to feek the lamb here of the fox?

E 6

Good

Good night to your redress: is the Duke gone? . Then is your caufe gone too. The Duke's unjuft, Thus to retort your manifeft appeal; And put your trial in the villain's mouth, Which here you come to accufe.

Lucio. This is the rafcal; this is he, I spoke of. Efcal. Why, thou unrev'rend and unhallow'd Friar, Is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women T'accufe this worthy man, but with foul mouth, And in the witnefs of his proper ear,

To call him villain; and then glance from him
To th' duke himself, to tax him with injuftice?
Take him hence; to th' rack with him: we'll touze you
Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose:
What? unjuft?

Duke. Be not fo hot; the duke dare no more stretch
This finger of mine, than he dare rack his own:
His fubject am I not,

Nor here provincial; my business in this ftate
Made me a looker on here in Vienna ;

Where I have feen corruption boil and bubble,
'Till it o'er-run the ftew: laws, for all faults;
But faults fo countenanc'd, that the ftrong ftatutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,

As much in mock as mark.

Efcal. Slander to th' ftate! away with him to prifon.. Ang. What canyou vouch against him, fignior Lucio? Is this the man, that you did tell us of? fbald-pat; Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither, good-man, you know me?

Do

Duke. I remember you, Sir, by the found of your voice: I met you at the prifon in the absence of the duke. Lucio. Oh, did you fo? and do you remember what you faid of the duke?

Duke. Moft notedly, Sir.

Lucio. Do you fo, Sir? and was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?

Duke

Duke. You muft, Sir, change perfons with me, ere you make that my report: you spoke fo of him, and much more, much worse.

Lucio. Oh thou damnable fellow! did not I pluck thee by the nofe, for thy fpeeches?

Duke. I proteft, I love the duke as I love myself. Ang. Hark! how the villain would close now, after his treasonable abuses.

Efcal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal; away with him to prifon: where is the Provoft? away with him to prifon; lay bolts enough upon him; let him speak no more; away with those giglets too, and with the other confederate companion.

Duke. Stay, Sir, stay a-while.

Ang. What! refifts he? help him, Lucio.

Lucio. Come, Sir; come, Sir; come, Sir; foh, Sir; why, you bald-pated lying rascal; you must be hooded, muft you? fhow your knave's vifage, with a pox to you; fhow your sheep-biting face, and be hang'd an hour: will't not off?

[Pulls off the Friar's Hood, and discovers the Duke. Duke. Thou art the firft knave, that e'er mad'fta duke. First, Provost, let me bail these gentle three. Sneak not away, Sir; 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; fit you [To Efcalus. We'll borrow place of him. Sir, by your leave: Haft thou or word, or wit, or impudence,

down:

That yet can do thee office? if thou haft,
Rely upon it 'till my tale be heard,
And hold no longer out.

Ang. O my dread lord,

I fhould be guiltier than my guiltinefs,
To think I can be undifcernable,

When I perceive your Grace, like pow'r divine,
Hath look'd upon my paffes: then, good prince,

No