Re-enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost. Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd (Being criminal, in double violation 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, Mari. O, my dear lord, I crave no other, nor no better man. Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive. (1) Angelo's own tongue. Mari. Gentle my liege, [Kneeling. Duke. You do but lose your labour: 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 Duke. Against all sensel you do importune her: Isabel, Mari. Duke. He dies for Claudio's death. Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling. Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd, A due sincerity govern'd his deeds, His act did not o'ertake his bad intent, That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no subjects; Intents but merely thoughts. Mari. Merely, my lord. 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? (1) Reason and affection. 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: Duke. What's he? Prov. 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 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, and Juliet. Duke, Which is that Barnardine ? VOL. I. Prov. This, my lord. Duke. There was a friar told me of this man :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 that? (1) Consideration. 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. [Unmuffles Claudio. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To Isabella.] for his sake Is he pardon'd; And, for your lovely sake, One all of luxury,2 an ass, a madman; Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick:3 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.- Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me, in making me a cuckold. Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. (1) Requites. (2) Incontinence. Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging. Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.- The novel of Giraldi Cinthio, from which Shakspeare is supposed to have borrowed this fable, may be read in Shakspeare Illustrated, elegantly translated, with remarks which will assist the inquirer to discover how much absurdity Shakspeare has admitted or avoided. I cannot but suspect that some other had newmodelled 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 Vin (1) Punishments. (2) To reward. |