To this pernicious caitiff deputy. Duke. That's somewhat madly spoken. Isab. The phrase is to the matter. I went. Pardon it; Duke. Mended again: the matter; Proceed. Isab. In brief, -to set the needless process by, How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd, How he refell'd me, and how I reply'd; For this was of much length,) the vile conclusion now begin with grief and shame to utter: He would not, but by gift of my chaste body To his concupiscible intemperate lust, Release my brother; and, after much debatement, My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour, And I did yield to him: But the next morn betimes, His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant For my poor brother's head. Duke. This is most likely ! Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour, Confess the truth, and say by whose advice Isab. Know you that friar Lodowick, that she speaks of? And, on my trust, a man that never yet Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it. But at this instant he is sick, my lord, Of a strange fever: Upon his mere request, So vulgarly and personally accus'd,) Good friar, let's hear it. [ISABELLA is carried off, guarded; and MARIANA Comes forward. Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo? And is this all? Duke. A widow then? No, my lord. Neither, my lord. Why, you Are nothing then: - Neither maid, widow, nor wife? I have known my husband; yet my husband knows | That's seal'd in approbation?— You, lord Escalus, not, That ever he knew me. Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can be There is another friar that set them on; no better. Duke. For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so too. Lucio. Well, my lord. Duke. This is no witness for lord Angelo. She, that accuses him of fornication, Ang. Charges she more han me? Mari. Not that I know. No? you say, your husband. Ang. This is a strange abuse:-Let's see thy face. [Unveiling. This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, Duke. Know you this woman? Lucio. Carnally, she says. Lucio. Enough, my lord. Sirrah, no more. Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman; And, five years since, there was some speech of Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off, For that her reputation was disvalued In levity since which time of five years, I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin, Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have well Escal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly. —[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 villainous 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; [To an Attendant.] I would speak with her: 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. Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess: perchance, publickly she'll be ashamed. Re-enter Officers, with ISABELLA; the DUKE, in the Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. Escal. Come on mistress: [To ISABELLA.] here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said. Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here with the provost. Escal. In very good time: As there comes light from heaven, and words from him, till we call upon you. breath, 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, Let me in safety raise me from my knees; Or else for ever be confixed here, A marble monument! Ang. Duke. oaths, Though they would swear down each particular saint, Escal. Come, sir: Did you set these women on to slander lord Angelo? they have confess'd you did. Duke. 'Tis false. Escal. How! know you where you are? Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne: Duke. Boldly, at least: But, O, poor souls, Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. friar! Is't not enough, thou hast suborn'd these women, I should be guiltier than my guiltiness, To accuse this worthy man; but, in foul mouth, To call him villain? And then to glance from him to the duke himself; To the rack with him :- - We'll touze you joint by What! unjust? But we will know this purpose:- Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to Ang. What can you vouch against him, signior Is this the man that you did tell us of? Lucio. 'Tis he, my lord. Come hither good-man bald-pate: 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. Lucio. O did you so? And do you remember what you said of the duke? Duke. Most notedly, sir. Lucio. Do you, so, sir? And was the duke a flesh-monger, 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. When I perceive, your grace, like power divine, Duke. Come hither, Mariana: :- Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her, in O give me pardon, That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd Your unknown sovereignty. Duke. You are pardon'd, Isabel : Lucio. O thou damnable fellow ! Did not I pluck That life is better life, past fearing death, 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 awhile. 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, with a pox to you! show 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 first knave, that e'er made a duke.. Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort, Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd (Being criminal, in double violation We do condemn thee to the very block Mari. Consenting to the safeguard of your honour, 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. I find an apt remission in myself: And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon : You, sirrah, [to LUCIO.] that knew me for a fool, a coward, 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, Proclaim it, provost, round about the city; If 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 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 Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal Remit thy other forfeits : -- Take him to prison: And see our pleasure herein executed. Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging. Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it. I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue, - : Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and others, with a Messenger. Leon. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina. Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him. Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness. Leon. Did he break out into tears? Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping? Beat. I pray you, is signior Montanto returned from the wars, or no? Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Mess. O, he is returned, and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt. — I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing. Leon. Faith, niece, you tax signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good service, lady, in these |