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Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.

Mari.

Isabel,
Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me;
Hold up your hands; say nothing; I'll speak all.
They say, best men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: so may my husband.
O, Isabel! will you not lend a knee?

Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab.

Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.

Look, if it please you, on this man condemned,
As if my brother lived: I partly think,
A due sincerity governed his deeds,
Till he did look on me: since it is so,

Let him not die: My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died:
For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;

And must be buried but as an intent

That perished 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?

Prov.

It was commanded so.

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 your office. Give up your keys.

Prov.
Pardon me, noble lord:
I thought it was a fault, but knew it not;
Yet did repent me, after more advice:
For testimony whereof, one in the prison
That should by private order else have died,
I have reserved alive.

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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 appeared,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of tempered 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?

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 condemned; But, for those earthly1 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? Prov. This is another prisoner, that I saved, 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 pardoned; and, for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine.
He is my brother too; but fitter time for that.
By this, lord Angelo perceives he's safe;
Methinks I see a quickening in his eye :-
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:

2

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Her brother's ghost his paved bed would
And take her hence in horror.

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Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by m
Hold up your hands; say nothing;
They say, best men are moulded
And, for the most, become muc'
For being a little bad: so ma
O, Isabel! will you not

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ld thou had'st done so by Claudio.
; let me look upon him.
[Exit Provost

one so learned and so wise
appeared,

still

ent afterward.
h in the heat of blood,
Sorrow I procure;
tent heart,

than mercy;

Duke. He dies for C
Isab.

Look, if it please you.
As if my brother liv
A due sincerity gov
Till he did look o
Let him not die

In that he did

For Angelo,

His act did

And must

That peri

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and JCLIET.

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ess, do not marry me
ss said even now,
I made

ord, do not recompense me in

mine honor, thou shalt marry 1 forgive; and therewithal

other forfeits.-Take him to prison: our pleasure herein executed.

her.

acio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to ath, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it.—

She, Claudio, that you wronged, look you restore.
Joy to you, Mariana!-Love her, Angelo;
I have confessed her, and I know her virtue.-
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness.
There's more behind, that is more gratulate.

1 "Her worth worth yours;" that is, "her value is equal to yours; match is not unworthy of you."

2 Incontinence.

3 Thoughtless practice.

4 i. e. more to be rejoiced in.

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Look that you love your wife; her worth, worth

yours.1

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 ;
Wherein have I so deserved of you,
That you extol me thus ?

3

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 whipped. Duke. Whipped first, sir, and hanged after.Proclaim it, provost, round about the city;

If any woman's wronged 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 finished,
Let him be whipped and hanged.

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 honor, 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.—
She, Claudio, that you wronged, look you restore.
Joy to you, Mariana!-Love her, Angelo;

I have confessed her, and I know her virtue.—
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness.
There's more behind, that is more gratulate."

1 "Her worth worth yours;" that is, "her value is equal to yours; match is not unworthy of you."

2 Incontinence.

3 Thoughtless practice.

4 i. e. more to be rejoiced in.

the

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