To this pernicious caitiff deputy. Duke. That's somewhat madly spoken. The phrase is to the matter. - Duke. Mended again: the matter:-Proceed! (For this was of much length,) the vile conclusion Release my brother; and, after much debatement, And I did yield to him: but the next morn betimes, Duke. This is most likely! Isab. O, that it were as like, as it is true! Duke. By heaven, fond wretch, thou know'st not what thou speak'st; F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear himself; Of a strange fever. Upon his mere request, Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour, And not have cut him off. Some one hath set you on: Isab. And is this all? Then, oh, you blessed ministers above, So vulgarly and personally accus'd,) Duke. Good friar, let's hear it.— [Isabella is carried off, guarded; and Mariana comes forward. Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo? O heaven! the vanity of wretched fools!- Of your own cause.-Is this the witness, friar? In countenance !-Heaven shield your grace from woe, Lucio. My lord, I know him: 'tis a meddling friar. F. Peter. Blessed be your royal grace! I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard Duke. We did believe no less. Know you that friar Lodowick, that she speaks of? As he's reported by this gentleman; Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it! Duke. What, are you married? Are nothing then: -neither maid, widow, nor wife? Lucio. Well, my lord. Mari. My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married; I have known my husband; yet my husband knows not, Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can be 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. Ang. Charges she more than me? Duke. No? you say, your husband. Mari. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo, This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, Which, once thou swor'st, was worth the looking on: Duke. Know you this woman? Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman; | Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at midAnd, five years since, there was some speech of mar-night. riage As there comes light from heaven, and words from 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, A marble monument! Ang. I did but smile till now; Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice; Duke. Ay, with my heart; And punish them unto your height of pleasure. Let him be sent for. 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: speak not you to him, till we 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? Duke. Respect to your great place! and let the devil Duke. Boldly, at least.-But, O, poor souls, Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of. To call him villain? And then to glance from him to the duke himself; Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, in- Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, deed, Hath set the women on to this complaint: Your provost knows the place where he abides, And he may fetch him. Duke. Go, do it instantly!— [Exit Provost. And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin, In any chastisement: I for a while Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have well Escal. We shall entreat you to abide here till he Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word. Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report. Till it o'er-run the stew: laws for all faults; As much in mock as mark. Escal. Slander to the state! Away with him to prison! 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 fleshmonger, 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. Lucio. O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck 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. Lucio. Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her pri- Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal:vately, she would sooner confess; perchance, pu-Away with him to prison! - Where is the provost ?blicly she'll be ashamed. 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! Re-enter Officers, with ISABELLA; the Duke in the Friar's habit, and Provost. Escal. I will go darkly to work with her. [The Provost lays hands on the Duke. 1 Duke. Stay, sir; stay a while! 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. Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence, That yet can do thee office? If thou hast, Rely upon it till my tale be heard, And hold no longer out. Ang. O my dread lord, I should be guiltier, thau my guiltiness, When I perceive, your grace, like power divine, Duke. Come hither, Mariana! Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman? Duke. Go,take her hence, and marry her instantly! [Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his dishonour, Than at the strangeness of it. Duke, Come hither, Isabel! Your friar is now your prince. As I was then Isab. O, give me pardon, That I, your vassal, hare employ'd and pain'd Duke. You are pardon'd, Isabel: Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost. Isab. I do, my lord. Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here, Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach, Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; I We do condemn thee to the very block, I Mari. O, my most gracious lord, hope you will not mock me with a husband! Mari. O, my dear lord, I crave no other, nor no better man. Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive! Mari. Gentle my liege,― Duke. You do but lose your labour: [Kneeling. Away with him to death - Now, sir,[To Lucio.] to you. Mari. Isabel, Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me! Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all! [Kneeling. Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd, Let him not die! My brother had but justice, His act did not o'ertake his bad intent, And must be buried but as an 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? 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; 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. Essal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd, Ang. I am sorry, that such sorrow I procure: Re-enter Provost, BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO, and JULIET. Prov. This, my lord. Duke. There was a friar told me of this man: [Unmuffles Claudio. Duke. If he be like your brother,[To Isabella.] for his sake Is he pardon'd; and, for your lovely sake, And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon ; ve. Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but aceI may go the trick. If you will hang me for it, you may, bte 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 Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. Lucio. Marrying a punk,my lord,is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging. Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.— I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.- yours.-The offence pardons itself.─Dear Isabel, You, sirrah, [To Lucio. ] that knew me for a fool, a What's mine, is yours, and what is yours, is mine : So bring us to our palace; where we'll show [Exeunt. 94 Duke. Ang L 95 cording to t I had honour on a young Floren on his part, and equally refo: he hath borne himself bes age; doing, in the figure of a u: he hath, indeed, better betan you must expect of me to tell ncle here in Messina, will be very much glad or 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? Mess. In great measure. 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. Mess. I will hold friends with you, lady. Leon. You will never run mad, niece. D. Pedro. Good signior Leonato, you are come to Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace: for trouble being gone, comfort should remain; but, when you depart from me, sorrow abides, and happiness takes his leave. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Hero. My cousin means signior Benedick of Padua. 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 wars. Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he is a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent stomach. D. Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly.— Leon. Her mother hath many times told me so. Beat. It is so indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man: but for the stuffing!-Well, we are all mortal. Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt signior Benedick and her : they never meet, but there is a skirmish of wit between them. Bene. If signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders, for all Messina, as like him as she is. Beat. I wonder, that you will still be talking, signior Benedick; no body marks you. Bene. What, my dear lady Disdain!are you yet living? Beat. Is it possible, disdain should die, while she hath such meet food to feed it, as signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence. Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one: so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother. Mess. Is it possible? Beat. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block. Beat. A dear happiness to women; they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God, and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that; had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me. I Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face. Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such a face as your's were. Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beat. A bird of my tongue is better, than a beast of yours. Bene. I would, my horse had the speed of your tongue; and so good a continuer. But keep your way o' God's name; I have done. Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old. D. Pedro. This is the sum of all: Leonato,-signior Claudio, and signior Benedick,-my dear friend Leonato hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at the least a month; and he heartily prays, some occasion may detain us longer: I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart. Mess. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. Leon.If you swear,my lord, you shall not be forsworn. Beat. No: an he were, I would burn my study. But,-Let me bid you welcome, my lord; being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty. D. John. I thank you: I am not of many words, but thank you. I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young Mess. He is most in the company of the right noble Beat. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a disease: he is sooner caught than the pestilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound, ere he be cured. I Leon. Please it your grace lead on? D. Pedro. Your hand, Leonato! we will go together. [Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio. Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daugther of signior Leonato? Bene. I noted her not; but I looked on her. |