Thieves for their robbery have authority,
When judges steal themselves. What! do I love her,
That I defire to hear her speak again,
And feast upon her eyes? what is't I dream on?
Oh cunning enemy, that to catch a faint
With faints dost bait thy hook! most dangerous
Is that temptation that doth goad us on
To fin in loving virtue; ne'er could the strumpet,
With all her double vigour, art and nature,
Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid
Subdues me quite: Ev'n 'till this very Now,
When men were fond, I smil'd, and wonder'd how. [Exit.
SCENE IX. A Prison.

Enter Duke babited like a Friar, and Provoft.
Duke. Hail to you, Provoft; so I think you are.
Prov. I am the Provost; what's your will, good Friar
Duke. Bound by my charity, and my blest order,

I come to visit the afflicted spirits

Here in the prison; do me the common right
To let me fee them, and to make me know
The nature of their crimes; that I may minister

To them accordingly.

Prov. I would do more than that, if more were needful.

Enter Juliet.

Look, here comes one; a gentlewoman of mine,
Who falling in the flaws of her own youth,
Hath blister'd her report: she is with child,
And he that got it, sentenc'd: a young man
More fit to do another fuch offence,

Than die for this.

Duke. When must he die?

Prov. As I do think, to-morrow!

I have provided for you; stay a while,

And you shall be conducted.

[To Juliet,

Duke. Repent you, fair one, of the fin you carry ?

Juliet. I do; and bear the shame most patiently.

Duke. I'll teach you how you shall arraign your confcience,

And try your penitence if it be found,

Or hollowly put on.

Juliet. I'll gladly learn.

C3

Duke.

Duke. Love you the man that wrong'd you ?
Juliet. Yes, as I love the woman that wrong'd him.
Duke. So then it feems your most offenceful act

Was mutually committed.

Juliet. Mutually.

Duke. Then was your fin of heavier kind than his.
Juliet. I do confess it and repent it, father.
Duke. 'Tis meet fo, daughter; but repent you not

As that the sin hath brought you to this shame ?
Which sorrow's always tow'rds ourselves, not heaven,
Showing we'd not seek heaven, as we love it,
But as we stand in fear.

Juliet. I do repent me as it is an evil,

And take the shame with joy.

Duke. 'Tis well, there rest.

Your partner, as I hear, must die to-morrow,
And I am going with instruction to him;

So grace go with you'; benedicite !

Juliet. Must die to-morrow! oh injurious law,

That refpites me a life, whose very comfort
Is still a dying horror!

Prov. 'Tis pity of him.

SCENE X. The Palace.

Enter Angelo.

[Exit

[Exeunt.

Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray To sev'ral subjects: heav'n hath my empty words, Whilft my intention, hearing not my tongue, Anchors on Ifabel: heav'n's in my mouth, As if I did but only chew its name, And in my heart the strong and swelling evil Of my conception: the state whereon I studied Is like a good thing being often read, Grown fear'd and tedious; yea, my gravity, Wherein (let no man hear me) I take pride, Could I with boot change for an idle plume Which the air beats for vain. Oh place! oh form! How often doft thou with thy cafe, thy habit, Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wiser fouls To thy false seeming! blood, thou art but blood: Let's write good angel on the devil's horn;

2

Let's

Is't not the devil's crest? How now ? who's there?
Enter Servant.

Seru. One Ifabel a sister asks access to you.
Ang. Teach her the way. Oh heav'ns! why does my

Thus muster to my heart, making both that
Unable for itself, and dispossessing
My other parts of neceffary fitness ?
So play the foolish throngs with one that swoons;
Come all to help him, and so stop the air
By which he should revive: and even fo
The gen'ral subjects to a well-wisht King
Quit their own part, and in obsequious fondness
Crowd to his prefence, where their untaught love
Must needs appear offence. How now, fair maid ?

SCENE XI. Enter Isabella.

Ifab. I am come to know your pleasure.

i

[blood

Ang. That you might know it, would much better please

Than to declare what 'tis. He cannot live,

[me,

[Going

And it may be as long as you or I;

Ifab. Under your sentence ?

Ang. Yea..

Ifab. When, I beseech you? that in his reprieve,

Longer or shorter, he may be so fitted,

That his foul ficken not.

Ang. Ha? fie, these filthy vices! 'twere as good

To pardon him, that hath from nature stol'n

A man already made, as to remit
Their sawcy lewdness that do coin heav'n's image

In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as just,

Falsely to take away a life true made,

As to put mettle in restrained means,

To make a false one.

Isab. 'Tis set down so in heav'n, but not in earth.
Ang. And say you so? then I shall poze you quickly.

Which had you rather, that the most just law
Now took your brother's life; or, to redeem him,

Give up your body to such sweet uncleanness

2

:

As

As she, that he hath stain'd?

Ifab. Sir, believe this,

I had rather give my body than my foul.

Ang. I talk not of your foul; our compell'd fins

Stand more for number than accompt.

Ifab. How say you ?

Ang. Nay, I'll not warrant that; for I can speak
Against the thing I say. Answer to this:
I, now the voice of the recorded law,
Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life:
Might there not be a charity in fin,
To fave this brother's life?

Ifab. Please you to do't,
I'll take it as a peril to my foul,
It is no fin at all, but charity.

Ang. Pleas'd you to do't at peril of your foul,
Were't equal poize of fin and charity?

Ifab. That I do beg his life, if it be fin,
Heav'n let me bear it! you granting my fuit,
If that be fin, I'll make't my morning-pray'r
To have it added to the faults of mine,
And nothing of your answer.

Ang. Nay, but hear me :

1

Your sense pursues not mine: either you're ignorant,
Or feem so craftily; and that's not good.

Ifab. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good,
But gracioufly to know I am no better.
Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright,
When it doth tax it self: as these black masques
Proclaim an en-shield beauty ten times louder
Than beauty could display'd. But mark me well:
To be received plain I'll speak more gross;
Your brother is to die.

Ifab. So.

Ang. And his offence is so, as it appears
Accountant to that law upon that pain.
Ifab. True.

Ang. Admit no other way to fave his life,
(As I subscribe not that, nor any other,)
But (in the lofs of question) that you his fifter,

Finding

Finding yourself defir'd of such a person,
Whose credit with the judge, or own great place,
Could fetch your brother from the manacles
Of the all-holding law; and that there were
No earthly mean to save him, but that either
You must lay down the treafures of your body
To this supposed, or else let him suffer;
What would you do?

Ifab. As much for my poor brother as my self;
That is, were I under the terms of death,
Th' impression of keen whips I'd wear as rubies,
And strip myself to death as to a bed
That longing I've been fick for, ere I'd yield

My body up to shame.

Ang. Then must your brother die. Ifab. And 'twere the cheaper way; Better it were a brother dy'd at once, Than that a fifter, by redeeming him, Should die for ever.

Ang. Were not you then as cruel as the sentence That you have slander'd so ?

Isab. An ignominious ransom, and free pardon,

Are of two houses; lawful mercy fure
Is nothing kin to foul redemption.

Ang. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant,

And rather prov'd the sliding of your brother
A merriment than a vice,

Ifab. Oh, pardon me,

My lord; it very oft falls out, to have

What we would have, we speak not what we mean:

I something do excuse the thing I hate,

For his advantage that I dearly love.

Ang. We are all frail.

Ifab. Elfe let my brother die,

If not a feodary but only he
Owe and succeed by weaknefs.

Ang. Nay, women are frail too.

Ifab. Ay, as the glasses where they view themselves;

Which are as easy broke as they make forms.
Women! help heav'n; men their creation mar

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