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SCENE VI. A street near the city gate

Enter ISABELLA and MARIANA

ISABELLA.

To speak so indirectly I am loath;

I would say the truth; but to accuse him so,

That is your part. Yet I am advis'd to do it;

He says, to veil full purpose.

MARIANA.

Be rul'd by him.

ISABELLA.

Besides, he tells me that, if peradventure

He speak against me on the adverse side,

I should not think it strange; for 'tis a physic

That's bitter to sweet end.

MARIANA.

I would Friar Peter-

Enter FRIAR PETER

ISABELLA.

O, peace! the friar is come.

PETER.

Come, I have found you out a stand most fit,

Where you may have such vantage on the Duke

He shall not pass you. Twice have the trumpets sounded;

The generous and gravest citizens

Have hent the gates, and very near upon

The Duke is ent'ring; therefore, hence, away. Exeunt

ACT V. SCENE I. The city gate

Enter at several doors DUKE, VARRIUS, LORDS; ANGELO, ESCALUS,

Lucio,

PROVOST, OFFICERS, and CITIZENS

DUKE.

My very worthy cousin, fairly met!

Our old and faithful friend, we are glad to see you.

ANGELO, ESCALUS. Happy return be to your royal Grace!

DUKE.

Many and hearty thankings to you both.

We have made inquiry of you, and we hear

Such goodness of your justice that our soul

Cannot but yield you forth to public thanks,

Forerunning more requital.

ANGELO.

You make my bonds still greater.

DUKE.

O, your desert speaks loud; and I should wrong it

To lock it in the wards of covert bosom,

When it deserves, with characters of brass,

A forted residence 'gainst the tooth of time

And razure of oblivion. Give me your hand.

And let the subject see, to make them know

That outward courtesies would fain proclaim

Favours that keep within. Come, Escalus,

You must walk by us on our other hand,

And good supporters are you.

Enter FRIAR PETER and ISABELLA

PETER.

Now is your time; speak loud, and kneel before him.

ISABELLA.

Justice, O royal Duke! Vail your regard

Upon a wrong'd- I would fain have said a maid!

O worthy Prince, dishonour not your eye

By throwing it on any other object

Till you have heard me in my true complaint,

And given me justice, justice, justice, justice.

DUKE.

Relate your wrongs. In what? By whom? Be brief.

Here is Lord Angelo shall give you justice;

Reveal yourself to him.

ISABELLA.

O worthy Duke,

You bid me seek redemption of the devil!

Hear me yourself; for that which I must speak

Must either punish me, not being believ'd,

Or wring redress from you. Hear me, O, hear me, here!

ANGELO.

My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm;

She hath been a suitor to me for her brother,

Cut off by course of justice-

ISABELLA.

By course of justice!

ANGELO.

And she will speak most bitterly and strange.

ISABELLA.

Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak.

That Angelo's forsworn, is it not strange?

That Angelo's a murderer, is't not strange?

That Angelo is an adulterous thief,

An hypocrite, a virgin-violator,

Is it not strange and strange?

DUKE.

Nay, it is ten times strange.

ISABELLA.

It is not truer he is Angelo

Than this is all as true as it is strange;

Nay, it is ten times true; for truth is truth

To th' end of reck'ning.

DUKE.

Away with her. Poor soul,

She speaks this in th' infirmity of sense.

ISABELLA.

O Prince! I conjure thee, as thou believ'st

There is another comfort than this world,

That thou neglect me not with that opinion

That I am touch'd with madness. Make not impossible

That which but seems unlike: 'tis not impossible

But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground,

May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute,

As Angelo; even so may Angelo,

In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms,

Be an arch-villain. Believe it, royal Prince,

If he be less, he's nothing; but he's more,

Had I more name for badness.

DUKE.

By mine honesty,

If she be mad, as I believe no other,

Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense,

Such a dependency of thing on thing,

As e'er I heard in madness.

ISABELLA.

O gracious Duke,

Harp not on that; nor do not