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Were testimonies against his worth and credit,

That's seal'd in approbation? You, Lord Escalus,

Sit with my cousin; lend him your kind pains

To find out this abuse, whence 'tis deriv'd.

There is another friar that set them on;

Let him be sent for.

PETER.

Would lie were here, my lord! For he indeed

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,

Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,

Do with your injuries as seems you best

In any chastisement. I for a while will leave you;

But stir not you till you have well determin'd

Upon these slanderers.

ESCALUS.

My lord, we'll do it throughly. 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.

ESCALUS.

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.

ESCALUS.

Call that same Isabel here once again; I would speak with

her. [Exit an ATTENDANT] 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.

ESCALUS.

Say you?

LUCIO.

Marry, sir, I think, if you handled her privately, she would

sooner confess; perchance, publicly, she'll be asham'd.

Re-enter OFFICERS with ISABELLA; and PROVOST with the

DUKE in his friar's habit

ESCALUS.

I will go darkly to work with her.

LUCIO.

That's the way; for women are light at midnight.

ESCALUS.

Come on, mistress; here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said.

LUCIO.

My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of, here with the Provost.

ESCALUS.

In very good time. Speak not you to him till we call upon you.

LUCIO.

Mum.

ESCALUS.

Come, sir; did you set these women on to slander Lord

Angelo? They have confess'd you did.

DUKE.

'Tis false.

ESCALUS.

How! Know you where you are?

DUKE.

Respect to your great place! and let the devil

Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne!

Where is the Duke? 'Tis he should hear me speak.

ESCALUS.

The Duke's in us; and we will hear you speak;

Look you speak justly.

DUKE.

Boldly, at least. But, O, poor souls,

Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox,

Good night to your redress! Is the Duke gone?

Then is your cause gone too. The Duke's unjust

Thus to retort your manifest appeal,

And put your trial in the villain's mouth

Which here you come to accuse.

LUCIO.

This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of.

ESCALUS.

Why, thou unreverend and unhallowed friar,

Is't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women

To accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth,

And in the witness of his proper ear,

To call him villain; and then to glance from him

To th' Duke himself, to tax him with injustice?

Take him hence; to th' rack with him! We'll touze you

Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose.

What, 'unjust'!

DUKE.

Be not so hot; the Duke

Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he

Dare rack his own; his subject am I not,

Nor here provincial. My business in this state

Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,

Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble

Till it o'errun the stew: laws for all faults,

But faults so countenanc'd that the strong statutes

Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,

As much in mock as mark.

ESCALUS.

Slander to th' state! Away with him to prison!

ANGELO.

What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio?

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