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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.

ANGELO.

Hark how the villain would close now, after his treasonable abuses!

ESCALUS.

Such a fellow is not to be talk'd withal. Away with him to

prison! Where is the Provost? Away with him to prison! Lay bolts

enough upon him; let him speak no more. Away with those giglets

too, and with the other confederate companion!

[The PROVOST lays bands on the DUKE]

DUKE.

Stay, sir; stay awhile.

ANGELO.

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 bood and discovers the DUKE]

DUKE.

Thou art the first knave that e'er mad'st a duke.

First, Provost, let me bail these gentle three.

[To Lucio] Sneak not away, sir, for the friar and you

Must have a word anon. Lay hold on him.

LUCIO.

This may prove worse than hanging.

DUKE.

[To ESCALUS] What you have spoke I pardon; sit you down.

We'll borrow place of him. [To ANGELO] Sir, by your leave.

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.

ANGELO.

O my dread lord,

I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,

To think I can be undiscernible,

When I perceive your Grace, like pow'r divine,

Hath look'd upon my passes. Then, good Prince,

No longer session hold upon my shame,

But let my trial be mine own confession;

Immediate sentence then, and sequent death,

Is all the grace I beg.

DUKE.

Come hither, Mariana.

Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman?

ANGELO.

I was, my lord.

DUKE.

Go, take her hence and marry her instantly.

Do you the office, friar; which consummate,

Return him here again. Go with him, Provost.

Exeunt ANGELO, MARIANA, FRIAR PETER, and PROVOST

ESCALUS.

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

Advertising and holy to your business,

Not changing heart with habit, I am still

Attorney'd at your service.

ISABELLA.

O, give me pardon,

That I, your vassal have employ'd and pain'd

Your unknown sovereignty.

DUKE.

You are pardon'd, Isabel.

And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.

Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart;

And you may marvel why I obscur'd myself,

Labouring to save his life, and would not rather

Make rash remonstrance of my hidden pow'r

Than let him so be lost. O most kind maid,

It was the swift celerity of his death,

Which I did think with slower foot came on,

That brain'd my purpose. But peace be with him!

That life is better life, past fearing death,

Than that which lives to fear. Make it your comfort,

So happy is your brother.

ISABELLA.

I do, my lord.

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, FRIAR PETER, and PROVOST

DUKE.

For this new-married man approaching here,

Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd

Your well-defended honour, you must pardon

For Mariana's sake; but as he adjudg'd your brother-

Being criminal in double violation

Of sacred chastity and of promise-breach,

Thereon dependent, for your brother's life-

The very mercy of the law cries out

Most audible, even from his proper tongue,

'An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!'

Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;

Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.

Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifested,

Which, though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.

We do condemn thee to the very block

Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste.

Away with him!

MARIANA.

O my