And by an eminent body, that enforc'd The law against it!-But that her tender shame How might she tongue me? Yet reason dares her? -no: For my authority bears a credent9 bulk, That no particular scandal once can touch, But it confounds the breather.' He should have liv'd, With ransome of such shame. liv'd! 'Would yet he had Alack, when once our grace we have forgot, Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not. [Exit. SCENE V. Fields without the Town. Enter Duke in his own habit, and Friar PETER. Duke. These letters at fit time deliver me. [Giving letters. The provost knows our purpose, and our plot. Though sometimes you do blench from this to that, Calls, challenges her to do it. Utterer. 9 Credit unquestionable. 2 Start off. And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate; F. Peter. It shall be speeded well. Enter VARRIUS. [Exit Friar. Duke. I thank thee, Varrius; thou hast made good haste : Come, we will walk: There's other of our friends Will greet us here anon, my gentle Varrius. [Exeunt. SCENE VI. Street near the City Gate. Enter ISABELLA and MARIANA. i Isab. To speak so indirectly, I am loath; I would say the truth; but to accuse him so, Mari. Be rul'd by him. Isab. Besides, he tells me, that, if peradventure He speak against me on the adverse side, I should not think it strange; for 'tis a physick, Mari. I would, friar Peter Isab O, peace; the friar is come. Enter Friar PETER. F. Peter. Come, I have found you out a stand most fit, 3 Availful. Where you may have such vantage on the duke, He shall not pass you; Twice have the trumpets sounded; 5 The generous and gravest citizens Have hent the gates, and very near upon 'The duke is ent'ring; therefore hence, away. ACT V. [Exeunt. SCENE I. A publick Place near the City Gate. MARIANA, (veil'd,) ISABELLA, and PETER, at a distance. Enter at opposite 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. Ang. and Escal. Happy return be to your royal grace! Duke. Many and hearty thankings to you both. Ang. 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, 4 Advantage. 5 Most noble. ❝ Seized. And let the subject see, to make them know PETER and ISABELLA come forward. F. Peter. Now is your time; speak loud, and kneel before him. Isab. Justice, O royal duke! Vail' your regard Upon a wrong'd, I'd 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. Isab. O, worthy duke, You bid me seek redemption of the devil : Hear me yourself; for that which I must speak Or wring redress from you: here me, O, hear me, here. Ang. 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. Isab. By course of justice! Ang. And she will speak most bitterly, and strange. Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak: 7 Lower, That Angelo's forsworn; is it not strange ? Is it not strange, and strange? Duke. Nay, ten times strange, Isab. 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 Duke, Away with her :-Poor soul, She speaks this in the infirmity of sense. Isab. O prince, I cónjure 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 im possible That which but seems unlike: 'tis not impossible, But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground, As Angelo; even so may Angelo, 8 In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms, 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. Isab. O, gracious duke, ? Habits and characters of office. |