_Enter, on one side, DUKE disguised as before; on the other, ELBOW,
and _Officers_ with POMPEY._
_Elb._ Nay, if there be no remedy for it, but that you
will needs buy and sell men and women like beasts, we
shall have all the world drink brown and white bastard.
_Duke._ O heavens! what stuff is here?
_Pom._ 'Twas never merry world since, of two usuries, 5
the merriest was put down, and the worser allowed by
order of law a furred gown to keep him warm; and furred
with fox and lamb-skins too, to signify, that craft,
being richer than innocency, stands for the facing.
_Elb._ Come your way, sir. 'Bless you, good father friar. 10
_Duke._ And you, good brother father. What offence
hath this man made you, sir?
_Elb._ Marry, sir, he hath offended the law: and, sir, we
take him to be a thief too, sir; for we have found upon him,
sir, a strange picklock, which we have sent to the Deputy. 15
_Duke._ Fie, sirrah! a bawd, a wicked bawd!
The evil that thou causest to be done,
That is thy means to live. Do thou but think
What 'tis to cram a maw or clothe a back
From such a filthy vice: say to thyself, 20
From their abominable and beastly touches
I drink, I eat, array myself, and live.
Canst thou believe thy living is a life,
So stinkingly depending? Go mend, go mend.
_Pom._ Indeed, it does stink in some sort, sir; but yet, 25
sir, I would prove--
_Duke._ Nay, if the devil have given thee proofs for sin,
Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prison, officer:
Correction and instruction must both work
Ere this rude beast will profit. 30
_Elb._ He must before the Deputy, sir; he has given
him warning: the Deputy cannot abide a whoremaster: if
he be a whoremonger, and comes before him, he were as
good go a mile on his errand.
_Duke._ That we were all, as some would seem to be, 35
From our faults, as faults from seeming, free!
_Elb._ His neck will come to your waist,--a cord, sir.
_Pom._ I spy comfort; I cry bail. Here's a gentleman
and a friend of mine.
_Enter LUCIO._
_Lucio._ How now, noble Pompey! What, at the wheels 40
of Caesar? art thou led in triumph? What, is there none
of Pygmalion's images, newly made woman, to be had
now, for putting the hand in the pocket and extracting it
clutched? What reply, ha? What sayest thou to this tune,
matter and method? Is't not drowned i' the last rain, ha? 45
What sayest thou, Trot? Is the world as it was, man?
Which is the way? Is it sad, and few words? or how? The
trick of it?
_Duke._ Still thus, and thus; still worse!
_Lucio._ How doth my dear morsel, thy mistress? Procures 50
she still, ha?
_Pom._ Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and
she is herself in the tub.
_Lucio._ Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be
so: ever your fresh whore and your powdered bawd: an 55
unshunned consequence; it must be so. Art going to
prison, Pompey?
_Pom._ Yes, faith, sir.
_Lucio._ Why, 'tis not amiss, Pompey. Farewell: go,
say I sent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? or how? 60
_Elb._ For being a bawd, for being a bawd.
_Lucio._ Well, then, imprison him: if imprisonment be
the due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right: bawd is he doubtless,
and of antiquity too; bawd-born. Farewell, good Pompey.
Commend me to the prison, Pompey: you will turn good 65
husband now, Pompey; you will keep the house.
_Pom._ I hope, sir, your good worship will be my bail.
_Lucio._ No, indeed, will I not, Pompey; it is not the
wear. I will pray, Pompey, to increase your bondage: if
you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the more. 70
Adieu, trusty Pompey. 'Bless you, friar.
_Duke._ And you.
_Lucio._ Does Bridget paint still, Pompey, ha?
_Elb._ Come your ways, sir; come.
_Pom._ You will not bail me, then, sir? 75
_Lucio._ Then, Pompey, nor now. What news abroad,
friar? what news?
_Elb._ Come your ways, sir; come.
_Lucio._ Go to kennel, Pompey; go. [_Exeunt Elbow,
Pompey and Officers._] What news, friar, of the Duke? 80
_Duke._ I know none. Can you tell me of any?
_Lucio._ Some say he is with the Emperor of Russia;
other some, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you?
_Duke._ I know not where; but wheresoever, I wish him
well. 85
_Lucio._ It was a mad fantastical trick of him to steal
from the state, and usurp the beggary he was never born
to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence; he puts
transgression to't.
_Duke._ He does well in't. 90
_Lucio._ A little more lenity to lechery would do no
harm in him: something too crabbed that way, friar.
_Duke._ It is too general a vice, and severity must cure
it.
_Lucio._ Yes, in good sooth, the vice is of a great kindred; 95
it is well allied: but it is impossible to extirp it
quite, friar, till eating and drinking be put down. They
say this Angelo was not made by man and woman after
this downright way of creation: is it true, think you?
_Duke._ How should he be made, then? 100
_Lucio._ Some report a sea-maid spawned him; some,
that he was begot between two stock-fishes. But it is
certain that, when he makes water, his urine is congealed
ice; that I know to be true: and he is a motion generative;
that's infallible. 105
_Duke._ You are pleasant, sir, and speak apace.
_Lucio._ Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for
the rebellion of a codpiece to take away the life of a man!
Would the Duke that is absent have done this? Ere he
would have hanged a man for the getting a hundred bastards, 110
he would have paid for the nursing a thousand: he
had some feeling of the sport; he knew the service, and
that instructed him to mercy.
_Duke._ I never heard the absent Duke much detected
for women; he was not inclined that way. 115
_Lucio._ O, sir, you are deceived.
_Duke._ 'Tis not possible.
_Lucio._ Who, not the Duke? yes, your beggar of fifty;
and his use was to put a ducat in her clack-dish: the Duke
had crotchets in him. He would be drunk too; that let me 120
inform you.
_Duke._ You do him wrong, surely.
_Lucio._ Sir, I was an inward of his. A shy fellow was
the Duke: and I believe I know the cause of his
withdrawing. 125
_Duke._ What, I prithee, might be the cause?
_Lucio._ No, pardon; 'tis a secret must be locked within
the teeth and the lips: but this I can let you understand,
the greater file of the subject held the Duke to be wise.
_Duke._ Wise! why, no question but he was. 130
_Lucio._ A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow.
_Duke._ Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking:
the very stream of his life and the business he hath helmed
must, upon a warranted need, give him a better proclamation.
Let him be but testimonied in his own bringings-forth, 135
and he shall appear, to the envious, a scholar, a statesman
and a soldier. Therefore you speak unskilfully; or
if your knowledge be more, it is much darkened in your
malice.
_Lucio._ Sir, I know him, and I love him. 140
_Duke._ Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge
with dearer love.
_Lucio._ Come, sir, I know what I know.
_Duke._ I can hardly believe that, since you know not
what you speak. But, if ever the Duke return, as our prayers 145
are he may, let me desire you to make your answer
before him. If it be honest you have spoke, you have
courage to maintain it: I am bound to call upon you; and,
I pray you, your name?
_Lucio._ Sir, my name is Lucio; well known to the 150
duke.
_Duke._ He shall know you better, sir, if I may live to
report you.
_Lucio._ I fear you not.
_Duke._ O, you hope the Duke will return no more; or 155
you imagine me too unhurtful an opposite. But, indeed, I
can do you little harm; you'll forswear this again.
_Lucio._ I'll be hanged first: thou art deceived in me,
friar. But no more of this. Canst thou tell if Claudio die
to-morrow or no? 160
_Duke._ Why should he die, sir?
_Lucio._ Why? For filling a bottle with a tun-dish. I
would the Duke we talk of were returned again: this ungenitured
agent will unpeople the province with continency;
sparrows must not build in his house-eaves, because 165
they are lecherous. The Duke yet would have dark deeds
darkly answered; he would never bring them to light:
would he were returned! Marry, this Claudio is condemned
for untrussing. Farewell, good friar: I prithee, pray for
me. The Duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on 170
Fridays. He's not past it yet, and I say to thee, he would
mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown bread and
garlic: say that I said so. Farewell. [_Exit._
_Duke._ No might nor greatness in mortality
Can censure 'scape; back-wounding calumny 175
The whitest virtue strikes. What king so strong
Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue?
But who comes here?
_Enter ESCALUS, PROVOST, and _Officers_ with MISTRESS OVERDONE._
_Escal._ Go; away with her to prison!
_Mrs Ov._ Good my lord, be good to me; your honour 180
is accounted a merciful man; good my lord.
_Escal._ Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit
in the same kind! This would make mercy swear and
play the tyrant.
_Prov._ A bawd of eleven years' continuance, may it 185
please your honour.
_Mrs Ov._ My lord, this is one Lucio's information
against me. Mistress Kate Keepdown was with child by
him in the Duke's time; he promised her marriage: his
child is a year and a quarter old, come Philip and Jacob: 190
I have kept it myself; and see how he goes about to abuse
me!
_Escal._ That fellow is a fellow of much license: let
him be called before us. Away with her to prison! Go
to; no more words. [_Exeunt Officers with Mistress Ov._] 195
Provost, my brother Angelo will not be altered; Claudio
must die to-morrow: let him be furnished with divines, and
have all charitable preparation. If my brother wrought by
my pity, it should not be so with him.
_Prov._ So please you, this friar hath been with him, 200
and advised him for the entertainment of death.
_Escal._ Good even, good father.
_Duke._ Bliss and goodness on you!
_Escal._ Of whence are you?
_Duke._ Not of this country, though my chance is now 205
To use it for my time: I am a brother
Of gracious order, late come from the See
In special business from his Holiness.
_Escal._ What news abroad i' the world?
_Duke._ None, but that there is so great a fever on goodness, 210
that the dissolution of it must cure it: novelty is only
in request; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind
of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking.
There is scarce truth enough alive to make societies
secure; but security enough to make fellowships accurst:-- 215
much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This
news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I pray you,
sir, of what disposition was the Duke?
_Escal._ One that, above all other strifes, contended
especially to know himself. 220
_Duke._ What pleasure was he given to?
_Escal._ Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than
merry at any thing which professed to make him rejoice: a
gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his
events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous; and let 225
me desire to know how you find Claudio prepared. I am
made to understand that you have lent him visitation.
_Duke._ He professes to have received no sinister measure
from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to
the determination of justice: yet had he framed to himself, 230
by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of
life; which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to him,
and now is he resolved to die.
_Escal._ You have paid the heavens your function, and
the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have laboured 235
for the poor gentleman to the extremest shore of my
modesty: but my brother justice have I found so severe,
that he hath forced me to tell him he is indeed Justice.
_Duke._ If his own life answer the straitness of his
proceeding, it shall become him well; wherein if he chance to 240
fail, he hath sentenced himself.
_Escal._ I am going to visit the prisoner. Fare you well.
_Duke._ Peace be with you! [_Exeunt Escalus and Provost._
He who the sword of heaven will bear
Should be as holy as severe; 245
Pattern in himself to know,
Grace to stand, and virtue go;
More nor less to others paying
Than by self-offences weighing.
Shame to him whose cruel striking 250
Kills for faults of his own liking!
Twice treble shame on Angelo,
To weed my vice and let his grow!
O, what may man within him hide,
Though angel on the outward side! 255
How may likeness made in crimes,
Making practice on the times,
To draw with idle spiders' strings
Most ponderous and substantial things!
Craft against vice I must apply: 260
With Angelo to-night shall lie
His old betrothed but despised;
So disguise shall, by the disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,
And perform an old contracting. [_Exit._ 265
NOTES: III, 2.