MEASURE FOR MEASURE. William Shakespeare

again: this ungenitured agent will unpeople the province with continency; sparrows must not build in his house-eaves because 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 pr’ythee pray for me. The duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on 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

       The whitest virtue strikes. What king so strong

       Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue?

       But who comes here?

       [Enter ESCALUS, PROVOST, BAWD, and Officers.]

       ESCALUS.

       Go, away with her to prison.

       BAWD. Good my lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted a merciful man; good my lord.

       ESCALUS.

       Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit in the same kind?

       This would make mercy swear and play the tyrant.

       PROVOST.

       A bawd of eleven years’ continuance, may it please your honour.

       BAWD. 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; I have kept it myself; and see how he goes about to abuse me.

       ESCALUS. 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 BAWD and Officers.]

       Provost, my brother Angelo will not be altered, Claudio must die tomorrow: 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.

       PROVOST. So please you, this friar hath been with him, and advised him for the entertainment of death.

       ESCALUS.

       Good even, good father.

       DUKE.

       Bliss and goodness on you!

       ESCALUS.

       Of whence are you?

       DUKE.

       Not of this country, though my chance is now

       To use it for my time: I am a brother

       Of gracious order, late come from the see

       In special business from his holiness.

       ESCALUS.

       What news abroad i’ the world?

       DUKE. None, but that there is so great a fever on goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it: novelty is only in request; and as 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: 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?

       ESCALUS. One that, above all other strifes, contended especially to know himself.

       DUKE.

       What pleasure was he given to?

       ESCALUS. Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at anything 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 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, by the instruction of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life; which I, by my good leisure, have discredited to him, and now he is resolved to die.

       ESCALUS. You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have laboured 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 fail, he hath sentenced himself.

       ESCALUS.

       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;

       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

       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!

       How may likeness, made in crimes,

       Make a practice on the times,

       To draw with idle spiders’ strings

       Most pond’rous and substantial things!

       Craft against vice I must apply;

       With Angelo tonight shall lie

       His old betrothed but despis’d;

       So disguise shall, by the disguis’d,

       Pay with falsehood false exacting,

       And perform an old contracting.

       [Exit.]

ACT IV.

       Table of Contents

      Scene I. A Room in Mariana’s House.

       [MARIANA discovered sitting; a Boy singing.]

       SONG

       Take, O, take those lips away,

       That so sweetly were forsworn;

       And those eyes, the break of day,

       Lights that do mislead the morn:

       But my kisses bring again

       Bring again;

       Seals of love, but seal’d in vain,

       Sealed in vain.

       MARIANA.

       Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away;

       Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice

       Hath often still’d my brawling discontent.—

       [Exit BOY.]

       [Enter DUKE.]

       I cry you mercy, sir; and well could wish

       You had not found me here so musical:

       Let me excuse me, and believe me so,