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Duke. Good friar, let's hear it.—

Take her hence awhile.

[Exit FRIAR Peter.

[Exeunt ISABELLA and two APPARITORS.

Give us some seats.- [GENTLEMEN fetch two chairs.
Do you not smile at this, Lord Angelo?

O Heaven! the vanity of wretched fools!—
Come, cousin Angelo;

In this I'll be impartial; be you judge

Of your own cause.-[The DUKE and ANGELO sit.

Enter MARIANA, veiled, and FRIAR PETER.

Is this the witness, friar?

First, let her show her face; and, after speak.

Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face, Until my husband bid me.

Duke. What, are you marry'd?

Mari. No, my lord.

Duke. Are you a maid?

Mari. No, my lord.

Duke. A widow then.

Mari. Neither, my lord.

Duke. Why, you are nothing then: Neither maid, widow, nor wife?

Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Duke. Silence that fellow; I would, he had some

cause

To prattle for himself.

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Mari. My lord, I do confess, I ne'er was marry'd; And, I confess, besides, I am no maid:

I have known my husband; yet my husband knows

not,

That ever he knew me.

Lucio. He was drunk, then, my lord? it can be no

better.

Duke. For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so too!

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Duke. This is no witness for my

Lord Angelo.

Mari. Now I come to't, my lord:

She, that accuses him,

In self-same manner doth accuse my husband;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time,
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms.
Ang. Charges she more than me?

Mari. Not that I know.

Duke. No?—You say, your husband.

Mari. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo.
Ang. This is a strange abuse: Let's see thy face.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.
[Unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,

Which, once thou swor'st, was worth the looking on:
This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract,
Was fast belock'd in thine: 'twas I
That took away the match from Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house,
In her imagin'd person.

Duke. Know you this woman?

Lucio. Carnally, she says.

Duke. Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Enough, my lord.

Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman; And, five years since, there was some speech of mar

riage

Betwixt myself and her: which was broke off,

Partly, for that her promised proportions
Came short of composition; but, in chief,
For that her reputation was disvalu'd
In levity: since which time, of five years,

I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her,
Upon my faith and honour.

Mari. Noble prince,

[Kneels.

As there comes light from Heaven, and words from

breath,

As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue,

I am affianc'd this man's wife, as strongly
As words could make up vows:

As this is true,

Let me in safety raise me from my knees;
Or else for ever be confixed here,

A marble monument!

[Rises.
Ang. I did but smile till now; [ANGELO starts up.
Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
My patience here is touch'd: I do perceive,
These poor informal women are no more

But instruments of some more mightier member,
That sets them on: Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice out.

Duke. Aye, with my heart;

And punish them unto your height of pleasure.-
[The DUKE rises.
Thou foolish friar,—and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone, think'st thou thy oaths,
Though they would swear down each particular saint,
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 he 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; stir not you, till you have well
Determined upon these slanderers.

Esca. My lord, we'll do it throughly.

[Exit DUKE.-ANGELO and ESCALUS sit. Signior Lucio, did not you say, you knew that Friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person?

Lucio. Cucullus not facet monachum: honest in nothing, but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most villainous speeches of the Duke.

Esca. 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.

Esca. Know you that Friar Lodowick, that he speaks of?

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Peter. I know him for a man divine and holy; Not sawcy, nor a temporary meddler,

As he's reported by this gentleman;

And, on my trust, a man that never yet

Did, as he vouches, misreport his grace.

Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it.

Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear himself; But at this instant he is sick, my lord,

Of a strange fever: Upon his mere request,

(Being come to knowledge that there was complaint Intended 'gainst Lord Angelo,) came I hither,

To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true, and false; and what he with his oath,
And all probation, will make up full clear,
Whensoever he's convented.

Esca. Call that same Isabel here once again.— [Exit a GENTLEMAN. I would speak with her:-'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.

Enter the GENTLEMAN, ISABELLA, and two APPA

RITORS.

Esca. 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.

Esca. In very good time:-Speak not you to him, till we call upon you.

Lucio. Mum.

Enter the DUKE, as a Friar, and PROVOST.

Esca. Come, sir: Did you set these women on to slander Lord Angelo? They have confess'd you did. Duke. 'Tis false.

Esca. 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. Esca. 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. Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd 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 the Duke himself; To tax him with injustice!-Take him hence;

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