MEASURE FOR MEASURE. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. The DUKE's Palace. The DUKE, ESCALUS, FREDERICK, and LEOPOLD, discovered. Duke. Escalus, Esca. My lord. Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know, that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice My strength can give you : The nature of our people, Our city's institutions, and the terms For common justice, you are as pregnant in [ESCALUS kneels, and takes his commission. Call hither, I [Exit LEOPOLD. What figure of us, think you, he will bear? Elected him our absence to supply; of it? Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love; Enter LEOPOLD, and ANGELO. Duke. Look, where he comes. Ang. Always obedient to your grace's will, I come to know your pleasure. Duke. Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, Fully unfold: In our remove, be thou at full ourself; Live in thy tongue and heart: Old Escalus, Ang. Now, good my lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Be stamp'd upon it. Duke. We have, with a leaven'd and prepared choice, Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours. [ANGELO kneels, and receives his commission. We shall write to you, well: As time and our concernings shall importune, Ang. Yet, give me leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way. Duke. My haste may not admit it: I'll privily away. [Exeunt LEOPOLD, and FREDERICK. Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do With any scruple: your scope is as mine own, As to your soul seems good.— Once more, fare you well. Ang. The Heavens give safety to your purposes. Esca. Lead forth, and bring you back in happi ness! -Fare you well. Duke. I thank you :— [Exit DUKE. Esca. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave To have free speech with you; and it concerns me A power I have; but of what strength and nature I am not yet instructed. Ang. "Tis so with me:-Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Touching that point. Esca. I'll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt ANGELO, and ESCALUS. SCENE II. The Garden of a Monastery. Enter FRIAR PETER, and the DUKE. Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought: Believe not, that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom: why I desire thee Peter. May your grace speak of it? Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd; And held in idle price to haunt assemblies, Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps. I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo, (A man of stricture, and firm abstinence,) Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting laws, (The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds,) Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch, For terror, not to use,)-in time the rod And liberty plucks justice by the nose: Peter. It rested in your grace To unloose this tied up justice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful: Sith 'twas my fault, to give the people scope, Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home: I will, as 'twere a brother of your order, Visit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee, Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, [Exeunt the DUKE and FRIAR Peter. SCENE III. The Street. Enter LEOPOLD, LUCIO, and FREDERICK. Lucio. If the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to composition with the King of Hungary, why, then all the Dukes fall upon the King. Fred. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary's! Leo. Amen. Lucio. Thou conclud'st, like the sanctimonious pirate, that went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped one out of the table. Leo. Thou shalt not steal? Lucio. Ay, that he razed. Fred. Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and all the rest from their functions; they put forth to steal: there's not a soldier of us all, that, in the thanksgiving before meat, doth relish the petition well that prays for peace. Leo. I never heard any soldier dislike it. |