William Shakespeare - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Then nightly sings the staring owl:

Tu-who;

Tu-whit, to-who—a merry note,

While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

ARMADO.

The words of Mercury are harsh after the songs of Apollo.

You that way: we this way.

[Exeunt.]

THE END

Table of Contents

By William Shakespeare

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

VICENTIO, Duke of Vienna.

ANGELO, Lord Deputy in the Duke’s absence.

ESCALUS, an ancient Lord, joined with Angelo in the deputation.

CLAUDIO, a young Gentleman.

LUCIO, a Fantastic.

Two other like Gentlemen.

VARRIUS, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.

PROVOST.

THOMAS, friar.

PETER, friar.

A JUSTICE.

ELBOW, a simple Constable.

FROTH, a foolish Gentleman.

CLOWN, Servant to Mistress Overdone.

ABHORSON, an Executioner.

BARNARDINE, a dissolute Prisoner.

ISABELLA, Sister to Claudio.

MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo.

JULIET, beloved by Claudio.

FRANCISCA, a nun.

MISTRESS OVERDONE, a Bawd.

Lords, Gentlemen, Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE: Vienna

ACT I.

SCENE I. An apartment in the DUKE’S Palace.

[Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, LORDS, and ATTENDANTS.]

DUKE.

Escalus,—

ESCALUS.

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: then no more remains

But that to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,

And let them work. The nature of our people,

Our city’s institutions, and the terms

For common justice, you are as pregnant in

As art and practice hath enriched any

That we remember. There is our commission,

From which we would not have you warp.—Call hither,

I say, bid come before us, Angelo.—

[Exit an Attendant.]

What figure of us think you he will bear?

For you must know we have with special soul

Elected him our absence to supply;

Lent him our terror, drest him with our love,

And given his deputation all the organs

Of our own power: what think you of it?

ESCALUS.

If any in Vienna be of worth

To undergo such ample grace and honour,

It is Lord Angelo.

[Enter ANGELO.]

DUKE.

Look where he comes.

ANGELO.

Always obedient to your grace’s will,

I come to know your pleasure.

DUKE.

Angelo,

There is a kind of character in thy life

That to th’ observer doth thy history

Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings

Are not thine own so proper as to waste

Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.

Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,

Not light them for themselves: for if our virtues

Did not go forth of us, ‘twere all alike

As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch’d

But to fine issues: nor nature never lends

The smallest scruple of her excellence

But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines

Herself the glory of a creditor,

Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech

To one that can my part in him advertise;

Hold, therefore, Angelo;

In our remove be thou at full ourself:

Mortality and mercy in Vienna

Live in thy tongue and heart! Old Escalus,

Though first in question, is thy secondary:

Take thy commission.

ANGELO.

Now, good my lord,

Let there be some more test made of my metal,

Before so noble and so great a figure

Be stamped upon it.

DUKE.

No more evasion:

We have with a leaven’d and prepared choice

Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.

Our haste from hence is of so quick condition

That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion’d

Matters of needful value. We shall write to you

As time and our concernings shall importune,

How it goes with us; and do look to know

What doth befall you here. So, fare you well:

To the hopeful execution do I leave you

Of your commissions.

ANGELO.

Yet give leave, my lord,

That we may bring you something on the way.

DUKE.

My haste may not admit it;

Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do

With any scruple: your scope is as mine own:

So to enforce or qualify the laws

As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand;

I’ll privily away: I love the people,

But do not like to stage me to their eyes:

Though it do well, I do not relish well

Their loud applause and ‘aves’ vehement:

Nor do I think the man of safe discretion

That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.

ANGELO.

The heavens give safety to your purposes!

ESCALUS.

Lead forth and bring you back in happiness.

DUKE.

I thank you. Fare you well.

[Exit.]

ESCALUS.

I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave

To have free speech with you; and it concerns me

To look into the bottom of my place:

A pow’r I have, but of what strength and nature

I am not yet instructed.

ANGELO.

‘Tis so with me.—Let us withdraw together,

And we may soon our satisfaction have

Touching that point.

ESCALUS.

I’ll wait upon your honour.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE II. A street.

[Enter Lucio and two Gentlemen.]

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.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of Hungary’s!

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Amen.

LUCIO.

Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate that went to sea

with the ten

commandments, but scraped one out of the table.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Thou shalt not steal?

LUCIO.

Ay, that he razed.

FIRST GENTLEMAN. 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, do relish the petition well that prays for peace.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

I never heard any soldier dislike it.

LUCIO.

I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where grace was said.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

No? A dozen times at least.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

What? in metre?

LUCIO.

In any proportion or in any language.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO. Ay! why not? Grace is grace, despite of all controversy. As, for example;—thou thyself art a wicked villain, despite of all grace.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.

LUCIO. I grant; as there may between the lists and the velvet. Thou art the list.

FIRST GENTLEMAN. And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou’rt a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief be a list of an English kersey as be piled, as thou art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak feelingly now?

LUCIO. I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful feeling of thy speech. I will, out of thine own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

I think I have done myself wrong; have I not?

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.

LUCIO. Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! I have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to—

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

To what, I pray?

FIRST GENTLEMAN.

Judge.

SECOND GENTLEMAN.

To three thousand dollars a year.

FIRST GENTLEMAN.