Once more, fare you well.

ANGELO    The heavens give safety to your purposes!

ESCALUS    Lead79 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 place82.
    A power 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
    Touching88 that point.

ESCALUS    I’ll wait upon your honour.

Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 2

running scene 2

Enter Lucio and two other Gentlemen

LUCIO    If the duke with the other dukes come not to
    composition2 with the King of Hungary, why then all the
    dukes fall upon3 the king.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of
    Hungary’s4!

SECOND GENTLEMAN    Amen.

LUCIO    Thou concludest like the sanctimonious7 pirate, that
    went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped one
    out of the table9.

SECOND GENTLEMAN    ‘Thou shalt not steal’?

LUCIO    Ay, that he razed11.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    Why, ’twas a commandment to command the
    captain and all the rest from their functions13: they put forth to
    steal. There’s not a soldier of us all that, in the thanksgiving
    before meat15, 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 metre20?

LUCIO    In any proportion21 or in any language.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO    Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all
    controversy24: as for example, thou thyself art a wicked
    villain, despite of all grace.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    Well, there went but a pair of shears
    between us26.

LUCIO    I grant, as there may between the lists28 and the
    velvet. Thou art the list.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    And thou the velvet. Thou art good velvet;
    thou’rt a three-piled piece31, I warrant thee. I had as lief be a
    list of an English kersey32 as be piled, as thou art piled, for a
    French velvet33. Do I speak feelingly now?

LUCIO    I think thou dost, and indeed, with most painful
    feeling34 of thy speech. I will, out of thine own confession35,
    learn to begin thy health, but, whilst I live, forget to drink
    after thee36.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    I think I have done myself wrong38, have I not?

SECOND GENTLEMAN    Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art
    tainted or free40.

Enter Bawd [Mistress Overdone]

LUCIO    Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation41 comes! I
    have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to—

SECOND GENTLEMAN    To what, I pray?

LUCIO    Judge44.

SECOND GENTLEMAN    To three thousand dolours45 a year.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    Ay, and more.

LUCIO    A French crown47 more.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    Thou art always figuring48 diseases in me, but
    thou art full of error, I am sound.

LUCIO    Nay, not as one would say, healthy: but so sound50 as
    things that are hollow; thy bones are hollow51, impiety has
    made a feast of thee.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    How now! Which of your

To Mistress Overdone

    hips has the most profound54 sciatica?

MISTRESS OVERDONE    Well, well. There’s one yonder arrested and
    carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all.

SECOND GENTLEMAN    Who’s that, I pray thee?

MISTRESS OVERDONE    Marry58, sir, that’s Claudio, Signior Claudio.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    Claudio to prison? ’Tis not so.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    Nay, but I know ’tis so. I saw him arrested,
    saw him carried away, and, which is more, within these
    three days his head to be chopped off.

LUCIO    But, after63 all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art
    thou sure of this?

MISTRESS OVERDONE    I am too sure of it. And it is for getting
    Madam Julietta with child.

LUCIO    Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me
    two hours since, and he was ever precise68 in promise-keeping.

SECOND GENTLEMAN    Besides, you know, it draws something near
    to the speech we had to such a purpose69.

FIRST GENTLEMAN    But most of all agreeing with the proclamation71.

LUCIO    Away! Let’s go learn the truth of it.

Exeunt [Lucio and Gentlemen]

MISTRESS OVERDONE    Thus, what with the war, what with the
    sweat74, what with the gallows and what with poverty, I am
    custom-shrunk75.

Enter Clown [Pompey]

    How now? What’s the news with you?

POMPEY    Yonder man77 is carried to prison.

MISTRESS OVER DONE    Well, what has he done78?

POMPEY    A woman.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    But what’s his offence?

POMPEY    Groping for trouts in a peculiar river81.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    What, is there a maid82 with child by him?

POMPEY    No, but there’s a woman with maid by him. You
    have not heard of the proclamation, have you?

MISTRESS OVERDONE    What proclamation, man?

POMPEY    All houses in the suburbs86 of Vienna must be
    plucked down.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    And what shall become of those in the city?

POMPEY    They shall stand for seed89: they had gone down too,
    but that a wise burgher90 put in for them.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    But shall all our houses of resort91 in the
    suburbs be pulled down?

POMPEY    To the ground, mistress.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    Why, here’s a change indeed in the
    commonwealth! What shall become of me?

POMPEY    Come, fear you not: good counsellors96 lack no
    clients. Though you change your place, you need not change
    your trade: I’ll be your tapster98 still. Courage! There will be
    pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almost out
    in the service99, you will be considered.

MISTRESS OVERDONE    What’s to do here, Thomas101 tapster? Let’s
    withdraw.

POMPEY    Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to
    prison, and there’s Madam Juliet.

Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 3

running scene 2 continues

Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, Officers; Lucio and the two Gentlemen [follow]

CLAUDIO    Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to th’world?
    Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

PROVOST    I do it not in evil disposition3,
    But from Lord Angelo by special charge.

CLAUDIO    Thus can the demigod Authority
    Make us pay down6 for our offence by weight
    The words of heaven7; on whom it will, it will,
    On whom it will not, so. Yet still ’tis just.

LUCIO    Why, how now, Claudio? Whence comes this
    restraint?9

CLAUDIO    From too much liberty11, my Lucio, liberty:
    As surfeit12 is the father of much fast,
    So every scope13 by the immoderate use
    Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
    Like rats that ravin down their proper bane15,
    A thirsty16 evil, and when we drink we die.

LUCIO    If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would
    send for certain of my creditors18: and yet, to say the truth, I
    had as lief19 have the foppery of freedom as the morality of
    imprisonment. What’s thy offence, Claudio?

CLAUDIO    What but to speak of would offend again.

LUCIO    What, is’t murder?

CLAUDIO    No.

LUCIO    Lechery?

CLAUDIO    Call it so.

PROVOST    Away, sir. You must go.

CLAUDIO    One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you.

LUCIO    A hundred, if they’ll do you any good.
    Is lechery so looked after29?

CLAUDIO    Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract30
    I got possession of Julietta’s bed.
    You know the lady, she is fast32 my wife,
    Save33 that we do the denunciation lack
    Of outward34 order. This we came not to
    Only for propagation of a dower35
    Remaining in the coffer of her friends36,
    From whom we thought it meet37 to hide our love
    Till time had made them for us38. But it chances
    The stealth of our most mutual entertainment39
    With character too gross40 is writ on Juliet.

LUCIO    With child, perhaps?

CLAUDIO    Unhappily, even so.
    And the new deputy now for the duke —
    Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness44,
    Or whether that the body public45 be
    A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
    Who, newly in the seat, that47 it may know
    He can command, lets it straight48 feel the spur:
    Whether the tyranny be in his place49,
    Or in his eminence that fills it up50,
    I stagger in51 — but this new governor
    Awakes me52 all the enrollèd penalties
    Which have, like unscoured53 armour, hung by th’wall
    So long that nineteen zodiacs54 have gone round
    And none of them55 been worn; and, for a name,
    Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
    Freshly on me. ’Tis surely for a name.

LUCIO    I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle58 on thy
    shoulders that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off.
    Send after the duke and appeal to him.

CLAUDIO    I have done so, but he’s not to be found.
    I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
    This day my sister should the cloister63 enter
    And there receive her approbation64.
    Acquaint her with the danger of my state,
    Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
    To67 the strict deputy: bid herself assay him.
    I have great hope in that, for in her youth
    There is a prone69 and speechless dialect,
    Such as move70 men. Beside, she hath prosperous art
    When she will play with reason and discourse71,
    And well she can persuade.

LUCIO    I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of
    the like74, which else would stand under grievous imposition,
    as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be
    thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack76. I’ll to her.

CLAUDIO    I thank you, good friend Lucio.

LUCIO    Within two hours.

CLAUDIO    Come, officer, away!

Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 4

running scene 3

Enter Duke and Friar Thomas

DUKE    No, holy father, throw away that thought1:
    Believe not that the dribbling dart2 of love
    Can pierce a complete3 bosom. Why I desire thee
    To give me secret harbour4 hath a purpose
    More grave and wrinkled5 than the aims and ends
    Of burning youth.

FRIAR THOMAS    May your grace speak of it?

DUKE    My holy sir, none better knows than you
    How I have ever loved the life removed9,
    And held in idle price10 to haunt assemblies
    Where youth and cost11 and witless bravery keeps.
    I have delivered to Lord Angelo —
    A man of stricture13 and firm abstinence —
    My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
    And he supposes me travelled to Poland,
    For so I have strewed16 it in the common ear,
    And so it is received. Now, pious sir,
    You will demand18 of me why I do this.

FRIAR THOMAS    Gladly, my lord.

DUKE    We have strict statutes and most biting laws,
    The needful bits and curbs21 to headstrong weeds,
    Which for this fourteen years we have let slip22,
    Even like an o’ergrown23 lion in a cave
    That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond24 fathers,
    Having bound up the threat’ning twigs of birch25,
    Only to stick it in their children’s sight
    For terror, not to use, in time the rod27
    Becomes more mocked than feared: so our decrees,
    Dead29 to infliction, to themselves are dead,
    And liberty plucks justice by the nose30,
    The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart31
    Goes all decorum32.

FRIAR THOMAS    It rested in your grace
    To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased:
    And it in you more dreadful35 would have seemed
    Than in Lord Angelo.

DUKE    I do fear, too dreadful.
    Sith38 ’twas my fault to give the people scope,
    ’Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall39 them
    For what I bid them do, for we bid this be done,
    When evil deeds have their permissive pass41
    And not the punishment. Therefore indeed, my father,
    I have on Angelo imposed the office43,
    Who may in th’ambush44 of my name strike home,
    And yet my nature never in the fight
    To do in slander45.