stream of his life, and the business he hath helmed, must, upon a

warranted need, give him a better proclamation. Let him be but
testimonied in his own bringings-forth, and he shall appear to

the envious a scholar, a statesman, and a soldier. Therefore you
speak unskilfully; or, if your knowledge be more, it is much

dark'ned in your malice.
LUCIO. Sir, I know him, and I love him.

DUKE. Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with dearer
love.

LUCIO. Come, sir, I know what I know.
DUKE. I can hardly believe that, since you know not what you speak.

But, if ever the Duke return, as our prayers are he may, let me
desire you to make your answer before him. If it be honest you

have spoke, you have courage to maintain it; I am bound to call
upon you; and I pray you your name?

LUCIO. Sir, my name is Lucio, well known to the Duke.
DUKE. He shall know you better, sir, if I may live to report you.

LUCIO. I fear you not.
DUKE. O, you hope the Duke will return no more; or you imagine me

too unhurtful an opposite. But, indeed, I can do you little harm:
you'll forswear this again.

LUCIO. I'll be hang'd first. Thou art deceiv'd in me, friar. But no
more of this. Canst thou tell if Claudio die to-morrow or no?

DUKE. Why should he die, sir?
LUCIO. Why? For filling a bottle with a tun-dish. I would the Duke

we talk of were return'd again. This ungenitur'd 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 return'd! Marry, this Claudio is condemned
for untrussing. Farewell, good friar; I prithee 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, and OFFICERS with

MISTRESS OVERDONE
ESCALUS. Go, away with her to prison.

MRS. OVERDONE. 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.

MRS. OVERDONE. My lord, this is one Lucio's information against me.
Mistress Kate Keepdown was with child by him in the Duke's time;

he promis'd 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 call'd

before us. Away with her to prison. Go to; no more words. [Exeunt
OFFICERS with MISTRESS OVERDONE] Provost, my brother Angelo will

not be alter'd: Claudio must die to-morrow. Let him be furnish'd
with divines, and have all charitablepreparation. 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 advis'd

him for th' 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' th' 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 undertakeing. 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 profess'd 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 prepar'd. I am made to understand that you have lent him
visitation.

DUKE. He professes to have received no sinistermeasure 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 resolv'd to die.
ESCALUS. You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner

the very debt of your calling. I have labour'd for the poor
gentleman to the extremest shore of my modesty; but my brother

justice have I found so severe that he hath forc'd 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

sentenc'd 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 ponderous and substantial things!
Craft against vice I must apply.

With Angelo to-night shall lie
His old betrothed but despised;

So disguise shall, by th' disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,

And perform an old contracting. Exit
Act IV. Scene I.

The moated grange at Saint Duke's
Enter MARIANA; and BOY singing