Ifab. One that I would were here, friar Lodowick. Duke. A ghoftly father, belike: Who knows that Lodowick?

Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a medling friar;
I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord,
For certain words he fpake against your grace

In your retirement, I had fwing'd him foundly.
Duke. Words against me? this' a good friar belike!
And to fet on this wretched woman here

Against our substitute !-Let this friar be found.

Lucio. But yefternight, my lord, fhe and that friar
I faw them at the prifon : a fawcy friar,
A very scurvy fellow.

Peter. Bleffed be your royal grace!

I have ftood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abus'd: First, hath this woman.
Moft wrongfully accus'd your fubftitute;

Who is as free from touch or foil with her,

As fhe from one ungot.

Duke. We did believe no lefs.

Know you that friar Lodowick, which she speaks of?
Peter. I know him for a man divine and holy;
Not fcurvy, nor a temporary medler,

As he's reported by this gentleman;

And, on my truft, a man that never yet

Did, as he vouches, mifreport your grace.

Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear himself; But at this inftant he is fick, my lord.

m

Of a strange fever: Upon his " mere request,
(Being come to knowledge that there was complaint
Intended 'gainst lord Angelo) came I hither,

1 a temporary medler,]-a medler in fecular matters. mere]-abfolute, earnest.

Το

To fpeak, 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,
Whenever he's "convented. First, for this woman;
(To juftify this worthy nobleman,

So vulgarly and perfonally accus'd)
Her fhall you hear difproved to her eyes,
Till fhe herself confefs it.

Duke. Good friar, let's hear it.

Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo?O heaven! the vanity of wretched fools!— Give us fome feats.-Come, coufin Angelo; In this I will be impartial; be you judge your own caufe.-Is this the witnefs, friar? [Ifabella is carried off, guarded.

Of

Enter Mariana, veil'd.

First, let her fhew her face; and, after, fpeak.
Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not fhew 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, fhe may be a punk; for many of them Are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had fome caufe

vulgarly-grofsly.

Pimpartial;]-very partial (im ufed intenfively) partial.

A a 2

Mari.

Mari. My lord, I do confefs, I ne'er was marry'd; And, I confefs, befides, 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 filence, 'would thou wert so too. Lucio. Well, my lord.

Duke. This is no witnefs for lord Angelo.

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

She, that accufes him of fornication,

In felf fame manner doth accuse my husband;
And charges him, my Lord, with such a time,
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms,
With all the effect of love.

Ang. Charges fhe more than me?

Mari. Not that I know.

Duke. No? you fay, your husband.

[To Mariana.

Mari. Why, juft, my lord, and that is Angelo, Who thinks, he knows, that he ne'er knew my body, But knows, he thinks, that he knows Ifabel's.

Ang. This is a ftrange' abufe:-Let's fee thy face. Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask. [Unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,

Which, once thou fwor'ft, was worth the looking on:
This is the hand, which, with a vow'd contract,

Was faft belock'd in thine: this is the body,

That took away the match from Ifabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house,

In her imagin'd person..

Duke. Know you this woman?
Lucio. Carnally, fhe fays.

a for]-as to, with refpect to, touching.
abufe:]-impofture, puzzle.

г

smatch]-affignation.

Duke.

Duke. Sirrah, no more.

Lucio. Enough, my lord.

Ang. My lord, I must confefs, I know this woman; And, five years fince, there was fome fpeech of marriage Betwixt myself and her : which was broke off,

t

Partly, for that her promised proportions

Came short of "compofition; but, in chief,
For that her reputation was difvalu'd
In levity: fince which time, of five years,

I never fpake with her, faw her, nor heard from her,
Upon my faith and honour.

Mari. Noble prince,

As there comes light from heaven, and words from breath,

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

I am affianc'd this man's wife, as strongly

As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,

But tuesday night laft gone, in his garden-house,

He knew me as a wife: As this is true,

Let me in fafety raise me from my knees;

Or else for ever be confixed here,

A marble monument!

Ang. I did but fmile 'till now;

Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice;
My patience here is touch'd: I do perceive,

W

Thefe poor informal women are no more

But inftruments of fome more mightier member,
That fets them on: Let me have way, my lord,

To find this practice out.

Duke. Ay, with my heart;

And punish them unto your height of pleasure.-
Thou foolish friar; and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone! think'ft thou thy oaths,

W

u

proportions]-fortune, dowry. compofition;]-the fum ftipulated. informal-infane, incompetent, witneffes.

A a 3

Though

Though they would fwear down each particular faint,
Were teftimonies against his worth and credit,

* That's feal'd in approbation?--You, lord Escalus,
Sit with my coufin; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abufe, whence 'tis deriv'd.
There is another friar, that fet them on;

Let him be sent for.

Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, indeed, Hath fet the women on to this complaint:

Your provost knows the place where he abides,
And he may fetch him.

Duke. Go, do it inftantly.

And you, my noble and well-warranted coufin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,

y

Do with your injuries as feems you best,

In any chastisement: I for a while

Will leave you; ftir not you, till you have well
Determined upon these flanderers.

[Exit

Efcal. My lord, we'll do it thoroughly.-Signior Lucio, did not you say, you knew that friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person ?

Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum: honeft in nothing, but in his cloaths; and one that hath spoke most villainous fpeeches of the duke.

Efcal. We fhall intreat you to abide here till he come, and enforce them against him: We fhall find this friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.

Efcal. Call that fame Ifabel here once again; I would speak with her: Pray you, my lord, give me leave to queftion; you fhall fee how I'll handle her.

That's feal'd in approbation?]-That hath received the public stamp. I hear this matter forth,]-investigate, search it to the bottom.

enforce]-witness.