Musick and 't is Shakespears Play The Epilogue Shakespeares GHOST Spoken by Mr. Verbruggen By the Same ENough ' your Cruelty Alive I knew And must I Dead be Persecuted too Injur'd so much of late upon the Stage My Ghost can bear no more but comes to Rage My Plays by Scriblers Mangl'd I have seen By Lifeless Actors Murder'd on the Scene Fat Falstaff here with Pleasure I beheld Toss off his Bottle and his Truncheon weild Such as I meant him such the Knight appear'd He Bragg'd like Falstaff and like Falstaff fear'd But when on yonder Stage the Knave was shewn Ev'n by my Self the Picture scarce was known Themselves and not the Man I drew they Play'd And Five Dull Sots of One poor Coxcomb made Hell that on you such Tricks as these shou'd pass Or I be made the Burden of an Ass Oh! if Machbeth or Hamlet ever pleas'd Or Desdemona e'r your Passions rais'd If Brutus or the Bleeding Caesar e'r Inspir'd your Pity or provok'd your Fear Let me no more endure such Mighty VVrongs By Scriblers Folly or by Actors Lungs So late may Betterton for sake the Stage And long may Barry Live to Charm the Age. May a New Otway Rise and Learn to Move The Men with Terror and the Fair with Love Again may Congreve try the Commic Strain And Wycherly Revive his Ancient Vein Else may your Pleasure prove your greatest Curse And those who now Write dully still Write worse Measure for Measure c. ACT. I. SCENE I. A Large HALL in the Palace On one Side Enter Lucio On the other Balthazar Lucio WHat Balthazar Return'd from the Wars Bal. Ev'n as you see Friend Lucio spight of Bullets Now Mars is gon to take a Nap till Spring I that hate Idleness seek other Warfare Love Love my Lucio Love this Winter Season Will find me Work and if there are in Turin But Eyes of any Colour Blew Gray Black My Courage will Attack ' em Luc. Hold my Friend You that go a Volunteering to the Wars And rather than not Fight seek Forraign Quarrels When your own Prince has none must go seek Love In other Countrys too if you 'd be safe Balth. Safe sure there are yet some Sound in Turin Luc. Oh! you mistake me Sir but were there none You might Compound that Mischief for some Pain At worst but pay a Limb but as things go Your Neck or nothing Segnior now will do Balth. Prithee be plain Luc. Why thus it is then mind me Our Duke is gon Incognito to Travel Bal. That I have heard And that Lord Angelo Is left his Deputy Luc. Right Sir And whether The Novelty of Pow'r thus turns his Brain Or that the Body-Politic's a Horse Rid by the Governour who newly seated Lets it strait feel the Spur that it may know He can Command I 'll not decide but he Awakes those Drowsy and Neglected Laws Whose Grinding Penaltys has made 'em Sleep These Nineteen years to get himself a Name Balth. What 's that to Love Friend Lucio Luc. Be Patient And know Lord Angelo's a Man whose Blood Is very Snow-Broth one who never feels The wanton Stings and Motions of the Senses He from those Laws has now pick'd out an Act That Dooms Unlicens'd Love t'immediate Death Bal. Death there 's a Law sure 't was made by Eunuchs Luc. No no by Old State-Cuckolds formal Hypocrites And Unperforming Husbands Bal. Sure 't is for Terror And empty Threats alone that he has rous'd it He has made no New Examples has he yet Duc. I cannot say there yet is one dispach'd But every Prison in the Town is full Of Bauds Pimps and VVhoring Soldiers like your self Sir And Claudio so fam'd for every Noble Virtue That proves him worthy his Illustrious Race Young Brave and Learned tho' he is a Noble Man This Claudio I say stands now Condemn'd Upon this Act and must to Morrow Dye Balth. You sure but Rally Pray be Serious Luc. Why this is known to all the City How cou'd it miss your Ears Balth. I just Alighted and came to Pay my Court to the Deputy Luc. This is a certain Truth and all his Friends Have been Repuls'd nay the Lord Escalus The next in Dignity to himself has Su'd In vain for Claudio's Pardon Bal. If 't is so How can this Sow'r Governour be pleas'd With Musick Shew and Opera's those Seldom please where Cruelty presides And yet since I have come into the Palace I 've heard the Tuning of various Instruments And the trolling of soft Melodious Voices Luc. Those the Good Escalus prepar'd In hopes to Melt and sweeten his Sour Temper That when the Power of Harmony prevails His Soul may relish Mercy more than Justice For so he calls th' Extreams of this Wild Law But that he may not tire him with this Musick He devides the Entertainment into Four But see they come Enter Angelo Escalus and Attendants Ang. We must not make a Scare-crow of the Law Setting it up to Fright the Birds of Prey Till Custom make it their Pearch and not their Terror Esca Let it be Keen and rather Cut a little Than fall and bruise to death Alas this Gentleman Whom I wou'd Save had a most Noble Father And has himself perform'd most Noble Deeds To serve his Country and declares he 's Marry'd Ang. He that contemns his Countrys Laws Sir loses His fairest best Pretence of serving her For Passions more than Virtue oft Inspire Hot Youth to signalize themselves in War Then for his vain Pretence of Marriage 't is An Old a Common Trick t'evade the Laws Or if 't were true it was so Clandestine That it deserves the Fate He now shall meet What shall I say to Julietta's Friends Whos 's Injur'd Honour calls upon my Justice Esca Whose base Hypocrisie conceals their Malice Under that Name They wou'd not press you thus Did they not hope by Claudio's Death to save Julietta's Wealthy Fortune for themselves Since the same Law that Dooms the Man to Death Condemns the Woman after Publick Pennance To end her Life within a Monastry Ang. No more good Escalus nor let your Friendship Betray you to abuse the Pious Pedro. Esca Set but your self then in Claudio's Place Love Opportunity Consent and Boyling Youth Have they not in your Time at least Alarm'd you If not Compell'd you to the like Transgression Ang. 'T is one thing to be tempted Escalus Another thing to fall 't is no Excuse For his Transgression that I have my Failings Yet when I fail so so let me be Sentenc'd Ha! Belthazar I saw you not How long Arriv'd Bal. But just alighted Sir for my Duty To kiss your Hands forbid Delays of Dress Ang. 'T is well no Flattery Enter Servant Serv. My Lord here is Count Claudio's Sister designs Access Ang. Admit her his Sister Escalus if I mistake not left without a Fortune Tho' Beautiful and Young designs to spend Her Life in the Bless'd Refuge of a Cloister Esca She does my
my case her Brothers danger Is here the storm must furnish Blest Occasion And when my Dido I 've Possess'd thy Charms I then will throw thee from my glutted Arms And think no more on all thy soothing Harms Exit SCENE Changes to the Prison Enter Duke dress'd like a Fryer and with him Fryer Thomas Duk. THink not I've chang'd my Ducal Robes for these Because I Love no 't is a cause more wrinkl'd Has made me assume this Habit tho' your Duke We have strict Statutes and sharp Penal Laws Which I have suffer'd Nineteen years to sleep Ev'n like an over-grown Lion in a Cave That goes not out to Prey But as fond Fathers So long stick up the Rod for Terror that The bold Child contemns it so our Decrees Dead to Infliction to themselves are dead And forward Liberty does Justice strike As Infants do the Nurse Wherefore I have Fixt all my Pow'r in Angelo that he May wake these drowsie Laws to Execution Fryer Ty'd up Justice Sir you soon might loose And 't wou'd more dreadful seem in you than Angelo Duke Too dreadful Sir in me for since it was My fault to give the People so much Hope It may seem Tyranny to punish them For what my own Permission bid them act For Pow'r that hinders not ill Deeds commands them Fryer I am convinc'd Duke I have on Angelo impos'd Th' unpleasant Pow'r of punishing while I In this Disguise may visit Prince and People And hear how both approve this means I 've taken Fryer You find already how you 've been mistaken In Angelo you so long thought a Saint And I am glad I 've found this way to help The injur'd Mariana Duke But that she told it In her Confession I should yet doubt the Truth That Angelo is her true married Husband While he has made his false severity Bawd to his Fame and Broaker to his Vice Of Avarice This makes me Father By your Assistance try to speak with Claudio To sift and know if what Report has spread Be true of his being married to Julietta Fryer 'T will not be difficult because we always Go forth in Pairs ev'n to these Deeds of Goodness But see the Provost Enter Provost Duke Hail to thee Provost so I think you are Prov. I am the Provost What 's your Will good Fathers Fryer Bound by our Charity and holy Orders We come to visit the afflicted Minds In Prison here Do us the common Right To let us see 'em and to tell their Crimes That we may minister according to their nature Prov. I wou'd do more than that if more were needful This Sir is Claudio Enter Claudio Who dies to morrow for uncertain Crimes For Innocence that wants a Proof is Guilt Duke Must he then die Prov. I think to morrow I'llleave him to your pious Exhortations Exit Claud. There is no Rack so painful in this Prison As that which stretches me 'twixt Hope and Doubt Duke Blessings on you Son I 've heard your Fortune And as the Duty of my Orders bid me I wou'd exhort you to a true Repentance Claud. O Fathers I rejoice at your Arrival For it will ease me of my greatest Pain Duke This pious Disposition 's a good Sign That you repent the Sin that brought you hither Claud. 'T was not my Sin but Folly brought me hither And yet it was a Sin to wish for ought Beyond Possession of so pure a Virtue You say youare no Stranger to my Story You then have heard too of a Lady's Suff'rings Which I thro' Avarice alas have caus'd That that my Fathers is the Sin that racks me That haunts my Conscience and that only you Can e'er appease For oh a Lady's Honour And lost for me is a more cruel Murther Than if I 'd ta'ne her Life Duke Have Comfort Son for Heav'n Indulgent to our Frailty is content To take our Penitence if it be true For our Transgressions Claud. Oh! Heaven is merciful Because 't is wise and just and knows our Sorrows But Man by Ignorance jealous of our Hearts Or else by his own Passions led from Goodness Still deviates from the beauteous Paths of Mercy And seldom keeps the noble Tracks of Justice Oh hear me then I look on you as Heaven Kneels For we are taught you represent high Heaven By Delegation too possess its Power of Mercy My Birth was Noble tho' my Fortune small Which is a Clog upon a generous Soul That might excuse the Caution that I us'd When to secure the mighty Dowr of Julut I married her in private Duke Then are you married Claud. I call all Heav'n to witness that we are A Father of your Order joyn'd our Hands Fryer His Name my Son Claud. 'T was Father Pierre not long Return'd to France to his own Monastery I 've writ to him but the too cruel Deputy Press'd by the barb'rous Avarice of Pedro Will not expect his Answer Duke Rise up my Son Claud. No my good Father till I have your Promise To justifie immediately Julietta's Honour Duke We promise our Endeavour Sir to do it Claud. Avouch it as my dying Oath by all My Hopes of Happiness hereafter Rises She is my Wife There being a doubtful Clause In her Father's Will in favour of this Pedro Her Guardian we conceal'd our Wedding Till being out of his Wardship and possess'd Of all her Fortune she might own it Without so great a Hazard But oh that He had taken all had she but escap'd This hateful Scandal that I 'm sure must torture Her nice and vertuous Soul Duke Who is this Pedro Claud. The Deputy's Privado his Right-hand One that by well-acted Piety has gain'd Trusts from believing Friends that think him honest To ruin their Children and enrich himself And thus he hopes by pushing on my Death To have her too on the same Law confin'd Within a Cloyster's Walls during her Life And so secure himself her wealthy Dowr Duke Son Put your trust in Heav'n that can relieve When least you hope it I 'll do my endeavour To help your Fortune but if my Pow'r's too small T' assist in that I will still help your Soul Claud. I thank you Fathers and desire your Prayrs Exit Duke I am confirm'd he 's innocent of this Tho' his most watchful Foe has taken this time To make him suffer Enter Provost and Julietta But who is this Prov. The Lady Sir with Child by Claudio But by strict Order of the Deputy confin'd From farther Commerce with him Your Advice May steed her much good Fathers Duke Repent you Fair One of the Sin you carry Iul. I do repent me of my Sins good Father But sure the Blessings of the Marriage-bed Can be no Sin Duke You may amuse your self With the firm Vows of him you call your Husband His secret Contracts and his plighted Faith But these my Daughter will not salve the Sin They 're oft the giddy Rashness of hot Youth Which it repents and breaks without a Pang
Joys And I will Shackle up Destroying Justice And give thy Brother his Requested Life Isa. I am Amaz'd Ang. How can'st thou doubt thy Eyes Whose warmth can melt Proud Virtue into Lust. Fire Ages Icy Winter with Desires As Fierce and Uncontoulable as Youth Behold me Maid ' Spight of my Rigid Nature And the Acquil'd Severity of Custom Befo e thy Eyes grow soft as Luxury Intemperate as thoughtless Libertines And Rash and Unadvised as Youthful Love Yes Isabella I that have Condemn'd thy Brother I whom Law binds to see him Suffer Death Sell for a Smile my Fame my Honour Justice Isa. I will Proclaim thee Angelo look for 't Sign me a present Pardon for my Brother Or I will tell the World Aloud what Man Thou art Ang. Who will believe you Isabel My Name Unsully'd and my Life Austere My Word against you and my Place i' th' State Will stifle all your single Voice can Publish And thus secure I give Desire the Reins Yield to my Passion or your Brother shall Not only Dye but Dye in Burning Toments Isa. To whom shall I Complain If I tell this Who will believe me Ang. You have Consider'd right This is a Day of Joy our Good Dukes Birth-Day And in Complyance with Lord Escalus I have Devoted it to Mirth and Pastime And Love haâ— given a tast of Harmony Till now I knew not If you will partake Go with me to the Hall where now they wait me It may disarm you of your froward Virtue And make you relish Pleasure Isa. How ill Men Pervert most Heav'nly things No I 'll away And bid my Brother for his Death Prepare Ang. Consider on it and at Ten this Evening If you 'll comply you 'll meet me at the Opera Exit Isa. Oh! let me fly from this deceitful World To Virgin Cloisters the Retreat of Truth Where Arts of Men are banish'd from our Ears Remov'd from all the Anxious Roads of Fears But to m'expecting Brother first I 'll go And end his hopes on this false Angelo Exit SCENE II. Changes to the great Hall Enter Angelo Escalus Lucio c. Esc. MY Lord I hope your Fair Petitioner At length prevails Ang. What am I so ill known To think I 'd barter Justice for weak Pray'rs Or sell the Laws for a fond Womans Tears I fear my Lord because I thus comply To wear the Gaiety this day requires Attend your Sports and listen to your Musick You think my Soul Enervate without force That I am grown a Boy Esc. No my good Lord I have no cause to Censure what I seek These shews my Loyal Love prepar'd and that You please to share 'em gives me double Joy The Pleasure 's Noble as 't is Innocent Ang. I do allow it come let 'em begin The Second Entertainment Belinda SINGS Bel. THanks to these Lovesome Vales These Desert Hills and Dales Repeat this Cho. So Fair the Game so Rich the Sport Diana's self might to these woods resort 2 Wom. Oft she visits this lov'd Mountain Oft she baths her in this Fountain Here Acteon met his Fate Pursu'd by his own Hounds And after Mortal Wounds Discover'd Discover'd too too late AEn Behold upon my bending Spear A Monsters Head stand's Bleeding With Tushes far exceeding Those did Venus Huntsmen Tear Dido The Skies are Clouded heark how Thunder Thunder Rends the Mountain Oaks assunder Hast hast to Town this open Field No shelter from the Storm can yield Exit The Spirit of the Sorceress descends to AEneas in likeness of Mercury Spir. Stay Prince and hear great Joves Command He Summons thee this Night away AEn To Night Spir. To Night thou must forsake this Land The Angry God will brook no longer stay Jove Commands thee wast no more In Loves delights those Precious Hours Allow'd by the Almighty Powers To gain the Hesperian shore And Ruin'd Troy restore AEn Jove's Commands shall be Obey'd To Night our Anchors shall be weigh'd But ha What Language can I try My injur'd Queen to pacify No sooner she resignes her Heart But from her Arms I 'm forc't to part How can so hard a Fate be took One Night Enjoy'd the next for sook Yours be the Blame ye Gods for I Obey your will but with more ease cou'd dye Direct me friends what Choice to make Since Love and Fame together press me And with equal Force distress me Say what Party I shall take 1 Fr. Resistless Jove Commands 2 Fr. But Love More Resistless then Jove's AEn But Fame Alcander 2 Fr. Fame 's a Bubble Honour but a Glorious Trouble A vain Pride of Destroying Alarming and Arming And Toiling and Moiling And never Enjoying 1 Fr. 'T was that gave Hector 2 Fr. What 1 Fr. Renown and Fame 2 Fr. An empty Name And Lunentable Fate 1 Fr. 'T was Noble and Brave 2 Fr. 'T was a Death for a Slave 1 Fr. His Valour and Glory Shall flourish in Story 2 Fr. While he rots in his Grave AEn Ye Sacred Powers instruct me how to choose When Love or Empire I must loose AEn Cho. Love without Empire Triffling is and Vain And Empire without Love a Pompous Pain Exeunt Enter Sorceress and Witches Cho. Then since our Charms have sped A â—erry Dance be led By the Nymphs of Carthage to please us They shall all Dance to ease us A Dance that shall make the Spheres to VVonder Rending those Fair Groves asunder The Grove Dance The SCENE the Cave Rises The Witches appear Enter Sorceress She SINGS Sorc WEyward Sisters you that fright The Lonely Traveller by Night Who like Dismal Ravens Crying Beat the Windows of the Dying Appear at my Call and share in the Fame Of a Mischief shall make all Carthage Flame Enter Witches Witch Say Beldam what 's thy will Cho. Harm's our Delight and Mischief all our Skill Sorc The Queen of Carthage whom we hate As we do all in Prosperous State E're Sun set shall most Wretched prove Depriv'd of Fame of Life and Love Cho. Ho ho ho ho ho ho c. Witch Ruin'd e're the set of Sun Tell us how shall this be done Sorc The Trojan Prince you know is bound By Fate to seek Italian Ground The Queen and he are now in Chase Hark the Cry comes on apace But when they 've done my Trusty Elf In Form of Mercury himself As sent from Jove shall Chide his stay And charge him Sail to night with all his Fleet away Cho. Ho ho ho ho ho ho c. Sorc and Witch But e're we this perform We 'll Conjure for a Storm To Mar their Hunting Sport And drive 'em back to Court Eccho In our deep vaulted Cell the Charm we 'll prepare Too Dreadful a Practice for this open Air. Eccho Dance of Furies At the end of the Dance Six Furies Sinks The four open the Cave fly up Ang. All will not do All won't devert my Pain The Wound enlarges by these Medicines 'T is She alone can yield the Healing Balm This Scene just hits
Iul. 'T is true I am a Woman frail and ignorant But yet my Honour and Religion joyn'd Have taught me the full Knowledge of this Point And we are marry'd with all those holy Rites The Church ordains The pious Father Pierre Of your good Order joyn'd our Hands in private 'T is true for worldly Cause and for that Fault I take this Shame most patiently Duke Can you forgive the Cause of this your Infamy Can you love still the Man that seems t o've wrong'd you Iul. Yes as I love the Woman that wrong'd him That has undone him taken away his Life O Heav'n prevent his Fate or take me too Duke Resign your self to Heav'n If you 're Innocent Be sure of Help We 'll to your Partner Benedicite Exit with the Fryer Iul. Must die to morrow Oh injurious Love That dost the Life of my sad Life remove Yet doom'st me still to agonizing Breath And barr'st me from the sweet Retreat of Death O Heav'n my Claudio to these Arms restore Or when he dies O let me be no more The End of the Second Act. ACT III. SCENE I. The Prison Enter Duke Fryer and Claudio Duke THEN you still hope a Pardon from Lord Angelo Claud. The Miserable have no Ease but Hope I hope to live but am prepar'd to die Duke Be absolute for Death for Death or Life Will so the sweeter be if you lose Life You lose a thing that none but fools would keep A Breath that 's subject to a thousand chances That hourly pains ev'n us that wou'd preserve it We are deaths Fools whom while we strive to shun We hasten to Cowards we fear the tender fork Of a poor Worm the best of Rest is Sleep That we provoke tho grosly fear our Death Which is no more Fry Happy we 're not For what we 've not we vainly strive to gain And what we have forget tho' rich we 're poor For like an Ass whose Back with Ingots bows We bear our heavy Riches but a Journey And Death unlades us Duke Friends we 've none Our very Off-spring cursing our Distempers For ending us no sooner We have not Youth nor Age But as it were an after Dinners sleep Dreaming upon both Youth has no thought And Age no heat or taste to relish Life Yet Life we cherish that 's thus fill'd with woe But fear kind Death that makes these odds all ev'n Clau. To sue to live I find I seek to dye And seeking Death find Life Enter Isabella Isa. Peace here and Grace Duke That wish deserves a Welcome Clau. My Sister Duke E'r long my Son again I 'll see you Clau. Most holy Sir I thank you Duke Father Thomas Let us retire I wou'd conceal'd orehear ' em Clau. Well Sister what 's the Comfort Exit with Fryer Isa. Why as all worldly Comforts use to be Lord Angelo having Affairs to heav'n Intends you for his swift Ambassadour Therefore your best appointment make with speed To morrow you set out Claud. Is there no Remedy Isa. Yes Brother you may live There is a devilish mercy in the Judge That will if you 'l implore it free your Life But fetter you till Death Claud. Perpetual durance Isa. T is worse more painful too than Racks and Tortures For 't is a rack of Mind Clau. But of what Nature Isa. 'T is such as shou'd you give it your consent Wou'd leave you stript of all your wreaths of War And shew you naked to the scornful World Clau. Let me know my Doom Isa. If I cou'd fear thee Claudio I should weep Lest thou a shameful life should'st now prefer And six or seven short Winters more respect Than a perpetual Honour Dar'st thou dye The sense of Death is most in Apprehension And the small Beetle when we tread on it In corporal Sufferance finds a pang as great As when a Gyant dyes Clau. Why give you me this shame Think you I can Resolution fetch From flowing tenderness If I must dye I 'll welcome Darkness as a shining Bride And hug it in my Arms. Isa. There spoke my Brother there my Fathers Grave Sent forth a chearful Voice yes you must dye Thou art too Noble to preserve thy Life By such base means This outward rigid Saint Does in his gracious Looks disguise the Devil His filth within being cast he wou'd appear A pond as foul as Hell Clau. What Angelo Isa. Oh! he is uglier than a Fiend confess'd Speak Claudio cou'd you think it you may live If to his Lust I 'd Sacrifice my Honour Clau. Impossible it cannot be Hypocrite Isa. Yes he that wou'd not hear your Innocence Would quit you now of the most horrid Guilt Give you a Licence to Sin on securely Wou'd I consent to be more black than he is This Night 's the time that he would have me do What I abhor to name or else you dye To Morrow Clau. By Heav'n thou shalt not do it Isa. Oh! were it but my Life dear Claudio I 'd throw it down for your Deliverance Without the least delay Clau. Thanks my Dear Sister Isa. Since nothing but my Honour can Redeem you Prepare to dye to Morrow Clau. Hah to Morrow But Isabella Isa. What says my Brother Clau. Death is a fearful thing Isa. But Infamy more hateful Sure you have study'd what it is to dye Clau. Oh! Sister t is to go we know not whither To lye a kneaded Clod in the dark Grave And have this sensible warm motion end Or rotting get another of crawling Worms That springs from every part of our Corruption The Spirit perhaps must bathe in fiery Floods Or shiver in shrilling Regions of rib'd Ice Or be imprison'd in the viewless Winds And blown with restless Violence round about This pendant World or if condemn'd like those Whom our uncertain Thoughts imagine howling Oh! 't is too horrible and the most loath'd Life That Age or Ach or Want or Imprisonment Can lay on Nature is a Paradise To what we fear of Death Isa. Alass alass Clau. Ah! My Dear Sister I would live Isa. Ha! Live d'ye say O you base one O! faithless Coward O dishonest Wretch Wilt thou be made a Man out of my Vice Is 't not a kind of Incest to take Life From thy own Sisters shame But sure thou art not My Brother Dye Perish if but my word Would save thy loathsom Life I wou'd not speak it I 'll pay a thousand Prayers for thy Deaths But not a word to save thee Clau. But hear me Isa. Oh! Fie fie fie how can I think thou art Innocent Clau. Your over-nicety of Honour feeds Your fancy with strange ugly forms That have no real Existence But by excess of Vertue you offend I said indeed that I wou'd Live what then Is 't not the Voice of Nature that abhors The fatal Separation Then where 's the Crime Isa. None but in living by a Crime Claud. You 're right but eagerly you cut off halfmy Words Which had imply'd that Truth
his Presence Enter Duke Lords and Attendants Happy return to your Royal Highness Duke Thanks good Lord Angelo on enquiry I hear such fame of your great Justice that My Soul must as fore runner of more just reward Now give you publick thanks Ang. You make my Bonds still greater Duke Oh! as I wou'd severely punish him That shou'd betray my trust and turn it To base unworthy ends of Pride or Malice Of guilty Vengeance Favour Cruelty So must my people know how I esteem The man that does the contrary Enter Father Thomas and Isabella Fry Now 's your time speak loud and kneel before him Isa. Justice Royal Duke Oh! pray regard An injur'd I fain alas would say a Maid Oh! hear me Prince Oh! hear and give me Justice Justice Justice Justice Duke Declare your wrongs Here is Lord Angelo shall give you Justice Apply your self to him Isa. Oh! Royal Duke Hear me yourself for oh he has no Justice 'T is against him I claim it Ang. My Lord her Brain Is now infirm having su'd to me in vain For her dead Brother cut off by course of Justice Isa. By course of Justice Ang. And she 'll speak bitterly Isa. I will speak truth however strange it seem That Angelo s forsworn is it not strange That Angelo's a Murtherer is it not strange That Angelo's an Adulterous Robber A violater of unhappy Virgins A most deceitful dangerous Hypocrite Is it not strange Duke All all most wondrous strange Isa. Yet Royal Sir 't is all as true as strange Duke Away with her poor Soul she 's mad Isa. Oh! Prince I do conjure you as you do believe A Heav'n to come as well as Hell hereafter That you 'll not slight my Cause as madness All that 's unlikely is not sure impossible Hypocrisy were nothing cou'd we see through it A Hypocrite may seem as grave austere As holy and as just as Angelo Then he may be a Hypocrite a Villain If he 's not he 's nothing but he is more Duke If she be mad as I believe no other Her Madness has the oddest frame of sense Such a dependancy of thing on thing As ne're was heard in madness Isa. Oh! Gracious Duke Believe not that I 'm mad but do me Justice Duke Many that are not mad have sure less reason What wou'd you say come to your complaint Isa. I am the Sister of unhappy Claudio Who in your service had receiv'd some Wounds But falsly accus'd of breach of a blind Law Was doom'd to death by him in hopes to save him I begg'd and pray'd entreated wept These tho they mov'd not pity mov'd his Love Which he confess'd and urg'd nay promis'd marriage Which with assurance of my Brothers life Prevail'd with me as to my certain Husband To yield what he commanded weeps Duke Go on Isa. But while his vows were warm yet on his Lips He takes my Brothers life a fatal proof How ill he meant to keep his other vows And finding by your Royal Proclamation I must complain or now or never I could not Resist the impulse of my injur'd honour Duke By heav'n fond Maid thou know'st not what thou say'st Or art suborn'd against his well known honour First his Integrity stands without blemish Next how cou'd he punish what himself durst act Confess the truth and say by whose advice Thou comst here to complain Isa. And is this all Then oh you blessed Ministers above Then oh you blessed Ministers above Do me instant Justice Going Duke You wou'd be gone But Guards secure her I will know the Spring That set you thus in motion Isa. One that I wish were here one Fryer Lodwick Duke I know him well a man of truth and justice Fr. May 't please your Highness I am here for him Who being detain'd by illness from this place Has sent me hither to oppose this Maid And you shall hear her so disprov'd that she Shall her own self confess it Duke Let 's hear this proof VVhy look you so concern'd Lord Angelo Do you doubt my Justice or my Love or think I 'll suffer calumny to thrive come sit your self Be your own Judge Fryer proceed Enter Mariana veil'd and Maid with the Cabinet Fry Here comes the proof my Lord. Duke First let her shew her face and after speak Mar. Pardon my Lord I dare not shew my Face Till my own Husband bid me Duke Are you then marry'd Mar. My Lord I am and come to justify my Husband She that accuses her Lord Angelo Does of that very crime accuse my Husband And charges him when I my Lord did hold him Within these Arms my self Ang. Charges she more than me Mar. Not that I know of Duke No you say your Husband Mar. I do my Lord but that is Angelo Ang. This is a strange Abuse let 's see thy face Mar. My Husband bids me now I will unmask This is that face thou cruel Angelo Which you once swore was worthy of your eyes This is the hand you took with solemn vows And this the body that supply'd her place This morning in the Royal Grotto Duke Know you this woman Angelo Ang. My Lord I must confess I know this woman And some years since there was some speech of Marriage Betwixt my self and her which was broke off Partly for that her Portion prov'd less than promise But more especially for her ill name Since which I 've neither seen nor spoke with her Upon my Faith and Honour Mar. Noble Prince So may I meet the Blessings of hereafter As this man knew me as his wife this morning Ang. I did but smile till now Good my Lord Give me the scope of Justice I do perceive These poor informing women are set on By some more powerful to blast my vertue Duke No more Base Angelo I know thee guilty Angelo starts up I was my self contriver of this Scene As I had been to do Mariana justice Produce that Casket Know you Sir those Jewels They were 't is true design'd the price of Virgins But brought by that bright Maid to thy good Wife Who in her place deceiv'd thee in the Grotto This this good Father that was my companion Whilst I disguis'd my self in their habit Can witness for me I waited all this while To see if thy Remorse wou'd shew thy Guilt But thou art hardned in thy guileful Arts. Have you ought yet to say Ang. Oh! my dread Lord I shou'd be guiltier than I am to think I can be undiscover'd when your Highness Like power divine has thus observ'd my actions Oh! hold no longer Sessions on my shame But let my Sentence past on Claudio's Life Be now my doom I only beg for death Duke And that 's your due Come hither Mariana Say was you ever marry'd to this woman Ang. My good Lord I was Duk. Come hither Isabella Your Fryer's now your Prince Isa. Oh! give me pardon That I your Vassal have employ'd and pain'd Your unknown Soveraignty Duke It needs no