Claud. Yes. Has he affections in him, That thus can make him bite the law by th' nose, Or of the deadly feven it is the leaft. Ifab. Which is the leaft? Claud. If it were damnable, he being fo wife, Ijab. What fays my brother? Claud. Death's a fearful thing. Claud. Ay, but to die, and go we know not where ; The wearieft and most loathed worldly life, Can lay on nature, is a paradife To what we fear of death. Ifab. Alas! alas! Claud. Sweet fifter, let me live; What fin you do to fave a brother's life, Nature difpenfes with the deed fo far, That it becomes a virtue. Ifab. Oh, you beaft! Oh, faithlefs coward! oh, difhoneft wretch! Is't not a kind of inceft, to take life From thine own fifter's fhame? what should I think? Heav'n grant, my mother play'd my father fair! Ne'er iflu'd from his blood. Take my defiance, Die, perish! might my only bending down Claud. Nay, hear me, Isabel. Thy fin's not accidental, but a trade; To them, Enter Duke and Provost. Duke. Vouchfafe a word, young fifter; but one word. Ifab. What is your will? Duke. Might you difpenfe with your leifure, I would by and by have some speech with you; the fatisfaction I would require, is likewife your own benefit. Ifab. I have no fuperfluous leifure; my stay must be ftolen out of other affairs: but I will attend you a while. Duke. Son, I have over-heard what hath past between you and your Sifter. Angelo had never the purpose to corrupt her; only he hath made an affay of her virtue, to practife his judgment with the difpofition of natures. She, having the truth of honour in her, hath made him that gracious denial, which he is moft glad to receive: I am Confeffor to Angelo, and I know this to be true; therefore prepare yourself to death. Do not fatisfy your refolution with hopes that are fallible; to-morrow you must die; go to your knees, and make ready. Claud. Let me ask my fifter pardon; I am fo out of love with life, that I will fue to be rid of it. Duke. Hold you there; farewel. with you. Prov. What's your will, father ? [Exit Claud. Provost, a word Duke. That now you are come, you will be gone; VOL. I. leave leave me a while with the maid my mind promifes with my habit, no lofs shall touch her by my company. Prov. In good time. [Exit Prov. Duke. The hand, that hath made you fair hath made you good; the goodness, that is cheap in beauty, makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the foul of your complexion, fhall keep the body of it ever fair. The affault, that Angelo hath made to you, fortune hath convey'd to my understanding; and but that frailty hath examples for his falling, I fhould wonder at Angelo: how will you do to content this Substitute, and to fave your brother? Ifab. I am now going to refolve him: I had rather my brother die by the law, than my fon fhould be unlawfully born. But, oh, how much is the good Duke deceiv'd in Angelo? if ever he return, and I can speak to him, I will open my lips in vain, or discover his Government. Duke. That shall not be much amifs; yet as the matter now stands, he will avoid your accufation; he made trial of you only. Therefore falten your ear on my advifings to the love I have in doing good, a remedy prefents itself. I do make myself believe, that you may most uprightly do a poor wronged lady a merited benefit; redeem your brother from the angry law; do no ftain to your own gracious perfon; and much please the abfent Duke, if, peradventure, he fhall ever return to have hearing of this bufinefs. lfab. Let me hear you speak farther; I have fpirit to do any thing, that appears not foul in the truth of my fpirit. Duke. Virtue is bold, and Goodnefs never fearful: have you not heard speak of Mariana, the fifter of Frederick, the great foldier who mifcarried at sea? Ifab. I have heard of the lady, and good words went with her name. Duke. Her fhould this Angelo have marry'd; was affianc'd to her by oath, and the nuptial appointed; between which time of the contract, and limit of the fo lemnity, lemnity, her brother Frederick was wreckt at fea, having in that perish'd vessel the dowry of his fifter. But mark, how heavily this befel to the poor gentlewoman; there the loft a noble and renowned brother, in his love toward her ever most kind and natural; with him the portion and finew of her fortune, her marriagedowry; with both, her combinate husband, this wellfeeming Angelo, fab. Can this be fo? did Angelo so leave her? : Duke. Left her in tears, and dry'd not one of them with his comfort; fwallow'd his vows whole, pretend. ing, in her, discoveries of dishonour in few, bestow'd her on her own lamentation, which the yet wears for his fake; and he, a marble to her tears, is washed with them, but relents not, Ifab. What a merit were it in death to take this poor maid from the world! what corruption in this life, that it will let this man live! but how out of this can fhe avail ? Duke. It is a rupture that you may eafily heal; and the cure of it not only faves your brother, but keeps you from dishonour in doing it. Ifab. Shew me how, good father. Duke. This fore-nam'd maid hath yet in her the continuance of her firit affection; his unjuft unkindness, (that in all reason fhould have quenched her love,) hath, like an impediment in the current, made it more violent and unruly. Go you to Angelo, anfwer his requiring with a plaufible obedience: agree with his demands to the point; only refer yourself to this advantage firft, that your ftay with him may not be long; that the time may have all fhadow and filence in it; and the place anfwer to convenience. This being granted, in courfe now follows all we fhall advife this wronged maid to ftead up your appointment, go in your place; if the encounter acknowledge itself hereafter, it may compel him to her recompence; and here by this is your brother faved, your honour untainted, the poor Mariana advantaged, and the corrupt Q2 Deputy Deputy fealed. The maid will I frame, and make fit for his attempt: if you think well to carry this as you may, the doublenefs of the benefit defends the deceit from reproof. What think you of it? Ifab. The image of it gives me content already, and, I truft, it will grow to a moft profperous perfection. Duke. It lies much in your holding up; hafte you Speedily to Angelo; if for this night he intreat you to his bed, give him promife of fatisfaction. I will presently to St. Luke's; there at the moated Grange refides this dejected Mariana; at that place call upon me, and difpatch with Angelo, that it may be quickly. Ifab. I thank you for this comfort; fare you well, good father. [Exeunt feverally. SCENE changes to the Street. Re-enter Duke as a Friar, Elbow, Clown, and N Elb. AY, if there be no remedy for it, but that you will needs buy and fell men and women like beafts, we fhall have all the world drink brown and white baftard. Duke. Oh, heav'ns? what stuff is here? Clown. 'Twas never merry world fince of two ufuries the merrieft was put down, and the worfer allow'd by order of law. A furr'd gown to keep him warm, and furr'd with fox and lamb-skins too, to fignify, that craft, being richer than innocency, stands for the facing. Elb. Come your way, Sir; blefs you, good father Friar Duke. And you, good brother father; what offence hath this man made you, Sir? Elb. Marry, Sir, he hath offended the law; and, Sir, we take him to be a thief too, Sir; for we have found upon |