Measure for Measure
it should not be so with him.
PROVOST So please you, this friar hath been with him, and
advised him for th'entertainment463 of death.
ESCALUS Good even, good father.
DUKE Bliss and goodness on you!
ESCALUS Of whence are you466?
DUKE Not of this country, though my chance467 is now
To use it for my time468. I am a brother
Of gracious order, late come from the See469
In special business from his holiness.
ESCALUS What news abroad471 i'th'world?
DUKE None, but that there is so great a fever on goodness
that the dissolution of it472 must cure it. Novelty is only in
request473 , and it is as dangerous to be aged474 in any kind of
course475 as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking.
There is scarce truth enough alive to make societies476 secure,
but security477 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 strifes481, contended especially
to know himself.
DUKE What pleasure483 was he given to?
ESCALUS Rather rejoicing to see another merry than merry
at anything which professed to make him rejoice. A
gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events486,
with a prayer they may prove prosperous, and let me desire
to know how you find Claudio prepared. I am made to
understand that you have lent him visitation489.
DUKE He professes to have received no sinister measure490
from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself to the
determination492 of justice: yet had he framed to himself, by the
instruction493 of his frailty, many deceiving promises of life,
which I by my good leisure494 have discredited to him, and now
is he resolved to die.
ESCALUS You have paid the heavens your function, and the
prisoner the very debt of your calling501. I have laboured for the
poor gentleman to the extremest shore of my modesty503, but
my brother justice have I found so severe that he hath forced
me to tell him he is indeed Justice505.
DUKE If his own life answer the straitness506 of his
proceeding, it shall become him well: wherein if he chance
to fail, he hath sentenced 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 heaven511 will bear
Should be as holy as severe:
Pattern in himself to know513,
Grace to stand514, and virtue go,
More nor less to others paying
Than by self-offences weighing515.
Shame to him whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking.
Twice treble shame on Angelo,
To weed520 my vice and let his grow!
O, what may man within him hide,
Though angel on the outward side!
How may likeness made in crimes523,
Making practice524 on the times,
To draw with idle spiders' strings
Most pond'rous and substantial things525!
Craft527 against vice I must apply.
With Angelo tonight shall lie
His old betrothed529 but despised,
So disguise530 shall, by th'disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting531,
And perform an old contracting532.
Exit
Act 4 Scene 1
running scene 9
Location: outside Vienna
Enter Mariana and [a] Boy, singing
BOY Take, O, take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn2,
And those eyes, the break of day3,
Lights that do mislead the morn;
But my kisses bring again, bring again,
Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain.
Enter Duke [disguised as before]
MARIANA Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away:
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often stilled9 my brawling discontent.
[Exit Boy]
I cry you mercy10, sir, and well could wish
You had not found me here so musical.
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,
My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe13.
DUKE 'Tis good; though music oft hath such a charm14
To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.
I pray you tell me, hath anybody inquired for me here today?
Much upon17 this time have I promised here to meet.
MARIANA You have not been inquired after: I have sat here
all day.
Enter Isabella
DUKE I do constantly20 believe you. The time is come even
now. I shall crave your forbearance21 a little, maybe I will call
upon you anon22 for some advantage to yourself.
MARIANA I am always bound to you.
Exit
DUKE Very well met24, and well come.
What is the news from this good deputy?
ISABELLA He hath a garden circummured26 with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard backed,
And to that vineyard is a planched28 gate
That makes his opening29 with this bigger key.
Shows keys
This other doth command30 a little door,
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads.
There have I made my promise, upon the
Heavy33 middle of the night to call upon him.
DUKE But shall you on your knowledge34 find this way?
ISABELLA I have ta'en a due35 and wary note upon't:
With whispering and most guilty diligence,
In action all of precept37, he did show me
The way twice o'er.
DUKE Are there no other tokens39
Between you 'greed40 concerning her observance?
ISABELLA No, none, but only a repair41 i'th'dark,
And that I have possessed42 him my most stay
Can be but brief, for I have made him know
I have a servant comes with me along,
That stays upon45 me, whose persuasion is
I come about my brother.
DUKE 'Tis well borne up47.
I have not yet made known to Mariana
A word of this.-- What ho, within! Come forth!
Enter Mariana
I pray you be acquainted with this maid,
She comes to do you good.
ISABELLA I do desire the like52.
DUKE Do you persuade yourself that I respect you?
MARIANA Good friar, I know you do, and have found it54.
DUKE Take, then, this your companion by the hand,
Who hath a story ready for your ear.
I shall attend your leisure57, but make haste,
The vaporous night approaches.
MARIANA Will't please you walk aside?
Exit [Mariana with Isabella]
DUKE O place60 and greatness! Millions of false eyes
Are stuck61 upon thee: volumes of report
Run with these false and most contrarious quests
Upon thy doings62, thousand escapes63 of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dream64
And rack65 thee in their fancies.
Enter Mariana and Isabella
Welcome, how agreed?
ISABELLA She'll take the enterprise upon her, father,
If you advise it
.
DUKE It is not my consent,
But my entreaty too69.
ISABELLA Little have you to say71
When you depart from him, but, soft and low,
'Remember now my brother.'
MARIANA Fear me not.
DUKE Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all.
He is your husband on a pre-contract76:
To bring you thus together 'tis no sin,
Sith78 that the justice of your title to him
Doth flourish79 the deceit. Come, let us go:
Our corn's to reap, for yet our tithe's to sow80.
Exeunt
Act 4 Scene 2
running scene 10
Location: Vienna
Enter Provost and Clown [Pompey]
PROVOST Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?
POMPEY If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can. But if he be a
married man, he's his wife's head3, and I can never cut off a
woman's head.
PROVOST Come, sir, leave me your snatches5, and yield me a
direct answer. Tomorrow morning are to die Claudio and
Barnardine. Here is in our prison a common7 executioner, who
in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it on you to assist
him, it shall redeem9 you from your gyves: if not, you shall have
your full time of imprisonment and your deliverance10 with an
unpitied11 whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.
POMPEY Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of mind12,
but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I would be
glad to receive some instruction from my fellow partner.
PROVOST What, ho, Abhorson15! Where's Abhorson there?
Enter Abhorson
ABHORSON Do you call, sir?
PROVOST Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you tomorrow in
your execution. If you think it meet18, compound with him by
the year, and let him abide19 here with you. If not, use him for
the present and dismiss him. He cannot plead his estimation20
with you: he hath been a bawd.
ABHORSON A bawd, sir? Fie upon him, he will discredit our
mystery23.
PROVOST Go to, sir, you weigh equally24: a feather will turn the
scale.
Exit
POMPEY Pray, sir, by your good favour26 -- for surely, sir, a
good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look27 --
do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery28?
ABHORSON Ay, sir, a mystery.
POMPEY Painting30, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery; and
your whores, sir, being members of my occupation, using
painting, do prove my occupation a mystery. But what
mystery there should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I
cannot imagine.
ABHORSON Sir, it is a mystery.
POMPEY Proof?
ABHORSON Every true37 man's apparel fits your thief--
POMPEY If it be too little for your thief, your true man thinks
it big39 enough. If it be too big for your thief, your thief thinks
it little40 enough. So every true man's apparel fits your thief.
Enter Provost
PROVOST Are you agreed?
POMPEY Sir, I will serve him, for I do find your hangman is a
more penitent43 trade than your bawd: he doth oftener ask
forgiveness.
PROVOST You, sirrah, provide your block and your axe
tomorrow, four o'clock.
ABHORSON Come on, bawd, I will instruct thee in my trade.
Follow.
POMPEY I do desire to learn, sir, and I hope, if you have
occasion to use me for your own turn50, you shall find me yare.
For truly, sir, for your kindness I owe you a good turn51.
[Exeunt Pompey and Abhorson]
PROVOST Call hither Barnardine and Claudio.
The one has my pity; not a jot the other,
Being a murderer, though54 he were my brother.
Enter Claudio
Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death.
Shows warrant
'Tis now dead midnight, and by eight tomorrow
Thou must be made immortal. Where's Barnardine?
CLAUDIO As fast locked up in sleep as guiltless labour58
When it lies starkly59 in the traveller's bones.
He will not wake.
PROVOST Who can do good on61 him?
Well, go, prepare yourself. But hark, what noise?
Knocking within
Heaven give your spirits comfort.-- By and by.
[Exit Claudio]
I hope it is some pardon or reprieve
For the most gentle Claudio.
Enter Duke [disguised as before]
Welcome father.
DUKE The best and wholesom'st spirits of the night
Envelop you, good provost. Who called here of late?
PROVOST None, since the curfew69 rung.
DUKE Not Isabel?
PROVOST No.
DUKE They will, then, ere't be long.
PROVOST What comfort is for Claudio?
DUKE There's some in hope.
PROVOST It is a bitter deputy.
DUKE Not so, not so: his life is paralleled76
Even77 with the stroke and line of his great justice.
He doth with holy abstinence subdue
That in himself which he spurs on his power
To qualify80 in others. Were he mealed with that
Which he corrects81, then were he tyrannous,
But this82 being so, he's just. Now are they come.
[Exit Provost]
This is a gentle83 provost: seldom when
The steeled84 jailer is the friend of men.
Knocking within
How now? What noise? That spirit's85 possessed with haste
That wounds th'unsisting86 postern with these strokes.
[Enter Provost]
PROVOST There he must stay until the officer
Arise to let him in. He is called up88.
DUKE Have you no countermand89 for Claudio yet,
But he must die tomorrow?
PROVOST None, sir, none.
DUKE As near the dawning, Provost, as it is,
You shall hear more ere morning.
PROVOST Happily94
You something know, yet I believe there comes
No countermand, no such example96 have we:
Besides, upon the very siege97 of justice
Lord Angelo hath to the public ear
Professed the contrary.
Enter a Messenger
This is his lordship's man.
DUKE And here comes Claudio's pardon.
Aside?
MESSENGER My lord hath sent you this note, and
Gives a paper
by me this further charge, that you swerve not from the
smallest article of it, neither in time, matter, or other
circumstance. Good morrow, for, as I take it, it is almost day.
PROVOST I shall obey him.
[Exit Messenger]
DUKE This is his pardon, purchased by such sin107
Aside
For which the pardoner himself is in.
Hence hath offence his quick celerity,
When it is borne in high authority109.
When vice makes mercy, mercy's so extended111,
That for the fault's love112 is th'offender friended.--
Now, sir, what news?
PROVOST I told you. Lord Angelo, belike114 thinking me remiss
in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted115 putting-on
methinks strangely, for he hath not used it before.
DUKE Pray you let's hear.
PROVOST 'Whatsoever you may hear to the
Reads the letter r />
contrary, let Claudio be executed by four of the clock, and
in the afternoon Barnardine. For my better satisfaction120, let
me have Claudio's head sent me by five. Let this be duly121
performed with a thought122 that more depends on it than we
must yet deliver123. Thus fail not to do your office, as you will
answer124 it at your peril.' What say you to this, sir?
DUKE What125 is that Barnardine who is to be executed in
th'afternoon?
PROVOST A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and bred,
one that is a prisoner nine years old128.
DUKE How came it that the absent duke had not either
delivered him to his liberty or executed him? I have heard it
was ever his manner to do so.
PROVOST His friends still wrought132 reprieves for him: and
indeed, his fact133, till now in the government of Lord Angelo,
came not to an undoubtful134 proof.
DUKE It is now apparent?
PROVOST Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
DUKE Hath he borne himself penitently in prison? How
seems he to be touched138?
PROVOST A man that apprehends139 death no more dreadfully
but as a drunken sleep, careless, reckless, and fearless of
what's past, present, or to come: insensible of mortal141ity and
desperately mortal.
DUKE He wants143 advice.
PROVOST He will hear none. He hath evermore had the liberty
of the prison144. Give him leave to escape hence, he would not.
Drunk many times a day, if not many days entirely drunk.
We have very oft awaked him, as if to carry him to execution,
and showed him a seeming148 warrant for it, it hath not moved
him at all.
DUKE More of him anon. There is written in your brow,
Provost, honesty and constancy. If I read it not truly, my
ancient skill beguiles152 me, but in the boldness of my cunning,
I will lay myself in hazard153. Claudio, whom here you have
warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than
Angelo who hath sentenced him. To make you understand
this in a manifested effect156, I crave but four days' respite, for
the which you are to do me both a present157 and a dangerous
courtesy158.
PROVOST Pray, sir, in what?
DUKE In the delaying death.
PROVOST Alack, how may I do it, having the hour limited161 and
an express command, under penalty, to deliver his head in
the view of Angelo? I may make my case as Claudio's163, to
cross164 this in the smallest.
DUKE By the vow of mine order, I warrant165 you, if my
instructions may be your guide, let this Barnardine be this
morning executed, and his head borne to Angelo.
PROVOST Angelo hath seen them both and will discover the
favour168.
DUKE O, death's a great disguiser, and you may add to it.
Shave the head and tie171 the beard and say it was the desire of
the penitent to be so bared172 before his death: you know the
course173 is common. If anything fall to you upon this, more
than thanks and good fortune, by the saint whom I profess, I
will plead against it with my life.
PROVOST Pardon me, good father, it is against my oath.