Enter Duke and Prouost.
Duke. Haile to you, Prouost, so I thinke you are
Pro. I am the Prouost: whats your will, good Frier?
Duke. Bound by my charity, and my blest order, I come to visite the afflicted spirits Here in the prison: doe me the common right To let me see them: and to make me know The nature of their crimes, that I may minister To them accordingly
Pro. I would do more then that, if more were needfull
Enter Iuliet.
Looke here comes one: a Gentlewoman of mine, Who falling in the flawes of her owne youth, Hath blisterd her report: She is with childe, And he that got it, sentenc"d: a yong man, More fit to doe another such offence, Then dye for this
Duk. When must he dye?
Pro. As I do thinke to morrow.
I haue prouided for you, stay a while And you shall be conducted
Duk. Repent you (faire one) of the sin you carry?
Iul. I doe; and beare the shame most patiently
Du. Ile teach you how you shal araign your conscie[n]ce And try your penitence, if it be sound, Or hollowly put on
Iul. Ile gladly learne
Duk. Loue you the man that wrong"d you?
Iul. Yes, as I loue the woman that wrong"d him
Duk. So then it seemes your most offence full act Was mutually committed
Iul. Mutually
Duk. Then was your sin of heauier kinde then his
Iul. I doe confesse it, and repent it (Father.) Duk. "Tis meet so (daughter) but least you do repent As that the sin hath brought you to this shame, Which sorrow is alwaies toward our selues, not heauen, Showing we would not spare heauen, as we loue it, But as we stand in feare
Iul. I doe repent me, as it is an euill, And take the shame with ioy
Duke. There rest: Your partner (as I heare) must die to morrow, And I am going with instruction to him: Grace goe with you, Benedicite.
Enter.
Iul. Must die to morrow? oh iniurious Loue That respits me a life, whose very comfort Is still a dying horror
Pro. "Tis pitty of him.
Exeunt.
Scena Quarta.
Enter Angelo.
An. When I would pray, & think, I thinke, and pray To seuerall subiects: heauen hath my empty words, Whilst my Inuention, hearing not my Tongue, Anchors on Isabell: heauen in my mouth, As if I did but onely chew his name, And in my heart the strong and swelling euill Of my conception: the state whereon I studied Is like a good thing, being often read Growne feard, and tedious: yea, my Grauitie Wherein (let no man heare me) I take pride, Could I, with boote, change for an idle plume Which the ayre beats for vaine: oh place, oh forme, How often dost thou with thy case, thy habit Wrench awe from fooles, and tye the wiser soules To thy false seeming? Blood, thou art blood, Let"s write good Angell on the Deuills horne "Tis not the Deuills Crest: how now? who"s there?
Enter Seruant.
Ser. One Isabell, a Sister, desires accesse to you
Ang. Teach her the way: oh, heauens Why doe"s my bloud thus muster to my heart, Making both it vnable for it selfe, And dispossessing all my other parts Of necessary fitnesse?
So play the foolish throngs with one that swounds, Come all to help him, and so stop the ayre By which hee should reuiue: and euen so The generall subiect to a wel-wisht King Quit their owne part, and in obsequious fondnesse Crowd to his presence, where their vn-taught loue Must needs appear offence: how now faire Maid.
Enter Isabella.
Isab. I am come to know your pleasure
An. That you might know it, wold much better please me, Then to demand what "tis: your Brother cannot liue
Isab. Euen so: heauen keepe your Honor
Ang. Yet may he liue a while: and it may be As long as you, or I: yet he must die
Isab. Vnder your Sentence?
Ang. Yea
Isab. When, I beseech you: that in his Reprieue (Longer, or shorter) he may be so fitted That his soule sicken not
Ang. Ha? fie, these filthy vices: It were as good To pardon him, that hath from nature stolne A man already made, as to remit Their sawcie sweetnes, that do coyne heauens Image In stamps that are forbid: "tis all as easie, Falsely to take away a life true made, As to put mettle in restrained meanes To make a false one
Isab. "Tis set downe so in heauen, but not in earth
Ang. Say you so: then I shall poze you quickly.
Which had you rather, that the most iust Law Now tooke your brothers life, and to redeeme him Giue vp your body to such sweet vncleannesse As she that he hath staind?
Isab. Sir, beleeue this.
I had rather giue my body, then my soule
Ang. I talke not of your soule: our compel"d sins Stand more for number, then for accompt
Isab. How say you?
Ang. Nay Ile not warrant that: for I can speake Against the thing I say: Answere to this, I (now the voyce of the recorded Law) p.r.o.nounce a sentence on your Brothers life, Might there not be a charitie in sinne, To saue this Brothers life?
Isab. Please you to doo"t, Ile take it as a perill to my soule, It is no sinne at all, but charitie
Ang. Pleas"d you to doo"t, at perill of your soule Were equall poize of sinne, and charitie
Isab. That I do beg his life, if it be sinne Heauen let me beare it: you granting of my suit, If that be sin, Ile make it my Morne-praier, To haue it added to the faults of mine, And nothing of your answere
Ang. Nay, but heare me, Your sence pursues not mine: either you are ignorant, Or seeme so crafty; and that"s not good
Isab. Let be ignorant, and in nothing good, But graciously to know I am no better
Ang. Thus wisdome wishes to appeare most bright, When it doth taxe it selfe: As these blacke Masques Proclaime an en-shield beauty ten times louder Then beauty could displaied: But marke me, To be receiued plaine, Ile speake more grosse: Your Brother is to dye