Measure for Measure

he resolved to die. Escalus You have paid the heavens your function, and the prisoner the very debt of your calling. I have laboured for the poor gentleman to the extremest shore of my modesty: but my brother justice have I found so severe, that he hath forced me to tell him he is indeed Justice. Duke If his own life answer the straitness 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 heaven will bear
Should be as holy as severe;
Pattern in himself to know,
Grace to stand, and virtue go;
More nor less to others paying
Than by self-offences weighing.
Shame to him whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking!
Twice treble shame on Angelo,
To weed my vice and let his grow!
O, what may man within him hide,
Though angel on the outward side!
How may likeness made in crimes,
Making practice on the times,
To draw with idle spiders’ strings
Most ponderous and substantial things!
Craft against vice I must apply:
With Angelo to-night shall lie
His old betrothed but despised;
So disguise shall, by the disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,
And perform an old contracting. Exit.

Act IV

Scene I

The moated grange at St. Luke’s.

	Enter Mariana and a Boy.
	Boy sings.
	Take, O, take those lips away, That so sweetly were forsworn; And those eyes, the break of day, Lights that do mislead the morn: But my kisses bring again, bring again; Seals of love, but seal’d in vain, seal’d in vain.
Mariana	Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away: Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice Hath often still’d my brawling discontent. Exit Boy.
	Enter Duke disguised as before.
	I cry you mercy, 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 woe.
Duke	’Tis good; though music oft hath such a charm To make bad good, and good provoke to harm. I pray, you, tell me, hath any body inquired for me here to-day? much upon 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 constantly believe you. The time is come even now. I shall crave your forbearance a little: may be I will call upon you anon, for some advantage to yourself.
Mariana	I am always bound to you. Exit.
Duke	Very well met, and well come. What is the news from this good deputy?
Isabella	He hath a garden circummured with brick, Whose western side is with a vineyard back’d; And to that vineyard is a planched gate, That makes his opening with this bigger key: This other doth command a little door Which from the vineyard to the garden leads; There have I made my promise Upon the heavy middle of the night To call upon him.
Duke	But shall you on your knowledge find this way?
Isabella	I have ta’en a due and wary note upon’t: With whispering and most guilty diligence, In action all of precept, he did show me The way twice o’er.
Duke	Are there no other tokens Between you ’greed concerning her observance?
Isabella	No, none, but only a repair i’ the dark; And that I have possess’d him my most stay Can be but brief; for I have made him know I have a servant comes with me along, That stays upon me, whose persuasion is I come about my brother.
Duke	’Tis well borne up. I have not yet made known to Mariana A word of this. What, ho! within! come forth!
	Re-enter Mariana.
	I pray you, be acquainted with this maid; She comes to do you good.
Isabella	I do desire the like.
Duke	Do you persuade yourself that I respect you?
Mariana	Good friar, I know you do, and have found it.
Duke	Take, then, this your companion by the hand, Who hath a story ready for your ear. I shall attend your leisure: but make haste; The vaporous night approaches.
Mariana	Will’t please you walk aside? Exeunt Mariana and Isabella.
Duke	O place and greatness! millions of false eyes Are stuck upon thee: volumes of report Run with these false and most contrarious quests Upon thy doings: thousand escapes of wit Make thee the father of their idle dreams And rack thee in their fancies.
	Re-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 too.
Isabella	Little have you to say 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-contract: To bring you thus together, ’tis no sin, Sith that the justice of your title to him Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go: Our corn’s to reap, for yet our tithe’s to sow. Exeunt.

Scene II

A room in the prison.

	Enter Provost and 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 head, and I can never cut off a woman’s head.
Provost	Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine. Here is in our prison a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it on you to assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.
Pompey	Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of mind; 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! Abhorson! Where’s Abhorson, there?
	Enter Abhorson.
Abhorson	Do