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Duke.

You are pardoned, Isabel.

And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.
Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart;
And you may marvel why I obscured myself,
Labouring to save his life; and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power
Than let him so be lost: O, most kind maid,
It was the swift celerity of his death,
Which I did think with slower foot came on,
That brained my purpose. But peace be with him!
That life is better life, past fearing death,
Than that which lives to fear: make it your
comfort,
So happy is your brother.
Isab.

I do, my lord.

Re-enter ANGELO, MARIANA, PETER, and Provost.

Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here,

Whose salt imagination yet hath wronged

Your well-defended honour, you must pardon For Mariana's sake. But as he adjudged your brother

(Being criminal in double violation
Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach,
Thereon dependent, for your brother's life),
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
"An Angelo for Claudio, death for death."
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;
Like doth quit like, and "Measure" still "for
Measure."

Then, Angelo, thy fault's thus manifested,— Which though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage:

We do condemn thee to the very block Where Claudio stooped to death, and with like haste:

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Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me;
Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all.
They say, best men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: so may my husband.
O, Isabel, will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab.
Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.
Look, if it please you, on this man condemned
As if my brother lived. I partly think
A due sincerity governed his deeds,

'Till he did look on me: since it is so,
Let him not die. My brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he died.
For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;

And must be buried but as an intent

That perished by the way: thoughts are no subjects;

Intents but merely thoughts.

Mari. Merely, my lord.

Duke. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up I say. I have bethought me of another fault : Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded At an unusual hour?

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Duke. What's he?

Prov. His name is Barnardine.

Duke. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio: Go, fetch him hither: let me look upon him. [Exit Provost.

Escal. I am sorry one so learned and so wise As you, Lord Angelo, have still appeared, Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood And lack of tempered judgment afterward.

Ang. I am sorry that such sorrow I procure : And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart, That I crave death more willingly than mercy; 'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.

Re-enter Provost, BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO, and
JULIET.

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?
Prov. This, my lord.

Duke. There was a friar told me of this man. Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no further than this world, And squarest thy life according. Thou 'rt condemned;

But for those earthly faults, I quit them all;
And pray thee, take this mercy to provide
For better times to come. Friar advise him;
I leave him to your hand.—What muffled fellow's
that?

Prov. This is another prisoner that I saved, That should have died when Claudio lost his head;

As like almost to Claudio as himself,

[Unmuffles CLAUDIO. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To ISABELLA.

for his sake

Is he pardoned: and for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine,
He is my brother too: but fitter time for that.
By this, Lord Angelo perceives he 's safe;
Methinks I see a quickening in his eye.
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:
Look that you love your wife; her worth, worth
yours.-

I find an apt remission in myself;

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon: You, sirrah [to Lucio], that knew me for a fool, a coward,

One all of luxury, an ass, a madman:
Wherein have I so deserved of you,
That you extol me thus?

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick. If you will hang me for it, you may; but I had rather it would please you I might be whipped.

Duke. Whipped first, sir, and hanged after. Proclaim it, Provost, round the city, If any woman's wronged by this lewd fellow (As I have heard him swear himself, there's one Whom he begot with child), let her appear, And he shall marry her: the nuptial finished, Let him be whipped and hanged.

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, I made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour thou shalt marry her. Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal Remit thy other forfeits. Take him to prison; And see our pleasure herein executed.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging,

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it. She, Claudio, that you wronged, look you restore. Joy to you, Mariana!-Love her Angelo; I have confessed her, and I know her virtue. Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness: There's more behind that is more gratulate. Thanks, Provost, for thy care and secrecy; We shall employ thee in a worthier place. Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home The head of Ragozine for Claudio's: The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel, I have a motion much imports your good; Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline, What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine. So bring us to our palace; where we'll shew What's yet behind, that's meet you all should [Exeunt.

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with a Messenger.

brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio.

Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally Leon. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of remembered by Don Pedro: he hath borne himArragon comes this night to Messina.

Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him.

Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?

Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name.
Leon. A victory is twice itself when the achiever

self beyond the promise of his age, doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and

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