Duke. You were not bid to speak. Isab. That's he, indeed. No, my good lord; I wish you now, then : Lucio. Nor wish'd to hold my peace. Duke. Pray you, take note of it; and when you have A business for yourself, pray Be perfect. heaven, you then I warrant your honour. Duke. The warrant's for yourself: take heed to it. Isab. This gentleman told somewhat of my tale. Lucio. Right. Duke. It may be right; but you are in the wrong To speak before your time.-Proceed. Isab. To this pernicious, caitiff deputy. Duke. That's somewhat madly spoken. The phrase is to the matter. I went Pardon it: Duke. Mended again: the matter?-Proceed. (For this was of much length) the vile conclusion Release my brother; and, after much debatement, And I did yield to him. But the next morn betimes, For my poor brother's head. Duke. This is most likely. Isab. O, that it were as like, as it is true 3! 3 O, that it were as like, as it is true !] The Duke says in derision, "This is most likely ;" and Isabel, finding the Duke's incredulity, insists upon the truth of her story, however improbable. Duke. By heaven, fond wretch! thou know'st not what thou speak'st, Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour, Stands without blemish: next, it imports no reason, And not have cut him off. Some one hath set you on: Thou cam'st here to complain. Isab. And is this all? Then, O! you blessed ministers above, Keep me in patience; and, with ripen'd time, In countenance !-Heaven shield your grace from woe, Duke. I know, you'd fain be gone.-An officer! To prison with her.-Shall we thus permit A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall On him so near us? This needs must be a practice. Isab. One that I would were here, friar Lodowick. Lucio. My lord, I know him: 'tis a meddling friar; I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord, For certain words he spake against your grace In your retirement, I had swing'd him soundly. Duke. Words against me? This a good friar, belike! And to set on this wretched woman here Against our substitute!-Let this friar be found. Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar I saw them at the prison. A saucy friar, A very scurvy fellow. 4 FOND wretch,] i. e. Foolish wretch. See note 5, p. 37. F. Peter. Blessed be your royal grace! I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard Who is as free from touch or soil with her, We did believe no less. Duke. As he's reported by this gentleman; And, on my trust, a man that never yet Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace. Lucio. My lord, most villainously: believe it. F. Peter. Well; he in time may come to clear himself, But at this instant he is sick, my lord, Of a strange fever. Upon his mere request, So vulgarly and personally accus'd, Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes, Till she herself confess it. Duke. Good friar, let's hear it. [ISABELLA is carried off guarded; and MARIANA Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo ?— 5 In this I'll be IMPARTIAL :] Impartial was frequently used for most partial, as the commentators have shown by a variety of quotations, but they are not wanted Of your own cause.-Is this the witness, friar? Duke. What, are you married? Are nothing then neither maid, widow, nor wife? Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife. Duke. Silence that fellow: I would, he had some cause To prattle for himself. Lucio. Well, my lord. Mari. My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married; And, I confess, besides, I am no maid: I have known my husband, yet my husband knows not That ever he knew me. Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord: it can be no better. Duke. For the benefit of silence, 'would thou wert so too! Lucio. Well, my lord. Duke. This is no witness for lord Angelo. Mari. Now I come to't, my lord. She that accuses him of fornication, husband; And charges him, my lord, with such a time, here when the Duke says, "I'll be impartial," he means that he will take no part, or stand neuter in the cause, leaving it to the decision of Angelo himself. The word has been hitherto mistaken. 6 First, let her show HER face ;] The first folio has "your face," arising perhaps from "you her" in the MS. having been abbreviated to you'r for the sake of the metre. The alteration was made by the editor of the second folio. When, I'll depose, I had him in mine arms, Ang. Mari. Not that I know. Duke. Charges she more than me? No? you say, your husband. Mari. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo, Who thinks, he knows, that he ne'er knew my body, But knows, he thinks, that he knows Isabel's. Ang. This is a strange abuse.-Let's see thy face. This is that face, thou cruel Angelo, And did supply thee at thy garden-house ' Duke. 7 Know you this woman? Sirrah, no more. Lucio. Carnally, she says. Lucio. Enough, my lord. Ang. My lord, I must confess, I know this woman ; And five years since there was some speech of marriage Betwixt myself and her, which was broke off, I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her, Mari. Noble prince, 7 And did supply thee at thy garden-house] What we now call a summerhouse, erected in a garden, and often used for purposes of intrigue. They are noticed by many old writers, and especially by dramatists. See various instances in the last edit. of Dodsley's Old Plays, IV. 148, &c. |