Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure

ACT I SCENE II	A Street.
	Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen
LUCIO	If the duke with the other dukes come not to
	composition with the King of Hungary, why then all
	the dukes fall upon the king.
First Gentleman	Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of	5
	Hungary's!
Second Gentleman	Amen.
LUCIO	Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that
	went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped
	one out of the table.	10
Second Gentleman	'Thou shalt not steal'?
LUCIO	Ay, that he razed.
First Gentleman	Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and
	all the rest from their functions: they put forth
	to steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in	15
	the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition
	well that prays for peace.
Second Gentleman	I never heard any soldier dislike it.
LUCIO	I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where
	grace was said.	20
Second Gentleman	No? a dozen times at least.
First Gentleman	What, in metre?
LUCIO	In any proportion or in any language.
First Gentleman	I think, or in any religion.
LUCIO	Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all	25
	controversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a
	wicked villain, despite of all grace.
First Gentleman	Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.
LUCIO	I grant; as there may between the lists and the
	velvet. Thou art the list.	30
First Gentleman	And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou'rt
	a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief
	be a list of an English kersey as be piled, as thou
	art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak
	feelingly now?	35
LUCIO	I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful
	feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own
	confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I
	live, forget to drink after thee.
First Gentleman	I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?	40
Second Gentleman	Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.
LUCIO	Behold, behold. where Madam Mitigation comes! I
	have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to--
Second Gentleman	To what, I pray?
LUCIO	Judge.	45
Second Gentleman	To three thousand dolours a year.
First Gentleman	Ay, and more.
LUCIO	A French crown more.
First Gentleman	Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou
	art full of error; I am sound.	50
LUCIO	Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as
	things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow;
	impiety has made a feast of thee.
	Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE
First Gentleman	How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried	55
	to prison was worth five thousand of you all.
Second Gentleman	Who's that, I pray thee?
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
First Gentleman	Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw	60
	him carried away; and, which is more, within these
	three days his head to be chopped off.
LUCIO	But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so.
	Art thou sure of this?
MISTRESS OVERDONE	I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam	65
	Julietta with child.
LUCIO	Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two
	hours since, and he was ever precise in
	promise-keeping.
Second Gentleman	Besides, you know, it draws something near to the	70
	speech we had to such a purpose.
First Gentleman	But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.
LUCIO	Away! let's go learn the truth of it.
	Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what
	with the gallows and what with poverty, I am	75
	custom-shrunk.
	Enter POMPEY
	How now! what's the news with you?
POMPEY	Yonder man is carried to prison.
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Well; what has he done?
POMPEY	A woman.	80
MISTRESS OVERDONE	But what's his offence?
POMPEY	Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
MISTRESS OVERDONE	What, is there a maid with child by him?
POMPEY	No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have
	not heard of the proclamation, have you?	85
MISTRESS OVERDONE	What proclamation, man?
POMPEY	All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.
MISTRESS OVERDONE	And what shall become of those in the city?
POMPEY	They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too,
	but that a wise burgher put in for them.	90
MISTRESS OVERDONE	But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be
	pulled down?
POMPEY	To the ground, mistress.
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth!
	What shall become of me?	95
POMPEY	Come; fear you not: good counsellors lack no
	clients: though you change your place, you need not
	change your trade; I'll be your tapster still.
	Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that
	have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you	100
	will be considered.
MISTRESS OVERDONE	What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's withdraw.
POMPEY	Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to
	prison; and there's Madam Juliet.
	Exeunt
	Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers
CLAUDIO	Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?	105
	Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Provost	I do it not in evil disposition,
	But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
CLAUDIO	Thus can the demigod Authority
	Make us pay down for our offence by weight	110
	The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;
	On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.
	Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen
LUCIO	Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?
CLAUDIO	From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:
	As surfeit is the father of much fast,	115
	So every scope by the immoderate use
	Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
	Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,
	A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.
LUCIO	If could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would	120
	send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say
	the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom
	as the morality of imprisonment. What's thy
	offence, Claudio?
CLAUDIO	What but to speak of would offend again.	125
LUCIO	What, is't murder?
CLAUDIO	No.
LUCIO	Lechery?
CLAUDIO	Call it so.
Provost	Away, sir! you must go.	130
CLAUDIO	One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you.
LUCIO	A hundred, if they'll do you any good.
	Is lechery so look'd after?
CLAUDIO	Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract
	I got possession of Julietta's bed:	135
	You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
	Save that we do the denunciation lack
	Of outward order: this we came not to,
	Only for propagation of a dower
	Remaining in the coffer of her friends,	140
	From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
	Till time had made them for us. But it chances
	The stealth of our most mutual entertainment
	With character too gross is writ on Juliet.
LUCIO	With child, perhaps?	145
CLAUDIO	Unhappily, even so.
	And the new deputy now for the duke--
	Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,
	Or whether that the body public be
	A horse whereon the governor doth ride,	150
	Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
	He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;
	Whether the tyranny be in his place,
	Or in his emmence that fills it up,
	I stagger in:--but this new governor	155
	Awakes me all the enrolled penalties
	Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall
	So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round
	And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
	Now puts the drowsy and neglected act	160
	Freshly on me: 'tis surely for a name.
LUCIO	I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on
	thy shoulders that a milkmaid, if she be in love,
	may sigh it off. Send after the duke and appeal to
	him.	165
CLAUDIO	I have done so, but he's not to be found.
	I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
	This day my sister should the cloister enter
	And there receive her approbation:
	Acquaint her with the danger of my state:	170
	Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
	To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him:
	I have great hope in that; for in her youth
	There is a prone and speechless dialect,
	Such as move men; beside, she hath prosperous art	175
	When she will play with reason and discourse,
	And well she can persuade.
LUCIO	I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of the
	like, which else would stand under grievous
	imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I	180
	would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a
	game of tick-tack. I'll to her.
CLAUDIO	I thank you, good friend Lucio.
LUCIO	Within two hours.
CLAUDIO	Come, officer, away!	185
	Exeunt