Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure

ACT III SCENE II	The street before the prison.
	Enter, on one side, DUKE VINCENTIO disguised asbefore; on the other, ELBOW, and Officers with POMPEY
ELBOW	Nay, if there be no remedy for it, but that you will
	needs buy and sell men and women like beasts, we
	shall have all the world drink brown and white bastard.
DUKE VINCENTIO	O heavens! what stuff is here	5
POMPEY	'Twas never merry world since, of two usuries, the
	merriest was put down, and the worser allowed by
	order of law a furred gown to keep him warm; and
	furred with fox and lamb-skins too, to signify, that
	craft, being richer than innocency, stands for the facing.	10
ELBOW	Come your way, sir. 'Bless you, good father friar.
DUKE VINCENTIO	And you, good brother father. What offence hath
	this man made you, sir?
ELBOW	Marry, sir, he hath offended the law: and, sir, we
	take him to be a thief too, sir; for we have found	15
	upon him, sir, a strange picklock, which we have
	sent to the deputy.
DUKE VINCENTIO	Fie, sirrah! a bawd, a wicked bawd!
	The evil that thou causest to be done,
	That is thy means to live. Do thou but think	20
	What 'tis to cram a maw or clothe a back
	From such a filthy vice: say to thyself,
	From their abominable and beastly touches
	I drink, I eat, array myself, and live.
	Canst thou believe thy living is a life,	25
	So stinkingly depending? Go mend, go mend.
POMPEY	Indeed, it does stink in some sort, sir; but yet,
	sir, I would prove--
DUKE VINCENTIO	Nay, if the devil have given thee proofs for sin,
	Thou wilt prove his. Take him to prison, officer:	30
	Correction and instruction must both work
	Ere this rude beast will profit.
ELBOW	He must before the deputy, sir; he has given him
	warning: the deputy cannot abide a whoremaster: if
	he be a whoremonger, and comes before him, he were	35
	as good go a mile on his errand.
DUKE VINCENTIO	That we were all, as some would seem to be,
	From our faults, as faults from seeming, free!
ELBOW	His neck will come to your waist,--a cord, sir.
POMPEY	I spy comfort; I cry bail. Here's a gentleman and a	40
	friend of mine.
	Enter LUCIO
LUCIO	How now, noble Pompey! What, at the wheels of
	Caesar? art thou led in triumph? What, is there
	none of Pygmalion's images, newly made woman, to be
	had now, for putting the hand in the pocket and	45
	extracting it clutch'd? What reply, ha? What
	sayest thou to this tune, matter and method? Is't
	not drowned i' the last rain, ha? What sayest
	thou, Trot? Is the world as it was, man? Which is
	the way? Is it sad, and few words? or how? The	50
	trick of it?
DUKE VINCENTIO	Still thus, and thus; still worse!
LUCIO	How doth my dear morsel, thy mistress? Procures she
	still, ha?
POMPEY	Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and she	55
	is herself in the tub.
LUCIO	Why, 'tis good; it is the right of it; it must be
	so: ever your fresh whore and your powdered bawd:
	an unshunned consequence; it must be so. Art going
	to prison, Pompey?	60
POMPEY	Yes, faith, sir.
LUCIO	Why, 'tis not amiss, Pompey. Farewell: go, say I
	sent thee thither. For debt, Pompey? or how?
ELBOW	For being a bawd, for being a bawd.
LUCIO	Well, then, imprison him: if imprisonment be the	65
	due of a bawd, why, 'tis his right: bawd is he
	doubtless, and of antiquity too; bawd-born.
	Farewell, good Pompey. Commend me to the prison,
	Pompey: you will turn good husband now, Pompey; you
	will keep the house.	70
POMPEY	I hope, sir, your good worship will be my bail.
LUCIO	No, indeed, will I not, Pompey; it is not the wear.
	I will pray, Pompey, to increase your bondage: If
	you take it not patiently, why, your mettle is the
	more. Adieu, trusty Pompey. 'Bless you, friar.	75
DUKE VINCENTIO	And you.
LUCIO	Does Bridget paint still, Pompey, ha?
ELBOW	Come your ways, sir; come.
POMPEY	You will not bail me, then, sir?
LUCIO	Then, Pompey, nor now. What news abroad, friar?	80
	what news?
ELBOW	Come your ways, sir; come.
LUCIO	Go to kennel, Pompey; go.
	Exeunt ELBOW, POMPEY and Officers
	What news, friar, of the duke?
DUKE VINCENTIO	I know none. Can you tell me of any?	85
LUCIO	Some say he is with the Emperor of Russia; other
	some, he is in Rome: but where is he, think you?
DUKE VINCENTIO	I know not where; but wheresoever, I wish him well.
LUCIO	It was a mad fantastical trick of him to steal from
	the state, and usurp the beggary he was never born	90
	to. Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence; he
	puts transgression to 't.
DUKE VINCENTIO	He does well in 't.
LUCIO	A little more lenity to lechery would do no harm in
	him: something too crabbed that way, friar.	95
DUKE VINCENTIO	It is too general a vice, and severity must cure it.
LUCIO	Yes, in good sooth, the vice is of a great kindred;
	it is well allied: but it is impossible to extirp
	it quite, friar, till eating and drinking be put
	down. They say this Angelo was not made by man and	100
	woman after this downright way of creation: is it
	true, think you?
DUKE VINCENTIO	How should he be made, then?
LUCIO	Some report a sea-maid spawned him; some, that he
	was begot between two stock-fishes. But it is	105
	certain that when he makes water his urine is
	congealed ice; that I know to be true: and he is a
	motion generative; that's infallible.
DUKE VINCENTIO	You are pleasant, sir, and speak apace.
LUCIO	Why, what a ruthless thing is this in him, for the	110
	rebellion of a codpiece to take away the life of a
	man! Would the duke that is absent have done this?
	Ere he would have hanged a man for the getting a
	hundred bastards, he would have paid for the nursing
	a thousand: he had some feeling of the sport: he	115
	knew the service, and that instructed him to mercy.
DUKE VINCENTIO	I never heard the absent duke much detected for
	women; he was not inclined that way.
LUCIO	O, sir, you are deceived.
DUKE VINCENTIO	'Tis not possible.	120
LUCIO	Who, not the duke? yes, your beggar of fifty; and
	his use was to put a ducat in her clack-dish: the
	duke had crotchets in him. He would be drunk too;
	that let me inform you.
DUKE VINCENTIO	You do him wrong, surely.	125
LUCIO	Sir, I was an inward of his. A shy fellow was the
	duke: and I believe I know the cause of his
	withdrawing.
DUKE VINCENTIO	What, I prithee, might be the cause?
LUCIO	No, pardon; 'tis a secret must be locked within the	130
	teeth and the lips: but this I can let you
	understand, the greater file of the subject held the
	duke to be wise.
DUKE VINCENTIO	Wise! why, no question but he was.
LUCIO	A very superficial, ignorant, unweighing fellow.	135
DUKE VINCENTIO	Either this is the envy in you, folly, or mistaking:
	the very stream of his life and the business he hath
	helmed must upon a warranted need give him a better
	proclamation. Let him be but testimonied in his own
	bringings-forth, and he shall appear to the	140
	envious a scholar, a statesman and a soldier.
	Therefore you speak unskilfully: or if your
	knowledge be more it is much darkened in your malice.
LUCIO	Sir, I know him, and I love him.
DUKE VINCENTIO	Love talks with better knowledge, and knowledge with	145
	dearer love.
LUCIO	Come, sir, I know what I know.
DUKE VINCENTIO	I can hardly believe that, since you know not what
	you speak. But, if ever the duke return, as our
	prayers are he may, let me desire you to make your	150
	answer before him. If it be honest you have spoke,
	you have courage to maintain it: I am bound to call
	upon you; and, I pray you, your name?
LUCIO	Sir, my name is Lucio; well known to the duke.
DUKE VINCENTIO	He shall know you better, sir, if I may live to	155
	report you.
LUCIO	I fear you not.
DUKE VINCENTIO	O, you hope the duke will return no more; or you
	imagine me too unhurtful an opposite. But indeed I
	can do you little harm; you'll forswear this again.	160
LUCIO	I'll be hanged first: thou art deceived in me,
	friar. But no more of this. Canst thou tell if
	Claudio die to-morrow or no?
DUKE VINCENTIO	Why should he die, sir?
LUCIO	Why? For filling a bottle with a tundish. I would	165
	the duke we talk of were returned again: the
	ungenitured agent will unpeople the province with
	continency; sparrows must not build in his
	house-eaves, because they are lecherous. The duke
	yet would have dark deeds darkly answered; he would	170
	never bring them to light: would he were returned!
	Marry, this Claudio is condemned for untrussing.
	Farewell, good friar: I prithee, pray for me. The
	duke, I say to thee again, would eat mutton on
	Fridays. He's not past it yet, and I say to thee,	175
	he would mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown
	bread and garlic: say that I said so. Farewell.
	Exit
DUKE VINCENTIO	No might nor greatness in mortality
	Can censure 'scape; back-wounding calumny
	The whitest virtue strikes. What king so strong	180
	Can tie the gall up in the slanderous tongue?
	But who comes here?
	Enter ESCALUS, Provost, and Officers with MISTRESS OVERDONE
ESCALUS	Go; away with her to prison!
MISTRESS OVERDONE	Good my lord, be good to me; your honour is accounted
	a merciful man; good my lord.	185
ESCALUS	Double and treble admonition, and still forfeit in
	the same kind! This would make mercy swear and play
	the tyrant.
Provost	A bawd of eleven years' continuance, may it please
	your honour.	190
MISTRESS OVERDONE	My lord, this is one Lucio's information against me.
	Mistress Kate Keepdown was with child by him in the
	duke's time; he promised her marriage: his child
	is a year and a quarter old, come Philip and Jacob:
	I have kept it myself; and see how he goes about to abuse me!	195
ESCALUS	That fellow is a fellow of much licence: let him be
	called before us. Away with her to prison! Go to;
	no more words.
	Exeunt Officers with MISTRESS OVERDONE
	Provost, my brother Angelo will not be altered;
	Claudio must die to-morrow: let him be furnished	200
	with divines, and have all charitable preparation.
	if my brother wrought by my pity, it should not be
	so with him.
Provost	So please you, this friar hath been with him, and
	advised him for the entertainment of death.	205
ESCALUS	Good even, good father.
DUKE VINCENTIO	Bliss and goodness on you!
ESCALUS	Of whence are you?
DUKE VINCENTIO	Not of this country, though my chance is now
	To use it for my time: I am a brother	210
	Of gracious order, late come from the See
	In special business from his holiness.
ESCALUS	What news abroad i' the world?
DUKE VINCENTIO	None, but that there is so great a fever on
	goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it:	215
	novelty is only in request; and it is as dangerous
	to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous
	to be constant in any undertaking. There is scarce
	truth enough alive to make societies secure; but
	security enough to make fellowships accurst: much	220
	upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This
	news is old enough, yet it is every day's news. I
	pray you, sir, of what disposition was the duke?
ESCALUS	One that, above all other strifes, contended
	especially to know himself.	225
DUKE VINCENTIO	What pleasure was he given to?
ESCALUS	Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at
	any thing which professed to make him rejoice: a
	gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to
	his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous;	230
	and let me desire to know how you find Claudio
	prepared. I am made to understand that you have
	lent him visitation.
DUKE VINCENTIO	He professes to have received no sinister measure
	from his judge, but most willingly humbles himself	235
	to the determination of justice: yet had he framed
	to himself, by the instruction of his frailty, many
	deceiving promises of life; which I by my good
	leisure have discredited to him, and now is he
	resolved to die.	240
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	245
	he is indeed Justice.
DUKE VINCENTIO	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.	250
DUKE VINCENTIO	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;	255
	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,	260
	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 practise on the times,	265
	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;	270
	So disguise shall, by the disguised,
	Pay with falsehood false exacting,
	And perform an old contracting.
	Exit