PERSONS REPRESENTED VINCENTIO: THE DUKE. ANGELO: THE DEPUTY. ESCALUS: AN ANCIENT LORD. CLAUDIO: A YOUNG GENTLEMAN. LUCIO: A FANTASTIC. TWO OTHER LIKE GENTLEMEN. VARRIUS: A GENTLEMAN, SERVANT TO THE DUKE. LORDS, GENTLEMEN, GUARDS, OFFICERS, AND OTHER ATTENDANTS. SCENE-Vienna. MEASURE FOR MEASURE ACT I SCENE I. An Apartment in the DUKE's Palace. Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants. DUKE. Escalus! ESCAL. My Lord. DUKE. Of Government the properties to unfold Would seem in me t' affect speech and discourse ; ; Since I am put to know that your own science Exceeds in that the lists1 of all advice My strength can give you : then no more remains But add sufficiency, as your worth is, ample, And let them work. The nature of our people, Our City's institutions, and the terms For common justice, y' are as pregnant in 10 As art and practice hath enriched any That we remember. There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp.---Call hither, I say, bid come before us Angelo. What figure of us think you he will bear? For you must know, we have with special soul Elected him our absence to supply, Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love, ESCAL. If any in Vienna be of worth To undergo such ample grace and honour, 20 DUKE. Enter ANGELO. Look, where he comes. ANG. Always obedient to your Grace's will, I come to know your pleasure. 1 limits. 2 deeply versed ACT I DUKE. Sc. I Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, That to the observer doth thy history 30 Heaven doth with us, as we with torches do Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd But to fine issues: nor Nature never lends The smallest scruple of her excellence But, like a thrifty Goddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, 2 Both thanks and use.1 But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advertise. Hold, therefore, Angelo : In our remove, be thou at full ourself; Mortality and Mercy in Vienna 3 Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus, Take thy commission. ANG. Now, good my Lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Be stamp'd upon it. 40 We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice 50 As time and our concernings shall importune, What doth befall you here. So, fare you well : Of your commissions. ANG. Yet, give leave, my Lord, That we may bring you something on the way. 1 interest. 224 2 address. 3 say beforehand why I choose him. 4 hanging and pardoning. 5 concocted. 60 Nor need you on mine honour have to do But do not like to stage me to their eyes. To have free speech with you; and it concerns me A power I have; but of what strength and nature ANG. 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together, Touching that point. ESCAL. I'll wait upon your Honour. 70 [exit. 80 [exeunt. SCENE II. A Street. Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen. LUCIO. If the Duke, with the other Dukes, come not to FIRST GENT. Heaven grant us its peace, but not the SEC. GENT. Amen. LUCIO. Thou conclud'st like the sanctimonious Pirate, that went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scrap'd one out of the table. SEC. GENT. Thou shalt not steal? LUCIO. Ay, that he raz'd. FIRST GENT. Why, 'twas a Commandment to command the Captain and all the rest from their functions: they 1 capacity. 2 cheers. ACT I |