Measure for Measure

“An Angelo for Claudio, death for death!” Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.

and I think forty more, all great doers in our trade, and are now “for the Lord’s sake.”

And you may marvel why I obscur’d myself, Laboring to save his life, and would not rather Make rash remonstrance of my hidden pow’r Than let him so be lost.

As all comforts are: most good, most good indeed. Lord Angelo, having affairs to heaven, Intends you for his swift ambassador, Where you shall be an everlasting leiger;

Be not so hot. The Duke Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he Dare rack his own.

Boldly, at least. But O, poor souls, Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox, Good night to your redress! Is the Duke gone? Then is your cause gone too.

But I will keep her ignorant of her good, To make her heavenly comforts of despair, When it is least expected.

but man, proud man, Dress’d in a little brief authority, Most ignorant of what he’s most assur’d (His glassy essence), like an angry ape Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven As makes the angels weep;

But might you do’t, and do the world no wrong, If so your heart were touch’d with that remorse As mine is to him?

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.

By mine honesty, If she be mad, as I believe no other, Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense, Such a dependancy of thing on thing, As e’er I heard in madness.

Come; fear not you; good counsellors lack no clients. Though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I’ll be your tapster still.

Convenient is it. Make a swift return, For I would commune with you of such things That want no ear but yours.

Even so may Angelo, In all his dressings, caracts, titles, forms, Be an arch-villain. Believe it, royal Prince, If he be less, he’s nothing, but he’s more, Had I more name for badness.

f you can pace your wisdom In that good path that I would wish it go, And you shall have your bosom on this wretch, Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart, And general honor.

Farewell, good friar, I prithee pray for me. The Duke (I say to thee again) would eat mutton on Fridays. He’s now past it, yet (and I say to thee) he would mouth with a beggar, though she smelt brown bread and garlic. Say that I said so. Farewell.

For this new-married man approaching here, Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong’d Your well-defended honor, you must pardon For Mariana’s sake;

For which I would not plead, but that I must; For which I must not plead, but that I am At war ’twixt will and will not.

Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence, That yet can do thee office? If thou hast, Rely upon it till my tale be heard, And hold no longer out.

He (to give fear to use and liberty, Which have for long run by the hideous law, As mice by lions) hath pick’d out an act, Under whose heavy sense your brother’s life Falls into forfeit;

He will hear none. He hath evermore had the liberty of the prison; give him leave to escape hence, he would not. Drunk many times a day, if not many days entirely drunk.

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.

His act did not o’ertake his bad intent, And must be buried but as an intent That perish’d by the way. Thoughts are no subjects, Intents but merely thoughts.

His filth within being cast, he would appear A pond as deep as hell.

His subject am I not, Nor here provincial. My business in this state Made me a looker-on here in Vienna, Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble, Till it o’errun the stew;

Hold therefore, Angelo: In our remove be thou at full ourself. Mortality and mercy in Vienna Live in thy tongue and heart.

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.

How may likeness made in crimes, Making practice on the times, To draw with idle spiders’ strings Most ponderous and substantial things!

How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no, For my authority bears of a credent bulk, That no particular scandal once can touch But it confounds the breather.

How would you be If He, which is the top of judgment, should But judge you as you are? O, think on that, And mercy then will breathe within your lips, Like man new made.

I humbly thank you. To sue to live, I find I seek to die, And seeking death, find life. Let it come on.

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 would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack.

I pray you, sir, of what disposition was the Duke? ESCAL. One that, above all other strifes, contended especially to know himself.

I will give him a present shrift, and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amaz’d, but this shall absolutely resolve you. Come away, it is almost clear dawn.

I will proclaim thee, Angelo, look for’t! Sign me a present pardon for my brother, Or with an outstretch’d throat I’ll tell the world aloud What man thou art.

I would not—though ’tis my familiar sin With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, Tongue far from heart—play with all virgins so.

If thou art rich, thou’rt poor, For like an ass, whose back with ingots bows, Thou bear’st thy heavy riches but a journey, And death unloads thee.

In such a one as, you consenting to’t, Would bark your honor from that trunk you bear, And leave you naked.

Is’t not a kind of incest, to take life From thine own sister’s shame? What should I think? Heaven shield my mother play’d my father fair! For such a warped slip of wilderness Ne’er issu’d from his blood.

It is not truer he is Angelo Than this is all as true as it is strange; Nay, it is ten times true, for truth is truth To th’ end of reck’ning.

It were as good To pardon him that hath from nature stol’n A man already made, as to remit Their saucy sweetness that do coin heaven’s image In stamps that are forbid.

I’ll privily away. I love the people, But do not like to stage me to their eyes; Though it do well, I do not relish well Their loud applause and aves vehement;

I’ll teach you how you shall arraign your conscience, And try your penitence, if it be sound, Or hollowly put on.

I’ll tell him yet of Angelo’s request, And fit his mind to death, for his soul’s rest.

Let but your honor know (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue) That in the working of your own affections, Had time coher’d with place, or place with wishing, Or that the resolute acting of your blood Could have attain’d th’ effect of your own purpose,

Let him be but testimonied in his own bringings-forth, and he shall appear to the envious a scholar, a statesman, and a soldier. Therefore you speak unskillfully; or, if your knowledge be more, it is much dark’ned in your malice.

Let this be done: Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio. Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting To yond generation, you shall find Your safety manifested.

Lord Angelo is precise; Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses That his blood flows; or that his appetite Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see If power change purpose: what our seemers be.

Many and hearty thankings to you both. We have made inquiry of you, and we hear Such goodness of your justice, that our soul Cannot but yield you forth to public thanks, Forerunning more requital.

Might you dispense with your leisure, I would by and by have some speech with you. The satisfaction I would require is likewise your own benefit. ISAB. I have no superfluous leisure; my stay must be stolen out of other affairs; but I will attend you a while.

My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever lov’d the life removed, And held in idle price to haunt assemblies Where youth, and cost, witless bravery keeps.

Never could the strumpet, With all her double vigor, art and nature, Once stir my temper; but this virtuous maid Subdues me quite. Ever till now, When men were fond, I smil’d and wond’red how.

No, pardon; ’tis a secret must be lock’d within the teeth and the lips. But this I can let you understand, the greater file of the subject held the Duke to be wise.

Noble Prince, As there comes light from heaven, and words from breath, As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue, I am affianc’d this man’s wife as strongly As words could make up vows;

Not a resemblance, but a certainty; yet since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you.

Not of this country, though my chance is now To use it for my time. I am a brother Of gracious order, late come from the See, In special business from his Holiness.

Not so, not so; his life is parallel’d Even with the stroke and line of his great justice. He doth with holy abstinence subdue That in himself which he spurs on his pow’r To qualify in others.

O my good lord! Sweet Isabel, take my part! Lend me your knees, and all my life to come I’ll lend you all my life to do you service.

O, I do fear thee, Claudio, and I quake, Lest thou a feverous life shouldst entertain, And six or seven winters more respect Than a perpetual honor. Dar’st thou die?

O, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hang’d betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day.

O, your desert speaks loud, and I should wrong it To lock it in the wards of covert bosom, When it deserves with characters of brass A forted residence ’gainst the tooth of time And razure of oblivion.

O, ’tis an accident that heaven provides! Dispatch it presently, the hour draws on Prefix’d by Angelo. See this be done, And sent according to command, whiles I Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

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 lists of all advice My strength can give you.

Our doubts are traitors, And makes us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt.

Pray, sir, by your good favor—for surely, sir, a good favor you have, but that you have a hanging look—do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?

Rather rejoicing to see another merry, than merry at any thing which profess’d to make him rejoice; a gentleman of all temperance. But leave we him to his events, with a prayer they may prove prosperous,

See you the fornicatress be remov’d. Let her have needful but not lavish means; There shall be order for’t.

Shall we serve heaven With less respect than we do minister To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you: Who is it that hath died for this offense? There’s many have committed it.

Shame to him whose cruel striking Kills for faults of his own liking! Twice treble shame on Angelo, To weed my vice, and let his grow!

Take then this your companion by the hand, Who hath a story ready for your ear. I shall attend your leisure, but make haste, The vaporous night approaches.

That we were all, as some would seem to be, From our faults, as faults from seeming, free!

The Provost knows our purpose and our plot. The matter being afoot, keep your instruction, And hold you ever to our special drift, Though sometimes you do blench from this to that, As cause doth minister.

The hand that hath made you fair hath made you good; the goodness that is cheap in beauty makes beauty brief in goodness; but grace, being the soul of your complexion, shall keep the body of it ever fair.

The miserable have no other medicine But only hope: I have hope to live, and am prepar’d to die.

Then, O you blessed ministers above, Keep me in patience, and with ripened time Unfold the evil which is here wrapp’d up In countenance!

Then, good Prince, No longer session hold upon my shame, But let my trial be mine own confession. Immediate sentence then, and sequent death, Is all the grace I beg.

There is scarce truth enough alive to make societies secure, but security enough to make fellowships accurs’d. Much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world. This news is old enough, yet it is every day’s news.

There is written in your brow, Provost, honesty and constancy; if I read it not truly, my ancient skill beguiles me; but in the boldness of my cunning, I will lay myself in hazard.

This nor hurts him, nor profits you a jot. Forbear it therefore, give your cause to heaven. Mark what I say, which you shall find By every syllable a faithful verity.

This outward-sainted deputy, Whose settled visage and deliberate word Nips youth i’ th’ head, and follies doth enew As falcon doth the fowl, is yet a devil;

Thou art not thyself, For thou exists on many a thousand grains That issue out of dust. Happy thou art not, For what thou hast not, still thou striv’st to get, And what thou hast, forget’st.

Thus can the demigod, Authority, Make us pay down for our offense by weight The words of heaven: on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, so; yet still ’tis just.

Well; heaven forgive him! And forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall; Some run from brakes of ice and answer none, And some condemned for a fault alone.

Were he meal’d with that Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous, But this being so, he’s just.

What’s yet in this That bears the name of life? Yet in this life Lie hid more thousand deaths; yet death we fear That makes these odds all even.

Why does my blood thus muster to my heart, Making both it unable for itself, And dispossessing all my other parts Of necessary fitness?

Why, ’twas a commandement 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 the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition well that prays for peace.

You have told me too many of him already, sir, if they be true; if not true, none were enough.

Your friar is now your prince. As I was then Advertising and holy to your business, Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorneyed at your service.