Escal. I am going to visit the prisoner. Fare you

well.

280

Duke. 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;
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,
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 practice on the times,
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;
So disguise shall, by the disguised,
Pay with falsehood false exacting,
And perform an old contracting.

290

[Exit.

ACT FOURTH.

Scene I.

The moated grange at St. Luke's.

Enter Mariana and a Boy.
Boy sings.

Take, O, take those lips away,

That so sweetly were forsworn;
And those eyes, the break of day,

Lights that do mislead the morn:

But my kisses bring again, bring again;

Seals of love, but seal'd in vain, seal'd in vain.
Mari. Break off thy song, and haste thee quick away:
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often still'd my brawling discontent.

I

Enter Duke disguised as before.

[Exit Boy.

cry you mercy, sir; and well could wish
You had not found me here so musical:
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,

My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe. Duke. 'Tis good; though music hath oft such a charm To make bad good, and good provoke to harm. I pray you, tell me, hath anybody inquired for me here to-day? much upon this time have I promised here to meet.

Mari. You have not been inquired after: I have sat

ΙΟ

here all day.

Enter Isabella.

Duke. I do constantly believe you. The time is

20

come even now.

I shall crave your forbearance

a little may be I will call upon you anon, for

some advantage to yourself.

Mari. I am always bound to you.

Duke. Very well met, and well come.

What is the news from this good Deputy?
Isab. He hath a garden circummured with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard back'd;
And to that vineyard is a planched gate,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There have I made my promise

Upon the heavy middle of the night

To call upon him.

[Exit.

Duke. But shall you on your knowledge find this way?

Isab. I have ta'en a due and wary note upon 't:

With whispering and most guilty diligence,
In action all of precept, he did show me
The way twice o'er.

Duke.

Are there no other tokens
Between you 'greed concerning her observance?
Isab. No, none, but only a repair i' the dark;
And that I have possess'd him my most stay
Can be but brief; for I have made him know
I have a servant comes with me along,
That stays upon me, whose persuasion is
I come about my brother.

Duke.

'Tis well borne up.

I have not yet made known to Mariana

A word of this. What, ho! within! come forth!

39

40

SONG: "Take, O take those lips away,

That so sweetly were forsworn "

MEASURE FOR MEASURE Act IV Scene 1