She hath been a suitor to me for her brother, By course of justice! Isab. Ang. And she will speak most bitterly, and strange. Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak : That Angelo's forsworn; is it not strange? That Angelo's a murderer; is't not strange? That Angelo is an adulterous thief, An hypocrite, a virgin-violator; Nay, ten times strange. Isab. 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 Duke. Away with her; - Poor soul, She speaks this in the infirmity of sense. Isab. O prince, I cónjure thee, as thou believ'st There is another comfort than this world, That thou neglect me not, with that opinion That I am touch'd with madness; make not impossible In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms, Duke. By mine honesty, If she be mad, (as I believe no other,) Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense, As e'er I heard in madness. 1 as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute,] As shy; as reserved, as abstracted: as just; as nice, as exact: as absolute; as complete in all the round of duty. JOHNSON. Isab. Duke. Have, sure, more lack of reason. Many that are not mad, Isab. I am the sister of one Claudio, Was sent to by my brother: One Lucio Lucio. That's I, an't like your grace: I came to her from Claudio, and desir'd her Isab. Duke. You were not bid to speak. Nor wish'd to hold my peace. Duke. That's he, indeed. No, my good lord ; I wish you now then; Pray you, take note of it: and when you have Lucio. I warrant your honour. Duke. The warrant's for yourself; take heed to it. Duke. It may be right; but you are in the wrong Isab. To this pernicious caitiff deputy. Duke. That's somewhat madly spoken. do not banish reason I went For inequality:] Do not suppose I am mad, because I speak passionately and unequally. MALONE. And hide the false, seems true.] i. e. which seems true. Isab. The phrase is to the matter. Pardon it; Duke. Mended again: the matter; - Proceed. Release my brother; and, after much debatement, And I did yield to him: But the next morn betimes, For my poor brother's head. Duke. This is most likely ! Isab. O, that it were as like as it is true! Duke. By heaven, fond wretch, thou know'st not what thou speak'st; Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour, Stands without blemish: - next, it imports no reason, Thou cam'st here to complain. Isab. And is this all? Then, oh, you blessed ministers above, Keep me in patience; and, with ripen'd time, 4 How he refell'd me,] To refell is to refute. 5 My sisterly remorse —] i. e. pity. 6 fond wretch,] Fond wretch is foolish wretch. 7 In hateful practice:] Practice was used by the old writers for any unlawful or insidious stratagem. In countenance ! 8 Heaven shield your grace from woe, go! Isab. One that I would were here, friar Lodowick. Lucio. My lord, I know him; 'tis a medling friar; I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord, For certain words he spake against your grace In your retirement, I had swing'd him soundly. Duke. Words against me? This a good friar belike! And to set on this wretched woman here Against our substitute! Let this friar be found. Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar, A very scurvy fellow. F. Peter. Blessed be your royal grace! Who is as free from touch or soil with her, Duke. We did believe no less. Know you that friar Lodowick, that she speaks of? Not scurvy, nor a temporary medler, As he's reported by this gentleman; And, on my trust, a man that never yet Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace. Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it. F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear him self; 8 In countenance!] i. e. false appearance, hypocrisy. But at this instant he is sick, my lord, Of a strange fever: Upon his mere request", To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know First, for this woman ; (To justify this worthy nobleman, So vulgarly and personally accus'd,) Duke. Good friar, let's hear it. Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo?- Of your own cause. Is this the witness, friar? First, let her show her face; and, after, speak. Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face, Until my husband bid me. Are nothing then : - Neither maid, widow, nor wife ? Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife. 9 - his mere request,] i. e. his absolute request. Whensoever he's convented,] i. e. cited, summoned. 2 So vulgarly-] i. e. publickly. 3 In this I'll be impartial ;] Impartial was sometimes used in the sense of partial. |