For Angelo,

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.

Mari.

Merely, my lord.

Duke. Your suit's unprofitable: stand up, I say.

I have bethought me of another fault.-
Provost, how came it Claudio was beheaded
At an unusual hour?

Prov.

[They rise.

It was commanded so.
Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed?
Prov. No, my good lord: it was by private message.
Duke. For which I do discharge you of your office :
Give up your keys.

Prov.

Pardon me, noble lord:

I thought it was a fault, but knew it not,
Yet did repent me after more advice;
For testimony whereof, one in the prison,
That should by private order else have died,
I have reserv'd alive.

Duke.

Prov.

What's he?

His name is Barnardine.

Duke. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio.

Go, fetch him hither: let me look upon him. [Exit Provost. Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise

As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd,

Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I am sorry

that such sorrow I procure;

And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart,

That I crave death more willingly than mercy:

'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it.

Re-enter Provost, BARNARDINE, CLAUDIO muffled, and JULIET.

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?

Prov.

This, my lord.

Duke. There was a friar told me of this man.Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no farther than this world,

And squar'st thy life according. Thou'rt condemned;

VOL. I.

A a

But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all,
And pray thee, take this mercy to provide
For better times to come.-Friar, advise him:

I leave him to your hand.-What muffled fellow's that?
Prov. This is another prisoner that I sav'd,

That should have died when Claudio lost his head,

As like almost to Claudio as himself. [Unmuffles CLAUDIO. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To ISABELLA.] for his

sake

[CLAUDIO and ISAB. embrace.

Is he pardon'd; and for your lovely sake,

Give me your hand and say you will be mine,

He is my brother too. But fitter time for that'.
By this lord Angelo perceives he's safe:

Methinks, I see a quick'ning in his eye.-
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well:

Look that you love your wife; her worth, worth your's.—
I find an apt remission in myself,

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon.—

You, sirrah, [To Lucio.] that knew me for a fool, a coward,
One all of luxury, an ass, a madman :

Wherein have I so well deserv'd of you',
That you extol me thus ?

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick. If you will hang me for it, you may; but I had rather it would please you, I might be whipp'd.

Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.—
Proclaim it, provost, round about the city,
If any woman's wrong'd by this lewd fellow,
(As I have heard him swear himself, there's one
Whom he begot with child) let her appear,
And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd,
Let him be whipp'd and hang'd.

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a

9 But fitter time for that.] Johnson observes that "it is somewhat strange that Isabel is not made to express either gratitude, wonder, or joy at the sight of her brother." It would have been strange, if she had not been so lost in her gratitude, wonder, and joy, as to be unable to express the state of her mind in words: she probably rushed into Claudio's arms, and fell upon his neck in silent delight and astonishment. "Claudio and Isabella embrace" is the MS. stage-direction in the corr. fo. 1632, and we have willingly inserted it.

1 Wherein have I so WELL deserv'd of you,] The Duke, of course, speaks ironically: "well" is from the corr. fo. 1632, and it not only completes the line, but adds much force to the interrogatory: it is almost self-evident that it had escaped in printing.

whore! Your highness said even now I made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her.

Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal

Remit thy other forfeits.-Take him to prison,

And see our pleasure herein executed.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it.

She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.-
Joy to you, Mariana!—love her, Angelo:

I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.-
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness:
There's more behind that is more gratulate.
Thanks, provost, for thy care and secrecy;
We shall employ thee in a worthier place.
Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
The head of Ragozine for Claudio's:
Th' offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel,
I have a motion much imports your good;
Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline,

What's mine is your's, and what is your's is mine.--
So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show

What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know'.
[Curtain drawn

2 - THAT'S meet you all should know.] The first folio has "that meet," &c., and it was corrected in the second folio. Not so with a slight error of the same kind on the preceding page, where "If any woman's wrong'd" is printed in both the old copies " If any woman wrong'd."

3 Curtain drawn.] These words are in MS. at the conclusion of the play in the corr. fo. 1632. In general we are told that all the characters exeunt, but there is no such direction in any of the old copies of "Measure for Measure." There were curtains in our old theatres, that drew apart and disclosed the actors to the audience: here we must suppose that these curtains were drawn together, and that thus the piece concluded. We are not aware of any similar instance.

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS.