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Measure for Measure

Act II, Scene 2

Another room in the same.
 
[Enter Provost and a Servant]
 
SERVANT
             ,       ,       ,                 ,      ,
      He's hear|ing of | a cause;| he will / come straight,
             ,         ,
      I'll tell | him of | you.
 
PROVOST
                                  ,         ,          ,
                                Pray | you do;| I'll know
            ,         ,    2     ,        ,      ,
      His pleas|ure, may|be he will | relent;| alas
           ,         ,       ,      ,       ,
      He hath | but as | offend|ed in | a dream,
            ,          ,      ,       2       ,         ,
      All sects,| all ag|es smack | of this vice,| and he
          ,         ,
      To die | for it?
 
[Enter ANGELO]
 
ANGELO
                        ,         2       ,        ,
                       Now, what's the | matter | Provost?
 
PROVOST
        x            ,    ,    2          ,      ,
      Is it your | will Claud/io shall | die to|morrow?
 
ANGELO
           ,        ,          ,            ,          x
      Did not | I tell | thee yea?| Hadst^thou | not order?
            ,          ,       ,
      Why dost | thou ask | again?
 
PROVOST
           ,          ,         ,
      Lest^I | might be | too rash:  (tri with prev)
       ,             ,        ,        ,          ,
      Under | your good | correc|tion, I | have seen
            ,      ,   ,         ,         ,
      When aft|er ex|ecu|tion, judg|ment hath
          ,      ,          ,
      Repent|ed ore | his doom.
 
ANGELO
          ,         ,         ,
      Go to;| let that | be mine,  (tri with prev)
          ,          ,        ,         ,          ,
      Do you | your^of|fice, or | give^up | your place,
           ,            ,          ,
      And you | shall well | be spared.
 
PROVOST
          ,           ,          x
      I crave | your hon|or's pardon:  (tri with prev)
        ,       2       ,            2      ,        ,    ,
      What shall be | done sir,| with the groan|ing Jul|iet?
             ,      ,          ,
      She's ve|ry near | her hour.
 
ANGELO
                                       ,        ,
                                  Dispose | of her
                  ,   ,        ,           ,           ,
      To some / more fit|ter place;| and that | with speed.
 
[Enter Servant]
 
SERVANT
        ,            ,       ,        ,          ,
      Here is | the sis|ter of | the man | condemned,
          ,      ,           ,
      Desires | access | to you.
 
ANGELO
                                  ,    2     ,
                                Hath he a | sister?
 
PROVOST
       ,               ,       ,     ,    2     ,
      Aye my | good* lord,| a ve|ry vir|tuous maid,
           ,        ,       ,      ,       ,
      And to | be short|ly of | a sis|terhood,
          ,       ,
      If not | alrea|dy.
 
ANGELO
                          ,     ,          2   ,      ->
                        Well:| let her | be admit||ted,
       ,       2      ,    ,        ,       ,
      See | you the forn|icat|ress be | removed,
       ,               ,              ,   ,        ,
      Let her | have^need|ful, but / not lav|ish means,
              ,         ,        x
      There shall | be ord|er for it.
 
[Enter ISABELLA and LUCIO]
 
PROVOST
                                       ,          ,
                                     Save your | honor.
 
ANGELO
        T  .   Tx     T             ,          ,             ,
      Stay a little while:| you're wel|come: what's | your will?
 
ISABELLA
      ,   2     ,        ,        ,         ,
      I am a | woeful | suitor | to your | honor,
         ,               ,       ,
      Please but | your hon|or hear | me.   \\
 
ANGELO
       __      ,            __
      Well:| what's your | suit.  \\
 
ISABELLA
             ,       ,           ,       ,      ,
      There^is | a vice | that most | I do | abhor,
            ,        ,             ,            x       ,
      And most | desire | should meet | the blow of | justice;
            ,         ,           ,           ,        ,
      For which | I would | not plead,| but that | I must,
            ,         ,          ,           ,       ,
      For which | I must | not plead,| but that | I am
          ,       T     T    .    T     T
      At war | 'twixt will, and will | not.
 
ANGELO
                                              T    .    Tx
                                            Well: the matter?
 
ISABELLA
          ,        ,       ,         ,         ,
      I have | a broth|er is | condemned | to die:
         ,       ,          ,        ,         ,
      I do | beseech | you let | it be | his fault,
           ,         ,
      And not | my broth|er.  \\

PROVOST
       ,         ,          ,        ,       oo
      Heaven | give thee | moving | graces.|
 
ANGELO
           ,          ,          ,         ,       x
      Condemn | the fault,| and not | the act|or of it,
           ,        ,            ,          ,        ,
      Why eve|ry fault's | condemned | ere it | be done:
        ,      2       ,      ,        ,       ,
      Mine were the | very | cipher | of a | function
           ,           ,             ,       ,         ,
      To fine | the faults,| whose fine | stands in | record,
           ,     ,   2       ,
      And let | go by the | actor:
 
ISABELLA
          ,             ,   ,
      O just,| but se/vere law:  (tri with prev)
      ,    2     ,          T     Tx     T         x
      I had a | brother | then; heaven keep your honor.  ??
 
LUCIO
          x          ,         ,    2    ,        ,
      Give it not | ore so*:| to him a|gain, en|treat him,
        T     T   .  T           ,      ,          ,
      Kneel down before | him, hang | upon | his gown,
                 ,    ,        ,             ,       ,
      You are / too cold:| if you | should need | a pin,
       ,           ,           T    T  .    T           x
      You could | not with | more tame a tongue | desire it:
       ,          ,    oo
      To him,| I say.|
 
ISABELLA
        ,        ___    ___
      Must he | needs | die?
 
ANGELO
       ,           ,    ,
      Maiden,| no rem|edy.   (trimeter with prev two)
 
ISABELLA
       T   T  T     ,                ,      ,    2
      Yes: I do | think that | you might | pardon him,
            ,         x          ,       ,     2       ,
      And neith|er heaven,| nor man | grieve at the | mercy.
 
ANGELO
                ,    x
      I will / not do it.
 
ISABELLA
                               ,         ,         ,
                          But can | you if | you would?
 
ANGELO
        ,             ,           ,       ,       ,
      Look what | I will | not, that | I can|not do.
 
ISABELLA
            ,           x          ,         ,          ,
      But might | you do it | and do | the world | no^wrong
          ,          ,             ,             ,        ,
      If so | your heart | were touched | with that | remorse,
             x         ,
      As mine is | to him?
 
ANGELO
                                  ,           ,           ,
                           He's sent|enced, 'tis | too* late.
 
LUCIO
You are too cold.
 
ISABELLA
            ,          ,   ,             ,         ,
      Too late?| Why* no:| I that | do speak | a word
              x        ,      ,        T     T
      May call it | again:| Well, be|lieve this
      <- T     ,    ,                 ,     ,     ___
        No || cere|mony | that to / great ones | longs,
                  ,      ,      ,           ,       ,
      Not the / king's crown;| nor the | deput|ed sword,
            ,           ,         ,          ,        ,
      The marsh|al's trunch|eon, nor | the judge|'s robe
          ,                 ,    ,         ,        ,
      Become | them with / one half | so good | a grace
          ,       ,        ,      3    3    ,       3   3    ,
      As mer|cy does:| if he | had been as you,| and you as he,  ??
       ,                  ,            ,         ,         ,
      You would | have slipped | like^him,| but he | like^you
             ,           ,         ,
      Would not | have been | so stern.
 
ANGELO
                                         ,             ,
                                       Pray you | be gone.
 
ISABELLA
          ,           x     ,             ,     ,
      I would | to heaven | I had | your pot|ency,
           ,          ,   ,          2     ,         ,
      And you | were Is|abel:| should it then | be thus?
       ,              ,           ,         ,       ,
      No: I | would tell | what twere | to be | a judge,
            ,        ,   2
      And what | a pris|oner.
 
LUCIO
                                    ,             ,            ,
                             Aye* touch | him: there's | the vein.
 
ANGELO
             ,       ,      ,        ,        ,
      Your broth|er is | a for|feit of | the law,
           ,          ,            ,
      And you | but waste | your words.
 
ISABELLA
                                         ,      ,
                                       Alas,| alas:
           ,          ,            ,          ,         ,
      Why all | the souls | that were,| were for|feit once,
           ,          ,           ,        ,           ,
      And he | that might | the vant|age best | have took,
             ,         ,    ,                ,   ,
      Found^out | the rem|edy:| how would / you be,
          ,          ,        ,         ,           ,
      If he,| which is | the top | of judg|ment, should
            ,      ,             ,          ,          ,
      But judge | you, as | you are?| Oh, think | on that,
           ,       ,            ,          ,           ,
      And mer|cy then | will breathe | within | your lips
            ,     T    T
      Like man | new-made.
 
ANGELO
                           T      2     ,            ,
                          Be | you content,|(fair* maid)
       ,   2       ,         ,        ,          ,
      It is the | law, not | I, con|demn your | brother,
        ,            ,        ,         ,       ,
      Were he | my kins|man, broth|er, or | my son,
       ,       2       ,      2       ,         ,      ,
      It should be | thus with him:| he must | die to|morrow.
 
ISABELLA
         ,        ,             x
      Tomor|row? Oh,| that's sudden,
                                      ,           ,
                                    spare him,| spare him:
            ,         ,           ,     ,       ,         ,
      He's not | prepared | for death;| even | for our | kitchens
           ,          ,         ,         ,          ,      ,
      We kill | the fowl | of seas|on: shall | we serve | heaven (hex with prev)
             ,        ,           ,       ,     ,
      With less | respect | than we | do min|ister
        2      ,        T      T     T         ,        ,          ->
      To our gross | selves? Good, good | my lord,| bethink || you;
       ,      x                 ,          ,        ,
      Who | is it that | hath died | for this | offense?
               ,      ,        ,     2
      There's ma|ny have | commit|ted it.
 
LUCIO
                                           ,            ,
                                          Aye,| well* said.
 
ANGELO
           ,          ,           ,            ,          ,
      The law | hath not | been dead,| though it | hath slept.
             ,     ,          ,         ,          x
      Those^ma|ny had | not dared | to do | that evil
       ,         ,            ,         ,           ,
      If the | first, that | did the | edict | infringe
           ,         ,          ,     ,            ,
      Had ans|wered for | his deed.| Now 'tis | awake,
              ,         ,         ,          ,          x
      Takes^note | of what | is done,| and like | a prophet
        ,     2      ,            ,           ,       ,
      Looks in a | glass that | shows what | future | evils
        2     ,        ,       ,         ,        ,
      Either now,| or by | remiss|ness, new-|conceived,
           ,       ,    ,              ,            ,
      And so | in pro|gress to | be hatched,| and born,
           ,         ,     ,      ,            ,
      Are now | to have | no suc|cessive | degrees,
            ,           ,        ,
      But here | they live | to end.
 
ISABELLA
                                          ,          ,    2->
                                    Yet show | some pi||ty.
 
ANGELO
          ,         ,        ,        2    ,     ,
      I show | it most | of all,| when I show | justice;
            ,       ,      ,        ,         ,
      For then | I pi|ty those | I do | not know,
        ,             ,         ,            ,       ,
      Which a | dismissed | offense,| would aft|er gall
           ,         ,           ,      ,     T    T    T
      And do | him right,| that ans|wering | one foul wrong
             ,        ,      ,        ,    ,     __
      Lives^not | to act | anoth|er. Be | satis|fied;  (hex with prev)
            ,         ,       ,        ,        ,
      Your broth|er dies | tomor|row; be | content.
 
ISABELLA
          ,      ,    2        ,            ,           ,
      So you | must be the | first that | gives this | sentence,
           ,         ,         ,     2    ,      ,
      And he,| that suf|fers: Oh,| it is ex|cellent
           ,       ,           ,       ,    2      ,   2
      To have | a gi|ant's strength:| but it is | tyrannous
          ,         ,       ,
      To use | it like | a gi|ant.  \\
 
LUCIO
         T     T    T
      That's well said.
 
ISABELLA
                          T     T    T      ,
                        Could great men | thunder
           ,         ,            ,            ,         x
      As Jove | himself | does, Jove | would nere | be quiet,
           ,       ,       ,      ,    ,
      For eve|ry pelt|ing pet|ty of|ficer
             ,           x           ,
      Would use | his heaven | for thund|er;  \\
       ,              ,        ,    2      x     oo
      Nothing | but thund|er: mer|ciful heaven,|
            ,        ,          ,          ,     2      ,
      Thou rath|er with | thy sharp | and sulph|urous bolt
         ,              ,     ,          ,       ,
      Splitst the | unwedge|able | and gnarl|ed oak,
                   ,    ,       ,     T     T    T
      Than the / soft myrt|le: but | man, proud man,
        ,           ,        ,         ,    ,
      Drest in | a lit|tle brief | author|ity,
            ,     ,         ,           ,        ,
      Most^ig|norant | of what | he's most | assured,
             ,      ,          ,        ,      ,
      (His glas|sy es|sence) like | an ang|ry ape
              ,        ,         ,      .  T    T    Tx
      Plays^such | fantas|tic tricks | before high heaven,
           ,         ,        ,          ,           ,
      As make | the ang|els weep;| who with | our spleens,
             ,           ,       ,    ,      .   oo
      Would all | themselves | laugh mor/tal.  |
 
LUCIO
            ,         ,         ,          ,        ,
      Oh*, to | him, to | him wench:| He will | relent,
            ,       ,           x
      He's com|ing: I | perceive it.
 
PROVOST
                                            x          ,        2->
                                    Pray heaven | she win || him.
 
ISABELLA
          ,        ,          ,         ,         ,
      We can|not weigh | our broth|er with | ourself,
              ,           ,            ,           ,         ,
      Great* men | may* jest | with saints:| 'tis wit | in them,  ??
       ,    2        T    T    T    ,    ,
      But in the | less foul prof|ana|tion.
 
LUCIO
               ,         ,      __      ,        __
      Thou'rt^in | the right |(girl)| more of | that.
 
ISABELLA
        ,            ,          ,     2    ,       ,
      That in | the cap|tain's but | a choler|ic word,
             ,        ,              ,    ,      ,
      Which in | the sol|dier is / flat blas|phemy.
 
LUCIO
       ,      ,          T     T    Tx    oo
      Art a|vised of | that? More on it.|
 
ANGELO
       ,            ,           ,          ,   ,
      Why do | you put | these say|ings u/pon me?
 
ISABELLA
          ,         ,    ,         2    ,         ,       ->
      Because | author|ity,| though it err |like oth||ers,
        ,       2    ,        ,    2    ,       ,
      Hath | yet a kind | of med|icine in | itself
             ,           ,      2     ,     ,   2        ,
      That skins | the vice | of the top;| go to your | bosom,
        T     T     .   T           ,           ,          ,
      Knock there, and ask | your heart | what it | doth know
               ,         ,          ,         ,        ,
      That's like | my broth|er's fault:| if it | confess
         ,    2    ,      ,          ,       ,
      A nat|ural guilt|iness,| such as | is his,
       T   .  T    T          ,        ,            ,
      Let it not sound | a thought | upon | your tongue
          ,          ,          ,
      Against | my broth|er's life.
 
ANGELO
             ,           ,           ,
      She speaks,| and 'tis | such^sense  (tri with prev)
                  ,      ,       ,         ,         __
      That my / sense breeds | with it;| fare you | well.
 
ISABELLA
       ,            ,      T    T
      Gentle | my lord,| turn back.  \\
 
ANGELO
      ,     2     ,          ,      ,      ,
      I will be|think me:| come a|gain to|morrow.
 
ISABELLA
        ,                ,            ,         ,           ,
      Hark, how | I'll bribe | you: good | my lord | turn^back.
 
ANGELO
      ___    ___    __
      How?| Bribe | me?  \\
 
ISABELLA
       ,                 ,             x             ,           ,
      Aye, with | such^gifts | that heaven | shall share | with you.
 
LUCIO
       ,           T    T    T
      You had | marred all else.  \\
 
ISABELLA
       ,           ,    ,                 ,       ,
      Not with | fond shek/els of | the test|ed gold,
            ,             ,          ,       ,         ,
      Or stones,| whose^rate | are eith|er rich,| or poor
          ,      ,        ,                 ,     x
      As fan|cy val|ues them:| but with / true prayers,
             ,         ,         x          ,       ,
      That shall | be up | at heaven,| and ent|er there
           ,    ,     ,                  ,       ,
      Ere sun|rise: pray/ers from | preserv|ed souls,
             ,        ,             ,          ,     ,
      From fast|ing maids,| whose minds | are ded|icate
          ,        ,    2
      To noth|ing tem|poral.
 
ANGELO
                              ,      ,        ,      ,     ->
                            Well:| come to | me to||morrow.
 
LUCIO
          ,          ,      ,    oo
      Go to:| 'tis well;| away.|
 
ISABELLA
       ,         ,          ,        ,
      Heaven | keep your | honor | safe.
 
ANGELO
                                            ___
                                          A|men.
       ,   2       ,         ,       ,       ,
      For I am | that way*| going | to temp|tation,
              ,        ,
      Where pray|ers cross.
 
ISABELLA
                                 ,      ,      ,
                            At what | hour to|morrow,
            ,       ,           ,
      Shall^I | attend | your lord|ship?   \\
 
ANGELO
         ,      ,      T    T
      At a|ny time |'fore noon.
 
ISABELLA
                                     T           x
                                   Save | your honor.
 
[Exeunt ISABELLA, LUCIO, and Provost]
 
ANGELO
             ,     ,       ,         ,       oo
      From thee:| even | from thy | virtue.|
               ,               ,               ,    ,          ,
      What's^this? || What's^this?| Is this / her fault,| or mine?
            ,               ,  ,    ,    ,    ,    ,
      The tempter, or the tempted, who sins most? Ha?   ????
           ,          ,          ,          ,      ,
      Not she:| nor doth | she tempt:| but it | is I,
        ,    ,               ,  2    ,        ,
      That, ly/ing by | the vi|olet in | the sun,
       ,           ,    2    ,     ,              x
      Do as | the car|rion does,| not as | the flower,
           ,          ,    2     ,       ,        ,
      Corrupt | with vir|tuous seas|on: Can | it be,
            ,     ,         ,        ,          ,
      That mod|esty | may more | betray | our sense
            ,         ,          ,        ,        ,        ,  ->
      Than wom|an's light|ness? Hav|ing waste | ground e||nough,
        ,             ,         ,         ,   2
      Shall / we de|sire to | raze the | sanctuary
            ,            x      ,          T    T    T
      And pitch | our evils | there? Oh*| fie, fie, fie:
             ,           ,         ,          ,    ,
      What dost | thou? Or | what art | thou Ang|elo?
        ,             ,          ,       ,             ,
      Dost thou | desire | her foul|ly, for | those things
             ,          ,        ,          ,        ,
      That make | her good?| Oh let | her broth|er live:
         ,                 ,    2    ,        ,    ,
      Thieves for | their rob|bery have | author|ity,
            ,        ,            ,       ,     2      ,
      When jud|ges steal | themselves:| What, do I | love her,
           ,       ,         ,          ,        ,
      That I | desire | to hear | her speak | again?
            ,       ,          ,      ,    3  3      ,
      And feast | upon | her eyes?| What is it I | dream on?
         ,       ,    ,       2     ,         ,
      O cun|ning en|emy,| that to catch | a saint,
              ,            ,          ,          ,      ,
      With saints | dost bait | thy hook:| Most^dang|erous
           ,         ,         ,           ,        ,
      Is that | tempta|tion, that | doth goad | us on
          ,        ,       ,         x       ,            ,
      To sin,| in lov|ing vir|tue: never | could the || strumpet,
            ,          ,      ,       ,          ,     2->
      With all | her doub|le vig|or, art,|| and na|ture
             ,         ,       ,          ,     2     , ->
      Once^stir | my temp|er: but | this vir||tuous maid
           ,         ,     ,            ,
      Subdues | me quite:| Ever | till now
            ,           ,         ,          ,         ,
      When men | were fond,| I smiled,| and wond|ered how.
 
[Exit]

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