Measure for Measure: ACT I , SCENE II. A Street.

Measure for Measure: ACT I


	Introduction

	ACT I

		SCENE I. An apartment in the DUKE'S palace.

		SCENE II. A Street.

		SCENE III. A monastery.

		SCENE IV. A nunnery.

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

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SCENE II. A Street.

Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen

LUCIO

      If the duke with the other dukes come not to
      composition with the King of Hungary, why then all
      the dukes fall upon the king.

First Gentleman

Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of
5 Hungary's!

Second Gentleman

Amen.

LUCIO

      Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that
      went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped
      one out of the table.

Second Gentleman

10 'Thou shalt not steal'?

LUCIO

Ay, that he razed.

First Gentleman

      Why, 'twas a commandment 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
15    the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition
      well that prays for peace.

Second Gentleman

I never heard any soldier dislike it.

LUCIO

I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where
grace was said.

Second Gentleman

20 No? a dozen times at least.

First Gentleman

What, in metre?

LUCIO

In any proportion or in any language.

First Gentleman

I think, or in any religion.

LUCIO

      Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all
25    controversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a
      wicked villain, despite of all grace.

First Gentleman

Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.

LUCIO

I grant; as there may between the lists and the
velvet. Thou art the list.

First Gentleman

30    And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou'rt
      a three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief
      be a list of an English kersey as be piled, as thou
      art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak
      feelingly now?

LUCIO

35    I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful
      feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own
      confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I
      live, forget to drink after thee.

First Gentleman

I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?

Second Gentleman

40 Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.

LUCIO

Behold, behold. where Madam Mitigation comes! I
have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to--

Second Gentleman

To what, I pray?

LUCIO

Judge.

Second Gentleman

45 To three thousand dolours a year.

First Gentleman

Ay, and more.

LUCIO

A French crown more.

First Gentleman

Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou
art full of error; I am sound.

LUCIO

50    Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as
      things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow;
      impiety has made a feast of thee.

Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE

First Gentleman

How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried
55 to prison was worth five thousand of you all.

Second Gentleman

Who's that, I pray thee?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.

First Gentleman

Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

      Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw
60    him carried away; and, which is more, within these
      three days his head to be chopped off.

LUCIO

But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so.
Art thou sure of this?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam
65 Julietta with child.

LUCIO

      Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two
      hours since, and he was ever precise in
      promise-keeping.

Second Gentleman

Besides, you know, it draws something near to the
70 speech we had to such a purpose.

First Gentleman

But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

LUCIO

Away! let's go learn the truth of it.

Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen

MISTRESS OVERDONE

      Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what
      with the gallows and what with poverty, I am
75    custom-shrunk.

Enter POMPEY

How now! what's the news with you?

POMPEY

Yonder man is carried to prison.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Well; what has he done?

POMPEY

A woman.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

80 But what's his offence?

POMPEY

Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

What, is there a maid with child by him?

POMPEY

No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have
not heard of the proclamation, have you?

MISTRESS OVERDONE

85 What proclamation, man?

POMPEY

All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

And what shall become of those in the city?

POMPEY

They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too,
but that a wise burgher put in for them.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

90 But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be
pulled down?

POMPEY

To the ground, mistress.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth!
What shall become of me?

POMPEY

95    Come; fear you not: good counsellors lack no
      clients: though you change your place, you need not
      change your trade; I'll be your tapster still.
      Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that
      have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you
100   will be considered.

MISTRESS OVERDONE

What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's withdraw.

POMPEY

Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to
prison; and there's Madam Juliet.

Exeunt

Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers

CLAUDIO

Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?
105 Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

Provost

I do it not in evil disposition,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.

CLAUDIO

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

Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen

LUCIO

Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?

CLAUDIO

      From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:
      As surfeit is the father of much fast,
115   So every scope by the immoderate use
      Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
      Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,
      A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.

LUCIO

      If could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would
120   send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say
      the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom
      as the morality of imprisonment. What's thy
      offence, Claudio?

CLAUDIO

What but to speak of would offend again.

LUCIO

125 What, is't murder?

CLAUDIO

No.

LUCIO

Lechery?

CLAUDIO

Call it so.

Provost

Away, sir! you must go.

CLAUDIO

130 One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you.

LUCIO

A hundred, if they'll do you any good.
Is lechery so look'd after?

CLAUDIO

      Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract
      I got possession of Julietta's bed:
135   You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
      Save that we do the denunciation lack
      Of outward order: this we came not to,
      Only for propagation of a dower
      Remaining in the coffer of her friends,
140   From whom we thought it meet to hide our love
      Till time had made them for us. But it chances
      The stealth of our most mutual entertainment
      With character too gross is writ on Juliet.

LUCIO

With child, perhaps?

CLAUDIO

145   Unhappily, even so.
      And the new deputy now for the duke--
      Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,
      Or whether that the body public be
      A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
150   Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
      He can command, lets it straight feel the spur;
      Whether the tyranny be in his place,
      Or in his emmence that fills it up,
      I stagger in:--but this new governor
155   Awakes me all the enrolled penalties
      Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by the wall
      So long that nineteen zodiacs have gone round
      And none of them been worn; and, for a name,
      Now puts the drowsy and neglected act
160   Freshly on me: 'tis surely for a name.

LUCIO

      I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on
      thy shoulders that a milkmaid, if she be in love,
      may sigh it off. Send after the duke and appeal to
      him.

CLAUDIO

165   I have done so, but he's not to be found.
      I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service:
      This day my sister should the cloister enter
      And there receive her approbation:
      Acquaint her with the danger of my state:
170   Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
      To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him:
      I have great hope in that; for in her youth
      There is a prone and speechless dialect,
      Such as move men; beside, she hath prosperous art
175   When she will play with reason and discourse,
      And well she can persuade.

LUCIO

      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
180   would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a
      game of tick-tack. I'll to her.

CLAUDIO

I thank you, good friend Lucio.

LUCIO

Within two hours.

CLAUDIO

Come, officer, away!

Exeunt

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