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will speak most bitterly and strange。 ISABELLA。 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； Is it not strange and strange？ DUKE。 Nay；
it is ten times strange。 ISABELLA。 It is not truer he is Angelo Than this is
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all as true as it is strange； Nay； it is ten times true； for truth is truth To th'
end of reck'ning。 DUKE。 Away with her。 Poor soul； She speaks this in th'
infirmity of sense。 ISABELLA。 O Prince！ I conjure 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 That
which but seems unlike： 'tis not impossible But one； the wicked'st caitiff
on the ground； May seem as shy； as grave； as just； as absolute； As Angelo；
even so may Angelo； In all his dressings； characts； titles； forms； Be an
arch…villain。 Believe it； royal Prince； If he be less； he's nothing； but he's
more； Had I more name for badness。 DUKE。 By mine honesty； If she be
mad； as I believe no other； Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense；
Such a dependency of thing on thing； As e'er I heard in madness。
ISABELLA。 O gracious Duke； Harp not on that； nor do not banish reason
For inequality； but let your reason serve To make the truth appear where it
seems hid； And hide the false seems true。 DUKE。 Many that are not mad
Have； sure； more lack of reason。 What would you say？ ISABELLA。 I am
the sister of one Claudio； Condemn'd upon the act of fornication To lose
his head； condemn'd by Angelo。 I； in probation of a sisterhood； Was sent to
by my brother； one Lucio As then the messenger… LUCIO。 That's I； an't
like your Grace。 I came to her from Claudio； and desir'd her To try her
gracious fortune with Lord Angelo For her poor brother's pardon。
ISABELLA。 That's he； indeed。 DUKE。 You were not bid to speak。 LUCIO。
No； my good lord； Nor wish'd to hold my peace。 DUKE。 I wish you now；
then； Pray you take note of it； and when you have A business for yourself；
pray heaven you then Be perfect。 LUCIO。 I warrant your honour。 DUKE。
The warrant's for yourself； take heed to't。 ISABELLA。 This gentleman
told somewhat of my tale。 LUCIO。 Right。 DUKE。 It may be right； but you
are i' the wrong To speak before your time。 Proceed。 ISABELLA。 I went
To this pernicious caitiff deputy。 DUKE。 That's somewhat madly spoken。
ISABELLA。 Pardon it； The phrase is to the matter。 DUKE。 Mended again。
The matter… proceed。 ISABELLA。 In brief… to set the needless process by；
How I persuaded； how I pray'd； and kneel'd； How he refell'd me； and how
I replied； For this was of much length… the vile conclusion I now begin
with grief and shame to utter： He would not； but by gift of my chaste body
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To his concupiscible intemperate lust； Release my brother； and； after much
debatement； My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour； And I did yield to
him。 But the next morn betimes； His purpose surfeiting； he sends a warrant
For my poor brother's head。 DUKE。 This is most likely！ ISABELLA。 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 In hateful practice。 First； his integrity Stands without blemish； next；
it imports no reason That with such vehemency he should pursue Faults
proper to himself。 If he had so offended； He would have weigh'd thy
brother by himself； And not have cut him off。 Some one hath set you on；
Confess the truth； and say by whose advice Thou cam'st here to complain。
ISABELLA。 And is this all？ Then； O you blessed ministers above； Keep
me in patience； and； with ripened time； Unfold the evil which is here
wrapt up In countenance！ Heaven shield your Grace from woe； As I； thus
wrong'd； hence unbelieved go！ DUKE。 I know you'd fain be gone。 An
officer！ To prison with her！ Shall we thus permit A blasting and a
scandalous breath to fall On him so near us？ This needs must be a practice。
Who knew of your intent and coming hither？ ISABELLA。 One that I
would were here； Friar Lodowick。 DUKE。 A ghostly father； belike。 Who
knows that Lodowick？ LUCIO。 My lord； I know him； 'tis a meddling 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's 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。 PETER。 Blessed be your royal Grace！ I have
stood by； my lord； and I have heard Your royal ear abus'd。 First； hath this
woman Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute； Who is as free from
touch or soil with her As she from one ungot。 DUKE。 We did believe no
less。 Know you that Friar Lodowick that she speaks of？ PETER。 I know
him for a man divine and holy； Not scurvy； nor a temporary meddler； 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。 PETER。 Well； he in time may come to clear
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himself； But at this instant he is sick； my lord； Of a strange fever。 Upon his
mere request… Being come to knowledge that there was complaint Intended
'gainst Lord Angelo… came I hither To speak； as from his mouth； what he
doth know Is true and false； and what he； with his oath And all probation；
will make up full clear； Whensoever he's convented。 First； for this woman…
To justify this worthy nobleman； So vulgarly and personally accus'd… Her
shall you hear disproved to her eyes； Till she herself confess it。 DUKE。
Good friar； let's hear it。 Exit ISABELLA guarded Do you not smile at this；
Lord Angelo？ O heaven； the vanity of wretched fools！ Give us some seats。
Come； cousin Angelo； In this I'll be impartial； be you judge Of your own
cause。
Enter MARIANA veiled
Is this the witness； friar？ FIRST let her show her face； and after speak。
MARIANA。 Pardon； my lord； I will not show my face Until my husband
bid me。 DUKE。 What； are you married？ MARIANA。 No； my lord。 DUKE。
Are you a maid？ MARIANA。 No； my lord。 DUKE。 A widow； then？
MARIANA。 Neither； my lord。 DUKE。 Why； you 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。 DUKE。 Silence that fellow。 I
would he had some cause To prattle for himself。 LUCIO。 Well； my lord。
MARIANA。 My lord； I do confess I ne'er was married； And I confess；
besides； I am no maid。 I have known my husband； yet my husband Knows
not that ever he knew me。 LUCIO。 He was drunk； then； my lord； it can be
no better。 DUKE。 For the benefit of silence； would thou wert so too！
LUCIO。 Well； my lord。 DUKE。 This is no witness for Lord Angelo。
MARIANA。 Now I come to't； my lord： She that accuses him of fornication；
In self…same manner doth accuse my husband； And charges him； my lord；
with such a time When I'll depose I had him in mine arms； With all th'
effect of love。 ANGELO。 Charges she moe than me？ MARIANA。 Not that
I know。 DUKE。 No？ You say your husband。 MARIANA。 Why； just； my
lord； and that is Angelo； Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body；
But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's。 ANGELO。 This is a strange
abuse。 Let's see thy face。 MARIANA。 My husband bids me； now I will
unmask。 ＇Unveiling＇ This is that face； thou cruel Angelo； Which once thou
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swor'st was worth the looking on； This is the hand which； with a vow'd
contract； Was fast belock'd in thine； this is the body That took away the
match from Isabel； And