Measure for Measure

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.

Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of

Hungary’s!

Amen.

Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that

went to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped

one out of the table.

“Thou shalt not steal”?

Ay, that he razed.

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

the thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition

well that prays for peace.

I never heard any soldier dislike it.

I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where

grace was said.

No? a dozen times at least.

What, in metre?

In any proportion or in any language.

I think, or in any religion.

Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all

controversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a

wicked villain, despite of all grace.

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

I grant; as there may between the lists and the

velvet. Thou art the list.

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?

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.

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

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

Behold, behold, where Madam Mitigation comes! I

have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to—

To what, I pray?

Judge.

To three thousand dolours a year.

Ay, and more.

A French crown more.

Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou

art full of error; I am sound.

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.

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

Well, well; there’s one yonder arrested and carried

to prison was worth five thousand of you all.

Who’s that, I pray thee?

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

Claudio to prison? ’tis not so.

Nay, but I know ’tis so: I saw him arrested, saw

him carried away; and, which is more, within these

three days his head to be chopped off.

But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so.

Art thou sure of this?

I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam

Julietta with child.

Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two

hours since, and he was ever precise in

promise-keeping.

Besides, you know, it draws something near to the

speech we had to such a purpose.

But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.

Away! let’s go learn the truth of it.

Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what

with the gallows and what with poverty, I am

custom-shrunk.

How now! what’s the news with you?

Yonder man is carried to prison.

Well; what has he done?

A woman.

But what’s his offence?

Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

What, is there a maid with child by him?

No, but there’s a woman with maid by him. You have

not heard of the proclamation, have you?

What proclamation, man?

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

And what shall become of those in the city?

They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too,

but that a wise burgher put in for them.

But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be

pulled down?

To the ground, mistress.

Why, here’s a change indeed in the commonwealth!

What shall become of me?

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

will be considered.

What’s to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let’s withdraw.

Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to

prison; and there’s Madam Juliet.

Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?

Bear me to prison, where I am committed.

I do it not in evil disposition,

But from Lord Angelo by special charge.

Thus can the demigod Authority

Make us pay down for our offence by weight

The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;

On whom it will not, so; yet still ’tis just.

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

From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:

As surfeit is the father of much fast,

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.

If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would

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?

What but to speak of would offend again.

What, is’t murder?

No.

Lechery?

Call it so.

Away, sir, you must go.

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

A hundred, if they’ll do you any good.

Is lechery so look’d after?

Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract

I got possession of Julietta’s bed:

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,

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.

With child, perhaps?

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,

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

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

Freshly on me: ’tis surely for a name.

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.

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:

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

When she will play with reason and discourse,

And well she can persuade.

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

would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a

game of tick-tack. I’ll to her.

I thank you, good friend Lucio.

Within two hours.

Come, officer, away!