DUKE VINCENTIO
No more evasion:
No more evasion:We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice
We have with a carefully considered and prepared choiceProceeded to you; therefore take your honours.
Proceeded to you; therefore take your honors.Our haste from hence is of so quick condition
The cause for my hasty departure is so urgentThat it prefers itself and leaves unquestion'd
That it takes precedence over all other matters, and leaves unconsideredMatters of needful value. We shall write to you,Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall importune,
As much as time and our business allows,How it goes with us, and do look to know
And let you know how it goes with us, and will want to knowWhat doth befall you here. So, fare you well;
What happens to you here. So, may you fare well;To the hopeful execution do I leave you
I leave you to the hopeful execution Of your commissions.
Of your commissions.
ANGELO
Yet give leave, my lord,
But give me permission, my lord,That we may bring you something on the way.
So that we can bring you something on the way.
DUKE VINCENTIO
My haste may not admit it;
I may be in too much of a hurry for that;Nor need you, on mine honour, have to doNor do you, I promise, have to do
With any scruple; your scope is as mine own
With any scruple; you have my same powersSo to enforce or qualify the laws
To enforce or qualify the lawsAs to your soul seems good. Give me your hand:
As you yourself deem right. I'll privily away. I love the people,
I’ll leave secretly. I love the people,But do not like to stage me to their eyes:
But I do not like to make a show of myself to them:Through it do well, I do not relish well
Through it do well, I don’t exactly relishTheir loud applause and Aves vehement;Their loud applause and hails of acclamation;
Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
Nor do I think that a man of safe discretionThat does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
Would want it. Once again, goodbye.
ANGELO
The heavens give safety to your purposes!
May the heavens see you safely to your purposes!
ESCALUS
Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
Lead ahead, and bring back happiness!
DUKE
I thank you. Fare you well.
I thank you. Goodbye.
Exit
ESCALUS
I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
I will want you, sir, to give me permissionTo have free speech with you; and it concerns me
To speak freely to you; it concerns me To look into the bottom of my place:To look into the extent of my commission and authority:
A power I have, but of what strength and nature
A power that I possess, but how strong and for what purposeI am not yet instructed.
I am not yet instructed.
ANGELO
'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
Same with me. Let us withdraw together,And we may soon our satisfaction have
And we may soon have the satisfactionTouching that point.
Of talking about it.
ESCALUS
I'll wait upon your honour.
I’ll go with you.
Exeunt
Enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen
LUCIO
If the duke with the other dukes come not to
If the duke does not come with the other dukes don’t come tocomposition with the King of Hungary, why then all
An agreement with the King of Hungary, well then allthe dukes fall upon the king.
The dukes will attack the king.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Heaven grant us its peace, but not the King of
May heaven grant us peace, but not the King ofHungary's!
Hungary’s!
SECOND GENTLEMAN
Amen.
Amen.
LUCIO
Thou concludest like the sanctimonious pirate, that
You talk like the self-righteous pirate, thatwent to sea with the Ten Commandments, but scraped
Went out to sea with ther Ten Commandments, but scrapedone out of the table.
One of them out of the tablet.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
'Thou shalt not steal'?
Was it “Thou shalt not steal”?
LUCIO
Ay, that he razed.
Yes, that’s the one he did away with.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Why, 'twas a commandment to command the captain and
Well, it was a commandment that was commanding the captain andall the rest from their functions: they put forth
All of his crew from performing their functions: they set outto steal. There's not a soldier of us all, that, in
To steal. There’s not a soldier out of all of us soldiers, that, whilethe thanksgiving before meat, do relish the petition
Blessing the food before we eat, love for peoplewell that prays for peace.
To pray for peace.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
I never heard any soldier dislike it.
I’ve never actually heard a soldier say they didn’t like that.
LUCIO
I believe thee; for I think thou never wast where
I believe you; since I don’t think you’ve ever been presentgrace was said.
When people say grace before they eat.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
No? a dozen times at least.
You don’t think so? I have, at least a dozen times.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
What, in metre?
What, in meter?
LUCIO
In any proportion or in any language.
In any form or in any language.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
I think, or in any religion.
I think, or in any religion.
LUCIO
Ay, why not? Grace is grace, despite of all
Yes, and why not? Grace is grace, despite allcontroversy: as, for example, thou thyself art a
Controversies: like, for example, you yourself are anwicked villain, despite of all grace.
Evil swine, despite all of grace.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Well, there went but a pair of shears between us.
Well, we’re cut from the same cloth.
LUCIO
I grant; as there may between the lists and the
I grant you; as there may be between the edges of the fabricvelvet. Thou art the list.
and the velvet. You are the edge.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
And thou the velvet: thou art good velvet; thou'rt
And you’re the velvet: you are good velvet; you’rea three-piled piece, I warrant thee: I had as lief
A piece that is piled three high, I bet: I would ratherbe a list of an English kersey as be piled, as thou
Be an edge of a coarse and wooly fabric, than be like you with your venerealart piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak
disease, for being a French velvet. Are my wordsfeelingly now?
Hurting your feelings now?
LUCIO
I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful
I think you did; indeed your words werefeeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own
Very painful: And since you’ve confessed confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I
That you have a venereal disease, I will begin drinking to your health; butlive, forget to drink after thee.
So long as I live, never drink after you for fear of catching it.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?
I think I have wronged m
yself, haven’t I?
SECOND GENTLEMAN
Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.
Yes you have, whether you are contaminated or not.
LUCIO
Behold, behold. where Madam Mitigation comes! I
Look, look. Here comes Madam Mitigation! Ihave purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to—
Have bought myself so many diseases under her roof that the total come to—
SECOND GENTLEMAN
To what, I pray?
To how much?
LUCIO
Judge.
Guess.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
To three thousand dolours a year.
To three thousand dollars a year.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Ay, and more.
Yes, and more than that probably.
LUCIO
A French crown more.
A French crown more.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou
You always joke that I have French diseases; but you
art full of error; I am sound.
Are totally wrong; I’m perfectly sound and healthy.
LUCIO
Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as
No, I wouldn’t say healthy; I would say you are sound asthings that are hollow: thy bones are hollow;
Things that are hollow: your bones are hollow from syphilis;impiety has made a feast of thee.
Being so sinful has made a feast out of you.
Enter MISTRESS OVERDONE
FIRST GENTLEMAN
How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?
Hello there! Which of your hips has the worst sciatica?
MISTRESS OVERDONE
Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried
Well, well; there’s a man that has been arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all.
To prison that is worth five thousand of you all.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
Who's that, I pray thee?
And who is that, may I ask?
MISTRESS OVERDONE
Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
Well, sir, that would be Claudio, Mister Claudio.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.
Claudio was sent to prison? It can’t be.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw
No, but I know it’s true: I saw him get arrested, sawhim carried away; and, which is more, within these
Him carried away; and what’s more, within the nextthree days his head to be chopped off.
Three days his head is going to be chopped off.
LUCIO
But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so.
But, after all of this joking, I don’t want that to happen..Art thou sure of this?
Are you sure of this?
MISTRESS OVERDONE
I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam
I am too sure of it: and it is all because he got MadamJulietta with child.
Julietta pregnant.
LUCIO
Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two
Believe me, it could be true: he promised to meet me two hours since, and he was ever precise in
Hours ago, and he never breaks promise-keeping.
A promise.
SECOND GENTLEMAN
Besides, you know, it draws something near to the
Besides, you know, it sounds a bit likespeech we had to such a purpose.
What we were talking about earlier.
FIRST GENTLEMAN
But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.
But most of all, it’s consistent with the proclamation.
LUCIO
Away! let's go learn the truth of it.
Come on! Let’s go learn the truth.
Exeunt LUCIO and Gentlemen
MISTRESS OVERDONE
Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what
So, with the war, with the plague, with the gallows and what with poverty, I am
With the executions, and with poverty, I am custom-shrunk.
Out of customers.
Enter POMPEY
How now! what's the news with you?
Hey there! What’s the news?
POMPEY
Yonder man is carried to prison.
That man has been carried to prison.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
Well; what has he done?
Well; what has he done?
POMPEY
A woman.
A woman.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
But what's his offence?
But what has he done wrong?
POMPEY
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
Groping for trouts in a private river.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
What, is there a maid with child by him?
So what, is there a maid is with child by his doing?
POMPEY
No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have
No but there is a woman who has a maid that are standing by him. You havenot heard of the proclamation, have you?
Not heard of the proclamation, have you?
MISTRESS OVERDONE
What proclamation, man?
What proclamation?
POMPEY
All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.
All brothels in the suburbs of Vienna must be taken down.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
And what shall become of those in the city?
And what will happen to the ones that are in the city?
POMPEY
They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too,
They will remain: they were about to be torn down too,but that a wise burgher put in for them.
But a wise man interceded on their behalf.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be
But will all of our houses of pleasure in the suburbs bepulled down?
Torn down?
POMPEY
To the ground, mistress.
Yes, to the ground, mistress.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth!
Well that’s a huge change in the commonwealth!What shall become of me?
What will I do?
POMPEY
Come; fear you not: good counsellors lack no
Come now; don’t be afraid: good counselors lack noclients: though you change your place, you need not
Clients: though you change your place, you don’t need tochange your trade; I'll be your tapster still.
Change your trade; I’ll still be your tapster.Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that
Have courage! People will take pity on you: you whohave worn your eyes almost out in the service, you
Have worked so very hard for this, you
will be considered.
Will be considered.
MISTRESS OVERDONE
What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's withdraw.
What are we doing here, Mister tapster? Let’s leave.
POMPEY
Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to
Here comes Mister Claudio, led by the provost toprison; and there's Madam Juliet.
Prison: and there’s Madam Juliet.
Exeunt
Enter Provost, CLAUDIO, JULIET, and Officers
CLAUDIO
Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world?
Please, why do you shame me like this in front of the world?Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Just take me to prison, where I am committed.
Provost
I do it not in evil disposition,I’m not doing
it to be evil,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
It’s a special order from Lord Angelo.
CLAUDIO
Thus can the demigod Authority
And so the demigod AuthorityMake us pay down for our offence by weight
Makes us pay the exact amount of our offence The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will;The words of heaven; whoever it happens to, it happens,
On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just.
The same for whoever it doesn’t happen to. Either way, it is justice.
Re-enter LUCIO and two Gentlemen
LUCIO
Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint?
Why, what’s happened, Claudio! Where do these chains come from?
CLAUDIO
From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty:
From too much livery, my Lucio, liberty:As surfeit is the father of much fast,
Just like someone who fasts then overindulges,So every scope by the immoderate use
So does every freedom from excessive useTurns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
Turn into restrain. Our natures do chase,Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,
Like rats that greedily devour what is poisonous to them,A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die.
A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.
LUCIO
If could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would
If I could speak with such wisdom while under arrest, I wouldsend for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say
Send for certain of the ones who would imprison me for debt: and yet, to saythe truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 258