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An Apartment in the DUKE’S Palace. | |
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Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, Lords, and Attendants. | |
| Duke. Escalus. | |
| Escal. My lord? | |
| Duke. Of government the properties to unfold, | 5 |
| Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse, | |
| Since I am put to know that your own science | |
| Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice | |
| My strength can give you: then no more remains, | |
| But that, to your sufficiency, as your worth is able, | 10 |
| And let them work. The nature of our people, | |
| Our city’s institutions, and the terms | |
| For common justice, you’re as pregnant in, | |
| As art and practice hath enriched any | |
| That we remember. There is our commission, [Giving it. | 15 |
| From which we would not have you warp. Call hither, | |
| I say, bid come before us Angelo. [Exit an Attendant. | |
| What figure of us think you he will bear? | |
| For you must know, we have with special soul | |
| Elected him our absence to supply, | 20 |
| Lent him our terror, drest him with our love, | |
| And given his deputation all the organs | |
| Of our own power: what think you of it? | |
| Escal. If any in Vienna be of worth | |
| To undergo such ample grace and honour, | 25 |
| It is Lord Angelo. | |
| Duke. Look where he comes. | |
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Enter ANGELO. | |
| Ang. Always obedient to your Grace’s will, | |
| I come to know your pleasure. | 30 |
| Duke. Angelo, | |
| There is a kind of character in thy life, | |
| That, to th’ observer doth thy history | |
| Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings | |
| Are not thine own so proper, as to waste | 35 |
| Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee. | |
| Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, | |
| Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues | |
| Did not go forth of us, ’twere all alike | |
| As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch’d | 40 |
| But to fine issues, nor Nature never lends | |
| The smallest scruple of her excellence, | |
| But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines | |
| Herself the glory of a creditor, | |
| Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech | 45 |
| To one that can my part in him advertise; | |
| Hold, therefore, Angelo: [Tendering his commission. | |
| In our remove be thou at full ourself; | |
| Mortality and mercy in Vienna | |
| Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus, | 50 |
| Though first in question, is thy secondary. | |
| Take thy commission. [Giving it. | |
| Ang. Now, good my lord, | |
| Let there be some more test made of my metal, | |
| Before so noble and so great a figure | 55 |
| Be stamp’d upon it. | |
| Duke. No more evasion: | |
| We have with a leaven’d and prepared choice | |
| Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours. | |
| Our haste from hence is of so quick condition | 60 |
| That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion’d | |
| Matters of needful value. We shall write to you, | |
| As time and our concernings shall importune, | |
| How it goes with us; and do look to know | |
| What doth befall you here. So, fare you well: | 65 |
| To the hopeful execution do I leave you | |
| Of your commissions. | |
| Ang. Yet, give leave, my lord, | |
| That we may bring you something on the way. | |
| Duke. My haste may not admit it; | 70 |
| Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do | |
| With any scruple: your scope is as mine own, | |
| So to enforce or qualify the laws | |
| As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand; | |
| I’ll privily away: I love the people, | 75 |
| But do not like to stage me to their eyes. | |
| Though it do well, I do not relish well | |
| Their loud applause and Aves vehement, | |
| Nor do I think the man of safe discretion | |
| That does affect it. Once more, fare you well. | 80 |
| Ang. The heavens give safety to your purposes! | |
| Escal. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness! | |
| Duke. I thank you. Fare you well. [Exit. | |
| Escal. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave | |
| To have free speech with you; and it concerns me | 85 |
| To look into the bottom of my place: | |
| A power I have, but of what strength and nature | |
| I am not yet instructed. | |
| Ang. ’Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together, | |
| And we may soon our satisfaction have | 90 |
| Touching that point. | |
| Escal. I’ll wait upon your honour. [Exeunt. | |
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