Measure for Measure (Folio 1, 1623)
Author: William ShakespeareEditors: Kristin Lucas, Herbert WeilNot Peer Reviewed
¶Esc. Euery Letter he hath writ, hath di
suouch'd other.
¶An. In mo
st vneuen and di
stracted manner, his actions
2275show much like to madne
sse, pray heauen his wi
sedome
¶bee not tainted: and why meet him at the gates and de-
¶liuer our authorities there?
¶Ang. And why
should wee proclaime it in an howre
2280before his entring, that if any craue redre
sse of iniu
stice,
¶they
should exhibit their petitions in the
street?
¶Esc. He
showes his rea
son for that: to haue a di
spatch
¶of Complaints, and to deliuer vs from deuices heere-
¶after, which
shall then haue no power to
stand again
st
¶Ang. Well: I be
seech you let it bee proclaim'd be-
¶times i'th' morne, Ile call you at your hou
se: giue notice
¶to
such men of
sort and
suite as are to meete him.
¶Esc. I
shall
sir: fareyouwell.
2290Ang. Good night.
¶This deede vn
shapes me quite, makes me vnpregnant
¶And dull to all proceedings. A deflowred maid,
¶And by an eminent body, that enforc'd
¶The Law again
st it? But that her tender
shame
2295Will not proclaime again
st her maiden lo
sse,
¶How might
she tongue me? yet rea
son dares her no,
¶For my Authority beares of a credent bulke,
¶That no particular
scandall once can touch
¶But it confounds the breather. He
should haue liu'd,
2300Saue that his riotous youth with dangerous
sen
se
¶Might in the times to come haue ta'ne reuenge
¶By
so receiuing a di
shonor'd life
¶With ran
some of
such
shame: would yet he had liued.
¶Alack, when once our grace we haue forgot,
2305Nothing goes right, we would, and we would not.
