349Isa. And haue you Nuns no farther priuiledges?

350Nun. Are not these large enough?

351Isa. Yes truely; I speake not as desiring more,

352^But rather wishing a more strict restraint

353Vpon the Sisterhood, the Votarists of Saint Clare.

355Luc. Hoa? peace be in this place.

356Isa. Who's that which cals?

357Nun. It is a mans voice: gentle Isabella

358Turne you the key, and know his businesse of him;

359You may; I may not: you are yet vnsworne:

360When you haue vowd, you must not speake with men,

361But in the presence of the Prioresse;

362Then if you speake, you must not show your face;

363Or if you show your face, you must not speake:

364He cals againe: I pray you answere him.

365Isa. Peace and prosperitie: who is't that cals?

366Luc. Haile Virgin, (if you be) as those cheeke-Roses

367Proclaime you are no lesse: can you so steed me,

368As bring me to the sight of Isabella,

369A Nouice of this place, and the faire Sister

370To her vnhappie brother Claudio?

371Isa. Why her vnhappy Brother? Let me aske,

372The rather for I now must make you know

373I am that Isabella, and his Sister.

374Luc. Gentle & faire: your Brother kindly greets you;

375Not to be weary with you; he's in prison.

376Isa. Woe me; for what?

377Luc. For that, which if my selfe might be his Iudge,

378He should receiue his punishment, in thankes:

379He hath got his friend with childe.

380Isa. Sir, make me not your storie.

381Luc. 'Tis true; I would not, though 'tis my familiar sin,

382With Maids to seeme the Lapwing, and to iest

383Tongue, far from heart: play with all Virgins so:

384I hold you as a thing en-skied, and sainted,

385By your renouncement, an imortall spirit

386And to be talk'd with in sincerity,

387As with a Saint.

388Isa. You doe blaspheme the good, in mocking me.

389Luc. Doe not beleeue it: fewnes, and truth; tis thus,

390Your brother, and his louer haue embrac'd;

391As those that feed, grow full: as blossoming Time

392That from the seednes, the bare fallow brings

393To teeming foyson: euen so her plenteous wombe

394Expresseth his full Tilth, and husbandry.

395Isa. Some one with childe by him? my cosen Iuliet?

396Luc. Is she your cosen?

397Isa. Adoptedly, as schoole-maids change their names

398By vaine, though apt affection.

399Luc. She it is.

400Isa. Oh, let him marry her.

401Luc. This is the point.

402The Duke is very strangely gone from hence;

403Bore many gentlemen (my selfe being one)

404In hand, and hope of action: but we doe learne,

405By those that know the very Nerues of State,

406His giuing-out, were of an infinite distance

407From his true meant designe: vpon his place,

408(And with full line of his authority)

409Gouernes Lord Angelo; A man, whose blood

410Is very snow-broth: one, who neuer feeles

411The wanton stings, and motions of the sence;

412But doth rebate, and blunt his naturall edge

413With profits of the minde: Studie, and fast

414He (to giue feare to vse, and libertie,

415Which haue, for long, run-by the hideous law,

416As Myce, by Lyons) hath pickt out an act,

417Vnder whose heauy sence, your brothers life

418Fals into forfeit : he arrests him on it,

419And followes close the rigor of the Statute

420To make him an example: all hope is gone,

421Vnlesse you haue the grace, by your faire praier

422To soften Angelo: And that's my pith of businesse

423'Twixt you, and your poore brother.

424Isa. Doth he so,

425Seeke his life?

426Luc. Has censur'd him already,

427And as I heare, the Prouost hath a warrant

428For's execution.

429Isa. Alas: what poore

430Abilitie's in me, to doe him good.

431Luc. Assay the powre you haue.

432Isa. My power? alas, I doubt.

433Luc. Our doubts are traitors

434And makes vs loose the good we oft might win,

435By fearing to attempt: Goe to Lord Angelo

436And let him learne to know, when Maidens sue

437Men giue like gods: but when they weepe and kneele,

438All their petitions, are as freely theirs

439As they themselues would owe them.

440Isa. Ile see what I can doe.

441Luc. But speedily.

442Isa. I will about it strait;

443No longer staying, but to giue the Mother

444Notice of my affaire: I humbly thanke you:

445Commend me to my brother: soone at night

446Ile send him certaine word of my successe.

447Luc. I take my leaue of you.

448Isa. Good sir, adieu. Exeunt.

451Ang. We must not make a scar-crow of the Law,

452Setting it vp to feare the Birds of prey,

453And let it keepe one shape, till custome make it

454Their pearch, and not their terror.

455Esc. I, but yet

456Let vs be keene, and rather cut a little

457Then fall, and bruise to death: alas, this gentleman

458Whom I would saue, had a most noble father,

459Let but your honour know

460(Whom I beleeue to be most strait in vertue)

461That in the working of your owne affections,

462Had time coheard with Place, or place with wishing,

463Or that the resolute acting of our blood

464Could haue attaind th' effect of your owne purpose,

465Whether you had not sometime in your life

466Er'd in this point, which now you censure him,

467And puld the Law vpon you.

468Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted ( Escalus)