1003An. When I would pray, & think, I thinke, and pray

1004To seuerall subiects: heauen hath my empty words,

1005Whilst my Inuention, hearing not my Tongue,

1006Anchors on Isabell: heauen in my mouth,

1007As if I did but onely chew his name,

1008And in my heart the strong and swelling euill

1009Of my conception: the state whereon I studied

1010Is like a good thing, being often read

1011Growne feard, and tedious: yea, my Grauitie

1012Wherein (let no man heare me) I take pride,

1013Could I, with boote, change for an idle plume

1014Which the ayre beats for vaine: oh place, oh forme,

1015How often dost thou with thy case, thy habit

1016Wrench awe from fooles, and tye the wiser soules

1017To thy false seeming? Blood, thou art blood,

1018Let's write good Angell on the Deuills horne

1019'Tis not the Deuills Crest: how now? who's there?

1021Ser. One Isabell, a Sister, desires accesse to you.

1022Ang. Teach her the way: oh, heauens

1023Why doe's my bloud thus muster to my heart,

1024Making both it vnable for it selfe,

1025And dispossessing all my other parts

1026Of necessary fitnesse?

1027So play the foolish throngs with one that swounds,

1028Come all to help him, and so stop the ayre

1029By which hee should reuiue: and euen so

1030The generall subiect to a wel-wisht King

1031Quit their owne part, and in obsequious fondnesse

1032Crowd to his presence, where their vn-taught loue

1033Must needs appear offence: how now faire Maid.

1035Isab. I am come to know your pleasure.

1036An. That you might know it, wold much better please (me,

1037Then to demand what 'tis: your Brother cannot liue.

1038Isab. Euen so: heauen keepe your Honor.

1039Ang. Yet may he liue a while : and it may be

1040As long as you, or I: yet he must die.

1041Isab. Vnder your Sentence?

1042Ang. Yea.

1043Isab. When, I beseech you: that in his Reprieue

1044(Longer, or shorter) he may be so fitted

1045That his soule sicken not.

1046Ang. Ha? fie, these filthy vices: It were as good

1047To pardon him, that hath from nature stolne

1048A man already made, as to remit

1049Their sawcie sweetnes, that do coyne heauens Image

1050In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easie,

1051Falsely to take away a life true made,

1052As to put mettle in restrained meanes

1053To make a false one.

1054Isab. 'Tis set downe so in heauen, but not in earth.

1055Ang. Say you so: then I shall poze you quickly.

1056Which had you rather, that the most iust Law

1057Now tooke your brothers life, and to redeeme him

1058Giue vp your body to such sweet vncleannesse

1059As she that he hath staind?

1060Isab. Sir, beleeue this.

1061I had rather giue my body, then my soule.

1062Ang. I talke not of your soule: our compel'd sins

1063Stand more for number, then for accompt.

1064Isab. How say you?

1065Ang. Nay Ile not warrant that : for I can speake

1066Against the thing I say: Answere to this,

1067I (now the voyce of the recorded Law)

1068Pronounce a sentence on your Brothers life,

1069Might there not be a charitie in sinne,

1070To saue this Brothers life?

1071Isab. Please you to doo't,

1072Ile take it as a perill to my soule,

1073It is no sinne at all, but charitie.

1074Ang. Pleas'd you to doo't, at perill of your soule

1075Were equall poize of sinne, and charitie.

1076Isab. That I do beg his life, if it be sinne

1077Heauen let me beare it: you granting of my suit,

1078If that be sin, Ile make it my Morne-praier,

1079To haue it added to the faults of mine,

1080And nothing of your answere.

1081Ang. Nay, but heare me,

1082Your sence pursues not mine: either you are ignorant,

1083Or seeme so crafty; and that's not good.

1084Isab. Let be ignorant, and in nothing good,

1085But graciously to know I am no better.

1086Ang. Thus wisdome wishes to appeare most bright,

1087When it doth taxe it selfe: As these blacke Masques

1088Proclaime an en-shield beauty ten times louder

1089Then beauty could displaied: But marke me,

1090To be receiued plaine, Ile speake more grosse:

1091Your Brother is to dye.

1092Isab. So.

1093Ang. And his offence is so, as it appeares,

1094Accountant to the Law, vpon that paine.

1095Isab. True.

1096Ang. Admit no other way to saue his life

1097(As I subscribe not that, nor any other,

1098But in the losse of question) that you, his Sister,

1099Finding your selfe desir'd of such a person,

1100Whose creadit with the Iudge, or owne great place,

1101Could fetch your Brother from the Manacles

1102Of the all-building-Law: and that there were

1103No earthly meane to saue him, but that either

1104You must lay downe the treasures of your body,

1105To this supposed, or else to let him suffer:

1106What would you doe?

1107Isab. As much for my poore Brother, as my selfe;

1108That is: were I vnder the tearmes of death,

1109Th' impression of keene whips, I'ld weare as Rubies,

1110And strip my selfe to death, as to a bed,

1111That longing haue bin sicke for, ere I'ld yeeld

1112My body vp to shame.

1113Ang. Then must your brother die.

1114Isa. And 'twer the cheaper way:

1115Better it were a brother dide at once,

1116Then that a sister, by redeeming him

1117Should die for euer.

1118Ang. Were not you then as cruell as the Sentence,

1119That you haue slander'd so?

1120Isa. Ignomie in ransome, and free pardon

1121Are of two houses: lawfull mercie,

1122Is nothing kin to fowle redemption.

1123Ang. You seem'd of late to make the Law a tirant,

1124And rather prou'd the sliding of your brother

1125A merriment, then a vice.

1126Isa. Oh pardon me my Lord, it oft fals out

1127To haue, what we would haue,

1128We speake not what vve meane;

1129I something do excuse the thing I hate,

1130For his aduantage that I dearely loue.

1131Ang. We are all fraile.

1132Isa. Else let my brother die,

1133If not a fedarie but onely he

1134Owe, and succeed thy weaknesse.

1135Ang. Nay, women are fraile too.

1136Isa. I, as the glasses where they view themselues,

1137Which are as easie broke as they make formes:

1138Women? Helpe heauen; men their creation marre

1139In profiting by them: Nay, call vs ten times fraile,

1140For we are soft, as our complexions are,

1141And credulous to false prints.

1142Ang. I thinke it well:

1143And from this testimonie of your owne sex

1144(Since I suppose we are made to be no stronger

1145Then faults may shake our frames) let me be bold;

1146I do arrest your words. Be that you are,

1147That is a woman; if you be more, you'r none.

1148If you be one (as you are well exprest

1149By all externall warrants) shew it now,

1150By putting on the destin'd Liuerie.

1151Isa. I haue no tongue but one; gentle my Lord,

1152Let me entreate you speake the former language.

1153Ang. Plainlie conceiue I loue you.

1154Isa. My brother did loue Iuliet,

1155And you tell me that he shall die for't.

1156Ang. He shall not Isabell if you giue me loue.

1157Isa. I know your vertue hath a licence in't,

1158Which seemes a little fouler then it is,

1159To plucke on others.

1160Ang. Beleeue me on mine Honor,

1161My words expresse my purpose.

1162Isa. Ha? Little honor, to be much beleeu'd,

1163And most pernitious purpose: Seeming, seeming.

1164I will proclaime thee Angelo, looke for't.

1165Signe me a present pardon for my brother,

1166Or with an out-stretcht throate Ile tell the world aloud

1167What man thou art.

1168Ang. Who will beleeue thee Isabell?

1169My vnsoild name, th' austeerenesse of my life,

1170My vouch against you, and my place i'th State,

1171Will so your accusation ouer-weigh,

1172That you shall stifle in your owne reporr,

1173And smell of calumnie. I haue begun,

1174And now I giue my sensuall race, the reine,

1175Fit thy consent to my sharpe appetite,

1176Lay by all nicetie, and prolixious blushes

1177That banish what they sue for: Redeeme thy brother,

1178By yeelding vp thy bodie to my will,

1179Or else he must not onelie die the death,

1180But thy vnkindnesse shall his death draw out

1181To lingring sufferance: Answer me to morrow,

1182Or by the affection that now guides me most,

1183Ile proue a Tirant to him. As for you,

1184Say what you can; my false, ore-weighs your true. Exit

1185Isa. To whom should I complaine? Did I tell this,

1186Who would beleeue me? O perilous mouthes

1187That beare in them, one and the selfesame tongue,

1188Either of condemnation, or approofe,

1189Bidding the Law make curtsie to their will,

1190Hooking both right and wrong to th' appetite,

1191To follow as it drawes. Ile to my brother,

1192Though he hath falne by prompture of the blood,

1193Yet hath he in him such a minde of Honor,

1194That had he twentie heads to tender downe

1195On twentie bloodie blockes, hee'ld yeeld them vp,

1196Before his sister should her bodie stoope

1197To such abhord pollution.

1198Then Isabell liue chaste, and brother die;

1199"More then our Brother, is our Chastitie.

1200Ile tell him yet of Angelo's request,

1201And fit his minde to death, for his soules rest. Exit.