Ang. Hath he a sister? Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, And to be shortly of a sisterhood, If not already. Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Exit Servant. See you, the fornicatress be remov'd; Let her have needful, but not lavish, means ; 'There shall be order for it. Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA. Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. Ang. Stay a little while.-[To ISAB.] You are wel come: What's your will? Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your honour, Please but your honour hear me. Well; what's your suit? Ang. At war, 'twixt will, and will not. Ang. Well; the matter? Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die : I do beseech you, let it be his fault, And not my brother. Prov. Heaven give thee moving graces! Ang. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it! To find the faults, whose fine stands in record, Isab. O just, but severe law! I had a brother then.-Heaven keep your honour' 355 [Retiring. Lucio. [To ISAB.] Give't not o'er so: to him again, Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown; You could not with more tame a tongue desire it : Isab. Must he needs die? Ang. Maiden, no remedy. Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon him, And neither heaven, nor man, grieve at the mercy. Ang. I will not do't. Isab. But can you, if you would? Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. Isab. But might you do't, and do the world no wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse As mine is to him? Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [TO ISABELLA. Isab. Too late? why, no; I, that do speak a word, Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, And you as he, you would have slipt like him; Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, Lucio. Ay, touch him: there's the vein. [Aside. Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law And you but waste your words. Alas! alas! Isab. Like man new made. Ang. Be you content, fair maid; It is the law, not I, condemns your brother: Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son, It should be thus with him ;-he must die to-morrow. Isab. To-morrow? O, that's sudden! Spare him, spare him : He's not prepar'd for death! Even for our kitchens To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink Lucio. Ay, well said. you: Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept: Takes note of what is done; and, like a prophet, Isab. Yet show some pity. Ang. I show it most of all, when I show justice; For then I pity those I do not know, Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall; And do him right, that, answering one foul wrong, Lives not to act another. Be satisfied; Your brother dies to-morrow; be content. Isab. So you must be the first, that gives this sen tence; And he, that suffers: O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous Lucio. That's well said. Isab. Could great men thunder As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, For every pelting, petty officer, Would use his heaven for thunder; nothing but thunder. Merciful heaven! Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Than the soft myrtle ;-0, but man, proud man! Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Plays such fantastick tricks before high heaven, Lucio. O, to him, to him, wench: he will relent; He's coming, I perceive't. Prov. Pray heaven, she win him! Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them ; Lucio. Thou'rt in the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a cholerick word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. Lucio. Art advis'd o' that? more on't. Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me? Isab. Because authority, though it err like others, Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself, That skins the voice o' th' top: Go to your bosom ; Knock there; and ask your heart, what it doth know That's like my brother's fault if it confess A natural guiltiness, such as is his, Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue Ang. She speaks, and 'tis Such sense, that my sense breeds with it. -Fare Ang. I will bethink me:-Come again to-morrow. Isab. Hark, how I'll bribe you: Good my lord, turn back. Ang. How! bribe me? Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall share with you. Lucio You had marr'd all else. Isab. Not with fond shekels of the tested gold, |