Ang. Stay a little while.-[To ISAB.] You are welcome: What's your will? Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your honour, Please but your honour hear me. Ang. Well, what's your suit? Isab. There is a vice, that most I do abhor, And most desire should meet the blow of justice; For which I would not plead but that I must; For which I must not plead, but that I am 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! Why, every fault's condemn'd, ere it be done: Mine were the very cipher of a function, To find the faults, whose fine stands in record, Isab. [Retiring. Lucio. [To ISAB.] Give't not o'er so: to him again, intreat him: Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown; You could not with more tame a tongue desire it: To him, I say. 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 remorse1 As mine is to him? Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [TO ISABELLA. Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, Lucio. Ay, touch him: there's the vein. [Aside. Isab. Ang. 1 Pity. Be you content, fair maid;. 2 Be assured. It is the law, not I, condemns your brother: It should be thus with him;-he must die to-mor row. Isab. To-morrow? O, that's sudden! Spare him, spare him: He's not prepar'd for death! Even for our kitchens We kill the fowl of season 3: shall we serve heaven With less respect than we do minister To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you: Who is it that hath died for this offence? Lucio. Ay, well said. Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept : Those many had not dar'd to do that evil, 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 sentence: 3 When in season. 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 4, petty officer, Would use his heaven for thunder; nothing but thunder.. Merciful heaven! Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Most ignorant of what he's most assur❜d, Plays such fantastic 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! Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them; But, in the less, foul profanation. Lucio. Thou'rt in the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric 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 vice o' the 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 Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue Ang. She speaks, and 'tis Such sense, that my sense bleeds with it.-Fare you well. Isab. Gentle, my lord, turn back. 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, Or stones, whose rates are either rich, or poor, As fancy values them: but with true prayers, That shall be up at heav'n, and enter there, Ere sun-rise; prayers from preserv'd' souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. Ang. Well: come to me Lucio. Go to; it is well; away. Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe! Ang. [Aside to ISABEL. Amen: for I [Aside At what hour to-morrow Am that way going to temptation, Isab. Shall I attend your lordship? 7 Preserved 6 Attested, stamped. m the corruption of the world. |