MEASURE FOR MEASURE

Act 1 Scene 1

(Enter the Duke, Escalus, and other lords)
l1l	Duke	 Escalus.
l2l	Escalus	My lord.
l3l	Duke	Of government the properties to unfold
l4l		Would seem in me t’ affect speech and discourse,
l5l		Since I am put to know that your own science
l6l		Exceeds in that the lists of all advice
l7l		My strength can give you. Then no more remains
l8l		But this: to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
l9l		And let them work. The nature of our people,
l10l		Our city’s institutions and the terms
l11l		For common justice, you’re as pregnant in
l12l		As art and practice hath enrichèd any
l13l		That we remember.
		(He gives Escalus papers)
		 There is our commission,
l14l		From which we would not have you warp.
		(To a lord)
		 Call hither,
l15l		I say bid come before us, Angelo.
		(Exit lord)
l16l		(To Escalus)
		 What figure of us think you he will bear?—
l17l		For you must know we have with special soul
l18l		Elected him our absence to supply,
l19l		Lent him our terror, dressed him with our love,
l20l		And given his deputation all the organs
l21l		Of our own power. What think you of it?
l22l	Escalus	If any in Vienna be of worth
l23l		To undergo such ample grace and honour,
l24l		It is Lord Angelo.
		(Enter Angelo)
		
	Duke	 Look where he comes.
l25l	Angelo	Always obedient to your grace’s will,
l26l		I come to know your pleasure.
	Duke	Angelo,
l27l		There is a kind of character in thy life
l28l		That to th’ observer doth thy history
l29l		Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
l30l		Are not thine own so proper as to waste
l31l		Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.
l32l		Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
l33l		Not light them for themselves# for if our virtues
l34l		Did not go forth of us, ’twere all alike
l35l		As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touched
l36l		But to fine issues# nor nature never lends
l37l		The smallest scruple of her excellence
l38l		But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines
l39l		Herself the glory of a creditor,
l40l		Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
l41l		To one that can my part in him advertise.
l42l		Hold therefore, Angelo.
l43l		In our remove be thou at full ourself.
l44l		Mortality and mercy in Vienna
l45l		Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus,
l46l		Though first in question, is thy secondary.
l47l		Take thy commission.
	Angelo	Now good my lord,
l48l		Let there be some more test made of my metal
l49l		Before so noble and so great a figure
l50l		Be stamped upon it.
	Duke	No more evasion.
l51l		We have with leavened and preparèd choice
l52l		Proceeded to you# therefore take your honours.
		(Angelo takes his commission)
l53l		Our haste from hence is of so quick condition
l54l		That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestioned
l55l		Matters of needful value. We shall write to you
l56l		As time and our concernings shall importune,
l57l		How it goes with us# and do look to know
l58l		What doth befall you here. So fare you well.
l59l		To th’ hopeful execution do I leave you
l60l		Of your commissions.
	Angelo	Yet give leave, my lord,
l61l		That we may bring you something on the way.
l62l	Duke	My haste may not admit it#
l63l		Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do
l64l		With any scruple. Your scope is as mine own,
l65l		So to enforce or qualify the laws
l66l		As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand.
l67l		I’ll privily away. I love the people,
l68l		But do not like to stage me to their eyes.
l69l		Though it do well, I do not relish well
l70l		Their loud applause and aves vehement#
l71l		Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
l72l		That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.
l73l	Angelo	The heavens give safety to your purposes!
l74l	Escalus	Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!
l75l	Duke	I thank you. Fare you well.
		(Exit)
l76l	Escalus	 I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
l77l		To have free speech with you# and it concerns me
l78l		To look into the bottom of my place.
l79l		A power I have, but of what strength and nature
l80l		I am not yet instructed.
l81l	Angelo	’Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
l82l		And we may soon our satisfaction have
l83l		Touching that point.
	Escalus	I’ll wait upon your honour.
		( 83B Exeunt)
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