MEASURE FOR MEASURE

Act 4 Scene 4

(Enter Angelo and Escalus)
l1l	Escalus	 Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched other.
l2l	Angelo	In most uneven and distracted manner. His
l3l		actions show much like to madness. Pray heaven his
l4l		wisdom be not tainted. And why meet him at the gates,
l5l		and redeliver our authorities there?
l6l	Escalus	I guess not.
l7l	Angelo	And why should we proclaim it in an hour before
l8l		his entering, that if any crave redress of injustice, they
l9l		should exhibit their petitions in the street?
l10l	Escalus	He shows his reason for that—to have a dispatch
l11l		of complaints, and to deliver us from devices hereafter,
l12l		which shall then have no power to stand against us.
l13l	Angelo	 Well, I beseech you let it be proclaimed.
l14l		Betimes i’ th’ morn I’ll call you at your house.
l15l		Give notice to such men of sort and suit
l16l		As are to meet him.
l17l	Escalus	I shall, sir. Fare you well.
l18l	Angelo	Good night.
		(Exit Escalus)
l19l		This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant
l20l		And dull to all proceedings. A deflowered maid,
l21l		And by an eminent body that enforced
l22l		The law against it! But that her tender shame
l23l		Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
l24l		How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no,
l25l		For my authority bears off a credent bulk,
l26l		That no particular scandal once can touch
l27l		But it confounds the breather. He should have lived,
l28l		Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense,
l29l		Might in the times to come have ta’en revenge
l30l		By so receiving a dishonoured life
l31l		With ransom of such shame. Would yet he had lived.
l32l		Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
l33l		Nothing goes right# we would, and we would not.
		(Exit)