Measure for Measure.

by William Shakespeare.

ACT I.

SCENE I. _An apartment in the DUKE'S palace._

_Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, _Lords_ and _Attendants_._

_Duke._ Escalus.

_Escal._ My lord.

_Duke._ Of government the properties to unfold, Would seem in me to affect speech and discourse; Since I am put to know that your own science 5 Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice My strength can give you: then no more remains, But that to your sufficiency . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . as your worth is able, And let them work. The nature of our people, 10 Our city's inst.i.tutions, and the terms For common justice, you're as pregnant in As art and practice hath enriched any That we remember. There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp. Call hither, 15 I say, bid come before us Angelo. [_Exit an Attendant._ What figure of us think you he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special soul Elected him our absence to supply; Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love, 20 And given his deputation all the organs Of our own power: what think you of it?

_Escal._ If any in Vienna be of worth To undergo such ample grace and honour, It is Lord Angelo.

_Duke._ Look where he comes. 25

_Enter ANGELO._

_Ang._ Always obedient to your Grace's will, I come to know your pleasure.

_Duke._ Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life, That to th' observer doth thy history Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings 30 Are not thine own so proper, as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.

Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike 35 As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd But to fine issues; nor Nature never lends The smallest scruple of her excellence, But, like a thrifty G.o.ddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, 40 Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advertise; Hold therefore, Angelo:-- In our remove be thou at full ourself; Mortality and mercy in Vienna 45 Live in thy tongue and heart: old Escalus, Though first in question, is thy secondary.

Take thy commission.

_Ang._ Now, good my lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Before so n.o.ble and so great a figure 50 Be stamp'd upon it.

_Duke._ No more evasion: We have with a leaven'd and prepared choice Proceeded to you; therefore take your honours.

Our haste from hence is of so quick condition, That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion'd 55 Matters of needful value. We shall write to you, As time and our concernings shall importune, How it goes with us; and do look to know What doth befall you here. So, fare you well: To the hopeful execution do I leave you 60 Of your commissions.

_Ang._ Yet, give leave, my lord, That we may bring you something on the way.

_Duke._ My haste may not admit it; Nor need you, on mine honour, have to do With any scruple; your scope is as mine own, 65 So to enforce or qualify the laws As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand: I'll privily away. I love the people, But do not like to stage me to their eyes: Though it do well, I do not relish well 70 Their loud applause and Aves vehement; Nor do I think the man of safe discretion That does affect it. Once more, fare you well.

_Ang._ The heavens give safety to your purposes!

_Escal._ Lead forth and bring you back in happiness! 75

_Duke._ I thank you. Fare you well. [_Exit._

_Escal._ I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave To have free speech with you; and it concerns me To look into the bottom of my place: A power I have, but of what strength and nature 80 I am not yet instructed.

_Ang._ 'Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together, And we may soon our satisfaction have Touching that point.

_Escal._ I'll wait upon your honour. [_Exeunt._

NOTES: I, 1.

SCENE I. Lords and Attendants.] Singer. Lords. Ff. and Attendants.

Capell.

5: _put_] _not_ Pope. _apt_ Collier MS.

7, 8: _remains, But that_] _remains; Put that_ Rowe.

8, 9: _But that to your sufficiency ..._]

_But that to your sufficiency you add Due diligency ..._ Theobald conj.

_But that to your sufficiency you joyn A will to serve us ..._ Hanmer.

_But that to your sufficiency you put A zeal as willing ..._ Tyrwhitt conj.

_But that to your sufficiencies your worth is abled_ Johnson conj.

_But your sufficiency as worth is able_ Farmer conj.

_Your sufficiency ... able_ Steevens conj.

_But that your sufficiency be as your worth is stable_ Becket conj.

_But state to your sufficiency ..._ Jackson conj.

_But thereto your sufficiency ..._ Singer.

_But add to your sufficiency your worth_ Collier MS.

_But that_ [tendering his commission] _to your sufficiency. And, as your worth is able, let them work_ Staunton conj.

_But that to your sufficiency I add Commission ample_ Spedding conj.

See note (I).

11: _city's_] _cities_ Ff.

16: [Exit an Attendant.] Capell.

18: _soul_] _roll_ Warburton. _seal_ Johnson conj.

22: _what_] _say, what_ Pope.

25: SCENE II. Pope.

27: _your pleasure_] F1. _your Graces pleasure_ F2 F3 F4.

28: _life_] _look_ Johnson conj.

28, 29: _character ... history_] _history ... character_ Monck Mason conj.

32: _they_] _them_ Hanmer.

35, 36: _all alike As if we_] _all as if We_ Hanmer.

37: _nor_] om. Pope.

42: _my part in him_] _in my part me_ Hanmer. _my part to him_ Johnson conj. _in him, my part_ Becket conj.

43: _Hold therefore, Angelo:--_] _Hold therefore, Angelo:_ [Giving him his commission] Hanmer. _Hold therefore. Angelo,_ Tyrwhitt conj.

_Hold therefore, Angelo, our place and power:_ Grant White.

45: _Mortality_] _Morality_ Pope.

51: _upon it_] _upon 't_ Capell.

_No more_] _Come, no more_ Pope.

52: _leaven'd and prepared_] Ff. _leven'd and prepar'd_ Rowe.

_prepar'd and leaven'd_ Pope. _prepar'd and level'd_ Warburton.

_prepar'd unleaven'd_ Heath conj.

56: _to you_] om. Hanmer.

61: _your commissions_] F1. _your commission_ F2 F3 F4.

_our commission_ Pope.

66: _laws_] _law_ Pope.

76: [Exit.] F2. [Exit. (after line 75) F1.

84: _your_] _you_ F2.