Anne. Pardon, good Father; good my Mother, Pardon. Page. Now Mistress,

How chance you went not with Mr. Slender?

Mrs. Page. Why went you not with Mr. Doctor, Maid?
Fent. You do amaze her. Hear the Truth of it:
You would have marry'd her moft shamefully,
Where there was no proportion held in Love:
The Truth is, fhe and I, tong fince contracted,
Are now fo fure that nothing can diffolve us.
Th' Offence is holy that the hath committed,
And this Deceit lofes the name of Craft,
Of Difobedience, or unduteous Title;
Since therein the doth evitate and fhun
A thousand irreligious curfed Hours

Which forced Marriage would have brought upon her.
Ford. Stand not amaz'd, here is no Remedy.
In Love, the Heav'ns themselves do guide the State;
Mony buys Lands, and Wives are fold by Fate.

Fal. I am glad, tho' you have ta'en a fpecial Stand to ftrike at me, that your Arrow hath glanc'd.

Page. Well, what Remedy? Fenton, Heav'n give thee Joy; what cannot be efchew'd, must be embrac'd.

Fal. When Night-dogs run, all forts of Deer are chac'd. Mrs. Page. Well, I will mufe no further: Mr. Fenton, Heav'n give you many, many merry Days.

Good Husband, let us every one go home,

And laugh this Sport o'er by a Country Fire,
Sir John and all.

Ford. Let it be fo, Sir John:

Word;

[Exeunt.

To Mafter Broom you yet fhall hold your
For he, to Night, fhall lye with Mistress Ford.

Incentio, Duke of Vienna.

Angelo, Lord Deputy in the Duke's Abfence.

Efcalus, an ancient Lord.

Claudio, a young Gentleman.
Lucio, a Fantaftick.

Two Gentlemen.

Varrius, a Gentleman, Servant to the Duke.

Elbow, a fimple Conftable.

Froth, a foolish Gentleman.

Clown, Servant to Mrs. Over-don.

Abhorfon, an Executioner.

Barnardine, a diffolute Prifoner.

Ifabella, Sifter to Claudio.

Mariana, betrothed to Angelo.

Juliet, beloved of Claudio.

Francifca, a Nun.

Miftrefs Over-don, a Bawd.

Guards, Officers, and other Attendants.

SCENE Vienna:

MEA

Measure for Measure.

ACTI SCENE I

SCENE a Palace,

Enter Duke, Efcalus, and Lords.

E

Scalus.

DUKE.

Efcal. My Lord.

(fold,

Duke. Of Government, the Properties to unWould feem in me t'affect Speech and Difcourfe.

Since I am put to know, that your own SciExceeds, in that, the Lifts of all Advice

My Strength can give you: Then no more remains;
Put that to your Sufficiency, as your Worth is able,
And let them work: The Nature of our People,
Our City's Institutions, and the Terms

For common Juftice, y'are as pregnant in

As Art and Practice hath enriched any

That we remember. There is our Commiffion,

(ence

From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,

I fay, bid come before us Angelo:

What figure of us think you, he will bear?

For you must know, we have with special Soul
Elected him our Abfence to fupply;

Lent him our Terror, dreft him with our Love,
And given his Deputation all the Organs
Of our own Power: What think you of it?

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Efca