Shakespeare Portal

Act 1, Scene 4

A Monastery.

  1. [Enter DUKE and FRIAR THOMAS.]
  2. Duke Vincentio
  3. 264 No; holy father; throw away that thought;
  4. 265 Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
  5. 266 Can pierce a complete bosom: why I desire thee
  6. 267 To give me secret harbour hath a purpose
  7. 268 More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
  8. 269 Of burning youth.
  9. Friar Thomas
  10. 270 May your grace speak of it?
  11. Duke Vincentio
  12. 271 My holy sir, none better knows than you
  13. 272 How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd,
  14. 273 And held in idle price to haunt assemblies
  15. 274 Where youth, and cost, a witless bravery keeps.
  16. 275 I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo,—
  17. 276 A man of stricture and firm abstinence,—
  18. 277 My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
  19. 278 And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
  20. 279 For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
  21. 280 And so it is received. Now, pious sir,
  22. 281 You will demand of me why I do this?
  23. Friar Thomas
  24. 282 Gladly, my lord.
  25. Duke Vincentio
  26. 283 We have strict statutes and most biting laws,—
  27. 284 The needful bits and curbs to headstrong steeds,—
  28. 285 Which for this fourteen years we have let sleep,
  29. 286 Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave,
  30. 287 That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers,
  31. 288 Having bound up the threat'ning twigs of birch,
  32. 289 Only to stick it in their children's sight
  33. 290 For terror, not to use, in time the rod
  34. 291 Becomes more mock'd than fear'd; so our decrees,
  35. 292 Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
  36. 293 And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
  37. 294 The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
  38. 295 Goes all decorum.
  39. Friar Thomas
  40. 296 It rested in your grace
  41. 297 To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleas'd;
  42. 298 And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd
  43. 299 Than in Lord Angelo.
  44. Duke Vincentio
  45. 300 I do fear, too dreadful:
  46. 301 Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
  47. 302 'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them
  48. 303 For what I bid them do: for we bid this be done
  49. 304 When evil deeds have their permissive pass
  50. 305 And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my father,
  51. 306 I have on Angelo impos'd the office;
  52. 307 Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home,
  53. 308 And yet my nature never in the fight
  54. 309 To do in slander. And to behold his sway,
  55. 310 I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
  56. 311 Visit both prince and people: therefore, I pr'ythee,
  57. 312 Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
  58. 313 How I may formally in person bear me
  59. 314 Like a true friar. Moe reasons for this action
  60. 315 At our more leisure shall I render you;
  61. 316 Only, this one:—Lord Angelo is precise;
  62. 317 Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses
  63. 318 That his blood flows, or that his appetite
  64. 319 Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see,
  65. 320 If power change purpose, what our seemers be.
  66. [Exeunt.]