Shakespeare Portal

Act 1, Scene 5

A Nunnery.

  1. [Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA.]
  2. Isabella
  3. 321 And have you nuns no further privileges?
  4. Francisca
  5. 322 Are not these large enough?
  6. Isabella
  7. 323 Yes, truly; I speak not as desiring more,
  8. 324 But rather wishing a more strict restraint
  9. 325 Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare.
  10. [Within.]
  11. Lucio
  12. 326 Ho! Peace be in this place!
  13. Isabella
  14. 327 Who's that which calls?
  15. Francisca
  16. 328 It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella,
  17. 329 Turn you the key, and know his business of him;
  18. 330 You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn:
  19. 331 When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men
  20. 332 But in the presence of the prioress;
  21. 333 Then, if you speak, you must not show your face;
  22. 334 Or, if you show your face, you must not speak.
  23. 335 He calls again; I pray you answer him.
  24. [Exit FRANCISCA.]
  25. Isabella
  26. 336 Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls?
  27. [Enter LUCIO.]
  28. Lucio
  29. 337 Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek-roses
  30. 338 Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me
  31. 339 As bring me to the sight of Isabella,
  32. 340 A novice of this place, and the fair sister
  33. 341 To her unhappy brother Claudio?
  34. Isabella
  35. 342 Why her unhappy brother? let me ask;
  36. 343 The rather, for I now must make you know
  37. 344 I am that Isabella, and his sister.
  38. Lucio
  39. 345 Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you:
  40. 346 Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.
  41. Isabella
  42. 347 Woe me! For what?
  43. Lucio
  44. 348 For that which, if myself might be his judge,
  45. 349 He should receive his punishment in thanks:
  46. 350 He hath got his friend with child.
  47. Isabella
  48. 351 Sir, make me not your story.
  49. Lucio
  50. 352 It is true.
  51. 353 I would not—though 'tis my familiar sin
  52. 354 With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest,
  53. 355 Tongue far from heart—play with all virgins so:
  54. 356 I hold you as a thing ensky'd and sainted;
  55. 357 By your renouncement an immortal spirit;
  56. 358 And to be talk'd with in sincerity,
  57. 359 As with a saint.
  58. Isabella
  59. 360 You do blaspheme the good in mocking me.
  60. Lucio
  61. 361 Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus:
  62. 362 Your brother and his lover have embraced:
  63. 363 As those that feed grow full: as blossoming time,
  64. 364 That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
  65. 365 To teeming foison; even so her plenteous womb
  66. 366 Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry.
  67. Isabella
  68. 367 Some one with child by him?—My cousin Juliet?
  69. Lucio
  70. 368 Is she your cousin?
  71. Isabella
  72. 369 Adoptedly, as school-maids change their names
  73. 370 By vain though apt affection.
  74. Lucio
  75. 371 She it is.
  76. Isabella
  77. 372 O, let him marry her!
  78. Lucio
  79. 373 This is the point.
  80. 374 The duke is very strangely gone from hence;
  81. 375 Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,
  82. 376 In hand, and hope of action: but we do learn
  83. 377 By those that know the very nerves of state,
  84. 378 His givings out were of an infinite distance
  85. 379 From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
  86. 380 And with full line of his authority,
  87. 381 Governs Lord Angelo: a man whose blood
  88. 382 Is very snow-broth; one who never feels
  89. 383 The wanton stings and motions of the sense.
  90. 384 But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge
  91. 385 With profits of the mind, study, and fast.
  92. 386 He,—to give fear to use and liberty,
  93. 387 Which have for long run by the hideous law,
  94. 388 As mice by lions,—hath pick'd out an act,
  95. 389 Under whose heavy sense your brother's life
  96. 390 Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it;
  97. 391 And follows close the rigour of the statute
  98. 392 To make him an example; all hope is gone.
  99. 393 Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer
  100. 394 To soften Angelo: and that's my pith
  101. 395 Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother.
  102. Isabella
  103. 396 Doth he so seek his life?
  104. Lucio
  105. 397 Has censur'd him
  106. 398 Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath
  107. 399 A warrant for his execution.
  108. Isabella
  109. 400 Alas! what poor ability's in me
  110. 401 To do him good.
  111. Lucio
  112. 402 Assay the power you have.
  113. Isabella
  114. 403 My power! alas, I doubt,—
  115. Lucio
  116. 404 Our doubts are traitors,
  117. 405 And make us lose the good we oft might win
  118. 406 By fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo,
  119. 407 And let him learn to know, when maidens sue,
  120. 408 Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel,
  121. 409 All their petitions are as freely theirs
  122. 410 As they themselves would owe them.
  123. Isabella
  124. 411 I'll see what I can do.
  125. Lucio
  126. 412 But speedily.
  127. Isabella
  128. 413 I will about it straight;
  129. 414 No longer staying but to give the Mother
  130. 415 Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you:
  131. 416 Commend me to my brother: soon at night
  132. 417 I'll send him certain word of my success.
  133. Lucio
  134. 418 I take my leave of you.
  135. Isabella
  136. 419 Good sir, adieu.
  137. [Exeunt.]