ESCALUS.
Why, thou unreverend and unhallowed friar,
Is’t not enough thou hast suborned these women
To accuse this worthy man, but, in foul mouth,
And in the witness of his proper ear,
To call him villain? And then to glance from him
To th’ Duke himself, to tax him with injustice?
Take him hence! To th’ rack with him! We’ll touse you
Joint by joint, but we will know his purpose.
What! Unjust?
DUKE.
Be not so hot. The Duke
Dare no more stretch this finger of mine than he
Dare rack his own. His subject am I not,
Nor here provincial. My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,
Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble
Till it o’errun the stew. Laws for all faults,
But faults so countenanced that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber’s shop,
As much in mock as mark.
ESCALUS.
Slander to the state! Away with him to prison!
ANGELO.
What can you vouch against him, Signior Lucio?
Is this the man that you did tell us of?
LUCIO.
’Tis he, my lord. Come hither, goodman Baldpate.
Do you know me?
DUKE.
I remember you, sir, by the sound of your voice. I met you at the prison, in the absence of the Duke.
LUCIO.
O did you so? And do you remember what you said of the Duke?
DUKE.
Most notedly, sir.
LUCIO.
Do you so, sir? And was the Duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?
DUKE.
You must, sir, change persons with me ere you make that my report. You indeed spoke so of him, and much more, much worse.