Enter Angelo, Mariana, Friar Peter and Provost.
DUKE.
For this new-married man approaching here,
Whose salt imagination yet hath wronged
Your well-defended honour, you must pardon
For Mariana’s sake. But as he adjudged your brother,
Being criminal in double violation
Of sacred chastity and of promise-breach
Thereon dependent, for your brother’s life,
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
“An Angelo for Claudio, death for death.”
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;
Like doth quit like, and measure still for measure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault’s thus manifested,
Which, though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vantage.
We do condemn thee to the very block
Where Claudio stooped to death, and with like haste.
Away with him.
MARIANA.
O my most gracious lord,
I hope you will not mock me with a husband.
DUKE.
It is your husband mocked you with a husband.
Consenting to the safeguard of your honour,
I thought your marriage fit. Else imputation,
For that he knew you, might reproach your life,
And choke your good to come. For his possessions,
Although by confiscation they are ours,
We do instate and widow you with all
To buy you a better husband.
MARIANA.
O my dear lord,
I crave no other, nor no better man.
DUKE.
Never crave him; we are definitive.
MARIANA.
[Kneeling.] Gentle my liege—
DUKE.
You do but lose your labour.
Away with him to death. [To Lucio.] Now, sir, to you.
MARIANA.
O my good lord.—Sweet Isabel, take my part;
Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
I’ll lend you all my life to do you service.
DUKE.
Against all sense you do importune her.
Should she kneel down in mercy of this fact,
Her brother’s ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror.