The duke obtains the clothing of a friar in order to disguise himself and secretly observe the conduct of Angelo and the people of Vienna.
Enter Duke and Friar Thomas.
DUKE 0283No, holy father, throw away that thought. 0284Believe not that the dribbling dart of love 0285Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire thee 0286To give me secret harbor hath a purpose 02875More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends 0288Of burning youth. FRIAR THOMAS0289May your Grace speak of it? DUKE 0290My holy sir, none better knows than you 0291How I have ever loved the life removed, 029210And held in idle price to haunt assemblies 0293Where youth and cost witless bravery keeps. 0294I have delivered to Lord Angelo, 0295A man of stricture and firm abstinence, 0296My absolute power and place here in Vienna, 029715And he supposes me traveled to Poland, 0298For so I have strewed it in the common ear,
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0299And so it is received. Now, pious sir, 0300You will demand of me why I do this. FRIAR THOMAS0301
Gladly, my lord. DUKE 030220We have strict statutes and most biting laws, 0303The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds, 0304Which for this fourteen years we have let slip, 0305Even like an o’ergrown lion in a cave 0306That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers, 030725Having bound up the threat’ning twigs of birch 0308Only to stick it in their children’s sight 0309For terror, not to use—in time the rod 0310More mocked than feared—so our decrees, 0311Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead, 031230And liberty plucks justice by the nose, 0313The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart 0314Goes all decorum. FRIAR THOMAS0315It rested in your Grace 0316To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased, 031735And it in you more dreadful would have seemed 0318Than in Lord Angelo. DUKE0319I do fear, too dreadful. 0320Sith ’twas my fault to give the people scope, 0321’Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them 032240For what I bid them do; for we bid this be done 0323When evil deeds have their permissive pass 0324And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed, my 0325father, 0326I have on Angelo imposed the office, 032745Who may in th’ ambush of my name strike home, 0328And yet my nature never in the fight 0329To do in slander. And to behold his sway 0330I will, as ’twere a brother of your order, 0331Visit both prince and people. Therefore I prithee 033250Supply me with the habit, and instruct me 0333How I may formally in person bear
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0334Like a true friar. More reasons for this action 0335At our more leisure shall I render you. 0336Only this one: Lord Angelo is precise, 033755Stands at a guard with envy, scarce confesses 0338That his blood flows or that his appetite 0339Is more to bread than stone. Hence shall we see, 0340If power change purpose, what our seemers be. ⌜They⌝ exit.
