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Measure for Measure: Act I, Scene 1

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Measure for Measure
Act I, Scene 1

Scene 1

Vienna. An apartment in the Duke’s palace.

  1. Enter Duke, Escalus, Lords, and Attendants.

Duke

1
  1. Escalus.

Escalus

2
  1. My lord.

Duke

3 - 21
  1. Of government the properties to unfold
  2. Would seem in me t’ affect speech and discourse,
  3. Since I am put to know that your own science
  4. Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice
  5. My strength can give you. Then no more remains
  6. But that, to your sufficiency, as your worth is able,
  7. And let them work. The nature of our people,
  8. Our city’s institutions, and the terms
  9. For common justice, y’ are as pregnant in
  10. As art and practice hath enriched any
  11. That we remember. There is our commission,
  12. From which we would not have you warp. Call hither,
  13. I say, bid come before us Angelo.
  14. Exit an Attendant.
  15. What figure of us think you he will bear?
  16. For you must know, we have with special soul
  17. Elected him our absence to supply,
  18. Lent him our terror, dress’d him with our love,
  19. And given his deputation all the organs
  20. Of our own pow’r. What think you of it?

Escalus

22 - 24
  1. If any in Vienna be of worth
  2. To undergo such ample grace and honor,
  3. It is Lord Angelo.
  1. Enter Angelo.

Duke

25
  1.                    Look where he comes.

Angelo

26 - 27
  1. Always obedient to your Grace’s will,
  2. I come to know your pleasure.

Duke

28 - 49
  1.                               Angelo:
  2. There is a kind of character in thy life,
  3. That to th’ observer doth thy history
  4. Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings
  5. Are not thine own so proper as to waste
  6. Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.
  7. Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
  8. Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
  9. Did not go forth of us, ’twere all alike
  10. As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch’d
  11. But to fine issues; nor Nature never lends
  12. The smallest scruple of her excellence,
  13. But like a thrifty goddess, she determines
  14. Herself the glory of a creditor,
  15. Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech
  16. To one that can my part in him advertise.
  17. Hold therefore, Angelo:
  18. In our remove be thou at full ourself.
  19. Mortality and mercy in Vienna
  20. Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus,
  21. Though first in question, is thy secondary.
  22. Take thy commission.
Illustration from "The comedies, histories, tragedies, and poems of William Shakspere"

Illustration from "The comedies, histories, tragedies, and poems of William Shakspere"

Charles Knight, 1851

Angelo

50 - 53
  1.                      Now, good my lord,
  2. Let there be some more test made of my mettle
  3. Before so noble and so great a figure
  4. Be stamp’d upon it.

Duke

54 - 64
  1.                     No more evasion.
  2. We have with a leaven’d and prepared choice
  3. Proceeded to you; therefore take your honors.
  4. Our haste from hence is of so quick condition
  5. That it prefers itself, and leaves unquestion’d
  6. Matters of needful value. We shall write to you,
  7. As time and our concernings shall importune,
  8. How it goes with us, and do look to know
  9. What doth befall you here. So fare you well.
  10. To th’ hopeful execution do I leave you
  11. Of your commissions.

Angelo

65 - 66
  1.                      Yet give leave, my lord,
  2. That we may bring you something on the way.

Duke

67 - 77
  1. My haste may not admit it,
  2. Nor need you (on mine honor) have to do
  3. With any scruple. Your scope is as mine own,
  4. So to enforce or qualify the laws
  5. As to your soul seems good. Give me your hand,
  6. I’ll privily away. I love the people,
  7. But do not like to stage me to their eyes;
  8. Though it do well, I do not relish well
  9. Their loud applause and aves vehement;
  10. Nor do I think the man of safe discretion
  11. That does affect it. Once more fare you well.

Angelo

78
  1. The heavens give safety to your purposes!

Escalus

79
  1. Lead forth and bring you back in happiness!

Duke

80
  1. I thank you. Fare you well.
  1. Exit.

Escalus

81 - 85
  1. I shall desire you, sir, to give me leave
  2. To have free speech with you; and it concerns me
  3. To look into the bottom of my place.
  4. A pow’r I have, but of what strength and nature
  5. I am not yet instructed.

Angelo

86 - 88
  1. ’Tis so with me. Let us withdraw together,
  2. And we may soon our satisfaction have
  3. Touching that point.

Escalus

89
  1.                      I’ll wait upon your honor.
  1. Exeunt.
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