The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 323

MACBETH. Thou losest labor.

As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed.

Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield To one of woman born.

MACDUFF. Despair thy charm, And let the angel whom thou still hast served Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb Untimely ripp'd.

MACBETH. Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, For it hath cow'd my better part of man!

And be these juggling fiends no more believed That patter with us in a double sense, That keep the word of promise to our ear And break it to our hope. I'll not fight with thee.

MACDUFF. Then yield thee, coward, And live to be the show and gaze o' the time.

We'll have thee, as our rarer monsters are, Painted upon a pole, and underwrit, "Here may you see the tyrant."

MACBETH. I will not yield, To kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, And to be baited with the rabble's curse.

Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane, And thou opposed, being of no woman born, Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike s.h.i.+eld! Lay on, Macduff, And d.a.m.n'd be him that first cries, "Hold, enough!"

Exeunt fighting. Alarums.

SCENE IX.

Retreat. Flourish. Enter, with drum and colors, Malcolm, old Siward, Ross, the other Thanes, and Soldiers.

MALCOLM. I would the friends we miss were safe arrived.

SIWARD. Some must go off, and yet, by these I see, So great a day as this is cheaply bought.

MALCOLM. Macduff is missing, and your n.o.ble son.

ROSS. Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt.

He only lived but till he was a man, The which no sooner had his prowess confirm'd In the unshrinking station where he fought, But like a man he died.

SIWARD. Then he is dead?

ROSS. Ay, and brought off the field. Your cause of sorrow Must not be measured by his worth, for then It hath no end.

SIWARD. Had he his hurts before?

ROSS. Ay, on the front.

SIWARD. Why then, G.o.d's soldier be he!

Had I as many sons as I have hairs, I would not wish them to a fairer death.

And so his knell is knoll'd.

MALCOLM. He's worth more sorrow, And that I'll spend for him.

SIWARD. He's worth no more: They say he parted well and paid his score, And so G.o.d be with him! Here comes newer comfort.

Re-enter Macduff, with Macbeth's head.

MACDUFF. Hail, King, for so thou art. Behold where stands The usurper's cursed head. The time is free.

I see thee compa.s.s'd with thy kingdom's pearl That speak my salutation in their minds, Whose voices I desire aloud with mine- Hail, King of Scotland!

ALL. Hail, King of Scotland! Flourish.

MALCOLM. We shall not spend a large expense of time Before we reckon with your several loves And make us even with you. My Thanes and kinsmen, Henceforth be Earls, the first that ever Scotland In such an honor named. What's more to do, Which would be planted newly with the time, As calling home our exiled friends abroad That fled the snares of watchful tyranny, Producing forth the cruel ministers Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen, Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands Took off her life; this, and what needful else That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace We will perform in measure, time, and place.

So thanks to all at once and to each one, Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone.

Flourish. Exeunt.

-THE END-

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1605

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

by William Shakespeare

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

VINCENTIO, the Duke ANGELO, the Deputy ESCALUS, an ancient Lord CLAUDIO, a young gentleman LUCIO, a fantastic Two other like Gentlemen VARRIUS, a gentleman, servant to the Duke PROVOST THOMAS, friar PETER, friar A JUSTICE ELBOW, a simple constable FROTH, a foolish gentleman POMPEY, a clown and servant to Mistress Overdone ABHORSON, an executioner BARNARDINE, a dissolute prisoner

ISABELLA, sister to Claudio MARIANA, betrothed to Angelo JULIET, beloved of Claudio FRANCISCA, a nun MISTRESS OVERDONE, a bawd

Lords, Officers, Citizens, Boy, and Attendants

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SCENE: Vienna

ACT I. SCENE I.

The DUKE'S palace

Enter DUKE, ESCALUS, LORDS, and ATTENDANTS

DUKE. Escalus!

ESCALUS. My lord.

DUKE. Of government the properties to unfold Would seem in me t' affect speech and discourse, Since I am put to know that your own science Exceeds, in that, the lists of all advice My strength can give you; then no more remains But that to your sufficiency- as your worth is able- And let them work. The nature of our people, Our city's inst.i.tutions, and the terms For common justice, y'are as pregnant in As art and practice hath enriched any That we remember. There is our commission, From which we would not have you warp. Call hither, I say, bid come before us, Angelo. Exit an ATTENDANT What figure of us think you he will bear?

For you must know we have with special soul Elected him our absence to supply; Lent him our terror, dress'd him with our love, And given his deputation all the organs Of our own power. What think you of it?

ESCALUS. If any in Vienna be of worth To undergo such ample grace and honour, It is Lord Angelo.

Enter ANGELO

DUKE. Look where he comes.

ANGELO. Always obedient to your Grace's will, I come to know your pleasure.

DUKE. Angelo, There is a kind of character in thy life That to th' observer doth thy history Fully unfold. Thyself and thy belongings Are not thine own so proper as to waste Thyself upon thy virtues, they on thee.

Heaven doth with us as we with torches do, Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike As if we had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd But to fine issues; nor Nature never lends The smallest scruple of her excellence But, like a thrifty G.o.ddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor, Both thanks and use. But I do bend my speech To one that can my part in him advertise.

Hold, therefore, Angelo- In our remove be thou at full ourself; Mortality and mercy in Vienna Live in thy tongue and heart. Old Escalus, Though first in question, is thy secondary.

Take thy commission.

ANGELO. Now, good my lord, Let there be some more test made of my metal, Before so n.o.ble and so great a figure Be stamp'd upon it.

DUKE. No more evasion!