Page 1120 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once,
And He that might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be [75]
If He, which is the top of judgement, should

But judge you as you are? O, think on that,
And mercy then will breathe within your lips,
Like man new made.

ANGELO
Be you content, fair maid;

It is the law, not I, condemn your brother; [80]
Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son,
It should be thus with him. He must die tomorrow.

ISABELLA
Tomorrow? O, that’s sudden.
Spare him, spare him!

He’s not prepar’d for death. Even for our kitchens [85]
We kill the fowl of season: shall we serve heaven
With less respect than we do minister
To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you:

Who is it that hath died for this offence?
There’s, many have committed it.

LUCIO
[to Isabella]
Ay, well said. [90]

ANGELO
The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept:

Those many had not dar’d to do that evil
If the first that did th’edict infringe
Had answer’d for his deed. Now ’tis awake,
Takes note of what is done, and like a prophet [95]

Looks in a glass that shows what future evils,
Either new, or by remissness new conceiv’d,
And so in progress to be hatch’d and born,
Are now to have no successive degrees,