Page 1209 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

Enter Provost with Barnardine, Claudio, [muffled, and] Juliet.

DUKE
Which is that Barnardine?

PROVOST
This, my lord. [475]

DUKE
There was a friar told me of this man.
Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul
That apprehends no further than this world,

And squar’st thy life according. Thou’rt condemn’d;
But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all, [480]
And pray thee take this mercy to provide

For better times to come. Friar, advise him;
I leave him to your hand. − What muffl’d fellow’s that?

PROVOST
This is another prisoner that I sav’d,
Who should have died when Claudio lost his head; [485]
As like almost to Claudio as himself.

[Unmuffles Claudio.]

DUKE
[to Isabella]
If he be like your brother, for his sake
Is he pardon’d; and for your lovely sake

Give me your hand and say you will be mine.
He is my brother too: but fitter time for that. [490]
By this Lord Angelo perceives he’s safe;
Methinks I see a quickening in his eye.
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well.

Look that you love your wife: her worth, worth yours.
I find an apt remission in myself. [495]
And yet here’s one in place I cannot pardon.

[To Lucio]