Duke.
No, holy father; throw away that thought;
Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a complete bosom ^note. Why I desire thee
To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends
Of burning youth.

Fri. T.
May your grace speak of it?

Duke.
My holy sir, none better knows than you
How I have ever loved the life removed,
And held in idle price to haunt assemblies
Where youth, and cost, and witless ^note bravery keeps ^note.
I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo,
A man of stricture ^note and firm abstinence,
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For ^note so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is received. Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me why I do this?

Fri. T.
Gladly, my lord.

Duke.
We have strict statutes and most biting laws,
The needful bits and curbs to ^note headstrong weeds ^note,
Which for this ^note fourteen ^note years we have let slip ^note;
Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave,
That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers,
Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch,
Only to ^note stick it in their children's sight

For terror ^note, not to use, in time the rod
Becomes more mock'd ^note than fear'd; so our decrees ^note,
Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri. T.
It rested in your Grace
To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased:
And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd
Than in Lord Angelo.

Duke.
I do ^note fear, too dreadful:
Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them
For what I bid them do: for we bid this be done ^note,
When evil deeds have their permissive pass,
And not the ^note punishment. Therefore, indeed ^note, my father,
I have on Angelo imposed the office;
Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home,
And yet my nature never in the fight
To do in slander ^{note note}. And ^note to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
Visit both prince and people: therefore, I ^note prithee,
Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in person bear me ^note
Like a true friar. More reasons for this action
At our ^note more leisure shall I render you;
Only, this one: Lord Angelo is precise;

Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see,
If power change purpose, what our seemers be. [Exeunt. ^note

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