The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (446 page)

But at this moment he is sick my lord,
Of a strange fever. Upon his mere request,

With some unknown fever. On his personal request,
Being come to knowledge that there was complaint

Having discovered that there was a complaint
Intended 'gainst Lord Angelo, came I hither,

Planned against Lord Angelo, I came here,
To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know

To speak for him, about what he knows
Is true and false; and what he with his oath

To be true and false; and about what he with is holy oath
And all probation will make up full clear,

And all of the proof will make absolutely clear,
Whensoever he's convented. First, for this woman.

Whenever he’s summoned to speak. Firstly, about this woman.
To justify this worthy nobleman,

To vindicate this worthy nobleman,
So vulgarly and personally accused,

So crassly and personally accused
Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes,

You will hear her disproved to her eyes,
Till she herself confess it.

Until she confesses to it herself.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Good friar, let's hear it.

Good friar, let’s hear what you have to say.

ISABELLA is carried off guarded; and MARIANA comes forward

Do you not smile at this, Lord Angelo?

Are you not smiling at this, Lord Angelo?
O heaven, the vanity of wretched fools!

By God, the arrogance of worthless fools!
Give us some seats. Come, cousin Angelo;

Give us some seats. Come on, my good friend Angelo;
In this I'll be impartial; be you judge

In this I’ll be neutral; you be the judge
Of your own cause. Is this the witness, friar?

Of your own problem. Is this the witness, friar?
First, let her show her face, and after speak.

First, let her show her face, and after that let’s hear her speak.

MARIANA

Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face

I’m sorry, my lord; I will not show my face
Until my husband bid me.

Until my husband tells me to.

DUKE VINCENTIO

What, are you married?

What, are you married?

MARIANA

No, my lord.

No, my lord.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Are you a maid?

Are you a virgin?

MARIANA

No, my lord.

No, my lord.

DUKE VINCENTIO

A widow, then?

A widow, then?

MARIANA

Neither, my lord.

Not that either, my lord.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Why, you are nothing then: neither maid, widow, nor wife?

Well, you are nothing then if you are not a virgin, a widow, or a wife?

LUCIO

My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are

My lord, she may be a whore; for many of them are
neither maid, widow, nor wife.

Neither a virgin, a window or a wife.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Silence that fellow: I would he had some cause

Silence that man: I wish he had some case
To prattle for himself.

To defend for himself.

LUCIO

Well, my lord.

Well, my lord.

MARIANA

My lord; I do confess I ne'er was married;

My lord; I do admit that I was never married;
And I confess besides I am no maid:

And I admit as well that I am not a virgin:
I have known my husband; yet my husband

I have slept with my husband; but my husband
Knows not that ever he knew me.

Did not know it was me.

LUCIO

He was drunk then, my lord: it can be no better.

He was drunk then, my lord: it can’t be anything else.

DUKE VINCENTIO

For the benefit of silence, would thou wert so too!

To keep you quite, I wish you were drunk too!

LUCIO

Well, my lord.

Well, my lord.

DUKE VINCENTIO

This is no witness for Lord Angelo.

This is not a witness for Lord Angelo’s case.

MARIANA

Now I come to't my lord

Now I’m getting to the point my lord,
She that accuses him of fornication,

The woman who accuses him of having sex,
In self-same manner doth accuse my husband,

Is at the same time accusing my husband,
And charges him my lord, with such a time

And accuses him, my lord, of committing the crime at a certain time
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms

When I can prove that I had him in mine arms
With all the effect of love.

Making love.

ANGELO

Charges she more than me?

Is she accusing more men than just me?

MARIANA

Not that I know.

Not that I know of.

DUKE VINCENTIO

No? you say your husband.

No? you said your husband.

MARIANA

Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo,

Well, yes, my lord, and that is Angelo,

Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body,

Who incorrectly believes that he never had sex with me,
But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's.

But instead mistakenly believes that he was with Isabel.

ANGELO

This is a strange abuse. Let's see thy face.

This is a strange accusation.  Let us see your face.

MARIANA

My husband bids me; now I will unmask.

My husband has asked me; now I will show my face.

Unveiling

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,

This is the face, you cruel man Angelo,
Which once thou sworest was worth the looking on;

That you once swore was worth looking at;
This is the hand which, with a vow'd contract,

This is the hand that, with a promise of marriage,
Was fast belock'd in thine; this is the body

Was locked steadfastly with yours; this is the body
That took away the match from Isabel,

That during that tryst stood in place of Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house

And fulfilled your desire at your garden-house
In her imagined person.

Pretending to be her.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Know you this woman?

Do you know this woman?

LUCIO

Carnally, she says.

Sexually, she claims.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Sirrah, no more!

Man, don’t speak!

LUCIO

Enough, my lord.

Enough, my lord.

ANGELO

My lord, I must confess I know this woman:

My lord, I must admit that I do know this woman:
And five years since there was some speech of marriage

And five years ago there was talk of marriage
Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off,

Between myself and her; which was broken off,
Partly for that her promised proportions

Partly because her promised dowry
Came short of composition, but in chief

Was less than was promised, but primarily
For that her reputation was disvalued

Because her reputation was discredited
In levity: since which time of five years

Because of sexual impurity: since that time five years ago
I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from her,

I have never spoken with her, saw her, or heard from her
Upon my faith and honour.

I swear on my loyalty and honor.

MARIANA

Noble prince,

Noble duke,
As there comes light from heaven and words from breath,

Just as light comes from the sky and words come from our mouths,
As there is sense in truth and truth in virtue,

Just as there is reasonableness in truth and honesty in virtue,
I am affianced this man's wife as strongly

I was engaged to be this man’s wife as certainly
As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,

As words are part of vows: and, my good lord,
But Tuesday night last gone in's garden-house

Just last Tuesday night in his garden-house
He knew me as a wife. As this is true,

He made love to me as his wife. And this is the truth,
Let me in safety raise me from my knees

Let me stand up from kneeling
Or else for ever be confixed here,

Or else forever be fixed in this spot
A marble monument!

Like a marble statue!

ANGELO

I did but smile till now:

I only smiled at these silly accusations until now:
Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice

Now, my good lord, allow me the power of justice
My patience here is touch'd. I do perceive

My patience is growing thin, I believe
These poor informal women are no more

These poor crazy women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier member

Than tools of some greater member
That sets them on: let me have way, my lord,

Of the plot that put them up to this: let me have the right, my lord,
To find this practise out.

To uncover this conspiracy.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Ay, with my heart

Yes, whole heartedly,
And punish them to your height of pleasure.

And punish them as much as you want.
Thou foolish friar, and thou pernicious woman,

That foolish friar, and this malicious woman,
Compact with her that's gone, think'st thou thy oaths,

Conspiring with the one who was taken away, think about your oaths,
Though they would swear down each particular saint,

Even though they would swear to each and every saint,
Were testimonies against his worth and credit

That they were testimonies against your significance and credibility
That's seal'd in approbation? You, Lord Escalus,

As exact evidence? You, Lord Escalus,
Sit with my cousin; lend him your kind pains

Sit with my good friend; lend him a hand
To find out this abuse, whence 'tis derived.

In discovering these allegations, and where they originated.
There is another friar that set them on;

There is this other friar that set them up to this;
Let him be sent for.

Send for him.

FRIAR PETER

Would he were here, my lord! for he indeed

I wish her were here, my lord! Because he did indeed
Hath set the women on to this complaint:

Put these women up to this complaint:
Your provost knows the place where he abides

Your provost knows the place where he lives
And he may fetch him.

And he can go get him.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Go do it instantly.

Go do it right this minute.

Exit PROVOST

And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin,

And you, my noble and much-admired friend,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,