Act 4, Scene 4: A room in ANGELO's house

SCENE IV. A room in ANGELO's house.

    Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS

ESCALUS

    Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched other.

ANGELO

    In most uneven and distracted manner. His actions
    show much like to madness: pray heaven his wisdom be
    not tainted! And why meet him at the gates, and
    redeliver our authorities there

ESCALUS

    I guess not.

ANGELO

    And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his
    entering, that if any crave redress of injustice,
    they should exhibit their petitions in the street?

ESCALUS

    He shows his reason for that: to have a dispatch of
    complaints, and to deliver us from devices
    hereafter, which shall then have no power to stand
    against us.

ANGELO

    Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaimed betimes
    i' the morn; I'll call you at your house: give
    notice to such men of sort and suit as are to meet
    him.

ESCALUS

    I shall, sir. Fare you well.

ANGELO

    Good night.

    Exit ESCALUS
    This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant
    And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid!
    And by an eminent body that enforced
    The law against it! But that her tender shame
    Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
    How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no;
    For my authority bears of a credent bulk,
    That no particular scandal once can touch
    But it confounds the breather. He should have lived,
    Save that riotous youth, with dangerous sense,
    Might in the times to come have ta'en revenge,
    By so receiving a dishonour'd life
    With ransom of such shame. Would yet he had lived!
    A lack, when once our grace we have forgot,
    Nothing goes right: we would, and we would not.

    Exit