First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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Enter Isabell and Francisca a Nun. | Enter Isabella and Francisca, a nun | | MM I.iv.1 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
And haue you Nuns no farther priuiledges? | And have you nuns no farther privileges? | | MM I.iv.1 | |
Nun. | FRANCISCA | | | |
Are not these large enough? | Are not these large enough? | | MM I.iv.2 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Yes truely; I speake not as desiring more, | Yes, truly. I speak not as desiring more, | | MM I.iv.3 | |
But rather wishing a more strict restraint | But rather wishing a more strict restraint | | MM I.iv.4 | |
Vpon the Sisterhood, the Votarists of Saint Clare. | Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. | votarist (n.)vow-taker, religious, nun / monk | MM I.iv.5 | |
Lucio within. | Lucio within | | MM I.iv.6 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Hoa? peace be in this place. | Ho! Peace be in this place. | | MM I.iv.6.1 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Who's that which cals? | Who's that which calls? | | MM I.iv.6.2 | |
Nun. | FRANCISCA | | | |
It is a mans voice: gentle Isabella | It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella, | gentle (adj.)courteous, friendly, kind | MM I.iv.7 | |
Turne you the key, and know his businesse of him; | Turn you the key, and know his business of him. | | MM I.iv.8 | |
You may; I may not: you are yet vnsworne: | You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn. | unsworn (adj.)not subject to vows | MM I.iv.9 | |
When you haue vowd, you must not speake with men, | When you have vowed, you must not speak with men | | MM I.iv.10 | |
But in the presence of the Prioresse; | But in the presence of the prioress; | | MM I.iv.11 | |
Then if you speake, you must not show your face; | Then, if you speak, you must not show your face, | | MM I.iv.12 | |
Or if you show your face, you must not speake: | Or, if you show your face, you must not speak. | | MM I.iv.13 | |
He cals againe: I pray you answere him. | He calls again. I pray you, answer him. | | MM I.iv.14 | |
| Exit | | MM I.iv.14 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Peace and prosperitie: who is't that cals? | Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? | | MM I.iv.15 | |
| Enter Lucio | | MM I.iv.16.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Haile Virgin, (if you be) as those cheeke-Roses | Hail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek-roses | cheek-roses (n.)blushing cheeks | MM I.iv.16 | |
Proclaime you are no lesse: can you so steed me, | Proclaim you are no less. Can you so stead me | stead (v.)help, assist, benefit | MM I.iv.17 | |
As bring me to the sight of Isabella, | As bring me to the sight of Isabella, | | MM I.iv.18 | |
A Nouice of this place, and the faire Sister | A novice of this place, and the fair sister | | MM I.iv.19 | |
To her vnhappie brother Claudio? | To her unhappy brother, Claudio? | | MM I.iv.20 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Why her vnhappy Brother? Let me aske, | Why ‘ her unhappy brother ’? Let me ask, | | MM I.iv.21 | |
The rather for I now must make you know | The rather for I now must make you know | | MM I.iv.22 | |
I am that Isabella, and his Sister. | I am that Isabella, and his sister. | | MM I.iv.23 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Gentle & faire: your Brother kindly greets you; | Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you. | gentle (adj.)courteous, friendly, kind | MM I.iv.24 | |
Not to be weary with you; he's in prison. | Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. | weary (adj.)wearisome, tedious, long-drawn-out | MM I.iv.25 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Woe me; for what? | Woe me, for what? | | MM I.iv.26 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
For that, which if my selfe might be his Iudge, | For that which, if myself might be his judge, | | MM I.iv.27 | |
He should receiue his punishment, in thankes: | He should receive his punishment in thanks. | | MM I.iv.28 | |
He hath got his friend with childe. | He hath got his friend with child. | friend (n.)lover, sweetheart, suitor | MM I.iv.29 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Sir, make me not your storie. | Sir, make me not your story. | story (n.)practical joke, theme for mockery | MM I.iv.30.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
'Tis true; | It is true. | | MM I.iv.30.2 | |
I would not, though 'tis my familiar sin, | I would not, though 'tis my familiar sin | | MM I.iv.31 | |
With Maids to seeme the Lapwing, and to iest | With maids to seem the lapwing and to jest, | lapwing (n.)type of plover [bird with wily methods of escaping the notice of predators; associated with amorous intrigue] | MM I.iv.32 | |
Tongue, far from heart: play with all Virgins so: | Tongue far from heart, play with all virgins so. | | MM I.iv.33 | |
I hold you as a thing en-skied, and sainted, | I hold you as a thing enskied and sainted, | enskied (adj.)placed in heaven | MM I.iv.34 | |
| | sainted (adj.)saintly, angelic, of holy character | | |
By your renouncement, an imortall spirit | By your renouncement an immortal spirit | renouncement (n.)renunciation, denial, abandonment [of the world] | MM I.iv.35 | |
And to be talk'd with in sincerity, | And to be talked with in sincerity, | | MM I.iv.36 | |
As with a Saint. | As with a saint. | | MM I.iv.37 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
You doe blaspheme the good, in mocking me. | You do blaspheme the good in mocking me. | | MM I.iv.38 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Doe not beleeue it: fewnes, and truth; tis thus, | Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: | fewness and truthin few words and in truth | MM I.iv.39 | |
Your brother, and his louer haue embrac'd; | Your brother and his lover have embraced. | | MM I.iv.40 | |
As those that feed, grow full: as blossoming Time | As those that feed grow full, as blossoming time | | MM I.iv.41 | |
That from the seednes, the bare fallow brings | That from the seedness the bare fallow brings | seedness (n.)action of sowing | MM I.iv.42 | |
To teeming foyson: euen so her plenteous wombe | To teeming foison, even so her plenteous womb | foison, foizon (n.)harvest, crop | MM I.iv.43 | |
| | teeming (adj.)pregnant, prolific, overfull | | |
Expresseth his full Tilth, and husbandry. | Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry. | tilth (n.)labour of cultivation, agricultural work, husbandry | MM I.iv.44 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Some one with childe by him? my cosen Iuliet? | Someone with child by him? My cousin Juliet? | | MM I.iv.45 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Is she your cosen? | Is she your cousin? | | MM I.iv.46 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Adoptedly, as schoole-maids change their names | Adoptedly, as school-maids change their names | adoptedly (adv.)through adoption | MM I.iv.47 | |
By vaine, though apt affection. | By vain though apt affection. | | MM I.iv.48.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
She it is. | She it is. | | MM I.iv.48.2 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Oh, let him marry her. | O, let him marry her. | | MM I.iv.49.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
This is the point. | This is the point. | | MM I.iv.49.2 | |
The Duke is very strangely gone from hence; | The Duke is very strangely gone from hence, | | MM I.iv.50 | |
Bore many gentlemen (my selfe being one) | Bore many gentlemen, myself being one, | | MM I.iv.51 | |
In hand, and hope of action: but we doe learne, | In hand and hope of action; but we do learn | | MM I.iv.52 | |
By those that know the very Nerues of State, | By those that know the very nerves of state, | | MM I.iv.53 | |
His giuing-out, were of an infinite distance | His givings-out were of an infinite distance | giving out (n.)suggestion, intimation, utterance | MM I.iv.54 | |
From his true meant designe: vpon his place, | From his true-meant design. Upon his place, | place (n.)position, post, office, rank | MM I.iv.55 | |
(And with full line of his authority) | And with full line of his authority, | line (n.)derived power, scope, warrant | MM I.iv.56 | |
Gouernes Lord Angelo; A man, whose blood | Governs Lord Angelo, a man whose blood | | MM I.iv.57 | |
Is very snow-broth: one, who neuer feeles | Is very snow-broth, one who never feels | snow-broth (n.)melted snow | MM I.iv.58 | |
The wanton stings, and motions of the sence; | The wanton stings and motions of the sense, | sting (n.)urging of lust, inflaming of passion | MM I.iv.59 | |
| | sense (n.)senses, sensation, organs of sense | | |
| | wanton (adj.)unrestrained, undisciplined, boisterous, uncontrolled | | |
But doth rebate, and blunt his naturall edge | But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge | edge (n.)ardour, keen desire | MM I.iv.60 | |
| | natural (adj.)feeling proper affection, having normal feelings | | |
| | rebate (v.)subdue, moderate, make dull | | |
With profits of the minde: Studie, and fast | With profits of the mind, study, and fast. | | MM I.iv.61 | |
He (to giue feare to vse, and libertie, | He, to give fear to use and liberty, | use (n.)usual practice, habit, custom | MM I.iv.62 | |
Which haue, for long, run-by the hideous law, | Which have for long run by the hideous law, | | MM I.iv.63 | |
As Myce, by Lyons) hath pickt out an act, | As mice by lions, hath picked out an act, | | MM I.iv.64 | |
Vnder whose heauy sence, your brothers life | Under whose heavy sense your brother's life | sense (n.)interpretation, construction, signification | MM I.iv.65 | |
| | heavy (adj.)grave, serious, weighty | | |
Fals into forfeit : he arrests him on it, | Falls into forfeit; he arrests him on it, | | MM I.iv.66 | |
And followes close the rigor of the Statute | And follows close the rigour of the statute | close (adv.)closely, staying near | MM I.iv.67 | |
To make him an example: all hope is gone, | To make him an example. All hope is gone, | | MM I.iv.68 | |
Vnlesse you haue the grace, by your faire praier | Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer | | MM I.iv.69 | |
To soften Angelo: And that's my pith of businesse | To soften Angelo. And that's my pith of business | pith (n.)essence, central point, main purpose | MM I.iv.70 | |
'Twixt you, and your poore brother. | 'Twixt you and your poor brother. | | MM I.iv.71 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Doth he so, / Seeke his life? | Doth he so seek his life? | | MM I.iv.72.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Has censur'd him already, | Has censured him | censure (v.)pass judgement on, condemn, pronounce sentence on | MM I.iv.72.2 | |
And as I heare, the Prouost hath | Already and, as I hear, the provost hath | | MM I.iv.73 | |
a warrant / For's execution. | A warrant for his execution. | | MM I.iv.74 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Alas: what poore / Abilitie's in me, | Alas, what poor ability's in me | | MM I.iv.75 | |
to doe him good. | To do him good? | | MM I.iv.76.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Assay the powre you haue. | Assay the power you have. | assay (v.)try, test the mettle of, put to the proof | MM I.iv.76.2 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
My power? alas, I doubt. | My power? Alas, I doubt. | | MM I.iv.77.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
Our doubts are traitors | Our doubts are traitors | | MM I.iv.77.2 | |
And makes vs loose the good we oft might win, | And make us lose the good we oft might win, | oft (adv.)often | MM I.iv.78 | |
By fearing to attempt: Goe to Lord Angelo | By fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo, | | MM I.iv.79 | |
And let him learne to know, when Maidens sue | And let him learn to know, when maidens sue, | | MM I.iv.80 | |
Men giue like gods: but when they weepe and kneele, | Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel, | | MM I.iv.81 | |
All their petitions, are as freely theirs | All their petitions are as freely theirs | | MM I.iv.82 | |
As they themselues would owe them. | As they themselves would owe them. | owe (v.)own, possess, have | MM I.iv.83 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Ile see what I can doe. | I'll see what I can do. | | MM I.iv.84.1 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
But speedily. | But speedily. | | MM I.iv.84.2 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
I will about it strait; | I will about it straight, | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | MM I.iv.85 | |
No longer staying, but to giue the Mother | No longer staying but to give the Mother | stay (v.)linger, tarry, delay | MM I.iv.86 | |
Notice of my affaire: I humbly thanke you: | Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you. | | MM I.iv.87 | |
Commend me to my brother: soone at night | Commend me to my brother. Soon at night | commend (v.)convey greetings, present kind regards | MM I.iv.88 | |
Ile send him certaine word of my successe. | I'll send him certain word of my success. | | MM I.iv.89 | |
Luc. | LUCIO | | | |
I take my leaue of you. | I take my leave of you. | | MM I.iv.90.1 | |
Isa. | ISABELLA | | | |
Good sir, adieu. | Good sir, adieu. | | MM I.iv.90.2 | |
Exeunt. | Exeunt | | MM I.iv.90 | |