Measure for Measure

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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 restraintBut 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 IsabellaIt 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.)

old form: vnsworne
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-RosesHail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek-rosescheek-roses (n.)

old form: cheeke-Roses
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 mestead (v.)

old form: steed
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 SisterA 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 knowThe 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.)

old form: storie
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 iestWith 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.)

old form: en-skied
placed in heaven
MM I.iv.34
sainted (adj.)
saintly, angelic, of holy character
By your renouncement, an imortall spiritBy your renouncement an immortal spiritrenouncement (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 truth

old form: fewnes
in 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 TimeAs those that feed grow full, as blossoming time MM I.iv.41
That from the seednes, the bare fallow bringsThat from the seedness the bare fallow bringsseedness (n.)

old form: seednes
action of sowing
MM I.iv.42
To teeming foyson: euen so her plenteous wombeTo teeming foison, even so her plenteous wombfoison, foizon (n.)

old form: foyson
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 namesAdoptedly, as school-maids change their namesadoptedly (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 distanceHis givings-out were of an infinite distancegiving out (n.)

old form: giuing-out
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 bloodGoverns Lord Angelo, a man whose blood MM I.iv.57
Is very snow-broth: one, who neuer feelesIs very snow-broth, one who never feelssnow-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.)

old form: sence
senses, sensation, organs of sense
wanton (adj.)
unrestrained, undisciplined, boisterous, uncontrolled
But doth rebate, and blunt his naturall edgeBut doth rebate and blunt his natural edgeedge (n.)
ardour, keen desire
MM I.iv.60
natural (adj.)

old form: naturall
feeling proper affection, having normal feelings
rebate (v.)
subdue, moderate, make dull
With profits of the minde: Studie, and fastWith 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.)

old form: vse
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 lifeUnder whose heavy sense your brother's lifesense (n.)

old form: sence
interpretation, construction, signification
MM I.iv.65
heavy (adj.)

old form: heauy
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 StatuteAnd follows close the rigour of the statuteclose (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 praierUnless you have the grace by your fair prayer MM I.iv.69
To soften Angelo: And that's my pith of businesseTo soften Angelo. And that's my pith of businesspith (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 himcensure (v.)

old form: censur'd
pass judgement on, condemn, pronounce sentence on
MM I.iv.72.2
And as I heare, the Prouost hathAlready 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 traitorsOur 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 AngeloBy fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo, MM I.iv.79
And let him learne to know, when Maidens sueAnd 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 theirsAll 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.)

old form: strait
straightaway, immediately, at once
MM I.iv.85
No longer staying, but to giue the MotherNo longer staying but to give the Motherstay (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 nightCommend me to my brother. Soon at nightcommend (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
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