Early in the morning Isabel came to the prison, and the duke, who there awaited her coming, for secret reasons thought it good to tell her that Claudio was beheaded; therefore when Isabel enquired if Angelo had sent the pardon for her brother, he said, “Angelo has released Claudio from this world.  His head is off, and sent to the deputy.”  The much-grieved sister cried out, “O unhappy Claudio, wretched Isabel, injurious world, most wicked Angelo!” The seeming friar bid her take comfort, and when she was become a little calm, he acquainted her with the near prospect of the duke’s return, and told her in what manner she should proceed in preferring her complaint against Angelo; and he bade her not to fear if the cause should seem to go against her for a while.  Leaving Isabel sufficiently instructed, he next went to Mariana, and gave her counsel in what manner she also should act.

Then the duke laid aside his friar’s habit, and in his own royal robes, amidst a joyful crowd of his faithful subjects assembled to greet his arrival, entered the city of Vienna, where he was met by Angelo, who delivered up his authority in the proper form.  And there came Isabel, in the manner of a petitioner for redress, and said, “Justice, most royal duke!  I am the sister of one Claudio, who for the seducing a young maid was condemned to lose his head.  I made my suit to lord Angelo for my brother’s pardon.  It were needless to tell your grace how I prayed and kneeled, how he repelled me, and how I replied; for this was of much length.  The vile conclusion I now begin with grief and shame to utter.  Angelo would not but by my yielding to his dishonourable love release my brother; and after much debate within myself, my sisterly remorse overcame my virtue, and I did yield to him.  But the next morning betimes Angelo, forfeiting his promise, sent a warrant for my poor brother’s head!” The duke affected to disbelieve her story; and Angelo said that grief for her brother’s death, who had suffered by the due course of the law, had disordered her senses.  And now another suitor approached, which was Mariana; and Mariana said, “Noble prince, as there comes light from heaven, and truth from breath, as there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue, I am this man’s wife, and, my good lord, the words of Isabel are false, for the night she says she was with Angelo, I passed that night with him in the garden-house.  As this is true, let me in safety rise, or else for ever be fixed here a marble monument.”  Then did Isabel appeal for the truth of what she had said to friar Lodowick, that being the name the duke had assumed in his disguise.  Isabel and Mariana had both obeyed his instructions in what they said, the duke intending that the innocence of Isabel should be plainly proved in that public manner before the whole city of Vienna; but Angelo little thought that it was from such a cause that they thus differed in their story, and he hoped from their contradictory