SCENE IV. ANGELO'S house

Enter ANGELO and ESCALUS

  ESCALUS. Every letter he hath writ hath disvouch'd 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
    ent'ring 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 proclaim'd;
    Betimes i' th' 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 deflow'red maid!
    And by an eminent body that enforc'd
    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 a so credent bulk
    That no particular scandal once can touch
    But it confounds the breather. He should have liv'd,
    Save that his 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 liv'd!
    Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
    Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not. Exit