Measure for measure

in the city of vienna there once reigned a duke of such a mild and gentle temper, that he suffered his subjects to neglect the laws with impunity and there was in particular one law, the existence of which was almost forgotten, the duke never having put it in force during his whole reign. this was a law dooming any man to the punishment of death, who should live with a woman that was not his wife and this law, through the lenity of the duke, being utterly disregarded, the holy institution of marriage became neglected, and complaints were every day made to the duke by the parents of the young ladies in vienna, that their daughters had been seduced from their protection, and were living as the companions of single men.
the good duke perceived with sorrow this growing evil among his subjects but he thought that a sudden change in himself from the indulgence he had hitherto shown, to the strict severity requisite to check this abuse, would make his p...