Editing Measure for Measure (section)

===Subterfuge===
Vincentio, meanwhile, has not truly left the city. Instead, he has disguised himself as a friar named Lodowick, wanting to secretly view the city's affairs and the effects of Angelo's temporary rule. In his guise as a friar, he befriends Isabella, and arranges two tricks with her to thwart Angelo's intentions:
[[File:Prinsep - Mariana.jpg|thumb|upright|''Mariana'' (1888) by [[Valentine Cameron Prinsep]]]]
# First, a "[[bed trick]]" is arranged. Angelo has previously refused to fulfill a [[betrothal]] binding him to the lady Mariana, despite her love for him, because her dowry was lost at sea. Isabella comes to an agreement with Mariana, then sends word to Angelo that she has decided to submit to him with the condition that their meeting occur in darkness and silence. Mariana takes Isabella's place and has sex with Angelo, who believes she is Isabella. On some interpretations of the law, this constitutes consummation of their betrothal, and therefore their marriage; notably, this interpretation would also make Claudio's and Juliet's marriage legal.
# After having sex with Mariana (believing her to be Isabella), Angelo goes back on his word. He sends a message to the prison that he wishes to see Claudio beheaded, necessitating the "head trick". Vincentio attempts to arrange the execution of another prisoner whose head could be sent in place of Claudio's. But the dissolute criminal Barnardine refuses to be executed in his drunken state. Instead, the head of Ragozine the pirate is sent to Angelo; Ragozine recently died of a fever, and was of similar appearance to Claudio.