SCENE II.-A Room in the Prison.
Enter Provost and POMPEY,

Pror. Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?

Pompey. If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can ; but if he be a married man, he's his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head.

Prov. Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine. Here is in our prison a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper: if you will take it on you to assist him, it shall redeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment, and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.

Pompey. Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of mind; but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow partner. Prov. What ho, Abhorson! Where's Abhorson, there?

Enter ABHORSON.

Abhor. Do you call, sir?

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Prov. Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you tomorrow in your execution. If you think it meet, compound with him by the year, and let him abide here with you; if not, use him for the present and dismiss him. He cannot plead his estimation with you; he hath been a bawd.

Abhor. A bawd, sir? Fie upon him! he will discredit our mystery.

30

Prov. Go to, sir; you weigh equally; a feather will turn the scale.

Exit.

Pompey. Pray, sir, by your good favour-for, surely, sir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look-do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?

Abhor. Ay, sir; a mystery.

Pompey. Painting, sir, I have heard say is a mystery; and your whores, sir, being members of my occupation, using painting, do prove my occupation a mystery; but what mystery there should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine.

Abhor. Sir, it is a mystery.
Pompey. Proof?

43

59

Pompey. I do desire to learn, sir; and I hope, if you have occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find me yare; for, truly, sir, for your kindness I owe you a good turn.

Prov. Call hither Barnardine and Claudio: Exeunt POMPEY and ABHORSON. The one has my pity; not a jot the other, Being a murderer, though he were my brother.

They will, then, ere't be long.

Prov. What comfort is for Claudio?

Duke. There's some in hope.
Prov.

It is a bitter deputy.

Duke. Not so, not so: his life is parallel'd
Even with thestroke and line of his great justice:
He doth with holy abstinence subdue

That in himself which he spurs on his power
To qualify in others: were he meal'd with that
Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous;
But this being so, he's just. Knocking within.
Now are they come, 90
Exit Provost.
This is a gentle provost: seldom when
The steeled gaoler is the friend of men.
Knocking.
How now! What noise? That spirit's possess'd
with haste

Abhor. Every true man's apparel fits your That wounds the unsisting postern with these

strokes.

Re-enter Provost.

thief.

Arise to let him in; he is call'd up.

Prov. There he must stay until the officer

Duke. Have you no countermand for Claudio
yet,

But he must die to-morrow?
Prov.

None, sir, none.

Duke. As near the dawning, provost, as it is, You shall hear more ere morning.

F

Prov. I told you: Lord Angelo, belike thinking me remiss in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted putting-on; methinks strangely, for he hath not used it before.

Duke. Pray you, let's hear.

Duke. In the delaying death. Prov. Alack! how may I do it, having the hour limited, and an express command, under penalty, to deliver his head in the view of Angelo? I may make my case as Claudio's, to cross this in the smallest.

179

Duke. By the vow of mine order I warrant you, if my instructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardine be this morning executed, and his head borne to Angelo.

Prov. Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover the favour.

Duke. O! death's a great disguiser, and you may add to it. Shave the head and tie the beard; and say it was the desire of the penitent to be so bared before his death: you know the course is common. If anything fall to you upon this, more than thanks and good fortune, by the saint whom I profess, I will plead against it with my life.

195

Prov. Pardon me, good father: it is against my oath.

Duke. Were you sworn to the duke, or to the deputy?

Prov. Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, let Claudio be executed by four of the clock; and in the afternoon Barnardine. For my better satisjaction, let me have Claudio's head sent me by five. Let this be duly performed; with a thought that more depends on it than we must yet deliver. Thus if the duke avouch the justice of your dealing?

fail not to do your office, as you will answer it at your peril. What say you to this, sir?

132

Duke. What is that Barnardine who is to be executed in the afternoon?

Prov. A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and bred; one that is a prisoner nine years old. Duke. How came it that the absent duke had not either delivered him to his liberty or executed him? I have heard it was ever his manner to do so.

140

Prov. His friends still wrought reprieves for him: and, indeed, his fact, till now in the government of Lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof.

Duke. It is now apparent ?
Prov. Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
Duke. Hath he borne himself penitently in
prison? how seems he to be touched?

Prov. A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearless of what's past, present, or to come; insensible of mortality, and desperately

mortal.

Duke. He wants advice.

153

Prov. To him, and to his substitutes.

Duke. You will think you have made no offence,

201

Prov. But what likelihood is in that? Duke. Nota resemblance, but a certainty. Yet since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you. Look you, sir; here is the hand and seal of the duke: you know the character, I doubt not, and the signet is not strange to you.

210

Prov. I know them both. Duke. The contents of this is the return of the duke: you shall anon over-read it at your pleasure, where you shall find within these two days he will be here. This is a thing that Angelo knows not, for he this very day receives letters of strangetenour; perchance of the duke's death; perchance entering into some monastery; but, by chance, nothing of what is writ. Look, the unfolding star calls up the shepherd. Put not yourself into amazement how these things should be: all difficulties are but easy when they are known. Call your executioner, and off with Barnardine's head: I will give him a present shrift and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amazed, but this shall absolutely resolve you. Come away; it is almost clear dawn. Exeunt.

SCENE III. - Another Room in the Same.
Enter POMPEY,

Pompey. I am as well acquainted here as I was in our house of profession: one would think it were Mistress Overdone's own house, for here be many of her old customers. First, here's young

Master Rash; he's in for a commodity of brown paper and old ginger, nine score and seventeen pounds, of which he made five marks, ready money: marry, then ginger was not much in request, for the old women were all dead. Then is there here one Master Caper, at the suit of Master Three-pile the mercer, for some four suits of peach-coloured satin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizy, and young Master Deep-vow, and Master Copper-spur, and Master Starve-lackey the rapier-and-dagger For man, and young Drop-heir that killed lusty lagger Pudding, and Master Forthright the tilter, and brave Master Shoe-tie the great traveller, and wild Half-can that stabbed Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in our trade, and are now for the Lord's sake,'

Enter ABHORSON.

21

Enter Provost.

83

Here in the prison, father,

73

There died this morning of a cruel fever
One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate,
A man of Claudio's years; his beard and head
Just of his colour. What if we do omit
This reprobate till he were well inclin'd,
And satisfy the deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
Duke. Ol 'tis an accident that heaven provides.
Dispatch it presently: the hour draws on
Prefix'd by Angelo. See this be done,
And sent according to command, whiles I

Abhor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.
Pompey. Master Barnardine! you must rise Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
and be hanged, Master Bardardine!

Abhor. What, ho, Barnardine!

89

Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently,
But Barnardine must die this afternoon;
And how shall we continue Claudio,
To save me from the danger that might come
If he were known alive?
Duke.

Let this be done : 90

Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and
Claudio:

Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting
To yonder generation, you shall find
Your safety manifested.

Prov. I am your free dependant.
Duke.

Quick, dispatch,
Exit Provost.

Now will I write letters to Angelo,

Pompey. He is coming, sir, he is coming; I And send the head to Angelo.
hear his straw rustle.

Abhor. Is the axe upon the block, sirrah?
Pompey. Very ready, sir.

Enter BARNARDINE.

40

Bar. You rogue, I have been drinking all night; I am not fitted for 't.

50

Pompey. O, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day. Abhor. Look you, sir; here comes your ghostly father: do we jest now, think you?

Enter DUKE disguised as before. Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing how hastily you are to depart, I am come to advise you, comfort you, and pray with you.

Bar. Friar, not I: I have been drinking hard all night, and I will have more time to prepare me, or they shall beat out my brains with billets. I will not consent to die this day, that 's certain. Duke. O,sir, you must; and therefore I beseech you look forward on the journey you shall go. 61 Bar. I swear I will not die to-day for any

The provost, he shall bear them, whose contents
Shall witness to him I am near at home,
And that, by great injunctions, I am bound 100
To enter publicly: him I'll desire
To meet me at the consecrated fount
A league below the city; and from thence,
By cold gradation and well balanc'd form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.

Re-enter Provost.

Prov. Here is the head; I'll carry it myself.
Duke. Convenient is it. Make a swift return,
For I would commune with you of such things
That want no ear but yours.
Prov.

110

I'll make all speed. Exit.
Isab. Within. Peace, ho, be here!
Duke. The tongue of Isabel. She's come to
know

If yet her brother's pardon be come hither;
But I will keep her ignorant of her good,
To make her heavenly comforts of despair,
When it is least expected.

Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. The duke comes home to-morrow; nay, dry His actions show much like to madness: pray

There to give up their power. If you can, pace hour before his entering, that if any crave reyour wisdom