_Enter POMPEY._
_Pom._ 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 5
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 10
beggar. Then have we here young Dizy, and young
Master Deep-vow, and Master Copper-spur, and Master
Starve-lackey the rapier and dagger man, and young Drop-heir
that killed lusty Pudding, and Master Forthlight the
tilter, and brave Master Shooty the great traveller, and 15
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._
_Abhor._ Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.
_Pom._ Master Barnardine! you must rise and be hanged, 20
Master Barnardine!
_Abhor._ What, ho, Barnardine!
_Bar._ [_Within_] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that
noise there? What are you?
_Pom._ Your friends, sir; the hangman. You must be 25
so good, sir, to rise and be put to death.
_Bar._ [_Within_] Away, you rogue, away! I am sleepy.
_Abhor._ Tell him he must awake, and that quickly too.
_Pom._ Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till you are
executed, and sleep afterwards. 30
_Abhor._ Go in to him, and fetch him out.
_Pom._ He is coming, sir, he is coming; I hear his straw
rustle.
_Abhor._ Is the axe upon the block, sirrah?
_Pom._ Very ready, sir. 35
_Enter BARNARDINE._
_Bar._ How now, Abhorson? what's the news with you?
_Abhor._ Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your
prayers; for, look you, the warrant's come.
_Bar._ You rogue, I have been drinking all night; I am
not fitted for 't. 40
_Pom._ 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? 45
_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 50
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.
_Bar._ I swear I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion. 55
_Duke._ But hear you.
_Bar._ Not a word: if you have any thing to say to me,
come to my ward; for thence will not I to-day. [_Exit._
_Duke._ Unfit to live or die: O gravel heart! 60
After him, fellows; bring him to the block.
[_Exeunt Abhorson and Pompey._
_Re-enter PROVOST._
_Prov._ Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner?
_Duke._ A creature unprepared, unmeet for death;
And to transport him in the mind he is
Were damnable.
_Prov._ Here in the prison, father, 65
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 inclined; 70
And satisfy the Deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
_Duke._ O, 'tis an accident that heaven provides!
Dispatch it presently; the hour draws on
Prefix'd by Angelo: see this be done, 75
And sent according to command; whiles I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
_Prov._ This shall be done, good father, presently.
But Barnardine must die this afternoon:
And how shall we continue Claudio, 80
To save me from the danger that might come
If he were known alive?
_Duke._ Let this be done.
Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio:
Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting
To the under generation, you shall find 85
Your safety manifested.
_Prov._ I am your free dependant.
_Duke._ Quick, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo.
[_Exit Provost._
Now will I write letters to Angelo,--
The provost, he shall bear them,--whose contents 90
Shall witness to him I am near at home,
And that, by great injunctions, I am bound
To enter publicly: him I'll desire
To meet me at the consecrated fount,
A league below the city; and from thence, 95
By cold gradation and well-balanced 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 100
That want no ear but yours.
_Prov._ 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, 105
To make her heavenly comforts of despair,
When it is least expected.
_Enter ISABELLA._
_Isab._ Ho, by your leave!
_Duke._ Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
_Isab._ The better, given me by so holy a man.
Hath yet the Deputy sent my brother's pardon? 110
_Duke._ He hath released him, Isabel, from the world:
His head is off, and sent to Angelo.
_Isab._ Nay, but it is not so.
_Duke._ It is no other: show your wisdom, daughter,
In your close patience. 115
_Isab._ O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!
_Duke._ You shall not be admitted to his sight.
_Isab._ Unhappy Claudio! wretched Isabel!
Injurious world! most damned Angelo!
_Duke._ This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot; 120
Forbear it therefore; give your cause to heaven.
Mark what I say, which you shall find
By every syllable a faithful verity:
The Duke comes home to-morrow;--nay, dry your eyes;
One of our covent, and his confessor, 125
Gives me this instance: already he hath carried
Notice to Escalus and Angelo;
Who do prepare to meet him at the gates,
There to give up their power. If you can, pace your wisdom
In that good path that I would wish it go; 130
And you shall have your bosom on this wretch,
Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart,
And general honour.
_Isab._ I am directed by you.
_Duke._ This letter, then, to Friar Peter give;
'Tis that he sent me of the Duke's return: 135
Say, by this token, I desire his company
At Mariana's house to-night. Her cause and yours
I'll perfect him withal; and he shall bring you
Before the Duke; and to the head of Angelo
Accuse him home and home. For my poor self, 140
I am combined by a sacred vow,
And shall be absent. Wend you with this letter:
Command these fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart; trust not my holy order,
If I pervert your course.--Who's here? 145
_Enter LUCIO._
_Lucio._ Good even. Friar, where's the provost?
_Duke._ Not within, sir.
_Lucio._ O pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart to
see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient. I am fain
to dine and sup with water and bran; I dare not for my 150
head fill my belly; one fruitful meal would set me to't.
But they say the Duke will be here to-morrow. By my
troth, Isabel, I loved thy brother: if the old fantastical
Duke of dark corners had been at home, he had lived.
[_Exit Isabella._
_Duke._ Sir, the Duke is marvellous little beholding to 155
your reports; but the best is, he lives not in them.
_Lucio._ Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so well as I
do: he's a better woodman than thou takest him for.
_Duke._ Well, you'll answer this one day. Fare ye well.
_Lucio._ Nay, tarry; I'll go along with thee: I can tell 160
thee pretty tales of the Duke.
_Duke._ You have told me too many of him already,
sir, if they be true; if not true, none were enough.
_Lucio._ I was once before him for getting a wench
with child. 165
_Duke._ Did you such a thing?
_Lucio._ Yes, marry, did I: but I was fain to forswear
it; they would else have married me to the rotten medlar.
_Duke._ Sir, your company is fairer than honest. Rest
you well. 170
_Lucio._ By my troth, I'll go with thee to the lane's
end: if bawdy talk offend you, we'll have very little of it.
Nay, friar, I am a kind of burr; I shall stick. [_Exeunt._
NOTES: IV, 3.