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A room in the prison.
[Enter Provost and POMPEY]
PROVOST
Come hither sirrah; Can you cut off a man's head?
POMPEY
2 , 2
, 2 , ,
If the man | be a bach|elor sir,| I can:
<- , ,
, , T
. T T
But if || he be | a mar|ried man,| he's his wife's head,
,
x , ,
,
And I | can never | cut off | a wom|an's head.
PROVOST
Come sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. Tomorrow
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.
PROVOST
What ho, Abhorson: Where's Abhorson there?
ABHORSON
Do you call sir?
PROVOST
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.
ABHORSON
A bawd sir? Fie upon him, he will discredit our mystery.
PROVOST
Go to sir, you weigh equally: a feather will turn the scale.
[Exit]
POMPEY
Pray sir, by your good favor: for surely sir, a good favor you have, but
that you have a hanging look: do you call sir, your occupation a mystery?
ABHORSON
Aye 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.
ABHORSON
Sir, it is a mystery.
POMPEY
Proof.
ABHORSON
Every true man's apparel fits your thief. If it be too little for your
thief, your true man thinks it big enough. If it be too big for your thief,
your thief thinks it little enough: so every true man's apparel fits your
thief.
[Enter Provost]
PROVOST
Are you agreed?
POMPEY
Sir, I will serve him: for I do find your hangman is a more penitent trade
than your bawd: he doth oftener ask forgiveness.
PROVOST
You sirrah, provide your block and your axe tomorrow, four o'clock.
ABHORSON
Come on (bawd) I will instruct thee in my trade: follow.
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.
[Exeunt POMPEY and ABHORSON]
PROVOST
, ,
, , ,
Call hith|er Barn|ardine | and Claud|io:
,
2 x , , ,
The one | has my pity; | not a | jot the | other,
, 2 , 2
, ,
,
Being a | murderer,| though he | were my |
brother.
[Enter CLAUDIO]
,
, , 2 ,
,
Look, here's | the war|rant Claud|io, for | thy
death,
, ,
, , ,
2->
'Tis now | dead mid/night, and | by eight | tomor||row
, ,
x , ,
Thou must | be made | immortal.|
Where's^Barn|ardine?
CLAUDIO
, T T
. T
, ,
->
As fast | locked up in sleep,| as guilt|less lab||or,
, 2
, ,
, 2 ,
When | it lies stark|ly in | the trav|eller's
bones,
, ,
He will | not wake.
PROVOST
, ,
,
Who can / do good | on him?
__ __ ,
, , ,
Well,| go,| prepare | yourself.| But hark,| what
noise?
, ,
, ,
, __
Heaven | give your | spirits | comfort:| by, and | by.
(hex with prev)
,
, , ,
,
I hope | it is | some pard|on, or | reprieve
2 , ,
, 2 ,
,
For the most | gentle | Claudio.| Welcome |
father.
[Enter DUKE VINCENTIO disguised as before]
DUKE VINCENTIO
, ,
2 , 3 3 ,
The best,| and whole|somest spir|its of the
night,
<- , , , ,
T T . T
Enve||lop you,| good* Pro|vost*: Who | called
here of late?
PROVOST
,
, ,
None since | the cur|few rung.
DUKE VINCENTIO
, ,
Not Is|abel?
PROVOST
No.
DUKE VINCENTIO
They will then ere it be long.
PROVOST
What comfort is for Claudio?
DUKE VINCENTIO
There's some in hope.
PROVOST
It is a bitter dep|uty.
DUKE VINCENTIO
, ,
, , ,
Not so,| not so:| his life | is par|alleled
,
2 , , 2 ,
,
Even | with the stroke | and line | of his great
| justice:
, , ,
, ,
He doth | with ho|ly abs|tinence | subdue
,
, 2 , 2
x
That^in | himself,| which he spurs | on his power
<- , , , , ,
,
To qual||ify | in oth|ers: were | he mealed | with
that
, ,
, ,
,
Which he | corrects,| then were | he tyr|annous,
, 2
, , ,
,
But this | being so,| he's just.| Now are | they
come.
[Exit Provost]
, , ,
, ,
This is | a gent|le pro|vost, sel|dom when
,
, , ,
,
The steel|ed jail|er is | the friend | of men:
[Knocking within]
, , ,
2 , ,
How now?| What noise?| That spir|it's possessed | with
haste,
,
2 , ,
, ,
That wounds | the unsis|ting post|ern with |
these strokes.
[Enter Provost]
PROVOST
, ,
, , ,
There he | must^stay | until | the of|ficer
,
, ,
, ,
Arise | to let | him in:| he is / called up.
DUKE VINCENTIO
,
, , ,
2 ,
Have you | no count|ermand | for Claud|io yet?
,
, ,
But he | must die | tomor|row?
PROVOST
, ,
None | sir, none.
DUKE VINCENTIO
, , , , ,
As near | the dawn|ing prov|ost, as | it is,
, T
T T ,
You shall | hear more ere | morning.
PROVOST
, 2
Happily
, , ,
, ,
You some|thing know:| yet I | believe | there comes
, , ,
2 , ,
No count|ermand:| no such ex|ample | have we:
, ,
, ,
, ->
Besides,| upon | the ve|ry siege | of just||ice,
, , 2
, , ,
Lord | Angelo | hath to | the pub|lic ear
, 2
,
Professed | the contr|ary.
DUKE VINCENTIO
, ,
,
This | is his / lord's man.
[Enter a Messenger]
PROVOST
, , ,
, oo
And here | comes Claud/io's | pardon.|
MESSENGER
, ,
, __ oo
My lord | hath sent | you this | note,|
, ,
, __ oo
And by | me this | further | charge;|
2 , ,
, , 2 x
That you swerve | not from | the smal|lest
art|icle of it,
, 2
T Tx . T ,
,
Neither in | time, matter, or oth|er cir|cumstance.
, , 2
x 2 ,
,
Good mor|row: for | as I take it,| it is al|most
day.
PROVOST
, 2 ,
I shall o|bey him. \\
[Exit Messenger]
DUKE VINCENTIO
,
, , , ,
This^is | his pard|on purch|ased by | such^sin,
, ,
, , ,
For which | the pard|oner | himself | is in:
,
, ,
, ,
Hence^hath | offense | his quick | celer|ity,
,
, ,
, ,
When^it | is born | in high | author|ity.
,
, , ,
, o
When vice | makes^mer|cy; mer|cy's^so |
exten|ded,
, ,
, 2 ,
, o
That for | the fault's | love, is | the offend|er
frien|ded.
T T T
,
Now sir, what | news?
PROVOST
, oo
I | told you:|
, ,
, , 2 ,
Lord^Ang|elo |(belike)| thinking | me remiss
, , , ,
In mine | office,| awak|ens me
<- ,
, ,
, , ,
With this || unwont|ed put|ting-on,| methinks |
strangely:
,
, , ,
oo
For he | hath not | used it | before.|
DUKE VINCENTIO
Pray you let's hear.
PROVOST [Reading]
Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, let Claudio be executed by four of
the clock, and in the afternoon Barnardine: for my better satisfaction, 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 fail not to
do your office, as you will answer it at your peril.
What say you to this
sir?
DUKE VINCENTIO
What is that Barnardine who is to be executed in the afternoon?
PROVOST
A Bohemian born: but here nursed up and bred, one that is a prisoner nine
years old.
DUKE VINCENTIO
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.
PROVOST
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 VINCENTIO
It is now apparent?
PROVOST
Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Hath he born himself penitently in prison? how seems he to be touched?
PROVOST
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 VINCENTIO
He wants advice.
PROVOST
He will hear none: he hath evermore had the liberty of the prison: give him
leave to escape hence, he would not. Drunk many times a day, if not many
days entirely drunk. We have very oft awaked him, as if to carry him to
execution, and showed him a seeming warrant for it, it hath not moved him at
all.
DUKE VINCENTIO
More of him anon: There is written in your brow provost, honesty and
constancy; if I read it not truly, my ancient skill beguiles me: but in the
boldness of my cunning, I will lay myself in hazard: Claudio, whom here you
have warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law, than Angelo who
hath sentenced him. To make you understand this in a manifested effect, I
crave but four days' respite: for the which, you are to do me both a present,
and a dangerous courtesy.
PROVOST
Pray sir, in what?
DUKE VINCENTIO
In the delaying death.
PROVOST
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.
DUKE VINCENTIO
, ,
x ,
,
By the | vow of | mine order,| I war|rant you,
, ,
, ,
,
If my | instruct|ions | may be | your
guide,
, ,
, 2 ,
, , ->
Let this | Barnar|dine be this | morning | exe||cuted,
, T
T . T ,
And his | head born to
Ang|elo.
PROVOST
Angelo hath seen them both,
And will discover the favor.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Oh, 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 any thing 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.
PROVOST
Pardon me, good father, it is against my oath.
DUKE VINCENTIO
Were you sworn to the duke, or to the deputy?
PROVOST
To him, and to his substitutes.
DUKE VINCENTIO
You will think you have made no offense, if the duke avouch the justice of
your dealing?
PROVOST
But what likelihood is in that?
DUKE VINCENTIO
Not a 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.
PROVOST
I know them both.
DUKE VINCENTIO
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 strange tenor, 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]