SCENE

Enter Clown.

VIII.

Clown. "I am as well acquainted here, as I was in "our house of profeffion; one would think, it were "miftrefs Over-done's own houfe; for here be many "of her old customers. First, here's young Mr. Rafb; he's in for a commodity of brown pepper and old ginger, ninefcore and feventeen pounds; of which he made five marks ready mony: marry, then, ginger was not much in request: for the old women were all dead. Then is there here one Mr. Caper, at the suit of master Three-Pile the mercer; for fome four fuits of peach-colour'd fattin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizzy, and young Mr. Deep-vow, and Mr. Copper-fpur, and mafter Starve-lacky the rapier and dagger-man, and young Drop-beire that kill'd lufty Pudding, and Mr. Forthright the tilter, and brave Mr. Shooter the great traveller, and wild Half-canne that ftabb'd Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in our trade, and are now in for the Lord's fake.

2

Enter Abhorfon.

Abbor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

Clown. Mafter Barnardine, you must rise and be hang'd, mafter Barnardine.

Abbor. What, hoa, Barnardine!

Barnar. [within.] A pox o' your throats; who makes that noise there? what are you?

Clown. Your friend, Sir, the hangman: you must be fo good, Sir, to rife, and be put to death. Barnar. [within.] Away, you rogue, away; Пееру.

I am

2 in for the Lord's-fake. ] i. e. to beg for the reft of their

lives.

Abbor.

too.

Abbor. Tell him, he must awake, and that quickly

Clown. Pray, mafter Barnardine, awake 'till executed, and fleep afterwards.

Abbor. Go in to him, and fetch him out.

you are

Clown. He is coming, Sir, he is coming; I hear the ftraw ruftle.

Enter Barnardine.

Abbor. Is the ax upon the block, Sirrah?
Clown. Very ready, Sir.

Barnar. How now, Abhorfon? what's the news with you?

Abbor. Truly, Sir, I would defire you to clap into your prayers: for, look you, the warrant's come. Barnar. You rogue, I have been drinking all night, I am not fitted for't.

Clown. Oh, the better, Sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hang'd betimes in the morning, may fleep the founder all the next day.

Enter Duke.

Abhor. Look you, Sir, here comes your ghoftly father; do we jeft now, think you?

Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing how haftily you are to depart, I am come to advife you, comfort you, and pray with you.

Barnar. Friar, not I: I have been drinking hard all night, and I will have more time to prepare me, or they fhall beat out my brains with billets: I will not confent to die this day, that's certain.

Duke. Oh, Sir, you must; and therefore, I beseech you, look forward on the journey you shall go.

Barnar. I fwear, I will not die to day for any man's perfuafion.

Duke. But hear you,

Barnar.

Barnar. Not a word: if you have any thing to fay to me, come to my ward; for thence will not I to

day.

SCENË

Enter Provoft.

IX.

[Exit.

Duke. Unfit to live, or die: oh, gravel heart!
After him, fellows: bring him to the block.
Prov. Now, Sir, how do you find the prisoner?
Duke. A creature unprepar'd, unmeet for death,
And, to transport him in the mind he is,
Were damnable.

Prov. Here in the prison, father,
There dy'd this morning of a cruel fever
One Ragozine, a moft notorious pirate,
A man of Claudio's years; his beard, and head,
Juft of his colour: What if we omit
This reprobate, 'till he were well inclin'd
And fatisfie the deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?

Duke. O, 'tis an accident, that heav'n provides : Dispatch it presently; the hour draws on

Prefixt by Angelo: fee, this be done,

And fent according to command; while I

Perfuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently: But Barnardine muft die this afternoon :

And how fhall we continue Claudio,

To fave me from the danger that might come,
If he were known alive?

Duke. Let this be done;

Put them in fecret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio:

Ere twice the fun hath made his journal greeting

(a) To th' under generation, you fhall find

Your fafety manifested.

Prov. I am your free dependent.

[(a) To th' under generation, Oxford Edition. Vulg. To yon

der generation]

VOL. I.

Duke. Quick, difpatch, and fend the head to Angelo. [Exit Provoft.

Now will I write letters to Angelo,

(The Provost, he fhall bear them ;) whofe contents
Shall witnefs to him, I am near at home;
And that, by great injunctions, I am bound
To enter publickly: him I'll defire
To meet me at the confecrated fount,
A league below the city; and from thence,
By: cold gradation and weal-balanced form,
We fhall proceed with Angelo.

Enter Provoft.

Prov. Here is the head, I'll carry it myself. Duke. Convenient is it: make a swift return; For I will commune with you of fuch things, That want no ears but yours.

Prov. I'll make all speed..

Ifab. [within.] Peace, hoa, be here!

[Exit.

Duke. The tongue of Ifabel.-She comes to know,

If yet her brother's pardon be come hither:

But I will keep her ign'rant of her good,

To make her heav'nly comforts of despair,
When it is leaft expected.

SCENE X.

Enter Ifabel.

Ifab. Hoa, by your leave.

Duke. Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.

Ifab. The better, giv'n me by fo holy a man: Hath yet the deputy fent my brother's pardon? Duke. He hath releas'd him, Ifabel, from the world; His head is off, and fent to Angelo.

Ifab. Nay, but it is not fo.

Duke. It is no other.

Shew your wifdom, daughter, in

your

closest patience.

Ifab. Oh, I will to him, and pluck out his eyes. Duke. You fhall not be admited to his fight. Ifab. Unhappy Claudio! wretched Ifabel! Injurious world! most damned Angelo!

Duke. This nor hurts him, nor profits you a jot: Forbear it therefore, give your cause to heav'n : Mark, what I fay; which you fhall surely find By ev'ry fyllable a faithful verity.

The Duke comes home to-morrow; dry your eyes;
One of our convent, and his confeffor,

Gives me this inftance: already he hath carry'd
Notice to Efcalus and Angelo,

Who do prepare to meet him at the gates,
There to give up their pow'r. If you can, pace your

wisdom

In that good path that I would wish it go,

And you fhall have your bofom on this wretch,
Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart,
And gen'ral honour.

Ifab. I'm directed by you.

Duke. This letter then to Friar Peter give;
'Tis That he fent me of the Duke's return:
Say, by this token, I defire his company
At Mariana's houfe to night. Her caufe and yours
I'll perfect him withal, and he fhall bring you
Before the duke, and to the head of Angelo
Accufe him home, and home. For my poor felf,
I am combined by a facred vow,

And fhall be abfent. Wend you with this letter:
Command thefe fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart; truft not my holy Order,
If I pervert your courfe. Who's here?