Chapter: SCENE III.


_Another room in the same._

  _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.

  SCENE III.] SCENE VIII. Pope.
  5: _paper_] _pepper_ Rowe.
  11: _Dizy_] F2 F3 F4. _Dizie_ F1. _Dizzy_ Pope. _Dicey_ Steevens conj.
  14: _Forthlight_] Ff. _Forthright_ Warburton.
  15: _Shooty_] F2 F3 F4. _Shootie_ F1. _Shooter_ Warburton.
    _Shoo-tye_ Capell.
  17: _are_] _cry_ Anon. conj. See note (XIX).
  _now_] _now in_ Pope.
  25: _friends_] F1 F2. _friend_ F3 F4.
  32: _his_] _the_ Pope.
  49: _I_] om. F4.

    [Transcriber's Note:
    The text does not specify which occurrence of "I" is meant.
    The speech begins "Not I: I have..."]

  57: _hear_] _heave_ F2.
  59: SCENE IX. Pope.
  60: _gravel heart_] _grovelling beast_ Collier MS.
  61: Given by Hanmer to _Prov._
  69: _his_] F1. om. F2 F3 F4.
  _do_] om. Pope.
  76: _whiles_] _while_ Pope.
  83: _both Barnardine and Claudio_] _Claudio and Barnardine_ Hanmer.
    See note (XX).
  85: _the under_] Hanmer. _yond_ Ff. _yonder_ Pope.
  86: _manifested_] _manifest_ Hanmer.
  88: _Quick_] _Quick, then,_ Capell.
  96: _well-_] Rowe. _weale-_ F1 F2 F3. _weal_ F4.
  102: SCENE X. Pope.
  103: _She's come_] _She comes_ Pope.
  106: _comforts_] _comfort_ Hanmer.
  107: _Ho,_] om. Pope.
  113, 114, 115: Ff make two lines ending at _other ... patience._
    Text as proposed by Spedding.
  114, 115: _show ... patience_] _In your close patience, daughter,
    shew your wisdom_ Capell.
  114: _your wisdom_] _wisdom_ Pope.
  115: _close_] _closest_ Pope.
  119: _Injurious_] _perjurious_ Collier MS.
  120: _nor hurts_] _not hurts_ F4. _hurts not_ Rowe.
  122: _say_] _say to you_ Collier MS.
  _find_] _surely find_ Pope.
  124: _nay_] om. Pope.
  125: _covent_] Ff. _convent_ Rowe.
  126: _instance_] _news_ Pope.
  129: _If you can, pace_] Rowe. _If you can pace_ Ff. _Pace_ Pope.
    S. Walker thinks a line is lost after 131.
  129, 130: _If you can pace ... wish it, go,_ Edd. conj.
  137: _to-night_] om. Pope.
  141: _combined_] _confined_ Johnson conj. (withdrawn).
  145: _Who's_] _whose_ F1.
  146: SCENE XI. Pope.
  154: [Exit ISABELLA] Theobald. om. Ff.
  155: _beholding_] Ff. _beholden_ Rowe.
  163: _not true_] _not_ Rowe.
  172: _it_] om. F2.

 Pompey takes a look around the prison and declares that he feels like he's at his workplace, Mistress Overdone's brothel. Abhorson calls Barnardine out of his cell and announces that it's time for him to be executed. Barnardine says he was partying and drinking all night, so he's not fit to be executed right now, on account of his terrible hangover. Pompey says the best cure for a hangover is a good hanging because it allows one to sleep it off...permanently. The Duke arrives in his friar disguise and offers to pray with Barnardine before he dies. Barnardine says he's not feeling well enough to be executed and says he's going back to his cell, but thanks anyway. The Duke orders Pompey and Abhorson to take Barnardine to the chopping block. The Duke complains to the Provost that Barnardine isn't prepared for death and it would be a "damnable" sin to execute a man who isn't ready to die. Duke Vincentio is upset because his plan to substitute Barnardine's head for Claudio's doesn't seem like it will work out. But then the Provost reveals that a pirate who looks like Claudio just died in the prison that morning - they can cut off his head and send it to Angelo. The Provost runs off to hide both Claudio and Barnardine so Angelo won't know he's being scammed. The Duke writes Angelo a letter announcing that he'll be back in town soon and that Angelo should meet him at a fountain in Vienna. The Provost returns with Ragusine's head and runs off to deliver it to Angelo. Isabella enters the prison asking about her brother. For some reason, the Duke decides it's a good idea to lie and say that, sadly, Claudio has been executed. Isabella is crushed, but the Duke calms her down by promising that he has a plan to punish Angelo. The Duke gives Isabella a letter to deliver to Friar Peter and promises her that she'll be able to lodge a complaint with the Duke who is due back in Vienna any day now. Isabella should meet with him at Mariana's house later that night. Lucio enters and declares that, if Duke Vincentio hadn't run off to some secret hiding place, Claudio never would have been executed. Lucio confesses that he once got a girl pregnant, but denied it when he was taken to court. As a result, he got off the hook without having to marry her.

