ARKCODEX
Act IV, Scene 3
1Another room in the same.
2Enter Pompey.
3PompeyI 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 man, and young Drop-heir that killed lusty Pudding, and Master Forthlight the tilter, and brave Master Shooty 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.”
4Enter Abhorson.
5AbhorsonSirrah, bring Barnardine hither.
6PompeyMaster Barnardine! you must rise and be hanged. Master Barnardine!
7AbhorsonWhat, ho, Barnardine!
8BarnardineWithin. A pox o’ your throats! Who makes that noise there? What are you?
9PompeyYour friends, sir; the hangman. You must be so good, sir, to rise and be put to death.
10BarnardineWithin. Away, you rogue, away! I am sleepy.
11AbhorsonTell him he must awake, and that quickly too.
12PompeyPray, Master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and sleep afterwards.
13AbhorsonGo in to him, and fetch him out.
14PompeyHe is coming, sir, he is coming; I hear his straw rustle.
15AbhorsonIs the axe upon the block, sirrah?
16PompeyVery ready, sir.
17Enter Barnardine.
18BarnardineHow now, Abhorson? what’s the news with you?
19AbhorsonTruly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayers; for, look you, the warrant’s come.
20BarnardineYou rogue, I have been drinking all night; I am not fitted for’t.
21PompeyO, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day.
22AbhorsonLook you, sir; here comes your ghostly father: do we jest now, think you?
23Enter Duke disguised as before.
24DukeSir, induced by my charity, and hearing how hastily you are to depart, I am come to advise you, comfort you and pray with you.
25BarnardineFriar, 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.
26DukeO, sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you
Look forward on the journey you shall go.
27BarnardineI swear I will not die to-day for any man’s persuasion.
28DukeBut hear you.
29BarnardineNot a word: if you have any thing to say to me, come to my ward; for thence will not I to-day. Exit.
30DukeUnfit to live or die: O gravel heart!
After him, fellows; bring him to the block. Exeunt Abhorson and Pompey.
31Enter Provost.
32ProvostNow, sir, how do you find the prisoner?
33DukeA creature unprepared, unmeet for death;
And to transport him in the mind he is
Were damnable.
34ProvostHere in the prison, father,
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;
And satisfy the deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
35DukeO, ’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
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
36ProvostThis 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?
37DukeLet 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
Your safety manifested.
38ProvostI am your free dependant.
39DukeQuick, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo. Exit Provost.
Now will I write letters to Angelo—
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
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-balanced form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.
40Reenter Provost.
41ProvostHere is the head; I’ll carry it myself.
42DukeConvenient is it. Make a swift return;
For I would commune with you of such things
That want no ear but yours.
43ProvostI’ll make all speed. Exit.
44IsabellaWithin. Peace, ho, be here!
45DukeThe 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.
46Enter Isabella.
47IsabellaHo, by your leave!
48DukeGood morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
49IsabellaThe better, given me by so holy a man.
Hath yet the deputy sent my brother’s pardon?
50DukeHe hath released him, Isabel, from the world:
His head is off and sent to Angelo.
51IsabellaNay, but it is not so.
52DukeIt is no other: show your wisdom, daughter,
In your close patience.
53IsabellaO, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!
54DukeYou shall not be admitted to his sight.
55IsabellaUnhappy Claudio! wretched Isabel!
Injurious world! most damned Angelo!
56DukeThis nor hurts him nor profits you a jot;
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 convent, and his confessor,
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,
And you shall have your bosom on this wretch,
Grace of the duke, revenges to your heart,
And general honour.
57IsabellaI am directed by you.
58DukeThis letter, then, to Friar Peter give;
’Tis that he sent me of the duke’s return:
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,
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?
59Enter Lucio.
60LucioGood even. Friar, where’s the provost?
61DukeNot within, sir.
62LucioO 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 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.
63DukeSir, the duke is marvellous little beholding to your reports; but the best is, he lives not in them.
64LucioFriar, thou knowest not the duke so well as I do: he’s a better woodman than thou takest him for.
65DukeWell, you’ll answer this one day. Fare ye well.
66LucioNay, tarry; I’ll go along with thee: I can tell thee pretty tales of the duke.
67DukeYou have told me too many of him already, sir, if they be true; if not true, none were enough.
68LucioI was once before him for getting a wench with child.
69DukeDid you such a thing?
70LucioYes, marry, did I: but I was fain to forswear it; they would else have married me to the rotten medlar.
71DukeSir, your company is fairer than honest. Rest you well.
72LucioBy 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.