Chapter 18
Duke. Oh Place, and greatnes: millions of false eies Are stucke vpon thee: volumes of report Run with these false, and most contrarious Quest Vpon thy doings: thousand escapes of wit Make thee the father of their idle dreame, And racke thee in their fancies. Welcome, how agreed?
Enter Mariana and Isabella.
Isab. Shee'll take the enterprize vpon her father, If you aduise it
Duke. It is not my consent, But my entreaty too
Isa. Little haue you to say When you depart from him, but soft and low, Remember now my brother
Mar. Feare me not
Duk. Nor gentle daughter, feare you not at all: He is your husband on a pre-contract: To bring you thus together 'tis no sinne, Sith that the Iustice of your title to him Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let vs goe, Our Corne's to reape, for yet our Tithes to sow.
Exeunt.
Scena Secunda.
Enter Prouost and Clowne.
Pro. Come hither sirha; can you cut off a mans head? Clo. If the man be a Bachelor Sir, I can: But if he be a married man, he's his wiues head, And I can neuer cut off a womans head
Pro. Come sir, leaue me your snatches, and yeeld mee a direct answere. To morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine: heere 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 redeeme you from your Gyues: if not, you shall haue your full time of imprisonment, and your deliuerance with an vnpittied whipping; for you haue beene a notorious bawd
Clo. Sir, I haue beene an vnlawfull bawd, time out of minde, but yet I will bee content to be a lawfull hangman: I would bee glad to receiue some instruction from my fellow partner
Pro. What hoa, Abhorson: where's Abhorson there?
Enter Abhorson.
Abh. Doe you call sir? Pro. Sirha, here's a fellow will helpe you to morrow in your execution: if you thinke it meet, compound with him by the yeere, and let him abide here with you, if not, vse him for the present, and dismisse him, hee cannot plead his estimation with you: he hath beene a Bawd
Abh. A Bawd Sir? fie vpon him, he will discredit our mysterie
Pro. Goe too Sir, you waigh equallie: a feather will turne the Scale.
Enter.
Clo. Pray sir, by your good fauor: for surely sir, a good fauor you haue, but that you haue a hanging look: Doe you call sir, your occupation a Mysterie? Abh. I Sir, a Misterie
Clo. Painting Sir, I haue heard say, is a Misterie; and your Whores sir, being members of my occupation, vsing painting, do proue my Occupation, a Misterie: but what Misterie there should be in hanging, if I should be hang'd, I cannot imagine
Abh. Sir, it is a Misterie
Clo. Proofe
Abh. Euerie true mans apparrell fits your Theefe
Clo. If it be too little for your theefe, your true man thinkes it bigge enough. If it bee too bigge for your Theefe, your Theefe thinkes it little enough: So euerie true mans apparrell fits your Theefe. Enter Prouost.
Pro. Are you agreed? Clo. Sir, I will serue him: For I do finde your Hangman is a more penitent Trade then your Bawd: he doth oftner aske forgiuenesse
Pro. You sirrah, prouide your blocke and your Axe to morrow, foure a clocke
Abh. Come on (Bawd) I will instruct thee in my Trade: follow
Clo. I do desire to learne sir: and I hope, if you haue occasion to vse me for your owne turne, you shall finde me y'are. For truly sir, for your kindnesse, I owe you a good turne.
Exit
Pro. Call hether Barnardine and Claudio: Th' one has my pitie; not a iot the other, Being a Murtherer, though he were my brother.
Enter Claudio.
Looke, here's the Warrant Claudio, for thy death, 'Tis now dead midnight, and by eight to morrow Thou must be made immortall. Where's Barnardine? Cla. As fast lock'd vp in sleepe, as guiltlesse labour, When it lies starkely in the Trauellers bones, He will not wake
Pro. Who can do good on him? Well, go, prepare your selfe. But harke, what noise? Heauen giue your spirits comfort: by, and by, I hope it is some pardon, or repreeue For the most gentle Claudio. Welcome Father.
Enter Duke.
Duke. The best, and wholsomst spirits of the night, Inuellop you, good Prouost: who call'd heere of late? Pro. None since the Curphew rung
Duke. Not Isabell? Pro. No
Duke. They will then er't be long
Pro. What comfort is for Claudio? Duke. There's some in hope
Pro. It is a bitter Deputie
Duke. Not so, not so: his life is paralel'd Euen with the stroke and line of his great Iustice: He doth with holie abstinence subdue That in himselfe, which he spurres on his powre To qualifie in others: were he meal'd with that Which he corrects, then were he tirrannous, But this being so, he's iust. Now are they come. This is a gentle Prouost, sildome when The steeled Gaoler is the friend of men: How now? what noise? That spirit's possest with hast, That wounds th' vnsisting Posterne with these strokes
Pro. There he must stay vntil the Officer Arise to let him in: he is call'd vp
Duke. Haue you no countermand for Claudio yet? But he must die to morrow? Pro. None Sir, none
Duke. As neere the dawning Prouost, as it is, You shall heare more ere Morning
Pro. Happely You something know: yet I beleeue there comes No countermand: no such example haue we: Besides, vpon the verie siege of Iustice, Lord Angelo hath to the publike eare Profest the contrarie.
Enter a Messenger.
Duke. This is his Lords man
Pro. And heere comes Claudio's pardon
Mess. My Lord hath sent you this note, And by mee this further charge; That you swerue not from the smallest Article of it, Neither in time, matter, or other circumstance. Good morrow: for as I take it, it is almost day
Pro. I shall obey him
Duke. This is his Pardon purchas'd by such sin, For which the Pardoner himselfe is in: Hence hath offence his quicke celeritie, When it is borne in high Authority. When Vice makes Mercie; Mercie's so extended, That for the faults loue, is th' offender friended. Now Sir, what newes? Pro. I told you: Lord Angelo (be-like) thinking me remisse In mine Office, awakens mee With this vnwonted putting on, methinks strangely: For he hath not vs'd it before
Duk. Pray you let's heare.
The Letter.
Whatsoeuer you may heare to the contrary, let Claudio be executed by foure of the clocke, and in the afternoone Bernardine: For my better satisfaction, let mee haue Claudios head sent me by fiue. Let this be duely performed with a thought that more depends on it, then we must yet deliuer. Thus faile not to doe your Office, as you will answere it at your perill. What say you to this Sir? Duke. What is that Barnardine, who is to be executed in th' afternoone? Pro. A Bohemian borne: But here nurst vp & bred, One that is a prisoner nine yeeres old
Duke. How came it, that the absent Duke had not either deliuer'd him to his libertie, or executed him? I haue heard it was euer his manner to do so
Pro. His friends still wrought Repreeues for him: And indeed his fact till now in the gouernment of Lord Angelo, came not to an vndoubtfull proofe
Duke. It is now apparant? Pro. Most manifest, and not denied by himselfe
Duke. Hath he borne himselfe penitently in prison? How seemes he to be touch'd? Pro. A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully, but as a drunken sleepe, carelesse, wreaklesse, and fearelesse of what's past, present, or to come: insensible of mortality, and desperately mortall
Duke. He wants aduice
Pro. He wil heare none: he hath euermore had the liberty of the prison: giue him leaue to escape hence, hee would not. Drunke many times a day, if not many daies entirely drunke. We haue verie oft awak'd him, as if to carrie him to execution, and shew'd him a seeming warrant for it, it hath not moued him at all
Duke. More of him anon: There is written in your brow Prouost, honesty and constancie; if I reade it not truly, my ancient skill beguiles me: but in the boldnes of my cunning, I will lay my selfe in hazard: Claudio, whom heere you haue warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the Law, then Angelo who hath sentenc'd him. To make you vnderstand this in a manifested effect, I craue but foure daies respit: for the which, you are to do me both a present, and a dangerous courtesie
Pro. Pray Sir, in what? Duke. In the delaying death
Pro. Alacke, how may I do it? Hauing the houre limited, and an expresse command, vnder penaltie, to deliuer his head in the view of Angelo? I may make my case as Claudio's, to crosse this in the smallest
Duke. By the vow of mine Order, I warrant you, If my instructions may be your guide, Let this Barnardine be this morning executed, And his head borne to Angelo
Pro. Angelo hath seene them both, And will discouer the fauour
Duke. Oh, death's a great disguiser, and you may adde to it; Shaue the head, and tie the beard, and say it was the desire of the penitent to be so bar'de before his death: you know the course is common. If any thing fall to you vpon this, more then thankes and good fortune, by the Saint whom I professe, I will plead against it with my life
Pro. Pardon me, good Father, it is against my oath
Duke. Were you sworne to the Duke, or to the Deputie? Pro. To him, and to his Substitutes
Duke. You will thinke you haue made no offence, if the Duke auouch the iustice of your dealing? Pro. But what likelihood is in that? Duke. Not a resemblance, but a certainty; yet since I see you fearfull, that neither my coate, integrity, nor perswasion, can with ease attempt you, I wil go further then I meant, to plucke all feares out of you. Looke you Sir, heere is the hand and Seale of the Duke: you know the Charracter I doubt not, and the Signet is not strange to you? Pro. I know them both
Duke. The Contents of this, is the returne of the Duke; you shall anon ouer-reade it at your pleasure: where you shall finde within these two daies, he wil be heere. This is a thing that Angelo knowes not, for hee this very day receiues letters of strange tenor, perchance of the Dukes death, perchance entering into some Monasterie, but by chance nothing of what is writ. Looke, th' vnfolding Starre calles vp the Shepheard; put not your selfe into amazement, how these things should be; all difficulties are but easie when they are knowne. Call your executioner, and off with Barnardines head: I will giue him a present shrift, and aduise him for a better place. Yet you are amaz'd, but this shall absolutely resolue you: Come away, it is almost cleere dawne.
Enter.
Scena Tertia.
Enter Clowne.
Clo. I am as well acquainted heere, as I was in our house of profession: one would thinke it were Mistris Ouerdons owne house, for heere be manie of her olde Customers. First, here's yong Mr Rash, hee's in for a commoditie of browne paper, and olde Ginger, nine score and seuenteene pounds, of which hee made fiue Markes readie money: marrie then, Ginger was not much in request, for the olde Women were all dead. Then is there heere one Mr Caper, at the suite of Master Three-Pile the Mercer, for some foure suites of Peachcolour'd Satten, which now peaches him a beggar. Then haue we heere, yong Dizie, and yong Mr Deepevow, and Mr Copperspurre, and Mr Starue-Lackey the Rapier and dagger man, and yong Drop-heire that kild lustie Pudding, and Mr Forthlight the Tilter, and braue Mr Shootie the great Traueller, and wilde Halfe-Canne that stabb'd Pots, and I thinke fortie more, all great doers in our Trade, and are now for the Lords sake.
Enter Abhorson.
Abh. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hether
Clo. Mr Barnardine, you must rise and be hang'd, Mr Barnardine
Abh. What hoa Barnardine.
Barnardine within.
Bar. A pox o'your throats: who makes that noyse there? What are you? Clo. Your friends Sir, the Hangman: You must be so good Sir to rise, and be put to death
Bar. Away you Rogue, away, I am sleepie
Abh. Tell him he must awake, And that quickly too
Clo. Pray Master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and sleepe afterwards
Ab. Go in to him, and fetch him out
Clo. He is comming Sir, he is comming: I heare his Straw russle.
Enter Barnardine.
Abh. Is the Axe vpon the blocke, sirrah? Clo. Verie readie Sir
Bar. How now Abhorson? What's the newes with you? Abh. Truly Sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayers: for looke you, the Warrants come
Bar. You Rogue, I haue bin drinking all night, I am not fitted for't
Clo. Oh, the better Sir: for he that drinkes all night, and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleepe the sounder all the next day.
Enter Duke.
Abh. Looke you Sir, heere comes your ghostly Father: do we iest now thinke you? Duke. Sir, induced by my charitie, and hearing how hastily you are to depart, I am come to aduise you, Comfort you, and pray with you
Bar. Friar, not I: I haue bin drinking hard all night, and I will haue more time to prepare mee, or they shall beat out my braines with billets: I will not consent to die this day, that's certaine
Duke. Oh sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you Looke forward on the iournie you shall go
Bar. I sweare I will not die to day for anie mans perswasion
Duke. But heare you: Bar. Not a word: if you haue anie thing to say to me, come to my Ward: for thence will not I to day.
Exit
Enter Prouost.
Duke. Vnfit to liue, or die: oh grauell heart. After him (Fellowes) bring him to the blocke
Pro. Now Sir, how do you finde the prisoner? Duke. A creature vnprepar'd, vnmeet for death, And to transport him in the minde he is, Were damnable
Pro. Heere in the prison, Father, There died this morning of a cruell Feauor, One Ragozine, a most notorious Pirate, A man of Claudio's yeares: his beard, and head Iust of his colour. What if we do omit This Reprobate, til he were wel enclin'd, And satisfie the Deputie with the visage Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio? Duke. Oh, 'tis an accident that heauen prouides: Dispatch it presently, the houre drawes on Prefixt by Angelo: See this be done, And sent according to command, whiles I Perswade this rude wretch willingly to die
Pro. This shall be done (good Father) presently: But Barnardine must die this afternoone, And how shall we continue Claudio, To saue me from the danger that might come, If he were knowne aliue? Duke. Let this be done, Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio, Ere twice the Sun hath made his iournall greeting To yond generation, you shal finde Your safetie manifested
Pro. I am your free dependant.
Enter.
Duke. Quicke, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo Now wil I write Letters to Angelo, (The Prouost he shal beare them) whose contents Shal witnesse to him I am neere at home: And that by great Iniunctions I am bound To enter publikely: him Ile desire To meet me at the consecrated Fount, A League below the Citie: and from thence, By cold gradation, and weale-ballanc'd forme. We shal proceed with Angelo.
Enter Prouost.
Pro. Heere is the head, Ile carrie it my selfe
Duke. Conuenient is it: Make a swift returne, For I would commune with you of such things, That want no eare but yours
Pro. Ile make all speede.
Exit
Isabell within.
Isa. Peace hoa, be heere
Duke. The tongue of Isabell. She's come to know, If yet her brothers pardon be come hither: But I will keepe her ignorant of her good, To make her heauenly comforts of dispaire, When it is least expected.
Enter Isabella.
Isa. Hoa, by your leaue
Duke. Good morning to you, faire, and gracious daughter
Isa. The better giuen me by so holy a man, Hath yet the Deputie sent my brothers pardon? Duke. He hath releasd him, Isabell, from the world, His head is off, and sent to Angelo
Isa. Nay, but it is not so
Duke. It is no other, Shew your wisedome daughter in your close patience
Isa. Oh, I wil to him, and plucke out his eies
Duk. You shal not be admitted to his sight
Isa. Vnhappie Claudio, wretched Isabell, Iniurious world, most damned Angelo
Duke. This nor hurts him, nor profits you a iot, Forbeare it therefore, giue your cause to heauen. Marke what I say, which you shal finde By euery sillable a faithful veritie. The Duke comes home to morrow: nay drie your eyes, One of our Couent, and his Confessor Giues me this instance: Already he hath carried Notice to Escalus and Angelo, Who do prepare to meete him at the gates, There to giue vp their powre: If you can pace your wisdome, In that good path that I would wish it go, And you shal haue your bosome on this wretch, Grace of the Duke, reuenges to your heart, And general Honor
Isa. I am directed by you
Duk. This Letter then to Friar Peter giue, 'Tis that he sent me of the Dukes returne: Say, by this token, I desire his companie At Mariana's house to night. Her cause, and yours Ile perfect him withall, and he shal bring you Before the Duke; and to the head of Angelo Accuse him home and home. For my poore selfe, I am combined by a sacred Vow, And shall be absent. Wend you with this Letter: Command these fretting waters from your eies With a light heart; trust not my holie Order If I peruert your course: whose heere?
Enter Lucio.
Luc. Good' euen; Frier, where's the Prouost? Duke. Not within Sir
Luc. Oh prettie Isabella, I am pale at mine heart, to see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient; I am faine to dine and sup with water and bran: I dare not for my head fill my belly. One fruitful Meale would set mee too't: but they say the Duke will be heere to Morrow. By my troth Isabell I lou'd thy brother, if the olde fantastical Duke of darke corners had bene at home, he had liued
Duke. Sir, the Duke is marueilous little beholding to your reports, but the best is, he liues not in them
Luc. Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so wel as I do: he's a better woodman then thou tak'st him for
Duke. Well: you'l answer this one day. Fare ye well
Luc. Nay tarrie, Ile go along with thee, I can tel thee pretty tales of the Duke
Duke. You haue 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 childe
Duke. Did you such a thing? Luc. Yes marrie did I; but I was faine to forswear it, They would else haue married me to the rotten Medler
Duke. Sir your company is fairer then honest, rest you well
Lucio. By my troth Ile go with thee to the lanes end: if baudy talke offend you, wee'l haue very litle of it: nay Friar, I am a kind of Burre, I shal sticke.
Exeunt.
Scena Quarta.
Enter Angelo & Escalus.
Esc. Euery Letter he hath writ, hath disuouch'd other
An. In most vneuen and distracted manner, his actions show much like to madnesse, pray heauen his wisedome bee not tainted: and why meet him at the gates and deliuer our authorities there? Esc. I ghesse not
Ang. And why should wee proclaime it in an howre before his entring, that if any craue redresse of iniustice, they should exhibit their petitions in the street? Esc. He showes his reason for that: to haue a dispatch of Complaints, and to deliuer vs from deuices heereafter, which shall then haue no power to stand against vs
Ang. Well: I beseech you let it bee proclaim'd betimes i'th' morne, Ile call you at your house: giue notice to such men of sort and suite as are to meete him
Esc. I shall sir: fareyouwell.
Enter.
Ang. Good night. This deede vnshapes me quite, makes me vnpregnant And dull to all proceedings. A deflowred maid, And by an eminent body, that enforc'd The Law against it? But that her tender shame Will not proclaime against her maiden losse, How might she tongue me? yet reason dares her no, For my Authority beares of a credent bulke, That no particular scandall once can touch But it confounds the breather. He should haue liu'd, Saue that his riotous youth with dangerous sense Might in the times to come haue ta'ne reuenge By so receiuing a dishonor'd life With ransome of such shame: would yet he had liued. Alack, when once our grace we haue forgot, Nothing goes right, we would, and we would not.
Enter.
Scena Quinta.
Enter Duke and Frier Peter.
Duke. These Letters at fit time deliuer me, The Prouost knowes our purpose and our plot, The matter being a foote, keepe your instruction And hold you euer to our speciall drift, Though sometimes you doe blench from this to that As cause doth minister: Goe call at Flauia's house, And tell him where I stay: giue the like notice To Valencius, Rowland, and to Crassus, And bid them bring the Trumpets to the gate: But send me Flauius first
Peter. It shall be speeded well.
Enter Varrius.
Duke. I thank thee Varrius, thou hast made good hast, Come, we will walke: There's other of our friends Will greet vs heere anon: my gentle Varrius.
Exeunt.
Scena Sexta.
Enter Isabella and Mariana.
Isab. To speake so indirectly I am loath, I would say the truth, but to accuse him so That is your part, yet I am aduis'd to doe it, He saies, to vaile full purpose
Mar. Be rul'd by him
Isab. Besides he tells me, that if peraduenture He speake against me on the aduerse side, I should not thinke it strange, for 'tis a physicke That's bitter, to sweet end.
Enter Peter.
Mar. I would Frier Peter Isab. Oh peace, the Frier is come
Peter. Come I haue found you out a stand most fit, Where you may haue such vantage on the Duke He shall not passe you: Twice haue the Trumpets sounded. The generous, and grauest Citizens Haue hent the gates, and very neere vpon The Duke is entring: Therefore hence away.
Exeunt.
Actus Quintus. Scoena Prima.
Enter Duke, Varrius, Lords, Angelo, Esculus, Lucio, Citizens at seuerall doores.
Duk. My very worthy Cosen, fairely met, Our old, and faithfull friend, we are glad to see you
Ang. Esc. Happy returne be to your royall grace
Duk. Many and harty thankings to you both: We haue made enquiry of you, and we heare Such goodnesse of your Iustice, that our soule Cannot but yeeld you forth to publique thankes Forerunning more requitall
Ang. You make my bonds still greater
Duk. Oh your desert speaks loud, & I should wrong it To locke it in the wards of couert bosome When it deserues with characters of brasse A forted residence 'gainst the tooth of time, And razure of obliuion: Giue we your hand And let the Subiect see, to make them know That outward curtesies would faine proclaime Fauours that keepe within: Come Escalus, You must walke by vs, on our other hand: And good supporters are you.
Enter Peter and Isabella.
Peter. Now is your time Speake loud, and kneele before him
Isab. Iustice, O royall Duke, vaile your regard Vpon a wrong'd (I would faine haue said a Maid) Oh worthy Prince, dishonor not your eye By throwing it on any other obiect, Till you haue heard me, in my true complaint, And giuen me Iustice, Iustice, Iustice, Iustice
Duk. Relate your wrongs; In what, by whom? be briefe: Here is Lord Angelo shall giue you Iustice, Reueale your selfe to him
Isab. Oh worthy Duke, You bid me seeke redemption of the diuell, Heare me your selfe: for that which I must speake Must either punish me, not being beleeu'd, Or wring redresse from you: Heare me: oh heare me, heere
Ang. My Lord, her wits I feare me are not firme: She hath bin a suitor to me, for her Brother Cut off by course of Iustice
Isab. By course of Iustice
Ang. And she will speake most bitterly, and strange
Isab. Most strange: but yet most truely wil I speake, That Angelo's forsworne, is it not strange? That Angelo's a murtherer, is't not strange? That Angelo is an adulterous thiefe, An hypocrite, a virgin violator, Is it not strange? and strange? Duke. Nay it is ten times strange? Isa. It is not truer he is Angelo, Then this is all as true, as it is strange; Nay, it is ten times true, for truth is truth To th' end of reckning
Duke. Away with her: poore soule She speakes this, in th' infirmity of sence