Prov. SCENE changes to the Prifon. C Enter Provost and Clown. OME hither, firrah : can you cut off a man's head? Clown. If the man be a batchelor, Sir, I can: but if he be a marry'd man, he is his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head. Prov. Come, Sir, leave me your fnatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine: here is in our prifon a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper; if you will take it on you to affift him, it fhall redeem you from your gyves: if not, you fhall have your full time of imprisonment, and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping; for you have been a notorious bawd. Clown. 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 fome inftruction from my fellow-partner. Prov. What hoa, Abhorfon! where's Abhorfon, there? Enter Abhorfon. Abhor. Do you call, Sir? Prov. Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow in your execution; if you think it meet, compound with him by the year, and let him abide here with you; if not, ufe him for the prefent, and dismiss him. He cannot plead his eftimation with you, he hath been a bawd. Abbor. A bawd, Sir? fy upon him, he will difcredit our mystery. Prov. Go to, Sir, you weigh equally; a feather will turn the fcale. [Exit. Clown. Pray, Sir, by your good favour; (for, furely, Sir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look ;) do you call, Sir, your occupation a mystery? Abbor. Abbor. Ay, Sir; a mystery. Clown. Painting, Sir, I have heard fay, is a mystery; and your whores, Sir, being members of my occupation, ufing painting, do prove my occupation a myftery but what mystery there fhould be in hanging, if I should be hang'd, I cannot imagine. Abbor. Sir, it is a mystery. Clow. Proof. Abhor. (23) Every true man's apparel fits your thief, Clown: if it be too little for your true man, your thief thinks it big enough. If it be too big for your true man, your thief thinks it little enough; fo true man's apparel fits your thief. Re-cuter Provoft. Prou. Are you agreed? every Clown. Sir, I will ferve him: for I do find, your hangman is a more penitent trade than your bawd; he doth oftner afk forgiveness. Prov. You, firrah, provide your block and your ax to-morrow, four o'clock. Abhor. Come on, bawd, I will inftruct thee in my trade; follow. Clown. I do defire to learn, Sir; and I hope, if you have occafion to use me for your own turn, you (24) fhall (23) Abhor. Every true man's apparel fits your thief. Clown. 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 liitle enough: fo every true man's apparel fits your thief.] This is a very notable paffage, as it ftands in all the editions; but, I dare fay, is notably corrupted; and both the fpeeches, and the words, fhuffled and misplaced. What! does the Clown afk proof, how the hangman's trade is a mystery; and, fo foon as ever Abborfon advances his Thefis to prove it, the Clown takes the argument out of his mouth, and perverts the very tenour of it? I am fatisfied, the Poet intended a regular fyllogifm; and I fubmit it to judgment, whether my regulation has not refor'd that wit, and humour which was quite loft in the depravation. (24) You fhall find me yours;] This reading, I believe, was first Mr. Rowe's; and confequently adopted by the laft Editor. The old books R 3 fhall find me yare: for, truly, Sir, for your kindnes I owe you a good turn. Prov. Call hither Barnardine, and Claudio: Being a murd'rer, tho' he were my brother. [Exit. Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death; Prov. Who can do good on him? what noife? Well, go, prepare yourfelf. [Exit Claud.] But, hark, For the most gentle Claudio. Welcome, father. Enter Duke. Duke. The best and wholefom'ft fpirits of the night Invellop you, good Provoft! who call'd here of late? Prov. None, fince the curphew rung. Duke. Not fabel? Prov. No. Duke. They will then, ere't be long. Prov. What comfort is for Claudio? Duke. There is fome in hope. Prov. It is a bitter Deputy. Duke. Not fo, not fo; his life is parallel'd Ev'n with the ftroak and line of his great juftice ; He doth with holy abftinence fubdue That in himself, which he fpurs on his pow'r To qualify in others. Were he meal'd books have it, You fball find me y'are. Very little fagacity might have inftructed them, that the corruption is only in the apostrophe ; and that the Poet's word was pare; i. e. dextrous in the office; a word very frequent in our Author's writings. A With that, which he corrects, then were he tyrannous But this being fo, he's juft. Now are they come. [Knock again. Provoft goes out. This is a gentle Provoft; feldom when The fteeled goaler is the friend of men, How now? what noife? that fpirit's poffeft with hafte, That wounds th' unrefifting postern with the ftrokes. [Provost returns Prov. There he muft ftay, until the officer Arife to let him in; he is call'd up. Duke. Have you no countermand for Claudio yet, But he must die to-morrow? Prov. None, Sir, none. Duke. As near the dawning, Provost, as it is, You fhall hear more ere morning. Prov. Happily, You fomething know; yet, I believe, there comes Lord Angelo hath to the publick ear Profeft the contrary. Enter a Messenger. Duke. This is his Lordship's man. Prov. And here comes Claudio's pardon. Me My Lord hath fent you this note, and by me this further charge, that you fwerve not from the fmalleft article of it, neither in time, matter, or other circumftance. Good morrow; for as I take it, it is almost day. Prov. I fhall obey him. [Exit Meffen. Duke. This is his pardon, purchas'd by fuch fin, For which the pardoner himself is in: When vice makes mercy, mercy's fo extended, Prov. I told you: Lord Angelo, be-like, thinking me R. 4 remifs in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted putting on; methinks, ftrangely; for he hath not us’d it before. Duke. Pray you, let's hear. Provost reads the letter. Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, det Claudio be executed by four of the clock, and in the afternoon Barnardine: for my better fatisfaction, let me have Claudio's head fent 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 anfuer it at your peril. What fay you to this, Sir? Duke. What is that Barnardine, who is to le executed in the afternoon? Prov. A Bohemian born; but here nurft up and bred; one, that is a prifoner nine years old. Duke. How came it, that the abfent Duke had not either deliver'd him to his liberty, or executed him ? I bave heard, it was ever his manner to do fo. Prov. His friend's fill wrought reprieves for him, and, indeed, his fact, 'till now in the government of Lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof. Duke. Is it now apparent? Prov. Moft manifeft, and not deny'd by himself. Duke. Hath he borne him felf penitently in prison? how feems he to be touch'd ? Prov. A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully, but as a drunken fleep; careless, reckless, and fearless of what's paft, prefent, or to come; infenfible of mortality, and defperately mortal. D. ke. He wants advice. Prov. He will hear none; he hath evermore had the liberty of the prifon : give him leave to escape hence, he would not drunk many times a day, if not many days entirely drunk. We have very oft awak'd him, as if to carry him to execution, and fhew'd him a feeming |