The Prison.
 Enter POMPEY.

Pompey	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 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 
	Threepile the mercer, for some four suits of peach-coloured 
	satin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here 
	young Dizzy, and young Master Deepvow, and Master 
	Copperspur, and Master Starvelackey the rapier and dagger 
	man, and young Dropheir that killed lusty Pudding, and 
	Master Forthright the tilter, and brave Master Shoetie the 
	great traveller, and wild Halfcan that stabbed Pots, and I 
	think forty more, all great doers in our trade, and are now 
	'for the Lord's sake'.

                             Enter ABHORSON.

Abhorson	Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

Pompey	[Calling.] Master Barnardine, you must rise and be hanged, 
	Master Barnardine!

Abhorson	What ho, Barnardine!

Barnardine	[Within.] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that noise 
	there? What are you?

Pompey	Your friends, sir; the hangman. You must be so good, sir, 
	to rise and be put to death.

Barnardine	[Within.] Away, you rogue, away; I am sleepy.

Abhorson	Tell him he must awake, and that quickly too.

Pompey	Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and 
	sleep afterwards.

Abhorson	Go in to him, and fetch him out.

Pompey	He is coming, sir, he is coming. I hear his straw rustle.

                            Enter BARNARDINE.

Abhorson	Is the axe upon the block, sirrah?

Pompey	Very ready, sir.

Barnardine	How now, Abhorson, what's the news with you?

Abhorson	Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayer, 
	for, look you, the warrant's come.

Barnardine	You rogue, I have been drinking all night; I am not fitted 
	for't.

Pompey	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.

                      Enter DUKE as Friar Lodowick.

Abhorson	Look you, sir, here comes your ghostly father. Do we jest 
	now, think you?

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.

Barnardine	Friar, 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.

Duke	O sir, you must; and therefore, I beseech you,
	Look forward on the journey you shall go.

Barnardine	I swear I will not die today for any man's persuasion.

Duke	But hear you-

Barnardine	Not a word. If you have anything to say to me, come to my 
	ward; for thence will not I today.
													[Exit.
                              Enter PROVOST.

Duke	Unfit to live or die. O gravel heart!
	After him, fellows; bring him to the block.
										[Exeunt ABHORSON and POMPEY.

Provost	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.

Provost						Here 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?

Duke	O, 'tis an accident that heaven provides!
	Dispatch it presently; the hour draws on
	Prefixed by Angelo. See this be done,
	And sent according to command, whiles I
	Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

Provost	This 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?

Duke								Let this be done:
	Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio.
	Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting
	To yonder generation, you shall find
	Your safety manifested.

Provost	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
	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.

                            Re-enter PROVOST.

Provost	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
	That want no ear but yours.

Provost								I'll make all speed.
													[Exit.
Isabella	[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,
	To make her heavenly comforts of despair
	When it is least expected.

                             Enter ISABELLA.

Isabella									Ho, by your leave!

Duke	Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.

Isabella	The better, given me by so holy a man.
	Hath yet the deputy sent my brother's pardon?

Duke	He hath released him, Isabel, from the world:
	His head is off, and sent to Angelo.

Isabella	Nay, but it is not so.

Duke								It is no other.
	Show your wisdom, daughter, in your close patience.

Isabella	O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!

Duke	You shall not be admitted to his sight.

Isabella	Unhappy Claudio! Wretched Isabel!
	Injurious world! Most damnd Angelo!

Duke	This 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 tomorrow - nay, dry your eyes-
	One of our covent, 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.

Isabella							I am directed by you.

Duke	This 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 tonight. 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 combind 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?

                               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 head fill my 
	belly: one fruitful meal would set me to't. But they say 
	the duke will be here tomorrow. 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 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 tak'st 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 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.

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.

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.
