Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

Prov. His friends ftill 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. Molt manifeft, and not deny'd by himself. Duke, Haththe borne himself penitent 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.

Duke. He wants advice.

Prov. He will hear none; he hath evermore had the liberty of the prifon give him leave to efcape 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 warrant for it; it hath not mov'd him at all.

Duke. More of him anon. There is written in your brow, Provest, honesty and conftancy; if I read it not truly, my ancient fkill beguiles me; but in the boldness of my cunning, I will lay myfelf in hazard. Claudio, whom here you have warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo, who hath fentenc'd him. To make you understand this in a manifested effect, I crave but four days refpite; for the which you are to do me both a prefent and a dangerous courtesy.

Prov. Pray, Sir, in what?

Duke. In the delaying death.

Prov. Alack! how may I do it, having the hour li mited, and an exprefs command, under penalty, to deliver his head in the view of Angelo? I may make my cafe as Claudio's, to crofs this in the fmalleft,

Duke. By the vow of mine Order, I warrant you, if my inftructions may be your guide: let this Barnardine be this morning executed, and his head borne to Angelo.

Prov. Angelo hath feen them both, and will discover the favour.

Duke. Oh, death's a great difguifer, and you may add to it; fhave the head, and tie the beard, and fay it was the defire of the penitent to be fo barb'd before his death; you know the courfe is common. If any thing fall to you upon this, more than thanks and good fortune; by the Saint whom I profefs, I will plead against its with my life.

11

[ocr errors]

F

Prov. Pardon me, good father; it is againft my oath.

Duke. Were you fworn to the Duke, or to the De

puty?

Prov. To him, and to his fubftitutes.

[merged small][ocr errors]

2

Duke. You will think you have made no offence, if the Duke avouch the juftice of your dealing? whi Prov. But what likelihood is in that?

1. H.

Duke. Not a refemblance, but a certainty. Yet fince I fee you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor my perfuafion, can with ease attempt you, I will go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you. Look you, Sir, here is the hand and feal of the Duke; you know the character, I doubt not; and the fignet is not ftrange to you,

Prov. I know them both.

Duke. The contents of this is the return of the Duke ; you u fhall anon over-read it at your pleasure; where you fhall find, within these two days he will be here. This is a thing, which Angelo knows not, for he this very day receives letters of ftrange tenor; perchance, of the Duke's death; perchance, of his entering into fome monaftery; but, by chance, nothing of what is writ. Look, the unfolding itar calls up the fhepherd; put not yourself into amazement how these things fhould be; all difficulties are but cafy, when they are known. Call your executioner, and off with Barnardine's head: I will give him a prefent fhrift, and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amaz'd, but this fhall abfolutely refolve you. Come away, it is almost clear dawn. [Exeunt.

Enter

Enter Clown.

Clown. I am as well acquainted here, as I was in our house of profeffion; one would think, it were mistress Over-done's own houfe; for here be many of her old customers. First, here's young Mr. Rab; he's in for a commodity of brown pepper and old ginger, ninefcore and feventeen pounds; of which he made five marks ready money: marry, then, ginger was not much in requeft: for the old women were all dead. Then is there here one Mr. Caper, at the fuit of mafter Three-Pile the mercer; for fome four fuits of peach-colour'd fattin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizzy, and young Mr. Deep-vow, and Mr. Copper-fpur, and mafter Starve-lacky the rapier and daggerman, and young Drop-heir that kill'd lufty Pudding, and Mr. Forthlight the tilter, and brave Mr. Shooty the great traveller, and wild Half-canne that ftabb'd Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in our trade, and are now in for the Lord's fake.

Enter Abhorfon.

Abbor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

Clown. Mafter Barnardine, you must rife and be hang'd, mafter Barnardine.

Abhor. What, hoa, Barnardine.

Barnar. [within.] A pox o' your throats; who makes that noife there? what are you?

Clown. Your friend, Sir, the hangman: you must be fo good, Sir, to rife, and be put to death.

Barnar. [within.] Away, you rogue, away; I am fleepy.

too.

Abhor. Tell him, he muft awake, and that quickly

Clown. Pray, mafter Barnardine, awake 'till you are executed, and fleep afterwards.

Abhor. Go in to him, and fetch him out.

Clown. He is coming, Sir, he is coming; I hear the

ftraw ruftle.

Enter

Enter Barnardine.

Abbor. Is the ax upon the block, Sirrah ?
Clown. Very ready, Sir.

Barnar, How now, Abhorfon? what's the news with you?

Abbor. Truly, Sir, I would defire you to clap into your prayers; for, look you, the warrant's come.

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

Clown. Oh, the better, Sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hang'd betimes in the morning, may sleep the founder all the next day.

Enter Duke.

Abhor. Look you, Sir, here comes your ghoftly fa ther; do we jeft now, think you?

Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing how haftily you are to depart, I am come to advise you, comand pray with you.

fort you,

Barnar. Friar, not I: I have been drinking hard all night, and I will have more time to prepare me, or they fhall beat out my brains with billets: I will not confent to die this day, that's certain.

Duke. Oh, Sir, you muft; and therefore, I befeech you, look forward on the journey you fhall go.

Barnar. I fwear, I will not die to-day for any man's perfuafion.

Duke. But hear you,"

Barnar. Not a word: if you have any thing to fay to me, come to my ward; for thence will not I to

day.

Enter Provost.

Duke. Unfit to live, or die : oh, gravel heart!
After him, fellows: bring him to the block.
Prov. Now, Sir, how do you find the prisoner?

Duke. A creature unprepar'd, unmeet for death;

[Exit.

And,

And, to transport him in the mind he is,
Were damnable.

Prov. Here in the prison, father,
There dy'd this morning of a cruel fever
One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate,
A man of Claudio's years; his beard, and head,
Juft of his colour: What if we omit

This reprobate, 'till he were well inclin'd;
And fatisfy the Deputy with the visage

Of Ragazine, more like to Claudio ?

Duke. Oh, 'tis an accident, that heav'n provides:

Difpatch it prefently; the hour draws on

Prefixt by Angelo: fee, this be done,

And fent according to command; while I

Perfuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

Prou. This fhall be done, good father, presently:

But Barnardine muft die this afternoon.

And how fhall we continue Claudio,

To fave me from the danger that might come,
If he were known alive?

Duke. Let this be done;

Put them in fecret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio: Ere twice the fun hath made his journal greeting

To yonder generation, you shall find

Your fafety manifested.

Prov. I am your free dependent.

Duke. Quick, difpatch, and fend the head to Angelo.

Now will I write letters to Angelo,

[Exit Provoft.

(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 publickly: him I'll defire

To meet me at the confecrated fount,

A league below the city; and from thence,
By cold gradation and weal-balanced form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.

Enter

« AnteriorContinuar »