Shakespeare - First Folio facsimile (1910)/Measure, for Measure/Act 4 Scene 2
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.
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. Exit.
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.
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.
'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.
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.
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.
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. Exit.