Tufty 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 Abhorson..
Abhor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

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

Abhor. What, hoa, Barnardine!

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

Clown. Your friend, Sir, the hangman ; you mut be fo good, Sir, to rise, and be put to death.

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

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

Clown. Pray, master Barnardine, awake 'till you are executed, and sleep afterwards.

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

Clown. He is coming, Sir, he is coming », I hear the ftraw rustle.

Enter Barnardine.
Abhor. Is the ax upon the block, firrah??
Clown. Very ready, Sir.

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

Abhor.. Truly, Sir, I would desire 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. father j; do we jest now, think you!

Dukce

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

Barnar. Friar, not 1: 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. Oh, Sir, you must ; and therefore, I beseech you, look forward on the journey you

shall

go. Barnar. I swear, I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion.

Duke. But hear you,

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

[Exit. Enter Provoft. Duke. Unfit to live, or die : oh gravel heart! Alter him, fellows : bring him to the block.

Prov. Now, Sir, how do you find the prisoner ?

Duke. A creature unprepar’d, unmeet for death ;
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,
Just of his colour : What if we omit
This reprobate, 'till he were well inclind;
And satisfy the Deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio ?

Duke. -O, 'tis an accident, that heav'n provides :
Dispatch it presently; the hour draws on
Prefixt by Angelo : see, this be done,
And ferd according to command ; while I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently : But Barnardine muft die this afternoon : And how shall 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 secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio:
Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting
To yonder generation, you shall find
Your safety manifefted.

Prov. I am your free dependant.
Duke. Quick, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo.

[Exit Prov.
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 publickly : him I'll defire
To meet me at the consecrated fount,
A league below the city ; and from thence,
By cold gradation and weal-ballanc'd form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.

Enter Provoft.
Prov. 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 cars but yours.
Prov. I'll make all fpeed.

[Exit.
Isab. [Within.] Peace, hoa, be here !
Duke. The tongue of Isabel.-She comes to know,

yet her brother's pardon be come hither :
But I will keep her ign'rant of her good,
To make her heav'nly comforts of despair,
When it is leaft expected.

Enter Isabel.
Isab. Hoa, by your leave.-
Duke. Good morning to you, fair and gracious

daughter.
Isab. The better, giv'n me by so holy a man:
Hath yet the Deputy sent my brother's pardon ?

Duke. He hath releas'd him, Ijabel, from the world;
His head his off, and sent to Angelo.

Yabt

If

Isab. Nay, but it is not so.

Duke. It is no other. Shew your wisdom, daughter, in your closest patience. Isab. Oh, I will to him, and pluck out his

eyes. Duke. You Thall not be admitted to his fight.

Isab. Unhappy Claudio, wretched Isabel ? Injurious world, moft damned Angelo!

Duke. This nor hurts him, nor profits you a jot::
Forbear it therefore, give your cause to heav'n:
Mark, what I fay; which you shall surely find
By ev'ry syllable a faithful verity,
The Duke comes home t -morrow; dry your eyes ;
One of our convent, and his confeffor,
Gives me this instance : already he hath carry'd
Notice to Escalus and Angelo,
Who do prepare to meet him at the gates,
There to give up their pow'r. 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 gen'ral honour.

Ijab. I'm 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 defite his company
At Mariana's house to-night. 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 combined by a secret vow,
And shall be abfent. 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 Lucior.
Lucio. Good even;
Friar, where's the Provo?
Duke. Not within, Sir.

morrow.

Lucio. Oh, pretty fabella, I am pale at mine heart to see thine eyes fo red; thou must be patient; I am fain to dine and fup 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 to

By my troth, lJubel, I lov'd thy brother ; if the old fantaftical Duke of dark corners had been at home, he had lived.

[Exit Isabella. Duke. Sir, the Duke is marvellous little beholden to your reports ; but the best is, he liv is not in them..

Lucio. Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so well as I do; he's a better woodman, than thou tak’ft 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 elle have marry'd me to the rotten medlar.

Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honeft : 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 bur, I shall itick.

[Exeunt. SCENE changes to the Palace.

Enter Angelo and Escalus.
Efal. E voerer letter, he hath writ, hath disvouch’d

Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. His actions shew much like to madness : pray heav'n, his wisdom be not tainted; and why meet him at the gates, and deliver our authorities there?

Efcah