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 Abhorfon..

Abhor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

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

Abbor. 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 Дleepy.

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

too..

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 Barnardine.

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

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

Abhor.. 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 fleep the founder all the next day..

Enter Duke.

Abhor. Look you, Sir, here comes your ghoftly fa

ther, do we jest now, think you?

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

Barnar. 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 confent to die this day, that's certain.

Duke. Oh, Sir, you muft; and therefore, I beseech you, look forward on the journey you shall 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 Provoft.

[Exit.

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; And, to tranfport 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 Ragozine, more like to Claudio?

Duke. O, 'tis an accident, that heav'n provides: Difpatch it presently; the hour draws on Prefixt by Angelo: fee, this be done,

And ferd according to command; while I

Perfuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

Prov. This fhall be done, good father, prefently: 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 fhall find

Your fafety manifested.

Prov. I am your free dependant.

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

Now will I write letters to Angelo,

[Exit Prov.

(The Provost, he fhall bear them ;) whofe 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-ballanc'd form,
We fhall proceed with Angelo.

Enter Provost.

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 ears but yours.

Prov. I'll make all speed.

Ifab. [Within.] Peace, hoa, be here!

[Exit.

Duke. The tongue of Isabel.-She comes to know,

If 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 Ifabel.

Ifab. Hoa, by your leave.

Duke. Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.

Ifab. The better, giv'n me by fo holy a man: Hath yet the Deputy fent my brother's pardon?

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

Ifab. Nay, but it is not fo.

Duke. It is no other.

Shew your wifdom, daughter, in your clofeft patience.
Ifab. Oh, I will to him, and pluck out his eyes.
Duke. You shall not be admitted to his fight.
Ifab. Unhappy Claudio, wretched Ifabel!
Injurious world, moft damned Angelo !

Duke. This nor hurts him, nor profits you a jot ::
Forbear it therefore, give your caufe to heav'n:
Mark, what I fay; which you shall furely find
By ev'ry fyllable a faithful verity.

The Duke comes home t -morrow; dry your eyes ;;
One of our convent, and his confeffor,

Gives me this inftance: already he hath carry'd
Notice to Efcalus 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 fhall have your bofom 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 fent me of the Duke's return:
Say, by this token, I defire his company
At Mariana's houfe to-night. Her caule and yours
I'll perfect him withal, and he fhall bring you
Before the Duke; and to the head of Angelo
Accufe him home, and home. For my poor self,
I am combined by a fecret vow,

And fhall be abfent. Wend you with this letter:
Command thefe fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart; truft not my holy order,
If I pervert your courfe. Who's here?

Lucio. Good even;

Enter Lucio..

Friar, where's the Provoft?

Duke. Not within, Sir.

Lucio. Oh, pretty Ifabella, I am pale at mine heart to fee 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 fet me to't. But, they fay, the Duke will be here tomorrow. By my troth, Ifabel, I lov'd thy brother: if the old fantaftical Duke of dark corners had been at home, he had lived. [Exit Ifabella. Duke. Sir, the Duke is marvellous little beholden to your reports; but the beft is, he lives not in them..

Lucio. Friar, thou knoweft not the Duke fo well as I do; he's a better woodman, than thou tak'ft him for. Duke. Well; you'll anfwer 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 fuch a thing?

-Lucio. Yes, marry, did I; but I was fain to forfwear it; they would elfe have marry'd me to the rotten medlar.

Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honeft: reft 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 fhall flick.

Efcal.

SCENE changes to the Palace.

Efcal. E

Enter Angelo and Escalus.

[Exeunt.

Very letter, he hath writ, hath difvouch'd other.

His

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