Provost

Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?

Pompey

If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can; but if he be a married man, he's his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head.

Provost

Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine. Here 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 redeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have been a notorious bawd.

Pompey

Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of mind; but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow partner.

Provost

What, ho! Abhorson! Where's Abhorson, there?

Abhorson

Do you call, sir?

Provost

Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow in your execution. If you think it meet, compound with him by the year, and let him abide here with you; if not, use him for the present and dismiss him. He cannot plead his estimation with you; he hath been a bawd.

Abhorson

A bawd, sir? fie upon him! he will discredit our mystery.

Provost

Go to, sir; you weigh equally; a feather will turn the scale.

Pompey

Pray, sir, by your good favour, — for surely, sir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look, — do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?

Abhorson

Ay, sir; a mystery.

Pompey

Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery; and your whores, sir, being members of my occupation, using painting, do prove my occupation a mystery: but what mystery there should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine.

Abhorson

Sir, it is a mystery.

Pompey

Proof?

Abhorson

Every true man's apparel fits your thief: if it be too little for your thief, your true man thinks it big enough; if it be too big for your thief, your thief thinks it little enough: so every true man's apparel fits your thief.

Provost

Are you agreed?

Pompey

Sir, I will serve him; for I do find your hangman is a more penitent trade than your bawd; he doth oftener ask forgiveness.

Provost

You, sirrah, provide your block and your axe to-morrow four o'clock.

Abhorson

Come on, bawd; I will instruct thee in my trade; follow.

Pompey

I do desire to learn, sir: and I hope, if you have occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find me yare; for truly, sir, for your kindness I owe you a good turn.

Provost

Call hither Barnardine and Claudio: Exeunt Pompey and Abhorson.

The one has my pity; not a jot the other,

Being a murderer, though he were my brother. Enter CLAUDIO.

Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death:

'Tis now dead midnight, and by eight to-morrow

Thou must be made immortal. Where's Barnardine?

Claudio

As fast locked up in sleep as guiltless labour

When it lies starkly in the traveller's bones:

He will not wake.

Provost

Who can do good on him?

Well, go, prepare yourself. Knocking within.

But, hark, what noise?

Heaven give your spirits comfort! Exit Claudio.

By and by.

I hope it is some pardon or reprieve

For the most gentle Claudio. Enter DUKE disguised as before. Welcome, father.

Vincentio

The best and wholesomest spirits of the night

Envelope you, good Provost! Who called here of late?

Provost

None, since the curfew rung.

Vincentio

Not Isabel?

Provost

No.

Vincentio

They will, then, ere't be long.

Provost

What comfort is for Claudio?

Vincentio

There's some in hope.

Provost

It is a bitter deputy.

Vincentio

Not so, not so; his life is paralleled

Even with the stroke and line of his great justice:

He doth with holy abstinence subdue

That in himself which he spurs on his power

To qualify in others: were he mealed with that

Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous;

But this being so, he's just. Knocking within. Now are they come. Exit Provost.

This is a gentle provost: seldom when

The steeled gaoler is the friend of men. Knocking within.

How now! what noise? That spirit's possessed with haste

That wounds the unsisting postern with these strokes. Re-enter PROVOST.

Provost

There he must stay until the officer

Arise to let him in: he is called up.

Vincentio

Have you no countermand for Claudio yet,

But he must die to-morrow?

Provost

None, sir, none.

Vincentio

As near the dawning, provost as it is,

You shall hear more ere morning.

Provost

Happily

You something know; yet I believe there comes

No countermand; no such example have we:

Besides, upon the very siege of justice

Lord Angelo hath to the public ear

Professed the contrary. Enter a MESSENGER. This is his lordship's man.

Vincentio

And here comes Claudio's pardon.

Mes.

My lord hath sent you this note; and by me this further charge, that you swerve 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.

Provost

I shall obey him.

Vincentio

Aside.

This is his pardon, purchased by such sin

For which the pardoner himself is in.

Hence hath offence his quick celerity,

When it is borne in high authority:

When vice makes mercy, mercy's so extended,

That for the fault's love is the offender friended.

Now, sir, what news?

Provost

I told you. Lord Angelo, belike thinking me remiss in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted putting-on; methinks strangely, for he hath not used it before.

Vincentio

Pray you, let's hear.

Provost

“Whatsoever you may hear to the contrary, let Claudio be executed by four of the clock; and in the afternoon Barnardine: for my better satisfaction, let me have Claudio's head sent me by five. Let this be duly performed; with a thought that more depends on it than we must yet deliver. Thus fail not to do your office, as you will answer it at your peril.” What say you to this, sir?

Vincentio

What is that Barnardine who is to be executed in the afternoon?

Provost

A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and bred; one that is a prisoner nine years old.

Vincentio

How came it that the absent duke had not either delivered him to his liberty or executed him? I have heard it was ever his manner to do so.

Provost

His friends still wrought reprieves for him: and, indeed, his fact, till now in the government of Lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof.

Vincentio

It is now apparent?

Provost

Most manifest, and not denied by himself.

Vincentio

Hath he borne himself penitently in prison? how seems he to be touched?

Provost

A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearless of what's past, present, or to come; insensible of mortality, and desperately mortal.

Vincentio

He wants advice.

Provost

He will hear none: he hath evermore had the liberty of the prison; give him leave to escape hence, he would not: drunk many times a day, if not many days entirely drunk. We have very oft awaked him, as if to carry him to execution, and showed him a seeming warrant for it: it hath not moved him at all.

Vincentio

More of him anon. There is written in your brow, provost, honesty and constancy: if I read it not truly, my ancient skill beguiles me; but, in the boldness of my cunning, I will lay myself in hazard. Claudio, whom here you have warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo who hath sentenced him. To make you understand this in a manifested effect, I crave but four days' respite; for the which you are to do me both a present and a dangerous courtesy.

Provost

Pray, sir, in what?

Vincentio

In the delaying death.

Provost

Alack, how may I do it, having the hour limited, and an express command, under penalty, to deliver his head in the view of Angelo? I may make my case as Claudio's, to cross this in the smallest.

Vincentio

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.

Provost

Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover the favour.

Vincentio

O, death's a great disguiser; and you may add to it. Shave the head, and tie the beard; and say it was the desire of the penitent to be so bared before his death: you know the course is common. If any thing fall to you upon this more than thanks and good fortune, by the saint whom I profess, I will plead against it with my life.

Provost

Pardon me, good father; it is against my oath.

Vincentio

Were you sworn to the duke, or to the deputy?

Provost

To him, and to his substitutes.

Vincentio

You will think you have made no offence, if the duke avouch the justice of your dealing?

Provost

But what likelihood is in that?

Vincentio

Not a resemblance, but a certainty. Yet since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor persuasion 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 seal of the duke: you know the character, I doubt not; and the signet is not strange to you.

Provost

I know them both.

Vincentio

The contents of this is the return of the duke: you shall anon overread it at your pleasure; where you shall find, within these two days he will be here. This is a thing that Angelo knows not; for he this very day receives letters of strange tenor; perchance of the duke's death; perchance entering into some monastery; but, by chance, nothing of what is writ. Look, the unfolding star calls up the shepherd. Put not yourself into amazement how these things should be: all difficulties are but easy when they are known. Call your executioner, and off with Barnardine's head: I will give him a present shrift and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amazed; but this shall absolutely resolve you. Come away; it is almost clear dawn.