Act IV
Enter Mariana, and Boy singing.
Song.
Take, O take those lips away,
That so sweetly were forsworn,
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn.
But my kisses bring again, bring again, 5
Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain.
Enter Duke as a Friar.
MARIANA, to Boy
Break off thy song and haste thee quick away.
Here comes a man of comfort, whose advice
Hath often stilled my brawling discontent.
Boy exits.
I cry you mercy, sir, and well could wish 10
You had not found me here so musical.
Let me excuse me, and believe me so,
My mirth it much displeased, but pleased my woe.
DUKE, as Friar
’Tis good, though music oft hath such a charm
To make bad good and good provoke to harm. 15
I pray you tell me, hath anybody inquired for me
here today? Much upon this time have I promised
here to meet.
MARIANA You have not been inquired after. I have sat
here all day. 20
Enter Isabella.
DUKE, as Friar I do constantly believe you. The time is
come even now. I shall crave your forbearance a
little. Maybe I will call upon you anon for some
advantage to yourself.
MARIANA I am always bound to you. She exits. 25
DUKE, as Friar Very well met, and welcome.
What is the news from this good deputy?
ISABELLA
He hath a garden circummured with brick,
Whose western side is with a vineyard backed;
And to that vineyard is a planchèd gate 30
That makes his opening with this bigger key.
This other doth command a little door
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads.
There have I made my promise, upon the
Heavy middle of the night, to call upon him. 35
DUKE, as Friar
But shall you on your knowledge find this way?
ISABELLA
I have ta’en a due and wary note upon ’t.
With whispering and most guilty diligence,
In action all of precept, he did show me
The way twice o’er. 40
DUKE, as Friar Are there no other tokens
Between you ’greed concerning her observance?
ISABELLA
No, none, but only a repair i’ th’ dark,
And that I have possessed him my most stay
Can be but brief, for I have made him know 45
I have a servant comes with me along
That stays upon me, whose persuasion is
I come about my brother.
DUKE, as Friar ’Tis well borne up.
I have not yet made known to Mariana 50
A word of this.—What ho, within; come forth.
Enter Mariana.
To Mariana. I pray you be acquainted with this
maid.
She comes to do you good.
ISABELLA I do desire the like. 55
DUKE, as Friar, to Mariana
Do you persuade yourself that I respect you?
MARIANA
Good friar, I know you do, and have found it.
DUKE, as Friar
Take then this your companion by the hand,
Who hath a story ready for your ear.
I shall attend your leisure. But make haste. 60
The vaporous night approaches.
MARIANA, to Isabella Will ’t please you walk aside?
Isabella and Mariana exit.
DUKE
O place and greatness, millions of false eyes
Are stuck upon thee; volumes of report
Run with these false, and, most contrarious, quest 65
Upon thy doings; thousand escapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dream
And rack thee in their fancies.
Enter Mariana and Isabella.
DUKE, as Friar Welcome. How agreed?
ISABELLA
She’ll take the enterprise upon her, father, 70
If you advise it.
DUKE, as Friar It is not my consent
But my entreaty too.
ISABELLA, to Mariana Little have you to say
When you depart from him, but, soft and low, 75
“Remember now my brother.”
MARIANA Fear me not.
DUKE, as Friar
Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all.
He is your husband on a precontract.
To bring you thus together ’tis no sin, 80
Sith that the justice of your title to him
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go.
Our corn’s to reap, for yet our tithe’s to sow.
They exit.
Scene 2
Enter Provost, Pompey, and Officer.
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. 5
PROVOST Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield
me a direct answer. Tomorrow 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 10
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 15
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? 20
Enter Abhorson.
ABHORSON Do you call, sir?
PROVOST Sirrah, here’s a fellow will help you tomorrow
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 25
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 30
turn the scale. He exits.
POMPEY Pray, sir, by your good favor—for surely, sir, a
good favor you have, but that you have a hanging
look—do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?
ABHORSON Ay, sir, a mystery. 35
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. 40
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 45
thinks it little enough. So every true man’s apparel
fits your thief.
Enter Provost.
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 50
doth oftener ask forgiveness.
PROVOST, to Abhorson You, sirrah, provide your block
and your axe tomorrow, four o’clock.
ABHORSON, to Pompey Come on, bawd. I will instruct
thee in my trade. Follow. 55
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. Pompey and Abhorson exit.
PROVOST, to Officer
Call hither Barnardine and Claudio. 60
Officer exits.
Th’ one has my pity; not a jot the other,
Being a murderer, though he were my brother.
Enter Claudio, with Officer.
Look, here’s the warrant, Claudio, for thy death.
’Tis now dead midnight, and by eight tomorrow
Thou must be made immortal. Where’s Barnardine? 65
CLAUDIO
As fast locked up in sleep as guiltless labor
When it lies starkly in the traveler’s bones.
He will not wake.
PROVOST Who can do good on him?
Well, go, prepare yourself. Knock within. But hark, 70
what noise?—
Heaven give your spirits comfort. Claudio exits,
with Officer. Knock within. By and by!—
I hope it is some pardon or reprieve
For the most gentle Claudio. 75
Enter Duke, as a Friar.
Welcome, father.
DUKE, as Friar
The best and wholesom’st spirits of the night
Envelop you, good provost. Who called here of late?
PROVOST
None since the curfew rung.
DUKE, as Friar Not Isabel? 80
PROVOST No.
DUKE, as Friar They will, then, ere ’t be long.
PROVOST What comfort is for Claudio?
DUKE, as Friar
There’s some in hope.
PROVOST It is a bitter deputy. 85
DUKE, as Friar
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 90
Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous,
But this being so, he’s just. Knock within. Now are
they come. Provost exits.
This is a gentle provost. Seldom when
The steelèd jailer is the friend of men. 95
Enter Provost. Knocking continues.
How now, what noise? That spirit’s possessed with
haste
That wounds th’ unsisting postern with these strokes.
PROVOST
There he must stay until the officer
Arise to let him in. He is called up. 100
DUKE, as Friar
Have you no countermand for Claudio yet,
But he must die tomorrow?
PROVOST None, sir, none.
DUKE, as Friar
As near the dawning, provost, as it is,
You shall hear more ere morning. 105
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 110
Professed the contrary.
Enter a Messenger.
This is his Lordship’s man.
DUKE, as Friar And here comes Claudio’s pardon.
MESSENGER, giving Provost a paper My lord hath sent
you this note, and by me this further charge: that 115
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. Provost reads message.
Messenger exits.
DUKE, aside
This is his pardon, purchased by such sin 120
For which the pardoner himself is in.
Hence hath offense 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 th’ offender friended. 125
As Friar. 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. 130
DUKE, as Friar Pray you let’s hear.
PROVOST, reads the letter.
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 135
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?
DUKE, as Friar What is that Barnardine who is to be 140
executed in th’ afternoon?
PROVOST A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and
bred; one that is a prisoner nine years old.
DUKE, as Friar How came it that the absent duke had
not either delivered him to his liberty, or executed 145
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.
DUKE, as Friar It is now apparent? 150
PROVOST Most manifest, and not denied by himself.
DUKE, as Friar 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 155
fearless of what’s past, present, or to come; insensible
of mortality and desperately mortal.
DUKE, as Friar He wants advice.
PROVOST He will hear none. He hath evermore had the
liberty of the prison; give him leave to escape 160
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. 165
DUKE, as Friar 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 170
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. 175
PROVOST Pray, sir, in what?
DUKE, as Friar 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 180
make my case as Claudio’s, to cross this in the
smallest.
DUKE, as Friar 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 185
borne to Angelo.
PROVOST Angelo hath seen them both and will discover
the favor.
DUKE, as Friar O, death’s a great disguiser, and you
may add to it. Shave the head and tie the beard, and 190
say it was the desire of the penitent to be so bared
before his death. You know the course is common.
If anything 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. 195
PROVOST Pardon me, good father, it is against my oath.
DUKE, as Friar Were you sworn to the Duke or to the
Deputy?
PROVOST To him and to his substitutes.
DUKE, as Friar You will think you have made no 200
offense if the Duke avouch the justice of your
dealing?
PROVOST But what likelihood is in that?
DUKE, as Friar Not a resemblance, but a certainty; yet
since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, 205
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. He shows the Provost a paper. You know the
character, I doubt not, and the signet is not strange 210
to you.
PROVOST I know them both.
DUKE, as Friar 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 215
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, th’ unfolding star calls up the 220
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 225
amazed, but this shall absolutely resolve you.
He gives the Provost the paper.
Come away; it is almost clear dawn.
They exit.
Scene 3
Enter Pompey.
POMPEY I am as well acquainted here as I was in our
house of profession. One would think it were Mistress
Overdone’s own house, for here be many of
her old customers. First, here’s young Master Rash.
He’s in for a commodity of brown paper and old 5
ginger, ninescore and seventeen pounds, of which
he made five marks ready money. Marry, then
ginger was not much in request, for the old women
were all dead. Then is there here one Master Caper,
at the suit of Master Three-pile the mercer, for some 10
four suits of peach-colored satin, which now
peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young
Dizzy and young Master Deep-vow, and Master
Copper-spur and Master Starve-lackey the rapier-and-dagger
man, and young Drop-heir that killed 15
lusty Pudding, and Master Forth-light the tilter, and
brave Master Shoe-tie the great traveler, and wild
Half-can that stabbed Pots, and I think forty more,
all great doers in our trade, and are now “for the
Lord’s sake.” 20
Enter Abhorson.
ABHORSON Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.
POMPEY, calling Master Barnardine, you must rise
and be hanged, Master Barnardine.
ABHORSON, calling What ho, Barnardine!
BARNARDINE, within A pox o’ your throats! Who makes 25
that noise there? What are you?
POMPEY, calling to Barnardine offstage Your friends,
sir, the hangman. You must be so good, sir, to rise
and be put to death.
BARNARDINE, within Away, you rogue, away! I am 30
sleepy.
ABHORSON, to Pompey Tell him he must awake, and
that quickly too.
POMPEY, calling Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till
you are executed, and sleep afterwards. 35
ABHORSON Go in to him, and fetch him out.
POMPEY He is coming, sir, he is coming. I hear his
straw rustle.
ABHORSON Is the axe upon the block, sirrah?
POMPEY Very ready, sir. 40
Enter Barnardine.
BARNARDINE How now, Abhorson? What’s the news
with you?
ABHORSON Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into
your prayers, for, look you, the warrant’s come.
BARNARDINE You rogue, I have been drinking all night. 45
I am not fitted for ’t.
POMPEY O, the better, sir, for he that drinks all night
and is hanged betimes in the morning may sleep the
sounder all the next day.
Enter Duke, as a Friar.
ABHORSON, to Barnardine Look you, sir, here comes 50
your ghostly father. Do we jest now, think you?
DUKE, as Friar, to Barnardine Sir, induced by my
charity, and hearing how hastily you are to depart, I
am come to advise you, comfort you, and pray with
you. 55
BARNARDINE 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
consent to die this day, that’s certain.
DUKE, as Friar O, sir, you must. And therefore I 60
beseech you look forward on the journey you shall
go.
BARNARDINE I swear I will not die today for any man’s
persuasion.
DUKE, as Friar But hear you— 65
BARNARDINE Not a word. If you have anything to say to
me, come to my ward, for thence will not I today.
He exits.
DUKE, as Friar
Unfit to live or die. O gravel heart!
After him, fellows; bring him to the block.
Abhorson and Pompey exit.
Enter Provost.
PROVOST
Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner? 70
DUKE, as Friar
A creature unprepared, unmeet for death,
And to transport him in the mind he is
Were damnable.
PROVOST Here in the prison, father,
There died this morning of a cruel fever 75
One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate,
A man of Claudio’s years, his beard and head
Just of his color. What if we do omit
This reprobate till he were well inclined,
And satisfy the Deputy with the visage 80
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
DUKE, as Friar
O, ’tis an accident that heaven provides!
Dispatch it presently. The hour draws on
Prefixed by Angelo. See this be done
And sent according to command, whiles I 85
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.
PROVOST
This shall be done, good father, presently.
But Barnardine must die this afternoon,
And how shall we continue Claudio,
To save me from the danger that might come 90
If he were known alive?
DUKE, as Friar Let this be done:
Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and
Claudio.
Ere twice the sun hath made his journal greeting 95
To yonder generation, you shall find
Your safety manifested.
PROVOST I am your free dependent.
DUKE, as Friar
Quick, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo.
Provost exits.
DUKE
Now will I write letters to Angelo— 100
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 publicly. Him I’ll desire
To meet me at the consecrated fount 105
A league below the city; and from thence,
By cold gradation and well-balanced form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.
Enter Provost, carrying a head.
PROVOST
Here is the head. I’ll carry it myself.
DUKE, as Friar
Convenient is it. Make a swift return, 110
For I would commune with you of such things
That want no ear but yours.
PROVOST I’ll make all speed.
He exits.
ISABELLA, within Peace, ho, be here.
DUKE
The tongue of Isabel. She’s come to know 115
If yet her brother’s pardon be come hither.
But I will keep her ignorant of her good
To make her heavenly comforts of despair
When it is least expected.
Enter Isabella.
ISABELLA Ho, by your leave. 120
DUKE, as Friar
Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
ISABELLA
The better, given me by so holy a man.
Hath yet the Deputy sent my brother’s pardon?
DUKE, as Friar
He hath released him, Isabel, from the world.
His head is off, and sent to Angelo. 125
ISABELLA
Nay, but it is not so.
DUKE, as Friar It is no other.
Show your wisdom, daughter, in your close patience.
ISABELLA
O, I will to him and pluck out his eyes!
DUKE, as Friar
You shall not be admitted to his sight. 130
ISABELLA
Unhappy Claudio, wretched Isabel,
Injurious world, most damnèd Angelo!
DUKE, as Friar
This nor hurts him nor profits you a jot.
Forbear it, therefore; give your cause to heaven.
Mark what I say, which you shall find 135
By every syllable a faithful verity.
The Duke comes home tomorrow—nay, dry your
eyes.
One of our convent, and his confessor,
Gives me this instance. Already he hath carried 140
Notice to Escalus and Angelo,
Who do prepare to meet him at the gates,
There to give up their power. If you can, pace your
wisdom
In that good path that I would wish it go, 145
And you shall have your bosom on this wretch,
Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart,
And general honor.
ISABELLA I am directed by you.
DUKE, as Friar, showing her a paper
This letter, then, to Friar Peter give. 150
’Tis that he sent me of the Duke’s return.
Say, by this token, I desire his company
At Mariana’s house tonight. Her cause and yours
I’ll perfect him withal, and he shall bring you
Before the Duke, and to the head of Angelo 155
Accuse him home and home. For my poor self,
I am combinèd by a sacred vow
And shall be absent. Wend you with this letter.
He hands her the paper.
Command these fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart. Trust not my holy order 160
If I pervert your course.—Who’s here?
Enter Lucio.
LUCIO Good even, friar, where’s the Provost?
DUKE, as Friar Not within, sir.
LUCIO O, pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart to see
thine eyes so red. Thou must be patient. I am fain to 165
dine and sup 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 tomorrow. By
my troth, Isabel, I loved thy brother. If the old
fantastical duke of dark corners had been at home, 170
he had lived. Isabella exits.
DUKE, as Friar Sir, the Duke is marvelous little beholding
to your reports, but the best is, he lives not
in them.
LUCIO Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so well as I do. 175
He’s a better woodman than thou tak’st him for.
DUKE, as Friar Well, you’ll answer this one day. Fare
you well.
LUCIO Nay, tarry, I’ll go along with thee. I can tell thee
pretty tales of the Duke. 180
DUKE, as Friar 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. 185
DUKE, as Friar Did you such a thing?
LUCIO Yes, marry, did I, but I was fain to forswear it.
They would else have married me to the rotten
medlar.
DUKE, as Friar Sir, your company is fairer than honest. 190
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 burr. I shall stick.
They exit.
Scene 4
Enter Angelo and Escalus.
ESCALUS Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched
other.
ANGELO In most uneven and distracted manner. His
actions show much like to madness. Pray heaven his
wisdom be not tainted. And why meet him at the 5
gates and deliver our authorities there?
ESCALUS I guess not.
ANGELO And why should we proclaim it in an hour
before his entering, that if any crave redress of
injustice, they should exhibit their petitions in the 10
street?
ESCALUS He shows his reason for that: to have a dispatch
of complaints, and to deliver us from devices
hereafter, which shall then have no power to stand
against us. 15
ANGELO Well, I beseech you let it be proclaimed.
Betimes i’ th’ morn, I’ll call you at your house. Give
notice to such men of sort and suit as are to meet
him.
ESCALUS I shall, sir. Fare you well. 20
ANGELO Good night. Escalus exits.
This deed unshapes me quite, makes me unpregnant
And dull to all proceedings. A deflowered maid,
And by an eminent body that enforced
The law against it. But that her tender shame 25
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
How might she tongue me! Yet reason dares her no,
For my authority bears of a credent bulk
That no particular scandal once can touch
But it confounds the breather. He should have lived, 30
Save that his riotous youth with dangerous sense
Might in the times to come have ta’en revenge
By so receiving a dishonored life
With ransom of such shame. Would yet he had lived.
Alack, when once our grace we have forgot, 35
Nothing goes right. We would, and we would not.
He exits.
Scene 5
Enter Duke and Friar Peter.
DUKE, giving the Friar papers.
These letters at fit time deliver me.
The Provost knows our purpose and our plot.
The matter being afoot, keep your instruction
And hold you ever to our special drift,
Though sometimes you do blench from this to that 5
As cause doth minister. Go call at Flavius’ house
And tell him where I stay. Give the like notice
To Valencius, Rowland, and to Crassus,
And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate.
But send me Flavius first. 10
FRIAR PETER It shall be speeded well. He exits.
Enter Varrius.
DUKE
I thank thee, Varrius. Thou hast made good haste.
Come, we will walk. There’s other of our friends
Will greet us here anon. My gentle Varrius.
They exit.
Scene 6
Enter Isabella and Mariana.
ISABELLA
To speak so indirectly I am loath.
I would say the truth, but to accuse him so
That is your part; yet I am advised to do it,
He says, to veil full purpose.
MARIANA Be ruled by him. 5
ISABELLA
Besides, he tells me that, if peradventure
He speak against me on the adverse side,
I should not think it strange, for ’tis a physic
That’s bitter to sweet end.
MARIANA
I would Friar Peter— 10
Enter Friar Peter.
ISABELLA O peace, the Friar is come.
FRIAR PETER
Come, I have found you out a stand most fit,
Where you may have such vantage on the Duke
He shall not pass you. Twice have the trumpets
sounded. 15
The generous and gravest citizens
Have hent the gates, and very near upon
The Duke is entering. Therefore hence, away.
They exit.