eft article of it, neither in time, matter, or other circumftance. Good morrow; for as I take it, it is almost day.

Prov. I fhall obey him.

[Exit Messenger.

Duke. This is his pardon, purchas'd by fuch fin,

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 fo extended,
That, for the faults love, is th' offender friended.
Now, Sir, what news ?

[Afide.

Prov. I told you: lord Angelo, be-like, thinking me remifs in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted putting on; methinks, strangely; for he hath not us'd it before.

Duke. Pray you, let's hear.

Provost reads the letter.

What foever you may bear to the contrary, let Claudio be executed by four of the clock, and in the afternoon Barnardine for my better fatisfaction, let me have Claudio's beat fent me by five. Let this be duly perform'd, with a thought that more depends on it than we must yet deliver. Thus fail not to do your office, as you will anfuer it at your peril.

What fay you to this,

Sir?

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

Prov. A Bohemian born; but here nurft up and bred; one that is a prifoner nine years

old.

Duke. How came it that the abfent Duke had not either deliver'd him to his liberty, or executed him? I have heard, it was ever his manner to do fo.

Prov. His friends ftill wrought reprieves for him; and, indeed, his fact, 'till now in the government of lord Angelo, came not to an undoubted proof.

Duke. Is it now apparent

?

Prov. Moft manifeft, and not deny'd by himself.

Duke. Hath he born himself penitent in prifon? how

feems he to be touch'd?

Prov. A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully, but as a drunken fleep; carelefs, recklefs, and fearless of what's pafl, prefent, or to come; infenfible of mortality, and defperately mortal. (7)

Duke. He wants advice.

Prov. He will hear none; he hath evermore had the liberty of the prifon give him leave to efcape hence, he would not drunk many times a day, if not many days entirely drunk. We have very often awak'd him, as if to carry him to execution, and shew'd him a seeming warrant for it; it hath not mov'd him at all.

Duke. More of him anon. There is written in your brow, Provoft, honefty and conftancy; if I read it not truly, my ancient fkil beguiles me; but in the boldness of my cunning, I will lay myself in hazard. Claudio, whom here you have a warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo, who hath fentenc'd him. To make you understand this in a manifested effect, I crave but four days refpite

for the which you are to do me both a prefent and a dangerous courtesy.

Prov. Pray, Sir, in what?

Duke. In the delaying death.

Prov. Alack! how may I do it, having the hour limited, and an exprefs command, under penalty, to deliver his head in the view of Angelo ? 1 may make my cafe as Claudio's, to cross this in the smallest.

if

Duke. By the vow of mine Order, I warrant you, my inftructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardine be this morning executed, and his head borne to Angelo.

Prov. Angelo hath feen them both, and will discover the favour.

Duke. Oh, death's a great difguifer, and you may

(7) desperately mortal.] This expreffion is obfcure. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads mortally defperate. Mortally is in low converfation ufed in this fenfe, but I know not whether it was ever written. I am inclined to believe that desperately mortal means desperately mifchievous.

add

add to it. Shave the head, and tie* the beard, and say it was the defire of the penitent to be fo barb'd before his death; you know the courfe is common. If any thing fall to you upon this, more than thanks and good fortune; by the Saint whom I profefs, I will plead against it with my life.

Prov. Pardon me, good father it is against my

oath.

;

Duke. Were you fworn to the Duke, or to the deputy?

Prov. To him, and to his substitutes.

Duke. You will think you have made no offence, if the Duke avouch the juftice of your dealing?

Prov. But what likelihood is in that?

Duke. Not a refemblance, but a certainty. Yet fince I fee you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor my perfuafion, 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 feal of the Duke you know the character; I doubt not; and the fignet is not ftrange to you.

Prov. I know them both.

;

Duke. The contents of this is the return of the Duke; you shall anon over-read it at your pleasure; where you fhall find, within these two days he will be here. This is a thing, which Angelo knows not, for he this very day receives letters of ftrange tenor; perchance, of the Duke's death; perchance, of his entering into fome monaftery; but, by chance, nothing of what is writ. (8) Look, the unfolding ftar calls up the fhepherd; put not yourself into amazement how thefe things fhould be; all difficulties are but easy, when they are known. Call your executioner, and off with Barnardine's head: 1 will give him a prefent thrift, and advise him for a better place. Yet you are amaz'd, but this fhall abfolutely refolve you. Come away, it is almost clear dawn. [Exeunt.

*Tie the beard,] The Rev fal recommends Mr. Simpson's emendation, dig the beard; the prefent reading may well ftand.

(8) Nothing of what is writ.] We should read bere writ

the Duke pointing to the letter in his hand.

WARBURTON.

SCENE

Clown. I am as well acquainted here, as I was in our house of profeffion; one would think, it were miftrefs Over-done's own houfe; for here be many of her old customers. First, here's young Mr. Rafb; (9) he's in for a commodity of brown pepper and old ginger, ninefcore and feventeen 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 Mr. Caper, at the suit of master Three-Pile the mercer; for fome four suits of peach-colour'd fattin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizzy, and young Mr. Deep-vow, and Mr. Copper-fpur, and mafter Starve-lackey the rapier and dagger-man, and young Drop-beir that kill'd lufty Pudding, and Mr. Forthright the tilter, and brave Mr. Shooty the great traveller, and wild Half-canne that stabb'd Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in our trade, and are now in for the Lord's fake. (1)

Enter Abhorfon.

Abbor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

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

(9) Firft bere's young Mr. Rash, &c.] This enumeration of the inhabitants of the prifon affords a very flriking view of the practices predominant in Shakespeare's age. Befides those whofe follies are common to all times, we have four fighting men and a traveller. It is not unlikely that the originals of thefe pictures were then known.

(1) in for the Lord's fake.] i. e. to beg for the rest of their lives. WARBURTON.

I rather think this expreffion intended to ridicule the puritans, whofe turbulency and indecency often brought them to prison, and who confidered themselves as fuffering for religion.

It is not unlikely that men imprisoned for other crimes, might reprefent themselves to cafual enquirers, as fuffering for puritanism, and that this might be the common cant of the prifons. In Donne's time every prifoner was brought to jail by furetyfhip.

Abbor.

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 ana fleepy.

Abbor. Tell him, he muft awake, and that quickly

too.

Clown. Pray, mafter Barnardine, awake 'till you are executed, and fleep afterwards.

Abbor. 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, Sirrah?
Clown. Very ready, Sir.

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

Abbor. 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 deep the founder all next day.

Enter Duke.

Abbor. Look you, Sir, here comes your ghostly father; do we jest now, think you?

Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing how haftily you are to depart, I am come to advise 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 befeech you, look forward on the journey you fhall go.

Barnar. I fwear, I will not die to-day for any man's perfuafion.

Duke.