Well, go, prepare yourfelf. But hark, what noife?

[Knocking within. Heaven give your fpirits comfort-[Exit CLAUDIO.]

By and by :

I hope it is fome pardon, or reprieve,

For the most gentle Claudio.-Welcome, father.

Enter Duke.

Duke. The best and wholesomeft fpirits of the night Envellop you, good Provost! Who call'd here of late? Prov. None, fince the curfew rung?

Duke. Not Ifabel?

Prov. No.

Duke. They will then 2, ere't be long.

Prov. What comfort is for Claudio?

Duke. There's fome in hope.

Prov. It is a bitter deputy.

Duke. Not fo, not fo; his life is parallel'd

Even with the ftroke and line of his great juftice;

He doth with holy abftinence fubdue

That in himself, which he fpurs on his power

To qualify in others were he meal'd's

With that which he corrects, then were he tyrannous;

But this being fo', he's juft.-Now are they come.

[Knocking within. Provoft goes out.

This is a gentle provoit; Seldom, when

The fteeled gaoler is the friend of men.

How now? What noife? That spirit's poffefs'd with haste,

2 They will then,] Perhaps, he will then. Sir J. HAWKINS.

3 Even with the ftroke-] Stroke is here put for the froke of a pen or a line. JOHNSON.

4-To qualify] To temper, to moderate; as we fay, wine is qualified with water. JOHNSON.

5

were be meal'd] Were he fprinkled; were he defiled. A figure of the fame kind our author ufes in Macbeth:

"The blood bolter'd Banquo." JOHNSON.

Mea ed is mingled, compounded; from the French meller.

BLACKSTONI.

6 But this being fo,-] The tenor of the argument feems to require-But this not being fo. Perhaps, however, the author meant only to fay-But, his life being paralleled, &c. he's juft. MALONE.

That

That wounds the unfifting postern 7 with these strokes.
Provost returns, Speaking to one at the door.

Prov. There he muft ftay, until the officer
Arife to let him in; he is call'd up.

Duke. Have you no countermand for Claudio yet, But he muft die to-morrow?

Prov. None, fir, none.

Duke. As near the dawning, Provoft, as it is, You fhall hear more ere morning.

Prov. Happily,

You fomething know; yet, I believe, there comes
No countermand; no fuch example have we:
Befides, upon the very fiege of justice,

Lord Angelo hath to the publick ear

Profefs'd the contrary.

Enter a Meffenger.

Duke. This is his lordship's man 9.

Prov. And here comes Claudio's pardon '.

Mel

7 That wounds the unfifting poftern] Unfifting may fignify "never at reft," always opening. BLACKSTONE.

Mr. Rowe reads-unresisting ; Sir T. Hanmer unrefting. MALONE. 8 -fiege of justice,] i.e. feat of justice. Siege, Fr. STEEVENS.

9 This is bis lordship's man.] The old copy has-his lord's man. Corrected by Mr. Pope. In the Mf. plays of our author's time they often wrote Lo. for Lord, and Lord. for Lordship; and these contractions were fometimes improperly followed in the printed copies. MALONE. Enter a Meffenger.

Duke. This is bis lordship's man.

Prov. And bere comes Claudio's pardon.] The Provost has just declared a fixed opinion that the execution will not be countermanded, and yet, upon the first appearance of the Meflenger, he immediately guefies that his errand is to bring Claudio's pardon. It is evident, I think, that the names of the fpeakers are mifplaced. If we fuppofe the Provost to fay :

This is his lordship's man,

it is very natural for the Duke to fubjoin,

And bere comes Claudio's pardon.

The Duke might believe, upon very reasonable grounds, that Angelo had now fent the pardon. It appears that he did fo, from what he Lays to himself, while the Provoft is reading the letter:

This is bis pardon; purchas'd by fuch fin-.

TYRWHITT.

When,

Meff. My lord hath fent you this note; and by me this further charge, that you fwerve not from the fmalleft 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 Meffenger.

Duke. This is his pardon; purchas'd by such fin, [dfide. 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 fault's love, is the offender friended.-
Now, fir, what news?

Prov. I told you: Lord Angelo, be-like, thinking me remifs in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted putting on methinks, ftrangely; for he hath not used it before.

Duke. Pray you, let's hear.

Prov. [reads.] Whatfoever you may hear 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 head fent me by five. Let this be duly perform'd; with a thought, that more depends on it than we muft yet deliver. Thus fail not to do your office, as you will anfewer it at your peril.

What fay you to this, fir?

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

Prov. A Bohemian born; but here nurfed up and bred: one that is a prifoner nine years old 2.

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:

When, immediately after the Duke had hinted his expectation of a pardon, the Provoft fees the Meflenger, he fuppofes the Duke to have known fomething, and changes his mind. Either reading may ferve equally well. JOHNSON.

2-one that is a prisoner nine years old.]i. e. That has been confined thefe nine years. So, in Hamlet: "Ere we were two days old at fea, a pirate of very warlike preparation, &c." MANE.

And,

And, indeed, his fact, till now in the government of lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof. Duke. Is it now apparent?

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

Duke. Hath he borne himself penitently in prifon? How feems he to be touch'd?

Prov. A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully, but as a drunken fleep; careless, reckless, and fearless of what's past, prefent, or to come; infenfible of mortality, and defperately mortal3.

Duke. He wants advice.

Prov. He will hear none: he hath evermore had the liberty of the prifon; 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 fhew'd him a feeming warrant for it: it hath not moved him at all.

Duke. More of him anon. There is written in your brow, Provoft, honesty and conftancy: if I read it not truly, my ancient skill beguiles me; but in the boldness of my cunning, I will lay myfelf in hazard. Claudio, whom here you have warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo who hath fentenced 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, fir, in what?

Duke. In the delaying death.

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

Duke. By the vow of mine order, I warrant you, if

3-defperately mortal.] This expreffion is obfcure. I am inclined to believe, that defperately mortal means defperately mischievous. Or defperately mortal may mean a man likely to die in a defperate ftate, without reflection or repentance. JOHNSON.

The word is often used by Shakspeare in the fenfe firft affixed to it by Dr. Johnfon, which I believe to be the true one. So, in Orbello : "And you, ye mortal engines," &c. MALONE. VOL. II. G 8

my

my

inftructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardine be this morning executed, and his head borne to Angelo. Prov. Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover the favour.

Duke. O, death's a great disguiser: and you may add to it. Shave the head, and tie the beards; and fay, it was the defire of the penitent to be so bared before his death: You know, the course is common 7. If any thing fall to you upon this, more than thanks and good fortune, by the faint whom I profefs, I will plead against it with my life. Prov. Pardon me, good father; it is againft 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?

Yet fince

Prov. But what likelihood is in that? Duke. Not a resemblance, but a certainty. I fee you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor perfuafion can with eafe attempt you, I will go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you. Look you, fir, here is the hand and seal of the duke: You know the

4

the favour.] See p. 89, n. 5. MALONE.

and tie the beard;] A beard tied would give a very new air to that face, which had never been seen but with the beard loofe, long, and fqualid. JOHNSON.

Mr. Simplon propofed to read-die the beard; and Mr. Steevens has fhewn, that it was the custom to die beards in our author's time. The text being intelligible, I have made no change, though the conjecture appears extremely probable. MALONE.

6 -to be fo bared-] Thefe words relate to what has juft preceded, -have the bead. The modern editions following the fourth folio, read to be fo barb'd; but the old copy is certainly right. So, in All's well that ends well: "I would the cutting of my garments would ferve the turn, or the baring of my beard; and to fay it was in ftratagem." MALONE.

7 You know, the course is common.] P. Mathieu, in his Heroyke Life and Death of Henry the Fourth of France, fays, that Ravilliac, in the midst of his tortures, lifted up his head, and thooke a spark of fire from his beard. "This unprofitable care, he adds, to fave it, being noted, afforded matter to diverfe to praife the cuftome in Germany, Swifferland, and divers other places, to have off, and then to burn all the haire from all parts of the bodies of those who are convicted for any notorious crimes." Grimston's Tranflation, 4to. 1612, p. 181. REED.

character,