Act IV, Scene 2

A room in the prison.

[Enter Provost and POMPEY]

• 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 1890
  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 1895
  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 1900
  would be glad to receive some instruction from my
  fellow partner.

• Provost. What, ho! Abhorson! Where's Abhorson, there?

[Enter ABHORSON]

• Abhorson. Do you call, sir? 1905

• 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. 1910

• 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.

[Exit]

• Pompey. Pray, sir, by your good favour,—for surely, sir, a 1915
  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, 1920
  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? 1925

• 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. 1930

[Re-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 doth
  oftener ask forgiveness. 1935

• 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 1940
  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, 1945
  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? 1950

• Claudio. As fast lock'd 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. 1955
  [Knocking within]
  But, hark, what noise?
  Heaven give your spirits comfort!
  [Exit CLAUDIO]
  By and by. 1960
  I hope it is some pardon or reprieve
  For the most gentle Claudio.
  [Enter DUKE VINCENTIO disguised as before]
  Welcome father.

• Vincentio. The best and wholesomest spirts of the night 1965
  Envelope you, good Provost! Who call'd here of late?

• Provost. None, since the curfew rung.

• Vincentio. Not Isabel?

• Provost. No.

• Vincentio. They will, then, ere't be long. 1970

• 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 parallel'd
  Even with the stroke and line of his great justice: 1975
  He doth with holy abstinence subdue
  That in himself which he spurs on his power
  To qualify in others: were he meal'd with that
  Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous;
  But this being so, he's just. 1980
  [Knocking within]
  Now are they come.
  [Exit Provost]
  This is a gentle provost: seldom when
  The steeled gaoler is the friend of men. 1985
  [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 1990
  Arise to let him in: he is call'd 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, 1995
  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 2000
  Lord Angelo hath to the public ear
  Profess'd the contrary.
  [Enter a Messenger]
  This is his lordship's man.

• Vincentio. And here comes Claudio's pardon. 2005

• Messenger. [Giving a paper]
  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, 2010
  it is almost day.

• Provost. I shall obey him.

[Exit Messenger]

• Vincentio. [Aside] This is his pardon, purchased by such sin
  For which the pardoner himself is in. 2015
  Hence hath offence his quick celerity,
  When it is born 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? 2020

• 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. [Reads] 2025
  '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 2030
  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? 2035

• Provost. A Bohemian born, but here nursed un 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. 2040

• 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. 2045

• Vincentio. Hath he born 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 2050
  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 2055
  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 2060
  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 2065
  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. 2070

• Provost. A lack, 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 2075
  instructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardine
  be this morning executed, and his head born 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 2080
  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. 2085

• 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? 2090

• 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. 2095
  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 2100
  shall anon over-read 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 2105
  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 2110
  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.

[Exeunt]