occupation a Prov. Call hither Barnardine and Claudio : Enter CLAUDIO. is a mistery; f my occupa. Occupation à be in hangagine. our thief. f, your true ig for your Look, here's the warrant, Claudio, for thy death :: 150 Prov. Who can do good on him? Well, go, prepare yourself. [Exit. CLAUD.) “But, 6 hark, what noise ?" [Knock within. Heaven give your spirits comfort !_" By and by ;--" I hope it is some pardon, or reprieve, “ For the most gentle Claudio.-"Welcome, father, o every true 131 Enter Duke. Duke. The best and wholesomest spirits of the night 360 Duke.. 139 hope, it rn, you indness, (Exito Prop. Duke. Not so, not $0; his life is parallel'd nous ; [Knock. Provost goes out. haste, strokes. Provost returns, speaking to one at the Door." Prov. There must he stay, until the officer Arise to let him in; he is call'd up. Duke. Have you no countermand for Claudio yet, But le must die to-morrow? 81 Prov. None, sir, none. Duke. As near the dawning, provost, as it is, Prov. Happily, 190 Ener 1 ke. Not so, not so; his life is paralleld with the stroke and line of his great justice ; ith with holy abstinence subdue in himself, which he spurs on his power 170 alify in others : were he meal'd that, which he corrects, then were he tyran nous; is being so, he's just.-Now are they come.- [Knock. Prevost goes out. a gentle provost; Seldom, when eled gaoler is the friend of men.w? what noise ? that spirit's possess'd with haste, ounds the unresisting postern with these strokes. Enter a Messenger. Mess. 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. Prov. I shall obey him. [Exit Messenger. Duke. “ This is his pardon ; purchas'd by such sin, [Aside. “For which the pardoner himself is in : : 200 “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 loves is the offender friended...!! Now, sir, what news? Prov. I told you : Lord Angelo, be-like, thinking me remiss in my office, awakens me with this unwonted putting on: methinks, strangely; for he hath not us'd it before. Duke. Pray you, lets'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 perform’d; with a thought that more depends on it than we must yet. Hiij deliver. 220 deliver. Thus fail not to do your office, as you will answer it at your peril. What say you to this, sir? Duke. What is that Barnardine, who is to be executed in the afternoon ? , Prov. A Bohemian born; but here nurs?d up and bred : one that is a prisoner nine years old. Duke. How came it, that the absent duke had not either deliver'd him to his liberty, or executed him? .I have heard, it was ever his manner to do so. p. Prov. His friends still wrought reprieves for him : And, indeed, his fact, till now in the government of Duke. Is it now apparent ? Duke. Hath he borne himself penitently in prison? how seems he to be touch'd ? 232 Prov. A man that apprebends death, no more dreadfully, but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and fearless of what's past, present, or to come; 117sensible of mortality, and desperately mortal. Duke. He wants advice. Prov. He will hear none: '"he hath evermore had * the liberty of the prison; give him leave to escape s hence he would not : drunk many times a day, if 1,6% not many days entirely drunk.” We have very often awak'd him, as if to carry him to execution, “alid 165 shew'd him a seeming warrant for it; it hath not noved him at all. Duke. More of him anon. There is written in your brost, 990 er. Thus fail not to do your office, as you will ar- in the afternoon? old. le. How came it, that the absent duke had not deliver’d him to his liberty, or executed bim? heard, it was ever his manner to do so. His friends still wrought reprieves for hin: ndeed, his fact, till now in the government of gelo, came not to an undoubtful proof. Is it now apparent? Most manifest, and not deny'd by himself, Hath he borne himself penitently in prison? as he to be touch'd ? A man that apprebends death, no more 1, but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, ss of what's past, present, or to come ; iff mortality, and desperately mortal, le wants advice. p will hear none: "be hath evermore llad ty of the prison; give him leave to escape would not : drunk many tines a day, it days entirely drunk.” We have very often , as if to carry him to execution, “and in a seeming warrant for it;? it hath not at all. re of him anon. There is written in your brots 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 laave a warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo who hath sentenc'd him: To inake 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 254 Prov. Pray sir, in what? Duke. In the delaying death, Praw. Alạck! how may I do it? having the honr limited; and an express command, under-penalty, to deliver his head in the view of Angelo ? I may make iny case as Claudio's, to cross this in the smallest. Duke. 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 11473117) Prov. Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover the favour, Duke. Oh, death's a great disguisers and you may add to it. Shave the head, and tie the beard : "1, and say, it was the desire of the penitent to be so barb?d" before his death ? you.know the course is common. If cany.thing fall to, you upon this, more than thanks and good forțane, by, the saint whom I profess, I will plead against it with my life. leta silti ; 273 Prov. Pardon ine, good father it is against my cath Duke, 264 |