SCENE VIII.

Duke. Peace be with you!

He who the fword of heav'n will bear,
Should be as holy as fevere:
Pattern in himself to know,
Grace to ftand, and virtue go:
More nor less to others paying,
Than by felf-offences weighing.
Shame to him, whofe cruel ftriking
Kills for faults of his own liking!
Twice treble fhame on Angelo,
To weed my vice, and let his grow!
Oh, what may man within him hide,
Tho' angel on the outward fide!
How may that likeness fhading crimes,
Making practise on the times,
Draw with idle spiders ftrings
Moft pond'rous and fubftantial things!
Craft against vice I must apply.
With Angelo to-night shall lye
His old betrothed, but defpis'd;
So difguife fhall by th' difguis'd
Pay with falfhood falfe exacting,
And perform an old contracting.

A Grange. Enter Mariana, and boy finging.

SON G.

AKE, ob take thofe lips away,

That so sweetly were for sworn ;

And thofe eyes, the break of day,

Lights that do mif-lead the morn;

But my kifes bring again,

Seals of love, but feal'd in vain.
Enter Duke.

[Exit.

Mari. Break off thy fong, and hafte thee quick away: Here comes a man of comfort, whofe advice Hath often ftill'd my brawling difcontent. I cry you mercy, Sir, and well could wish

You had not found me here fo mufical:

VOL. II.

E

Let

Let me excufe me, and believe me so, ̈

My mirth it much difpleas'd, but pleas'd my woe.
Duke. 'Tis good; tho' mufick oft hath fuch a charm
To make bad good, and good provoke to harm.

I pray you,
tell me,
hath any body enquir'd for me here
to-day? much upon this time have I promis'd here to

meet one.

Mari. You have not been enquir'd after: I have sat here all day.

Enter Ifabel.

Duke. I do conftantly believe you: the time is come, even now. I fhall crave your forbearance a little; may be I will call upon you anon for fome advantage to your self. Mari. I am always bound to you.

Duke. Very well met, and well come :
What is the news from this good Deputy?

Ifab. He hath a garden circummur'd with brick,
Whose western fide is with a vineyard backt:
And to that vineyard is a planched gate,
That makes his opening with this bigger key:
This other doth command a little door,
Which from the vineyard to the garden leads;
There, on the heavy middle of the night,
Have I my promife made to call upon him.

[Exit.

Duke. But fhall you on your knowledge find this way? Ifab. I've ta'en a due and wary note upon't; With whifp'ring and moft guilty diligence,

In action all of precept he did fhow me

The way twice o'er.

Duke. Are there no other tokens

Between you 'greed, concerning her obfervance ?
Ifab. No; none but only a repair i'th' dark;
And that I have poffeft him, my most stay
Can be but brief; for I have made him know,
I have a fervant comes with me along,
That stays upon me, whose perfuafion is
I come about my brother.

Duke. 'Tis well born up.

I have not yet made known to Mariana

A word of this. What hoa! within! come forth!
SCENE III. Enter Mariana.

I pray you, be acquainted with this maid;

She comes to do you good.

Ifab. I do defire the like.

Duke. Do you perfwade your self that I respect you?
Mari. Good Friar, I know you do, and I have found it.
Duke. Take then this your companion by the hand,
Who hath a story ready for your ear:

I fhall attend your leifure; but make haste ;
The vaporous night approaches.

Mari. Will't please you walk afide? [Ex. Mari, and Ifab
Duke. Oh place and greatnefs! millions of falfe eyes

Are ftuck upon thee: volumes of report

Run with their falfe and moft contrarious quefts

Upon thy doings: thousand 'fcapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dreams,

And rack thee in their fancies!Well! agreed?
SCENE IV. Re-enter Mariana, and Ifabel,
Tab. She'll take the enterprize upon her, father,
If you advise it.

Duke. 'Tis not my confent,

But my intreaty too.

Ifab. Little have you to say

When you depart from him, but foft and low,

"Remember now my brother.

Mari. Fear me not.

Duke. Nor, gentle daughter, fear you not at all:
He is your husband on a pre-contract;

To bring you thus together, 'tis no fin,
Sith that the juftice of your title to him
Doth flourish the deceit. Come, let us go;
Our corn's to reap, for yet our tilth's to fow.
SCENE V. The Prison.

Enter Provoft and Clown.

[Exeunt.

Pro. Come hither, firrah: can you cut off a man's head? Clown. If the man be a batchelor, Sir, I can: but if he be a marry'd man, he is his wife's head, and I can never cut off a woman's head.

Prov. Come, Sir, leave me your fnatches, and yield me

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a direct

a direct answer. To-morrow morning are to die Claudio and Barnardine: here is in our prifon a common executioner, who in his office lacks a helper; if you, will take it on you to affift him, it fhall redeem you from your gyves : if not, you fhall have your full time of imprisonment, and your deliverance with an unpitied whipping; for you have been a notorious bawd.

Clown. Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd, time out of mind, but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman: I would be glad to receive fome inftruction from my fellowpartner.

Prov. What hoa, Abborfon! where's Abborson there?
Enter Abhorfon.
Abbor. Do you call, Sir?

Prov. 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, ufe him for the prefent, and difmifs him. He cannot plead his estimation with you; he hath been a bawd.

Abbar. A bawd, Sir? fie upon him, he will difcredit our mystery.

Prov. Go to, Sir; you weigh equally, a feather will turn the fcale. [Exit. Clown. Pray, Sir, by your good favour; (for furely, Sir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look ;) do you call, Sir, your occupation a mystery?

Abbor. Ay, Sir, a mystery.

Clown. Painting, Sir, I have heard fay, is a mystery; and your whores, Sir, being members of my occupation, ufing painting, do prove my occupation a mystery: but what mystery there fhould be in hanging, if I fhould be hang'd, I cannot imagine.

Abbor. *

Clown.

* *

Sir, it is a mystery.

The Text here is plainly maimed and deficient, the words by which Abborjon fhould prove the Hangman's trade a mystery are loft. But from what follows the argument may be conjectured to have been this, that every man's apparel fitted the Hangman: to which we may fuppofe the Clown replied, that for the fame reafon the fame thing might be laid of the Thief's trade.---Yes, Sir, It is a my.ery, &c. and this connects the reft that follows. Abbor,

Abbor. Proof.

Clown. 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 fo every true man's apparel fits your thief.

:

Re-enter Provost.

Prov. Are you agreed?

Clown. Sir, I will ferve him : for I do find your hangman is a more penitent trade than your bawd; he doth oftner ask forgiveness.

Prov. You, firrah, provide your block and your ax tofour a-clock.

morrow,

Abbor. Come on, bawd, I will inftruct thee in my trade; follow.

Clown. I do defire to learn, Sir; and I hope, if you have occafion to use me for your own turn, you shall find me yare : for truly, Sir, for your kindness I owe you a good turn. [Exit. Prov. Call hither Barnardine and Claudio:

One has my pity; not a jot the other,
Being a murth'rer, tho' he were my brother.
SCENE VI. 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 ?
Claud. As faft lock'd up in fleep, as guiltless labour
When it lyes ftarkly in the traveller's bones :

He'll not awake.

Prov. Who can do good on him?

1

Well, go, prepare your felf. [Ex. Claud.] But hark, what noife?

[Knock witbin.

Heav'n give your fpirits comfort!---by and by,--

I hope it is fome pardon, or reprieve

For the most gentle Claudio. Welcome, father.
Enter Duke,

Duke. The beft and wholfom'ft fpirits of the night
Invellop you, good Provoft! who call'd here of late?
Prov. None fince the curphew rung.

Duke. Not Ifabel ?

Prov. No.

Duke. They will then,

ere't be long,

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