hastily you are to depart, I am come to advise you, comfort you, and pray with you.

Barn. 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 consent to die this day, that's certain.

Duke. O, sir, you must: and therefore, I beseech you, look forward on the journey you shall go.

Barn. I swear, I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion.

Duke. But hear you,

Barn. Not a word:-if you have any thing to say to me, come to my ward; for thence will not I to-day.

[Exeunt BARNARDINE, ABHORSON, and POMPEY'

Enter PROVOST.

Duke. Unfit to live, or die!

Prov. Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner? Duke. A creature unprepar'd, unmeet for death; And, to transport him in the mind he is,

Were damnable.

Prov. Here in the prison, father,

There died this morning, of a cruel fever,
One Ragozine, a most notorious pirate,

A man of Claudio's years; his beard, and head,
Just of his colour: What, if we do omit
This reprobate, till he were well inclin'd;
And satisfy the deputy with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?

Duke. O, 'tis an accident that Heaven provides!

Despatch it presently; the hour draws on
Prefix'd by Angelo: See, this be done,
And sent according to command.

Prov. This shall be done, good father, presently.But Barnardine must die this afternoon :

And how shall we continue Claudio,

To save me from the danger that might come,
If he were known alive?

Duke. Let this be done:-Put them in secret holds,

Both Barnardine and Claudio: E'er twice
The sun hath made his journal greeting to
The under generation, you shall find
Your safety manifested.

Prov. I am your free dependent.
Duke. Quick, despatch,

And send the head to Angelo.-
Now will I letters write to Angelo,
Whose contents

[Exit PROVOST.

Shall witness to him, I am near at home;
And that, by great injunctions, I am bound
To enter publicly: him I'll desire

To meet me at the consecrated fount

A league below the city; and from thence,
By cold gradation and well balanc'd form,
We shall proceed with Angelo.

Enter PROVOST, with a Bag.

Prov. Here is the head :—I'll carry it myself.
Duke. Make a swift return;

For I would commune with you of such things,

That want no ear but yours.

Prov. I'll make all speed.

Isa. [Without.] Peace, ho, be here!

[Exit PROVOST.

Duke. The tongue of Isabel :-She's come to

know,

If yet her brother's pardon be come hither:
But I will keep her ignorant of her good,
To make her heavenly comforts of despair,
When it is least expected.

Enter ISABELLA.

Good morning to you, fair and gracious daughter.
Isa. The better, given me by so holy a man.-
Hath yet the deputy sent my brother's pardon?
Duke. He hath releas'd him, Isabel, from the
world;

His head is off, and sent to Angelo.

Isa. Nay, but it is not so.

Duke. It is no other.

Show your wisdom, daughter, in your close patience. Isa. Unhappy Claudio! Wretched Isabel! Injurious world! Most damned Angelo!

Duke. This nor hurts him, nor profits you a jot: Forbear it therefore; give your cause to Heaven.-Mark what I say; which you shall find, By every syllable, a faithful verity:

The Duke comes home to-morrow ;-nay, dry your

eyes;―

One of our convent, and his confessor,

Gives me this instance: Already he hath carry'd
Notice to Escalus and Angelo;

Who do prepare to meet him at the gates,

There to give up their power. If you can, pace your

wisdom

In that good path, that I would wish it go,

And you shall have
your bosom on this wretch,
Grace of the Duke, revenges to your heart,
And general honour.

Isa. I am directed by you.

Duke. This letter then to Friar Peter give; "Tis that, he sent me of the Duke's return: Say, by this token, I desire his company

At Mariana's house to-night. Her cause, and yours,
I'll perfect him withal; and he shall bring you
Before the Duke; and to the head of Angelo
Accuse him home, and home :-For my poor self,
I am combined by a sacred vow,

And shall be absent.-Wend you with this letter:-
Command these fretting waters from your eyes
With a light heart; trust not my holy order,
If I pervert your course.-Who's here?

Lucio. Good even!

Enter LUCIO.

Friar, where is the Provost?

Duke. Not within, sir.

[Exit ISABELLA.

Lucio. O, pretty Isabella, I am pale at mine heart, to see thine eyes so red:-If the old fantastical Duke of dark corners had been at home, thy brother had lived.

Duke. Sir, the Duke is marvellous little beholden to your reports: but the best is, he lives not in them. Lucio. Friar, thou know'st not the Duke so well as I do he's a better woodman, than thou takest him for.

Duke. Well, you'll answer this one day. Fare ye well.

Lucio. Nay, tarry; I'll go along with thee; I can tell thee pretty tales of the Duke.

Duke. You have told me too many of him already, sir, if they be true; if not true, none were enough. Lucio. I was once before him for getting a wench with child.

Duke. Did you such a thing?

Lucio. Yes, marry, did I: but I was fain to forswear it; they would else have married me to her. Duke. Sir, your company is fairer than honest: Rest you well.

Lucio. By my troth, I'll go with thee to the lane's end-Nay, friar, I am a kind of burr, I shall stick. [Exeunt the DUKE and LUCIO.

SCENE II.

ANGELO'S House.

Enter ESCALUS and ANGELO, with letters. Esca. Every letter he hath writ hath disvouched other.

Ang. In most uneven and distracted manner. His actions show much like to madness-'Pray Heaven, his wisdom be not tainted!-And why meet him at the gates, and deliver our authorities there?

Esca. I guess not.

Ang. And why should we proclaim it in an hour before his entering, that, if any crave redress of injustice, they should exhibit their petitions in the street?

Esca. He shows his reason for that: to have a despatch of complaints; and to deliver us from devices hereafter, which shall then have no power to stand against us.

Ang. Well, I beseech you, let it be proclaim'd:I'll call you at your house:

Give notice to such men of sort and suit,

As are to meet him.

Esca. I shall, sir: fare you well. [Exit ESCALUS.
Ang. This deed unshapes me quite, makes me un-
pregnant,

And dull to all proceedings. A deflower'd maid
And by an eminent body, that enforc'd

The law against it!-But that her tender shame
Will not proclaim against her maiden loss,
How might she tongue me?—

He should have liv'd,

Save that his riotous youth, with dangerous sense,
Might, in the times to come, have ta'en revenge,
By so receiving a dishonour'd life,