Measure For Measure (1623 First Folio Edition)

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Measure For Measure (1623 First Folio Edition)
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Scene iii

2076: Scena Tertia.
2077: [ Enter Clowne.]

2078:
Clo.
I am as well acquainted heere, as I was in our
2079: house of profession: one would thinke it were Mistris
2080: Ouer-dons owne house, for heere be manie of her olde
2081: Customers. First, here's yong Mr Rash, hee's in for a
2082: commoditie of browne paper, and olde Ginger, nine
2083: score and seuenteene pounds, of which hee made fiue
2084: Markes readie money: marrie then, Ginger was not
2085: much in request, for the olde Women were all dead.
2086: Then is there heere one Mr Caper, at the suite of Master
2087: Three-Pile the Mercer, for some foure suites of Peach-colour'd
2088: Satten, which now peaches him a beggar.
2089: Then haue we heere, yong Dizie, and yong Mr Deepe-vow,
2090: and Mr Copperspurre, and Mr Starue-Lackey the Ra-pier
2091: and dagger man, and yong Drop-heire that kild lu-stie
2092: Pudding, and Mr Forthlight the Tilter, and braue Mr
2093: Shootie the great Traueller, and wilde Halfe-Canne that
2094: stabb'd Pots, and I thinke fortie more, all great doers in
2095: our Trade, and are now for the Lords sake.
2096: [ Enter Abhorson.]

2097:
Abh.
Sirrah, bring Barnardine hether.
2098:
Clo.
Mr Barnardine, you must rise and be hang'd,
2099: Mr Barnardine.
2100:
Abh.
What hoa Barnardine.
2101: [ Barnardine within.]

2102:
Bar.
A pox o'your throats: who makes that noyse
2103: there? What are you?
2104:
Clo.
Your friends Sir, the Hangman:
2105: You must be so good Sir to rise, and be put to death.
2106:
Bar.
Away you Rogue, away, I am sleepie.
2107:
Abh.
Tell him he must awake,
2108: And that quickly too.
2109:
Clo.
Pray Master Barnardine, awake till you are ex-ecuted,
2110: and sleepe afterwards.
2111:
Ab.
Go in to him, and fetch him out.
2112:
Clo.
He is comming Sir, he is comming: I heare his
2113: Straw russle.
2114: [ Enter Barnardine.]

2115:
Abh.
Is the Axe vpon the blocke, sirrah?
2116:
Clo.
Verie readie Sir.
2117:
Bar.
How now Abhorson?
2118: What's the newes with you?
2119:
Abh.
Truly Sir, I would desire you to clap into your
2120: prayers: for looke you, the Warrants come.
2121:
Bar.
You Rogue, I haue bin drinking all night,
2122: I am not fitted for't.
2123:
Clo.
Oh, the better Sir: for he that drinkes all night,
2124: and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleepe the
2125: sounder all the next day.
2126: [ Enter Duke.]

2127:
Abh.
Looke you Sir, heere comes your ghostly Fa-ther:
2128: do we iest now thinke you?
2129:
Duke.
Sir, induced by my charitie, and hearing how
2130: hastily you are to depart, I am come to aduise you,
2131: Comfort you, and pray with you.
2132:
Bar.
Friar, not I: I haue bin drinking hard all night,
2133: and I will haue more time to prepare mee, or they shall
2134: beat out my braines with billets: I will not consent to
2135: die this day, that's certaine.
2136:
Duke.
Oh sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you
2137: Looke forward on the iournie you shall go.
2138:
Bar.
I sweare I will not die to day for anie mans per-swasion.
2139: _
2140:
Duke.
But heare you:
2141:
Bar.
Not a word: if you haue anie thing to say to me,
2142: come to my Ward: for thence will not I to day.
2143: [ Exit]

2144: [ Enter Prouost.]

2145:
Duke.
Vnfit to liue, or die: oh grauell heart.
2146: After him (Fellowes) bring him to the blocke.
2147:
Pro.
Now Sir, how do you finde the prisoner?
2148:
Duke.
A creature vnpre-par'd, vnmeet for death,
2149: And to transport him in the minde he is,
2150: Were damnable.
2151:
Pro.
Heere in the prison, Father,
2152: There died this morning of a cruell Feauor,
2153: One Ragozine, a most notorious Pirate,
2154: A man of Claudio's yeares: his beard, and head
2155: Iust of his colour. What if we do omit
2156: This Reprobate, til he were wel enclin'd,
2157: And satisfie the Deputie with the visage
2158: Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
2159:
Duke.
Oh, 'tis an accident that heauen prouides:
2160: Dispatch it presently, the houre drawes on
2161: Prefixt by Angelo: See this be done,
2162: And sent according to command, whiles I
2163: Perswade this rude wretch willingly to die.
2164:
Pro.
This shall be done (good Father) presently:
2165: But Barnardine must die this afternoone,
2166: And how shall we continue Claudio,
2167: To saue me from the danger that might come,
2168: If he were knowne aliue?
2169:
Duke.
Let this be done,
2170: Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio,
2171: Ere twice the Sun hath made his iournall greeting
2172: To yond generation, you shal finde
2173: Your safetie manifested.
2174:
Pro
I am your free dependant. [ Exit.]

2175:
Duke.
Quicke, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo
2176: Now wil I write Letters to Angelo,
2177: (The Prouost he shal beare them) whose contents
2178: Shal witnesse to him I am neere at home:
2179: And that by great Iniunctions I am bound
2180: To enter publikely: him Ile desire
2181: To meet me at the consecrated Fount,
2182: A League below the Citie: and from thence,
2183: By cold gradation, and weale-ballanc'd forme.
2184: We shal proceed with Angelo.
2185: [ Enter Prouost.]

2186:
Pro.
Heere is the head, Ile carrie it my selfe.
2187:
Duke.
Conuenient is it: Make a swift returne,
2188: For I would commune with you of such things,
2189: That want no eare but yours.
2190:
Pro
Ile make all speede. [ Exit]

2191: [ Isabell within.]

2192:
Isa.
Peace hoa, be heere.
2193:
Duke.
The tongue of Isabell. She's come to know,
2194: If yet her brothers pardon be come hither:
2195: But I will keepe her ignorant of her good,
2196: To make her heauenly comforts of dispaire,
2197: When it is least expected.
2198: [ Enter Isabella.]

2199:
Isa.
Hoa, by your leaue.
2200:
Duke.
Good morning to you, faire, and gracious
2201: daughter.
2202:
Isa.
The better giuen me by so holy a man,
2203: Hath yet the Deputie sent my brothers pardon?
2204:
Duke.
He hath releasd him, Isabell, from the world,
2205: His head is off, and sent to Angelo.
2206:
Isa.
Nay, but it is not so.
2207:
Duke.
It is no other,
2208: Shew your wisedome daughter in your close patience.
2209:
Isa.
Oh, I wil to him, and plucke out his eies.
2210:
Duk.
You shal not be admitted to his sight.
2211:
Isa.
Vnhappie Claudio, wretched Isabell,
2212: Iniurious world, most damned Angelo.
2213:
Duke.
This nor hurts him, nor profits you a iot,
2214: Forbeare it therefore, giue your cause to heauen.
2215: Marke what I say, which you shal finde
2216: By euery sillable a faithful veritie.
2217: The Duke comes home to morrow: nay drie your eyes,
2218: One of our Couent, and his Confessor
2219: Giues me this instance: Already he hath carried
2220: Notice to Escalus and Angelo,
2221: Who do prepare to meete him at the gates,
2222: There to giue vp their powre: If you can pace your wis-dome,
2223: In that good path that I would wish it go,
2224: And you shal haue your bosome on this wretch,
2225: Grace of the Duke, reuenges to your heart,
2226: And general Honor.
2227:
Isa.
I am directed by you.
2228:
Duk.
This Letter then to Friar Peter giue,
2229: 'Tis that he sent me of the Dukes returne:
2230: Say, by this token, I desire his companie
2231: At Mariana's house to night. Her cause, and yours
2232: Ile perfect him withall, and he shal bring you
2233: Before the Duke; and to the head of Angelo
2234: Accuse him home and home. For my poore selfe,
2235: I am combined by a sacred Vow,
2236: And shall be absent. Wend you with this Letter:
2237: Command these fretting waters from your eies
2238: With a light heart; trust not my holie Order
2239: If I peruert your course: whose heere?
2240: [ Enter Lucio.]

2241:
Luc.
Good' euen;
2242: Frier, where's the Prouost?
2243:
Duke.
Not within Sir.
2244:
Luc.
Oh prettie Isabella, I am pale at mine heart, to
2245: see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient; I am faine
2246: to dine and sup with water and bran: I dare not for my
2247: head fill my belly. One fruitful Meale would set mee
2248: too't: but they say the Duke will be heere to Morrow.
2249: By my troth Isabell I lou'd thy brother, if the olde fan-tastical
2250: Duke of darke corners had bene at home, he had
2251: liued.
2252:
Duke.
Sir, the Duke is marueilous little beholding
2253: to your reports, but the best is, he liues not in them.
2254:
Luc.
Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so wel as I
2255: do: he's a better woodman then thou tak'st him for.
2256:
Duke.
Well: you'l answer this one day. Fare ye well.
2257:
Luc.
Nay tarrie, Ile go along with thee,
2258: I can tel thee pretty tales of the Duke.
2259:
Duke.
You haue told me too many of him already sir
2260: if they be true: if not true, none were enough.
2261:
Lucio.
I was once before him for getting a Wench
2262: with childe.
2263:
Duke.
Did you such a thing?
2264:
Luc.
Yes marrie did I; but I was faine to forswear it,
2265: They would else haue married me to the rotten Medler.
2266:
Duke.
Sir your company is fairer then honest, rest you
2267: well.
2268:
Lucio.
By my troth Ile go with thee to the lanes end:
2269: if baudy talke offend you, wee'l haue very litle of it: nay
2270: Friar, I am a kind of Burre, I shal sticke. [ Exeunt]