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 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.

SCENE III.

Another Room in the same.

Enter Clown..

Clo. I am as well acquainted here, as I was in our house of profession: one would think, it were mistress Overdone's own house, for here be many of her old customers. First, here's young master Rash; he's in for a commodity of brown papera and old ginger, ninescore and seventeen pounds; of which he made five marks, ready money; marry, then, ginger was much in request, for the old women were all dead. Then is there here one master Caper, at the suit of master Three-pile the mercer, for some four suits of peach-colour'd satin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizy, and young master Deep-vow, and master Copper-spur, and master Stavelackey, the rapier and dagger man, and young Drop-heir that killed Lusty-pudding, and master Fortright the tilter, and brave master Shoe-tie the great traveller, and wild Half-can that stabbed Pots, and I think, forty more; all great doers of our trade, and are now for the Lord's sake."

Enter ABHORSON.

Abhor. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

Rash;] The names here are appropriate,—rash was a fine silken stuff formerly worn in coats.

a

brown paper—] In Green's Defence of Coney-catching 1592,—“ if he borrow a hundred pounds, he shall have forty in silver and threescore in lute-strings, hobby-horses brown paper, or cloth.”—STEEVENS.

wares,

b

for the Lord's sake.] i. e. To beg for the rest of their lives. It appears from a poem entitled Paper's Complaint, that this was the language in which prisoners confined for debt addressed passengers.-MALONE.

Clo. Master Barnardine! you must rise and be hang'd master Barnardine!

Abhor. What, ho, Barnardine!

Barnar. [within.] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that noise there? What are you?

Clo. Your friend, sir; the hangman; You must be so good, sir, to rise and be put to death.

Barnar. [within.] Away, you rogue, away; I am sleepy. Abhor. Tell him, he must awake, and that quickly too. Clo. Pray, master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and sleep afterwards.

Abhor. Go in to him, and fetch him out.

Clo. He is coming, sir, he is coming; I hear his straw rustle.

Enter BARNARDINE.

Abhor. Is the axe upon the block, sirrah?
Clo. Very ready, sir.

Barnar. How, now, Abhorson? what's the news with you?

Abhor. Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayers; for, look you, the warrant's come.

Barnar. You rogue, I have been drinking all night, I am not fitted for't.

Clo. O, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hang'd betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day.

Enter Duke.

Abhor. Look you, sir, here comes your ghostly father Do we jest now, think you?

r;

Duke. Sir, induced by my charity, and hearing how hastily you are to depart, I am come to advise you, comfort you, and pray with you.

Barnar. 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.

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

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

Enter Provost.

Duke. Unfit to live, or die: O, gravel heart!— After him fellows; bring him to the block.

[Exit.

[Exeunt ABHORSON and Clown. 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
Prefixed by Angelo: See, this be done,
And sent according to command; whiles I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die.

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: Ere twice

The sun hath made his journal greeting to

The under generation,d you shall find

Your safety manifested.