Enter Provost, Pompey, and Officer. PROVOST
Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man’s
head? POMPEY
If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can; but if he be
a married man, he’s his wife’s head, and I can never
cut off a woman’s head. 5 PROVOST Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield
me a direct answer. Tomorrow morning are to die
Claudio and Barnardine. Here is in our prison a
common executioner, who in his office lacks a
helper. If you will take it on you to assist him, it 10
shall redeem you from your gyves; if not, you shall
have your full time of imprisonment and your
deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have
been a notorious bawd. POMPEY Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of 15
mind, but yet I will be content to be a lawful
hangman. I would be glad to receive some instruction
from my fellow partner. PROVOST
What ho, Abhorson!—Where’s Abhorson
there? 20 Enter Abhorson. ABHORSON
Do you call, sir? PROVOST
Sirrah, here’s a fellow will help you tomorrow
in your execution. If you think it meet, compound
with him by the year and let him abide here
with you; if not, use him for the present and dismiss 25
him. He cannot plead his estimation with you; he
hath been a bawd. ABHORSON
A bawd, sir? Fie upon him! He will discredit
our mystery. PROVOST
Go to, sir; you weigh equally. A feather will 30
turn the scale. He exits. | At the prison, the Provost makes Pompey an offer he can't refuse. If Pompey agrees to be his assistant executioner, his prison sentence will be reduced and he'll get to go home. Pompey cracks a dirty joke about chopping off a man's head and cutting off a woman's "maidenhead" (virginity) and then agrees to the deal. Pompey points out how strange it is that it's illegal for him to be a bawd, but it's completely legal for him to be an executioner. Abhorson (the head executioner) enters and declares that Pompey's status as a pimp will bring shame to professional executioners everywhere. The Provost tells him to get over himself. Being a pimp and being a killer are pretty much equal on the sin scale. |
POMPEY Pray, sir, by your good favor—for surely, sir, a
good favor you have, but that you have a hanging
look—do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery? ABHORSON
Ay, sir, a mystery. 35 POMPEY
Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery;
and your whores, sir, being members of my occupation,
using painting, do prove my occupation a
mystery; but what mystery there should be in hanging,
if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine. 40 ABHORSON
Sir, it is a mystery. POMPEY
Proof? ABHORSON
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 45
thinks it little enough. So every true man’s apparel
fits your thief. Enter Provost. PROVOST
Are you agreed? POMPEY
Sir, I will serve him, for I do find your hangman
is a more penitent trade than your bawd. He 50
doth oftener ask forgiveness. PROVOST, to Abhorson
You, sirrah, provide your block
and your axe tomorrow, four o’clock. ABHORSON, to Pompey
Come on, bawd. I will instruct
thee in my trade. Follow. 55 POMPEY
I do desire to learn, sir; and I hope, if you have
occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find
me yare. For truly, sir, for your kindness, I owe
you a good turn. Pompey and Abhorson exit. PROVOST, to Officer
Call hither Barnardine and Claudio. 60 Officer exits. Th’ one has my pity; not a jot the other,
Being a murderer, though he were my brother. Enter Claudio, with Officer. Look, here’s the warrant, Claudio, for thy death.
’Tis now dead midnight, and by eight tomorrow
Thou must be made immortal. Where’s Barnardine? 65 CLAUDIO
As fast locked up in sleep as guiltless labor
When it lies starkly in the traveler’s bones.
He will not wake. PROVOST
Who can do good on him?
Well, go, prepare yourself. Knock within. But hark, 70
what noise?—
Heaven give your spirits comfort. Claudio exits,
with Officer. Knock within. By and by!—
I hope it is some pardon or reprieve
For the most gentle Claudio. 75 Enter Duke, as a Friar. Welcome, father. DUKE, as Friar
The best and wholesom’st spirits of the night
Envelop you, good provost. Who called here of late? PROVOST
None since the curfew rung. DUKE, as Friar
Not Isabel? 80 PROVOST
No. DUKE, as Friar
They will, then, ere ’t be long. PROVOST
What comfort is for Claudio? DUKE, as Friar
There’s some in hope. PROVOST
It is a bitter deputy. 85 DUKE, as Friar
Not so, not so. His life is paralleled
Even with the stroke and line of his great justice.
He doth with holy abstinence subdue
That in himself which he spurs on his power
To qualify in others. Were he mealed with that 90
Which he corrects, then were he tyrannous,
But this being so, he’s just. Knock within. Now are
they come. Provost exits. This is a gentle provost. Seldom when
The steelèd jailer is the friend of men. 95 Enter Provost. Knocking continues. How now, what noise? That spirit’s possessed with
haste
That wounds th’ unsisting postern with these strokes. PROVOST
There he must stay until the officer
Arise to let him in. He is called up. 100 DUKE, as Friar
Have you no countermand for Claudio yet,
But he must die tomorrow? PROVOST
None, sir, none. | Pompey and Abhorson argue about whether or not pimps and hangmen can be considered professions that require specialized skills. Pompey and Abhorson run off to train Pompey for his new job. The Duke (still pretending to be a friar) shows up at the prison and asks the Provost if Angelo still intends to have Claudio executed the next day. He does. |
DUKE, as Friar
As near the dawning, provost, as it is,
You shall hear more ere morning. 105 PROVOST Happily
You something know, yet I believe there comes
No countermand. No such example have we.
Besides, upon the very siege of justice
Lord Angelo hath to the public ear 110
Professed the contrary. Enter a Messenger. This is his Lordship’s man. DUKE, as Friar
And here comes Claudio’s pardon. MESSENGER, giving Provost a paper
My lord hath sent
you this note, and by me this further charge: that 115
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. PROVOST
I shall obey him. Provost reads message. Messenger exits. DUKE, aside
This is his pardon, purchased by such sin 120
For which the pardoner himself is in.
Hence hath offense his quick celerity
When it is borne in high authority.
When vice makes mercy, mercy’s so extended
That for the fault’s love is th’ offender friended. 125
As Friar. Now, sir, what news? PROVOST
I told you: Lord Angelo, belike thinking me
remiss in mine office, awakens me with this unwonted
putting-on, methinks strangely; for he hath
not used it before. 130 DUKE, as Friar
Pray you let’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 135
performed with a thought that more depends on it
than we must yet deliver. Thus fail not to do your
office, as you will answer it at your peril."
What say you to this, sir? DUKE, as Friar
What is that Barnardine who is to be 140
executed in th’ afternoon? PROVOST
A Bohemian born, but here nursed up and
bred; one that is a prisoner nine years old. DUKE, as Friar
How came it that the absent duke had
not either delivered him to his liberty, or executed 145
him? I have heard it was ever his manner to do so. PROVOST
His friends still wrought reprieves for him;
and indeed his fact, till now in the government of
Lord Angelo, came not to an undoubtful proof. DUKE, as Friar
It is now apparent? 150 PROVOST
Most manifest, and not denied by himself. DUKE, as Friar
Hath he borne himself penitently in
prison? How seems he to be touched? PROVOST
A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully
but as a drunken sleep; careless, reckless, and 155
fearless of what’s past, present, or to come; insensible
of mortality and desperately mortal. DUKE, as Friar
He wants advice. PROVOST He will hear none. He hath evermore had the
liberty of the prison; give him leave to escape 160
hence, he would not. Drunk many times a day, if not
many days entirely drunk. We have very oft awaked
him, as if to carry him to execution, and showed
him a seeming warrant for it. It hath not moved him
at all. 165 DUKE, as Friar
More of him anon. There is written in
your 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 have warrant to execute, is 170
no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo, who hath
sentenced him. To make 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. 175 PROVOST Pray, sir, in what? DUKE, as Friar
In the delaying death. PROVOST
Alack, how may I do it, having the hour
limited, and an express command, under penalty,
to deliver his head in the view of Angelo? I may 180
make my case as Claudio’s, to cross this in the
smallest. DUKE, as Friar
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 185
borne to Angelo. PROVOST
Angelo hath seen them both and will discover
the favor. DUKE, as Friar
O, death’s a great disguiser, and you
may add to it. Shave the head and tie the beard, and 190
say it was the desire of the penitent to be so bared
before his death. You know the course is common.
If anything fall to you upon this, more than thanks
and good fortune, by the saint whom I profess, I
will plead against it with my life. 195 PROVOST
Pardon me, good father, it is against my oath. DUKE, as Friar
Were you sworn to the Duke or to the
Deputy? PROVOST
To him and to his substitutes. DUKE, as Friar
You will think you have made no 200
offense if the Duke avouch the justice of your
dealing? PROVOST
But what likelihood is in that? DUKE, as Friar Not a resemblance, but a certainty; yet
since I see you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, 205
nor persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will
go further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of
you. Look you, sir, here is the hand and seal of the
Duke. He shows the Provost a paper. You know the
character, I doubt not, and the signet is not strange 210
to you. PROVOST
I know them both. DUKE, as Friar
The contents of this is the return of the
Duke; you shall anon overread it at your pleasure,
where you shall find within these two days he will 215
be here. This is a thing that Angelo knows not, for
he this very day receives letters of strange tenor,
perchance of the Duke’s death, perchance entering
into some monastery, but by chance nothing of
what is writ. Look, th’ unfolding star calls up the 220
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 225
amazed, but this shall absolutely resolve you. He gives the Provost the paper. Come away; it is almost clear dawn. They exit. | A Messenger arrives and the Duke is hopeful that he brings news that Claudio will be spared. No such luck. The Messenger brings word from Angelo that Claudio's execution is still on for 4pm the next day. (Yep. This means that Angelo is prepared to break his promise to Isabella.) Furthermore, Angelo has demanded the Provost send him Claudio's head after it's been lopped off so he'll know the execution was carried out. The Duke asks the Provost to delay Claudio's execution for four days while he hatches a plan. "How?" the Provost wants to know. It's going to be tough delaying the execution when he has to send Angelo Claudio's head by 5pm tomorrow. The Duke convinces the Provost to execute another prisoner, Barnardine, in Claudio's place. If they shave Barnardine's head and trim his beard, nobody will know it's not Claudio because "death's a great disguiser." (Hmm. Are we supposed to notice that this substitution plan sounds a lot like the Duke's bed trick? See what we have to say about this in "Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory" if you want to know more about this.) The Provost is skeptical but the Duke convinces him that he won't get into trouble. |