Another room in the same. Enter POMPEY POMPEY 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 paper and old ginger, ninescore and seventeen pounds; of which he made five marks, ready money: marry, then ginger was not 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-coloured satin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young Dizy, and young Master Deep-vow, and Master Copperspur, and Master Starve-lackey the rapier and dagger man, and young Drop-heir that killed lusty Pudding, and Master Forthlight the tilter, and brave Master Shooty the great traveller, and wild Half-can that stabbed Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in our trade, and are now 'for the Lord's sake.'
Enter ABHORSON ABHORSON Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither. POMPEY Master Barnardine! you must rise and be hanged.
Master Barnardine! ABHORSON What, ho, Barnardine! BARNARDINE [Within] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that noise there? What are you? POMPEY Your friends, sir; the hangman. You must be so good, sir, to rise and be put to death. BARNARDINE [Within] Away, you rogue, away! I am sleepy. ABHORSON Tell him he must awake, and that quickly too. POMPEY Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till you are executed, and sleep afterwards. ABHORSON Go in to him, and fetch him out. POMPEY He is coming, sir, he is coming; I hear his straw rustle. ABHORSON Is the axe upon the block, sirrah? POMPEY Very ready, sir.
Enter BARNARDINE BARNARDINE How now, Abhorson? what's the news with you? ABHORSON Truly, sir, I would desire you to clap into your prayers; for, look you, the warrant's come. BARNARDINE You rogue, I have been drinking all night;I am not fitted for 't. POMPEY O, the better, sir; for he that drinks all night, and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day. ABHORSON Look you, sir; here comes your ghostly father: do we jest now, think you?
Enter DUKE VINCENTIO disguised as before DUKE VINCENTIO 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. BARNARDINE 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 VINCENTIO O, sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you Look forward on the journey you shall go. BARNARDINE I swear I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion. DUKE VINCENTIO But hear you. BARNARDINE Not a word: if you have any thing to say to me, come to my ward; for thence will not I to-day.
Exit DUKE VINCENTIO Unfit to live or die: O gravel heart!
After him, fellows; bring him to the block.
Exeunt ABHORSON and POMPEY
Re-enter Provost Provost Now, sir, how do you find the prisoner? DUKE VINCENTIO A creature unprepared, unmeet for death;And to transport him in the mind he is Were damnable. Provost 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 inclined;And satisfy the deputy with the visage Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio? DUKE VINCENTIO O, 'tis an accident that heaven provides!
Dispatch it presently; the hour draws on Prefix'd by Angelo: see this be done, And sent according to command; whiles I
Persuade this rude wretch willingly to die. Provost 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 VINCENTIO Let this be done.
Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio: