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Shakespeare on Stage
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
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Measure for Measure (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editors: Kristin Lucas, Herbert Weil
Not Peer Reviewed
Scena Tertia.
Enter Clowne.
Clo. I am as well acquainted heere, as I was in our
house of profession: one would thinke it vvere Mistris
2080Ouer-dons owne house, for heere be manie of her olde
Customers. First, here's yong Mr Rash, hee's in for a
commoditie of browne paper, and olde Ginger, nine
score and seuenteene pounds, of which hee made fiue
Markes readie money: marrie then, Ginger was not
2085much in request, for the olde Women vvere all dead.
Then is there heere one Mr Caper, at the suite of Master
Three-Pile the Mercer, for some foure suites of Peach-
colour'd Satten, which now peaches him a beggar.
Then haue vve heere, yong Dizie, and yong M Deepe-
2090vow, and M Copperspurre, and M Starue-Lackey the Ra-
pier and dagger man, and yong Drop-heire that kild lu-
stie Pudding, and M Forthlight the Tilter, and braue M
Shootie the great Traueller, and wilde Halfe-Canne that
stabb'd Pots, and I thinke fortie more, all great doers in
2095our Trade, and are now for the Lords sake.
Enter Abhorson.
Abh. Sirrah, bring Barnardine hether.
Clo. M Barnardine, you must rise and be hang'd,
M Barnardine.
2100Abh. What hoa Barnardine.
Barnardine within.
Bar. A pox o'your throats: who makes that noyse
there? What are you?
Clo. Your friends Sir, the Hangman:
2105You must be so good Sir to rise, and be put to death.
Bar. Away you Rogue, away, I am sleepie.
Abh. Tell him he must awake,
And that quickly too.
Clo. Pray Master Barnardine, awake till you are ex-
2110ecuted, and sleepe afterwards.
Ab. Go in to him, and fetch him out.
Clo. He is comming Sir, he is comming: I heare his
Straw russle.
Enter Barnardine.
2115Abh. Is the Axe vpon the blocke, sirrah?
Clo. Verie readie Sir.
Bar. How now Abhorson?
What's the newes vvith you?
Abh. Truly Sir, I would desire you to clap into your
2120prayers: for looke you, the Warrants come.
Bar. You Rogue, I haue bin drinking all night,
I am not fitted for't.
Clo. Oh, the better Sir: for he that drinkes all night,
and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleepe the
2125sounder all the next day.
Enter Duke.
Abh. Looke you Sir, heere comes your ghostly Fa-
ther: do we iest now thinke you?
Duke. Sir, induced by my charitie, and hearing how
2130hastily you are to depart, I am come to aduise you,
Comfort you, and pray with you.
Bar. Friar, not I: I haue bin drinking hard all night,
and I will haue more time to prepare mee, or they shall
beat out my braines with billets: I will not consent to
2135die this day, that's certaine.
Duke. Oh sir, you must: and therefore I beseech you
Looke forward on the iournie you shall go.
Bar. I sweare I will not die to day for anie mans per-
swasion.
2140Duke. But heare you:
Bar. Not a word: if you haue anie thing to say to me,
come to my Ward: for thence will not I to day.
Exit
Enter Prouost.
2145Duke. Vnfit to liue, or die: oh grauell heart.
After him (Fellowes) bring him to the blocke.
Pro. Now Sir, how do you finde the prisoner?
Duke. A creature vnpre-par'd, vnmeet for death,
And to transport him in the minde he is,
2150Were damnable.
Pro. Heere in the prison, Father,
There died this morning of a cruell Feauor,
One Ragozine, a most notorious Pirate,
A man of Claudio's yeares: his beard, and head
2155Iust of his colour. What if we do omit
This Reprobate, til he were wel enclin'd,
And satisfie the Deputie with the visage
Of Ragozine, more like to Claudio?
Duke. Oh, 'tis an accident that heauen prouides:
2160Dispatch it presently, the houre drawes on
Prefixt by Angelo: See this be done,
And sent according to command, whiles I
Perswade this rude wretch willingly to die.
Pro. This shall be done (good Father) presently:
2165But Barnardine must die this afternoone,
And how shall we continue Claudio,
To saue me from the danger that might come,
If he were knowne aliue?
Duke. Let this be done,
2170Put them in secret holds, both Barnardine and Claudio,
Ere twice the Sun hath made his iournall greeting
To yond generation, you shal finde
Your safetie manifested.
Pro. I am your free dependant.
Exit.
2175Duke. Quicke, dispatch, and send the head to Angelo
Now wil I write Letters to Angelo,
(The Prouost he shal beare them) whose contents
Shal witnesse to him I am neere at home:
And that by great Iniunctions I am bound
2180To enter publikely : him Ile desire
To meet me at the consecrated Fount,
A League below the Citie: and from thence,
By cold gradation, and weale-ballanc'd forme.
We shal proceed with Angelo.
2185
Enter Prouost.
Pro. Heere is the head, Ile carrie it my selfe.
Duke. Conuenient is it: Make a swift returne,
For I would commune with you of such things,
That want no eare but yours.
2190Pro. Ile make all speede.
Exit
Isabell within.
Isa. Peace hoa, be heere.
Duke. The tongue of Isabell. She's come to know,
If yet her brothers pardon be come hither:
2195But I will keepe her ignorant of her good,
To make her heauenly comforts of dispaire,
When it is least expected.
Enter Isabella.
Isa. Hoa, by your leaue.
2200Duke. Good morning to you, faire, and gracious
daughter.
Isa. The better giuen me by so holy a man,
Hath yet the Deputie sent my brothers pardon?
Duke. He hath releasd him, Isabell, from the world,
2205His head is off, and sent to Angelo.
Isa. Nay, but it is not so.
Duke. It is no other,
Shew your wisedome daughter in your close patience.
Isa. Oh, I wil to him, and plucke out his eies.
2210Duk. You shal not be admitted to his sight.
Isa. Vnhappie Claudio, wretched Isabell,
Iniurious world, most damned Angelo.
Duke. This nor hurts him, nor profits you a iot,
Forbeare it therefore, giue your cause to heauen,
2215Marke what I say, which you shal finde
By euery sillable a faithful veritie.
The Duke comes home to morrow: nay drie your eyes,
One of our Couent, and his Confessor
Giues me this instance: Already he hath carried
2220Notice to Escalus and Angelo,
Who do prepare to meete him at the gates,
There to giue vp their powre: If you can pace your wis-
In that good path that I would wish it go,
And you shal haue your bosome on this wretch,
2225Grace of the Duke, reuenges to your heart,
And general Honor.
Isa. I am directed by you.
Duk. This Letter then to Friar Peter giue,
'Tis that he sent me of the Dukes returne:
2230Say, by this token, I desire his companie
At Mariana's house to night. Her cause, and yours
Ile perfect him withall, and he shal bring you
Before the Duke; and to the head of Angelo
Accuse him home and home. For my poore selfe,
2235I am combined by a sacred Vow,
And shall be absent. Wend you with this Letter :
Command these fretting waters from your eies
With a light heart; trust not my holie Order
If I peruert your course: whose heere?
2240
Enter Lucio.
Luc. Good' euen;
Frier, where's the Prouost?
Duke. Not within Sir.
Luc. Oh prettie Isabella, I am pale at mine heart, to
2245see thine eyes so red: thou must be patient; I am faine
to dine and sup with water and bran: I dare not for my
head fill my belly. One fruitful Meale would set mee
too't: but they say the Duke will be heere to Morrow.
By my troth Isabell I lou'd thy brother, if the olde fan-
2250tastical Duke of darke corners had bene at home, he had
liued.
Duke. Sir, the Duke is marueilous little beholding
to your reports, but the best is, he liues not in them.
Luc. Friar, thou knowest not the Duke so wel as I
2255do: he's a better woodman then thou tak'st him for.
Duke. Well: you'l answer this one day. Fare ye well.
Luc. Nay tarrie, Ile go along with thee,
I can tel thee pretty tales of the Duke.
Duke. You haue told me too many of him already sir
2260if they be true: if not true, none were enough.
Lucio. I was once before him for getting a Wench
with childe.
Duke. Did you such a thing?
Luc. Yes marrie did I; but I was faine to forswear it,
2265They would else haue married me to the rotten Medler.
Duke. Sir your company is fairer then honest, rest you
well.
Lucio. By my troth Ile go with thee to the lanes end:
if baudy talke offend you, wee'l haue very litle of it: nay
2270Friar, I am a kind of Burre, I shal sticke.
Exeunt