The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (441 page)

Warrant for it: it has not changed him at all.

DUKE VINCENTIO

More of him anon. There is written in your brow,

More about him in a moment.  It shows on your face,
provost, honesty and constancy: if I read it not

Provost, that you are honest and consistant: if I am in wrong
truly, my ancient skill beguiles me; but, in the

In seeing that, than my practiced skill in reading face has deceived me; but since
boldness of my cunning, I will lay myself in hazard.

I am confident of my skill, I will put myself at risk.
Claudio, whom here you have warrant to execute, is

Claudio, who’s warrant of execution you have, is
no greater forfeit to the law than Angelo who hath

No greater criminal against the law than Angelo, who has
sentenced him. To make you understand this in a

Sentenced him. To make you understand this in a
manifested effect, I crave but four days' respite;

Clear way, I need only a four day delay;
for the which you are to do me both a present and a

In which you need to do me an immediate and
dangerous courtesy.

Dangerous favor.

PROVOST

Pray, sir, in what?

Please, sir, what is it?

DUKE VINCENTIO

In the delaying death.

Delay the death.

PROVOST

A lack, how may I do it, having the hour limited,

How can I do that with this specific time,
and an express command, under penalty, to deliver

And an express order, under penalty, to deliver
his head in the view of Angelo? I may make my case

His head for Angelo to see? I may be sentenced to death
as Claudio's, to cross this in the smallest.

Like Claudio, if I don’t do this exactly.

DUKE VINCENTIO

By the vow of mine order I warrant you, if my

By the vows I took in the holy order I guarantee your saftey, if you
instructions may be your guide. Let this Barnardine

Follow my instructions.  Have Bernardine
be this morning executed, and his head born to Angelo.

Executed this morning, and send his head to Angelo.

PROVOST

Angelo hath seen them both, and will discover the favour.

Angelo has seen them both, and will discover the exchange

DUKE VINCENTIO

O, death's a great disguiser; and you may add to it.

Oh but, death is a great camouflage; and you can add to it.
Shave the head, and tie the beard; and say it was

Shave his head, and tie up his beard; tell him it was
the desire of the penitent to be so bared before his

The wish of the remorseful man to be displayed as such before his
death: you know the course is common. If any thing

Death: you know the practice is common.  If anything
fall to you upon this, more than thanks and good

Happens to you because of this, besides thanks and good
fortune, by the saint whom I profess, I will plead

Fortune, by the saint whom I am devoted to, I will plead
against it with my life.

Against it with my life.

PROVOST

Pardon me, good father; it is against my oath.

I’m sorry, good father; but it is against my oaths.

DUKE VINCENTIO

Were you sworn to the duke, or to the deputy?

Were your oaths sworn to the duke, or to the governor?

PROVOST

To him, and to his substitutes.

To the duke and his those who take his place.

DUKE VINCENTIO

You will think you have made no offence, if the duke

Will you think you done nothing wrong, if the duke
avouch the justice of your dealing?

Vouches for the justice of your effort?

PROVOST

But what likelihood is in that?

But how likely is that?

DUKE VINCENTIO

Not a resemblance, but a certainty. Yet since I see

Not even likely, but certain.  But since I can tell
you fearful, that neither my coat, integrity, nor

You are afraid, that neither my holy robes, nor integrity, nor
persuasion can with ease attempt you, I will go

Persuasion can easily persuade you, I will show you
further than I meant, to pluck all fears out of you.

More than I wanted, to take away all your fear.
Look you, sir, here is the hand and seal of the

Look, sir, here is the handwriting and seal of the
duke: you know the character, I doubt not; and the

Duke: you know the look of it, I don’t doubt; and the
signet is not strange to you.

Seal of authority is not unfamiliar to you.

PROVOST

I know them both.

I know them both.

DUKE VINCENTIO

The contents of this is the return of the duke: you

The meaning of this that the duke will return: you
shall anon over-read it at your pleasure; where you

Can later read this over at your leisure; and it will
shall find, within these two days he will be here.

Tell you that within the next two day he will be here
This is a thing that Angelo knows not; for he this

This is something that Angelo doesn’t know, for
very day receives letters of strange tenor;

Today he will receive letters with strange subjects;
perchance of the duke's death; perchance entering

Perhaps the death of the duke; perhaps him entering
into some monastery; but, by chance, nothing of what

Into a monastery; but, as it happens, nothing of what
is writ. Look, the unfolding star calls up the

Is written is true.  Look, the morning start calls to the
shepherd. Put not yourself into amazement how these

Sheperd to release his sheep. Don’t be amazed at how these
things should be: all difficulties are but easy

Things all happen: all difficulties are only easy
when they are known. Call your executioner, and off

When they are known. Call your executioner, and cut off
with Barnardine's head: I will give him a present

Bernardine’s head: I will immediately go to receive his
shrift and advise him for a better place. Yet you

His confession and guide him to a better place. Still, you
are amazed; but this shall absolutely resolve you.

Are amazed; but this will absolutely make up your mind.
Come away; it is almost clear dawn.

Come along; it is almost dawn.

Exeunt

Enter POMPEY

POMPEY

I am as well acquainted here as I was in our house

I am as familiar here as I was in the brothel house
of profession: one would think it were Mistress

I worked in: you would think it was Mistress
Overdone's own house, for here be many of her old

Overdone’s own house, for many of her old
customers. First, here's young Master Rash; he's in

Customers are here.  First, here’s young Mister Rash; he’s in here
for a commodity of brown paper and old ginger,

For a worthless store of brown wraping paper and old ginger,
ninescore and seventeen pounds; of which he made

He bought for a hundred and ninety-seven pounds; from which he only made
five marks, ready money: marry, then ginger was not

Three pounds and thirty-three pence, putting him in debt: remember, then ginger wasn’t
much in request, for the old women were all dead.

In high demand, because all the old women had died.
Then is there here one Master Caper, at the suit of

Then there is Mister Caper here, who has a lawsuit against him from
Master Three-pile the mercer, for some four suits of

Mister Three-pile the fabrics seller, for about four suits made of
peach-coloured satin, which now peaches him a

Peach-colored satin, which now have made him a
beggar. Then have we here young Dizy, and young

Beggar. Then we have young Dizy here, and young
Master Deep-vow, and Master Copperspur, and Master

Mister Deep-vow, and Mister Copperspur, and Mister
Starve-lackey the rapier and dagger man, and young

Starve-lackey the sword and dagger man, and young
Drop-heir that killed lusty Pudding, and Master

Drop-heir that killed that fat heir named Pudding, and Mister
Forthlight the tilter, and brave Master Shooty the

Forthlight the fighter, and well dressed Mister Shoe-tie the
great traveller, and wild Half-can that stabbed

Great traveler, and wild Half-can here stabbed
Pots, and, I think, forty more; all great doers in

the man Pots, and, I believe, forty others; all great vistors
our trade, and are now 'for the Lord's sake.'

Of our brothel, and now prisoners crying ‘for Lord’s sake.’

Enter ABHORSON

ABHORSON

Sirrah, bring Barnardine hither.

Man, bring Bernardine here.

POMPEY

Master Barnardine! you must rise and be hanged.

Master Barnardine! You must wake up and be executed.
Master Barnardine!

Master Barnardine!

ABHORSON

What, ho, Barnardine!

Well hello, Barnardine!

BARNARDINE

[Within] A pox o' your throats! Who makes that

[Inside] I hope you get a sickness in your throat! Who is making all that
noise there? What are you?

Noise? Who are you?

POMPEY

Your friends, sir; the hangman. You must be so

We’re your friends, sir; the executioners. I you would
good, sir, to rise and be put to death.

Please, sir, wake up and be put to death.

BARNARDINE

[Within] Away, you rogue, away! I am sleepy.

[Inside] go away, you scoundrel, go away! I am sleepy.

ABHORSON

Tell him he must awake, and that quickly too.

Tell him he must wake up right away.

POMPEY

Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till you are

Please, Master Bardardine, wake up until you are
executed, and sleep afterwards.

Executed, and then you can sleep afterwards.

ABHORSON

Go in to him, and fetch him out.

Go in there and drag him out.

POMPEY

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

He’s coming, sir, he’s coming; I hear his bed moving.

ABHORSON

Is the axe upon the block, sirrah?

Is the axe on the execution block, man?