[ACT III. SCENE 6.]
[The court of justice.]
Enter HIERONIMO and the DEPUTY.
HIERO. Thus must we toil in others men's extremes
That know not how to remedy our own,
And do them justice, when unjustly we
For all our wrongs can compass no redress.
But shall I never live to see the day
That I may come by justice to the Heav'ns
To know the cause that may my cares allay?
This toils my body, this consumeth age,
That only I to all men just must be,
And neither gods nor men be just to me!
DEP. Worthy Hieronimo, your office asks
A care to punish such as do transgress.
HIERO. So is't my duty to regard his death
Who when he liv'd deserv'd my dearest blood.
But come; for that we came for, let's begin;
For here lies that which bids me to be gone.
Enter OFFICERS, BOY, & PEDRINGANO with a letter
in his hand, bound.
DEPU. Bring forth the prisoner for the court is set.
PED. Gramercy, boy! but it was time to come,
For I had written to my lord anew
A nearer matter that concerneth him,
For fear his lordship had forgotten me;
But, sith he hath remember'd me so well,
Come, come, come on! when shall we to this gear?
HIERO. Stand forth, thou monster, murderer of men,
And here, for satisfaction of the world,
Confess thy folly and repent thy fault,
For there's thy place of execution.
PED. This is short work! Well, to your martiallship
First I confess, nor fear I death therefore,
I am the man,—'twas I slew Serberine.
But, sir, then you think this shall be the place
Where we shall satisfy you for this gear?
DEPU. Aye, Pedrigano.
PED. No I think not so.
HEIRO. Peace, impudent! for thou shalt find it so;
For blood with blood shall, while I sit as judge,
Be satisfied, and the law discharg'd.
And, though myself cannot receive the like,
Yet will I see that others have their right.
Dispatch! the fault approved and confess'd,
And by our law he is condemn'd to die.
HANG. Come on, sir! are you ready?
PED. To do what, my fine officious knave?
HANG. To go to this gear.
PED. O, sir, you are to forward; thou wouldst fain furnish me with a halter, to disfurnish me of my habit. So should I go out of this gear, my raiment, into that gear, the rope. But, hangman, now I spy your knavery, I'll not change without boot; that's flat.
HANG. Come, sir.
PED. So then I must up?
HANG. No remedy.
PED. Yes, but there shall be for my coming down.
HANG. Indeed here's a remedy for that.
PED. How? be turn'd off?
HANG. Aye, truly. Come, are you ready?
I pray you, sir, dispatch, the day goes away.
PED. What, do you hang by the hour? If you do, I
may chance to break your old custom.
HANG. Faith, you have no reason, for I am like to break
your young neck.
PED. Dost thou mock me, hangman? Pray God I be not
preserved to break your knaves-pate for this!
HANG. Alas, sir, you are a foot too low to reach it, and I
hope you will never grow so high while I am in office.
PED. Sirrah, dost see yonder boy with the box in his
hand?
HANG. What, he that points to it with his finger?
PED. Aye, that companion.
HANG. I know him not; but what of him?
PED. Dost thou think to live till his old doublet will
make thee a new truss?
HANG. Aye, and many a fair year after, to truss up many
an honester man then either thou or he.
PED. What hath he in his box, as thou thinkst?
HANG. Faith, I cannot tell, nor I care not greatly.
Me thinks you should rather hearken to your soul's health.
PED. Why, sirrah hangman, I take it that that is good for the body is likewise good for the soul: and it may be in that box is balm for both.
HANG. Well, thou art even the merriest piece of man's
flesh that e'er groaned at my office-door.
PED. Is your roguery become an office, with a knave's
name?
HANG. Aye, and that shall all they witness that see you seal
it with a thief's name.
PED. I prithee, request this good company to pray for
me.
HANG. Aye, marry, sir, this is a good motion! My masters,
you see here's a good fellow.
PED. Nay, nay, now I remember me, let them alone till
some other time; for now I have no great need.
HIERO. I have not seen a wretch so impudent.
O monstrous times where murders are so light,
And where the soul that should be shrin'd in heav'n
Solely delights in interdicted things,
Still wand'ring in the thorny passages
That intercepts itself of happiness!
Murder? O bloody monster! God forbid
A fault so foul should 'scape unpunished!
Dispatch and see this execution done;
This makes me to remember thee, my son.
Exit HIERONIMO.
PED. Nay, soft! no haste!
DEPU. Why, wherefore stay you? Have you hope of life?
PED. Why, aye.
HANG. As how?
PED. Why, rascal, by my pardon from the king.
HANG. Stand you on that? then you shall off with this.
He turns him off.
DEPU. So, executioner, convey him hence;
But let his body be unburied.
Let not the earth be choked or infect
What that which Heav'ns contemns and men neglect.
Exeunt.