re have I made my promise on the heavy Middle...._ Dyce.
Delius and Staunton read with Ff. but print as prose.
38: _action all of precept_] _precept of all action_ Johnson conj.
49: SCENE III. Pope.
52: _have_] _I have_ Pope.
58-63: _O place ... fancies_] These lines to precede III. 2. 178.
Warburton conj.
60: _these_] _their_ Hanmer. _base_ Collier MS.
_quests_] _quest_ F1.
61: _escapes_] _'scapes_ Pope.
62: _their idle dreams_] Pope. _their idle dreame_ Ff.
_an idle dream_ Rowe.
63: _Welcome, how agreed?_] _Well! agreed?_ Hanmer.
SCENE IV. Pope.
65: _It is_] _'Tis_ Pope.
74: _tithe's_] _Tithes_ F1 F2 F3. _Tythes_ F4. _tilth's_ Hanmer
(Warburton).
_Our ... sow_] _Our tythe's to reap, for yet our corn's to sow_
Capell conj. MS.

SCENE II. _A room in the prison._

_Enter PROVOST and POMPEY._

_Prov._ Come hither, sirrah. Can you cut off a man's head?

_Pom._ 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.

_Prov._ Come, sir, leave me your snatches, and yield me 5
a direct answer. To-morrow 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 shall redeem you from your gyves;
if not, you shall have your full time of imprisonment, and 10
your deliverance with an unpitied whipping, for you have
been a notorious bawd.

_Pom._ Sir, I have been an unlawful bawd time out of
mind; but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman. I
would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow 15
partner.

_Prov._ What, ho! Abhorson! Where's Abhorson, there?

_Enter ABHORSON._

_Abhor._ Do you call, sir?

_Prov._ Sirrah, here's a fellow will help you to-morrow
in your execution. If you think it meet, compound with 20
him by the year, and let him abide here with you; if not,
use him for the present, and dismiss him. He cannot plead
his estimation with you; he hath been a bawd.

_Abhor._ A bawd, sir? fie upon him! he will discredit
our mystery. 25

_Prov._ Go to, sir; you weigh equally; a feather will
turn the scale. [_Exit._

_Pom._ Pray, sir, by your good favour,--for surely, sir, a
good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look,--
do you call, sir, your occ