Enter the Abbott, Fryar Richard, Shreeve and officers.

Abb.  Upon thy trewe confession I have given thee Such absolution as the churche allowes.  What hast thou else to saye ere thou art made To all men heare a wofull spectacle?

Fr. R.  This only, that betwixt Fryar Jhon and mee
Was ever hate and mallyce; and althoughe
With no entent of murder, this my hand
This most unfortnate hand, beereft his lyff,
For which vile deede I mercy begge of Heaven,
Next of the woorld, whom I offended too,
Pardon and pitty.  More to saye I have not: 
Heaven of my sowle take chardge, and of my body
Dispose thou, honest hangeman.

Clown.  Lasse, poore Fryar, and yet there’s great hope of his sowle, for I canot spye one heyre betwixt him and heaven.

Fisher.  And yet I dowbt hee will make but a bald reckninge of it.

    Enter the Lord De Averne and his man Dennis.

Av.  Staye the execution.

Abb.  Our noble fownder out of his greate charity And woonted goodnes begg’d him a reprieve!

Av.  Brought a reprieve I have:  lett go the Fryar, And take from mee your warrant; I dischardge him.

Sherif.  And yet, my Lord, ’tis fitt for our dischardge That the Kinge’s hand bee seene.

Av.  If not my woord
Will passe for currant, take my person then,
Or if you thinke unequall the exchaunge
I tender my man’s too to valewe his. 
Meanetyme dismisse him as one Innocent
Of what hee is condemde.

Abb.  By his owne mouthe Hee stands accus’d.

Av.  And wetnes all of you, As frely I acquitt him.

Sher.  Honored Syr, Praye bee more playne, wee understand you not.

Av.  I’l make it playne then.

Cl.  Now if thou bee’st wyse drawe thy neck out of the collar, doo, Slipp-stringe, doo.

Rich.  Marry, with all my hart and thanke him too.

Av.  Attend mee, reverend father, and you all
Of this assembly:  for som spleene conceiv’d
Against the Fryar deceast, I strangled him;
The cause why no man heare importun mee: 
For many reasons to my self best knowne
I hold fitt to conceale it, but I murdered him
In myne owne howse.

Abb.  But by your Honor’s favour How can that bee when Richard heere confest Hee slewe him in our cloyster?

Av.  Heare me outt. 
At fyrst, untutcht with horror of the fact,
My purpose was to laye the guilt elswhear
And for that purpose caus’d my man to mount him
Over the cloyster wall.

Denis.  Which soone I did
By th’helpe of a short ladder, sett him theire
In a close-place and thoughe not of the sweetest
Yet as I thought the safest; left him there.

Fr. R.  Just in that place I found him, and imadgining
He satt of purpose theire to despight mee,
I hitt him with a stone, hee fell withall
And I thought I had slayne him.