Light begins to appear luminously in the morning and the bells ring at four in the morning.
The men pour out for the morning watches and the officers assemble. Billy Budd's execution is to be performed on the main yard instead of the rear yard. Billy faces away from the assembly with his head in a noose. At the last moment he yells a blessing for Captain Vere and the men echo him. The Captain stands rigidly as the hull rolls into the waves.