CLOWN. Miftrefs Over-done.

ESCAL. Hath fhe had any more than one husband ?

CLOWN. Nine, Sir: Overdone by the last.

ESCAL. Nine? Come hither to me, master Froth. Master Froth, I would not have you acquainted with tapfters; they will draw you, mafter Froth, and you will hang them. Get you gone, and let me hear no more of you.

FROTH. I thank your worship. For mine own part, I never come into any room in a tap-house, but I am drawn in. ESCAL. Well, no more of it, mafter Froth; farewel.

[Exit Froth.

ESCAL. Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you, fo that, in the beastlieft fenfe, you are Pompey the great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey; howfoever you colour it in being a tapfter; are you not? come, tell me true; it fhall be the better for you.

CLOWN. Truly, Sir, I am a poor fellow that would live. ESCAL. How would you live, Pompey? by being a bawd? what do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade?

CLOWN. If the law will allow it, Sir.

ESCAL. But the law will not allow it, Pompey: nor it fhall not be allowed in Vienna.

CLOWN. Does your worship mean to geld and splay all the youth in this city?

ESCAL NO, Pompey.

CLOWN. Truly, Sir, in my poor opinion, they will to't then. If your worship will take order for the drabs and the knaves, you need not to fear the bawds.

ELCAL. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell you, it is but heading and hanging.

CLOWN. If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten years together, you'll be glad to give out a commiffion for more heads. If this law hold in Vienna ten years, I'll rent the fairest house in it, after three pence a bay : if you live to fee this come to pass, fay, Pompey told you fo. ESCAL. Thank you, good Pompey; and in requital of your prophecy, hark you; I advise you, let me not find you before me again upon any complaint whatsoever; no, not for dwelling where you do; if I do, Pompey, I fhall beat you to your tent, and prove a fhrewd Cæfar to you; in plain dealing, Pompey, I fhall have you whipt. So for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

CLOWN I thank your worship for your good counfel. [afide.] But I fhall follow it, as the flesh and fortune fhall better determine.

Whip me? no, no; let carman whip his jade :
The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade.

SCENE V.

(Exit.

ESCAL. Come hither to me, mafter Elbow; come hither, master conftable. How long have you been in this place of conftable?

ELB. Seven years and a half, Sir.

ESCAL. I thought, by your readiness in the office, you had continued in it some time; you fay, seven years together? ELB. And a half, Sir.

ESCAL. Alas! it hath been great pains to you, they do

you wrong to put you fo oft upon't: are there not men in your ward fufficient to serve it?

ELB. Faith, Sir, few of any wit in fuch matters; as they are chofen they are glad to chufe me for them. I do it for fome piece of money, and go through with all.

ESCAL. Look you, bring me in the names of fome fix or feven, the most fufficient of your parish.

ELB. To your worship's house, Sir.

ESCAL. To my houfe; fare you well,

What's a clock, think you?

JUST. Eleven, Sir.

ESCAL. I pray you, home to dinner with me.

JUST. I humbly thank you.

[Exit Elbow.

ESCAL. It grieves me for the death of Claudio:
But there's no remedy.

JUST. Lord Angelo is fevere.

ESCAL. It is but needful:

Mercy is not itself, that oft looks fo;

Pardon is ftill the nurfe of fecond woe:

But yet, poor Claudio!

Come, Sir.

there's no remedy.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Changes to Angelo's house.

Enter Provoft, and a servant.

SERV. He's hearing of a cause; he will come straight:

I'll tell him of you.

PROV. Pray you do; I'll know

His pleasure; 't may be, he'll relent. Alaş!

He hath but as offended in a dream:

All fects, all ages fmack of this vice; and he
To die for it!

Enter Angelo,

ANG. Now, What's the matter, Provoft?

PROV. Is it your will, Claudio should die to-morrow?
ANG. Did not I tell thee, yea? hadft thou not order?
Why dost thou ask again?

PROV, Left I might be too rafh.

Under your good correction, I have feen,

When, after execution, judgment hath.
Repented o'er his doom.

ANG. Goto; let that be mine.

Do you your office, or give up your place,
And you fhall well be fpar'd.

PROV. I crave your pardon.—

What shall be done, Sir, with the groaning Juliet?
She's very near her hour.

ANG. Difpofe of her

To some more fitting place, and that with speed.

SERV. Here is the fifter of the man condemn'd,

Defires access to you.

ANG. Hath he a fifter?

PROV. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid,

And to be fhortly of a fifterhood,

If not already.

ANG. Well; let her be admitted.

See you, the fornicatrefs be remov'd';

Let her have needful, but not lavish, means;

There shall be order for it.

SCENE VI.

Enter Lucio and flabella.

[Exit Servant.

PROV. Save your honour.

ANG. Stay yet a while

what's your will?

[To Ifab.] Y'are welcome;

ISAB. I am a woful fuitor to your honour,

Please but your honour hear me:

ANG. Well; what's your fuit?

ISAB. There is a vice that most I do abhor,
And most defire should meet the blow of justice;
For which I would not plead, but that I must;
For which I must not plead, but that I am
At war, 'twixt will, and will not.

ANG. Well, the matter?

ISAB. I have a brother is condemn'd to die :

I do beseech you, let it be his fault,

And not my brother.

PROV. Heav'n give thee moving graces!

ANG. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?
Why, every fault's condemn'd, ere it be done;

Mine were the very cipher of a function,

To find the faults, whofe fine stands in record,
And let go by the actor.

ISAB. O juft, but severe law!

I had a brother then ;-heav'n keep your honour!

LUCIO. [To Ifab.] Give not o'er fo: to him again, intreat

him,

Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown;

You are too cold; if you should need a pin,

You could not with more tame a tongue defire it.

To him I fay.

ISAB. Muft he needs die?

ANG: Maiden, no remedy.

ISAB. Yes; I do think, that you might pardon him
And neither heav'n nor man, grieve at the mercy.