Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

constable's wife any harm? I would know that of your honour.

Escal. He's in the right. Constable, what say you to it?

Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a respected house; next, this is a respected fellow, and his mistress is a respected woman.

Clo. By this hand, sir, his wife is a more respected person than any of us all.

Elb. Varlet, thou liest thou liest, wicked varlet. The time is yet to come that she was ever respected with man, woman, or child.

Clo. Sir, she was respected with him, before he married with her.

Escal. Which is the wiser here? Justice, or Iniquity? -Is this true?

Elb. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wicked Hannibal! I respected with her, before I was married to her?—If ever I was respected with her, or she with me, let not your worship think me the poor duke's officer. Prove this, thou wicked Hannibal, or I'll have mine action of battery on thee.

Escal. If he took you a box o' th' ear, you might have your action of slander too.

Elb. Marry, I thank your good worship for it. What is't your worship's pleasure I shall do with this wicked caitiff??

Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some offences in him, that thou wouldst discover if thou couldst, let him continue in his courses, till thou know'st what they are.

Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it.-Thou seest,

6 JUSTICE, or INIQUITY?] Justice and Iniquity were both characters in the ancient Miracle-plays and Moralities. In the " Interlude of King Darius" the Vice is expressly called "Iniquity," but he went by various appellations. Iniquity was not always the Vice or Fool of the elder stage, but a distinct character, for in "Histriomastix," 1610, the following stage-direction occurs: "Enter a roaring Devil with the Vice on his back, Iniquity in one hand, and Juventus in the other." Juventus was the hero of "Lusty Juventus," by R. Wever.

'I SHALL do with this wicked caitiff?] Malone, Steevens, and all the modern editors read should instead of “shall," as we find it in the first and other folios.

thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon thee: thou
art to continue; now, thou varlet, thou art to continue.
Escal. Where were you born, friend?
Froth. Here in Vienna, sir.

Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year?
Froth. Yes, an't please you, sir.

Escal. So.-What trade are you of, sir?

Clo. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal. Your mistress' name?

Clo. Mistress Over-done.

Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband? Clo. Nine, sir; Over-done by the last.

Escal. Nine-Come hither to me, master Froth. Master Froth, I would not have you acquainted with tapsters; they will draw you, master 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 taphouse, but I am drawn in.

Escal. Well; no more of it, master Froth: farewell. [Exit FROTH.]—Come you hither to me, master tapster. What's your name, master tapster?

Clo. Pompey.

Escal. What else?

Clo. Bum, sir.

Escal. "Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you; so that, in the beastliest sense, you are Pompey the great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey, howsoever you colour it in being a tapster. Are you not? come, tell me true: it shall be the better

for you.

8

* Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you ;] Escalus refers to the ridiculous practice, among both sexes, of stuffing the dress of the hinder parts of their persons with horse-hair, wool, or some other material of the same kind. This custom is referred to by many writers of the time of Shakespeare. Steevens asserts that it commenced early in the reign of Elizabeth, but it would not be difficult to show that it prevailed before she came to the throne.

Clo. 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?

Clo. If the law would allow it, sir.

Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor it shall not be allowed in Vienna.

Clo. Does your worship mean to geld and spay all the youth of the city 9?

Escal. No, Pompey.

Clo. 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.

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

Clo. If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten year together, you'll be glad to give out a commission for more heads. If this law hold in Vienna ten year, I'll rent the fairest house in it after three pence a bay. If you live to see this come to pass, say, Pompey told you so.

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 shall beat you to your tent, and prove a shrewd Cæsar to you. In plain dealing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt. So, for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

Clo. I thank your worship for your good counsel, but I shall follow it, as the flesh and fortune shall better determine.

9 the youth of the city?] Malone, Steevens, Capell, &c. read "in the city," following the second folio. No change is necessary.

Three pence a BAY.] Johnson and Steevens were both puzzled by this expression, though the former admits that he has heard of “a bay of building" in many parts of England. Coles' Dictionary, 1677, explains it at once :-" a bay of building—mensura riginti quatuor pedum,” referring, no doubt, to the frontage. I owe this note to the Rev. H. Barry, of Draycot.

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

[Exit.

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

Elb. Seven year and a half, sir.

Escal. I thought, by the readiness 2 in the office, you had continued in it some time. You say, seven years together?

Elb. And a half, sir.

Escal. Alas! it hath been great pains to you. They do you wrong to put you so oft upon't. Are there not men in your ward sufficient to serve it?

Elb. Faith, sir, few of any wit in such matters. As they are chosen, they are glad to choose me for them: I do it for some piece of money, and go through with all.

Escal. Look you bring me in the names of some six or seven, the most sufficient of your parish.

Elb. To your worship's house, sir?
Escal. To my house. Fare you well.

What's o'clock, think you?

Just. Eleven, sir.

[Exit ELBOW.

Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me.

Just. I humbly thank you.

Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio;

But there's no remedy.

Just. Lord Angelo is severe.

Escal.

It is but needful:

Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so;

Pardon is still the nurse of second woe.

But yet, poor Claudio!—There is no remedy.
Come, sir.

[Exeunt.

? THE readiness] So the old copies, which modern editors have changed to your: thy would be nearer the original, but no alteration is in fact necessary. Escalus means "by the readiness you showed in the office," &c.

SCENE II.

Another Room in the Same.

Enter Provost, and a Servant.

Serv. He's hearing of a cause: he will come straight. I'll tell him of you.

Prov.

Pray you, do. [Exit Servant.] I'll know

His pleasure; may be, he will relent.

He hath but as offended in a dream:

Alas!

All sects, all ages smack of this vice, and he
To die for it!—

Ang.

Enter ANGElo.

Now, what's the matter, provost ?

Prov. Is it your will Claudio shall die to-morrow? Ang. Did I not tell thee, yea? hadst thou not order? Why dost thou ask again?

Lest I might be too rash.

Prov.
Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution, judgment hath
Repented o'er his doom.

Ang.

Go to; let that be mine:

Do you your office, or give up your place,
And you shall well be spar'd.

Prov.

I crave your honour's pardon.

What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet?

She's very near her hour.

Ang.

Dispose of her

To some more fitter place, and that with speed.

Re-enter Servant.

Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd Desires access to you.

Ang.

Hath he a sister?

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

« ZurückWeiter »