1 Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May, in the sworn twelve, have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to justice, That justice seizes. What know the laws is Escal. This comes off well; here's a wise officer. Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow? Clo. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow. Ang. What are you, sir? Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; a parcel-bawd; one that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, That thieves do pass on thieves? 'Tis very preg- was, as they say, plucked down in the suburbs; Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: [Exit Provost. Escal. Well, heaven forgive him; and forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away: if these be good people in a commonweal, that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses, I know no law; bring them away. and now she professes a hothouse, which I think is a very ill house too. Escal. Dost thou detest her therefore? Elb. I say, sir, I will detest myself, also, as well as she, that this house, if it be not a bawd's house, it is pity of her life, for it is a naughty house. Escal. How dost thou know that, constable? Elb. Marry, sir, by my wife; who, if she had been a woman cardinally given, might have been accused in fornication, adultery, and all uncleanliness there. Escal. By the woman's means? Elb. Ay, sir, by Mistress Overdone's means: but as she spit in his face, so she defied him. Clo. Sir, if it please your honor, this is not so. Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honorable man, prove it. Escal Do you hear how he misplaces? [To ANGELO. Clo. Sir, she came in great with child; and longing (saving your honor's reverence) for stewed prunes; sir, we had but two in the house, which Ang. How now, sir! What's your name? and at that very distant time stood, as it were, in a fruitwhat's the matter? dish, a dish of some threepence; your honors have seen such dishes; they are not china dishes, but very good dishes. Elb. If it please your honor, I am the poor Duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honor two notorious benefactors. Escal. Go to, go to; no matter for the dish, sir. Clo. No, indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are therein in the right: but to the point: As I say, they? are they not malefactors? Elb. If it please your honor, I know not well what they are: but precise villains they are, that I am sure of; and void of all profanation in the world, that good christians ought to have. this Mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and being great-bellied, and longing, as I said, for prunes; and having but two in the dish, as I said; Master Froth here, this very man, having eaten the rest, as I said, and, as I say, paying for them very honestly-for, as you know, Master Froth, I could not give you threepence again. Froth. No, indeed. Clo. Very well: you being then, if you be remembered, cracking the stones of the 'foresaid prunes. Froth. Ay, so I did, indeed. Clo. Why, very well: I telling you then, if you be remembered, that such a one, and such a one, were past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they kept very good diet, as I told you. Froth. All this is true. Clo. Why, very well, then. Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose. What was done to Elbow's wife, that he hath cause to complain of? Come me to what was done to her. Clo. Sir, your honor cannot come to that yet. Clo. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your honor's leave: And, I beseech you, look into Master Froth here, sir; a man of fourscore pound a-year; whose father died at Hallowmas - Was 't not at Hallowmas, Master Froth? Froth. All-holland eve. Clo. Why, very well; I hope here be truths: He, sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, sir; it was in the Bunch of Grapes, where indeed you have a delight to sit: Have you not? Clo. I beseech you, sir, look in this gentleman's face: Good Master Froth, look upon his honor; 't is for a good purpose: Doth your honor mark his face? Escal. Ay, sir, very well. Clo. Nay, I beseech you, mark it well. Clo. Doth your honor see any Escal. Why, no. harm in his face? Clo. I'll be supposed upon a book, his face is the worst thing about him: good then; if his face be the worst thing about him, how could Master Froth do the constable's wife any harm? I would know that of your honor. 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 Froth. I have so; because it is an open room, wicked Hannibal! I respected with her, before I and good for winter. was married to her! If ever I was respected with Clo. Why, very well, then; I hope here be her, or she with me, truths. Ang. This will last out a night in Russia, once more? 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 should do with this wicked caitiff? Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some ofClo. Once, sir? there was nothing done to her fenses in him that thou wouldst discover if thou couldst, let him continue in his courses till thou once. Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man know'st what they are. did to my wife. Clo. I beseech your honor, ask me. Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it: :Thou seest, thou wicked varlet now, what's come Escal. Well, sir: What did this gentleman to upon thee; thou art to continue now, thou varlet; her? thou art to continue. Escal. Where were you born, friend? Escal. There are pretty orders beginning, I can [To FROTH. tell you: it is but heading and hanging. Froth. Here, in Vienna, sir. Escal. So. What trade are you of, sir? [To the Clown. Clo. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster. Escal. Your mistress's name? Clo. Mistress Overdone. 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 years, 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 prophesy, hark you :- -I advise, Escal. Hath she had any more than one hus- you, let me not find you before me again upon any band? Clo. Nine, sir; Overdone 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 color it in being a tapster. Are you not? come, tell me true? it shall be the better for you. 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. Whip me? No, no; let carman whip his jade; [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 your readiness 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: Clo. Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that would as they are chosen, they are glad to choose me for live. them; I do it for some piece of money, and go through with all. 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. 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. Clo. Does your worship mean to geld and spay What's o'clock, think you? all the youth in the city? 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 fear the bawds. Just. Eleven, sir. [Exit ELBOW. Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me. Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio; But there's no remedy. Come, sir. There's no remedy. SCENE II.- · Another Room in the same. Enter Provost and a Servant. [Exit Servant. Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA. Prov. Save your honor! [Offering to retire. Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come Please but your honor hear me. Ang. Well; what's your suit? [Exit Servant. And most desire should meet the blow of justice; His pleasure; may be he will relent: Alas, Ang. Did I not tell thee, yea? hadst thou not Why, every fault's condemned ere it be done : Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemned, And neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy. If so your heart were touched with that remorse As mine is to him? Ang. He is sentenced; 't is too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [To ISABELLA. Isab. Too late? why, no; I that do speak a word, May call it back again: Well believe this, Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, Lucio. Ay, touch him : there's the vein. [Aside. Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law, And you but waste your words. Be you content, fair maid; It is the law, not I, that condemns your brother: Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son, Ang. I shew it most of all, when I shew justice; For then I pity those I do not know, Which a dismissed offense would after gall; And do him right, that, answering one foul wrong, Lives not to act another. Be satisfied; Your brother dies to-morrow: be content. Isab. So you must be the first that gives this sentence; And he that suffers: O, it is excellent It should be thus with him; - he must die to- His glassy essence), like an angry ape, morrow. him, spare him: Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven. Isab. To-morrow? O, that's sudden! Spare As make the angels weep; who, with our spleens, He's not prepared for death! Even for our kitchens We kill the fowl of season; shall we serve heaven With less respect than we do minister To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you: Who is it that hath died for this offense? There's many have committed it. Lucio. Ay, well said. Great men may jest with saints: 't is wit in them; Lucio. Thou 'rt in the right, girl; more o' that. Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. hath slept: Lucio. Art advised o' that? more on 't. |
