,
And let it keep one shape, till custom make it
Their perch, and not their terror.
Escal.
Ay, but yet
Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,
Than fall, and bruise to death2note
: Alas! this gentleman,
Whom I would save, had a most noble father.
Let but your honour know3note
,
(Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,)
That, in the working of your own affections,
Had time coher'd with place, or place with wishing,
Or that the resolute acting of your blood
Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose,
Whether you had not sometime in your life
Err'd in this point which now you censure him4note
,
And pull'd the law upon you.
-- 42 --
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 seizes5note
. What know the laws,
That thieves do pass on thieves6note
? 'Tis very pregnant7note,
The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it,
Because we see it; but what we do not see,
We tread upon, and never think of it.
You may not so extenuate his offence,
For I have had8note such faults; but rather tell me,
-- 43 --
When I, that censure him, do so offend,
Let mine own judgment pattern out my death,
And nothing come in partial. Sir, he must die.
Escal.
Be it as your wisdom will.
Ang.
Where is the provost?
Prov.
Here, if it like your honour.
Ang.
See that Claudio
Be executed by nine to-morrow morning:
Bring him his confessor, let him be prepar'd;
For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage. [Exit Provost.
Escal.
Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all!
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall:
Some run from brakes of vice, and answer none;
And some condemned for a fault alone9note
[unresolved image link]
.
-- 44 --
Enter Elbow, Froth, Clown, Officers, &c.
Elb.
Come, bring them away: if these be good
people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use
-- 45 --
their abuses in common houses, I know no law;
bring them away.
-- 46 --
Ang.
How now, sir! What's your name? and
what's the matter?
Elb.
If it please your honour, 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 honour two notorious benefactors.
Ang.
Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are
they? are they not malefactors?
Elb.
If it please your honour, 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.
Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an
honest woman,—
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?
-- 48 --
Elb.
Ay, sir, by mistress Overdone's means6note:
but as she spit in his face, so she defied him.
Clo.
Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so.
Elb.
Prove it before these varlets here, thou
honourable man, prove it.
Escal.
Do you hear how he misplaces?
[To Angelo.
Clo.
Sir, she came in great with child; and
longing (saving your honour's reverence,) for stew'd
prunes7note
; sir, we had but two in the house, which
at that very distant time stood, as it were, in a
fruit-dish, a dish of some three-pence; your honours
have seen such dishes; they are not China
dishes8note, but very good dishes.
Escal.
Go to, go to: no matter for the dish, sir.
Clo.
No, indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are
therein in the right: but, to the point: As I say,
this mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and
being great belly'd, 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
-- 49 --
rest, as I said, and, as I say, paying for them very
honestly;—for, as you know, master Froth, I could
not give you three pence again.
Froth.
No, indeed.
Clo.
Very well: you being then, if you be remember'd,
cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes.
Froth.
Ay, so I did, indeed.
Clo.
Why, very well: I tell you then, if you
be remember'd, 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 honour cannot come to that yet.
Escal.
No, sir, nor I mean it not.
Clo.
Sir, but you shall come to it, by your
honour'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-hallownd eve.
Clo.
Why, very well; I hope here be truths:
He, sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair9note, sir;—
'twas in the Bunch of Grapes, where, indeed, you
have a delight to sit: Have you not?
Froth.
I have so; because it is an open room1note,
and good for winter.
-- 50 --
Clo.
Why, very well then;—I hope here be
truths.
Ang.
This will last out a night in Russia,
When nights are longest there: I'll take my leave,
And leave you to the hearing of the cause;
Hoping, you'll find good cause to whip them all.
Escal.
I think no less: Good morrow to your lordship.
[Exit Angelo.
Now, sir, come on: What was done to Elbow's
wife, once more?
Clo.
Once, sir? there was nothing done to her
once.
Elb.
I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man
did to my wife.
Clo.
I beseech your honour, ask me.
Escal.
Well, sir: What did this gentleman to
her?
Clo.
I beseech you, sir, look in this gentleman's
face:—Good master Froth, look upon his honour;
'tis for a good purpose: Doth your honour mark
his face?
Escal.
Ay, sir, very well.
Clo.
Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.
Escal.
Well, I do so.
Clo.
Doth your honour see any harm in his face?
Escal.
Why, no.
Clo.
I'll be supposed1note 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 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.
-- 51 --
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
Iniquity2note
?—Is this true?
Elb.
O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou
wicked Hannibal3note! 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 should 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
-- 52 --
seest, thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon
thee; thou art to continue now, thou varlet; thou
art to continue4note.
Escal.
Where were you born, friend?
[To Froth
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?
[To the Clown.
Clo.
A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal.
Your mistress's 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 you5note, 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?
'Troth, and your bum is the greatest
thing about you7note
; so that, in the beastliest sense,
-- 54 --
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.
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 in the city?
-- 55 --
Escal.
No, Pompey.
Clo.
Truly, sir, in my poor opinion, they will
to't then: If your worship will take order8note
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 bay9note
: 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.
-- 56 --
Whip me? No, no; let carmen 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 your readiness1note 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. [Exit
Elbow.] What's o'clock, think you?
Just.
Eleven, sir.
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:
-- 57 --
But yet,—Poor Claudio!—There's no remedy.
Come, sir.
