SCENE I.Angelo's House.Enter Angelo, Escalus, a Justice, Provost9note
, and Attendants.
Ang.
We must not make a scare-crow of the law;
Setting it up to fear1note
the birds of prey,
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
-- 33 --
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.
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,
That thieves do pass on thieves? 5note'Tis very pregnant,
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,
6noteFor I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
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
-- 34 --
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 Prov.
Escal.
Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all!
7note
[unresolved image link]
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall:
Some run from brakes of vice, and answer none;
And some condemned for a fault alone.
-- 35 --
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
-- 36 --
their abuses in common houses, I know no law: bring
them away.
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.
; one
that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, was, as
they say, pluck'd down in the suburbs; and now she
professes a hot-house2note
, which, I think, is a very ill
house too.
Escal.
How know you that?
Elb.
My wife, sir, whom I detest before heaven
and your honour,—
Escal.
How! thy wife?
Elb.
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 uncleanness there.
-- 38 --
Escal.
By the woman's means?
Elb.
Ay, sir, by mistress Over-done's means3note: but
as she spit in his face, so she defy'd him.
Clown.
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.
Clown.
Sir, she came in great with child; and longing
(saving your honour's reverence) for stew'd
prunes4note; 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 dishes, but very good
dishes.
Escal.
Go to, go to; no matter for the dish, sir.
Clown.
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 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.
Clown.
Very well: you being then, if you be remember'd,
cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes.
Froth.
Ay, so I did, indeed.
Clown.
Why, very well: I telling you then, if you
be remember'd, that such a one, and such a one, were
-- 39 --
past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they kept
very good diet, as I told you.
Froth.
All this is true.
Clown.
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.
Clown.
Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet.
Escal.
No, sir, nor I mean it not.
Clown.
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 dy'd at Hallowmas:—Was't not at Hallowmas,
master Froth?
Froth.
All-hollond eve.
Clown.
Why, very well; I hope here be truths:
He, sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, 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 room, and
good for winter.
Clown.
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?
Clown.
Once, sir? there was nothing done to her
once.
Elb.
I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man did
to my wife.
Clown.
I beseech your honour, ask me.
Escal.
Well, sir; What did this gentleman to her?
-- 40 --
Clown.
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.
Clown.
Nay, I beseech you mark it well.
Escal.
Well, I do so.
Clown.
Doth your honour see any harm in his face?
Escal.
Why, no.
Clown.
I'll be suppos'd 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.
Clown.
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.
Clown.
Sir, she was respected with him before he
marry'd with her.
Elb.
Which is the wiser here? Justice or Iniquity5note?
—Is this true?
Elb.
O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wicked
Hannibal! I respected with her, before I was marry'd
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 Hannibal6note, or I'll
have mine action of battery on thee.
-- 41 --
Escal.
If he took you a box o' of the 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, 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?
[To Froth.
Froth.
Here in Vienna, sir.
Escal.
Are you of fourscore pounds a year?
Froth.
Yes, and't please you, sir?
Escal.
So.—What trade are you of, sir?
[To the Clown.
Clown.
A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal.
You mistress's name?
Clown.
Mistress Over-done.
Escal.
Hath she had any more than one husband?
Clown.
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 you7note, 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.
-- 42 --
—Come you hither to me, master tapster; what's
your name, master tapster?
Clown.
Pompey.
Escal.
What else?
Clown.
Bum, sir.
Escal.
Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing
about you8note; so that, in the beastliest sense, you are Pompey
the great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey,
howsoever you colour it in being tapster; Are you not?
come, tell me true; it shall 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 shall not be allowed in Vienna.
Clown.
Does your worship mean to geld and spay all
the youth in the 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.
Escal.
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 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 bay9note
: If you live to see this come to
pass, say, Pompey told you so.
-- 43 --
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.
Clown.
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;
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 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:
-- 44 --
as they are chosen, they are glad to chuse 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 a 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:
But yet,—Poor Claudio!—There's no remedy.
Come, sir. [Exeunt.