Ange.
We must not make a scare-crow of the law;
Setting it up to fear the birds of prey,

And let it keep one shape, 'till custom make it
Their perch, and not their terror.

Esca.
Ay, but yet
Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,
Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas, this gentleman,
Whom I would save, had a most noble father:
Let but your honour know14Q0092 (whom I believe
To be most strait in virtue) and consider
This, In ^note the working of your own affections,
Had time coher'd with place, or place with wishing,
Or that the resolute acting of your blood ^note
Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose,
Whether you had not some time in your life
Err'd in this point which now you censure him for,
And pull'd the law upon you.

Ange.
'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 seises on: What know ^note the laws,
That thieves do pass on thieves? '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,
For 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 dye.

Esca.
Be it as your wisdom will.

Ange.
Where is the provost?

Prov.
Here, if it like your honour.

Ange.
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.

Esca.
Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all!
Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall:
Some run from14Q0093 brakes of justice, answer ^note none;
And some condemned for a fault alone. Enter Elbow, Froth, Clown, Officers, &c.

Elbo.

Come, bring them away: if these be good people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses, I know no law: bring them away.

Ange.

How now, sir! What's your name? and what's the matter?

Elbo.

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.

Ange.

Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are they? are they not malefactors?

Elbo.

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 prophanation in the world, that good christians ought to have.

Esca.

This comes off well&dotup; here's a wise officer&dotup;

Ange.

Go to; What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow?

Clow.

He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow.

Ange.

What are you, sir?

Elbo.

He, sir? A tapster, sir; parcel bawd; 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-house, which, I think, is a very ill house too.

Esca.

How know you that?

Elbo.

My wife, sir, whom I detest before heaven and your honour,—

Esca.

How! thy wife?

Elbo.

Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an honest woman;—

Esca.

Dost thou detest her therefore?

Elbo.

I say, sir, I will detest my self 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.

Esca.

How dost thou know that, constable?

Elbo.

Marry, sir, by my wife; who, if she had been a woman cardinally given, might have been accus'd in fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness there.

Esca.

By the woman's means?

Elbo.

Ay, sir, by mistress Overdone's means: but as she spit in his face, so she defy'd him.

Clow.

Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so.

Elbo.

Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it.

Esca. [to Ange.]

Do you hear how he misplaces?

Clow.

Sir, she came in great with child; and longing (saving your honours' reverence) for stew'd pruins; sir, we had but two in the house, which at that very distant ^note 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.

Esca.

Go to, go to; no matter for the dish, sir.

Clow.

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 pruins; and having but two in ^note 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.

Clow.

Very well: you being then, if you be remember'd, cracking the stones of the foresaid pruins;

Froth.

Ay, so I did, indeed.

Clow.

Why, very well: I telling 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.

Clow.

Why, very well then:

Esca.

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.

Clow.

Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet.

Esca.

No, sir, nor I mean it not.

Clow.

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-hallond eve.

Clow.

Why, very well; I hope, here be truths:— He, sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, sir,14Q0094—'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.

Clow.
Why, very well then; I hope, here be truths.

Ange.
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.

Esca.

I think no less: Good morrow to your lordship.

Now, sir, come on: What was done to Elbow's wife, once more?

Clow.

Once, sir? there was nothing done to her once.

Elbo.

I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man did to my wife.

Clow.

I beseech your honour, ask me.

Esca.

Well, sir; What did this gentleman to her?

Clow.

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?

Esca.

Ay, sir very well.

Clow.

Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.

Esca.

Well, I do so.

Clow.

Doth your honour see any harm in his face?

Esca.

Why, no.

Clow.

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.

Esca.

He's in the right, constable: What say you to it?

Elbo.

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

Clow.

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

Elbo.

Varlet, thou ly'st; thou ly'st, wicked varlet: the time is yet to come, that she was ever respected with man, woman, or child.

Clow.

Sir, she was respected with him before he marry'd with her.

Esca.

Which is the wiser here? justice, or iniquity? —Is this true?

Elbo.

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 Hannibal, or I'll have mine action of battery on thee.

Esca.

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

Elbo.

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

Esca.

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

Elbo.

Marry, I thank your worship for it:—Thou

seest, ^note thou wicked varlet, now, what's come upon thee; thou art to continue now, thou varlet, thou art to continue.

Esca.

Where were you born, friend?

Froth.

Here in Vienna, sir.

Esca.

Are you of fourscore pounds a year?

Froth.

Yes, an't please you, sir.

Esca.

So.—What trade are you of, sir?

Clow.

A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.

Esca.

Your mistress's name?

Clow.

Mistress Overdone.

Esca.

Hath she had any more than one husband?

Clow.

Nine, sir; Overdone by the last.

Esca.

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.

Esca.

Well; no more of it, master Froth: farewel. —Come you hither to me, master tapster: What's your name, master tapster?

Clow.

Pompey.

Esca.

What else?

Clow.

Bum, sir.

Esca.

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 ^note a tapster; Are you not? come, tell me true; it shall be the better for you.

Clow.

Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow, that would live.

Esca.

How would you live, Pompey? by being a bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade?

Clow.

If the law would allow it, sir.

Esca.

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

Clow.

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

Esca.

No, Pompey.

Clow.

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

Esca.

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

Clow.

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, ^note 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.

Esca.

Thank you, good Pompey: and, in requital of your prophesy, 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.

Clow.

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.

Esca.

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

Elbo.

Seven year and a half, sir.

Esca.

I thought, by the readiness in the office, you had continu'd in it some time; You say, seven years together?

Elbo.

And a half, sir.

Esca.

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?

Elbo.

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 mony, ^note and go through with all.

Esca.

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

Elbo.

To your worship's house, sir?

Esca.

To my house: Fare you well.—What's o'clock, think you?

Just.

Eleven, sir.

Esca.
I pray you, go home ^note to dinner with me.

Just.
I humbly thank you.

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

Just.
Lord Angelo is severe.

Esca.
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.

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