1 pregnant,+ The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: 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. 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 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. Escal. This comes off well;tt here's a wise officer. Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow? Clo. He cannot, Sir; he's out at elbow. Elb. He, Sir? a tapster, Sir; parcel+t-bawd; one that serves a bad woman; whose house, Sir, was, as they say, pluck'd down in the suburbs; and now she professess a hot-house, 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 dst thou know that, constable? Elb. Marry, sir, by my wife; who, if she had been 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 honour, this is not so. Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it. Escal. Do you hear how he misplaces? Clo. Sir, she came in great with child; and longing (saving your honour's reverence,) for stew'd prunes; 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 threepence; 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. 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 rest, as I said, and, as i paying for them very honestly; for, as you know, master Froth, I cou'd not give you threepence again. Froth. No, indeed. say, 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 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. 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-hollond+ eve. Clo. 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. Clo. Why, very well then;-I hope here be truths. 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? Cle. 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. Clo. Doth your honour see any harm in his face? Escul. Why, no. 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 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' 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 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? Froth. Here in Vienna, Sir. 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 yor master Froth, and you will hang them: Go 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. 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? 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 threepence 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,-1 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. 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 w serve it? * Measures. 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? Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die: Prov. Heaven give thee moving graces! Why, every fault's condemn'd, ere it be done: Escal. To my house: Fare you well. [Exit To find the faults, whose fine stands in record. ELBOW.] What's o'clock, think you? Just. Eleven, Sir. Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me. 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; [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Another Room in the same. Enter PROVOST and a SERVANT. Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come All sects, all ages smack of this vice; and he Enter ANGELO. Ang Now, what's the matter, provost? morrow? Ang. Did I not tell thee, yea? hadst thou not Prov. Lest I might be too rash: Ang. Go to; let that be mine: Do you your office, or give up your place, Prov. I crave your honour's pardon.- Ang. Dispose of her Juliet? To some more fitter place; and that with speed. Re-enter SERVANT. And let go by the actor. Isab. O just, but severe law! I had a brother then.-Heaven keep your hon our! [Retiring. Lucio. [To ISAB.] Give't not o'er so: to him again, entreat him; Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown; Isab. Must he needs die? him, [it: Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon [mercy. And neither heaven, nor man, grieve at the Ang. I will not do't. Isab. But can you, if you would? Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. no wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [To ISABELLA May call it back again: Well believe this, Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency, No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge, Lucio. Ay, touch him: there's the vein. [Aside. Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd, Why, all the souls that were, were forfeit once; Desires access to you. Ang. Hath he a sister? And He that might the vantage best have took, Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, If He, which is the top of judgement, should And to be shortly of a sisterhood, If not already. Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Exit SERV. Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA. Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. Ang. Well; what's your suit? Isab. There is a vice, that most I do abhor, Lucio. Ay, well said. Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept: Those many had not dar'd to do that evil, Isub. Yet show some pity. Ang. I show it most of all, when I show justice; For then I pity those I do not know, Lives not to act another. Be satisfied; Isub. So you must be the first, that gives this sentence; And he, that suffers: O, it is excellent Lucio. That's well said. Isab. Could great men thunder As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Split'st the unwedgeable and gnarled+ oak, Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Prov. Pray heaven, she win him! Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: [them; Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in But, in the less, foul profanation. Lucio. Thou'rt in the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. Lucio. Art advis'd o' that? more on't. Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon me? Isab. Because authority, though it err like others, Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself, That skins the vice o' the top: Go to your Knock there; and ask your heart, what it doth Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue Ang. She speaks, and 'tis Such sense, that my sense breeds with it.- Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back. Ang. I will bethink me:-Come again to morrow. Isab. Hark, how I'll bribe you: Good my lord, turn back. Ang. How! bribe me? Lucio. You had marr'd ail, else. Isab. Not with fond shekels of the tested gold, Or stones, whose rates are either rich, or poor, As fancy values them: but with true prayers, That shall be up at heaven, and enter there, Ere sunrise; prayers from preserved souls, From fasting maids, whose minds are dedicate To nothing temporal. Ang. Well: come to me To-morrow. Lucio. Go to; it is well; away. [Aside to ISABELLA. Isab. Heaven keep your honour safe! Ang. Amen: for I Am that way going to temptation, Isub. At what hour to-morrow [Aside. [Exeunt Lucio, ISABELLA, and PROVOST. Ang. From thee; even from thy virtue!What's this? what's this? Is this her fault, or mine? [Ha. The tempter, or the tempted, who sins most? Not she; nor doth she tempt: but it is I, That lying by the violet, in the sun, Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower, Corrupt with virtuous season. Can it be, That modesty may more betray our sense Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground. enough, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, SCENE III.—A Room in a Prison. Enter DUKE, habited like a Friar, and PROVOST. Duke. Hail to you, provost! so, I think you are. Prov. I am the provost: What's your will, good friar? Duke. Bound by my charity, and my bless'd I come to visit the afflicted spirits [order, Here in the prison: do me the common right To let me see them; and to make me know The nature of their crimes, that I may minister To them accordingly. Prov. I would do more than that, if more were needful. Enter JULIET. Look, here comes one; a gentlewoman of mine, Isab. Ay, with such gifts, that heaven shall And he that got it, sentenc'd: a young man share with you. See 2 Kings x 27. More fit to do another such offence, Duke. When must he die? And you shall be conducted. [To JULIET. Duke. Repent you, fair one, of the sin you carry? Juliet. I do; and bear the shame most patiently. Duke. I'll teach you how you shall arraign And try your penitence, if it be sound, Juliet. I'll gladly learn. Duke. Love you the man that wrong'd you? Duke. So then, it seems, your most offenceful Duke. Then was your sin of heavier kind Juliet. I do confess it, and repent it, father. do repent, As that the sin hath brought you to this shame,- Showing, we'd not spare heaven, as we love Juliet. I do repent me, as it is an evil; Duke. There rest. [it, Your partner, as I hear, must die to-morrow, [Exit. Juliet. Must die to-morrow! O, injurious That respites me a life, whose very comfort Prov. "Tis pity of him. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-A Room in ANGELO's House. and pray Ang. When I would pray and think, I think Let's write good angel on the devil's horn, Ang. Yea. Isab. When, I beseech you? that in his re- Longer, or shorter, he may so be fitted, Ang. Ha! Fie, these filthy vices! It were as To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in Ang. Say you so? then I shall pose you quickly. Which had you rather, That the most just law Isab. Sir, believe this, I had rather give my body than my soul. Isab. How say you? [sins Ang. Nay, I'll not warrant that; for I can Against the thing I say. Answer to this;-) Isab. Please you to do't, Were equal poise of sin and charity. Heaven, let me bear it! you granting of my If that be sin, I'll make it my morn prayer [ignorant, Ang. Nay, but hear me: Isab. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing bright, When it doth tax itself: as these black masks |