Froth. Here in Vienna, sir. Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year ? Escal. So.-What trade are you of, sir? [To the Clown. Clo. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster. 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 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. 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 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 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 whipped: 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: as 1 A bay is a principal division in building, as a barn of three bays is a barn twice crossed by beams. 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. BOW.] What's o'clock, think Just. Eleven, sir. you? [Exit EL 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: Merey is not itself that oft looks so; But yet,-Poor Claudio!-There's no remedy. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Another Room in the same. Enter Provost and a Servant. Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come straight. I'll tell him of you. Prov. Pray you, do. [Exit Servant.] I'll know His pleasure: may be, he will relent: alas, He hath but as offended in a dream! All sects, all ages smack of this vice; and he Enter ANGELO. Ang. Why dost thou ask again? Prov. Lest I might be too rash: Under your good correction, I have seen, Ang. Go to; let that be mine: I crave your honor's pardon. Do you your office, or give up your place, Prov. What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet? Ang. Dispose of her To some more fitter place; and that with speed. Re-enter Servant. Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemned, Desires access to you. Ang. Hath he a sister? Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, And to be shortly of a sisterhood, If not already. Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Exit Servant. See you the fornicatress be removed: Let her have needful, but not lavish, means; There shall be order for it. Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA. Prov. Save your honor. [Offering to retire. You are Ang. Stay a little while.-[To Isab.] welcome: What's your will? Isab. I am a woful suitor to your honor; Please but your honor hear me. Ang. Well; what's your suit? Isab. There is a vice, that most I do abhor, And most desire should meet the blow of justice; At war 'twixt will and will not. Ang. Well; the matter? Isab. I have a brother is condemned to die: I do beseech you, let it be his fault, And not my brother.' Prov. Heaven give thee moving graces! Ang. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it! To fine the faults, whose fine stands in record, Isab. [Retiring. Lucio. [To ISAB.] Give't not o'er so: to him again, entreat him: Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown; You are too cold; if you should need a pin, You could not with more tame a tongue desire it: Isab. Must he needs die? Ang. Maiden, no remedy. Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon him, And neither Heaven, nor man, grieve at the mercy. Ang. I will not do't. Isab. But can you, if you would? Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. Isab. But might you do't, and do the world no If so Wrong, your heart were touched with that remorse As mine is to him? Ang. He's sentenced; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [To ISABELLA. Isub. Too late? why, no: I, that do speak a word, May call it back again: well, believe this, No ceremony that to great ones 'longs, 1 i. c. let my brother's fault die or be extirpated, but let not him suffer. |