The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Lucio. For that which, if myself might be his judge,

He should receive his punishment in thanks: 28
He hath got his friend with child.

Isab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio.

It is true.
I would not, though 'tis my familiar sin
With maids to seem the lapwing and to jest, 32
Tongue far from heart, play with all virgins so:
I hold you as a thing ensky'd and sainted;
By your renouncement an immortal spirit,
And to be talk'd with in sincerity,

As with a saint.

This is the point.

The duke is very strangely gone from hence;
Bore many gentlemen, myself being one,
In hand and hope of action; but we do learn 52
By those that know the very nerves of state,
His givings out were of an infinite distance
From his true-meant design. Upon his place,
And with full line of his authority,
Governs Lord Angelo; a man whose blood
Is very snow-broth; one who never feels
The wanton stings and motions of the sense,
But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge 60
With profits of the mind, study and fast.
He, to give fear to use and liberty,
Which have for long run by the hideous law,
As mice by lions, hath pick'd out an act,
Under whose heavy sense your brother's life
Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it,

And follows close the rigour of the statute,
To make him an example. All hope is gone, 68
Unless you have the grace by your fair prayer
To soften Angelo; and that's my pith of business
Twixt you and your poor brother.
Isab. Doth he so seek his life?
Lucio.
He's censur'd him 72
Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath
A warrant for his execution.

Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me
To do him good?
Lucio.

Assay the power you have. 76 Isab. My power? alas! I doubt

Lucio.

Our doubts are traitors,

And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo, And let him learn to know, when maidens

sue,

Men give like gods; but when they weep and
kneel,

36 All their petitions are as freely theirs
As they themselves would owe them.
Isab. I'll see what I can do.
Lucio.

Isab. You do blaspheme the good in mocking me.

Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus:

Isab. I will about it straight;

But speedily. 84

No longer staying but to give the Mother
Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you:
Commend me to my brother; soon at night ss
I'll send him certain word of my success.
Lucio. I take my leave of you.
Isab.

Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt.

Ang. Go to: what quality are they of? Elbow is your name? why dost thou not speak, Elbow? Pom. He cannot, sir: he's out at elbow. 62 Ang. What are you, sir?

Elb. He, sir! a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one that serves a bad woman, whose house, sir, was, as they say, plucked down in the suburbs; and now she professes a hot-house, which, I think, is a very ill house too.

Escal. How know you that?

For I have had such faults; but rather tell me, house. 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.

36 [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 ice, and answer none,
And some condemned for a fault alone.

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?

Elb. Ay, sir, by Mistress Overdone's means; but as she spit in his face, so she defied him. Pom. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so. 89

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

Escal. [To ANGELO.] Do you hear how he misplaces?

Pom. Sir, she came in, great with child, and longing,-saving your honour's reverence,-for

stewed 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. Pom. 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-bellied, 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 threepence again.

Froth. No, indeed.

112

Pom. 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.

Pom. Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet.

Escal. No, sir, nor I mean it not.

128

Pom. 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? 134

Froth. All-hallownd eve.

Pom. 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?

139

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.

193

Escal. If he took you a box o' th' ear, you

Froth. I have so, because it is an open room might have your action of slander too. and good for winter.

Pom. Why, very well then: I hope here be truths.

Ang. This will last out a night in Russia, 144 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?

Elb. Marry, I thank your good worship for it. What is 't your worship's pleasure I shall do with this wicked caitiff? 198

Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some offences in him that thou wouldest discover if thou couldst, let him continue in his courses till thou knowest what they are.

202

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.
208
Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year?
Froth. Yes, an't please you, sir.

Escal. So. [To POMPEY.] What trade are you of, sir? 212

Pom. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal. Your mistress' name?
Pom. Mistress Overdone.

Escal. Hath she had any more than one husi band?

Pom. Nine, sir; Overdone by the last. 218 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.

226

Escal. Well: no more of it, Master Froth: farewell. [Exit FROTH.]-Come you hither to me, Master tapster. What's your name, Master tapster?

Pom. Pompey.

232

Escal. What else? Pom. 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. 23 Pom. Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that

would live.

Pom. If the law would allow it, sir. Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor it shall not be allowed in Vienna. Pom. Does your worship mean to geld and splay all the youth of the city? Escal. No, Pompey.

250

Pom. Truly, sir, in my humble opinion, they will to't then. If your worship will take order er 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. 256 Pom. If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten year together, you'll be gad 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 to see this come to pass, say, Pompey told

263

Escal. Thank you, good Pompey; and, in

Lest I might be too rash.
Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution, Judgment hath
Repented o'er his doom.

graces!

[Aside.] Heaven give thee moving

Ang. Condemn the fault, and not the actor
of it?

Why, every fault's condemn'd ere it be done.
Mine were the very cipher of a function,
To fine the faults whose fine stands in record, 40
And let go by the actor.
Isab.
O just, but severe law!
Ihad a brother, then.-Heaven keep your honour!
[Retiring.

Lucio. [Aside 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, 45 Go to; let that be mine: 12 You could not with more tame a tongue desire it. Do you your office, or give up your place, To him, I say! And you shall well be spar'd.

Ang.

Prov.
I crave your honour's pardon.
What shall be done, sir, with the groaning
Juliet?

She's very near her hour.

Dispose of her

Ang.
To some more fitter place; and that with speed.

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

Let her have needful, but not lavish, means; 24 Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, 60 There shall be order for 't.

The marshal's truncheon, nor the judge's robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does.

If he had been as you, and you as he,
You would have slipt like him; but he, like you,
Would not have been so stern.

Ang.

Pray you, be gone.
Isab. I would to heaven I had your potency,
And you were Isabel! should it then be thus? 68
No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge,
And what a prisoner.

Lucio. [Aside to ISAB.] Ay, touch him; there's
the vein.

Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law,
And you but waste your words.
Isab.
Alas! alas! 7:
Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once:
And He that might the vantage best have took
Found out the remedy. How would you be,
If He, which is the top of judgment, should 7

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