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

Esca. Well, sir;- What did this gentleman to her?

Pom. 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.

Pom. Doth your honour see any harm in his face? Esca. Why, no.

Pom. 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.

Esca. 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.

ed

Pom. By this hand, sir, his wife is a more respectperson 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.

Pom. Sir, she was respected with him before he married with her.

Esca. Which is the wiser here, justice or ini quity? 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.

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

Elb, Marry, I thank your good worship for it:

8 For cannibal.

What is't your worship's pleasure I shall do with this wicked caitiff?

Esca. Truly, officer, because he has 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.

Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it :- Thou see'st, thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon thee; thou art to continue now, thou varlet; thou art to continue.

Esca. 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 tap-house, but I am drawn in.

Esca. 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.

Esca. I advise you, let me not find you before me again upon any complaint whatsoever; 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.

sel;

Pom. I thank your worship for your good counBut I shall follow it, as the flesh and fortune shall better determine. [Exit POMPEY. Esca. 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.

Esca. I thought, by your readiness in the office you had continuance in it some time: you say, seven years together?

Elb. 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? . 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.

Esca. 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? Esca. To my house: Fare you well.

[Exeunt ESCALUS, Apparitors, ELBOW, and Tipstaves.

SCENE III.

A Room in Angelo's House.

Enter ANGelo.

Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and

pray

To several subjects: Heaven hath my empty words;
Whilst my intention, hearing not my tongue,
Anchors on Isabel: Heaven in my mouth;
And in my heart, the strong and swelling evil
Of my conception.

Why does my blood thus muster to my heart,

Making both it unable for itself,

And dispossessing all my other parts

Of necessary fitness ?

Enter ISABELLA.

How now, fair maid?

Isa. I am come to know your pleasure.

Ang. That you might know it, would much better please me,

Than to demand what 'tis. Your brother cannot

live.

Isa. Even so?- Heaven keep your honour!

[Retiring. and, it may be,

Yet he must die.

As long as you or I :

Isa. Under your sentence?

Ang. Yea.

Isa. When, I beseech you? that in his reprieve, Longer, or shorter, he may be so fitted,

That his soul sicken not.

Ang. Ha! Fie, these filthy vices! It were as good To pardon him, that hath from nature stolen ́ A man already made, as to remit

Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image, In stamps that are forbid.

Isa. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. Ang. Say you so? then I shall poze you quickly. Which had you rather, that the most just law Now took your brother's life, or, to redeem him, Give up your person to such sweet uncleanness,

As she that he hath stain'd?

Isa. Sir, believe this,

I had rather give my body than my soul.

Ang. I talk not of your soul; our compell'd sins Stand more for number than for accompt.

Isa.

-

How say you? Ang. Nay, I'll not warrant that: for I can speak Against the thing I say. Answer to this; I, now the voice of the recorded law, Pronounce a sentence on your brother's life: Might there not be a charity in sin, To save this brother's life?

Isa. Please you to do't,

I'll take it as a peril to my soul,

It is no sin at all, but charity.

Ang. Pleas'd you to do't, at peril of your soul, Were equal poize of sin and charity.

Isa. That I do beg his life, if it be sin, Heaven let me bear it! you granting of my suit, If that be sin, I'll make it my morn prayer To have it added to the faults of mine,

And nothing of your, answer.

Ang. Nay, but hear me:

Your sense pursues not mine: either you are ignorant,

Or seem so, craftily; and that's not good.

Isa. Let me be ignorant, and in nothing good, But graciously to know I am no better.

Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright When it doth tax itself:-But mark me;

To be received plain, I'll speak more gross :
Your brother is to die.

Isa. So.

appears

Ang. And his offence is so, as it Accountant to the law upon that pain. Isa. True.

Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, (As I subscribe not that, nor any other, But in the loss of question,) that you, his sister, Finding yourself desired of such a person, Whose credit with the judge, or own great place, Could fetch your brother from the manacles Of the all-binding law; and that there were No earthly mean to save him, but that either You must lay down the treasure of your person To this supposed, or else let him suffer; What would you do?

Isa. As much for my poor brother, as myself: That is, were I under the terms of death, The impression of keen whips I'd wear as rubies, And strip myself to death, as to a bed