SCENE III.-The same.-Enter Provost,' Claudio, Juliet, and Officers; Lucio, and two Gen-I tlemen. Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to Acquaint her with the danger of my state; the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority, Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes this restraint? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom, as the morality of imprisonment.-What's thy offence, Claudio? Claud. What, but to speak of would offend again. Lucio. What is it? murder? Lucio. Lechery? Claud. Call it so. Prov. Away, sir; you must go. Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends When she will play with reason and discourse. Lucio. I pray she may: as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition; as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Lucio. Within two hours,Claud. Come, officer, away. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-A monastery. Enter Duke and Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Fri. May your grace speak of it? Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you Claud. One word, good friend:-Lucio, a word How I have ever lov'd the life remov'd ; [Takes him aside. And held in idle price to haunt assemblies, Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.-I have delivered to lord Angelo Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps.* Is lechery so look'd after? Claud. Thus stands it with me:-Upon a true with you. contract, I got possession of Julietta's bed; Claud. Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke,- A horse whereon the governor doth ride, He can command, lets it straight feel the spur: So long, that nineteen zodiacs have gone round, Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. Gaoler. (2) Voraciously devour. Yearly circles. (4) Ticklish. (5) Enter on her probation. (6) Prompt. A man of stricture, 10 and firm abstinence,) Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting laws Which for these fourteen years we have let sleep; That goes not out to prey: now, as fond fathers For terror, not to use; in time the rod Becomes more mock'd, than fear'd: so our decrees, Fri. Duke. I To do it slander: and to behold his sway, SCENE V.-A nunnery. Francisca. men, But in the presence of the prioress : Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek roses Proclaim you are no less! can you so stead me, Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his He should receive his punishment in thanks : Isab. Sir, make me not your story. It is true. I would not-though 'tis my familiar sin Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth," Your brother and his lover have embrac'd: (1) On his defence. (2) Do not make a jest of me. To teeming foison; even so her plenteous womb Isab. Some one with child by him?-My cousin Lucio. Is she your cousin ? Isab. Adoptedly: as school-maids change their names, By vain though apt affection. Isab. O, let him marry her! She it is. This is the point. Governs lord Angelo; a man, whose blood Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Assay the power you have. As they themselves would owe them. But speedily. ACT II. Good sir, adien. [Exeunt. SCENE I-A hall in Angelo's house. Enter Setting it up to fear11 the birds of prey, (7) Power of gaining favour. (8) Sentenced. Escal. Ay, but yet Escal. How know you that? Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest" before hea Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Let but your honour know (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, 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 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 Over-done's means: Guiltier than him they try: what's open made to but as she spit in his face, so she defied him. justice, That justice seizes. What know the laws, nant,+ Clo. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so. preg-honourable man, prove it. The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, Where is the provost ? See that Claudio Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: Enter Elbow, Froth, Clown, Officers, &c. 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; here's a wise officer. ? Elb. 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. (1) Examine. (2) Suited. (3) Pass judgment. [To Angelo. 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 fruitdish, a dish of some three-pence: 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 therefore 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 say, paying for them very honestly; -for, as you know, master Froth, I could not give you three-pence again. Froth. No, indeed. 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 pur pose.-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. 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-hollond13 eve. Glo. Why, very well; I hope here be truths he, sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower14 chair, sir; have a delight to sit : have you not? 'twas in the Bunch of Grapes, where, indeed, you Froth. I have so; because it is an open room, and good for winter. (9) Well told. (10) Partly. (11) Keeps a bagnio. Clo. Why, very well then;-I hope here be Clo. Mistress Over-done. truths. Ang. 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. 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? Clo. Once, sir? there was nothing done to her once. 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: fare Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man well. [Exit Froth.]-Come you hither to me, did to my wife? Clo. I beseech your honour, ask me. Escal. Well, sir: what did this gentleman to her?! Clo. 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? Clo. 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. master tapster; what's your name, master tapster? Clo. Pompey. Escal. What else? Escal. How would you live, Pompey? by being bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade? a Clo. If the law would allow it, sir. Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; Escal. He's in the right: constable, what say nor it shall not be allowed in Vieuna. you to it? Clo. Does your worship mean to geld and spay Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a re- all the youth in the city?" spected 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? 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 Elb. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wick-in it, after three-pence a bay: if you live to see ed Hannibal! I respected with her, before I was this come to pass, say Pompey told you so. married to her? If ever I was respected with her, Es al. Thank you, good Pompey; and, in reor she with me, let not your worship think me the quital of your prophecy, hark you,-I advise you, poor duke's officer:-Prove this, thou wicked Han- let me not find you before me again upon any comnibal, or I'll have mine action of battery on thee. plaint whatsoever, no, not for dwelling where you Escal. If he took you a box o' the ear, you do if I do, Pompey, I shall beat you to your tent, might have your action of slander too. and prove a shrewd Cæsar to you; in plain dealElb. Marry, I thank your good worship for it:ing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt: so for this what is't your worship's pleasure I should do with time Pompey, fare you well. this wicked eaitiff? Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some of fences in him, that thou wouldst discover if thou couldst, let him continue in his courses, till thou know'st what they are. 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; The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade. [Ex. Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it:-thou Escal. Come hither to me, master Elbow; come seest, thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon hither, master Constable. How long have you thee; thou art to continue now, thou varlet; thou art to continue. Escal. Where were you born, friend? [To Froth. Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year? (1) Deposed, sworn. (2) Constable or Clown.) been in this place of constable? Elb. Seven years 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? as they are chosen, they are glad to choose me for For which I must not plead, but that I am Escal. Look you, bring me in the names of Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me. [Exit Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio; Just. Lord Angelo is severe. It is but needful:| SCENE II.—Another room in the same. Ang. I Heaven give thee moving graces! Isab. O just, but severe law! I had a brother then.-Heaven keep your honour! [Retiring. Lucio. [To Isab.] Give't not o'er so: to him Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown; Prov. Pray you, do. [Erit Servant.] I'll know All sects, all ages, smack of this vice; and he Enter Angelo. Ang. Why dost thou ask again? Under your good correction, I have seen, Isab. Must he needs die? Isab. wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse1 Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. [To Isabella. Lest I might be too rash: Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, Ang. Prov. I crave your honour's pardon.What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet? She's very near her hour. Ang. Dispose of her Ang. Hath he a sister? Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Ex. Serv. Let her have needful, but not lavish, means; Enter Lucio and Isabella. Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. |