That, in the working of your own affections, Ang. "Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Elb. Ay, sir, by mistress Over-done'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? [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 The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, distant time stood, as it were, in a fruit-dish, a dish May, in the sworn twelve, have a thief or two of some three-pence; your honours have seen such Guiltier, than him they try. What's open made to jus-dishes ;they are not China dishes, but very good dishes. That justice seizes. What know the laws, tice, Escal. Goto, go to; no matter for the dish, sir. That thieves do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant, Clo. No, indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are therein in The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, the right; but, to the point: As I say, this mistress Because we see it; but what we do not see, Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and being great belWe tread upon, and never think of it. ly'd, and longing, as I said, for prunes, and having but You may not so extenuate his offence, two in the dish, as I said, master Froth here, this very man, having eaten the rest, as I said, and, as I say, pay→ ing for them very honestly;-for, as you know, master Froth, I could not give you three-pence again. For I have had such faults; but rather tell me, Ang. Where is the provost? Prov. Here, if it like your honour. Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, etc. 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. Escal. How know you that? Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest before heaven and your honour, Escal. How! thy wife? Froth. No, indeed. Clo. Very well: you being then, if you be remember'd, cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes. Froth. Ay, soIdid, 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. Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose! 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. Ang. This will last out a nighţ 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. 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? Elb. Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an honest Clo. I beseech you, sir, look in this gentleman's face! 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? a - Good master Froth, look upon his honour; 'tis for Clo. Nay, I beseech you, mark it well! Clo. Doth your honour see any harm in his face? Clo.I'll be supposed upon a book, his face is the worst thing about him. Good thea; if his face be the worst thing about him, how could master Froth do the con stable's wife any harm? I would know that of your honour. 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.He's in the right. Constable, what say you to it? Escal. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell 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' the 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? [To Froth. Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year? Escal.So.-What trade are you of,sir?[To the Clown. Clo. Mistress Over-done. Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband? 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 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 youths in the city? Escal. No, Pompey. 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, 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 Caesar to you; in plain dealing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt: so for this time, Pompey, fare you well! Clo. I thank your worship for your good counsel; but shall follow it, as the flesh and fortune shall better determine. I Elb. Seven year and a half, sir. Escal. Ithought, by your readiness in the office, yon 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 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!— [Exit Elbow. What's o'clock, think you? Just. Eleven, sir. Do you your office, or give up your place, Prov. I crave your honour's pardon. What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet ? To some more fitter place; and that with speed. Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd, 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! See you, the fornicatress be remov'd; Why, all the souls, that were, were forfeit once; Ang. Be you content, fair maid; [Exit Servant. It is the law, not I, condemns your brother; Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son, Let her have needful, but not lavish, means; There shall be order for it. Enter LUCIO and ISABELLA. Prov. Save your honour! [Offering to retire. It should be thus with him; - he must die to-morrow. Isab. To-morrow? O, that's sudden! Spare him, spare him! He's not prepar'd for death! Even for our kitchens Ang. Stay a little while. [To Isab.] You are wel-We kill the fowl of season; shall we serve heaven come. What's your will? Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your honour, Please but your honour 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; Ang. Well; the matter? Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die: 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. Ojust, but severe law! I had a brother then.-Heaven keep your honour! [Retiring. Lucio. [To Isab.] Give't not o'er so: to him again, intreat him; Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown! 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, ifyou would? Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. Isab. But might you do't, and do the world no wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse, As mine is to him? Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. [To Isabella. Isab. 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, Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, 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, begone! Isab. I would to heaven, I had your potency, And you were Isabel! should it then be thus? With less respect, than we do minister To our gross selves? Good,good my lord, bethink Lucio. Ay, well said. you: Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hathi slept: Those many had not dar'd to do that evil, If the first man, that did the edict infringe, Isab. Yet, show some pity! Ang. I show it most of all, when I show justice ; Which a dismiss'd offence would after gall; Isab. So you must be the first,that gives this sentence, And he, that suffers. O, it is excellent To have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous, Lucio. That's well said. Isab. Could great men thunder As Jove himself does, Jove would ne'er be quiet, Would use his heaven for thunder; nothing butthun- der. Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Lucio. O, to him, to him, wench! he will relent; He's coming, I perceive't. Prov. Pray heaven, she win him! Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: Great men may jest with saints: 'tis wit in them; 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 bosom; Knock there, and ask your heart, what it doth know That's like my brother's fault: if it confess A natural guiltiness, such as is his, Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue Ang. She speaks, and 'tis Such sense, that my sense breeds with it. well! Isab. Gentle my lord, turn back! I come to visit the afflicted spirits Here in the prison: do me the common right Prov.I would do more than that, if more were needful. Look, here comes one; a gentlewoman of mine Fare you And he, that got it, sentenc'd: a young man Ang. I will bethink me:- come again to-morrow. Isab. Hark, how I'll bribe you: good my lord, turn back! Shall I attend your lordship? Ang. At any time 'fore noon. Isab. Save your honour! Duke. Then was your sin of heavier kind, than his. Duke. 'Tis meet so, daughter: but lest you do repent, [Aside. As that the sin hath brought you to this shame, [Exeunt Lucio, Isabella, and Provost. Do, as the carrion does, not as the flower, Than woman's lightness? Having waste ground enough, Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, And feast upon her eyes? Whast is't I dream on? To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet, When men were fond, I smil'd, and wonder'd how. [Exit. 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 order, Which sorrow is always toward ourselves, not heaven; Showing, we'd not spare heaven, as we love it, SCENE IV. - A room in Angelo's house. Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray As if I did but only chew his name; Enter Servant. Desires access to you. Ang. Teach her the way.— O heavens! [Exit Servant. Why does my blood thus muster to my heart; Ang. Ha! fy, these filthy vices! It were as good Their saucy sweetness, that do coin heaven's image As to put mettle in restrained means, Isab. 'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth. Isab. 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 accompt. Isab. 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? Isab. Please you to do't, I'll take it as a peril to my soul, Ang. Pleas'd you to do't, at peril of your soul, Were equal poize of sin and charity. Isab. 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, Ang. Thus wisdom wishes to appear most bright, Isab. So. Ang. And his offence is so, as it appears Accountant to the law upon that pain. Isab. True. Ang. Admit no other way to save his life, Isab. As much for my poor brother, as myself: Ang. Then must your brother die. Ang. Were not you then as cruel as the sentence, That you have slander'd so? Isab. Ignomy in ransom, and free pardon, Are of two houses: lawful mercy Is nothing kin to foul redemption. Ang. You seem'd of late to make the law a tyrant; And rather prov'd the sliding of your brother A merriment than a vice. Isab. O, pardon me, my lord; it oft falls out, Isab. Else let my brother die, Isab. Ay, as the glasses, where they view themselves; Which are as easy broke, as they make forms. Women! Help heaven! men their creation mar In profiting by them. Nay, call us ten times frail; For we are soft, as our complexions are, And credulous to false prints. Ang. I think it well: And from this testimony of your own sex, (Since, I suppose, we are made to be no stronger Than faults may shake our frames) let me be bold;— I do arrest your words; be that you are, That is, a woman; if you be more, you're none; Isab. I have no tongue but one: gentle my lord, Isab. My brother did love Juliet; and you tell me, That he shall die for it. Ang. He shall not, Isabel, if you give me love. Ang. Believe me, on mine honour, Isab. Ha! little honour to be much believ'd, And most pernicious purpose!--Seeming, seeming! I will proclaim thee, Angelo; look for't: Sign me a present pardon for my brother, Or, with an ontstretch'd throat, I'll tell the world |