Fri. It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful: Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, Who may, in the ambush of my name, strike home, To do it slander: and to behold his sway, Like a true friar! More reasons for this action, Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we see, SCENE V.-Anunnery. Enter ISABELLA and FRANCISCA. [Exeunt. [Within. Isab. And have you nuns no further privileges? [Exit Francisca. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter LUCIO. As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time, Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek-roses' Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask; I am that Isabella, and his sister. Isab.Some one with child by him?-My cousin Juliet? Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change their Isab. O, let him marry her! The duke is very strangely gone from hence; Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother. Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Lucio. Assay the power you have! names, And make us lose the good we oft might win, Isab. I will about it straight; Lucio.Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Lucio. I take my leave of you. Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. Isab. Woe me! For what? Lucio.For that, which, if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks: 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, Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking me. Isab. Good sir, adieu! A CT II. [Exeunt. That, in the working of your own affections, Ang. "Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, Ang. Where is the provost ? Prov. Here, if it like your honour. Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: Elb. Ay, sir, by mistress Over-done's means: but Clo. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so. For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage.[Exit Provost. Escal. Do you hear, how he misplaces? [To Angelo. Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, etc. Elb. Come, bring them away! If these be good people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses,I know no law; bring them away! Ang. How now, sir! What's your name? and what's the matter? 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. Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool: to the purpose! Clo. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your honour's Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon jus-Froth? tice, 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. Ifit 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. 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. 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. 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, ifit 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 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 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 con stable's wife any harm? I would know that of your honour. Escal.He's in the right. 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. 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? 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. Are you 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 threepence a bay if you live to see this come to pass, say, Pompey told you so. 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. 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. 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. Whip me? No, no; let carman whip his jade; The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade. [Exit. Escal. Come hither to me, master Elbow; come hither, master Constable! How long have you been in this place of constable? I Ang. Now, what's the matter, provost? Prov. Lest I might be too rash. Ang. Go to; let that be mine! 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. Re-enter Servant. Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd, 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! See you, the fornicatress be remov'd; No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge, And what a prisoner. Lucio. 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! [Aside. Why, all the souls, that were, were forfeit once; Ang. Be you content, fair maid; [Exit Servant. It is the law, not I, condemus your brother: 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. 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. Öjust, 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, 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, Ang. He's sentenc'd; 'tis too late. Lucio. You are too cold. With less respect, than we do minister To our gross selves? Good, good my lord, bethink you: Who is it that hath died for this offence? [To Isabella. There's have committed it. many Lucio. Ay, well said. Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept: Those many had not dar'd to do that evil, If the first man, that did the edict infringe, Isab. Too late? why, no. I, that do speak a word, Isab. I would to heaven, I had your potency, But, where they live, to end. 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- Thou rather, with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt, Lucio. 0, 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? That skins the vice o' the top. Go to your bosom; A natural guiltiness, such as is his, Letit not sound a thought upon your tongue Against my brother's life! Ang. She speaks, and 'tis 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 Such sense, that my sense breeds with it. - Fare you And he, that got it, sentenc'd: a young man well! Shall I attend your lordship? More fit to do another such offence, Duke. When must he die? Prov. As I do think, to-morrow.have provided for you; stay a while, And you shall be conducted. I [To Juliet. Duke. Repent you, fair one, of the sin you carry? And try your penitence, if it be sound, Juliet. I'll gladly learn. Duke. Love you the man that wrong'd you? Juliet. Yes, as I love the woman that wrong'd him. Duke. So then, it seems, your most offenceful act Was mutually committed? Juliet. Mutually. 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 Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary, When judges steal themselves. What? do I love her, And feast upon her eyes? Whast is't I dream on? To sin in loving virtue: never could the strumpet, Which sorrow is always toward ourselves, not heaven; But as we stand in fear, Juliet. I do repent me, as it is an evil; SCENE IV. - A room in Angelo's house. Ang. When I would pray and think, I think and pray [Exit. SCENE III. — A room in aprison. Enter Servant. |