The Works of William Shakespeare

Mrs. Ov. And what shall become of those in From which we thought it meet to hide our the city?

Clo. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

Mrs. Ov. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down?

Clo. To the ground, mistress.

love,

[chances,
Till time had made them for us. But it
The stealth of our most mutual entertainment,
With character too gross, is writ on Juliet.
Lucio. With child, perhaps?
Claud. Unhappily, even so.

And the new deputy now for the duke,--
Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness,
Or whether that the body public be
A horse whereon the governor doth ride,
Who, newly in the seat, that it may know
He can command, lest it straight feel the spur;
Whether the tyranny be in his place,
Or in his eminence that fills it up,
I stagger in :-but this new governor
Awakes me all the enrolled penalties,
Which have, like unscour'd armour, hung by
the wall
[round,

Mrs. Ov. Why, here's a change indeed' in the commonweath! What shall become of me? Clo. Come; fear not you: good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be con[ster? Let's withdraw. Mrs. Ov. What's to do here, Thomas TapClo. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's madam So long, that nineteen zodiacks have gone Juliet. And none of them been worn; and, for a name, Now puts the drowsy and neglected act Freshly on me :-'tis surely, for a name.

sidered.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The Same.
Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers;
Lucio and two Gentlemen.

Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus
to the world?

Bear me to prison, where I am committed.
Prov. I do it not in evii disposition,
But from Lord Angelo by special charge.
Claud. Thus can the demi-god, Authority,
Make us pay down for our offence by weight.-
The words of heaven;-on whom it will, it will;
On whom it will not, so: yet still 'tis just.
Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio! whence
comes this restraint?

Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio,
As surfeit is the father of much fast, [liberty:
So every scope by the immoderate use

Lucio. I warrant it is: and thy head stands
so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if
she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the
duke, and appeal to him.
[found.

Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be
I pr'ythee, Lucio, do me this kind service;
This day my sister should the cloister enter,
And there receive her approbation :
Acquaint her with the danger of my state;
Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends
To the strict deputy; bid herself essay him :
I have great hope in that; for in her youth
There is a prone and speechless dialect,
Such as moves men: beside, she hath prosper-

ous art

When she will play with reason and discourse,
And well she can persuade.

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 tickI'll to her.

Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue,
(Like rats that ravin down their proper bane,)
A thirsty evil; and when we drink, we die.
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 im-tack.
prisonment.-What's thy offence, Claudio?
Claud. What, but to speak of would offend
again,
Lucio. What is it? murder?
Lucio. Lechery?

Claud. No.
Claud. Call it so.

Prov. Away, sir; you must go. Claud. One word, good friend.-Lucio, a word with you. [Takes him aside. Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.-Is lechery so looked after?

Claud. Thus stands it with me:-upon

true contract,

I got possession of Julietta's bed:
You know the lady; she is fast my wife,
Save that we do the denunciation lack
Of outward order: this we came not to,
Only for propagation of a dower
Remaining in the coffer of her friends;

Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio.
Lucio. Within two hours.--

Claud. Come, officer, away! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-A Monastery.

Enter Duke and Friar Thomas.

Duke. No, holy father; throw away that thought:

Believe not that the dribbling dart of love
Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire
thee

To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose
More grave and wrinkled than the aims and
Of burning youth.
[ends
Fri.
May your grace speak of it.
Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than
How I have ever loved the life remov'd; [you
And held in idle price to haunt assemblies,

Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo

[keeps.

(A man of stricture, and firm abstinence)
My absolute power and place here in Vienna,
And he supposes me travell'd to Poland;
For so I have strew'd it in the common ear,
And so it is receiv'd. Now, pious sir,
You will demand of me, why I do this?
Fri. Gladly, my lord.

Duke. We have strict statutes, and most
biting laws,

[steeds,)

Clare.
[place!
Lucio. [Within.] Ho! Peace be in this
Isab.
Who's that which calls?
Fran. It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella :
Turn you the key, and know his business of
him:

You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn.
When you have vow'd, you must not speak
with men,

But in the presence of the prioress: [face; (The needful bits and curbs to headstrong Then, if you speak, you must not show your Which for these fourteen years we have let Or, if you show your face, you must not speak. Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave, [sleep; He calls again; I pray you, answer him. That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond

[birch,

fathers,
Having bound up the threatening twigs of
Only to stick it in their children's sight
For terror, not to use; in time the rod
Becomes more mock'd than fear'd; so our
decrees,

Dead to infliction, to themselves are dead;
And liberty plucks justice by the nose;
The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart
Goes all decorum.

Fri.
It rested in your grace
Tunloose this tied-up justice when you
pleas'd:
[seem'd,
And it in you more dreadful would have
Than in Lord Angelo.
Duke.
I do fear, too dreadful :
Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope,
'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them
For what I bid them do: for we bid this be
done,

When evil deeds have their permissive pass,
And not the punishment. Therefore, indeed,
my father,

I have on Angelo impos'd the office; [home,
Who may, in th' ambush of my name, strike
And yet my nature never in the sight,

To do it slander. And to behold his sway,
I will, as 'twere a brother of your order,
Visit both prince and people: therefore,
pr'ythee,

Supply me with the habit, and instruct me
How I may formally in person bear me
Like a true friar. More reasons for this action
At our more leisure shall I render you ;
Only, this one :-Lord Angelo is precise;
Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses
That his blood flows, or that his appetite [see,
Is more to bread than stone: hence shall we
If power change purpose, what our seemers
be.
[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-A Nunnery.
Enter Isabella and Francisca.

Isab. And have you nuns no farther privi-
Fran. Are not these large enough? [leges?
Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring

more;

But rather wishing a more strict restraint

\Exit. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls?

Enter Lucio.

Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be,-as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place, and the fair sister To her unhappy brother, Claudio?

[me,

Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask;
The rather, for I now must make you know
I am that Isabella, and his sister.

Lucio. Gentle and fair, your brother kindly
greets you.

Not to be weary with you, he's in prison.
Isab. Woe me! for what? [his judge,
Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be
He should receive his punishment in thanks :
He hath got his friend with child.

Isab. Sir, make me not your story.
Lucio. 'Tis true. I would not-though 'tis
my familiar sin

With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest,
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

[ing me,
Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mock-
Lucio. Do not believe it. Fewness and truth,
'tis thus:-

Your brother and his lover have embraced : As those that feed grow full; as blossoming time,

That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
To teeming foison; even so her plenteous
womb

Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry.
İsab. Some one with child by him?---My
cousin Juliet?

Lucio. Is she your cousin? [their names,
Isab. Adoptedly; as school-maids change
By vain, though apt, affection,
She it is.

Lucio.

Isab. O let him marry her!
Lucio.
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,

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
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
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,
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
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?

life

Lucio. Assay the power you have. Isab. My power! alas, I doubt,— Lucio. 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 All their petitions are as freely theirs [kneel, As they themselves would owe them. Isab. I'll see what I can do. Lucio.

Our doubts are traitors,

But speedily.

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

Good sir, adieu. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I-A Hall in Angelo's House. Enter Angelo, Escalus, a Justice, Provost, Officers, and other Attendants.

Aug. We must not make a scare-scrow of the law,

Setting it up to fear the birds of prey,
And let it keep one shape, till custom make it
Their perch, and not their terror.
Escal,

Ay, but yet
Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,
Than fall, and bruise to death. Alas! this
gentleman,

Whom I would save, had a most noble father. Let but your honour know,

(Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) That, in the working of your own affections,

Had time coher'd with place, or place with wishing,

Or that the resolute acting of your blood Could have attain'd th' effect of your own purpose,

Whether you had not, some time in your life,
Err'd in this point which now you censure
And pull'd the law upon you.
[him,

Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall. I not deny,
The jury, passing on the prisoner's life,
May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two
Guiltier than him they try. What's open

made to justice,

That justice seizes: what know the laws, That thieves do pass on thieves? "Tis very pregnant,

The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it,
Because we see it; but what we do not see
We tread upon, and never think of it.
You may not so extenuate his offence,
For I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
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.

[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 vice, and answer

none;

And some condemned for a fault alone.

Enter Elbow, Froth, Clown, Officers, &c.

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?

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. [officer.

Escal. This comes off well here's a wise Ang. Go to: what quality are they of? Elbow is your name? why dost thou not speak, Elbow?

Clo. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow.
Ang. What are you, sir?

Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; Clo. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your one that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, honour's leave. And, I beseech you, look was, as they say, plucked down in the suburbs; into master Froth here, sir; a man of fourand now she professes a hot-house, which, I score pound a year; whose father died at Halthink, is a very ill house too. lowmas: was't not at Hallowmas, master Froth. All-hallownd eve.

Escal. How know you that?

Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest before heaven and your honour,—

Escal. How! thy wife? [honest woman,Elb. Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an 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. [stable? Escal. How dost thou know that, conElb. 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. Clo. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not

So.

Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man; prove it. [misplaces? Escal. [To Angelo.] Do you hear how he Clo. 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,[sir. Escal. Go to, go to: no matter for the dish, Clo. 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 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 threepence again,

Froth. No, indeed.

Clo. Very well-you being then, if you be remembered, cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes,

Froth. Ay, so I did, indeed.

Clo. Why, very well ;--I telling you then, if you be remembered, 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 Froth. All this is true. [told you,

Clo. 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.

Clo. Sir, your honour cannot come to that Escal. No, sir, nor I mean it not. [yet.

[Froth ?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. [truths. Clo. Why, very well then; I hope here be 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 [Exit Angelo.

your lordship.

Now, sir, come on: what was done to Elbow's wife, once more? [her once. Clo. Once, sir? there was nothing done to Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man did to my wife.

Clo. I beseech your honour, ask me. [her? Escal. Well, sir; what did this gentleman to 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.
Escal. Well, I do so.
[face?
Clo. Doth your honour see any harm in his
Escal. Why, no.

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 constable'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 if you live to see this come to pass, say, Pomit. What is't your worship's pleasure I shall pey told you so. 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 knowest 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?
Froth. Here in Vienna, sir.

Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year?
Froth. Yes, an't please you, sir. [of, sir?
Escal. So.-To Clown.] What trade are you
Clo. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal. Your mistress' name?
Clo. Mistress Overdone.

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 Cæsar 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 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.

[Exit.

Escal. Come hither to me, master Elbow ; come hither, master constable. How long

Escal. Hath she had any more than one have you been in this place of constable? husband?

Clo. Nine, sir; Overdone 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.

Elb. Seven year 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?

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 matEscal. Well, no more of it, master Frothters: as they are chosen, they are glad to farewell. [Exit Froth.]-Come you hither to choose me for them; I do it for some piece of me, master tapster. What's your name, money, and go through with all. master tapster? Clo. Pompey. Clo. Bum, sir.

Escal. What else?

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. [would live.

Clo. Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that 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 youth of the city?

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 in it after threepence a day :

Escal. Look you bring me in the names of
some six or seven, the most sufficient of your
Elb. To your worship's house, sir? [parish.
Escal. To my house. Fare you well.

What's o'clock, think you?
Just. Eleven, sir.

[Exit Elbow.

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The Works of William Shakespeare: Life, Glossary, &c : Reprinted ..., Volume 1