own confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I live, forget to drink after thee. 1 Gent. I think, I have done myself wrong; have I not? 2 Gent. Yes, that thou hast ; whether thou art 5 tainted, or free. Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes! I have purchas'd as many diseases under her roof, as comes to 2 Gent. To what, I pray? 1 Gent. Judge. 2 Gent. To three thousand dollars' a year. 1 Gent. Ay, and more. Lucio. A French crown 2 more. 10 1 Gent. Thou art alwaysfiguring diseases in me: 15 but thou art full of error; I am sound. Lucio. Nay, not, as one would say, healthy; but so sound, as things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow; impiety has made a feast of thee. Enter Bawd. 1 Gent. How now? Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica? Bard. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prison, was worth five thousand of you all. 1 Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee? Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him Clown. Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. Bawd. What, is there a maid with child by him? Clown. No; but there's a woman with maid by him: You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? Bard. What proclamation, man? Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be pluck'd down. [city? Bawd. And what shall become of those in the Clown. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. Bawd. But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pull'd down? Clown. To the ground, mistress. Bawd. Why, here's a change, indeed, in the commonwealth! What shall become of me? Clown. Come; fear not you: good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your 20 tapster still. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. 25 Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapster? Let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison: and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt Bard and Clown. SCENE III arrested; saw him carry'd away; and, which is 30 Enter Provost, Claudio, Juliet, and Officers; more, within these three days his head is to be chopp'd off. Lucio. But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so: Art thou sure of this? Bawd. I am too sure of it: and it is for getting 35 madam Julietta with child. Lucio. Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since; and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. 2 Gent. Besides, you know, it draws something 40 near to the speech we had to such a purpose. 1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the proclamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. Manet Bawd. Lucio and two Gentlemen. Claud. Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. Claud. Thus can the demi-god, authority, Lucio. Why, how now, Claudio? whence comes Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: Lucio. If I could speak so wisely under an arrest, A quibble intended between dollars and dolours. 2 Lucio means here not the piece of money Alluding pro so called, but that venereal scab, which among the surgeons is styled corona Veneris. bably to the method of cure then used for the diseases contracted in brothels. + The verb to do, is here used in a sense now obsolete, but which the reader will easily guess at from the modern application of the phrase of "undoing a woman," or " a woman's being undone." Hence the name of Over-dons, which Shakspeare has in this play appropriated to the baud. ! Meaning all bawdy-houses. pine is an obsolete word for prey. • Ru Claud. Claud. No. Lucio. Lechery? Claud. Call it so. Prov. Away, sir; you must go. Claud. One word, good friend:-Lucio, a word 5 Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good.- You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Save that we do the denunciation lack From whom we thought it meet to hide our love, The stealth of our most mutual entertainment, Claud. Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke,— A horse whereon the governor doth ride, [wall 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. .SCENE IV. A Monastery. Enter Duke and Friar Thomas. Duke. No, holy father; throw away that Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Fri. May your grace speak of it? Duke. My holy sir, none better knows than you (A man of stricture', and firin abstinence) 25 30 35 [laws, Duke. We have strict statutes, and most biting 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, The baby beats the nurse, and quite athwart Fri. It rested in your grace To unloose this ty'd-up justice, when you pleas'd: 40 And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd, Than in lord Angelo. Claud. I have done so, but he's not to be found. Lucio. I pray, she may: as well for the encou ragement 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. Claud. Come, officer, away. Duke. I do fear, too dreadful: Sith'twas my fault to give the people scope, At our more leisure shall I render you; Only, this one:-Lord Angelo is precise; Stands at a guard with envy; scarce confesses [Exeunt. 60 That his blood flows, or that his appetite That is, whether it be the seeming enormity of the action, or the glare of new authority. The fault and glimpse is the same as the fault or glimpse, i. e. a fault arising from the mind being dazzled by a novel authority. That is, ticklish. Prone here seems to mean humble. * Meaning a life of retirement, * Stricture is probably here used for strictness. That is, stands on terms of defiance. 2 Is more to bread than stone: Hence shall we see, If power change purpose, what our seemers be. SCENE V. Enter Isabella and Francisca. Isab. And have you nuns no farther privileges? Nun. Are not these large enough? Isab. Yes, truly: I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sister-hood, the votarists of saint Clare. Lucio. [Within.] Ho! Peace be in this place! Isab. Who's that which calls? Nun. 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 But in the presence of the prioress: [men, Then, if you speak, you must not shew your face; Or, if you shew your face, you must not speak. He calls again; I pray you, answer him. [Exit Franc. Isab. Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls? Enter Lucio. Isab. O, let him marry The duke is very strangely gone from hence; 10 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, 15 And with full line of his authority, 20 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 life Falls into forfeit: he arrests him on it; And follows close the rigour of the statute, To make him au example: all hope is gone, Unless you have the grace' by your fair prayer To soften Angelo: and that's my pith 30 Of business 'twixt you and your poor brother. Isab. Doth he so seek his life? Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek 25 roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, Isab. Why her unhappy brother? let me ask, Isab. Sir, make me not your story. With maids to seem the lapwing, and to jest, [me. 35 Lucio. Has censur'd' him 8 Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath Isab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Lucio. Assay the power you have. 40 And make us lose the good we oft might win, Isab. You do blaspheme the good, in mocking pendance. 4 Isab. I will about it strait; 10 No longer staying but to give the mother " That is, in few words. 2 For that, we should probably read doth; and instead of brings, bring. "That is, plenty, abundance. The meaning is, he kept many gentlemen in expectation and de"That is, full extent. "That is, to intimidate practices long countenanced by custom. That is, the power of gaining favour. The principal part of my message. • That is, has sen19 To owe, here signifies, to possess, to have. "The abbess. tenced him. 9 ACT Setting it up to fear 2 the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Escal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, That, in the working of your own affections, 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 dolean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors. Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are 10 they are they not malefactors? 15 201 25 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 offwell'; here's a wise officer. Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow? Clown. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow. Ang. What are you, sir? Elb. He, sir? a tapster, sir; a 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 10, 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? Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, For I have had such faults; but rather tell me,| Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: 35 40 [Exit Provost. 45 Enter Elbow, Froth, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an 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 uncleanness there. Escal. By the woman's means? Elb. Ay, sir, by mistress Over-done's means: but as she spit in his face, so she defy'd him. Clown. 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? Clown. Sir, she came in great with child; and longing (saving your honour's reverence) for 50 stew'd 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 three-pence; your The provost is usually the executioner of an army. To affright, to terrify. 3 That is, for which you now condemn him. Pregnant here means plain. That is, because. "That is, from the thorny paths of vice. 'Comes off well, when seriously applied to speech, imports a story or tale to be well told or delivered. Escalus, however, here uses the phrase ironically. The Clown quibbles on the word elbow; meaning, he is out at the word elbow, and out at the elbow of his coat. The meaning is, he is half tapster, half bawd. 10 That is, she keeps a bagnio. 11 A dish of stewed prunes in the window, was the ancient mark or characteristic, as well as the constant appendage, of a brothel. honour 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. Clown. No, indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are therein in the right: but to the point: As I say, 5 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 10 them very honestly;-for, as you know, master Froth, I could not give you three pence again. Froth. No, indeed. Clown. Very well: you being then, if you be remember'd, cracking the stones of the foresaid 15 prunes. Froth. Ay, so I did, indeed. Clown. 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, un-20 less they kept very good diet, as I told you. Froth. All this is true. Clown. Why, very well then. honour; 'tis for a good purpose: Doth your honour mark his face? Escal. Ay, sir, very well. Clown. Nay, I beseech you mark it well. Clown. Doth your honour see any harm in his face? Escal. Why, no. Clown. I'll be suppos'd upon a bo k, 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 we any harm? I would know that of your honour. Escal. He's in the light: constable, what say you to it? Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a respect ed house; next, this is a respect d fellow;" and ́ his mistress is a respected wojnan. Clown. By this hand, sir, his wife is a more respected person than any of us all. Elb. Variet, thou liest; thou liest, wicked varlet: the time is yet to come, that she was ever respected with man, woman, or child. Clown. Sir, she was respected with him before Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool; to the purpose.-What was done to Elbow's wife, that 25he marry'd with her. he hath cause to complain of? come me to what was done to her. [yet. Clown. Sir, your honour cannot come to that Clown. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your 30 Froth. All-hollond eve. Clown. 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? 35 Froth. I have so; because it is an open room, 40 and good for winter. Clown. Why, very well then ;-I hope here be truths. Ang. This will last out a night in Russia, When nights are longest there: I'll take my leave, 45 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 50 wife, once more? Clown. Once, sir? there was nothing done to her once. Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man did to my wife. Clown. I beseech your honour, ask me. Escal. Well, sir; What did this gentleman to her? Clown. I beseech you, sir, look in this gentle man's face:-Good master Froth, look upon his[60] 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 marry'd 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 batterv 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 shall do with this wicked caititi'? Escal. Truly, officer, because he hath some of fences 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 :- Escal. Where were you born, friend?[To Froth. Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year? Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband? This probably alludes to two personages well known to the audience by their frequent introduction in the old Moralities. ? A mistake for Cannibal. G quainted |