12 and

Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable, 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? 13

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 14 in the world, that good Christians ought to have.

Escal. This comes off well: 15 here's a wise officer.

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. 16

Ang. What are you, Sir?

Elb. He, Sir? a tapster, Sir; parcel-bawd; 17 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, 18 which, I think, is a very ill house too. Escal. How know you that?

Elb. My wife, Sir, whom I detest 19 before heaven and your honour,
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, 20 for it is a naughty house.

Escal. How dost thou know that, constable?

12) Er will sagen the duke's poor constable. Dieselbe Verdrehung der Worte gebraucht ein dem Elbow analoger Charakter in Much Ado about Nothing (A. 3, Sc. 5) we are the poor duke's officers.

13) So kennt auch Dogberry in Much Ado about Nothing (A. 4, Sc. 2) die eigentliche Bedeutung von malefactors nicht.

14) profanation gebraucht Elbow für das Gegentheil 15) Ein ironisch gemeintes Lob, das der gewandten spendet wird.

Gottesfurcht.

Ausdrucksweise des Constablers ge

16) Wortspiel zwischen to be out aus dem Concept gerathen, in Verbindung mit dem Namen Elbow, und zwischen to be out at elbow haben.

17) parcel-bawd

am Ellbogen ein Loch im Rock

ein Stück von einem Kuppler, theilweise ein Kuppler, bezieht sich

auf a tapster, Elbow's eigentliches und nominelles Gewerbe. So steht parcel-gilt in K. Henry IV. Second Part (A. 4, Sc. 1).

18) hot-house = Badehaus, wo heisse Bäder und Schwitzbäder genommen wurden, zugleich ein heimliches Bordell.

19) detest für protest oder attest sagt irrthümlich auch die Quickly in Merry Wives of Windsor (A. 1, Sc. 4).

20) it is pity of her life so ist es schade, dass sie lebt.

Dieselbe Betheurung ohne

eigentlichen Sinn gebraucht auch Sir Andrew in Twelfth-Night (A. 2, Sc. 5) An we do not, it is pity of our lives.

Elb. Marry, Sir, by my wife; who, if she had been a woman cardinally given, 21 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; but as she spit in his face, so she defied him. 22

Clo. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so.

Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it.
Escal. [To ANGELO.] Do you hear how he misplaces? 23

Clo. Sir, she came in great with child, and longing (saving your honour's reverence) for stew'd prunes. 24 Sir, we had but two in the house, which at that very distant 25 time stood, as it were, in a fruit-dish, 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 therein in the right; but to the point. As I say, this mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and being great-bellied, 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; as you know, master Froth, I could not give you three-pence again.

Froth. No, indeed.

for,

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,

they kept very good diet, as I told you.

Froth. All this is true.

Clo. Why, very well then.

21) cardinally für carnally given

ced zu gebrauchen.

26 unless

fleischlich gesinnt.- accused scheint Elbow für sedu

22) Mit his und him ist Master Froth gemeint, den freilich Elbow in seiner verwirrten Erzählung noch nicht namhaft gemacht hatte.

23) wie er die Worte verkehrt anwendet. So hatte Elbow eben honourable für dishonourable gesagt.

2) Gekochte Pflaumen werden als eine gewöhnliche, aus Gesundheitsrücksichten gebrauchte Kost in Bordellen und als charakteristisch für diese Häuser bei Sh. und seinen Zeitgenossen häufig erwähnt. So wird eine Kupplerin in Lodge's Pamphlet Wit's Miserie so geschildert: This is she that lays way at all the carriers for wenches new come up to London, and you shall know her dwelling by a dish of stewed prunes in the window; and two or thrre fleering wenches sit knitting or sowing in the shop. Die Fol. druckt prawyns für prunes.

25) Er will instant sagen, was die spätern Folioausgg. mit Verkennung des Witzes in den

Text setzen.

26) the thing you wot of das bewusste Ding, ist die Lustseuche.

What was

Come me to what

Escal. Come; you are a tedious fool: to the purpose. done to Elbow's wife, that he hath cause to complain of? was done to her.

Clo. Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet. 27

Escal. No, Sir, nor I mean it not.

Clo. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your honour's leave.

beseech you, look into master Froth here, Sir; a man of fourscore pound ayear, whose father died at Hallowmas.

Froth. All-hallownd eve.

Was 't not at Hallowmas, master Froth?

Clo. Why, very well: I hope here be truths. He, Sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, Sir; —'t was in the Bunch of Grapes, 28 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. 29
Clo. 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,
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?

Clo. I beseech you, Sir, look in this gentleman's face. Good master Froth, look upon his honour; 't is for a good purpose.

mark his face?

him.

Escal. Ay, Sir, very well.

Clo. Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.

Escal. Well, I do so.

Clo. Doth your honour see any harm in his face?

Escal. Why, no.

Doth your honour

Clo. I'll be supposed 30 upon a book, his face is the worst thing about 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?

27) Der Clown fasst das me, welches Escalus als ethischen Dativ gebraucht, in wirklichem Sinne: lasst mich dazu kommen, für: kommt Ihr dazu.

28) Die einzelnen Zimmer in Wirthshäusern wurden statt mit Nummern wie heutzutage, durch Namen und entsprechende Abzeichen unterschieden.

29) Knight erklärt open room mit a common room, und das Folgende mit which is also a wurm room. - Nach der plausibleren Auffassung anderer Hgg. soll Froth mit seinen Worten in einen lächerlichen Widerspruch verfallen.

30) Elbow meint deposed: ich will auf die Bibel beeidigt werden.

Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a respected 31 house; next, this is a respected fellow, and his mistress is a respected woman.

Clo.

of us all.

By this hand, Sir, his wife is a more respected person than any

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? 32 Is this true? Elb. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wicked Hannibal! 33 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' th' 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 34 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; 35 now, thou varlet,

Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband?
Clo. Nine, Sir; Over-done 36 by the last.

31) Elbow und nach ihm der Clown gebrauchen respected für suspected.

32) Justice und Iniquity, zwei Figuren aus den altenglischen Moral Plays, von denen die erstere in allegorischer Darstellung die Gerechtigkeit, die zweite die Schelmerei und zugleich die lustige Person, gewöhnlich Vice genannt, vertrat. Unter Iniquity versteht Escalus den Clown, unter Justice den Constabler.

33) Missverständlich für Cannibal, wie zum Schluss der Rede action of battery = Klage wegen Thätlichkeiten, missverständlich für action of slander gebraucht wird.

Verläumdungsklage,

34) Steevens und Malone setzen stillschweigend und willkührlich should für shall. 35) Elbow hält to continue für irgend eine schwere Strafe, die dem Clown zuerkannt wird. 36) Zweideutig: Sie heisst Overdone von ihrem letzten Ehemann, und: Sie ist zu stark mitgenommen, abgebraucht von dem Letzten.

Escal. Nine! Come hither to me, master Froth. Master Froth, I would not have you acquainted with tapsters; they will draw you, 37 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. 38

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.

Escal. Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you, 39 so that, in the beastliest sense, you are Pompey the great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, 40 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 splay 41 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 42 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

37) to draw = anzapfen, in Bezug auf das Gewerbe des tapster.

Zugleich ist to draw

in Verbindung mit dem folgenden to hang zum Richtplatz schleifen um gehängt zu werden.

38) to draw in = mit Gewalt hereinziehen, und = verlocken, prellen.

39) Eine Anspielung auf die hinten mit Pferdehaar oder Wolle dick ausstaffirten Hosen, welche der Clown nach dem damaligen Zeitgeschmack trug. Diese Sitte nennt Escalus eine viehische (in the beastliest sense).

40) Vgl. oben Anm. 17.

41) to splay

=

verschneiden, castriren. Die meisten Hgg. setzen stillschweigend das gewöhnlichere spay dafür, doch kommt splay in diesem Sinne auch sonst vor; so in Chapman's Commentar zum Homer: Unless you will take it for a splayed or gelded sow. Für of the city setzen manche Hgg. mit der zweiten Folioausg. in the city 42) to take order for Anstalt treffen, Massregeln nehmen, in Bezug auf Etwas.