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?

Pom. Once, sir? there was nothing done to her once.

Elb. I beseech you, sir, ask him what this man did to my wife.

Pom. I beseech your honour, ask me.

Escal. Well, sir; what did this gentleman to her?
Pom. I beseech you, sir, look in this gentleman's face.

Good Master Froth, look upon his honour; 'tis 150
for a good purpose. Doth your honour mark
his face?

Escal. Ay, sir, very well.

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

Escal. Well, I do so.

Pom. Doth your honour see any harm in his face?
Escal. Why, no.

Pom. 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 160
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.

Pom. 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 170 with man, woman, or child.

Pom. 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 180
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 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 190 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.

Escal. So. What trade are you of, sir?

Pom. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster.
Escal. Your mistress' name?

Pom. Mistress Overdone.

200

Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband?
Pom. 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.

Escal. Well, no more of it, Master Froth: farewell. [Exit Froth.] Come you hither to me, Master tapster. What's your name, Master tapster?

Pom. Pompey.

Escal. What else?

Pom. Bum, sir.

210

Escal. Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing 220 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.

Pom. 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?

Pom. If the law would allow it, sir.

Escal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor

it shall not be allowed in Vienna.

Pom. Does your worship mean to geld and splay all the youth of the city?

230

Escal. No, Pompey.

Pom. 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 240 you it is but heading and hanging.

Pom. 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 three-pence 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 com- 250 plaint 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.

Pom. I thank your worship for your good counsel: [Aside] 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 261 hither, Master constable. How long have you been in this place of constable?

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?

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

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 270 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.

Escal. I pray you home to dinner with me.

Just. I humbly thank you.

Escal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio;
But there's no remedy.

Just. Lord Angelo is severe.

Escal.

It is but needful:

Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so;

Pardon is still the nurse of second woe:

But yet, poor Claudio! There is no remedy.
Come, sir.

280

[Exeunt. 300

Scene II.

Another room in the same.

Enter Provost and a Servant.

Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come straight:

I'll tell him of you.