●wn confeffion, 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? 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 Gent. Yes, that thou haft; whether thou art you? tainted, or free. Lucio. Behold, behold, where madam Mitigation comes! I have purchas'd as many difeafes under her roof, as come to→→ 2 Gent. To what, I pray? 1 Gent. Judge. Bawd. What proclamation, man? Clown. All houses in the suburbs of Vienna muft be pluck'd down. [city? Batud. And what fhall become of thofe in the Clown. They shall ftand for feed: they had gone down too, but that a wife burgher put in for them. Bawd. But fhall all our houfes of refort in the fuburbs be pull'd down? Clown. To the ground, mistress. Bard. 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 tapiter ftill. Courage; there will be pity taken on you: 1 Gext. How now? Which of your hips has the you that have worn your eyes almost out in the fermott profound sciatica? Barud. Well, well; there's one yonder arrested, and carried to prifon, was worth five thousand of you all. 1 Gent. Who's that, I pr'ythee? Bawd. Marry, fir, that's Claudio, fignior Claudio. 1 Gent. Claudio to prifon! 'tis not fo. Bawd. Nay, but I know 'tis fo: I faw him ar vice, you will be confidered. Bawd. What's to do here, Thomas Tapfter? Let's withdraw. Clown. Here comes fignior Claudio, led by the provoit to prifon : and there's madam Juliet. [Exeunt Bawa and Clown. SCENE III. retted; faw him carry'd away; and, which is Enter Provof, Claudio, Juliet, and Offisers; Lucio and two Gentlemen. Claud. Fellow, why doit thou fhow me thus to Bear me to prifon, where I am committed. Claud. Thus can the demi-god, authority, Make us pay down for our offence by weight.- On whom it will not, fo; yet still 'tis juít. 1 Gent. But most of all agreeing with the pro-this reftraint ? ⚫lamation. Lucio. Away; let's go learn the truth of it. [Exeunt. Manet Bawd. Bawd. Thus, what with the war, what with the fweat 3, what with the gallows, and what with poverty, I am cuftom-shrunk.-How now? what's the news with you? Enter Clown. Crown. Yonder man is carry'd to prifon. Bawd. But what's his offence? Claud. From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: Claud. What, but to fpeak of, would offend again. 1 A quibble intended between dollars and dolours. 2 Lucio means here not the piece of money fo called, but that venereal icab, which among the furgeons is ftyled corona Veneris. 3 Alluding probably to the method of cure then used for the diseases contracted in brothels. 4 The verb to do, is here used in a fenfe now obfolete, but which the reader will cafily guefs at from the modern application of the phrafe of "undoing a woman," or " a woman's being undone." Hence the name of Cer-done, which Shakspeare has in this play appropriated to the baud Meaning all bawdy-houses. • Re is an obfolete word for prey. Claud. No. Lucio. Lechery? Claud. Call it fo. Prov. Away, fir; you must go. Claud. One word, good friend :-Lucio, a word with you. Is lechery fo look'd after? Lucio. A hundred, if they'll do you any good. Believe not that the dribbling dart of love [tract, From whom we thought it meet to hide our love, And the new deputy now for the duke,- A horfe whereon the governor doth ride, [wall, Lucio. I warrant, it is: and thy head stands fo tickle on thy fhoulders, that a milk-maid, if she be in love, may figh it off. Send after the duke, and appeal to him. Claud. I have done fo, but he's not to be found. Lucio. I pray, the may as well for the encouragement of the like, which elfe would stand under grievous impofition; as for the enjoying of thy | life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly loft at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. Claud. I thank you, good friend Lucio. Claud. Come, officer, away. Fri. May your grace speak of it? Duke. My holy fir, none better knows than you And held in idle price to haunt affemblies, (A man of stricture 5, and firm abstinence) [laws, Duke. We have ftrict ftatutes, and most biting That goes not out to prey: Now, as fond fathers Fri. It refted in your grace To unloofe this ty'd-up justice, when you pleas'd: Duke. I do fear, too dreadful: Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, Only, this one :-Lord Angelo is precife; Stands at a guard with envy; fcarce confeffes [Exeunt. That his blood flows, or that his appetite That is, whether it be the feeming enormity of the action, or the glare of new authority. That is, ticklish. 3 Prone here feems to mean humble. 4 Meaning a life of retirement. s Stricture is probably here uled for ftrictness. • That is, ftands on terms of defiance. Enter Ifabella and Francifca. Ijab. And have you nuns no farther privileges? Ifab. Yes, truly: I fpeak not as defiring more; Nun. It is a man's voice: Gentle Ifabella, Expreffeth his full tilth and husbandry. [Juliet? Ijab. Adoptedly; as fchool-maids change their Lucio. She it is. Ifab. O, let him marry her! The duke is very strangely gone from hence, Turn you the key, and know his business of him ; And with full line 5 of his authority, [Exit Franc. Ifab. Peace and profperity! Who is 't that calls? Enter Lucio. Lucio. Hail, virgin, if you be; as those cheek rofes Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me, Ifab. Why her unhappy brother? let me afk; [greets you: [judge, Lucio. For that, which, if myself might be his He should receive his punishment in thanks: He hath got his friend with child. Ifab. Sir, make me not your story. Governs lord Angelo: A man whose blood Lucio. Has cenfur'd 9 him Already; and, as I hear, the provoft hatla Ifab. Alas! what poor ability's in me Lucio. Allay the power you have. And make us lose the good we oft might win, Lucio. 'Tis true:-I would not (though 'tis my By fearing to attempt: Go to lord Angelo, familiar fin With maids to feem the lapwing, and to jeft, Ifab. You do blafpheme the good, in mocking me. And let him learn to know, when maidens fue, Ifab. I will about it strait; That is, in few words. 2 For that, we fhould probably read doth; and inftead of brings bring. 3 That is, plenty, abundance. 4 The meaning is, he kept many gentlemen in expectation and dependance. 5 That is, full extent. 6 That is, to intimidate practices long countenanced by cuftom. 7 That is, the power of gaining favour. 8 The principal part of my meffage. 9 That is, has fensenced him. 10 To owe, here fignifies, to poffefs, to have. II The abbefs. ACT ACT SCENE I. Angelo's boufe. Enter Angelo, Efealus, a Jaflice, Provost1, and E muft not make a scare-crow of the Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, Efcal. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, That, in the working of your own affections, Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Efcalus, 5 For I have had fuch faults; but rather tell me, Prov. Here, if it like your honour. Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: [Exit Provoft. Enter Elbow, Froth, Clown, Officers, &c. Elb. Come, bring them away; if these be good II. [people in a common-weal, that do nothing but ufd their abufes in common houfes, I know no law bring them away. Ang. How now, fir! What's your name? and what's the matter? Elb. If it pleafe your honour, I am the poor duke's conftable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon juftice, fir, 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 pleafe your honour, I know not well what they are: but precife villains they are, that I am fure of; and void of all profanation in the world, that good christians ought to have. Efcal. This comes off well 7; here's a wife officer. Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why doft thou not speak, Elbow? Clown. He cannot, fir; he's out at elbow 8. Ang. He, fir a tapfter, fir; a parcel-bawd 9; one that ferves a bad woman; whofe houfe, fit, was, as they fay, pluck'd down in the suburbs; and now the profeffes a hot-houfe 10, which, I think, is a very ill house too. Efcal. How know you that? Elb. My wife, fir, whom I deteft before heaven and your honour, Efl. How thy wife? Elb. Ay, fir; whom, I thank heaven, is an honest woman; Efeal. Doft thou deteft her, therefore? Elb. I fay, fir, I will deteft myself alfo, as well as the, that this houfe, if it be not a bawd's house, it is pity of her life, for it is a naughty houfe. Ffal. How do thou know that, conftable? Elb. Marry, fir, by my wife; who, if the had been a woman cardinally given, might have been accufed in fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness there. Efcal. By the woman's means? Elb. Ay, fir, by miftrefs Over-done's means: but as fhe fpit in his face, fo the defy'd him. Clown. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not fo. Elb. Prove it before thefe varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it. Efcal. Do you hear how he mifplaces? [To Angela. Clown. Sir, the came in great with child; and longing (faving your honour's reverence) for ftew'd prunes 11; fir, we had but two in the house, which at that very diftant time stood as it were, in a fruit-dish, a dith of fome three-pence; your To affright, to terrify 3 That is, for The provost is ufually the executioner of an army. which you now blame him. 4 Pregnant here means plain. 5 That is, becaufe. That is, from the thorny paths of vice. ↑ Comes off well, when serioully applied to speech, imports a story or tale to be well told or delivered. Efcalu;, however, here ufes the phrafe ironically. 8 The Clown quibbles on the word elboru; meaning, he is out at the word elbow, and out at the elbow of his coat. meaning is, he is half tapiter, half bawd. 10 That is, fhe keeps a bagnio. A difh of fewed prunes in the window, was the ancient mark or characteristic, as well as the conftant appendage of a brothel. 9 The honour honours have feen fuch difhes; they are not China honour; 'tis for a good purpose: Doth your họdishes, but very good dishes. nour mark his face? Efcal. Go to, go to; no matter for the difh, fir. Chun. No, indeed, fir, not of a pin; you are therein in the right: but to the point: As I fay, this mistress Elbow, being, as I fay, with child, and being great belly'd, and longing, as I faid, for prunes; and having but two in the difh, as I faid, mafter Froth here, this very man, having eaten the reft, as I faid, and, as I fay, paying for them very honeftly;-for, as you know, mafter 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 ftones of the forefaid prunes. Froth. Ay, fo I did, indeed. Clown. Why, very well: I telling you then, if you be remember'd, that fuch a one, and fuch a one, were paft cure of the thing you wot of, unless they kept very good diet, as I told you. Froth. All this is true. Clean. Why, very well then. Eical. Come, you are a tedious fool to the purpofe. What was done to Elbow's wife, that he hath caufe to complain of? come me to what was done to her. Clown. Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet. Clown. Sir, but you fhall come to it, by your honour's leave: And, I befeech you, look into mafter Froth here, fir; a man of fourfcore pound a year; whofe father dy'd at Hallowmas :-Was 't not at Hallowmas, mafter Froth? Fretb. All-hollond eve. Clown. Why, very well; I hope here be truths: He, fir, fitting, as I fay, in a lower chair, fir ;— 'twas in the Bunch of Grapes, where, indeed, you have a delight to fit, Have you not? Froth. I have fo; because it is an open room, and good for winter. Clown. Why, very well then ;-I hope here be truths. Ang. This will last out a night in Ruffia, When nights are longeft there: I'll take my leave, And leave you to the hearing of the caufe ; Hoping, you'll find good caufe to whip them all. Ffcal. I think no leis: Good-morrow to your lordship. [Exit Angelo. Now, fir, come on: What was done to Elbow's wife, once more? Clown. Once, fir? there was nothing done to her once. Elb. I befeech you, fir, afk him what this man did to my wife. Clown. I beseech your honour, ask me. Efcal. Well, fir; What did this gentleman to her? Clown. I'll be fuppos'd upon a book, his face is the worst thing about him: Good then; if his face be the worst thing about him, how could mafter Froth do the conftable's wife any harm? I would know that of your honour. Ffal. He's in the right: conftable, what fay you to it? Elb. First, an it like you, the house is a respected houfe; next, this is a refpected fellow; and his miftrefs is a refpected woman. Clown. By this hand, fir, his wife is a more respected perfon than any of us all. Elb. Varlet, thou lieft; thou lieft, wicked varlet: the time is yet to come, that he was ever refpected with man, woman, or child. Clown. Sir, fhe was refpected with him before he marry'd with her. Efcal. Which is the wifer here? Juftice or Iniquity Is this true? Elb. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wicked Hannibal 2! I refpected with her, before I was marry'd to her? If ever I was respected with her, or the with me, let not your worthip think me the poor duke's officer:Prove this, thou wicked Hannibal, or I'll have mine action of battery on thee. Ejcal. If he took you a box o' the ear, you might have your action of flander too. Elb. Marry, I thank your good worship for it : What is 't your worthip's pleasure I fhall do with this wicked caitiff? Clown. A tapfter; a poor widow's tapfter. Efcal. Hath the had any more than one husband? Clorum. I beseech you, fir, look in this gentleman's face :-Good mafter Froth, look upon his Froth. Mafter Froth, I would not have you ace 1 This probably alludes to two perfonages well known to the audience by their frequent introducon in the old Moralities. 2 A millake for Cannibal. quainted |