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a year; whose father dy'd at Hallowmas. Was't "not at Hallowmas, mafter Froth?

Froth. All-bolland eve.

"Clown. Why, very well; I hope here be truths. "He, Sir, fitting, as I fay, in a lower chair, Sir; " '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 longest there. I'll take my leave,
And leave you to the hearing of the cause;
Hoping, you'll find good caufe to whip them all.

S CE N E III.

ship.

Efcal. I think no lefs. Good morrow to your lord[Exit Angelo. Now, Sir, come on: what was done to Elbow's wife, once more?

Clown. Once, Sir? there was nothing done to her

once.

Elb. I befeech you, Sir, ask him what this man did to my wife.

Clown. I beseech your Honour, ask me.

Efcal. Well, Sir, what did this gentleman to her? Clown. I beseech you, Sir, look in this gentleman's face; good mafter Froth, look upon his Honour; 'tis for a good purpofe; doth your Honour mark his face? Efcal. Ay, Sir, very well.

Clown. Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.
Efcal. Well, I do fo.

Clown. Doth your Honour fee any harm in his face?

Efcal. Why, no,

Clown.

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 constable's wife any harm? I would know that of your Honour.

Efcal. He's in the right; conftable, what fay you

to it?

Elb. First, an' it like you, the house is a refpected house; next, this is a refpected fellow; and his miftrefs is a refpected woman.

Clown. By this hand, Sir, his wife is a more respected person than any of us all.

Elb. Varlet, thou lieft; thou lieft, wicked varlet; the time is yet to come, that fhe was ever respected with man, woman, or child.

Clown. Sir, fhe was refpected with him before he marry'd with her.

Efcal. Which is the wifer here? Justice, or Iniquity?Is this true?

Elb. O thou caitiff! O thou varlet! O thou wicked Hannibal! I refpected with her, before I was marry'd to her? If ever I was refpected 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.

Efcal. If he took you a box o'th' ear, you might have your action of flander too.

Elb. Marry, I thank your good worship for't: what is't your worship's pleasure I fhall do with this wicked caitiff?

Efcal. Truly, officer, because he hath fome offences in him, that thou wouldst discover if thou couldft, let him continue in his courfes, 'till thou know'ft what they are.

Elb. Marry, I thank your worship for it; thou feeft, thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon

thee.

thee. Thou art to continue now, thou varlet; thou art to continue.

Efcal. Where were you born, friend? [To Froth. Froth. Here in Vienna, Sir.

Efcal. Are you of fourfcore pounds a year?

Froth. Yes, and't please you, Sir.

Efcal. So. What trade are you of, Sir?

[To the Clown.

Clown. A tapfter, a poor widow's tapfter.
Efcal. Your mistress's name?

Clown. Miftrefs Over-done.

Efcal. Hath fhe had any more than one husband? Clown. Nine, Sir: Over-done by the laft.

Efcal. Nine? come hither to me, mafter Froth: master Froth, I would not have you acquainted with tapfters; They will draw you, master Froth, and you will hang them. Get you gone, and let me hear no more of you.

I

Froth. I thank your worship; for mine own part, never come into any room in a taphouse, but I am drawn in.

Efcal. Well; no more of it, mafter Froth; farewel.

SCENE

[Exit Froth.

IV.

Come you hither to me, mafter tapfter; what's your

name, mafter tapfter?

Clown. Pompey.

Efcal. What elfe?

Clown. Bum, Sir.

Efcal. Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about you, fo that, in the beaftlieft fenfe, you are Pompey the Great. Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey; howfoever you colour it in being a tapfter; are you not? come tell me true, it fhall be the better for you.

Clown.

Clown. Truly, Sir, I am a poor fellow that would live.

Efcal. How would you live, Pompey? by being a bawd? what do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade?

Clown. If the law will allow it, Sir.

Efcal. But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor it fhall not be allowed in Vienna.

Clown. Does your worship mean to geld and fplay all the youth in the city?

Efcal. No, Pompey.

Clown. 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.

Efcal. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell you it is but heading and hanging.

Clown. If you head and hang all that offend that way but for ten years together, you'll be glad to give out a commiffion for more heads: if this law hold in Vienna ten years, I'll rent the faireft house in it, after three pence a bay: if you live to fee this come to pafs, fay, Pompey told you so.

of

2

Efcal. Thank you, good Pompey; and in requital your prophecy, hark you; I advife 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 fhall beat you to your tent, and prove a fhrewd Cafar to you: in plain dealing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt: fo for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

2 Ill rent the faireft houfe in it, for three pence a bay: ] Mr. Theobald found that this was the reading of the old books, and he follows it out of pure reverence for antiquity; for he knows nothing of the meaning of it. He fuppofes Bay to be that projection called a Bay-window; as if the way of rating houses was by the number of their Bay windows. But it is quite another thing, and fignifies the fquared frame of a timber house; each of which divifions or fquares is called a Bay. Hence a building of fo many Bays.

Clown.

Clown. I thank your worship for your good counfel; but I fhall follow it, as the flesh and fortune fhall better determine.

Whip me? no, no; let carman whip his jade;
The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade.

SCENE V.

[Exit.

Efcal. Come hither to me, mafter Elbow; come hither, mafter conftable; how long have you been in this place of constable?

Elb. Seven years and a half, Sir.

Efcal. I thought, by your readinefs in the office, you had continued in it fome time: you fay feven years together?

Elb. And a half, Sir.

Efcal. Alas! it hath been great pains to you; they do you wrong to put you fo oft upon't: are there not men in your ward fufficient to serve it?

Elb. Faith, Sir, few of any wit in fuch matters; as they are chofen, they are glad to chufe me for them. I do it for fome piece of mony, and go through with all.

Efcal. Look you, bring me in the names of fome fix or feven, the moft fufficient of your parish.

Elb. To your worship's houfe, Sir?

Efcal. To my houfe; fare you well. What's a clock, think you?

Just. Eleven, Sir.

[Exit Elbow.

Efcal. I pray you, home to dinner with me.

Just. I humbly thank you.

Efcal. It grieves me for the death of Claudio:

But there's no remedy.

Juft. Lord Angelo is fevere.

Efcal. It is but needful:

Mercy is not it felf, that oft looks fo;
Pardon is ftill the nurfe of fecond woe;

But