601Esc. I sir, very well.

602Clo. Nay, I beseech you marke it well.

603Esc. Well, I doe so.

604Clo. Doth your honor see any harme in his face?

605Esc. Why no.

606Clo. Ile be supposd vpon a booke, his face is the worst

607thing about him: good then: if his face be the worst

608thing about him, how could Master Froth doe the Con-

609stables wife any harme? I would know that of your

610honour.

611Esc. He's in the right (Constable) what say you to it?

612Elb. First, and it like you, the house is a respected

613house; next, this is a respected fellow; and his Mistris is

614a respected woman.

615Clo. By this hand Sir, his wife is a more respected per-

616son then any of vs all.

617Elb. Varlet, thou lyest; thou lyest wicked varlet: the

618time is yet to come that shee was euer respected with

619man, woman, or childe.

620Clo. Sir, she was respected with him, before he mar-

621ried with her.

622Esc. Which is the wiser here; Iustice or Iniquitie? Is

623this true?

624Elb. O thou caytiffe: O thou varlet: O thou wick-

625ed Hanniball; I respected with her, before I was married

626to her? If euer I was respected with her, or she with me,

627let not your worship thinke mee the poore Dukes Offi-

628cer: proue this, thou wicked Hanniball, or ile haue

629mine action of battry on thee.

630Esc. If he tooke you a box o'th' eare, you might haue

631your action of slander too.

632Elb. Marry I thanke your good worship for it: what

633is't your Worships pleasure I shall doe with this wick-

634ed Caitiffe?

635Esc. Truly Officer, because he hath some offences in

636him, that thou wouldst discouer, if thou couldst, let him

637continue in his courses, till thou knowst what they are.

638Elb. Marry I thanke your worship for it: Thou seest

639thou wicked varlet now, what's come vpon thee. Thou

640art to continue now thou Varlet, thou art to continue.

641Esc. Where were you borne, friend?

642Froth. Here in Vienna, Sir.

643Esc. Are you of fourescore pounds a yeere?

644Froth. Yes, and't please you sir.

645Esc. So: what trade are you of, sir?

646Clo. A Tapster, a poore widdowes Tapster.

647Esc. Your Mistris name?

648Clo. Mistris Ouer- don.

649Esc. Hath she had any more then one husband?

650Clo. Nine, sir: Ouer-don by the last.

651Esc. Nine? come hether to me, Master Froth; Master

652Froth, I would not haue you acquainted with Tapsters;

653they will draw you Master Froth, and you wil hang them:

654get you gon, and let me heare no more of you.

655Fro. I thanke your worship: for mine owne part, I

656neuer come into any roome in a Tap-house, but I am

657drawne in.

658Esc. Well: no more of it Master Froth: farewell:

659Come you hether to me, M. Tapster: what's your name

660Mr. Tapster?

661Clo. Pompey.

662Esc. What else?

663Clo. Bum, Sir.

664Esc. Troth, and your bum is the greatest thing about

665you, so that in the beastliest sence, you are Pompey the

666great; Pompey, you are partly a bawd, Pompey; howso-

667euer you colour it in being a Tapster, are you not? come,

668tell me true, it shall be the better for you.

669Clo. Truly sir, I am a poore fellow that would liue.

670Esc. How would you liue Pompey? by being a bawd?

671what doe you thinke of the trade Pompey? is it a lawfull

672trade?

673Clo. If the Law would allow it, sir.

674Esc. But the Law will not allow it Pompey; nor it

675shall not be allowed in Vienna.

676Clo. Do's your Worship meane to geld and splay all

677the youth of the City?

678Esc. No, Pompey.

679Clo. Truely Sir, in my poore opinion they will too't

680then: if your worship will take order for the drabs and

681the knaues, you need not to feare the bawds.

682Esc. There is pretty orders beginning I can tell you:

683It is but heading, and hanging.

684Clo. If you head, and hang all that offend that way

685but for ten yeare together; you'll be glad to giue out a

686Commission for more heads: if this law hold in Vienna

687ten yeare, ile rent the fairest house in it after three pence

688a Bay: if you liue to see this come to passe, say Pompey

689told you so.

690Esc. Thanke you good Pompey; and in requitall of

691your prophesie, harke you: I aduise you let me not finde

692you before me againe vpon any complaint whatsoeuer;

693no, not for dwelling where you doe: if I doe Pompey, I

694shall beat you to your Tent, and proue a shrewd Casar

695to you: in plaine dealing Pompey, I shall haue you whipt;

696so for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

697Clo. I thanke your Worship for your good counsell;

698but I shall follow it as the flesh and fortune shall better

699determine. Whip me? no, no, let Carman whip his Iade,

700The valiant heart's not whipt out of his trade. Exit.

701Esc. Come hether to me, Master Elbow: come hither

702Master Constable: how long haue you bin in this place

703of Constable?

704Elb. Seuen yeere, and a halfe sir.

705Esc. I thought by the readinesse in the office, you had

706continued in it some time: you say seauen yeares toge-

707ther.

708Elb. And a halfe sir.

709Esc. Alas, it hath beene great paines to you: they do

710you wrong to put you so oft vpon't. Are there not men

711in your Ward sufficient to serue it?

712Elb. 'Faith sir, few of any wit in such matters: as they

713are chosen, they are glad to choose me for them; I do it

714for some peece of money, and goe through with all.

715Esc. Looke you bring mee in the names of some sixe

716or seuen, the most sufficient of your parish.

717Elb. To your Worships house sir?

718Esc. To my house: fare you well: what's a clocke,

719thinke you?

720Iust. Eleuen, Sir.

721Esc. I pray you home to dinner with me.

722Iust. I humbly thanke you.

723Esc. It grieues me for the death of Claudio

724But there's no remedie:

725Iust. Lord Angelo is seuere.

726Esc. It is but needfull.

727Mercy is not it selfe, that oft lookes so,

728Pardon is still the nurse of second woe:

729But yet, poore Claudio; there is no remedie.

730Come Sir. Exeunt.