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ESCALUS。 I think no less。 Good morrow to your lordship。 ＇Exit
ANGELO＇ Now； sir； come on； what was done to Elbow's wife； once more？
POMPEY。 Once？… sir。 There was nothing done to her once。 ELBOW。 I
beseech you； sir； ask him what this man did to my wife。 POMPEY。 I
beseech your honour； ask me。 ESCALUS。 Well； sir； what did this
gentleman to her？ POMPEY。 I beseech you； sir； look in this gentleman's
face。 Good Master Froth； look upon his honour； 'tis for a good purpose。
Doth your honour mark his face？ ESCALUS。 Ay； sir； very well。 POMPEY。
Nay； I beseech you； mark it well。 ESCALUS。 Well； I do so。 POMPEY。
Doth your honour see any harm in his face？ ESCALUS。 Why； no。
POMPEY。 I'll be suppos'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
Master Froth do the constable's wife any harm？ I would know that of your
honour。 ESCALUS。 He's in the right； constable； what say you to it？
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ELBOW。 First； an it like you； the house is a respected house； next； this is a
respected fellow； and his mistress is a respected woman。 POMPEY。 By
this hand； sir； his wife is a more respected person than any of us all。
ELBOW。 Varlet； thou liest； thou liest； wicked varlet； the time is yet to
come that she was ever respected with man； woman； or child。 POMPEY。
Sir； she was respected with him before he married with her。 ESCALUS。
Which is the wiser here； Justice or Iniquity？ Is this true？ ELBOW。 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 wicked
Hannibal； or I'll have mine action of batt'ry on thee。 ESCALUS。 If he took
you a box o' th' ear； you might have your action of slander too。 ELBOW。
Marry； I thank your good worship for it。 What is't your worship's pleasure
I shall do with this wicked caitiff？ ESCALUS。 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。 ELBOW。
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。 ESCALUS。 Where were you born； friend？ FROTH。 Here in
Vienna； sir。 ESCALUS。 Are you of fourscore pounds a year？ FROTH。 Yes；
an't please you； sir。 ESCALUS。 So。 What trade are you of； sir？ POMPEY。
A tapster； a poor widow's tapster。 ESCALUS。 Your mistress' name？
POMPEY。 Mistress Overdone。 ESCALUS。 Hath she had any more than
one husband？ POMPEY。 Nine； sir； Overdone by the last。 ESCALUS。 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。 ESCALUS。 Well； no more of it； Master Froth；
farewell。 ＇Exit FROTH＇ Come you hither to me； Master Tapster； what's
your name； Master Tapster？ POMPEY。 Pompey。 ESCALUS。 What else？
POMPEY。 Bum； sir。 ESCALUS。 Troth； and your bum is the greatest thing
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
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a tapster。 Are you not？ Come； tell me true； it shall be the better for you。
POMPEY。 Truly； sir； I am a poor fellow that would live。 ESCALUS。 How
would you live； Pompey… by being a bawd？ What do you think of the trade；
Pompey？ Is it a lawful trade？ POMPEY。 If the law would allow it； sir。
ESCALUS。 But the law will not allow it； Pompey； nor it shall not be
allowed in Vienna。 POMPEY。 Does your worship mean to geld and splay
all the youth of the city？ ESCALUS。 No； Pompey。 POMPEY。 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。 ESCALUS。 There is
pretty orders beginning； I can tell you： but it is but heading and hanging。
POMPEY。 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 threepence
a bay。 If you live to see this come to pass； say Pompey told you so。
ESCALUS。 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
complaint whatsoever… no； not for dwelling where you do； if I do； Pompey；
I shall beat you to your tent； and prove a shrewd Caesar to you； in plain
dealing； Pompey； I shall have you whipt。 So for this time； Pompey； fare
you well。 POMPEY。 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 ESCALUS。 Come hither to me； Master Elbow； come hither；
Master Constable。 How long have you been in this place of constable？
ELBOW。 Seven year and a half； sir。 ESCALUS。 I thought； by the
readiness in the office； you had continued in it some time。 You say seven
years together？ ELBOW。 And a half； sir。 ESCALUS。 Alas； it hath been
great pains to you！ They do you wrong to put you so oft upon't。 Are there
not men in your ward sufficient to serve it？ ELBOW。 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。 ESCALUS。
Look you； bring me in the names of some six or seven； the most sufficient
of your parish。 ELBOW。 To your worship's house； sir？ ESCALUS。 To my
house。 Fare you well。 ＇Exit ELBOW＇ What's o'clock； think you？ JUSTICE。
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Eleven； sir。 ESCALUS。 I pray you home to dinner with me。 JUSTICE。 I
humbly thank you。 ESCALUS。 It grieves me for the death of Claudio； But
there's no remedy。 JUSTICE。 Lord Angelo is severe。 ESCALUS。 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。 Exeunt
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SCENE II。 Another room in ANGELO'S house
Enter PROVOST and a SERVANT
SERVANT。 He's hearing of a cause； he will come straight。 I'll tell him
of you。 PROVOST。 Pray you do。 ＇Exit SERVANT＇ I'll know His pleasure；
may be he will relent。 Alas； He hath but as offended in a dream！ All sects；
all ages； smack of this vice； and he To die for 't！
Enter ANGELO
ANGELO。 Now； what's the matter； Provost？ PROVOST。 Is it your
will Claudio shall die to…morrow？ ANGELO。 Did not I tell