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Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou honourable man, prove it.

Efeal. Do you hear how he misplaces?

Clown. Sir, fhe came in great with child; and longing (faving your honour's reverence) for ftew'd prunes; we had but two in the houfe, which at that very inftant time flood, as it were, in a fruit-difh, a dish of fome three pence; (your honours have seen such dishes, they are not China difhes, but very good dishes.)

Efcal. Go to, go to; no matter for the difh, Sir.

Clown. No indeed, Sir, 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 no more 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, master Froth, I could not give you three pence again.

Froth. No indeed.

Clown. Very well; you being then, if you be remem bred, cracking the ftones of the forefaid prunes. Froth. Ay, fo I did indeed.

Clown. Why, very well; I telling you then, if you be remembred, that fuch a one, and fuch a one, were past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they kept good diet, as I told you.

Froth. All this is true.

Clown. Why, very well then.

Efcal. Come, you are a tedious fool; to the purpose: what was done to Elbow's wife, that he hath caufe to complain of? come to what was done to her.

Clown: Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet.
Efcal. No, Sir, I mean it not.

Clown. Sir, but you fhall come to it, by your honour's leave and I befeech you, lock into mafter Froth here, Sir, a man of fourfcore pound a year; whofe father dy'd at Hallowmás, 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

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 laft 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. [Exit.

SCENE III.

Efcal. I think no lefs. Good-morrow to your lordship. 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, afk him what this man did to my wife.

Clown. I befeech your honour, afk me.

Efcal. Well, Sir, what did this gentleman to her?

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Clown. I befeech you, Sir, look in this gentleman's face; good mafter Froth, look upon his honour; 'tis for a good purpose; doth your honour mark his face?

Efcal. Ay, Sir, very well.

Clorun. 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.

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Clerun. 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 say you to it? Elb. Firft, an it like you, the house is a refpected houfe; next, this is a refpected fellow; and his mistress is a respected woman.

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

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

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Clown. Sir, fhe was refpected with him before he marty'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 the 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 it: what is't your worship's pleafure I fhall do with this wicked caitiff?

Efcal. Truly, officer, becaufe 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 feest, thou wicked varlet now, what's come upon 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 fourscore pounds a year?

Frotb. Yes, an'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-don.

Efcal. Hath he had any more than one husband?
Clown. Nine, Sir: Over-don by the last.

Efcal. Nine? Come hither to me, mafter Froth: mafter Froth, I would not have you acquainted with tapfters; they will draw you, mafter 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 taphoufe, but I am drawn in. Efcal. Well, no more of it, mafter Froth; farewel

He means to fay Animal.

[Exit Froth.

SCENE

SCENE 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 greateft 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 shall be the better for you.

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, and it fhall not be allowed in Vienna.

Clown. Does your worship mean to geld and splay 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 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 fairest house in it after three pence a bay if you live to see this come to pafs, fay Pompey told you fo.

Efcal. 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 fhall beat you to your tent, and prove a fhrewd Cafar to you: in plain dealing, Pompey, I fhall have you whipt: fo for this time, Pompey, fare you well.

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 constable; how long have you been in this place of conftable?

Elb. Seven year and a half, Sir.

Efcal. I thought, by your readiness in the office, you had continued in it for fome time: you say seven 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 most fufficient of your parish.

Elb. To your worship's house, Sir? Efcal. To my houfe; fare you well. think you?

Juft. Eleven, Sir.

What's a clock, [Exit Elbow.

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

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Pardon is ftill the nurse of second woe :

But yet poor Claudio! there's no remedy.

Come, Sir.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Enter Provoft, and a Servant. Serv. He's hearing of a caufe; he will come straight: I'll tell him of you.

Prov. Pray you do; I'll know

His pleafure; may be he'll relent; alas!

He hath but as offended in a dream:

All

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