Escal. [To Froth] Where were you born, friend! [Pompey pushes Froth forward. Froth. Here in Vienna, sir. Escal. Are you of fourscore pounds a year? Froth. Yes, an 't please you, sir. Escal. So. [To Pompey] What trade are you of, sir? [Froth gets behind Pompey. Pom. A tapster; a poor widow's tapster. Pom. Mistress Overdone. Escal. Hath she had any more than one husband? 211 Escal. 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 a tapster, are you not? come, tell me true: it shall be the better for you. Pom. Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that would live. Escal. How would you live, Pompey? by being a bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade? 239 Pom. If the law would allow it, sir. pey; nor it shall not be allow'd in Vienna. Escal. There are pretty orders beginning, I can tell you: it is but heading and hanging. Pom. 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 three-pence a bay:3 if you live to see this come to pass, say Pompey told you so. 257 Escal. 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 Cæsar to you; in plain dealing, Pompey, I shall have you whipt: so, for this time, Pompey, fare you well. Pom. 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. Escal. Come hither to me, Master Elbow; come hither, master constable. [Elbow advances.] How long have you been in this place of constable? Elb. Seven year and a half, sir. Escal. I thought, by your readiness in the office, you had continued in it some time. You say, seven years together? Isab. Alas, alas! Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once; And He that might the vantage best have took Found out the remedy. How would you be, If He, which is the top of judgment, should But judge you as you are? O, think on that; And mercy then will breathe within your lips, Like man new made. Ang. Be you content, fair maid; It is the law, not I condemn your brother: Were he my kinsman, brother, or my son, It should be thus with him: he must die to 90 [Lucio. [Aside to Isabella] Ay, well said.] Ang. The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept: Those many had not dar'd to do that evil, If the first that did the edíct infringe Had answer'd for his deed: [now 't is awake, Takes note of what is done, and, like a prophet, Looks in a glass, that shows what future evils, Either new, or by remissness new-conceiv'd, And so in progress to be hatch'd and born, Are now to have no súccessive degrees, But, ere they live, to end. ] 120 Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, Would all themselves laugh mortal.] Lucio. [Aside to Isabella] O, to him, to him, wench! he will relent; He's coming; I perceive 't. [Prov. [Aside] Pray heaven she win him!] Isab. We cannot weigh our brother with ourself: Great men may jest with saints; 't is wit in them, But in the less foul profanation. Lucio. [Aside to Isabella] Thou 'rt i' the right, girl; more o' that. Isab. That in the captain's but a choleric word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy. 130 [Lucio. [Aside to Isabella] Art avis'd1 o' that? more on 't.] Ang. Why do you put these sayings upon: me? Isab. Because authority, though it err like others, Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself, That skins the vice o' the top. Go to your bosom; Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know That's like my brother's fault: if it confess 2 Pelting, paltry. 3 Spleens, supposed to be the seat of mirth. 4 Avis'd, i.e. advised, or conscious. & Skins, covers thinly over. |