Measure for Measure Part 7

_Escal._ Hath she had any more than one husband? 190

_Pom._ Nine, sir; Overdone by the last.

_Escal._ 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. 195

_Froth._ I thank your wors.h.i.+p. For mine own part, I never come into any room in a taphouse, but I am drawn in.

_Escal._ Well, no more of it, Master Froth: farewell.

[_Exit Froth._] Come you hither to me, Master tapster.

What's your name, Master tapster? 200

_Pom._ Pompey.

_Escal._ What else?

_Pom._ b.u.m, sir.

_Escal._ Troth, and your b.u.m is the greatest thing about you; so that, in the beastliest sense, you are Pompey the 205 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 210 bawd? What do you think of the trade, Pompey? is it a lawful trade?

_Pom._ If the law would allow it, sir.

_Escal._ But the law will not allow it, Pompey; nor it shall not be allowed in Vienna. 215

_Pom._ Does your wors.h.i.+p mean to geld and splay all the youth of the city?

_Escal._ No, Pompey.

_Pom._ Truly, sir, in my poor opinion, they will to't, then. If your wors.h.i.+p will take order for the drabs and 220 the knaves, you need not to fear the bawds.

_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 225 for more heads: if this law hold in Vienna ten year, I'll rent the fairest house in it after three-pence a bay: if you live to see this come to pa.s.s, say Pompey told you so.

_Escal._ Thank you, good Pompey; and, in requital of your prophecy, hark you: I advise you, let me not find 230 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. 235

_Pom._ I thank your wors.h.i.+p 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 is not whipt out of his trade. [_Exit._ 240

_Escal._ Come hither to me, Master Elbow; come hither, Master constable. 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 245 continued in it some time. You say, seven years together?

_Elb._ And a half, sir.

_Escal._ 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? 250

_Elb._ 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.

_Escal._ Look you bring me in the names of some six or seven, the most sufficient of your parish. 255

_Elb._ To your wors.h.i.+p's house, sir?

_Escal._ To my house. Fare you well. [_Exit Elbow._ What's o'clock, think you?

_Just._ Eleven, sir.

_Escal._ I pray you home to dinner with me. 260

_Just._ I humbly thank you.

_Escal._ It grieves me for the death of Claudio; But there's no remedy.

_Just._ Lord Angelo is severe.

_Escal._ It is but needful: Mercy is not itself, that oft looks so; 265 Pardon is still the nurse of second woe: But yet,--poor Claudio! There is no remedy.

Come, sir. [_Exeunt._

NOTES: II, 1.

6: _fall_] _fell_ Warburton conj.

8, 9, 10: _Let ... That, in the_] _Let ... whom I believe To ...

whether in The_ Hanmer. _Let ... whom I believe To ... virtue, and consider This, in the_ Capell.

12: _your_] Rowe (after Davenant) _our_ Ff.

15: _which now you censure him_] _you censure now in him_ Hanmer.

_which now you censure him for_ Capell.

_where now you censure him_ Grant White.

19: _the_] _a_ Collier MS.

22: _justice seizes_] _justice ceizes_ Ff. _justice seizes on_ Pope.

_it seizes on_ Hanmer.

_know_] Pope. _knowes_ F1 F2. _knows_ F3 F4.

23: _very_] om. Hanmer, ending lines 21, 22, 23 at _made-- seizes on-- pregnant._ 31: _Sir_] om. Pope.

31: After this line Ff have 'Enter Provost.'

36: [Exit Provost] Rowe. om. Ff.

37: [Aside] S. Walker conj.

38: This line is printed by Ff in italics.

39: _from brakes of ice, and_] _through brakes of vice and_ Rowe.

_from brakes of vice, and_ Malone. _from brakes of justice,_ Capell.

_from breaks of ice, and_ Collier.

_from brakes, off ice and_ Knight conj.

41: SCENE II. Pope.