ACT II. SCENE 1.

ANGELO'S House. Enter ANGELO, ESCALUS, a Justice, Provost, and Attendants.

Angelo.

We must not make a scare-crow of the law;

Setting it up to fear the birds of prey,

And let it keep one shape, till custom make it
Their perch, and not their terror.

Escal. Ay, but yet

Let us be keen, and rather cut a little,

Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman,
Whom I would save, had a most noble father.

Let but your honour know, (whom I believe
To be most strait in virtue).

"That, in the working of your own affections,

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"Had time çoher'd with place, or place with wishing, "Or that the resolute acting of your blood

"Could have attain'd the effect of your own pur

pose,"

Whether you had not sometime in your life
Err'd in this point which now you censure him,
And puli'd the law upon you.

Ang. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall. "I not deny,

"The jury, passing on the prisoner's life,

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"May, in the sworn twelve, have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try: What's open made to

justice,

"That

"That justice seizes. What know the laws,
"That thieves do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant,
"The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it,
"Because we see it; but what we do not see,
"We tread upon, and never think of it."
You may not so extenuate his offence,

For I have had such faults; but rather tell me,
When I that censure him do so offend,
Let mine own judgment pattern out my death,
And nothing come in partial. Sir, he must die.
Escal. Be it, as your wisdom will.

Ang. Where is the provost?

Prov. Here, if it like your

Ang. See that Claudio

honour.

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Be executed by nine to-morrow morning:
Bring him his confessor, let him be prepar'd;
For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage. [Exit Prov.
Escal. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us

all!

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall:
Some run from brakes of vice, and answer none;
And some condemned for a fault alone.

"Enter ELBOW, FROTH, Clown, Officers, &c.

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"Elb. Come, bring them away: if these be good "people in a common-weal, that do nothing but use "their abuses in common houses, I know no law: "bring them away.

"Ang. How now, sir! What's your name and "what's the matter?

«Elb.

"Elb. If it please your honour, I am the poor "duke's constable, and my name is Elbow; I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your 66 good honour two notorious benefactors.

"Ang. Benefactors? Well; what benefactors are "they are they not malefactors?

"Elb. If it please your honour, I know not well ", what they are :' but precise villains they are, that I "am sure of; and void of all profanation in the "world, that good christians ought to have.

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Escal. This comes off well; here's a wise officer. "Ang. Go to: What quality are they of? Elbow "is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow ? "Clown. He cannot, sir; he's out at elbow.

"Ang. What are you, sir?

"Elb. He, sir a tapster, sir; parcel-bawd; one "that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, was, "as they say, pluck'd down in the suburbs; and now "she professes a hot-house, which, I think, is a very "ill house too.

"Escal. How know you that?

"Elb. My wife, sir, whom I detest before heaven "and your honour,—

"Escal. How! thy wife?

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“ Elb. Ay, sir; whom, I thank heaven, is an honest woman

"Escal. Dost thou detest her therefore?

"Elb. I say, sir, I will detest myself also, as well "as she, that this house, if it be not a bawd's house, "it is pity of her life, for it is a naughty house.

"Escal.

"Escal. How dost thou know that, constable? 80 "Elb. Marry, sir, by my wife, who, if she had "been a woman cardinally given, might have been "accused in fornication, adultery, and all unclean"ness there.

"Escal. By the woman's means?

"Elb. Ay, sir, by mistress Over-done's means: but "as she spit in his face, so she defy'd him.

"Clown. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so. "Elb. Prove it before these varlets here, thou ho“nourable man, prove it.

"Escal. Do you hear how he misplaces?

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[To ANGELO.

"Clown. Sir, she came in great with child; and "longing (saving your honour's reverence) for stew'd << prunes; sir, we had but two in the house, which at "that very distant time stood as it were, in a fruit"dish, a dish of some three-pence; your honours "have seen such dishes; they are not China dishes, but very good dishes. 98

"Escal. Go to, go to; no matter for the dish, sir. "Clown. No, indeed, sir, not of a pin; you are "therein in the right: but, to the point: As I say, ❝ this mistress Elbow, being, as I say, with child, and "being great belly'd, and longing, as I said, for 66 prunes; and having but two in the dish, as I said, "master Froth here, this very man, having eaten the “rest, as I said, and, as I say, paying for them very. "honestly;-for, as you know, master Froth, I cou ́d "not give you three pence again.

"Froth.

"Froth. No, indeed.

"Clown. Very well: you being then, if you be re"member'd, cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes. "Froth. Ay, so I did, indeed.

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"Clown. Why, very well: I telling you then, if you be remember'd, that such a one, and such a one, "were past cure of the thing you wot of, unless they "kept very good diet, as I told you."

"Froth. All this is true.

"Clown. Why, very well then.

Escal. Come, you are a tedious fool: to the pur"pose. What was done to Elbow's wife, that he "hath cause to complain of? come me to what was "done to her.

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"Clown. Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet. "Escal. No, sir, nor I mean it not.

"Clown, Sir, but you shall come to it, by your "honour's leave: And, I beseech you, look into "master Froth here, sir; a man of fourscore pound "a whose father dy'd at Hallowmas ::-Was't year; "not at Hallowmas, master Froth?

"Froth. All-hollond eve.

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"Clown. Why, very well: I hope here be truths : "He, sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, sir ;— "'twas in the Bunch of grapes, where, indeed, you "have a delight to sit, have you not?

"Froth. I have so; because it is an open room, and 66 good for winter.

"Clown. Why, very well then ;-I hope here be "truths.

« Ang.