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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 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 are pretty orders beginning, I can tell you:
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 three-pence 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 is 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 your 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
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
SCENE II. Another room in the same
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 tomorrow?
ANGELO
Did not I tell thee yea? hadst thou not order?
Why dost thou ask again?
Provost
Lest I might be too rash:
Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution, judgment hath
Repented o'er his doom.
ANGELO
Go to; let that be mine:
Do you your office, or give up your place,
And you shall well be spared.
Provost
I crave your honour's pardon.
What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet?
She's very near her hour.
ANGELO
Dispose of her
To some more fitter place, and that with speed.
Re-enter Servant
Servant
Here is the sister of the man condemn'd
Desires access to you.
ANGELO
Hath he a sister?
Provost
Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid,
And to be shortly of a sisterhood,
If not already.
ANGELO
Well, let her be admitted.
Exit Servant
See you the fornicatress be removed:
Let have needful, but not lavish, means;
There shall be order for't.
Enter ISABELLA and LUCIO
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