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 : 26 if you live to see this come to pass, 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 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; 27 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: [Exit. 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 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? 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. 26 After is here equivalent to at the rate of. A bay is an architectural term of not uncommon occurrence in old descriptions of houses, in reference to the frontage. So in Coles's Latin Dictionary: “A bay of building, Mensura viginti quatuor pedum." 27 Escalus is laughing inwardly. He has humour; not so Angelo. Escal. Look you bring me in the names of some six or seven, the most sufficient of your parish. Elb. To your Worship'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. 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 ;28 [Exeunt. SCENE II.- Another Room in the Same. Enter the Provost and a Servant. Serv. He's hearing of a cause; he will come straight: I'll tell him of Prov. you. Pray you, do. [Exit Servant.]-I'll know His pleasure; may be he'll relent. Alas, He hath but as offended in a dream! All sects, all ages smack of this vice; and he To die for it! Ang. Enter ANGELO. Now, what's the matter, Provost ? Prov. Is it your will Claudio shall die to-morrow? 28 The meaning is, of course, that a frequent pardoning of the guilty is injustice and even cruelty to the innocent. Ang. Did not I tell thee yea? hadst thou not order? Why dost thou ask again? Prov. Lest I might be too rash: Under your good correction, I have seen, Ang. Go to; let that be mine: Do you your office, or give up your place, And you shall well be spared. Prov. I crave your Honour's pardon. What shall be done, sir, with the groaning Juliet? Ang. Dispose of her To some more fitter place; and that with speed. Re-enter the Servant. Serv. Here is the sister of the man condemn'd Desires access to you. Prov. Ay, my good lord; a very virtuous maid, And to be shortly of a sisterhood, If not already. Ang. Well, let her be admitted. [Exit Servant. See you the fornicatress be removed: Let her have needful, but not lavish, means; There shall be order for't. Enter ISABELLA and LUCIO. Prov. God save your Honour ! Cory. [Offering to retire. Ang. Stay a little while. [To ISAB.] You're welcome: what's your will? Isab. I am a woeful suitor to your Honour, Please but your Honour hear me. Ang. Isab. There is a vice that most I do abhor, And most desire should meet the blow of justice; At war 'twixt will and will not. Ang. Well; the matter? Isab. I have a brother is condemn'd to die : I do beseech you, let it be his fault, And not my brother.1 Prov. [Aside.] Heaven give thee moving graces! Ang. Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it? Why, every fault's condemn'd ere it be done : Mine were the very cipher of a function, To fine the fault, whose fine stands in record,2 And let go by the actor. Isab. I had a brother, then. O just but severe law! Heaven keep your Honour ! [Retiring. Lucio. [Aside to ISAB.] Give't not o'er so: to him again, entreat him; Kneel down before him, hang upon his gown: You are too cold; if you should need a pin, You could not with more tame a tongue desire it: To him, I say. Isab. Must he needs die? Ang. Maiden, no remedy. Isab. Yes; I do think that you might pardon him, And neither Heaven nor man grieve at the mercy. Ang. I will not do’t. 1 "Let my brother's fault die, and not my brother himself." 2" To punish the fault whose punishment is prescribed in the law," seems to be the meaning here. In the preceding line, "very cipher" is mere cipher. The Poet often has very thus. So in Hamlet, iv. 4: “A very riband in the cap of youth, yet needful too." Isab. But can you, if you would? Ang. Look, what I will not, that I cannot do. Isab. But you might do't, and do the world no wrong, If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse 3 As mine is to him. Ang. He's sentenced; 'tis too late. Lucio. [Aside to ISAB.] You are too cold. Isab. Too late! why, no; I, that do speak a word, Not the king's crown nor the deputed sword, If he had been as you, and you as he, You would have slipp'd like him; but he, like you, Ang. No; I would tell what 'twere to be a judge, And what a prisoner. Lucio. [Aside to ISAB.] Ay, touch him; there's the vein. Ang. Your brother is a forfeit of the law, And you but waste your words. Isab. Alas, alas! Why, all the souls that were were forfeit once; 8 Here, as usual, remorse is pity or compassion. |