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Pompey； you are partly a bawd； Pompey； howsoever you colour it in being
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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 is
pretty orders beginning； I can tell you： but 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 threepence
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's 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 the
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。
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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
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SCENE II。 Another room in ANGELO'S house
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 to…morrow？ 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 spar'd。 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
remov'd； Let her have needful but not lavish means； There shall be order
for't。
Enter Lucio and ISABELLA
PROVOST。 ＇Going＇ Save your honour！ ANGELO。 Stay a little while。
＇To ISABELLA＇ Y'are welcome； what's your will？ ISABELLA。 I am a
woeful suitor to your honour； Please but your honour hear me。 ANGELO。
Well； what's your suit？ ISABELLA。 There is a vice that most I do abhor；
And most desire should meet the blow of justice； For which I would not
plead； but that I must； For which I must not plead； but that I am At war
'twixt will and will not。 ANGELO。 Well； the matter？ ISABELLA。 I have a
brother is condemn'd to die； I do beseech you； let it be his fault； And not
my brother。 PROVOST。 ＇Aside＇ Heaven give thee moving graces。
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ANGELO。 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 faults whose fine stands in record； And let go by the actor。 ISABELLA。
O just but severe law！ I had a brother； then。 Heaven keep your honour！
LUCIO。 ＇To ISABELLA＇ 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。 ISABELLA。 Must he needs die？ ANGELO。 Maiden； no
remedy。 ISABELLA。 Yes； I do think that you might pardon him。 And
neither heaven nor man grieve at the mercy。 ANGELO。 I will not do't。
ISABELLA。 But can you； if you would？ ANGELO。 Look； what I will not；
that I cannot do。 ISABELLA。 But might you do't； and do the world no
wrong； If so your heart were touch'd with that remorse As mine is to him？
ANGELO。 He's sentenc'd； 'tis too late。 LUCIO。 ＇To ISABELLA＇ You are
too cold。 ISABELLA。 Too late？ Why； no； I； that do speak a word； May
call it back again。 Well； believe this： No ceremony that to great ones longs；
Not the king's crown nor the deputed sword； The marshal's truncheon nor
the judge's robe； Become them with one half so good a grace As mercy
does。 If he had been as you； and you as he； You would have slipp'd like
him； but he； like you； Would not have been so stern。 ANGELO。 Pray you
be gone。 ISABELLA。 I would to heaven I had your potency； And you were
Isabel！ Should it then be thus？ No； I would tell what 'twere to be a judge
And what a prisoner。 LUCIO。 ＇To ISABELLA＇ Ay； touch him； there's the
vein。 ANGELO。 Your brother is a forfeit of the law； And you but waste
your words。 ISABELLA。 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。 ANGELO。 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…morrow。
ISABELLA。 To…morrow！ O； that's sudden！ Spare him； spare him。 He's not
prepar'd for death。 Even for our kitchens We kill the fowl of season； shall
we serve heaven With less respect than we do minister To our gross selves？
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Good； good my lord； bethink you。 Who is it that hath died for this offence？
There's many have committed it。 LUCIO。 ＇Aside＇ Ay； well said。 ANGELO。
The law hath not been dead； thoug