POMPEY

Yonder man is carried to prison. A Woman. Groping for Trouts, in a peculiar River. No: but there's a woman with maid by him you have not herd of the proclamation, have you? Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provost to prison: and there's Madam Juliet. He cannot Sir: he's out at Elbow. Sir, if it please your honour, this is not so. Sir, she came in great with child: and longing (saving your honours reverence) for stewd prewyns; 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. 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 bellied, and longing (as I said) for prewyns: and having but two in the dish (as I said) Master Froth here, this very man, would ving eaten the rest (as I said) & (as I say) paying for them very honestly: for, as you know Master Froth, I could not give you three pence again. Very well: you being then (if you be remem bred) cracking the stones of the foresaid prewyns. Why, very well: I telling you then (if you be remembered) that such a one, and such a one, were passed cure of the thing you wot of, unless they kept very good diet, as I told you. Why very well then. Sir, your honour cannot come to that yet. Sir, but you shall come to it, by your honours leave: And I beseech you, look into Master Froth here sir, a man of fourscore pound a year; whose father died at Hallowmas: Was't not at Hallowmas Master Froth ? 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 fit, have you not? Why very well then: I hope here be truths. Once Sir? there was nothing done to her once. I beseech your honour, ask me. I beseech you sir, look in this Gentleman's face: good Master Froth look upon his honour; it's for a good purpose: does your honour mark his face? Nay, I beseech you mark it well. Does your honour see any harm in his face? I'll be supposed upon a book, his face is the worst thing about him: good then: if his face be the worst thing about him, how could Master Froth do the Con stables wife any harm? I would know that of your honour. By this hand Sir, his wife is a more respected per son then any of us all. Sir, she was respected with him, before he mar ried with her. A Tapster, a poor widows Tapster. Mistress Overdo . Nine, sir: Ouer-don by the last. Pompey. Bum, Sir. Truly sir, I am a poor fellow that would live. If the Law would allow it, sir. Do's your Worship mean to geld and splay all the youth of the City? Truly Sir, in my poor opinion they will too't then: if your worship will take order for the drabs and the knaves, you needs not to fear the bawds. 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, isle rend the fairest house in it after three pence a Bay: if you live to see this come to pass, say Pompey told you so. I thank your Worship for your good counsel; 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 whipped out of his trade. Indeed, it do's stink in some sort, Sir: But yet Sir I would prove. I spy comfort, I cry bail: Here's a Gentleman, and a friend of mine. Troth sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and she is her self in the tub. Yes faith sir. I hope Sir, your good Worship will be my bail? You will not bail me then Sir? If the man be a Bachelor Sir, I can: But is he be a married man, he's his wives head, And I can never cut off a woman's head. Sir, I have been and unlawful bawd, time out of mind, but yet I will be content to be a lawful hangman: I would be glad to receive some instruction from my fellow partner. Pray sir, by your good favour: for surely sir, a good favour you have, but that you have a hanging look: Do you call sir, your occupation a Mystery? Painting Sir, I have herd say, is a Mystery; and your Whores sir, being members of my occupation, v sing painting, do prove my Occupation, a Mystery: but what Mystery there should be in hanging, if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine. Proof. If it be too little for your thief, your true man thinks it big enough. If it be too big for your Thief, your Thief thinks it little enough: So every true men apparel fits your Thief. Sir, I will serve him: For I do find your Hangman is a more penitent Trade then your Bawd: he does oftener ask forgiveness. I do desire to learn sir: and I hope, if you have occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find me you are. For truly sir, for your kindness, I owe you a good turn. I am as well acquainted here, as I was in our house of profession: one would think it were Mistress Ouer-dons own house, for here be many of her old Customers. First, here's young M r Rash, he's in for a commodity of brown paper, and old Ginger, nine score and seventeen pounds, of which he made five Marks ready money: marry then, Ginger was not much in request, for the old Women were all dead. Then is there here one M r Caper, at the suit of Master Three-Pile the Mercer, for some four suits of Peach-coloured Satin, which now peaches him a beggar. Then have we here, young Dizzy, and young M r Deepe-vow, and M r Copperspurre, and M r Starue-Lackey the Ra pier and dagger man, and young Drop-heire that killed lu sty Pudding, and M r Forthlight the Tilter, and brave M r Shooty the great Traveller, and wild Halfe-Canne that stabbed Pots, and I think forty more, all great doers in our Trade, and are now for the Lords sake. M r Barnardine, you must rise and be hanged, M r Barnardine. Your friends Sir, the Hangman: You must be so good Sir to rise, and be put to death. He is coming Sir, he is coming: I hear his Straw russle. Very ready Sir. O, the better Sir: for he that drinks all night, and is hanged betimes in the morning, may sleep the sounder all the next day. All houses in the Suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down. They shall stand for seed: they had gone down to, but that a wise Burger put in for them. To the ground, Mistress. Come: fear not you: good Counsellors lack no Clients: though you change your place, you need not change your Trade: I'll be your Tapster still; cou rage, there will be pity taken on you; you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. It never merry world since of two usuries the merriest was put down, and the worse allowed by order of Law; a furred gown to keep him warm; and furd with Fox and Lambskins too, to signify, that craft being richer then Innocency, stands for the facing. Pray Master Barnardine, awake till you are ex ecuted, and sleep afterwards.