ACT 1
Scene 2

...I am custom-shrunk.
Enter Pompey.

...news with you?
Yonder man is carried to prison.

...has he done?
A woman.

...what’s his offense?
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.

...child by him?
No, but there’s a woman with maid by him.
You have not heard of the proclamation, have you?

...What proclamation, man?
All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be
plucked down.

...in the city?
They shall stand for seed. They had gone down
too, but that a wise burgher put in for them.

...be pulled down?
To the ground, mistress.

...become of me?
Come, fear not you. Good counselors lack no
clients. Though you change your place, you need
not change your trade. I’ll be your tapster still.
Courage. There will be pity taken on you. You that
have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you
will be considered.

...Tapster? Let’s withdraw.
Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the Provost
to prison. And there’s Madam Juliet.
Bawd and Pompey exit.

ACT 2
Scene 1

...a fault alone.
Enter Elbow and Officers, with Froth and Pompey.

...not speak, Elbow?
He cannot, sir. He’s out at elbow.

...she defied him.
to Escalus
Sir, if it please your Honor, this is
not so.

...how he misplaces?
Sir, she came in great with child, and longing,
saving your Honor’s reverence, for stewed 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 threepence; your Honors have seen such
dishes; they are not china dishes, but very good
dishes—

...the dish, sir.
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 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 could not give you threepence
again—

... No, indeed.
Very well. You being then, if you be remembered,
cracking the stones of the foresaid prunes—

...I did indeed.
Why, very well. I telling you then, if you be
remembered, 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—

...this is true.
Why, very well then—

...done to her.
Sir, your Honor cannot come to that yet.

...mean it not.
Sir, but you shall come to it, by your Honor’s
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?

... All-hallond Eve.
Why, very well. I hope here be truths.—He,
sir, sitting, as I say, in a lower chair, sir—To Froth.
’Twas in the Bunch of Grapes, where indeed you
have a delight to sit, have you not?

...good for winter.
Why, very well then. I hope here be truths.

...wife, once more?
Once, sir? There was nothing done to her
once.

...to my wife.
to Escalus
I beseech your Honor, ask me.

...gentleman to her?
I beseech you, sir, look in this gentleman’s
face.—Good Master Froth, look upon his Honor.
’Tis for a good purpose.—Doth your Honor mark
his face?

...sir, very well.
Nay, I beseech you, mark it well.

...I do so.
Doth your Honor see any harm in his face?

... Why, no.
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 Constable’s wife any harm? I would know that
of your Honor.

...a respected woman.
By this hand, sir, his wife is a more respected
person than any of us all.

...woman, or child.
Sir, she was respected with him before he
married with her.

...you of, sir?
A tapster, a poor widow’s tapster.

...Your mistress’ name?
Mistress Overdone.

...than one husband?
Nine, sir. Overdone by the last.

...name, Master Tapster?
Pompey.

... What else?
Bum, sir.

...better for you.
Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that would live.

...a lawful trade?
If the law would allow it, sir.

...allowed in Vienna.
Does your Worship mean to geld and splay all
the youth of the city?

... No, 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.

...heading and hanging.
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.

...fare you well.
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 whipped out of his trade.
He exits.

ACT 3
Scene 2

...well, good father.
Enter Elbow, Pompey, and Officers.

...stuff is here?
’Twas never merry world since, of two usuries,
the merriest was put down, and the worser allowed
by order of law a furred gown to keep him warm,
and furred with fox and lambskins too, to signify
that craft, being richer than innocency, stands for
the facing.

...mend, go mend.
Indeed, it does stink in some sort, sir. But yet,
sir, I would prove—

... Enter Lucio.
I spy comfort, I cry bail. Here’s a gentleman
and a friend of mine.

...she still, ha?
Troth, sir, she hath eaten up all her beef, and
she is herself in the tub.

...to prison, Pompey?
Yes, faith, sir.

...keep the house.
I hope, sir, your good Worship will be my bail.

...ways, sir, come.
to Lucio
You will not bail me, then, sir?

...kennel, Pompey, go.
Elbow, Pompey, and Officers exit.

ACT 4
Scene 2

...tithe’s to sow.
Enter Provost, Pompey, and Officer.

...a man’s head?
If the man be a bachelor, sir, I can; but if he be
a married man, he’s his wife’s head, and I can never
cut off a woman’s head.

...a notorious bawd.
Sir, I have been an 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.

...turn the scale.
Pray, sir, by your good favor—for surely, sir, a
good favor you have, but that you have a hanging
look—do you call, sir, your occupation a mystery?

...sir, a mystery.
Painting, sir, I have heard say, is a mystery;
and your whores, sir, being members of my occupation,
using painting, do prove my occupation a
mystery; but what mystery there should be in hanging,
if I should be hanged, I cannot imagine.

...is a mystery.
Proof?

...Are you agreed?
Sir, I will serve him, for I do find your hangman
is a more penitent trade than your bawd. He
doth oftener ask forgiveness.

...my trade. Follow.
I do desire to learn, sir; and I hope, if you have
occasion to use me for your own turn, you shall find
me yare. For truly, sir, for your kindness, I owe
you a good turn.
Pompey and Abhorson exit.

Scene 3

...almost clear dawn.
Enter Pompey.
I am as well acquainted here as I was in our
house of profession. One would think it were Mistress
Overdone’s own house, for here be many of
her old customers. First, here’s young Master Rash.
He’s in for a commodity of brown paper and old
ginger, ninescore 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 Master Caper,
at the suit of Master Three-pile the mercer, for some
four suits of peach-colored satin, which now
peaches him a beggar. Then have we here young
Dizzy and young Master Deep-vow, and Master
Copper-spur and Master Starve-lackey the rapier-and-dagger
man, and young Drop-heir that killed
lusty Pudding, and Master Forth-light the tilter, and
brave Master Shoe-tie the great traveler, and wild
Half-can that stabbed Pots, and I think forty more,
all great doers in our trade, and are now “for the
Lord’s sake.”

...bring Barnardine hither.
calling
Master Barnardine, you must rise
and be hanged, Master Barnardine.

...What are you?
calling to Barnardine offstage
Your friends,
sir, the hangman. You must be so good, sir, to rise
and be put to death.

...that quickly too.
calling
Pray, Master Barnardine, awake till
you are executed, and sleep afterwards.

...fetch him out.
He is coming, sir, he is coming. I hear his
straw rustle.

...the block, sirrah?
Very ready, sir.

...fitted for ’t.
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.

...to the block.
Abhorson and Pompey exit.