1605 MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Page: 15

ESCALUS. Truly, officer, because he hath some offences in him
that
thou wouldst discover if thou couldst, let him continue in
his
courses till thou know'st what they are.
ELBOW. Marry, I thank your worship for it. Thou seest, thou
wicked
varlet, now, what's come upon thee: thou art to continue now,
thou varlet; thou art to continue.
ESCALUS. Where were you born, friend?
FROTH. Here in Vienna, sir.
ESCALUS. Are you of fourscore pounds a year?
FROTH. Yes, an't please you, sir.
ESCALUS. So. What trade are you of, sir?
POMPEY. A tapster, a poor widow's tapster.
ESCALUS. Your mistress' name?
POMPEY. Mistress Overdone.
ESCALUS. Hath she had any more than one husband?
POMPEY. Nine, sir; Overdone by the last.
ESCALUS. Nine! Come hither to me, Master Froth. Master Froth, I
would not have you acquainted with tapsters: they will draw
you,
Master Froth, and you will hang them. Get you gone, and let
me
hear no more of you.
FROTH. I thank your worship. For mine own part, I never come
into
any room in a taphouse but I am drawn in.
ESCALUS. Well, no more of it, Master Froth; farewell. [Exit
FROTH]
Come you hither to me, Master Tapster; what's your name,
Master
Tapster?
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,