The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

by William Shakespeare

ELBOW.
Come, bring them away. If these be good people in a commonweal that do nothing but use their abuses in common houses, I know no law. Bring them away.

ANGELO.
How now, sir, what’s your name? And what’s the matter?

ELBOW.
If it please your honour, I am the poor Duke’s constable, and my name is Elbow. I do lean upon justice, sir, and do bring in here before your good honour two notorious benefactors.

ANGELO.
Benefactors? Well, what benefactors are they? Are they not malefactors?

ELBOW.
If it please your honour, I know not well what they are, but precise villains they are, that I am sure of, and void of all profanation in the world that good Christians ought to have.

ESCALUS.
This comes off well. Here’s a wise officer.

ANGELO.
Go to. What quality are they of? Elbow is your name? Why dost thou not speak, Elbow?

POMPEY.
He cannot, sir. He’s out at elbow.

ANGELO.
What are you, sir?

ELBOW.
He, sir? A tapster, sir; parcel bawd; one that serves a bad woman; whose house, sir, was, as they say, plucked down in the suburbs; and now she professes a hot-house, which, I think is a very ill house too.