Dro. S. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since, that the bark Expedition put forth to-night; and then were you hindered by the sergeant, to tarry for the hoy Delay: Here are the angels that you sent for, to deliver you. Ant. S. The fellow is distract, and so am I ; And bere we wander in illusions; Some blessed power deliver us from hence! Enter a Courtezan. Cour. Well met, well met, master Antipholus. I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now: Is that the chain you promis'd me to-day? Ant. S. Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not! Dro. S. Master, is this mistress Satan? Ant. S. It is the devil. Dro. S. Nay, she is worse, she is the devil's dam; and here she comes in the habit of a light wench; and thereof comes, that the wenches say, "God damn me,' that s as much as to say, "God make me a light Bench." It is written, they appear to men like angels of light light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; argo, light wenches will burn. Come not near her. Cour. Your man and you are marvellous merry, sir. Will you go with me? We'll mend our dinner here. Dro. S. Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon. Ant. S. Why, Dromio? Dro. S. Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil. Ast. S. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou me of supping? Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress : I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone. Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner, Or, for my diamond, the chain you promis'd; And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you. Dro. S. Some devils ask but the paring of one's nail, A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, A nut, a cherry-stone; but she, more covetous, Master, be wise; an' if you give it her, Of his own doors being shut against his entrance. SCENE IV.-The same. [Exit. Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, and an Officer. Ant. E. Fear me not, man, I will not break away: I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money To warrant thee, as I am 'rested for. My wife is in a wayward mood to-day; And will not lightly trust the messenger: That I should be attach'd in Ephesus, I tell you, 't will sound harshly in her ears.— Enter DROMIO of Ephesus, with a rope's end. Here comes my man; I think he brings the money. How now, sir? have you that I sent you for? Dro. E. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay them all. Ant. E. But where's the money? Dro. E. Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope. Ant. E. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? Dro. E. I'll serve you, sir, five hundred at the rate. Ant. E. To what end did I bid thee hie thee home? Dro. E. To a rope's end, sir, and to that end am 1 return'd. Ant. E. And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. [Beating him. Dro. E. Nay, 't is for me to be patient; I am in adversity. Off. Good sir, be patient. Off. Good now, hold thy tongue. Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands. Ant. E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain! Dro. E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows. Ant. E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass. Dro. E. I am an ass, indeed; you may prove it by my long ears. I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows: when I am cold, he heats me with beating; when I am warm, he cools me with beating; I am waked with it, when I sleep; raised with it, when I sit; driven out of doors with it, when I go from home; welcomed home with it, when I return : nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, and the Courtezan, with PINCH, and others. Ant. E. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder. Dro. E. Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; cr rather the prophecy, like the parrot, "Beware the rope's end." pulse. Ant. E. There is my hand, and let it feel your car. Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, hous'd within this man, To yield possession to my holy prayers, And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight; I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven. Adr. O husband, God doth know, you din'd at home, Ant. E. Din'd at home! Thou villain, what say's: thou? Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home. Ant. E. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I shnt out? Dro. E. Perdy, your doors were lock'd, and you shut out. Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? Dro. E. Sans fable, she herself revil'd you there. Ant. E. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and scorn me? Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scorn'd you. Ant. E. And did I not in rage depart from thence? Dro. E. In verity, you did ;-my bones bear witness, That since have felt the vigour of his rage. Adr. Is 't good to soothe him in these contraries? Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his vein, And, yielding to him, humours well his frenzy. Ant. E. Thou hast suborn'd the goldsmith to arrest me. Adr. Alas! I sent you money to redeem you, By Dromio here, who came in haste for it. Dro. E. Money by me? heart and good-will you might, But, surely, master, not a rag of money. Ant. E. Went'st not thou to her for a purse of ducats? Adr. He came to me, and I deliver'd it. Luc. And I am witness with her, that she did. Dro. E. God and the rope-maker, bear me witness, That I was sent for nothing but a rope! Pinch. Mistress, both man and master is possess'd; I know it by their pale and deadly looks: They must be bound, and laid in some dark room. Ant. E. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth to-day? And why dost thou deny the bag of gold? Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. Dro. E. And, gentle master, I receiv'd no gold; But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in both. Ant. E. Dissembling harlot, thou art false in all; And art confederate with a damned pack, To make a loathsome abject scorn of me: But with these nails I 'll pluck out these false eyes, That would behold in me this shameful sport. [PINCH and his Assistants bind ANT. E. and DRO. E. Adr. O, bind him, bind him, let him not come near me. Pinch. More company; the fiend is strong within him. I am thy prisoner: wilt thou suffer them Off SCENE 1.-The same. Enter Merchant and ANGELO. Ang. I am sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd you; But, I protest, he had the chain of me, Though most dishonestly he doth deny it. Off. He is my prisoner; if I let him go, The debt he owes will be requir'd of me. Adr. I will discharge thee, ere I Bear me forthwith unto his creditor, go from thee: And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it. Dro. E. Master, I am here enter'd in bond for you. Ant. E. Out on thee, villain! wherefore dost thou mad me? Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing? be mal, good master; cry, the devil. Luc. God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk! Adr. Go, bear him hence.-Sister, go you with me.— [Excunt PINCH and Assistants, with ANT. E. and DRO. E. Say now, whose suit is he arrested at? Off. One Angelo, a goldsmith. Do you know him.? Say, how grows it due? Adr. It may be so, but I did never see it :Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith is; I long to know the truth hereof at large. Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, with his rapier drawn, and DROMIO of Syracuse. Luc. God, for thy mercy! they are loose again. Adr. And come with naked swords; let's call more help, To have them bound again. off. Away, they'll kill us. [Exeunt Officer, ADR., and Luc. Ant. S. I see, these witches are afraid of swords. Dro. S. She that would be your wife now ran from you. Ant. S. Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff from ACT V. Mer. How is the man esteem'd here in the city? Ang. Of very reverent reputation, sir, Of credit infinite, highly belov'd, Second to none that lives here in the city; His word might bear my wealth at time. Mer. Speak softly: yonder, as I think, he walks. any Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Syracuse. Ang. "T is so; and that self chain about his neck, Which he forswore, most monstrously, to have. Good sir, draw near to me, I'll speak to him. Stuff-baggage. "The king's stuff" is often mentioned in the orders issued for royal progresses. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, Courtezan, and others. Adr. Hold, hurt him not, for God's sake; he is mad; Some get within him,a take his sword away: Bird Dromiu too, and bear them to my house. Dr. S. Run, master, run; for God's sake take a house. This is some priory.-In, or we are spoil'd. [Exeunt ANT. S. and DRO. S. to the Priory. Enter the ABBESS. Abb. Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither? Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband hence: Let us come in, that we may bind him fast, And bear him home for his recovery. Ang. I knew he was not in his perfect wits. Mer. I am sorry now that I did draw on him. Abb. How long hath this possession held the man? Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, And much different from the man he was; But, till this afternoon, his passion Neer brake into extremity of rage. Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wrack of sea? Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? A sin prevailing much in youthful men, Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; Abb. Adr. And in assemblies too. Abb. Ay, but not enough. Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. Abb. And therefore came it that the man was mad: The venom clamours of a jealous woman It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing: Thou say st his meat was sauc'd with thy upbraidings: Thou say 'st his sports were hinder'd by thy brawls: • Take a house-take to a house; take the shelter of a house. Adr. She did betray me to my own reproof.Good people, enter, and lay hold on him. Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house. Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Adr. I will not hence, and leave my husband here; And ill it doth beseem your holiness, To separate the husband and the wire. Abb. Be quiet, and depart, thou shalt not have him. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five: Ang. Upon what cause? Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Against the laws and statutes of this town, Ang. See where they come; we will behold his death, Adr. Justice, most sacred duke, against the abbess! Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady; It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong. Whom I made lord of me and all I had, By rushing in their houses, bearing thence He broke from those that had the guard of him; a Strong escape-escape effected by strength. Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. Enter a Servant. Serv. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! My master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor, Whose beard they have sing'd off with brands of fire; And ever as it blaz'd, they threw on him Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair: My master preaches patience to him, and the while His man with scissars nicks him like a fool:b And, sure, unless you send some present help, Between them they will kill the conjurer. Adr. Peace, fool! thy master and his man are here; And that is false thou dost report to us. Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breath'd almost since I did see it. halberds. Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here; Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Ephesus. Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke, oh, grant me justice! Even for the service that long since I did thee, Ege. Unless the fear of death doth make me dote, I see my son Antipholus and Dromio. Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there. She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife; That hath abused and dishonour'd me, That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. Duke. Discover how, and thou shalt find me just. Ant. E. This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me, While she with harlots feasted in my house. Duke. A grievous fault: Say, woman, didst thou so? Adr. No, my good lord ;-myself, he, and my sister, To-day did dine together: So befall my soul As this is false he burthens me withal! Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, But she tells to your highness simple truth! Ang. O perjur'd woman! they are both forsworn. Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say; a A-row-on row; one after the other. It was the custom to shave, or crop, the heads of idiots. • A harlot was, originally, a hireling. Where Balthazar and I did dine together. I did obey; and sent my peasant home To go in person with me to my house. By th' way we met my wife, her sister, and a rabble mort A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; For these deep shames, and great indignities. Ang. My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him, That he din'd not at home, but was lock'd out. Duke. But had he such a chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord: and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck. Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, these ears of mine you And, thereupon, I drew my sword on you; Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! Dro. E. Sir, he din'd with her there, at the Porpentine. I think you are all mated, or stark mad. [Exit Attend. And pay the sum that may deliver me. Duke. Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt. Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir, Ege. I am sure you both of you remember me. Ege. Why look you strange on me? you know me well. Ant. E. I never saw you in my life, till now. And careful hours, with Time's deformed hand, Ege. Dromio, nor thou? Dro. E. No, trust me, sir, nor I. I am sure thou dost. Ant. E. I never saw my father in my life. Ege. But seven years since, in Syracusa, boy, Thou know'st we parted: but, perhaps, my son, Thon sham'st to acknowledge me in misery. Ant. E. The duke, and all that know me in the city, Can witness with me that it is not so I ne'er saw Syracusa in my life. Duke. I tell thee, Syracusan, twenty years Have I been patron to Antipholus, Daring which time he ne'er saw Syracusa : I see, thy age and dangers make thee dote. Enter the ABBESS, with ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, and DROMIO of Syracuse. 455. Most mighty duke, behold a man much wrong'd. [All gather to see him. Adr. I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me. Duke. One of these men is genius to the other; And so of these: Which is the natural man, and which the spirit? Who deciphers them? Dro. S. I, sir, am Dromio; command him away. Dro. E. I, sir, am Dromio; pray, let me stay. Ant. S. Ægeon, art thou not? or else his ghost? Dro. S. O, my old master, who hath bound him here? Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds, And gain a husband by his liberty: Speak, old Egeon, if thou be'st the man That hadst a wife once called Emilia, That bore thee at a burthen two fair sons: O, if thou be'st the same Ægeon, speak, And speak unto the same Æmilia! Ege. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia: Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right. Ant. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse. Ant. E. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord. Dro. E And I with him. Ant. E. Brought to this town by that most famous warrior Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. Adr. And are not you my husband? Ant. E. No, I say nay to that. Ant. S. And so do I, yet did she call me so: Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me Ant. S. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from you, Ant. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here. Abb. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains To go with us into the abbey here, And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes: And we shall make full satisfaction. The duke, my husband, and my children both, Ant. E. Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thon Come, go with us; we 'll look to that anon: [Exeunt ANT. S. and E., ADR, and Luc. Dro. E. Methinks, you are my glass, and not my brother: I see, by you, I am a sweet-fac'd youth. Dro. S. Not I, sir; you are my elder. Dro. E. That's a question: how shall we try it? Dro. S. We'll draw cuts for the senior: till then, lead thou first. |