S. Ant. Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, let us go.
S. Dro. Fly pride, says the peacock: Mistress, that you know. [Ex. Ant. and Dro. Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholis is mad, Else would he never so demean himself: A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats, And for the same he promis'd me a chain; Both one, and other, he denies me now. The reason that I gather he is mad, (Besides this present instance of his rage) Is a mad tale, he told to-day at dinner, Of his own doors being shut against his entrance. Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits, On purpose shut the doors against his way. My way is now, to hie home to his house, And tell his wife, that, being lunatic, He rush'd into my house, and took perforce My ring away: This course I fittest chuse; For forty ducats is too much to lose.
com'd 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 iam'd me, I shall beg, with it from door to door.
Enter Adriana, Luciana, and the Courtezan, with a schoolmaster called Pinch, and others. E. Ant. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder.
E. Dro. Mistress, respice finem, respect your 10end; or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, Beware the rope's-end.
E. Ant. Wilt thou still talk? [Beats Dro. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband Adr. His incivility confirms no less.- [mad? 15 Good doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer; Establish him in his true sense again, And I will please you what you will demand. Luc. Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks! Cour. Mark, how he trembles in his ecstasy! [Exit. 20 Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse.
E. Ant. There is my hand, and let it feel your Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, hous'd within this To yield possession to my holy prayers, [man, And to thy state of darkness hie thee strait;
I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven. [mad. E. Ant. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not Adr.Oh,that thou wert not,poor distressed soul! E. Ant. You minion, you, are these your cus- 30 Did this companion with the saffron face [tomers? Revel and feast it at my house to-day, Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut, And I deny'd to enter in my house?
Enter Antipholis of Ephesus, with a Jailor. E. Ant. Fear me not, man, I will not break away; 25 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, 'twill 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? E.Dro. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay them 35 E. Ant. But where's the money? [all. E.Dro. Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope. E. Ant. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? E.Dro. I'll serve you,sir, five hundred at the rate. E. Ant.Towhat end did I bid thee hie thee home? 40 E. Dro. To a rope's-end, sir; and to that end am I return'd.
E. Ant. And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. [Beats Dromio.
Offi. Good sir, be patient.
E. Dro. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity.
Offi. Good now, hold thy tongue.
E. Dro. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands.
E. Ant. Thou whoreson, senseless villain! E. Dro. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows.
E. Ant. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass.
E. Dro. I am an ass, indeed: you may prove it, by my long ears. I have serv'd 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, 60 he cools me with beating; I am wak'd with it, when I sleep; rais'd with it, when I sit; driven out of doors with it, when I go from home; wel-[
Adr. Oh, husband, God doth know, you din'd
[home. E. Dro. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at E. Ant. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I [you shut out.
E. Dro. Perdy, your doors were lock'd, and E. Ant. And did not she herselfrevile me there? E.Dro. Sans fable, she herself revil'd you there. E. Ant. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and scorn me?
E. Dro. Certes', she did; the kitchen vestal scorn'd you.
E.Ant.And did not I in rage depart from thence? E. Dro. In verity you did; my bones bear witness, That since have felt the vigour of his rage.
Adr. Is 't good to sooth him in these contraries? Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his vein, And, yielding to him, humours well his frenzy. E. Ant. Thou hast suborn'd the goldsmith to arre-t Adr. Alas, I sent you money to redeem you, [me. By Dromio here, who came in haste for it. [might, E. Dro. Money by me? Heart and good-will you But, surely, master, not a rag of money. [ducats? E. Ant. Went'st not thou to her for a purse of Adr. He came to me, and I deliver'd'it. Luc. And I am witness with her, that she did.
E. Dro. God, and the rope-maker, bear me That I was sent for nothing but a rope! [witness, Pinch. Mistress, both man and masteris possess'd; I know it by their pale and deadly looks: They must be bound, and laid in some dark room. 5 E. Ant. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth And why dost thou deny the bag of gold? [to-day, Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. E.Dro. And, gentle master, I receiv'd no gold; But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. [both. 10 Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st fa se in E. Ant. Dissembling harlot, thou art false in And art confederate with a damned pack, [all;} To make a loathsome abject scorn of me: [eyes, But with these nails I'll pluck out these false 15 That would behold me in this shameful sport. Enter 3 or 4, and offer to bind him: he strizes. Adr. Oh, bind him, bind him, let him not [in him. Pinch More company;--the fiend is strongwith-20I Luc. Ay me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks! [thou,
E. Ant. What, will you murder me? Thou jai.or I am thy prisoner; wilt thou suffer them To make a rescue?
Ofi. Masters, let him go: He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. Pin. Go, bind this man, for he is frantic too. Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish' officer: Hast thou delight to see a wretched man Do outrage and displeasure to himself?
Offi. 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 go from thee: Bear me forthwith unto his creditor,
[They bind Antipholis and Dromio. And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it. Good master doctor, see him safe.convey'd Home to my house.-Oh, most unhappy day! E. Ant. Oh, most unhappy strumpet! [you. E. Dro. Master, I am here enter'd in bond for E. Ant. Out on thee, villain! wherefore dost thou mad me?
E. Dro. Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, Good master; cry, the devil.- [talk! Luc. God he p, poor souls, how idly do they Adr.Gobear him hence. Sister, go you with me.
[Exeunt Pinch, Antipholis, Dromio, &c. Say now, whose suit is he arrested at? [bim ? Off. One Angelo, a goldsmith; do you know Adr. I know the man: What is the sum he Offi. Two hundred ducats. [owes? Adr. Say, how grows it due? Offi. Due for a chain, your husband had of him. Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it not. [day Cour. When as your husband all in rage to Came to my house, and took away my ring, (The ring I saw upon his finger now) Strait after, did I meet him with a chain.
Adr. It may be so, but I did never see it.— Come, jailor, bring me where the goldsmith is, long to know the truth hereof at large. Enter Antipholis of Syracuse, with his rapier draten, 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. Offi. Away, they'll kill us.
Manent Antipholis and Dromio.
S. Ant. I see these witches are afraid of swords. S. Dro. She, that would be your wife, now ran from you.
S. Ant. Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff from thence:
I long, that we were safe and sound aboard.
S. Dro. Faith, stay here this night, they will surely do us no harm; you saw, they speak us fair, give us gold: methinks, they are such a gentle nation, that but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here still, and turn witch.
S. Ant. I will not stay to-night for all the town; Therefore away to get our stuff aboard.
SCENE I.
A Street, before a Priory.
Enter the Merchant and Angelo. Ang. IAM sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd you; But, I protest, he had the chain of me, Though most dishonestly he doth deny it. [city Mer. How is the man esteem'd here in the 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 any time.
Mer. Speak softly: yonder, as I think, he walks. Enter Antipholis and Dromio of Syracuse. Ang. "Tis 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.- Signior Antipholis, I wonder much
That you would put me to this shame and trouble; And not without some scandal to yourself, With circumstance, and oaths, so to deny 60 This chain, which now you wear so openly: Besides the charge, the shame, imprisonment, You have done wrong to this my honest friend;
Unhappy here signifies mischievous.
Who, but for staying on our controversy, Had hoisted sail, and put to sea to-day: This chain you had of me, can you deny it? S. Ant. I think, I had; I never did deny it. Mer. Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore it too. S. Ant. Who heard me to deny it, or forswear it? Mer. These ears of mine, thou know'st, did hear thee:
Fye on thee, wretch! 'tis pity, that thou liv'st To walk where any honest men resort.
Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing: And therefore comes it, that his head is light. Thou say'st his meat was sauc'd with thy upbraid- Unquiet meals make ill digestions, [ings: Therefore the raging fire of fever bred; And what's a fever but a fit of madness? Thou say'st his sports were hinder'd by thy brawls: Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue, 10 But moody and dull melancholy, Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair; And, at her heels, a huge infectious troop Of pale distemperatures, and toes to life? In food, in sport, and life-preserving rest To be disturb'd, would mad or man or beast: The consequence is then, thy jealous fits Have scar'd thy husband from the use of wits. Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly, When he demean'dhimselfrough,rude,and wildly. Why bear you these rebukes, and answer not? Adr. She did betray me to my own reproof.→ Good people, enter, and lay hold on him.
S. Ant. Thou art a villain to impeach me thus: I'll prove mine honour and my honesty Against thee presently, if thou dar'st stand. Mer. I dare, and do defy thee for a villain. [They draw. 15 Enter Adriana, Luciana, Courtezan, and others. Adri. Hold, hurt him not, for God's sake; he is mad;-
Some get within him, take his sword away: Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house. S. Dro. Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house.
This is some priory;-In, or we are spoil'd. [Exeunt to the priory. Enter Lady Abbess.
Abb. Be quiet, people; Wherefore throng you hither? [hence: Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband 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
Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck at Bury'd some dear friend? Hath not else his eye Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? A sin, prevailing much in youthful men, Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing. Which of these sorrows is he subject to?
Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; Namely, some love that drew him oft from home. Abb. You should for that have reprehended Adr. Why, so I did.
Abb. Ay, but not rough enough. Adr. As roughly, as my modesty would let Abb. Haply in private.
Adr. And in assemblies too. Abb. But not enough.
Adr. It was the copy' of our conference : In bed, he slept not for my urging it; At board, he fed not for my urging it; Alone, it was the subject of my theme; In company, I often glanc'd at it; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad.
Abb. No, not a creature enter in my house. Adr. Then, let your servants bring my hus
Abb. Neither; he took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands, Till I have brought him to his wits again, Or lose my labour in assaying it.
30 Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Diet his sickness, for it is my office; And will have no attorney but myself; And therefore let me have him home with me. Abb. Be patient; for I will not let him stir, 35 Till I have us'd the approved means I have, With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy prayers, To make of him a formal man again:
It is a branch and parcel of mine oath, A charitable duty of my order; Therefore, depart, and leave him here with me. Adr. I will not hence, and leave my husband And ill it doth beseem your holiness, [here; To separate the husband and the wife. Thim. Abb. Be quiet, and depart, thou shalt not have Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity. [Exit Abbess.
Adr. Come, go; I will fall prostrate at his feet, And never rise until my tears and prayers Have won his grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the abbess. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five; Anon, I am sure, the duke himself in person Comes this way to the melancholy vale: The place of death and sorry' execution, 55 Behind the ditches of the abbey here,
Abb. And therefore came it that the man was 60 The venom clamours of a jealous woman
Ang. Upon what cause?
Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Who put unluckily into this bay
Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publickly for his offence,
Ang. See, where they come; we will behold his
That is, the theme, or subject. i. e. restored to his senses. Sorry here means lamented, as Ægeon was not to be executed for any crime, but by the decree to prevent the traffic between Syra cuse and Ephesus.
Luc. Kneel to the duke, before he pass the abbey. Enter the Duke, and Ægeon bare-headed; with the headsman and other officers. Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publicly, If any friend will pay the sum for him, He shall not die, so much we tender him.' Adr. Justice, most sacred duke, against the
Duke. She is a virtuous and reverend lady; It cannot be, that she hath done thee wrong. Adr. May it please your grace, Antipholis, my husband,-
Whom I made lord of me and all I had, At your important' letters,-this ill day A most outrageous fit of madness took him; That desperately he hurry'd through the street, (With him his bondman all as mad as he) Doing displeasure to the citizens, By rushing in their houses, bearing thence Rings, jewels, any thing his rage did like.
Once did I get him bound, and sent him home, Whilst to take order for the wrongs I went, That here and there his fury had committed. Anon, I wot not by what strong escape, He broke from those that had the guard of him: And, with his mad attendant and himself, Each one with ireful passion, with drawn swords, Met us again, and, madly bent on us, Chas'd us away; till, raising of more aid, We came again to bind them: then they fled Into this abbey, whither we pursu❜d them; And here the abbess shuts the gates on us, And will not suffer us to fetch him out,
To scorch your face, and to disfigure you:
[Cry within, Hark, hark, I hear him, mistress; fly, begone. Duke. Come, stand by me, fear nothing: Guard with halberds.
Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, That he is borne about invisible:
Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here; And now he's there,past thought of human reason. Enter Antipholis, and Dromio, of Ephesus. E. Ant. Justice, most gracious duke, oh, grant me justice!
Even for the service that long since I did thee, When I bestrid thee in the wars, and took 15 Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood That then I lost for thee, now grant me justice. Ageon. Unless the fear of death doth make me I see my son Antipholis and Dromio. [dote, E. Ant. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there.
She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife; That bath abused and dishonour'd me, Even in the strength and height of injury! Beyond imagination is the wrong,
23 That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. Duke. Discover how,and thou shalt find me just. E. Ant. This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me,
Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. 35 Therefore, most gracious duke with thycommand, Let him be brought forth, and borne hence for
Duke. Long since thy husband serv'd me in my And I to thee engag'd a prince's word, When thou didst make him master of thy bed, To do him all the grace and good I could.— Go, some of you, knock at the abbey-gate, And bid the lady abbess come to me; I will determine this, before I stir.
Mess.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 And ever as it blaz'd, they threw on him [fire; Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair: My master preaches patience to him, and the His man with scissars nicks him like a fool. [while And, sure, unless you send some present help, Between them they will kill the conjurer. [here; Adr. Peace, fool, thy master and his man are And that is false, thou dost report to us.
Mess. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breath'd almost, since I did see it. He cries for you, and vows, if he can take you,
Perhaps we should read importunate. Harlots here means cheats.
Whilst she with harlots' feasted in my house. Duke. A grievous fault: Say, woman, didst thou so? [sister, Adr. No, my good lord;—myself, he, and my To-day did dine together: So befal my soul, As this is false, he burdens me withal!
Luc. Ne'er may look on day, nor sleep on night, But she tells to your highness simple truth!
Ang. O perjur'd women! They are both for- In this the madman justly chargeth them. [sworn. E. Ant. My liege, I am advised what I say; Neither disturb'd with the effect of wine, Nor heady-rash, provok'd with raging ire, Albeit, my wrongs might make one wiser mad. This woman lock'd me out this day from dinner: That goldsmith there, were he not pack'd with 45 Could witness it, for he was with me then, Who parted with me to go fetch a chain, Promising to bring it to the Porcupine, Where Balthazar and I did dine together. Our dinner done, and he not coming thither, 50I went to seek him: in the street I met him; And in his company, that gentleman.
There did this perjur'd goldsmith swear me down, That I this day of him receiv'd the chain, Which, God he knows, I saw not: for the which, He did arrest me with an officer.
I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: he with none return'd. Then fairly I bespoke the officer.
To go in person with me to my house. 60 By the way we met my wife, her sister, and A rabble more of vile confederates;
2 i. e. to take measures.
3 i. c. one after another. Along
Along with them They brought one Pinch; a hungry lean-fac'd A meer anatomy, a mountebank,
A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller;' A needy, hollow-ey'd, sharp-looking wretch, A living dead-man: this pernicious slave, Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer; And, gazing in my eyes, feeling my pulse, And with no-face, as it were, out-facing me, Cries out, I was possess'd: then all together They fell upon me, bound me, bore me thence; And in a dark and dankish vault at home [ther; There left me and my man, both bound toge Till gnawing with my teeth my bonds in sunder, I gain'd my freedom, and immediately Ran hither to your grace; whom I beseech To give me ample satisfaction
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. these ears of mine Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, Heard you confess, you had the chain of him, After you first forswore it on the mart, And, thereupon, I drew my sword on you; And then you fled into this abbey here, From whence, I think you are come by miracle. E. Ant. I never came within these abbey-walls, Nor ever didst thou draw thy sword on me; I never saw the chain, so help me heaven! And this is false, you burden me withal.
E. Dro. Ourselves we do remember, sir, by For lately we were bound, as you are now. [you; You are not Pinch's patient, are you, sir?
Ageon. Why look you strange on me? you know me well.
E. Ant. I never saw you in my life, 'till now. Ageon. Oh! grief hath chang'd me,
And careful hours, with time's deformed' hand 10 Have written strange defeatures' in my face: But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? E. Ant. Neither.
Ageon. Dromio, nor thou?
E. Dro. No, trust me, sir, nor I. Ageon. I am sure thou dost.
But I am sure, I do not; and whatsoever A man denies, you are now bound to believe him. geon. Not know my voice! Oh, time's ex-
Hast thou so crack'd and splitted my poor tongue In seven short years, that here my only son Knows not my feeble key of untun'd cares? Though now this grained' face of mine be hid 25 In sap-consuming winter's drizled snow,
And all the conduits of my blood froze up; Yet hath my night of life some memory, My wasting lamps some fading glimmer left, My dull deaf ears a little use to hear: 30 All these old witnesses (I cannot err) Tell me thou art my son Antipholis.
E. Ant. I never saw my father in my life. Ageon. But seven years since, in Syracusa, boy, Thou knowest, we parted: but, perhaps, my son, 35 Thou sham'st to acknowledge me in misery.
Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! I think, you all have drank of Circe's cup. If here you hous'd him, here he would have been; If he were mad, he would not plead so coldly:- You say, he din'd at home; the goldsmith here Denies that saying:--Sirrah, what say you? E. Dro. Sir, he din'd with her there, at the [ring. Porcupine. Cour. He did; and from my finger snatch'd that E. Ant. 'Tis true, my liege, this ring I had of 45 her.
Duke. Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here? Cour. As sure, my liege, as I do see your grace. Duke. Why, this is strange:-Go call the ab- bess hither;
I think you are all mated', or stark mad.
[Exit one to the Abbess. Ageon. Most mighty duke, vouchsafe me speak Haply, I see a friend, will save my life, [a word; And pay the sum that may deliver me.
Duke. Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt. Egeon. is not your name, sir, call'd Antipholis? And is not that your bondman, Dromio?
E. Dro. Within this hour I was his bond-man, But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords; Now am I Dromio, and his man, unbound. [me. Egeon. I am sure, you both of you remember
E. Ant. The duke, and all that know me in Can witness with me that it is not so; [the city,
I ne'er saw Syracusa in my life.
Duke. I tell thee, Syracusan, twenty years Have I been patron to Antipholis, During which time he ne'er saw Syracusa:
I see, thy age and dangers make thee dote. Enter the Abbess, with Antipholis Syracusan, and Dromio Syracusan. Abb. Most mighty duke, behold a man much [All gather to see him. Adr.Iseetwo husbands,ormine 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? S. Dro. I, sir, am Dromio; command him away. E. Dro. I, sir, am Dromio; pray let me stay. S. Ant. Egeon, art thou not or else his ghost? S. Dro. O, my old master! who hath bound [bonds, him here? Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his And gain a husband by his liberty:- Speak, old Ægeon, if thou be'st the man That hadst a wife once call'd Æmilia,
60 That bore thee at a burden two fair sons? Oh, if thou be'st the same geon, speak, And speak unto the same Emilia!
Duke. ! i. e. wild, foolish. For deforming. i. e. strange alteration of features. i. e. furrow'd.
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