Ang. Here is neither cheer, sir, nor welcome; we would fain have either.

Bal. In debating which was best, we shall part with neither'.

E. Dro. They stand at the door, master; bid 5 bid them welcome hither.

E. Ant. There is something in the wind, that we cannot get in. [garments were thin. E. Dro. You would say so, master, if your Your cake here is warm within; you stand here 10 [bought and sold.

in the cold:

It would make a man mad as a buck, to be so E. Ant. Go fetch me something, I'll break ope [your knave's pate.

the gate. S. Dro. Break any thing here, and I'll break 15| E. Dro. A man may break a word with you, sir: and words are but wind; [behind. Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not S. Dro. It seems, thou wantest breaking: Out upon thee, hind!

S. Dro. Ay, when fowls have
E. Ant. Well, I'll break in;

20

E. Dro. Here's too much, out upon thee! I pray thee let me in. [fish have no fin. no feathers, and Go, borrow me a [mean you so 25 E. Dro. A crow without feather; master, For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a

crow.

If a crow help us in, sirrah, we'll pluck a crow
E. Ant. Go, get thee gone, fetch me an iron 30

crow

[dom 35

[you.

Bal. Have patience, sir; oh, let it not be so;
Herein you war against your reputation,
And draw within the compass of suspect
The unviolated honour of your wife.
Once this,-Your long experience of her wis-
Her sober virtue, years, and modesty,
Plead on her part some cause to you unknown;
And doubt not, sir, but she will well excuse,
Why at this time the doors are made' against 40
Be rul'd by me; depart in patience,
And let us to the Tyger all to dinner.
And, about evening, come youself alone,
To know the reason of this strange restraint.
If by strong hand you offer to break in,
Now in the stirring passage of the day,
A vulgar comment will be made of it;
And that supposed by the common rout
Against your yet ungalled estimation,
That may with foul intrusion enter in,

And dwell upon your grave when you are dead :
For slander lives upon succession;
For ever hous'd, where 't gets possession.

E. Ant. You have prevail'd; I will depart in

Hath oftentimes upbraided me withal;
To her will we to dinner.-Get you home,
And fetch the chain; by this, I know, 'tis made:
Bring it, I pray you, to the Porcupine;
For there's the house; that chain will I bestow
(Be it for nothing but to spight my wife)
Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste:
Since my own doors refuse to entertain me,
I'll knock elsewhere, to see if they'll disdain me.
Ang. I'll meet you at that place, some hour,
sir, hence.

E. Ant. Do so; this jest shall cost me some ex-
pence.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The house of Antipholis of Ephesus.
Enter Luciana with Antipholis of Syracuse.
Luc. And may it be that you have quite forgot
A husband's office? shall, Antipholis, hate,
Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot?
Shall love, in building, grow so rumate?

If you did wed my sister for her wealth,

Then, for her wealth's sake, use her with more
kindness;

Or, if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth; [ness:
Muifle your false love with some shew of blind-
Let not my sister read it in your eye;

Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator;
Look sweet, speak fair, become disloyalty;
Apparel vice like virtue's harbinger: [ed;
Bear a fair presence, though your heart be taint-
Teach sin the carriage of a holy saint;
Be secret false; What need she be acquainted?
What simple thief brags of his own attaint?
Tis double wrong, to truant with your bed,
And let her read it in thy looks at board:
Shame hath a bastard fame, well managed;

Ill deeds are doubled with an evil word.
Alas, poor women! make us but believe,

Being compact' of credit, that you love us;
Though others have the arm, shew us the sleeve;
Wein your motion turn, and you may move us.
Then, gentle brother, get you in again;

Comfort my sister, chear her, call her wife: 45Tis holy sport, to be a little vain"; [strife. When the sweet breath of flattery conquers S. Ant. Sweet mistress, (what your name is else, I know not,

Nor by what wonder you do hit of mine) 50 Less, in your knowledge, and your grace, you [divine.

show not,

Than our earth's wonder; more than earth Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak; Lay open to my earthy gross conceit,

55 Smother d in errors, feeble, shallow, weak,

The folded meaning of your words' deceit.
Against my soul's pure truth why labour you,
To make it wander in an unknown field?
Are you a god? would you create me new? [yield.
Transform me then, and to your power Ill

Meaning, we shall share with neither. 2 A proverbial phrase. To make the door, is a provincial expression, signifying to bar or fasten the door. The meaning is, I will be mer y, even out of spight to mirth, which is, now, of all things, the most unpleasing to me. made up. Fain here signilies not true.

Compact here means

But

5

10

15

S. Ant. As good to wink, sweet love, as look 20 on night.

25

S. Dro. Do you know me, sir? am I Dromio? 40 in her breath. am I your man? am I myself?

S. Ant. Thou art Dromio, thou art my man, thou art thyself.

S. Dro. I am an ass, I am a woman's man, and besides myself.

S. Ant. What woman's man? and how besides thyself?

S. Dro. Marry, sir, besides myself, I am due to a woman; one that claims me, one that haunts me, one that will have me.

S. Ant. What claim lays she to thee?

S. Ant. Where America, the Indies?

S. Dre. Oh, sir, upon her nose, all o'er embellish'd with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires, declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of 45 Spain; who sent whole armadoes of carracks to be ballasted at her nose.

S. Ant. Where stood Belgia, the Netherlands? S. Dro. Oh, sir, I did not look so low. To conclude, this drudge, or diviner, laid claim to me; 50 call'd me Dromio; swore, I was assur'd' to her; told me what privy marks I had about me, as the mark of my shoulder, the mole in my neck, the great wart on my left arm, that I, amaz'd, ran from her as a witch: And, I think, if my b east had not been made of faith, and my heart of steel, she had transform'd me to a curtail dog, and made me turn i' the wheel. [road;

That is, another name for syren. That is, confounded. This alludes to her having the French disease. That is, affianced to her.

If any bark put forth, come to the mart,
Where I will walk, till thou return to me.
If every one know us, and we know none,
"Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack, and be gone.
S. Dro. As from a bear a man would run for life, 5
So fly I from her that would be my wife. [Exit.
S. Ant. There's none but witches do inhabit here;
And therefore 'tis high time that I were hence.
She, that doth call me husband, even my soul
Doth for a wife abhor: but her fair sister,
Possess'd with such a gentle, sovereign grace,
Of such inchanting presence and discourse,
Hath almost made me traitor to myself:
But, lest myself be guilty of self-wrong,
I'll stop mine ears against the mermaid's song.
Enter Angelo with a chain.

Ang. Master Antipholis?
S. Ant. Ay, that's my name.

Ang. I know it well, sir: Lo, here is the chain;
I thought to have ta'en you at the Porcupine:
The chain unfinish'd made me stay thus long.

S.Ant.What is your will, that I shall do with this? Ang. What please yourself, sir; I have made it for you.

S. Ant. Made it for me, sir! I bespoke it not. Ang. Not once, nor twice, but twenty times you have:

Go home with it, and please your wife withal; And soon at supper-time I'll visit you, And then receive my money for the chain. 10 S. Ant. I pray you, sir, receive the money now, For fear you ne'er see chain nor money more. Ang. You are a merry man, sir; fare you [Exit. S. Ant. What I should think of this, I cannot tell:

15

well.

But this I think, there's no man is so vain,
That would refuse so fair an offer'd chain.

I

see, a man here needs not live by shifts, When in the streets he meets such golden gifts. 20 I'll to the mart, and there for Dromio stay; If any ship put out, then strait away.

[Exit.

SCENE I.
The Street.

ACT IV.

And since I have not much importun'd you;
Nor now I had not, but that I am bound
To Persia, and want gilders' for my voyage:
Therefore make present satisfaction,
Or I'll attach you by this officer.

is

[you,

Ang. Saving your merry humour, here's the note 30 How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat; The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion; Which do amount to three odd ducats more Than I stand debted to this gentleman:

il

pray you see him presently discharg'd, 35 For he is bound to sea, and stays but for it. E. Ant. I am notfurmish'd with the present money; Besides, I have some business in the town: Good signior, take the stranger to my house, And with you take the chain, and bid my wife Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof; Perchance, I will be there as soon as you. [self? Ang. Then you will bring the chain to her yours E. Ant. No; bear it with you, lest I come not time enough.

Ang. Even just the sum, that I do owe to 40
Is growing to me by Antipholis:
And, in the instant that I niet with you,
He had of me a chain; at five o'clock,
I shall receive the money for the same:
Please you but walk with me down to his house, 45
I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.
Enter Antipholis of Ephesus, and Dromio of
Ephesus, as from the Courtezan's.
Offi. That labour you may save; see where he
[go thou 50
E. Ant. While I go to the godsmith's house,
And buy a rope's end; that will I bestow
Among my wife and her confederates,
For locking me out of my doors by day.-
But soft, I see the goldsmith:-get the gone;
Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me.
E. Dro. I buy a thousand pound a year! I
buy a rope!
[Exit Dromio

comes.

Ang.

Well, sir, I will: Have you the chain about you?

E. Ant. An if I have not, sir, I hope you have; Or else you may return without your money.

Ang. Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman, [chain; And I, to blame, have held him here too long.

E. Ant. Goodlord, you use this dalliance, to exYour breach of promise to the Porcupine: [cuse I should have chid you for not bringing it, 55 But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl. [patch. Mer. The hour steals on; I pray yon, sir, disAng. You hear, how he importunes me; the chain

E. Ant. A man is well holp up, that trusts to you:
I promised your presence, and the chain; 160
But neither chain, ner goldsmith, came to me:
Belike, you thought our love would last too long,
If it were chain'd together; and therefore came not.

A coin worth from eighteen-pence to two

E. Ant. Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money.

Ang. Come, come, you know, I gave it you

even now;

Either send the chain, or send me by some token,

shillings.

Come, where's the chain? I pray you let me see
Mer. My business cannot brook this dalliance:
Good sir, say, whe'r you'll answer me, or no?
If not, I'll leave him to the officer.

5

[you? E. Ant. I answer you! why should I answer Ang. The money, that you owe me for the chain. E.Ant. I owe you none, till I receive the chain. Ang. You know, I gave it you half an hour since. 10 E. Ant. You gave me none; you wrong me much to say so.

Ang. You wrong me more, sir, in denying it :|
Consider, how it stands upon my credit.

Mer. Well, officer, arrest him at my suit!
Offi. I do;

And charge you in the duke's name to obey me.
Ang. This touches me in reputation:-
Either consent to pay the sum for me,
Or I attach you by this officer.

E. Ant. Consent to pay for that I never had!
Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar'st.

Ang. Here is thy fee; arrest him, officer;—
I would not spare my brother in this case,
If he should scorn me so apparently.

Offi. I do arrest you, sir; you hear the suit.
E. Ant. I do obey thee, till I give thee bail:-
But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear
As all the metal in your shop will answer.

Ang. Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,
To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.

Enter Dromio of Syracuse from the Bay.
S. Dro. Master there is a bark of Epidamnum,
That stays but till her owner comes aboard,
Then, sir, she bears away: our fraughtage, sir,
I have convey'd aboard: and I have bought
The oil, the balsamum, and aqua-vitæ.
The ship is in her trim; the merry wind
Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at all,|
But for their owner, master, and yourself.

E. Ant. How now? a madman! why, thou
peevish' sheep,

What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?

15

20

She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.
Thither I must, although against my will,
For servants must their masters' minds fulfil.[Exit.
SCENE II.

The house of Antipholis of Ephesus.

Enter Adriana and Luciana.
Adr. Ah, Luciana, did he tempt thee so?
Might'st thou perceive austerely in his eye
That he did plead in earnest, yea or no?

Look'd he or red, or pale; or sad, or merrily?
What observation mad'st thou in this case,
Of his heart's meteors tilting in his face2?
Luc. First he deny'd you had in him no right.
Adr. He meant, he did me none; the more
my spight.
[here.
Luc. Then swore he, that he was a stranger
Adr. Andtrue he swore, though yet forsworn he
Luc. Then pleaded I for you.
Adr. And what said he?

[were. [me.

Luc. That love I begg'd for you, he begg'd of
Adr.With what persuasiondide empt thy love?
Luc. With words, that in an honest suit might

move.

25 First, he did praise my beauty; then my speech. Adr. Did'st speak him fair?

Luc. Have patience, I beseech.

Adr. I cannot, nor I will not, hold me still; My tongue, though not my heart, shall have its 30 He is deformed, crooked, old and sere3, [will. Ill-fac'd, worse-body'd, shapeless every where; Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind; Stigmatical in making, worse in mind.

35

401

S. Dro. A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage.
E. Ant. Thoudrunkenslave, I sent thee for a rope; 45
And told thee to what purpose, and what end.

S. Dro. You sent me for a rope's-end as soon:
You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark. [sure,
E. Ant. I will debate this matter at more lei-
And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee strait;
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That's cover'd o er with Turkish tapestry,
There is a purse of ducats; let her send it;
Tell her, I am arrested in the street,

And that shall bail me: hie thee, slave, begone:
On, officer, to prison, till it come.

[Exeunt.

S. Dro. To Adriana! that is where we din'd, Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband:]

Luc. Who would be jealous then of such a one? No evil lost is wail'd when it is gone.

Adr. Ah! but I think him better than I say,

And yet, would herein others' eyes were worse:
Far from her nest the lapwing cries away: [curse.
My heart prays for him, though my tonguedo
Enter Dromio of Syracuse.
S. Dro. Here, go; the desk, the purse; sweet
now, make haste.

Luc. How, hast thou lost thy breath?
S. Dro. By running fast.

[well?
Adr. Where is thy master, Dromio? is be
S.Dro. No,he's in Tartar limbo,worse than hell:
A devil in an everlasting garment hath him,
One, whose hard heart is button'd up with steel;
A fiend, a fairy, pityless and rough;
50A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff; [termands
A back-friend, a shoulder-clapper, one that coun-
The passages of alleys, creeks, and narrow lands;
A hound that runs counter, and yet draws dry-
foot well;

55 One that, before the judgment, carries poor souls to hel".

Adr. Why, man, what is the matter?

S. Dro. I do not know the matter; he is 'rested on the case.

That is, silly. 2 Alluding to those meteors in the sky, which have the appearance of lines of armies meeting in the shock. That is, dry, withered. That is, marked or stigmatized by nature with deformity. A quibble on everlasting, which is the name of a kind of durable stuff. is, a dungeon, for which hell was the cant term.

That

Adr. What, is he arrested? tell me, at whose suit.
S. Dro. I know not at whose suit he is arrested,
well;

But he's in a suit of buff, which 'rested him, that
I can tell:

Will you send him, mistress, redemption, the mo-
ney in his desk?

Adr. Go fetch it, sister.-This I wonder at,
[Exit Luciana.
That he, unknown to me, should be in debt!
Tell me, was he arrested on a band'?

S. Dro. Not on a band, but on a stronger thing;
A chain, a chain; do you not hear it ring?
Adr. What, the chain?

S. Ant. I understand thee not.

S. Dro. No? why, it is a plain case: he that went like a bass-viol, in a case of leather; the man, sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives 5 them a fob, and 'rests them; he, sir, that takes pity on decayed men, and gives 'em suits of durance; he that sets up his rest to do more exploits with his mace, than a morris-pike2.

10

[gone. S. Dro. No, no; the bell: 'tis time that I were 15 It was two ere I left him, and now the clock

[hear.

strikes one. Adr. The hours come back! that I did never S. Dro. O yes, if any hour meet a serjeant, a'turns back for very fear.

Adr. As if time were in debt! how fondly dost thou reason?

20

S. Dro. Time is a very bankrout, and owes more than he's worth, to season. [say, Nay, he's a thief too: Have you not heard men 25 That Time comes stealing on by night and day? If Time be in debt, and theft, and a serjeant in the way, Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?

Enter Luciana.

Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the money, bear it strait:

And bring thy master home immediately.Come, sister: I am press'd down with conceit;

130

S. Ant. What! thou mean'st an officer?

S. Dro. Ay, sir, the serjeant of the band: he, that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his band; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and saith, God give you good rest!

S. Ant. Well, sir, there rest in your foolery.
Is there

Any ship puts forth to-night? may we be gone?

S. Dro. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since, that the bark Expedition put forth tonight; and then were you hindered by the serjeant, to tarry for the hoy, Delay: Here are the angels that you sent for, to deliver you.

S. Ant. The fellow is distract, and so am I;
And here we wander in illusions:
Some blessed power deliver us from hence!
Enter a Courtezan.

Cour. Well met, well met, master Antipholis.
I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now:
Is that the chain, you promis'd me to-day? [not!
S. Ant. Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me
S. Dro. Master, is this mistress Satan?
S. Ant. It is the devil.

S.Dro. Nay, she is worse, she's the devil's dam: and here she comes in the habit of a light wench: and therefore comes, that the wenches say, God

Conceit, my comfort,and my injury.[Exeunt.|35|damn me, that's as much as to say, God make me

SCENE III.

The Street.

Enter Antipholis of Syracuse.

[me

451

S. Ant. There's not a man I meet, but doth salute 40
As if I were their well-acquainted friend;
And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender money to me, some invite me;
Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;
Some offer me commodities to buy:
Even now a taylor call'd me in his shop,
And show'd me silks that he had bought for me,
And, therewithal, took measure of my body.
Sure, these are but imaginary wiles,
And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.

Enter Dromio of Syracuse.

S. Dro. Master, here's the gold you sent m for: What, have you got the picture of old Adam new apparell'd?

S. Ant. What gold is this? What Adam dost thou mean?

1501

a light wench. It is written, they appear to men like angels of light: light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn. Come not near her.

[sir.

Cour. Your man and you are marvellous merry, Will you go with me? we'll mend our dinner here. S. Dro. Master, if you do expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon.

S. Aut. Why, Dromio?

S. Dro. Marry, he must have a long spoon, that must eat with the devil. [of supping?

S. Ant. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou me Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress:

[ner,

I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone.
Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at din-
Or, for my diamond, the chain you promis'd;-
And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.

S. Dro. Some devils

Ask but the paring of one's nail, a rush,
55A hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a nut,
A cherry-stone; but she, more covetous,
Would have a chain.

S. Dro. Not that Adam, that kept the paradise, but that Adam, that keeps the prison; he that goes in the calves-skin that was kill'd for the prodigal; he that came behind you, sir, like a 60 evil angel, and bid you forsake your liberty.

Master, be wise; an' if you give it her, [it.
The devil will shake her chain, and fright us with
Cour. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain;
I hope, you do not mean to cheat me so?

A bond, i. e. an obligatory writing to pay a sum of money, was anciently spelt band. A band is likewise a neckcloth. On this circumstance, we believe, the humour of the passage turns. A more ris-pike was a pike used in a morris or military dance, and is mentioned by our old writers as a formidable weapon. Or here means before.

S. Ant.