Ant. S.

Then she bears some breadth?

Dro. S. No longer from head to foot, than from hip to hip; she is spherical, like a globe; I could find out countries in her.

Ant. S. In what part of her body stands Ireland? Dro. S. Marry, sir, in her buttocks; I found it out by the bogs.

Ant. S. Where Scotland?

Dro. S. I found it by the barrenness; hard, in the palm of the hand.

Ant. S. Where France?

Dro. S. In her forehead; armed and reverted, making war against her heir.1

Ant. S. Where England?

Dro. S. I looked for the chalky cliffs, but I could find no whiteness in them; but I guess, it stood in her chin, by the salt rheum that ran between France and it. Ant. S. Where Spain?

Dro. S. 'Faith, I saw it not; but I felt it hot in her breath.

Ant. S. Where America, the Indies?

Dro. S. O, sir, upon her nose, all o'er embellished with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires, declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of Spain; who sent whole armadas of carracks 2 to be ballast at her nose.

Ant. S. Where stood Belgia, the Netherlands? Dro. S. O, sir, I did not look so low. To conclude this drudge, or diviner, laid claim to me; called me Dromio; swore I was assured 3 to her; told me what privy marks I had about me, as the mark of my shoul

1 "An equivoque," says Theobald, "is intended. In 1589, Henry III. of France, being stabbed, was succeeded by Henry IV. of Navarre, whom he had appointed his successor; but whose claim the states of France resisted on account of his being a Protestant. This I take to be what is meant by France making war against her heir. Elizabeth had sent over the earl of Essex with four thousand men to the assistance of Henry of Navarre, in 1591. This oblique sneer at France was, therefore, a compliment to the Poet's royal mistress."

2 Carracks, large ships of burthen (caraca, Span.). Ballast is merely a contraction of ballassed; to balase being the old orthography; as we write drest for dressed, embost for embossed, &c.

3 i. e. affianced.

der, the mole in my neck, the great wart on my left arm, that I, amazed, ran from her as a witch; and, I think, if my breast had not been made of faith,' and my heart of steel, she had transformed me to a curtaildog, and made me turn i' the wheel.

Ant. S. Go, hie thee presently, post to the road;
And if the wind blow any way from shore,
I will not harbor in this town to-night.

If any
bark put forth, come to the mart,
Where I will walk, till thou return to me.

If every one knows us, and we know none,
'Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack, and be gone.
Dro. S. As from a bear a man would run for life,
So fly I from her that would be my wife.

[Exit.

Ant. S. 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, Possessed with such a gentle, sovereign grace, Of such enchanting presence, and discourse, Hath almost made me traitor to myself; But, lest myself be guilty to self-wrong, I'll stop my ears against the mermaid's song.

Enter ANGELO.

Ang. Master Antipholus ?

Ant. S. 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.2 The chain unfinished made me stay thus long.

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

you.

Ant. S. Made it for me, sir! I bespoke it not.

1 Alluding to the popular belief that a great share of faith was a protection from witchcraft.

2 Porcupine throughout the old editions of these plays is written porpentine. It is written porpyn in an old phrase book, called Hormanni Vulgaria, 1519, thus :-"Porpyns have longer prickles than Yrchins."

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.

Ant. S. 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 well.

[Exit. Ant. S. What I should think of this, I cannot tell; But this I think, there's no man is so vain, That would refuse so fair an offered chain. I see, a man here needs not live by shifts, When in the streets he meets such golden gifts. I'll to the mart, and there for Dromio stay; If any ship put out, then straight away.

[Exit.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. The same.

Enter a Merchant, ANGELO, and an Officer.

Mer. You know, since pentecost the sum is due,
And since I have not much impórtuned 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.

Ang. Even just the sum that I do owe to you,
Is growing to me by Antipholus.

And in the instant that I met with you,
He had of me a chain; at five o'clock,

I shall receive the money for the same.
Pleaseth you walk with me down to his house,
I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.

1 i. e. accruing.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, and DROMIO of Ephesus, from the Courtesan's.

Off. That labor may you save; see where he comes. Ant. E. While I go to the goldsmith's house, go

thou

And buy a rope's end; that will I bestow
Among my wife and her1 confederates,
For locking me out of my doors by day.
But soft, I see the goldsmith.-Get thee gone;
Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me.

rope!

Dro. E. I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a
[Exit DROMIO.
Ant. E. A man is well holp up, that trusts to you.
I promised your presence, and the chain;
But neither chain, nor goldsmith came to me.
Belike, you thought our love would last too long,
If it were chained together; and therefore came not.
Ang. Saving your merry humor, here's the note,
How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat ;
The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion;
Which doth amount to three odd ducats more
Than I stand debted to this gentleman;

I pray you, see him presently discharged,
For he is bound to sea, and stays but for it.

Ant. E. I am not furnished with the present money;
Besides, I have some business in the town.
Good seignior, 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.

Ang. Then you will bring the chain to her yourself? Ant. E. No! bear it with you, lest I come not time enough.

Ang. Well, sir, I will; have you the chain about you?

1 The old copy reads their.

2 I will, for I shall, is a Scotticism; but it is not unfrequent in old writers on this side of the Tweed.

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

have;

Ang. Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain ;
Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman,
And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
Ant. E. Good Lord, you use this dalliance to excuse
Your breach of promise to the Porcupine.

I should have chid you for not bringing it,
But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl.

Mer. The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, despatch.
Ang. You hear how he impórtunes me; the chain-
Ant. E. 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.

Ant. E. Fie! now you run this humor out of breath. Come, where's the chain? I pray you let me see it. 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.

Ant. E. I answer you! what should I answer you? Ang. The money, that you owe me for the chain. Ant. E. I owe you none, till I receive the chain. Ang. You know I gave it you half an hour since. Ant. E. 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.

Off. I do; and charge you in the duke's name to obey me.

Ang. This touches me in reputation.

Either consent to pay this sum for me,

Or I attach you by this officer.

Ant. E. Consent to pay thee 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.