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Duke. Many and hearty thankings to you both.
We have made inquiry of you; and we hear
Such goodness of your justice, that our soul
Cannot but yield you forth to public thanks,
Forerunning more requital.
Ang.
You make my bonds still greater.
Duke. O, your desert speaks loud; and I should
To lock it in the wards of covert bosom, [wrong it,
When it deserves with characters of brass
A forted residence, 'gainst the tooth of time,
And razure of oblivion. Give me your hand,
And let the subject see, to make them know
That outward courtesies would fain proclaim
Favours that keep within.-Come, Escalus;
You must walk by us on our other hand;
And good supporters are you.

Peter and Isabella come forward.

F. Peter. Now is your time; speak loud, and kneel
before him.

Isab. Justice, O royal duke! Vail your regard
Upon a wrong'd, I would fain have said, a maid!
O worthy prince, dishonour not your eye
By throwing it on any other object,

Till you have heard me in my true complaint,
And given me, justice, justice, justice, justice!
Duke. Relate your wrongs: In what? By whom?
Be brief:

Here is lord Angelo shall give you justice!
Reveal yourself to him.
Isab.
O, worthy duke,
You bid me seek redemption of the devil:
Hear me yourself; for that which I must speak
Must either punish me, not being believ'd,
Or wring redress from you: hear me, O hear me, here.
Ang. My lord, her wits, I fear me, are not firm:
She hath been a suitor to me for her brother,
Cut off by course of justice!
Isab.

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Pardon it;

The phrase is to the matter.
Duke. Mended again :-the matter:-Proceed.
Isab. In brief,-to set the needless process by,
How I persuaded, how I pray'd, and kneel'd,
How he refell'd me, and how I replied;
(For this was of much length,) the vile conclusion
now begin with grief and shame to utter:
He would not, but by gift of my chaste body
To his concupiscible intemperate lust,
Release my brother; and, after much debatement,
My sisterly remorse confutes mine honour,
And I did yield to him: But the next morn betimes,
His purpose surfeiting, he sends a warrant
For my poor brother's head.

Duke.
This is most likely!
Isab. O, that it were as like as it is true!
Duke. By heaven, fond wretch, thou know'st not
what thou speak'st;

By course of justice !
Ang. And she will speak most bitterly and strange.
Isab. Most strange, but yet most truly, will I speak:
That Angelo 's forsworn; is it not strange?
That Angelo's a murtherer; is 't not strange?
That Angelo is an adulterous thief,
An hypocrite, a virgin-violator;
Is it not strange, and strange?
Duke.

Or else thou art suborn'd against his honour,
In hateful practice: First, his integrity
Stands without blemish:-next it imports no reason,
That with such vehemency he should pursue
Faults proper to himself: if he had so offended,
He would have weigh'd thy brother by himself,
And not have cut him off: Some one hath set you on;
Confess the truth, and say by whose advice
Nay, it is ten times strange. Thou cam'st here to complain.

Isab. It is not truer he is Angelo,
Than this is all as true as it is strange;
Nay, it is ten times true; for truth is truth
To the end of reckoning.

Duke.
Away with her ;-Poor soul,
She speaks this in the infirmity of sense.
Isab. O prince, I conjure thee, as thou believ'st
There is another comfort than this world,
That thou neglect me not, with that opinion [sible
That I am touch'd with madness; make not impos-
That which but seems unlike: 't is not impossible
But one, the wicked'st caitiff on the ground,
May seem as shy, as grave, as just, as absolute,
As Angelo; even so may Angelo,

In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms,
Be an arch-villain; believe it, royal prince,
If he be less, he 's nothing; but he 's more,
Had I more name for badness.
Duke.

By mine honesty,
If she be mad, as I believe no other,
Her madness hath the oddest frame of sense,
(Such a dependency of thing on thing,)
As e'er I heard in madness.
Isab.
O, gracious duke,
Harp not on that: nor do not banish reason
For inequality; but let your reason serve
To make the truth appear where it seems hid;
And hide the false seems true.
Duke.
Many that are not mad,
Have, sure, more lack of reason.-What would you
Isab. I am the sister of one Claudio,
[say?
Condemn'd upon the act of fornication
To lose his head; condemn'd by Angelo:
I, in probation of a sisterhood,

Was sent to by my brother: One Lucio
As then the messenger;-

Lucio.

That's I, an 't like your grace: I came to her from Claudio, and desir'd her

Isab.
And is this all?
Then, oh, you blessed ministers above,
Keep me in patience; and, with ripen'd time,
Unfold the evil which is here wrapp'd up
In countenance!-Heaven shield your grace from woe
As I, thus wrong'd, hence unbelieved go!
Duke. I know you 'd fain be gone :-An officer!
To prison with her :-Shall we thus permit
A blasting and a scandalous breath to fall
On him so near us? This needs must be a practice.
Who knew of your intent, and coming hither?
Isab. One that I would were here, friar Lodowick.
Duke. A ghostly father, belike: Who knows that
Lodowick?

[like!

Lucio. My lord, I know him; 't is a meddling friar.
I do not like the man: had he been lay, my lord,
For certain words he spake against your grace
In your retirement, I had swing'd him soundly.
Duke. Words against me? This' a good friar, be-
And to set on this wretched woman here
Against our substitute!-let this friar be found.
Lucio. But yesternight, my lord, she and that friar
I saw them at the prison: a saucy friar,
A very scurvy fellow.
F. Peter.
Blessed be your royal grace!
I have stood by, my lord, and I have heard
Your royal ear abus'd: First, hath this woman
Most wrongfully accus'd your substitute;
Who is as free from touch or soil with her,
As she from one ungot.
Duke.
We did believe no less.
Know you that friar Lodowick that she speaks of?
F. Peter. I know him for a man divine and holy;
Not scurvy, nor a temporary meddler,
As he 's reported by this gentleman;
And, on my trust, a man that never yet
Did, as he vouches, misreport your grace.
Lucio. My lord, most villainously; believe it.

I did but smile till now;

F. Peter. Well, he in time may come to clear him- | He knew me as a wife: As this is true
But at this instant he is sick, my lord,
[self; Let me in safety raise me from my knees;
Of a strange fever: Upon his mere request,
Or else for ever be confixed here,
(Being come to knowledge that there was complaint A marble monument!
Intended 'gainst lord Angelo,) came I hither,
Ang.
To speak, as from his mouth, what he doth know
Is true, and false; and what he with his oath,
And all probation, will make up full clear,
Whensoever he 's convented. First, for this woman;
(To justify this worthy nobleman,
So vulgarly and personally accus'd,)
Her shall you hear disproved to her eyes,
Till she herself confess it.
Duke.

Good friar, let's hear it.
[Isabella is carried off, guarded; and Ma-
riana comes forward.

Do you not smile at this, lord Angelo?-
O heaven! the vanity of wretched fools!
Give us some seats. --Come, cousin Angelo ;
In this I'll be impartial; be you judge
Of your own cause.-Is this the witness, friar?
First, let her show her face; and, after, speak.
Mari. Pardon, my lord; I will not show my face,
Until my husband bid me.
Duke.

Mari. No, my lord.
Mari.

Duke. A widow then?
Duke.

What, are you married ? Duke. Are you a maid? No, my lord. Mari. Neither, my lord. Why you Are nothing then :-Neither maid, widow, nor wife? Lucio. My lord, she may be a punk; for many of them are neither maid, widow, nor wife.

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| Now, good my lord, give me the scope of justice ;
| My patience here is touch'd : I do perceive,
These poor informal women are no more
But instruments of some more mightier member,
That sets them on: Let me have way, my lord,
To find this practice out.

Duke.
Ay, with my heart;
And punish them unto your height of pleasure.-
Thou foolish friar; and thou pernicious woman,
Compact with her that 's gone! think'st thou, thy
oaths,
[saint.
Though they would swear down each particular
Were testimonies against his worth and credit,
That 's seal'd in approbation?—You, lord Escalus,
Sit with my cousin; lend him your kind pains
To find out this abuse, whence 't is deriv'd:
There is another friar that set them on;
Let him be sent for.

F. Peter. Would he were here, my lord; for he, in-
Hath set the women on to this complaint: [deed,
Your provost knows the place where he abides,
And he may fetch him.

[Exit Provost.

Duke. Go, do it instantly.-
And you, my noble and well-warranted cousin,
Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth,
Do with your injuries as seems you best,
In any chastisement: I for a while

Duke. Silence that fellow: I would he had some Will leave you; but stir not you, till you have [cause | Well determin'd upon these slanderers.

To prattle for himself.

Lucio. Well, my lord.

Mari. My lord, I do confess I ne'er was married;
And, I confess, besides, I am no maid : [not,
I have known my husband; yet my husband knows
That ever he knew me.
[better.
Lucio. He was drunk then, my lord; it can be no
Duke. For the benefit of silence, would thou wert
Lucio. Well, my lord.
[so tog

Duke. This is no witness for lord Angelo.
Mari. Now I come to 't, my lord:
She, that accuses him of fornication,
In self-same manner doth accuse my husband;
And charges him, my lord, with such a time,
When I'll depose I had him in mine arms,

With all the effect of love.
Ang.

!

Charges she more than me?

Mari. Not that I know.
Duke.

No? you say, your husband.
Mari. Why, just, my lord, and that is Angelo,
Who thinks he knows that he ne'er knew my body,

But knows he thinks that he knows Isabel's.
Ang. This is a strange abuse:-Let's see thy face.
Mari. My husband bids me; now I will unmask.
[Unveiling.

This is that face, thou cruel Angelo,
Which once thou swor'st was worth the looking on:
This is the hand which, with a vow'd contract,
Was fast belock'd in thine: this is the body
That took away the match from Isabel,
And did supply thee at thy garden-house,
In her imagin'd person..

Duke.

Know you this woman?

[woman;

Lucio. Carnally, she says.
Duke. Sirrah, no more.
Lucio. Enough, my lord.
Ang. My lord, I must confess I know this
And, five years since, there was some speech of
marriage

Betwixt myself and her; which was broke off,
Partly, for that her promised proportions
Came short of composition; but, in chief,
For that her reputation was disvalued
In levity: since which time of five years,

[her,

I never spake with her, saw her, nor heard from
Upon my faith and honour.
Mari.
Noble prince, [breath,
As there comes light from heaven, and words from
As there is sense in truth, and truth in virtue,
I am affianc'd this man's wife, as strongly
As words could make up vows: and, my good lord,
But Tuesday night last gone, in his garden-house,

Escal. My lord, we 'll do it thoroughly.-Exit Duke.] Signior Lucio, did not you say you knew that friar Lodowick to be a dishonest person? Lucio. Cucullus non facit monachum; honest in nothing, but in his clothes; and one that hath spoke most villainous speeches of the duke.

Escal. We shall entreat you to abide here till he come, and enforce them against him : we shall find this friar a notable fellow.

Lucio. As any in Vienna, on my word.

Escal. Call that same Isabel here once again; [to an Attendant.] I would speak with her: Pray you, my lord, give me leave to question; you shall see how I'll handle her.

Lucio. Not better than he, by her own report.
Escal. Say you?

Lucio. Marry, sir, I think if you handled her privately, she would sooner confess: perchance, publicly she 'll be ashamed.

Re-enter Officers, with Isabella; the Duke, in the

Friar's habit, and Provost.
Escal. I will go darkly to work with her.
Lucio. That's the way; for women are light at
midnight.

Escal. Come on, mistress: [to Isabella] here's a gentlewoman denies all that you have said.

Lucio. My lord, here comes the rascal I spoke of; here with the provost.

Escal. In very good time :-speak not you to him,
till we call upon you.
Lucio. Mum.
Escal. Come, sir: Did you set these women on to
slander lord Angelo? they have confessed you did.
Duke. 'T is false.

Escal. How! know you where you are? [devil
Duke. Respect to your great place! and let the
Be sometime honour'd for his burning throne:-
Where is the duke ? 't is he should hear me speak.
Escal. The duke 's in us; and we will hear you
Look you speak justly.
[speak :

Duke. Boldly, at least: But, O, poor souls,
Come you to seek the lamb here of the fox ?
Good night to your redress. Is the duke gone?
Then is your cause gone too. The duke 's unjust
Thus to retort your manifest appeal,
And put your trial in the villain's mouth,
Which here you come to accuse.

Lucio. This is the rascal; this is he I spoke of.
Escal. Why, thou unreverend and unhallow'd friar!
Is 't not enough thou hast suborn'd these women,
To accuse this worthy man ? but, in foul mouth,

And in the witness of his proper ear,
To call him villain? and then to glance from him
To the duke himself, to tax him with injustice?
Take him hence; to the rack with him:-We 'l
touze you

Joint by joint,-but we will know his purpose:
What! unjust? Duke. Be not so hot; the duke
Dare no more stretch this finger of mine, than he
Dare rack his own; his subject am I not,
Nor here provincial: My business in this state
Made me a looker-on here in Vienna,
Where I have seen corruption boil and bubble,
Till it o'errun the stew: laws, for all faults;
But faults so countenanc'd, that the strong statutes
Stand like the forfeits in a barber's shop,
As much in mock as mark.
[prison.
Estal. Slander to the state! Away with him to
Ang. What can you vouch against him, signior
Is this the man that you did tell us of? [Lucio?
Lucio. T is he, my lord. Come hither, good-man,
bald-pate: Do you know me?

Duke. I remember you, sir, by the sound of your Voice: I met you at the prison, in the absence of the duke.

Lucio. O did you so? And do you remember what you said of the duke?

Duke. Most notedly, sir.

Lucio. Do you so, sir? And was the duke a fleshmonger, a fool, and a coward, as you then reported him to be?

Duke. You must, sir, change persons with me, ere you make that my report: you, indeed, spoke so of him; and much more, much worse.

Lucio. O thou damnable fellow! Did not I pluck thee by the nose for thy speeches?

Duke. I protest I love the duke, as I love myself. Ang. Hark! how the villain would close now, after his treasonable abuses.

Escal. Such a fellow is not to be talked withal:Away with him to prison:-Where is the provost? -Away with him to prison; lay bolts enough upon him: let him speak no more :-Away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate companion. [The Provost lays hands on the Duke. Duke. Stay, sir; stay awhile.

Ang. What! resists he? Help him, Lucio. Lucio. Come, sir; come, sir; come, sir; foh, sir; Why, you bald-pated, lying rascal! you must be hooded, must you? Show your knave's visage, with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, and be hanged an hour! Will 't not off?

[Pulls off the Friar's hood, and discovers the Duke. Duke. Thou art the first knave that e'er made a duke.

First, provost, let me bail these gentle three :-
Sneak not away, sir; [to Lucio] for the friar and you
Must have a word anon:-lay hold on him.
Lucio. This may prove worse than hanging.
Duke. What you have spoke, I pardon; sit you
down.-
[To Escalus.
We'll borrow place of him-Sir, by your leave:
[To Angelo.

Hast thou or word, or wit, or impudence,
That yet can do thee office? If thou hast,
Rely upon it till my tale be heard,

Isab.

Advertising, and holy to your business,
Not changing heart with habit, I am still
Attorney'd at your service.
O give me pardon,
That I, your vassal, have employ'd and pain'd
Your unknown sovereignty.
Duke.
You are pardon'd, Isabel:
And now, dear maid, be you as free to us.
Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart;
And you may marvel, why I obscur'd myself,
Labouring to save his life; and would not rather
Make rash remonstrance of my hidden power,
Than let him so be lost: O most kind maid,
It was the swift celerity of his death,
Which I did think with slower foot came on,
That brain'd my purpose: But, peace be with him!
That life is better life, past fearing death,
Than that which lives to fear: make it your com-
So happy is your brother.
[fort

Re-enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost.
Isab.
I do, my lord.
Duke. For this new-married man, approaching here
Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd
Your well defended honour, you must pardon
For Mariana's sake: but as he adjudg d your brother
(Being criminal, in double violation
Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach
Thereon dependent, for your brother's life,)
The very mercy of the law cries out
Most audible, even from his proper tongue,
An Angelo for Claudio, death for death.
Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure;
Like doth quit like, and Measure still for Measure.
Then, Angelo, thy fault thus manifested,-
Which, though thou wouldst deny, denies thee vant-
We do condemn thee to the very block [age:
Where Claudio stoop'd to death, and with like haste;
Away with him.

Mari.

O, my most gracious lord, I hope you will not mock me with a husband! Duke. It is your husband mock'd you with a husConsenting to the safeguard of your honour, [band: I thought your marriage fit; else imputation, For that he knew you, might reproach your life, And choke your good to come: for his possessions, Although by confiscation they are ours," We do instate and widow you withal, To buy you a better husband. Mari.

O, my dear lord,

I crave no other, nor no better man."
Duke. Never crave him; we are definitive.
Mari. Gentle my liege,-
[Kneeling.
Duke.
You do but lose your labour;
Away with him to death.-Now, sir, [to Lucio] to you.
Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take my
part;

Lend me your knees, and all my life to come
I'll lend you all my life to do you service.
Duke. Against all sense you do importune her:
Should she kneel down, in mercy of this fact,
Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break,
And take her hence in horror. Mari. Isabel,
Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me;
Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all.

And hold no longer out. Ang. O my dread lord, They say, best men are moulded out of faults;

I should be guiltier than my guiltiness,

To think I can be undiscernible,

When I perceive your grace, like power divine,

Hath look'd upon my passes. Then, good prince,

No longer session hold upon my shame,
But let my trial be mine own confession:
Immediate sentence then, and sequent death,
Is all the grace I beg.

Duke.

[stantly.

Come hither, Mariana :Say, wast thou e'er contracted to this woman? Ang. I was, my lord. Duke. Go take her hence, and marry her, inDo you the office, friar; which consummate, Return him here again :-Go with him, provost. [Exeunt Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost. Escal. My lord, I am more amaz'd at his disThan at the strangeness of it. [honour, Duke. Come hither, Isabel: Your friar is now your prince: As I was then

And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad: so may my husband.
O, Isabel! will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.

Isab.
Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling.
Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd,
As if iny brother liv'd: I partly think,
A du sincerity govern'd his deeds,
Till he did look on me; since it is so,
Let him not die: My brother had but justice
In that he did the thing for which he died:
For Angelo,

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;
And must be buried but as an intent
That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no sub-
Intents but merely thoughts.
[jects;
Mari.
Merely, my lord.
Duke. Your suit 's unprofitable; stand up, I say.-
I have bethought me of another fault :--

F

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I thought it was a fault, but knew it not;
Yet did repent me, after more advice:
For testimony whereof, one in the prison,
That should by private order else have died,
I have reserv'd alive. Duke. What 's he?
Prov.
His name is Barnardine.
Duke. I would thou hadst done so by Claudio.-
Go, fetch him hither; let me look upon him.
[Exit Provost.
Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise
As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd,
Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood,
And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I am sorry that such sorrow I procure:
And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart,
That I crave death more willingly than mercy;
'T is my deserving, and I do entreat it.
Re-enter Provost, Barnardine, Claudio, and Juliet.

Duke. Which is that Barnardine?
Prov.
This, my lord.
Duke. There was a friar told me of this man:-
Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul,
That apprehends no further than this world,
And squar'st thy life according. Thou 'rt con-
demn'd';

But, for those earthly faults, I quit them all;
And pray thee, take this mercy to provide
For better times to come:-Friar, advise him; [that?
I leave him to your hand.-What muffled fellow's
Prov. This is another prisoner that I sav'd,
That should have died when Claudio lost his head;
As like almost to Claudio, as himself.

[Unmuffles Claudio. Duke. If he be like your brother, [to ISABELLA] for his sake

Is he pardon'd: And, for your lovely sake,
Give me your hand, and say you will be mine;
He is my brother too: But fitter time for that.

By this, lord Angelo perceives he 's safe;
Methinks, I see a quick'ning in his eye:-
Well, Angelo, your evil quits you well;
Look that you love your wife; her worth worth
I find an apt remission in myself:
[yours.-
And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon-
You, sirrah, [to Lucio] that knew me for a fool, a
One all of luxury, an ass, a mad man; [coward,
Wherein have I so deserv'd of you,

That you extol me thus?

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick: If you will hang me for it, you may, but I had rather it would please you I might be whipped. Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after. Proclaim it, provost, round about the city; If any woman 's wrong'd by this lewd fellow (As I have heard him swear himself there's one Whom he begot with child,) let her appear, And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd, Let him be whipp'd and hang'd.

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, I made you a duke; good my lord, do not recompense me in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her.
Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal
Remit thy other forfeits :-Take him to prison:
And see our pleasure herein executed.
Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to
death, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it.-
She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore.
Joy to you, Mariana!-love her, Angelo;
I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.
Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness:
There's more behind that is more gratulate.
Thanks, provost, for thy care and secrecy;
We shall employ thee in a worthier place:-
Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home
The head of Ragozine for Claudio's;
The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel,
I have a motion much imports your good;
Whereto if you 'll a willing ear incline,
What 's mine is yours and what is yours is mine:
So, bring us to our palace; where we 'll show
What's yet behind, that 's meet you all should know.
[Exeunt.

COMEDY OF ERRORS.

SOLINUS, Duke of Ephesus. ÆGEON, a merchant of Syra

cuse.

ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse,

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

DROMIO of twin brothers, and
Ephesus,
DROMIO of
Syracuse,

Attendants on the
two Antipholuses.
twin brothers,
and sons to BALTHAZAR, a merchant.
Ageon and ANGELO, a goldsmith.
Emilia, but A Merchant, friend to Antipholus
unknown to of Syracuse.
each other.

ACT I.

PINCH, a schoolmaster, and a
conjurer.

SCENE I.-A Hall in the Duke's Palace.

Enter Duke, Egeon, Gaoler, Officers, and other
Attendants.

Are. Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall,
And, by the doom of death, end woes and all.
Duke. Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more;
I am not partial, to infringe our laws;
The enmity and discord, which of late
Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke
To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,-
Who, wanting gilders to redeem their lives,
Have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their bloods,-
Excludes all pity from our threat'ning looks.
For, since the mortal and intestine jars

MILIA, wife to Egeon, an ab-
bess at Ephesus.

LUCIANA, her sister. [Ephesus.
ADRIANA, wife to Antipholus of
LUCE, her servant.
A Courtezan.

Gaoler, Officers, and other
Attendants.
SCENE.-EPHESUS.

'Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us,
It hath in solemn synods been decreed,
Both by the Syracusans and ourselves,
To admit no traffic to our adverse towns:
Nay, more, If any, born at Ephesus,
Be seen at any Syracusan marts and fairs,
Again, If any Syracusan born,

Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies,
His goods confiscate to the duke's dispose;
Unless a thousand marks be levied,
To quit the penalty, and to ransom him.
Thy substance, valued at the highest rate,
Cannot amount unto a hundred marks;
Therefore, by law thou art condemn'd to die.
Ege. Yet this my comfort when your words are
My woes end likewise with the evening sun. [done,

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Duke. Well, Syracusan, say, in brief, the cause
Why thou departedst from thy native home;
And for what cause thou cam'st to Ephesus.
Ege. A heavier task could not have been impos'd,
Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable:
Yet, that the world may witness that my end
Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence,
I utter what my sorrow gives me leave.
In Syracusa was I born; and wed
Unto a woman, happy but for me,

And by me, too, had not our hap been bad.
With her I liv'd in joy; our wealth increas'd,
By prosperous voyages I often made
To Epidamnum, till my factor's death,
And the great care of goods at random left,
Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse:
From whom my absence was not six months old,
Before herself (almost at fainting under
The pleasing punishment that women bear,)
Had made provision for her following me,
And soon, and safe, arrived where I was.
There had she not been long, but she became
A joyful mother of two goodly sons;

And which was strange, the one so like the other
As could not be distinguish'd but by names.
That very hour, and in the self-same inn,
A poor mean woman was delivered

Of such a burden, male twins, both alike:
Those, for their parents were exceeding poor,
I bought, and brought up to attend my sons.
My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys,
Made daily motions for our home return:
Unwilling I agreed; alas, too soon.
We came aboard:

A league from Epidamnum had we sail'd,
Before the always-wind-obeying deep
Gave any tragic instance of our harmi:
But longer did we not retain much hope;
For what obscured light the heavens did grant
Did but convey unto our fearful minds

A doubtful warrant of immediate death;

Which, though myself would gladly have embrac'd,
Yet the incessant weepings of my wife,
Weeping before for what she saw must come,
And piteous plainings of the pretty babes,
That mourn'd for fashion, ignorant what to fear,
Forc'd me to seek delays for them and me.
And this it was,-for other means was none.-
The sailors sought for safety by our boat,
And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us:
My wife, most careful for the latter-born,
Had fasten'd him unto a small spare mast,
Such as sea-faring men provide for storms:
To him one of the other twins was bound,
Whilst I had been like heedful of the other.
The children thus dispos'd, my wife and I,
Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix'd,
Fasten'd ourselves at either end the mast;
And floating straight, obedient to the stream,
Were carried towards Corinth, as we thought.
At length the sun, gazing upon the earth,"
Dispers'd those vapours that offended us;
And, by the benefit of his wish'd light,
The seas wax'd calm, and we discovered
Two ships from far making amain to us,
Of Corinth that, of Epidaurus this:

But ere they came,-O, let me say no more!
Gather the sequel by that went before.

Duke. Nay, forward, old man, do not break off so;
For we may pity, though not pardon thee.
Ege. O, had the gods done so, I had not now
Worthily term'd them merciless to us!

For ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues,
We were encounter'd by a mighty rock;
Which being violently borne upon,

Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst,
So that, in this unjust divorce of us,
Fortune had left to both of us alike
What to delight in, what to sorrow for.
Her part, poor soul! seeming as burdened
With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe,
Was carried with more speed before the wind;
And in our sight they three were taken up
By fishermen of Corinth, as we thought.
At length, another ship had seized on us;

And, knowing whom it was their hap to save,
Gave healthful welcome to their shipwreck'd guests;
And would have reft the fishers of their prey,
Had not their bark been very slow of sail,
And therefore homeward did they bend their course.
Thus have you heard me sever'd from my bliss;
That by misfortunes was my life prolong'd,
To tell sad stories of my own mishaps.

Duke. And, for the sake of them thou sorrowest for,
Do me the favour to dilate at full

What hath befall'n of them, and thee, till now.
Ege. My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care,
At eighteen years became inquisitive
After his brother; and importun'd me,
That his attendant, (so his case was like,
Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name,)
Might bear him company in the quest of him:
Whom whilst I labour'd of a love to see,

I hazarded the loss of whom I lov'd.
Five summers have I spent in farthest Greece,
Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia,
And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus;
Hopeless to find, yet loath to leave unsought,
Or that, or any place that harbours men,
But here must end the story of my life;
And happy were I in my timely death,
Could all my travels warrant me they live.
Duke. Hapless Egeon, whom the fates have mark'd
To bear the extremity of dire mishap!
Now, trust me, were it not against our laws,
Against my crown, my oath, my dignity,
Which princes, would they, may not disannul,
My soul should sue as advocate for thee.
But, though thou art adjudged to the death,
And passed sentence may not be recall'd
But to our honour's great disparagement,
Yet will I favour thee in what I can:
Therefore, merchant, I 'll limit thee this day,
To seek thy help by beneficial help :
Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus:
Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum,
And live; if no, then thou art doom'd to die :-
Gaoler, take him into thy custody.
Gaol. I will, my lord.

Ege. Hopeless, and helpless, doth Ægeon wend.
But to procrastinate his lifeless end. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.-A public Place.
Enter Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse, and a
Merchant.

Mer. Therefore, give out, you are of Epidamnuin,
Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate.
This very day, a Syracusan merchant
Is apprehended for arrival here;
And, not being able to buy out his life,
According to the statute of the town,
Dies ere the weary sun set in the west.
There is your money that I had to keep.

Ant. S. Go, bear it to the Centaur, where we host,
And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee.
Within this hour it will be dinner-time:
Till that, I'll view the manners of the town,
Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings,
And then return, and sleep within mine inn;
For with long travel I am stiff and weary.
Get thee away.

Dro. S. Many a man would take you at your word,
And go indeed, having so good a mean. [Exit.
Ant. S. A trusty villain, sir, that very oft,
When I am dull with care and melancholy,
Lightens my humour with his merry jests.
What, will you walk with me about the town,
And then go to my inn and dine with me?
Mer. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants,
Of whom I hope to make much benefit;
I crave your pardon. Soon at five o'clock,
Please you, I'll meet with you upon the mart,
And afterward consort you till bed-time;
My present business calls me from you now.
Ant. S. Farewell till then: I will go lose myself,
And wander up and down, to view the city.
Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content.
[Exit Merchant.
Ant. S. He that commends me to nine own con
Commends me to the thing I cannot get [tent

F 2

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