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let us go.

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90

Ant. S. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou Dro. E. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am me of supping ?

in adversity. Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress :

Off. Good now, hold thy tongue. I conjure thee to leave me and be gone.

Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at hands. dinner,

Ant. E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain ! Or for my diamond the chain you promis’d, Dro. E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you. might not feel your blows. Dro. S. Some devils ask but the parings of Ant. E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, one's Dail,

and so is an ass. A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,

Dro. E. I am an ass, indeed; you may prove A nut, a cherry-stone;

it by my long ears. I have served him from the But she, more covetous, would have a chain, hour of my nativity to this instant, and have Master, be wise : an if you give it her,

nothing at his hands for my service but blows. The devil will shake her chain and fright us When I am cold, he heats me with beating ; with it.

when I am warm, he cools me with beating; I Cour. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain : am waked with it when I sleep; raised with it I hope you do not mean to cheat me so.

when I sit; driven out of doors with it when I Ant. $. Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, go from home; welcomed home with it when I

return; nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a Dro. S. Fly pride,' says the peacock ; mis- beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he tress, that you know.

hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door Eceunt ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and to door.

DROMIO of Syracuse. Ant. E. Come, go along: my wife is coming Cour. Now, out of doubt Antipholus is mad, yonder. Else would he never so demean himself. A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,

Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, the Courtezan, and

PINCH.
And for the same he promis'd me a chain :
Both one and other he denies me now.

Dro. E. Mistress, respice finem, respect your The reason that I gather he is mad,

end; or rather, the prophecy like the parrot, Besides this present instance of his rage, Beware the rope's end. Is a mad tale he told to-day at dinner,

Ant. E. Wilt thou still talk ? Beats him. Of his own doors being shut against his entrance. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband Belike his wife, acquainted with his fits,

mad ?
On purpose shut the doors against his way. Adr. His incivility confirms no less.
My way is now to hie home to his house, Good Doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer;
And tell his wife, that, being lunatic,

Establish him in his true sense again,
He rush'd into my house, and took perforce And I will please you what you will demand.
My ring away. This course I fittest choose, Luc. Alas! how fiery and how sharp he looks.
For forty ducats is too much to lose. Escit. Cour. Mark how he trembles in his ecstasy!

Pinch. Give me your hand and let me feel SCENE IV.-A Street.

your pulse.

Ant. E. There is my hand, and let it feel your Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, and the Officer.

Strikes him. Ant. E. Fear me not, man; I will not break Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, hous'd within

away : I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money, To yield possession to my holy prayers, To warrant thee, as I am 'rested for.

And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight : My wife is in a wayward mood to-day,

I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven. And will not lightly trust the messenger.

Ant. E. Peace, doting wizard, peace ! I am not That I should be attach'd in Ephesus,

mad. I tell you, 'twill sound harshly in her ears. Adr. 0! that thou wert not, poor distressed soul.

Ant. E. You minion, you, are these your cus. Enter DROMIO of Ephesus with a rope's end.

tomers ? Here comes myman: I think he brings the money. Did this companion with the saffron face How now, sir! have you that I sent you for ? Revel and feast it at my house to-day,

Dro. E. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut them all.

i1 And I denied to enter in my house? Ant. E. But where's the money ?

Adr. O husband, God doth know you din'd Dro. E. Why,sir, I gave the money for the rope.

at home; Ant. E. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? Where would you had remain’d until this time,

Dro. E. I'll serre you, sir, five hundred at Free from these slanders and this open shame! the rate.

Ant. E. Dined at home! Thou villain, what Ant. E. To what end did I bid thee hie thee say'st thou ? home?

Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at Dro. E. To a rope's end, sir ; and to that end home. am I returned.

Ant. E. Were not my doors lock'd up and I Ant. E. And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. shut out?

Beats him. Dro. E. Perdy, your doors were lock'd and you Of. Good sir, be patient.

ear.

this man,

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scorn'd you.

for you.

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152

Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? | Bear me forthwith unto his creditor,
Dro. E. Sans fable, she herself revil'd you And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it.
there.

80 Good Master doctor, see him safe convey'd
Ant. E. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, Home to my house. O most unhappy day! 130
and scorn me ?

Ant, E. O most unhappy strumpet!
Dro. E, Certes, she did ; the kitchen-vestal Dro. E. Master, I am here enter'd in bond
Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from Ant. E. Out on thee, villain! wherefore dost
thence ?

thou mad me ?
Dro. E. In verity you did : my bones bear Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing ? be
witness,

mad, good master; cry 'the devil!
That since have felt the vigour of liis rage. Luc. God help, poor souls! how idly do they

Adr. Is't good to soothe him in these contraries? talk.
Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his Adr. Go bearhim hence. Sister, goyou with me.
vein,

Exeunt Pinch and Assistants with AntiPHOLUS
And yielding to him humours well his frenzy.

of Ephesus anil DROMIO of Ephesus.
Ant. E. Thou hast suborn’d the goldsmith to Say now, whose suit is he arrested at ?
arrest me,

Of. One Angelo, a goldsmith; do you know
Adr. Alas ! I sent you money to redeem you, him?
By Dromio here, who came in haste for it.

Adr. I know the man. What is the sum he
Dro. E. Money by me! heart and good will owes ?
you might;

Off. Two hundred ducats. But surely, master, not a rag of money.

Adr.

Say, how grows it due ? Ant. E. Went'st not thou to her for a purse Off. Due for a chain your husband had of him. of ducats?

Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but bad Adr. He came to me, and I delivered it,

it not.
Luc. And I am witness with her that she did. Cour. Wben as your husband all in rage, to day
Dro. E. God and the rope-maker bear me Came to my house, and took away my ring,
witness

The ring I saw upon his finger now,
That I was sent for nothing but a rope! Straight after did I meet him with a chain.
Pinch. Mistress, both man and master is pos- Adr. It may be so, but I did never see it.
sessed :

Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith is:
I know it by their pale and deadly looks. 100 I long to know the truth hereof at large.
They must be bound and laid in some dark room.
Ant. E. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, with his rapier forth to-day?

draren, and DROMIO of Syracuse. And why dost thou deny the bag of gold ? Luc. God, for thy mercy! they are loose again.

Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. Adr. And come with baked swords. Let's

Dro. E. And, gentle master, I receiv'd no gold; call more help,
But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. To have them bound again.
Adr. Dissembling villain! thou speak'st false Of.

Away' they'll kill us. in both.

Exeunt ADRIANA, LUCIANA, anel Officer. Ant. E. Dissembling harlot! thou art false in all, Ant. S. I see these witches are afraid of swords. And art confederate with a damned pack

Dro. S. She that would be your wife now ran To make a loathsome abject scorn of me; But with these nails I'll pluck out these false eyes Ant. S. Come to the Centaur ; fetch our stuff That would behold in me this shameful sport.

from thence : Adr. O! bind him, bind him, let him not come I long that we were safe and sound aboard.

Dro. S. Faith, stay here this night, they will Pinch. More company! the fiend is strong surely do us no harm; you saw they speak us fair, within him.

give us gold: methinks they are such a gentle Luc. Ay me! poor man, how pale and wan he nation, that but for the mountain of mad flesh looks!

that claims marriage of me, I could find in my

heart to stay here still, and turn witch. Enter three or four, and bind ANTIPHOLUS

Ant. S. I will not stay to-night for all the town; of Ephesus.

Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard. Ant. E. What, will you murder me? Thou

Exeunt. gaoler, thou, I am thy prisoner : wilt thou suffer them

ACT V.
To make a rescue ?
0.8
Masters, let him go :

SCENE I.---A Strect before an Abbey.
He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him.
Pinch. Go bind this man, for he is frantic too.

Enter Merchant and ANGELO.
They bind DROMI0 of Ephesus. Ang. I am sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd you;
Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer ? But, I protest, he had the chain of me,
Hast thou delight to see a wretched man 122 Though most dishonestly he doth deny it.
Do outrage and displeasure to himself ?

Mer. How is the man esteem'd here in the city ? 01. He is my prisoner : if I let him go, Ang. Of very reverend reputation, sir, The debt he owes will be requir'd of me.

Of credit infinite, highly belov'd,
Adr. I will discharge thee ere I go from thee: Second to none that lives here in the city :

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from you.

near me.

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80

His word might bear my wealth at any time. Adr. As roughly as my modesty would let me. Mer. Speak softly: yonder, as I think, he walks. Abb. Haply, in private.

Adr.

And in assemblies too. co Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and DROMIO of Syracuse.

Abb. Ay, but not enough.

Adr. It was the copy of our conference: Ang. 'Tis so; and that self chain about his neck In bed, he slept not for my urging it; Which he forswore most monstrously to have. 11 At board, he fed not for my urging it; Good sir, draw near to me, I'll speak to him. Alone, it was the subject of my theme; Signior Antipholus, I wonder much

In company I often glanced it:
That you would put me to tbis shameand trouble; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad.
And not without some scandal to yourself,

Abb. And thereof came it that the man was With circumstance and oaths so to deny

mad: This chain which now you wear so openly: The venom clamours of a jealous woman Beside the charge, the shame, imprisonment, Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. 70 You have done wrong to this my honest friend, It seems, his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing, Who, but for staying on our controversy, And thereof comes it that his head is light. Had hoisted sail and put to sea to-day.

Thou say'st his meat was sauc'd with thy upThis chain you had of me: can you deny it? braidings :

Ant. $. I think I had : I never did deny it. Unquiet meals make ill digestions ;
Mer. Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore it too. Thereof the raging fire of fever bred :
Ant. S. Who heard me to deny it or forswear it? And what's a fever but a fit of madness?
Mer. These ears of mine, thou know'st, did | Thou say'st his sports were hinder'd by thy
hear thee.

brawls :
Fie on thee, wretch! 'tis pity that thou liv'st Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue
To walk where any honest men resort.

But moody and dull melancholy,
Ant. S. Thou art a villain to impeach me thus: Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair,
I'll prove mine honour and mine honesty 30 And at their heels a huge infectious troop
Against thee presently, if thou dar'st stand.

Of pale distemperatures and foes to life?
Mer. I dare, and do defy thee for a villain. In food, in sport, and life-preserving rest

They draw. To be disturb’d, would mad or man or beast :

The consequence is then thy jealous fits Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, Courtezan, and

Have scar'd thy husband from the use of wits. others.

Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly Adr. Hold! hurt him not, for God's sake! he When he demean'd himself rough, rude, and is mad.

wildly. Some get within him, take his sword away :: Why bear you these rebukes and answer not? Lind Dromio too, and bear them to my house. Adr. She did betray me to my own reproof. :90 Dro. S. Run, master, run ; for God's sake take Good people, enter and lay hold on him. a house!

Abb. No; not a creature enters in my house. This is some priory: in, or we are spoil'd. Adr. Then let your servants bring my husband

Exeunt ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and forth.
DROMO of Syracuse to the Abbey. Abb. Neither: he took this place for sanctuary,

And it shall privilege him from your hands
Enter the Abbess.

Till I have brought him to his wits again, Abb. Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you or lose my labour in assaying it. hither!

Adr. I will attend my husband, be bis nurse, Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband Diet his sickness, for it is my office, hence.

And will have no attorney but myself ; Let us come in, that we may bind him fast, 40 And therefore let me have him home with me. And bear him home for his recovery.

Abb. Be patient; for I will not let him stir Ang. I knew he was not in his perfect wits. Till I have us'd the approved means I have, Mer. I am sorry now that I did draw on him. With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy prayers, Abb. How long hath this possession held the To make of him a formal man again. man ?

It is a branch and parcel of mine oath, Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, A charitable duty of my order; And much different from the man he was ; Therefore depart and leave him here with me. But till this afternoon his passion

Adr. I will not hence and leave my husband Ne'er brake into extremity of rage.

here; Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck And ill it doth beseem your holiness of sea ?

To separate the husband and the wife. Buried some dear friend! Hath not else his eye Abb. Be quiet and depart: thou shalt not Stray'd his affection in unlawful love?

have him.

Exit. A sin prevailing much in yonthful men,

Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity. Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing.

Adr. Come, go: I will fall prostrate at his feet, Which of these sorrows is he subject to? And never rise until my tears and prayers

Adr. To none of these, except it be the last ; Have won his grace to come in person hither, Namely, some love that drew him oft from home. And take perforce my husband from the abbess.

Abb. You should forthat have reprehended him. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five: Adr. Why, so I did.

Anon, I'm sure, the duke himself in person Abb.

Ay, but not rough enough. | Comes this way to the melancholy vale,

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The place of death and sorry execution,
Behind the ditches of the abbey here.

Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publicly, 13)
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
abbess!

Ang. Upon what cause?

Mer. To see a reverend Syracusian merchant, He cries for you and vows, if he can take you, Who put unluckily into this bay To scorch your face and to disfigure you. Against the laws and statutes of this town, Cry within Beheaded publicly for his offence. Hark, hark! I hear him, mistress: fly, be gone! Duke. Come, stand by me; fear nothing. Guard with halberds!

Ang. See where they come: we will behold his death.

Luc. Kneel to the duke before he pass the abbey. Enter DUKE, attended; ÆGEON bare-headed; with the Headsman and other Officers.

Adr. Ay 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 ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus and DROMIO
of Ephesus.

Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady: It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong. Adr. May it please your grace, Antipholus, my husband,

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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 hurried 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, anything 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,
Nor send him forth that we may bear him hence.
Therefore, most gracious duke, with thy command
Let him be brought forth and borne hence for help.
Duke. Long since thy husband serv'd me in

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my wars,

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.

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;

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And that is false thou dost report to us.

172

Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breath'd almost, since I did see it.

Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke! O! grant me justice,

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Even for the service that long since I did thee,
When I bestrid thee in the wars and took
Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood
That then I lost for thee, now grant me justice.
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
Even in the strength and height of injury!
Beyond imagination is the wrong
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?

myself, he, and my

Adr. No, my good lord:
sister,
To-day did dine together. So befall my soul
As this is false he burdens me withal!

Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night,
But she tells to your highness simple truth! 1
Ang. O perjur'd woman! They are both for-

20

sworn:

In this the madman justly chargeth them!

220

Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say:
Neither disturbed 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 her,
Could witness it, for he was with me then;
Who parted with me to go fetch a chain,
Promising to bring it to the Porpentine,
Where Balthazar and I did dine together.
Our dinner done, and he not coming thither,
I 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

A mere anatomy, a mountebank,

A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller, A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking wretch, A living-dead man. This pernicious slave, Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer, And gazing in mine eyes, feeling my pulse, And with no face, as 'twere, outfacing 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 There left me and my man, both bound together; 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

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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.