Ant. E. O, signior Balthazar, either at flesh or fish, A table full of welcome makes scarce one dainty dish. Bal. Good meat, sir, is common; that every churl affords.

Ant. E. And welcome more common; for that's nothing but words.

Bal. Small cheer, and great welcome, makes a merry feast.

Ant. E. Ay, to a niggardly host, and more sparing

guest.

But though my cates be mean, take them in good part; Better cheer may you have, but not with better heart. But, soft; my door is lock'd; Go bid them let us in. Dro. E. Maud, Bridget, Marian, Cicely, Gillian, Jen'!

Dro. S. [within.] Mome3, malt-horse, capon, coxcomb, idiot, patch !9

Either get thee from the door, or sit down at the hatch: Dost thou conjure for wenches, that thou call'st for such

store,

When one is one too many? Go, get thee from the door. Dro. E. What patch is made our porter? My master

stays in the street.

Dro. S. Let him walk from whence he came, lest he catch cold on's feet.

Ant. E. Who talks within there? ho, open the door. Dro. S. Right, sir, I'll tell you when, an you'll tell me wherefore.

8 Mome,] A dull stupid blockhead, a stock, a post; from one of those similar words in many languages, signifying something foolish. It may also owe its original to the French word momon, which signifies the gaming at dice in masquerade, the custom and rule of which is, that a strict silence is to be observed; whatever sum one stakes, another covers, but not a word is to be spoken. From hence also comes our word mum! for silence. HAWKINS, and DOUCE.

9 -patch!] i.e. fool. Alluding to the party-coloured coats worn by the licensed fools or jesters of the age.

Ant. E. Wherefore! for my dinner; I have not din'd

to-day.

Dro. S. Nor to-day here you must not; come again,

when you may.

Ant. E. What art thou, that keep'st me out from the house I owe?1

Dro. S. The porter for this time, sir, and my name is Dromio.

Dro. E. O villain, thou hast stolen both mine office and my name:

The one ne'er got me credit, the other mickle blame. If thou had'st been Dromio to-day in my place,

Thou would'st have chang'd thy face for a name, or thy name for an ass.

Luce. [within.] What a coil is there? Dromio, who are those at the gate?

Dro. E. Let my master in, Luce.

Dro. E.

Faith, no; he comes too late:

O Lord, I must laugh;

Have at you with a proverb. Shall I set in my staff? Luce. Have at you with another: that's, When? can you tell?

Dro. S. If thy name be call'd Luce, Luce, thou hast. answer'd him well.

Ant. E. Do you hear, you minion? you'll let us in, I

hope?

Luce. I thought to have ask'd you,

Dro. S.

And you said, no.

Dro. E. So, come, help; well suuck; there was blow

for blow.

Ant. E. Thou baggage, let me in.

Can you tell for whose sake?

Let him knock till it ake.

Luce.
Dro. E. Master, knock the door hard.
Luce.

1 I owe?] i. e. I own, am owner of.

Ant. E. You'll cry for this, minion, if I beat the door

down.

Luce. What needs all that, and a pair of stocks in the town?

Adr. [within.] Who is that at the door, that keeps all this noise?

Dro. S. By my troth, your town is troubled with unruly boys.

Ant. E. Are you there, wife? you might have come before.

Adr. Your wife, sir knave! go, get you from the door. Dro. E. If you went in pain, master, this knave would go sore.

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

Bal. In debating which was best, we shall part with neither.2

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

Ant. E. There is something in the wind, that we cannot get in.

Dro. E. You would say so, master, if your garments were thin.

Your cake here is warm within: you stand here in the

cold:

It would make a man mad as a buck, to be so bought and sold.

Ant. E. Go, fetch me something, I'll break ope the gate. Dro. S. Break any breaking here, and I'll break your knave's pate.

Dro. E. A man may break a word with you, sir; and words are but wind;

Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind.

2 — we shall part with neither.] Mr. Tyrwhitt says, that, in our old language, to part, signified to have part. But part does not signify to share or divide, but to depart or go away; and Balthazar means to say, that whilst debating which is best, they should go away without either.

Dro. S. It seems, thou wantest breaking; Out upon thee, hind!

Dro. E. Here's too much, out upon thee! I pray thee, let me in.

Dro. S. Ay, when fowls have no feathers, and fish have no fin.

Ant. E. Well, I'll break in; Go, borrow me a crow. Dro. E. A crow without a feather; master, mean

you so?

For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a feather:
If a crow help us in, sirrah, we'll pluck a crow together.
Ant. E. Go, get thee gone, fetch me an iron crow.
Bal. Have patience, sir, O, 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 this3, - Your long experience of her wisdom,
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 you.*
Be rul'd by me; depart in patience,

And let us to the Tiger all to dinner :
And, about evening, come yourself 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 on 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 :

• Once this,] Once this, may mean, once for all, at once.

4 the doors are made against you.] To make the door is the expression used to this day in some counties of England, instead of, to bar the door.

+ "of it;" MALONE.

For slander lives upon succession;

For ever hous'd, where it once gets possession.+

Ant. E. You have prevail'd; I will depart in quiet, And, in despight of mirth5, mean to be merry. I know a wench of excellent discourse,Pretty and witty; wild, and, yet too, gentle;. There will we dine: this woman that I mean, My wife (but, I protest, without desert,) 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 spite my wife,)
Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste:
Since mine 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 hence.
Ant. E. Do so; This jest shall cost me some expence.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The same.

Enter LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse.

Luc. And may it be that you have quite forgot A husband's office? shall, Antipholus +, hate, Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot? Shall love, in building, grow so ruinate?

+" where it gets possession." MALONE.

5 And, in despight of mirth,] Though mirth has withdrawn herself from me, and seems determined to avoid me, yet in despight of her, and whether she will or not, I am resolved to be merry.

"shall, Antipholus,

Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot?

Shall love, in building, grow so ruinous ?" MALONE.