The Comedy of Errors

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 77

This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized

by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the


information in books and make it universally accessible.

https://books.google.com
11763

ppp.53
QU
IC
QU
ID IT
PER
CRES E
CITIN CINER

JohnAshburner, MD
.
1
1
ILL

V.2.p.3.
THE

11763 ppp . 53.

COMEDY

OF

ERROR S.

By Mr. WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.


LONDON :
i
Printed for J. TONSON, and the rest of the PRO
PRIETORS ; and fold by the Bookfellers of
London and Weftminster.
MDCCXXXIV .
HEREAS R. Walker, and

his Accomplices have printed


W
and publiſhed feveral of Shake
Spear's Plays, and, to ſcreen their innumera
ble Errors, advertize, that they are printed
as they are acted ; and induſtrioufly report,
that the faid Plays are printed from Copies
made uſe of . at the Theatres. I therefore
declare, in Juſtice to the Proprietors, whoſe
Right is bafely invaded, as well as in De

fence of my ſelf, that no Perfon ever had,
directly, or indirectly, from me any fuch
Copy or Copies ; neither would I be acceffa
ry, on any Account, to the impofing on
the Publick fuch uſeleſs, pirated and maim
ed Editions, as are publiſhed by the ſaid
R. Walker,

W. CHETWOOD.

Prompter to his Majesty's


Company of Commedians

1 at the Theatre Royal in


Drury-Lane.

A 2 Dramatis
Dramatis Perfonæ.

SALINUS, Duke of Ephefus.


Ageon, a Merchant of Syracufe.
Antipholis of Ephefus, Twin Brothers, and Sons to Æ
Antipholis of Syracufe, geon and Emilia , but unknown
to each other.
Dromio of Ephefus, 7 Twin Brothers, and Slaves to the
Dromio of Syracufe, tavo Antipholis's.
Balthazar, a Merchant.
Angelo, a Goldsmith,
A Merchant, Friend to Antipholis of Syracufe.
Dr. Pinch, a School- master, and a Conjurer.

Amilia, Wife to Ægeon, an Abbess at Ephefus.


Adriana, Wife to Antipholis of Ephefus.
Luciana, Sifter to Adriana.
Luce, Servant to Adriana.

Failor, Officers , and other Attendants,

SCENE Ephefus.

The Plot taken from the Menæchmi of Plautus.


( 5)

THE

COMEDY of ERRORS.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Enter the Duke of Ephefus, geon , Jailor,


and other attendants.

ÆGEON.

Roceed, Salinus, to procure my fall,


P And by the doom of death end woes and all.
Duke. Merchant of Syracufa, plead no more ;
I am not partial to infringe our laws :
The enmity and difcord which of late
Sprung from the ranc'rous outrage of your Duke,
To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,
(Who wanting gilders to redeem their lives,
Have feal'd his rigorous ftatutes with their bloods)
Excludes all pity from our threatning looks .
For, fince the mortal and inteftine jars
'Twixt thy feditious countrymen and us,
It hath in folemn fynods been decreed,
Both by the Syracufans and our felves,
T'admit no trafick to our adverie towns.
A 3 Nay,
6 The Comedy of ERRORS
" .
Nay, more ; if any born at Ephefus
Be feen at Syracufan marts and fairs ;
Again, if any Syracufan. born
Come to the Bay of Ephefus, he dies ;
His goods confifcate to the Duke's difpofe,
Unleſs a thouſand marks be levied
To quit the penalty, and ranfom him.
Thy fubftance, valu'd at the higheſt rate,
Cannot amount unto an hundred marks ;
Therefore by law thou art condemn'd to die.
Egeon. Yet this my comfort, when your words ar
done,
My woes end likewife with the evening fun.
Duke Well, Syracufan, fay in brief the cauſe,
Why thou departed't from thy native home ;
And for what caufe thou cam'ft to Ephesus.
Ageon. A heavier task could not have been impos'd,
Than I to fpeak my grief unfpeakable :
Yet that the world may witneſs . that my end
Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence,
I'll utter what my forrow gives me leave.
In Syracufa 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 profperous voyages I often made
To Epidamnum, ' till my factor's death;
And he great flore of goods at random leaving,
Drew me from kind embracements of my fpoufe :
From whom my abfence was not fix months old,
Before her felf (almoft at fainting under
The pleafing punishment that Women hear)
Had made provifion for her following me,
And foon and fafe arrived where I was.
T'here ſhe had not been long, but the became
A joyful mother of two goodly fons ;
And, which was ftrange, the one fo like the other,
As could not be diftinguifh'd but by name,
That very hour, and in the felf-fame inn,
A poor mean Woman was delivered
Of
The Comedy of ERRORS. 7
Of fuch a burthen, male-twins both alike :
Thoſe (for their parents were exceeding poor)
I bought, and brought up to attend my fons.
My wife, not meanly proud of two ſuch boys,
Made daily motions for our home return :
Unwilling I agreed ; alas, too foon !
We came aboard.
A league from Epidamnum had we fail'd,
Before the always wind-obeying deep
Gave any tragick inftance of our harm ;
But longer did we not retain much hope :
For what obfcured light the heav'ns did grant,
Did but convey unto our fearful minds.
A doubtful warrant of immediate death ;
Which tho' my felf would gladly have embras'd,
• Yet the inceffant weeping of my wife,
Weeping before for what the faw must come,
And piteous plainings of the pretty babes
That mourn'd for fashion, ignorant what to fear,
Forc'd me to feek delays for them and me :
And this it was, (for other means were none .)
The failors fought for fafety by our boat,
And left the fhip then finking-ripe to us ;
My wife, more careful for the elder born,
Had faften'd him unto a ſmall ſpare maft.
Such as fea-faring men provide for ſtorms
To him one of the other Twins was bound,
Whilft I had been like heedful of the other.
The children thus difpos'd, my wife and I,
Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fixt,
Faften'd our felves at either end the maft,
And floating ftraight, obedient to the ſtream,
Were carry'd towards Corinth, as we thought.
At length the fun gazing upon the earth
Difpers'd thofe vapours that offended us ;
And by the benefit of his wifh'd light
The feas wax calm, and we difcovered
Two fhips from far making amain to us,
Of Corinth that, of Epidaurus this ;
But ere they came -oh let me fay no more ;
A 4 Gather
8 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Gather the fequel by that went before.
Duke. Nay, forward old man, do not break off fo ;
For we may pity, tho' not pardon thee .
Egeon. Oh had the gods done fo, I had not now
Worthily term'd them merciless to us ;
For ere the fhips could meet by twice five leagues,
We were encountred by a mighty rock ;
Which being violently born upon,
Our helpless fhip was fplitted in the midft
So that in this unjuft divorce of us
Fortune had left to both of us alike
What to delight in, what to forrow for.
Her part, poor foul, feeming as burdened
With leffer weight, but not with leffer we,
Was carry'd with more fpeed before the wind,
And in our fight they three were taken up
By fifhermen of Corinth, as we thought. "
At length another ſhip had feiz'd on us ;
And knowing whom it was their hap to fave,
Gave helpful welcome to their fhipwrackt gueſts,
And would have reft the fishers of their prey,
Had not their bark been very flow of fail ;
And therefore homeward did they bend their courſe.
Thus have you heard me fever'd from my blifs,
That by misfortunes was my life prolong'd,
To tell fad ftories of my own mishaps .
Duke. And for the fakes of them thou forrow'it for,
Do me the favour to dilate at full
What hath defall'n of them and thee ' till now.
Egeon. My youngest boy, and yet my eldeft care,
At eighteen years became inquifitive
After his brother, and importun'd me,
That his attendant, (for his cafe was like,
Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name,)
Might bear him company in queft of him :
Whom, whilft I labour'd of a love to fee,
I hazarded the lofs of whom I lov'd.
Five fummers have I ſpent in fartheft Greece,
Roaming clean through the bounds of Afia,
And coafting homeward , came to Ephefus :
Hopeless
The Comedy of ERRORS. 9
Hopeiefs to find, yet loath to leave unfought,
Or that, or any place that harbours men.
But here muft end the ftory of my life ;
And happy were I in my timely death,
Could all my travels warrant me they live.
Duke. Haplefs Egeon, whom the fates have markt
To bear th' 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 difanul,
My ſoul ſhould fue as advocate for thee,
But tho' thou art adjudged to the death ,
And paffed fentence may not be recall'd,
But to our honour's great difparagement,
Yet will I favour thee in what I can ;
I therefore, merchant, limit thee this day
To feek thy life by beneficial help :
Try all the friends thou haft in Ephefus,
Beg thou, or borrow to make up the fum,
And live ; if not, then thou art doom'd to die :
Jailor, take him to thy cuftody.
Fail. I will, my lord.
geon. Hopeless and helplefs doth Egeon wend,
But to procraftinate his livelefs end. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The STREET ,

Enter Antipholis of Syracufe, a Merchant, andDromio,


Mer. Herefore give out, you are of Epidamnum,
·T Left that your goods too foon be confifcate.
This very day a Syracufan merchant
Is apprehended for arrival here ;
And not being able to buy out his life,
According to the ftatute of the town,
Dies ere the weary fun fet in the weft :
There is your money that I had to keep.
A5 Ant
10 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Ant. Go bear it to the Centaur, where we hoft,
And ſtay there, Dromio, 'till I come to thee :
"Till that I'll view the manners of the town,
Within this hour it will be dinner-time,
Perufe the traders, gaze upon the buildings,
And then return and fleep within mine inn ;
For with long travel I am ſtiff and weary .
Get thee away .
Dro. Many a man would take you at your word,
And go indeed, having fo good a means. [Exit Dromio
Ant. A trufty villain, Sir, that very oft,
When I am dull with care and melancholy,
Lightens my, humour with his merry jefts.
What, will you walk with me about the town,
And then go to the 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 a clock,
Pleafe you, I'll meet with you upon the mart,
And afterward: confort you ' till bed-time :
My preſent bufinefs calls me from you now.
Ant. Farewel, ' till then : I will go lofe my felf,
And wander upand down to view the city.
Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content.
[ Ex.Mer.

SCENE III.
Ant. He that commends meto my own content,
Commends me to the thing I cannot get.
I to theworld am like a drop ofwater,
That in the ocean feeks another drop,
Who falling there to find his fellow forth,
Unfeen, inquifitive, confounds himfelf:
So I, to find a mother and a brother,
In queft of them , unhappy, lofe my ſelf.
Enter Dromio of Ephefus.
Here comes the almanack of my true date.
What now? how chance thou art return'd fo foon ?
E. Dra.
The Comedy of ERRORS. II

E. Dro. Return'd fo foon ! rather approach'd too late :


The cadon burns, the pig falls from the fpit,
The clock has ftrucken twelve upon the bell ;
My miſtreſs made it one upon my cheek ;
She is fo hot becauſe the meat is cold ;
The meat is cold becaule you, come not home ;
You come not home becauſe you have no ftomach ;
You have no ftomach having broke your faft :
But we that know what ' tis to faft and pray,
Are penitent for your default to-day.
Ant. Stop in your wind, Sir ; tell me this, I pray,
Where you have left the money that I gave you ?
E. Dro. Oh, fix pence that I had a Wedneſday laſt,
To pay the fadler for my miftrefs' crupper ?
The fadler had it, Sir ; I kept it not.
Ant. I am not in a ſportive humour now ;
Tell me and dally not, where is the money ?
We being ſtrangers here, how dar'st thou truft
So great a charge from thine own custody ;
E. Dro. I pray you jeft, Sir ; as you fit at dinner :.
I from my miftrefs come to you in poſt,
If I return, I fhall be poft indeed ;
For fhe will ſcore your fault upon my pate :
Methinks your maw, like mine, fhould be your clock,
And ftrike you home without a meſſenger.
Ant. Come, Dromio, come, thefe jefts are out of fea
fon ;
Referve them ' till a merrier hour than this :
Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee ?
E. Dro. To me, Sir ; why, you gave no gold to me.
Ant. Come on, Sir knave, have done your fooliſhneſs,
And tell me how thou haft difpos'd thy charge ?
E. Dro. My charge was but to fetch you from the mart
Home to your houfe, the Phanix, Sir, to dinner ;
My miſtreſs and her fiffer ftay for you.
An.. Now as I am a chriftian anfwer me,
In what fafe place you have beftow'd my money
• Or I fhall break that merry ſconce of yours,
That ftands on tricks when I am undifpos'd :
Where are the thouſand marks thou hadft of me ?
E. Dro.
12 The Comedy of ERRORS.
E. Dro. I have fome marks of yours upon my pate ;
Some of my miſtreſs' marks upon my fhoulders ;
But not a thouſand marks between you both.
If I fhould pay your worship thofe again,
Perchance you will not bear them patiently.
Ant. Thy miftrefs' marks ? what miftrefs, flave, haft
thou ?
E. Dro. Your worship's wife, my mistress at the
Phonix .
She that doth faft 'till you come home to dinner ;
And prays that you will hie you home to dinner .
Ant. What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face,
Being forbid ? there take you that, Sir knave.
E. Dro. What mean you, Sir? for God fake hold
your hands ;
Nay, an you will not, Sir, I'll take my heels.
[Ex. Dromio.
Ant. Upon my life, by fome device or other,
The villain is o'er-wrought of all my money .
They fay, this town is full of coufenage ;
"
As, nimble juglers, that deceive the eye ;
·
Dark-working forcerers, that change the mind ;
f
Soul-killing witches, that deform the body ;
<
Diſguiſed cheaters, prating mountebanks,
• And many fuch like liberties of fin :
If it prove fo, I will be gone the fooner.
I'll to the Centaur, to go feek this flave ;
I greatly fear my money is not fafe. [Exit,

ACT
144
The Comedy of ERRORS, 13

ACT II. SCENE I.

The Houfe of Antipholis of Ephefus.

Enter Adriana and Luciana


ADRIAN A.

Either my husband, nor the flave returned,


NThat in fuch hafte I fent to feek his maſter !
Sure, Luciana, it is two a clock.
Luc. Perhaps fome merchant hath invited him.
And from the mart he's fomewhere gone to dinner :
Good fifter, let us dine, and never fret.
A man is maſter of his liberty :
Time is their mafter, and when they fee time
They'll go or come ; if fo, be patient, fifter.
'
Adr. Why ſhould their liberty than ours be more ?
Luc. Becauſe their buſineſs ſtill lies out a-door.
Adr. Look, when I ſerve him fo, he takes it ill.
Luc. Oh, know he is the bridle of your will .
Adr. There's none but affes will be bridled fo.
Luc. Why, head-ftrong liberty is lafht with wo.
There's nothing fituate under heav'n's eye,
But hath its bound in earth, in fea, and sky :
The beafts, the fishes, and the winged fowls,
Are their male's fubjects, and at their controuls..
Man more divine , the maſter of all theſe.
Lord ofthe wide world , and wide wat❜ry feas
Indu'd with intellectual fenfe and foul,
Of more preheminence than fiſh and fowl,
Are mafters to their females and their lords :
Then let your will attend on their accords.*
14 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Adr. This fervitude makes you to keep unwed.
Luc. Not this, but troubles of the marriage-bed.
Adr. But were you wedded, you would bear fome
fway.
Luc. Ere I learn love I'll practife to obey.
Adr. How if your husband ſtart fome other where?
Luc. 'Till he come home again I would forbear.
Adr. Patience unmov'd, no marvel tho' fhe paufe ;
They can be meek that have no other cauſe
A wretched foul bruis'd with adverfity,
We bid be quiet when we hear it cry ;
But were we burden'd with like weight of pain,
As much. or more we fhould our felves complain ;
So thou that haft no unkind mate to grieve thee,
With urging helpleſs patience would't relieve me :
But if thou live to fee like right bereft,
This fool-begg'd patience in thee will be left,
Luc. Well, I will marry one day but to try 3
Here comes your man, now is your husband nigh.

SCENE II.

Enter Dromio Eph.


Adr. Say, is your tardy maſter now at hand ?
E. Dro. Nay, he's at two hands with me, and that
my two ears can witneſs.
Adr. Say, didit thou ſpeak with him ? know'ft thou
his mind ?
E. Dro Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear,
Befhrew his hand, I fcarce could underſtand it.
Luc. Spake he fo doubtfully, thou couldst feel his
meaning ?
E. Dro. Nay, he ftruck fo plainly, I could too well
feel his blows ; and withal fo doubtfully, that I could
fcarce understand them.
Adr. But fay, I pr'ythee, is he coming home ?
It ſeems he hath great care to pleaſe his wife.
E. Dro. Why, miftrefs, fure my mafter is horn-mad,
Adr. Horn-mad, thou villain ?
E. Dro.

1
The Comedy of ERRORS. 15 :
E. Dro. I mean not cuckold-mad ; but fure he's ftark
mad : '
When I defir'd him to come to dinner,
He ask'd me for a thouſand marks in gold
'Tis dinner-time, quoth I ; my gold, quoth he :
Your meat doth burn, quoth I ? my gold, quoth he :
Where is the thouſand marks I gave thee, villain ?
The pig, quoth I, is burn'd ; my gold, quoth he,
Will you come, quoth I ? my gold, quoth he :
My mistress, Sir, quoth I ; hang up my mistress ;
I know not thy miftrefs ; out on thy miſtreſs :
Luc. Quoth who ?
E. Dro. Quoth my maſter :
I know, quoth he, no houfe, no wife, no miſtreſs ;
So that my errand, due unto my tongue,
I thank him, I bare home upon my ſhoulders :
For in conclufion, he did beat me there.
Adr. Go back again, thou flave, and fetch him home.
E. Dro. Go back again, and be new beaten home ?
For God's fake fend fome other meffenger.
Adr. Back, flave, or I will break thy pate across .
E. Dre. And he will blefs that croſs with other beating :
Between you I fhall have a holy head.
Adr. Hence, prating peafant, fetch thy maſter home.
E. Dro. Am I fo round with you as you with me,
That like a foot-ball you do fpurn me thus ?
You fpurn me hence, and he will ſpurn me hither :
If I laft in this fervice, you muſt cafe me in leather.
[Exit,

SCENE III.

Luc. Fie, how impatience lowreth in your face !


Adr. His company muſt do his minions grace,
Whilft I at home ftarve for a merry look :
Hath homely age th' alluring beauty took.
From my poor cheek ? then he hath wafted it.
Are my difcourfes dull ? barren my wit ?
If voluble and fharp difcourfe be marr'd,
Unkindneſs blots it more than marble hard.
Do
16 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Do their gay veftments his affections bait ?
That's not my fault : he's mafter of my ſtate.
What ruins are in me that can be found,
By him not ruin'd ? then is he the ground
Of my defeatures. My decayed fair
A funny look of his would foon repair.
But, too unruly deer, he breaks the pale,
And feeds from home ; poor I am but his ftale.
Luc. Self-harming jealoufie ; fie, beat it hence .
Adr. Unfeeling fools can with fuch wrongs difpenfe :
I know his eye doth homage other-where ;
Or else what lets it but he would be here ?
Sifter, you know he promis'd me a chain,
Would that alone, alone he would detain,
So he would keep fair quarter with his bed.
I fee the jewel beft enameled
Will lofe his beauty ; yet the gold bides ftill
That others touch, and often touching will :
Since that my beauty cannot pleaſe his eye,
I'll weep what's left away, and weeping die.
Luc. How many fond fools ferve mad jealoufie ; }
[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The STREET .

Enter Antipolis of Syracufe.

Ant. HE gold I gave to Dromio is laid up


Safe at the Centuar, and the heedful flave
Τ
Is wander'd forth in care to feek me out.
By computation, and mine hoft's report,
I could not fpeak with Dromio, fince at first
I fent him from the mart. See here he comes.
Enter Dromio of Syracufe.
How now, Sir ? is your merry humour alter'd ?
As you love ftroaks, fo jeft with me again
You
The Comedy of ERRORS . 17
You know no Centaur ? you receiv'd no gold ?
Your miſtreſs fent to have me home to dinner ?
My houſe was at the Phenix ? waft thou mad,
That thus fo madly thou didſt anſwer me ?
S. Dro. What anfwer, Sir ? when ſpake I fuch a word ?
Ant. Even now, even here, not half an hour fince.
S. Dro. I did not fee you fince you fent me hence
Home to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me.
Ant. Villain thou didst deny the gold's receipt,
And told'it me of a miftrefs and a dinner ;
For which I hope thou felt'ft I was difpleas'd.
S. Dro. I'm glad to fee you in this merry vein :
What means this jeft, I pray you, maſter, tell me ?
Ant. Yea, doft thou jeer and flout me in the teeth ?
Think't thou I jeft ? hold, take thou that, and that.
Beats Dro.
S. Dro. Hold, Sir, for God's fake, now your jeft is
earneft ;
Upon what bargain do you give it me ?
Ant. Becaufe that I familiarly fometimes
Do ufe you for my fool, and chat with you,
Your fawcinefs will jeft upon my love,
And make a common of my ferious hours.
When the fun fhines let fooliſh gnats make ſport,
But creep in crannies when he hides his beams :
If you will jeft with me, know my afpect.
And faſhion your demeanour to my looks ;
Or I will beat this method in your fconce.
But foft ; who wafts us yonder ? *
SCENE

wafts us yonder ?
S. Dro. Sconce, call you it ? fo you would leave
battering, I had rather have it a head ; an you uſe
thefe blows long, I muft get a fconce for my head, and
infconce it too, or elſe I fhall feek my wit in my ſhoul
ders but I pray, Sir, why am I beaten ?
Ant. Doft thou not know ?
S. Dro. Nothing, Sir, but that I am beaten.
18 The Comedy of EKRORS.

SCENE V.

Enter Adriana and Luciana.

Adr. Ay, ay Antipholis, look ftrange and frown,


Some other miſtreſs hath fome fweet aspects,
1

Ant. Shall I tell you why ?


S. Dro. Ay, Sir, and wherefore ; for they ſay, every
why hath a wherefore.
Ant. Why, firft for flouting me ; and then wherefore,
for urging it the fecond time to me.
S. Dro. Was there ever any • man thus beaten out of
feafon ?
When in the why and wherefore is neither rhime nor
reafon ?
Well, Sir, I thank you.
Ant. Thank me, Sir, for what ?
S. Dro. Marry Sir, for this fomething that you gave
me for nothing.
Ant. I'll make you amends next, to give you nothing
for fomething. But fay, Sir, is it dinner-time ?
S. Dro. No, Sir, I think the meat wants that I have.
Ant. In good time, Sir, what's that ?
S. Dro. Bafting.
Ant. Well, Sir, then ' twill be dry.
S. Dro. If it be, Sir, I pray you eat not of it.
Ant. Your reaſon ?
S. Dro. Left it make you cholerick, and purchaſe me
another dry bafting .
Ant. Well, Sir, learn to jeft in good time ; there's
a time for all things.
S. Dro, I durft have deny'd that, before you were ſo
cholerick .
Ant. By what rule, Sir ?
S. Dro. Marry, Sir, by a rule as plain as the plain
bald pate of farther Time himfelf.
Ant. Let's hear it.
S. Dro.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 19
I am not Adriana, nor thy wife.
The time was once, when thou unurg'dft wouldſt vow,
That never words were muſick to thine ear,
• That never object pleaſing in thine eye,
That

S. Dro. There's no time for a man to recover his hair


that grows bald by nature .
Ant. May he not do it by fine and recovery ?
S. Dro. Yes, to pay a fine for a peruke, and recover
the loft hair of another man.
Ant. Why is Time fuch a niggard of hair, being, as it
is, fo plentiful an excrement ?
S. Dro. Becauſe it is a bleffing that he beftows on
beafts, and what he hath fcanted men in hair, he hath
given them in wit.
Ant. Why, but there's many a man hath more hair
than wit.
S. Dro. Not a man of thofe but he hath the wit to
lofs his hair.
Ant. Why, thou didft conclude hairy men plain
dealers without wit.
S. Dro. The plainer dealer, the fooner loft ; yet he
lofeth it in a kind of jollity .
Ant. For what reafon ?
S. Dro. For two, and found ones too.
Ant. Nay, not found ones, I pray you.
S. Dro. Sure ones then.
Ant. Nay, not fure in a thing falfing.
S. Dro. Certain ones then.
Ant. Name them.
S. Dro. The one to fave the money that he fpends in
tyring ; the other, that at dinner they ſhould not drop in
his porridge.
Ant. You would all this time have prov'd , there is no
time for all things .
S. Dro. Marry, and did, Sit ; namely, no time to
recover hair loft by nature,
Ant.
201 The Comedy of ERRORS.
• That never touch well welcome to thy hand,
That never wert ſweet-favour'd in the tafle,
• Unless I fpake, or look'd, or touch'd, or carv'd .
How comes it now, my husband, oh how comes it,
That thou art thus effranged from thy felf?
Thy felf I call it, being ſtrange to me :
That undividable incorporate
Am better than thy dear felt's better part.
Ah do not tear away thy felf from me :
For know, n.y love, as eafie may'ft thou fall
A drop of water in the breaking gulph,
And take unmingled thence that drop again,
Without addition or diminishing,
As take from me thy felf ; and not me too.
How dearly would it touch thee to the quick,
Should't thou but hear I were licentious ?
And that this body, confecrate to thee,
By ruffian luft fhould be contaminate ?
Would't thou not fpit at me, and fpurn at me,
And hurl the name of husband in my face,
And tear the ftain'd skin of my harlot- brow ,
And from my falfe hand cut the wedding-ring,
And break it with a deep divorcing vow ?
I knowthou can'ft ; and therefore fee thou do it.
I am poflefs'd with an adulterate blot !
My blood is mingled with the crime of luft :
For if we two be one and thou play falfe,
I do digeft the poifon of my fleſh,
Being ftrumpeted by thy contagion.
Keep then fair league and truce with thy true bed ;
1 live diftain'd, thou undifhonoured.
Apt. Plead you to me, fair dame ? I know you not :
In

Ant. But your reaſon was not fubftantial, why, there is


no time to recover.
S. Dro. Thus I mend it ; Time himſelf is bald, and
therefore to the world's end will have bald followers.
Ant. I knew 'twou'd be a bald conclufion .
SCENE V. &c.
The Comedy of ERRORS, 21

In Ephefus I am but two hours old.


As ftrange unto your town as to your talk.
Luc. Fie, brother, how the world is chang'd with you ;
When were you wont to uſe my fifter thus ?
She fent for you by Dromio home to dinner.
Ant. By Dromio?
S. Dro. By me ?
Adr. By thee ; and thus thou didst return from him,
That he did buffet thee, and in his blows
Deny'd my houſe for his, me for his wife.
Ant. Did you converfe, Sir, with this gentlewoman ?
What is the courſe and drift of your compact ?
S. Dro. I Sir ? I never faw her ' till this time..
Ant. Villain, thou lieft ; for even her very words
Didit thou deliver to me on the mart.
S. Dro. I never ſpoke with her in all my life
Ant. How can fhe thus then call us by our names.
Unleſs it be by inſpiration ?
Adr. How ill agrees it with your gravity,
To counterfeit thus grofly with your flave,
Abetting him to thwart me in my mood ?
Be it my wrong, you are from me exempt,
But wrong not that wrong with a more contempt.
Come, I will faften on this fleeve of thine ;
Thou art an elm, my husband, I a vine :
Whoſe weakneſs marry'd to thy ftronger ſtate,
Makes me with thy ftrength to communicate
If ought poffefs thee from me, it is droís,
Ufurping ivy, brier, or idle mofs,
Who all for want of pruning, with intrufion,
Infect thy fap, and live on thy confuſion .
Ant. To me he ſpeaks ; fhe moves me47for her
theam ;
1 What, was I marry'd to her in my dream ?
Or

s
as to your talk..
d Who every word by all my wit being fcann'd,
Wants wit in all one word to underſtand.
Luc. Fie, brother, &c. -\
22 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Or fleep I now, and think I hear allthis ?
What error drives our eyes and ears amifs ?
Until I know this fure uncertainty,
I'll entertain the favour'd fallacy.
Luc. Dromio, go bid the fervants ſpread for dinner.
Adr. Come, come, no longer will I be a fool,
To put the finger inthe eye and weep,
Whilft man and mafter laugh my woes to fcorn,
Come, Sir, to dinner ; Dromio, keep the gate ;
Husband, I'll dine above with you to-day,
And ſhrive you of a thouſand idle pranks ;
Sirrah, if any ask you for your mafter,
Say he dines forth, and let no creature enter :
Come, fifter ; Dromio, play the porter well.
Ant. Am I in earth, in heav'n, or in hell ?
Sleeping or waking, mad or well advis'd ?
Known unto theſe, and to my felf diſguis'd ?
I'll fay as they fay, and perfever fo ;
And in this mift at all adventures go.
S. Dro.

fervants ſpread for dinner.


S. Dro. Oh for my beads, I croſs me for a finner.
This is the Fairy land : oh fpight of spights ;
We talk with goblins, owls, and elvish fprights ;
Ifwe obey them not, this will enfue,
They'll fuck our breath, and pinch us black and blue.
Luc. Why prat'ft thou to thy felf,
Dromio, thou Dromio, fnail, thou flug, thou fot.
S. Dro. I am transformed, mafter, am I not ?
Ant. I think thou art in mind, and fo am I.
S. Dro Nay, mafter, both in mind and in my ſhape.
Ant. Thou haft thine own form.
S. Dro. No ; I am an ape.
Luc. If thou art chang'd to ought, 'tis to an aſs .
S. Dro. 'Tis true, fhe rides me, and I long for graſs.
"Tis fo, I am an afs ; elfe it could never be,
But I fhou'd know her as well as fhe knows me.
Adr. Come, come, &c.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 23
S. Dro. Mafter, fhall I be porter at the gate ?
Adr. Ay, let none enter, left I break your pate.
Duc. Come, come, Antipholis, we dine too late
[Exeunt.

92525252

ACT III . SCENE I

The Street before Antipholis's House.

Enter Antipholis of Ephefus, Dromio of E


phefus, Angelo, and Balthazar,

E. ANTIPHOLIS.

OOD Signior Angelo, you muſt excufe us ;


G I keep not >
Say, that I linger'd with you at your shop
To fee the making of her † carkanet,
And that to-morrow you will bring it home.
But here's a villain that would face me down
He met me on the mart, and that I beat him ;
And charg'd him with a thouſand marks in gold ;
And that I did deny my wife and houſe :
Thou drunkard thou, what didst thou mean by this ?
† carkanet, a fort ofBracelet.
I

-didft thou mean by this ?


E. Dro. Say what you will, Sir, but I know what I
know,
5. That you beat me at the mart, I have your hand to ſhow ;
It the skin were parchment, and the blows you gave
were ink,
Your hand-writing would tell you what I think.
E. Ant. I think, &c.
24 The Comedy of ERRORS.
I think thou art an afs.
E. Dro. Marry, fo it doth appear
By the wrongs I tuffer, and the blows I bear ;
I fhould kick being kickt ; and being at that pafs,
You would keep from my heels, and beware of an afs,
E. Ant. Y'are fad, Signior Balthazar. Pray God our
cheer
May answer my good will, and your good welcome.
But foft ; my door is lockt ; go bid them let us in.
E. Dro. Maud, Bridget, Marian, Cify, Gillian!
S. Dro. within. Mome, malt horfe, capon, coxcomb,
idiot, patch.
Either get thee from the door, or fit down at the hatch :
Doft thou conjure for wenches, that thou call'ft for fuch
ſtore,
When one is one too many ? go, get thee from the
door. * Adr.

and your good welcome.


Bal. I hold your dainties cheap, Sir, and your wel
come dear.
E. Ant. Ah Signior Balthazar, either at flefh or fish,
A table full of welcome makes fcarce one dainty diſh.
Bal. Good Sir, is common that every churl affords.
E. Ant. And welcome more common ; for that's no
thing but words. 1
Bal. Small cheer, and good welcome, makes a merry
feaft .
E. Ant. Ay, to a niggardly hoft, and more fparing
gueſt :
But tho my cates be mean, take them in good part :
Better cheer may you have, but not with better heart.
But foft ; my door is lockt ; &c.

get thee from the door.


E. Dro. What patch is made our porter ? my mafter
ftays in the ſtreet.
S. Dro Let him walk from whence he came, left he
catch hold on's feet.
E. Ant.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 25
Adr. within. Who is that at the door that keeps all
this noife ?
S. Dro. By my troth your town is troubled with unruly
boys .
E. Ant. Are you there, wife ? you might have come.
I before. Adr.

E. Ant. Who talks within there ? hoa, open the door.


S. Dro. Right, Sir, I'll tell you when, an you'll tell
me wherefore.
1 E. Ant. Wherefore ? for my dinner : I have not din'd
today.
S. Dro. Nor to day here you must not : come again
when you may.
E. Ant. What art thou that keep'ft me out from the
houſe I owe ?
S. Dro. The porter for this time, Sir, and my name
is Dromio.
E. Dro. O villain, thou haft ftol'n both mine office and
and my name.
The one ne'er got me credit, the other mickle blame ;
If thou had'it been Dromio to-day in my place,
9 Thou would'ſt have chang'd thy face for a name, or thy
name for an aſs.
Luce. within. What a coile is there, Dromio ? who are
thoſe at the gate ?
E. Dro. Let my mafter in, Luce.
Luce. Faith, no ; he comes too late ;
And fo tell your maſter,
E. Dro. O lord, I muſt laugh ;
Have at you with a Proverb. Shall I fet in my ſtaff ;
Luce. Have at you with another ; that's when ? can you
tell ?
S. Dro. If thy name be call'd Luce, Luce, thou haft
anfwer'd him well.
E. Ant. Do you hear, you minion, you'll let us in,
I hope ?
Luc. I thought to have askt you.
S. Dro. And you faid , no.
B E. Dro.
26 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Adr. Your wife, Sir knave ! go get you from the
* E. Ant.
gate.

E. Dro. So, come, help, well ftruck, there was blow


for blow.
E. Ant. Thou baggage, let me in.
Luce. Can you tell for whoſe fake ?
E. Dro. Mafter, knock the door hard.
Luce. Let him knock ' till it ake.
E: Ant. You'll cry for this, minion, if I beat the door
down.
Luce. What needs all that, and a pair of ftocks in the
town ?
Adr. within. Who is that ? &c.

* go get you from the gate,


E. Dro. If you went in pain, mafter, this knave would
go fore.
Ang. Here is neither cheer, Sir, nor welcome ; we
would fain have either.
Bal. In debating which was beft, we ſhall part with
neither.
E. Dro. They ftand at the door mafter ;. bid them
welcome hither.
E. Ant. There's fomething in the wind that we cannot
get in.
E. Dro. You would fay fo, mafter, if your garments
were thin. :.
Your cake here is warm within : you ftand here in the
1 cold.
It would make a man as mad as buck to be fo bought
and fold.
E. Ant. Go fetch me fomething, I'll break ope the
gate.
S. Dro. Break any breaking here, and I'll break your
knave's pate.
E. Dro. A man may break a word with you, Sir, and
words are but wind ;
Ay, and break it in your face, fo he break it not behind.
S. Dro.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 27
E. Ant. Go, get thee gone, fetch me an iron crow,
Bal. Have patience, Sir ; oh let it not be thus.
Herein you war againſt your reputation ,
And draw. within the compaſs of ſuſpect
Th' unviolated honour of your wife.
Once this ; your long experience of her wiſdom ,
Her fober virtue, years and modefty ,
Plead on her part fome caufe to you unknown ;
And doubt not, Sir, but he will well excuſe
Why at this time the doors are barr'd against you .
20 Be rul'd by me, depart in patience,
And let us to the Tyger all to dinner,
And about evening come your felf alone,
To know the reaſon of this ſtrange reſtraint.
If by ftrong hand you offer to break in,
Now in the stirring paffage of the day,
A vulgar commentwill be made of it ;
And that ſuppoſed by the common rout,
Againft your yet ungalled eftimation,
WC That may with foul intruſion enter in, *
And dwell upon your grave when you are dead :
#. For flander lives upon fucceffion ,
For ever hous'd where it once gets poffeffion.
E. Ant. You have prevail'd ; I will depart in quiet ,
And in defpight ofmirth mean to be merry.
na I know of excellent difcourfe,
Pretty and witty, wild, and yet too, gentle ;
CH B 2 There
the
S. Dro. It ſeems thou wanteft breaking ; out upon
thee, hind.
E. Dro . Here's too much ; out upon thee ; Ι
pray thee
29

let mein.
S. Dro. Ay, when fowls have no feathers, and fiſh
EPI

have no fin.
E. Ant. Well, I'll break in ; go borrow me a crow.
E. Dro. A crow without feather , mafter, mean you fo ?
For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a feather :
d.
If a crow help us in, firrah, we'll pluck a crow together,
E. Ant. Go, get thee gone, &c.
28 The Comedy of ERRORS.
There will we dine : this woman that I mean,
My wife (but I proteft without defert)
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 houfe : that chain I will beftow,
(Be it for nothing but to fpight my wife, )
Upon mine hoftefs there, Good Sir, make hafle :
Since my own doors refuſe to entertain me.
I'll knock elfewhere, to fee if they'll difdain me.
Ang. I'll meet you at that place, fome hour, Sir
hence.
E. Ant. Do fo ; this jeft fhall coft me ſome expence .
[Excur

SCENE II.

The House of Antipholis of Ephefus.

Enter Luciana, with Antipholis of Syracufe.


Luc. ND may it be, that you have quiteforgot
A A husband's office ? fhall, Antipholis,
Ev'n in the fpring of love, thy love-fprings rot ?
Shall love in buildings grow fo ruinate ?
If you did wed my fifter for her wealth,
Then for her wealth's-fake ufe her with more kind
nefs ;
Or if you like elfewhere, do it by ſtealth,
Muffle your falfe love with fome fhew of blindneſs ;
Let not my fifter read it in your eye ;
Be not thy tongue thy own fhame's orator ;
Look fweet, fpeak fair ; become difloyalty :
Apparel vice like virtue's harbinger ;
Bear a fair prefence, tho' your heart be tainted ;
Teach fin the carriage of a holy faint ;
Be fecret falfe : what need fhe be acquainted ?
What fimple thief brags of his own attaint ?
"Tis
The Comedy of ERRORS. 29
"Tis double wrong, to truant with your bed,
And let her read it in thy looks at board :
Shame hath a baftard-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 ;
Tho' others have the arm, fhew us the fleeve :
We in your motion turn , and you may move us.
St Then, gentle brother, get you in again ;
Comfort my fifter, chear her, call her wife ;
'Tis holy ſport, to be a little vain,
T When the ſweet breath of flattery conquers ftrife.
S. Ant. Sweet miftrefs ; what your name is elfe
I know not,
Nor by what wonder you do hit of mine :
Lefs in your knowledge and your grace you fhow not,
Than our earth's wonder, more than earth divine.
Teach me, dear creature, how to think and fpeak ;
Lay open tomy earthly grofs conceit,
Smother'd in errors, feeble, fhallow, weak,
The foulded meaning of your words deceit ;
Againſt my foul's's pure truth why labour you,
To make it wander in an unknown field ?
Are you a God ? would you create me new ?
Transform me then, and to your Pow'r I'll yield.
But if that I am I, then well I know
Your weeping fifter is no wife of mine,
Nor to her bed a homage do I owe ;
Far more, far more to you do I decline :
Oh train me not, fweet mermaid, with thy note,
To drown me in thy fifter's flood of tears ;
Sing Siren for thy felf, and I will dote ;
Spread o'er the filver waves thy golden hairs,
And as a bed I'll take thee, and there lye :
And in that glorious fuppofition think
He gains by death that hath fuch means to die ;
Let love, being light, be drowned if the fink.
FI Luc. What, are you mad, that you do reaſon ſo ?
S. Ant. Not mad, but mated ; how, I do not know.
B3 Luc.
30 TheComedy of ERRORS.
Luc. It is a fault that ſpringeth from your eye.
S. Ant. For gazing in your beams, fair fun being by. "
Luc. Gaze where you fhould, and that will clear your
fight.
S. Ant. As good to wink, fweet love, as look on
night .
Luc. Why call you me, love ? call my fifter fo.
S. Ant. Thy fifter's fifter.
Luc. That's my fifter.
S. Ant. No ;
It is thy felf, mine own felf's better part :
Mine eye's clear eye, my dear heart's dearer heart,
My food, my fortune, and my fweet hope's aim,
My fole earth's heaven, and my heaven's claim .
Luc. All this thy fifter is, or elſe ſhould be.
S. Ant. Call thy felf fifter, fweet ; for I mean thee :
Thee will I love, and with thee lead my life,
Thou haft no husband yet, nor I no wife ;
Give me thy hand.
Luc. Oh foft, Sir, hold you ftill ;
I'll fetch my fifter, to get her good will. [Exit . Luc

SCENE III.
Enter Dromio of Syracuſe.
S. Ant. Why how now, Dromio, where runn't thou
fo faft ?
S. Dro. D' you know me, Sir ? am I Dromio ? am I
your man ? am Imy felf?
S. Ant. Thou art Dromio, thou art my man, thou art
thy felf.
S. Dre. I am an afs, I am a woman's man and beſides
my felf.
S. Ant. What woman's man ? and how befides thy
felf?
S. Dro. Marry, Sir, befides my felf, I am due to a wo
man ; one that claims me, one that haunts me, one that
willhave me..
S. Ant. What claim lays the to thee ?
S. Dro. Marry, Sir, fuch claim as you would lap to
your
The Comedy of ERRORS... 31
your horfe, and ſhe would have me as a beaſt : not that
I being a beaft fhe would have me, but that the being a
very beaftly creature, lays claim to me,
S. Ant. What is the ?
S. Dro. A very reverent body ; ay, fuch a one as a man
may not fpeak of, without he fay, Sir reverence : I have
but lean luck in the match ; and yet is the a wond'rous
fat marriage. 1
S. Ant. How doft thou mean, a fat marriage ?
S. Dro. Marry, Sir, fhe's the kitchen-wench, and all
greafe, and I know not what ufe to put her to, but to
make a lamp of her, and run from her byher own light,
I warrant her rags, and the tallow in them, will burn
a Poland winter : if fhe lives ' till doomfday, fhe'll burn
a week longer than the whole world .
S. Ant. What complection is fhe of ?
S. Dro. Swart, like my fhoe, but her face nothing
like fo clean kept ; for why ? fhe fweats, a man may
go over-fhoes in the grime of it.
S. Ant. That's a fault that water will mend.
S. Dro. No, Sir, ' tis in grain ; Noah's flood could
not do it.
S. Ant. What's her name ?
S. Dro. Nell, Sir ; but her Name is three quarters ;
that is, an ell and three quarters will not meaſure her
from hip to hip .
S. Ant. Then fhe bears fome breadth ?
S. Dro. No longer from head to foot, than from hip
to hip; fhe is fpherical, like a globe : I could find out
countries in her.
S. Ant. In what part of her body ftands Ireland ?
es S. Dro. Marry, Sir, in her buttocks ; I found it out
by the bogs .
S. Ant. Where Scotland ?
S. Dro. I found it out by the barrennefs, hard in the
palm of her hand .
I S. Ant. Where France ?
S. Dro. In her forehead, arm'd and reverted, making
war againſt her hair.
S. Ant. Where England ?
B.4 S. Dro.
32 The Comedy of ERRORS .
S. Dro . I look'd for the chatky cliffs but I could find
no whiteness in them ; but I guess, it flood in her
chin, by the falt rheum that ran between France and
it.
S. Ant. Where Spain ?
S. Dro. Faith, I faw it not, but I felt it hot in her
breath .
S. Ant. Where America, the Indies ?
S. Dro. Oh Sir, upon her nofe, all o'er embelliſh'd
with rubies, carbuncles, faphires, declining their rich
aipect to the hot breath of Spain, who fent whole arma
does of carracts to be ballaft at her noſe.
S. Ant. Where flood Belgia, the Netherlands ?
S. Dro. Oh, Sir, I did not look fo low, To con
clude, this drudge, or diviner, laid claim to me, call'd
me Dromio, fwore I was affur'd to her, told me what
privy marks I had about me, as the marks of my fheul
der, 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 breaft had not been made of faith, and
my heart of ſteel, fhe had transform'd me to a curtal
Gog, and made me turn i' th' wheel.
S. Ant Go hie thee preſently ; poſt to the road ;
And ifthe wind blow any way from fhore,
I will not harbour 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.
S. Dro. As from a bear man would run for life,
So fly I from her that would be my wife. [Exit.

SCENE IV.

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 foul
Doth for a wife abhor. But her fair fifter,
Poffeft with fuch a gentle fovereign grace,
Of fuch inchanting prefence and difcourfe,
Hath
The Comedy of ERRORS. 3-3
Hath almoſt made me traitor to my felf :
But left my ſelf be guilty of felf wrong,
I'll ſtop mine ears againſt the mermaid's fong.

Enter Angelo with a chain..

Ang. Mafter Antipholis.


S. Ant. Ay, that's my name.
Ang. I know it well, Sir, lo, here's the chain,
I thought t' have tane you at the Porcupine ;
The chain unfinishu made me ftay thus long.
S. Ant. What is your will that I fhall do with this ?
Ang. What pleafſe your ſelf, Sir ; I have made it for
you.
S. Ant. Made it for me, Sir ! I befpoke it not..
Ang. Not once, nor twice, but twenty times you:
have :
Go home with it, and pleaſe your wife withal ;
And foon at fupper-time I'll vifit you,
And then receive my mony for the chain .
20 S. Ant. I pray you, Sir, receive the mony now,
For fear you ne'er fee chain nor mony more.
Ang. You are a merry man, Sir ; fare you well.
[Exit
S. Ant. What I fhould think ofthis, I cannot tell :
But this I think, there's no man is fo vain:
That would refute fo fair an offer'd chain.
I ſee a man here needs not live by fhifts,
When in the streets he meets fuch golden gifts ::
I'll to the mart, and there for Dormio ſtay ;,
If any fhip put out, then ſtrait away. [Exit

NGDOCTO
ઇય
die,

B. 5 ACT
34 The Comedy of ERRORS.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

The STREET.

Enter a Merchant, Angelo, and an Officer.

MERCHANT.
OU know fince Pentecoft the fum is due ;
YoAnd fince I have not much importun'd you ;
Nor now I had not, but that I am bound
To Perfia, and want gilders for my voyage :
Therefore make prefent fatisfaction ;
Or I'll attach you by this officer.
Ang. Ev'n juft the fum that I do owe to you,
Is owing to me by Antipholis ;
And in the inftant that I met with you,
He had of me a chain ; at five a clock
1 fhall receive the mony for the fame :
Pleafe you but walk with me down to his houſe,
I will diſcharge my bond, and thank you too .

Enter Antiph. Ephe. and Drom. Ephe. asfrom the


Courtezans.

Off. That labour you may fave : fee where he comes.


E. Ant. While I go to the goldfmith's houſe, go thou
And buy a rope's end ; that will I beſtow
Among my wife and her confederates,
For locking me out of doors by day.
But foft ; I fee the goldfmith : get thee 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.
E. Ant.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 35
E. Ant. A man is well holp up that trufts to you :
I promifed your prefence, and the chain :
But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me :
Belike you thought our love would laft too long
If it were chain'd together ; therefore came not.
Ang. Saving your merry humour, here's the note,
How much your chain weighs to the utmoft carat,
The fineness of the gold, the chargeful fashion,
Which do amount to three odd ducats more
Than I ftand debted to this gentleman ;
I pray you fee him prefently diſcharg'd ;
For he is bound to fea, and ftays but for it.
E. Ant. I am not furnish'd with the prefent mony,
Befides I have fome bufinefs in the town ;
Good Signior take the ftranger to my houfe,
And with you take the chain, and bid my wife .
Difburfe the fum on the receipt thereof ;
Perchance I will be there as foon as you.
Ang. Then you will bring the chain to her your felf.
E. Ant. No ; bear it with you, left I come not time
enough.
Ang. Well, Sir, I will, have you the chain about you ?
E Ant. And if I have not, Sir, I hope you have :
Or else you may return without your mony .
Ang. Nay come, I pray you, Sir, give me the chain,
Both wind and tide ftay for the gentleman ;
And I to blame have held him here too long.
E. Ant. Good lord, you uſe this dalliance to excufe -
Your breach of promife to the Porcupine:
I fhould have chid you for not bringing it ; :
But like a fhrew, you firft begin to brawl.
} Mer. The hour icals on ; I pray you, Sir, difpatch.
Ang. You hear how he importunes me ; the chain.
E. Ant. Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your mony.
Ang. Come, come, you know I'gave it you ev'n n now.
Or fend the chain , or fend me by fome token.
E. Ant. Fie, now you run this humour out ofbreath :
! Come, where's the chain ? I pray you let me fee it.
1 Mer. My bufinefs cannot brook this dalliance :
Good Sir, fay, if you'll answer me, or no ;
K It
dy ORS
36 The Come of ERR .
If not, I'll leave him to the officer.
E. Ant. I answer you ? why ſhould I anſwer you ?
Ang. The mony that you owe me for the chain.
E. Ant. I owe you none 'till I receive the chain .
Ang. You know 1 gave it you half an hour fince.
E. Ant. You gave me none ; you wrong me much to
fay fo.
Ang. You wrong me more, Sir, in denying it ;
Confider how it ftands upon my credit.
Mer. Well officer, arreſt him at my fuit.
Offi. I do, and charge you in the Duke's name to
obey me.
Ang. This touches me in reputation .
Either confent to pay the fum for me,
Or I attach you by this officer.
E. Ant Confent to pay for that I never had !
Arreft me, foolish fellow, if thou dar'ſt.
Ang. Here is thy fee ; arreft him, officer ;
I would not fpare my brother in this caſe,
If he ſhould fcorn me fo apparently.
Offi. I do arreft you, Sir ; you hear the fuit.
E. Ant. I do obey thee ' till I give thee bail.
But, firrah, you ſhall buy this ſport as dear
As all the metal in your shop will anſwer.
Ang. Sir, Sir,, I fhall have law in Ephesus,
To your notorious fhame, I doubt it not.

SCENE II.

Enter Dromic, Sira. from the bay..

S. Dro. There is a bark of Epidamnum,


That fays but till her owner comes aboard ;
Then, Sir, fhe bears away. Our fraugtage, Sir,
I have convey'd abcard ; and I have bought
The Oyl, the Balfamum, and Aqua-vita.
The fhip is in her trim ; the inerry wind
Blows fair from land ; they stay for nought at all,
But for their owner, mafler, and your felf.
E. Ant. How now ! a mad man ! why, thou peevish
theer, What
The Comedy of ERRORS. 37
What fhip of Epidamnum ftays for me ?
S. Dro. A fhip you fent me to, to hire wafrage.
E. Dro. Thou drunken flave, I fent thee for a rope ;
And told thee to what purpoſe, and what end.
S. Dro. You fent me for a rope's-end as foon :
You fent me to the bay, Sir, for a bark..
E. Ant. I will debate this matter at more leiſure,
And teach your ears to lift me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee ftrait,
Give her this key, and tell her in the desk
That's cover'd o'er with Turkiſh tapeſtry
There is a purfe of ducats, let her ſend it :
Tell her I am arreſted in the ſtreet,
And that ſhall bail me ; hie thee, flave ; be gone :
On officer, to priſon ' till it come. [Exeunt
S. Dro. Adriana ! that is where we din'd,
Where Dowfabel did claim me for her husband
She is too big I hope for me to compafs...
Thither I muſt, altho' againſt my will,
For fervants muſt their masters minds fulfil.
[Exit.

SCENE III.

E. Antipholis's Houfe..

Enter Adriana and Luciana .

Adr. H Luciana, did he tempt thee fo ?


A Might'ft thou perceive aufterely in his eye
That he did plead in earneſt, yea or no ?
Look'd he or red or pale, or fad or merrily ?
What obfervation mad'st thou in this cafe,
Of his heart's meteors tilting in his face ?
Luc. First he deny'd you had in him a right..
Adr. He meant, he did me none, the more my fpight.
Luc. Then fwore he that he was a ſtranger here.
Adr. And true he fwore, though yet forfworn he
were.
Luc. Then pleaded I for you.
Adr
RS
edy RO
58 The Com of ER .
Adr. And what faid he ?
Luc. That love I begg'd for you, he begg'd of me.
Adr. With what perfuafion did he tempt thy love ?
Luc. Withwords that in an honeft fuit might move,
Firft he did praiſe my beauty, then my fpeech.
Adr. Did'ft fpeak him fair ?
Luc. Have patience, I befeech.
Adr. I cannot nor I will not hold me ftill ;
My tongue, though not my heart, fhall have it's will,
He is deformed, crooked, old and fere,
Ill-fac'd, worfe-body'd, fhapeleſs every where ;
Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt,, unkind,
Stigmatical in making, worfe in mind,
Luc. Who would be jealous then of fuch a one ?
No evil loft, is wail'd, when it is gone.
Adr. Ah ! but I think him better than I fay,
And yet would herein others eyes were worſe,
Far from her neft the lapwing cries away ;
My heart prays for him, tho' my tongue do curfe..

SCENE IV.
Enter S Dromio .
S. Dro, Here, go ; the desk, the purfe ; fweet now
make hafte.
Luc. How haft thou loft thy breath ?
8. Dro. By running faft.
Adr. Where is thy mafter. Dromio ? is he well ?
S. Dro. No, he's in Tartar Limbo, worfe than hell :
A devil in an everlasting garment hath him,
One whofe hard heart is button'd up with feel :
A fiend, a fury, pitilefs and rough,
A wolf, nay worfe, a fellow all in buff ;
A back-friend, a fhoulder-clapper, one that counter
mands
The paffages of allies, creeks, and narrow lands ;
A hound that runs counter, and yet draws dry-foot well ;
One that before the judgment carries poor fouls to hell.
Adr. Why man, what is the matter ?
S. Dra
The Comedy of ERRORS. 39.
S. Dro. I do not know the matter ; he is refted on the
cafe.
Adr. What, is he arrefted ? tell me at whofe fuit.
S. Dro. I know not at whofe fuit he is arreſted ; but
he's in a fuit of buff which refted him , that I can tell .
Will you fend him, miftreís redemption, the money in
his desk ?
Adr. Go fetch it, ſiſter. This I wonder at,
[Exit , Luc.
That he unknown to.me fhould be in debt !
Tell me, was he arrefted on a bond ?
S. Dro. Not on a bond, but a ſtronger thing,
A chain, a chain ; do you not hear it ring ?
Adr. What, the chain ?
S. Dro. No, no ; the bell ; 'tis time that I were gone.

Enter Luciana .

Adr. Go, Dromio ; there's the mony, bear it ftrait,


And bring thy mafter home immediately.
Come, fifter, I am preft down with conceit ;
Conceit, my comfort and my injury. [Exeunt

that I were gone.


It was two ere I left him, 1 and now the clock ftrikes
N
one .
Adr. The hour's come back, that I did never hear.
S. Dro. O yes, if any hour meet a ferjeant, it turns
back for very fear,
Adr. As if Time were in debt, how fondly doft thou 1
reafon ?
S. Dro. Time is a very bankrout, and owes more than
he's worth .
Nay, he's a thief too ; have you not heard men fay,
That Time comes ftealing on by night and day ?
If Time be in debt and theft, and a ferjeant in the way,
Hath he not reaſon to turn back an hour in a day ?
Enter, &c.
SCENE
40 The Comedy of ERRORS..

SCENE V.

The STREET .

Enter Antipholis of Syracufe.


S. Ant. Here's not a man I meet but doth falute me,
T As if I were their well-acquainted friend ;
And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender mony to me, fome invite me ;
Some other give me thanks for kindneſſes ; .
Some offer me commodities to buy.
Ev'n now a taylor call'd me in his ſhop,
And fhow'd me filks that he had bought for me,
And therewithal took meaſure of my body.
Sure,theſe are but imaginary wiles,
And Lapland forcerers inhabit here..

Enter Dromio of Syracufe..


8. Dro. Mafter, here's the gold you fent me for ;
what, have you got the picture of old Adam new ap
parel'd ?
S. Ant. What gold is this ? what Adam doſt thou
mean ?
S. Dro. Not that Adam that kept the paradife, but
that Adam that keeps the prifon ; he that goes in the
calves-skin, that was kill'd for the prodigal : he that.
came behind you, Sir, like an evil angel, and bid you
forfake your liberty.
S. Ant. I underſtand thee not.
S. Dro. No ? why ' tis a plain cafe ; he that went
like a bafe-viol in a cafe of leather ; the man , Sir,
that when gentlemen are tired gives them a fob, and
refts them ; he, Sir, that takes pity on decay'd mẹn,
and gives them fuits of durance ; he that fets up his .
reſt to do more exploits with his mace, than a moris
pike.
S. Ant.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 41
S. Ant. What ! thou mean'ft an officer ?
S. Dro. Ay, Sir, the ferjeant of the band ; he that
brings any man to anfwer it that breaks his bond ;
one that thinks a man always going to bed, and faith,
God give you good reſt.
S. Ant. Well, Sir, there reft in your foolery.
Is there any fhip puts forth to-night ? may we be gone ?
S. Dro. Why, Sir, I brought you word an hour fince,
that the bark Expedition puts forth to-night, and then
were you hinder'd by the ferjeant, to tarry for the
hoy Delay ; here are the angels that you fent for, to de
liver you .
S. Ant. The fellow is diftract, and fo am I,
And here we wander in illufions ;
Some bleffed power deliver us from hence.

SCENE VI.

Enter a Courtezan.

Cur. Well met, well met, mafter Antipholis.


I fee, Sir, you have found the goldsmith now :
Is that the chain you promis'd me to-day ?
S. Ant. Satan avoid, I charge thee tempt me not.*

tempt me not.
S. Dro. Mafter, is this miſtreſs Satan ?
S. Ant. It is the devil.
S. Dro, Nay fhe is worfe, fhe's the devil's dam ;
and here fhe comes in the habit of a light wench,
and thereof comes that the wenches fay, God dam
me, that's as much as to fay, God make me a light
wench, It is written, they appear to men like an
gels of light light is an effect of fire, and fire will
burn ; ergo, light wenches will burn ; come not near
her.
Cur. Your man and you are marvellous merry, Sir.
Will you go with me, we'll mend our dinner here ;
S. Dro. Mafter, if you do expect spoon-meat, be
ſpeak a long ſpoon .
S. Ant.
42 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Cur. Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner,
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 parings of one's
nail, a ruſh, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a nut,
a cherry ftone ; but the more covetous would have 1 a
chain. Mafter be wife, and if you give it her, the de
vil will ſhake her chain, and fright us with it.
Cur. I pray you Sir, my ring, or elfe the chain ;
I hope you do not mean to cheat me fo ?
S. Ant. Avant, thou witch ! come Dromio let us go .*
[Exeunt.

SCENE VII.

Cur. Now out of doubt Antipholis is mad ,


Elfe would he never fo demean himself.
• A ring he hath of mine worth ferty ducats,.
And for the fame he promis'd me a chain ;
Both one and other he denies me now.
The reafon that I gather he is mad,
(Befides this preſent inſtance of his rage)
Is a mad tale he told to-day at dinner,
Of his own doors being ſhut againſt his entrance.
Belike his wife acquainted with his fits

S. Ant. Why, Dromio ?


S. Dro. Marry, he muſt have a long ſpoon that muſt
eat with the devil.
S. Ant. Avoid thou fiend, what tell'st thou me of
fupping ?
Thou art (as you are all) a forceress :
I conjure thee to leave me and be gone.
Cur. Give me, &c.

let us go .
S. Dro. Fly pride, fays, the peacock ; miftrefs that
you know.
SCENE VII. &c.
On ?
The Comedy of ERRORS. 43
On purpoſe ſhut the doors against his way.
My way is now to hie home to his houfe,
And tell his wife ; that being lunatick,
He rush'd into my houſe, and took perforce
My ring away. This courfe I fitteſt chufe,.
For forty ducats is too much to lofe. [Exit.

SCENE VIII,

The STREET .

Enter Antipholis of Ephefus with a Jailor.


E Ant. Ear me not man, I will not break away,
F I'll give thee ere I leave thee ſo much
mony,
To warrant thee, as I am refted for.
My wife is in a wayward mood to-day,
And will not lightly truft the meffenger.
That I fhould be attach'd in Ephefus,
I tell you 'twill found harfhly in her ears.

Enter Dromio of Ephefus with a rope's-end.

Here comes my man, I think he brings the mony.


How. now, Sir, have you that I fent you for ?
. E. Dro. Here's that I warrant you will pay them all,
E. Ant. But where's the mony ?
E. Dro. Why, Sir, I gave the mony for the rope.
E. Ant. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope ?
E. Dro. I'll ferve you, Sir, five hundred at the rate.
E. Ant. To what end did I bid thee hie thee home ?
E. Dro. To a ropes-end, Sir, and to that end am I
return'd.
E. Ant. And to that end, Sir, I will welcome you .
[Beats Dro.
Off. Good Sir, be patient.
E. Dro. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient, I am in ad
verfity.
Offi.
44 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Offi. Good now hold thy tongue.
E. Dro. Nay, rather perfuade him to hold his hands.
E. Ant. Thou whorfon, fenfelefs villain!
E. Dro. I would I were fenfelefs, Sir, that I might
not feel your blows .
E. Ant. Thou art fenfible in nothing but blows, and
fo is an afs.
E. Dro. I am an afs indeed, you may prove it by
my long ears. I have ferv'd him from the hour of
my nativity to this inftant, and have nothing at his
hands for my fervice but blows. When I am cold,
he heats me with beating ; when I warm, he cools
me with beating ; I am wak'd with it when . I fleep,
rais'd with it when I fit, driven cut of doors with it .
when I go from home, welcom'd home with it when
I return ; nay I bear it on my fhoulders, as a beg
gar wont her brat ; and I think when he hath 1:m'd me,
I fhall beg with it from door to door.

SCENE IX .

Enter Adriana, Luciana, Courtezan and Pinch .

E. Ant. Come, go along ; my wife is coming yonder.


E. Dro. Miftrefs, refpice finem, refpect your end, or
rather prophefie like the parrot, beware the rope's- end.
E. Ant. Wilt thou ftill talk ? [Beats Dra..
Cur. How fay you now ? is not your husband mad ?
Adr. His incivility confirms no lefs.
Good doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer,
Eftablish him in his true fenfe again,
And I will pleafe you what you will demand.
Luc. Alas, how fiery and how fharp he looks !
Cur. Mark how he trembles in his ecftafie !
Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulfe.
E. Ant. There is my hand, and let it feel your ear.
Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, hous'd within this man,
To yield poffeffion to my holy prayers,
And to thy ftate of darknefs hie thee ftrait,
I conjure thee by all the faints in heav'n.
E. Ant. Peace, doating wizard, peace, I am not mad.
Adr
The Comedy of ERRORS. 45
Adr. Oh that thou wert not, poor diſtreſſed foul !
E. Ant. You minion you, are theſe your cuſtomers ?
Did this campanion with the faffron face
Revel and feaft it at my houfe to-day,
Whilft upon me the guilty doors were thut,
And I deny'd to enter in my houfe ?
Adr. Oh husband, God doth know you din'd at home,
Where would you had remain'd until this time,
Free from thefe flanders and this open fhame.
E. Ant. Din'd at home ? thou villain, what fay'ft thou ?
E. Dro. Sir, footh to fay, you did not dine at home.
E. Ant. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I fhut out ?
E. Dro. Perdie, your doors were lock'd, and you fhut
out..
E. Ant. And did not fhe her felf revile me there ?
E. Dro. Sans fable, the her felf revil'd you there.
E. Ant. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and ſcorn
me ?
E. Dro. Certes fhe did, the kitchen-veſtal ſcorn'd you .
E. Ant. And did not I in rage depart from thence ?
E Dro. In verity you did, my bones bear witneſs,
That fince have felt the vigour of your rage. -
Adr. Is't good to footh him intheſe contraires ?
Pinch. It is no fhame ; the fellow finds his vein,
And yielding to him, humours well his frenzy.
E. Ant. Thou haft fuborn'd the goldsmith to arreft me.
Adr. Alas, I fent you mony to redeem you,
By Dromio here, who came in hafte for it.
E. Dro. Mony by me ? heart and good-will you might,
But furely mafter not a rag of mony.
E. Ant. Went't not thou to her for a purſe of ducats ?
Adr. He came to me, and I deliver'd it.
Luc. And I am witnefs with her that he did.
E. Dro. God and the rope-maker do bear me witneſs,
That I was fent for nothing but a rope.
Pinch. Miſtreſs, both man and mafter are poffeft,
I know it by their pale and deadly looks ;
"They muſt be bound and laid in fome dark room.
E. Ant. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth to
day,
And
46 The Comedy of ERRORS.
And why doft thou deny the bag of gold ?
Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth.
E. Dro. And gentle mafter I receiv'd no gold,
But I confefs, Sir, that we were lock'd out.
Adr. Diffembling villain, thou fpeak'ft falfe in both.
E. Ant. Diffembling harlot, thou art falfe in all,
And art confederate with a damned pack,
To make a loathfome abject fcorn of me':
But with theſe nails I'll pluck out thoſe falſe eyes,
That would behold in me this fhameful fport.

Enter three orfour, and offer to bind him : Heftrives.

Adr. Oh bind him, bind him, let him not come near
me.
Pinch. More company, the fiend is ftrong within
him .
Luc. Ay me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks !
E. Ant. What, will you murther me ? thou jailor
thou,
I am thy prifoner, wilt thou fuffer them
To make a reſcue ?
Ofi. Mafters ; let him go :
He is my prifoner, and you fhall not have him..
Pinch. Go bind this man, for he is frantick too.
Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer ?
Haft thou delight to fee a wretched man
Do outrage and difpleaſure to himſelf ?
Off. He is my prifoner, if I let him go
The debt he owes will be requir'd of me.
Adr. I will difcharge thee, ere I go from thee ;
Bear me forthwith unto his creditor,
[They bind Ant. and Dro.
And knowing how the debt grows I will pay it.
Good mafter doctor fee him fafe convey'd
Home to my houfe. Oh moft unhappy day !
E. Ant. Oh moſt unhappy ftrumpet !
E. Dro. Mafter, I'm here enter'd in bond for you.
E. Ant. Out on thee, villain ! wherefore doft thou
mad me ?
E. Dre.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 47
E. Dro. Will you be bound for nothing ? be mad,
good maſter, cry the devil.
Luc. God help poor fouls, how idly do they talk !
Adr. Go bear him hence ; fifter, ſtay you with me.
Say now, whofe fuit is he arreſted at ?
[Exeunt Pinch, Ant. and Dro.

SCENE X.

Manent Officer, Adri . Luci. and Curtezan .


Offi. One Angelo, a goldfmith ; do you know him ?
Adr. I know the man ; what is the fum he owes ?
Off. Two hundred ducats .
Adr. Say, how grows it due ?
Ofi. Due for a chain your husband had of him.
Adr He did befpeak a chain for me, but had it not.
Cur. When as your husband all in rage to-day
Came to my houfe, and took away my ring,
(The ring I fawupon his finger now)
Strait after did I meet him with a chain.
Adr. It may be fo, but I did never fee it.
Come jailor, bring me where the goldſmith is,
I long to know the truth hereof at large.

SCENE XI.

Enter Antipholis Syracufan with his rapier drawn, and


Dromio Syrac .

Luc. God for thy mercy ! they are looſe again.


Adr. And come with naked fwords ;
Let's call more help to have them bound again.
Off. Away, they'll kill us. [They run out.
Manent Ant. and Dro.

S. Ant. I fee theſe witches are afraid of fwords.


S. Dro. She that would be your wife, now ran from
you,
S. Ant. Come to the Centaur, fetch our stuff from
thence :
I
dy RS
e me RO
48 Th Co of ER .
I long that we were fafe and found aboard .
S. Dro. Faith, ftay here this night, they will furely
do us no harm you faw they ipake us fair, gave us
gold ; methinks they are fuch a gentle nation, that but
for the mountain of mad fleſh that claims marriage of
me, I could find in my heart to ftay here ftill, and turn
witch.
S. Ant. I will not ſtay to-night for all the town,
Therefore away, to get out fuff aboard . [Exeunt.

********* : **********
AGAGNANGNATANG NGAGAGAGAGAGNONE GAGNT

ACT V. SCENE I.

A Street before a Priory.

Enter the Merchant and Angelo ..

ANGELO.

Am forry, Sir, that I have hinder'd you,


I But I proteft he had the chain of me,
Tho' moſt diſhoneſtly he did deny it.
• Mer. Howis the man efteem'd here in the city ?
Ang. Of very reverent reputation, Sir,
Of credit infinite, highly belov'd,
Second to none that lives here in the city
His word might bear my wealth at any time.
Mer. Speak foftly : yonder, as I think, he walks.

Enter Antipholis and Dromio of Syracuſe.

Ang. 'Tis fo ; and that ſelf chain about his neck,


Which he forfwore moft monftrofly to have.
Good Sir, draw near to me, I'll fpeak to him.
Signior Antipholis, I wonder much
That you would put me to this fhame and trouble,
And
The Comedy of ERRORS. 49
And not without fome ſcandal to your felf,
With circumftance and oaths fo to deny
This chain, which now you wear fo openly ;
Befides the charge, the fhame, impriſonment,
You have done wrong tothis my honeſt friend,
Who but for ftaying on our controverfie
Had hoifted fail, and put to fea to-day :
This chain you had of me, can you deny it ?
S. Ant. Ithink I had, I never did deny it.
Mer. Yes, that you did, Sir, and forfwore it too.
S. Ant. Who heard me to deny it or forfwear it ?
Mer. Thefe ears of mine thou knoweft did hear
thee :
Fie on thee, wretch, ' tis pity that thou liv'ft
To walk where any honeft men refort.
S. Ant. Thou art a villain to impeach me thus.
I'll prove mine honour and my honefty
Against thee prefently, if thou dar'ft and.
Mer. I dare, and do defie thee for a villain.
[They draw.

SCENE . IL

Enter Adriana, Luciana, Curtezan and others,


Adr. Hold, hurt him not for God's fake, he is mad ;
Some get within him , take his fword away :
Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my houfe,
S. Aro. Run, mafter, run, for God's fake take a
houte ;
This is fome Priory ; in, or we are ſpoil'd .
[Exeunt to the Priory.

Enter Lady Abbe .


Abb. Be quiet People, wherefore throng you hither ?
Adr. To fetch my poor diſtracted husband hence ;
Let us come in, that we may bind him faft,
And bear him home for his recovery.
Ang. I knew he was not in his perfect wits .
Mer. I'm forry now that I did draw on him.
C
50 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Abb. How long hath this poffeffion held the man ?
Adr. This week he hath been heavy, fower, fad,
And much, much different from the man he was ;
But ' till this afternoon his paffion
Ne'er brake into extremity of rage.
Abb. Hath he not loft much wealth by wreck at fea ?
Bury'd fome dear friend ? hathnot elfe his eye
Stray'd his affection in unlawful love ?
A fin prevailing much in youthful men,
Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing.
Which of theſe forrows is he fubject to ?
Adr. To none of thefe, except it be the last,
Namely, fome love that drew him oft from home.
Abb. Yeu fhould for that have reprehended him.
Adr. Why fo I did.
Abb. Ay, but not rough enough!
Adr. As toughly as my modefty would let me.
Abb. H.ply in private.
Adr. And in affemblies too.
Abb. Ay, but not enough ,
Adr. It was the copy of our conference.
In bed he flept not for my urging it ; 1
At board he fed not for my urging it ;
Alone it was the fubject of my theam ;
In company I cften glanc'd at it ;
Still did I tell him it was vile and bad,
Abb. And therefore came it that the man was mad.
The venom'd clamours of a jealous woman
Poifon more deadly than a mad dog's tooth.
It Yeems his fleeps were hinder'd by thy railing,
And thereof comes it that his head is light.
Thou fay'ft his meat was fauc'd with thy upbraidings,
Unquiet meals make ill digeftions.
Thereof the raging fire of fever bred ;
'
And what's a fever but a fit of madnefs ?
Thou fay't his fports were hinder'd with thy brawls.
Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth´ enfue,
Eut muddy and dull melancholy,
Kinſman to grim and comfortleís defpair,
And at her heels a huge infectious troop
Of
The Comedy of ERRORS. 51
Of pale diftemperatures, and foes to life ?
In food, in fport, and life-preferving reft
To be difturb'd would mad or manor beaft :
The confequence is then, thy jealous fits
Have fear'd thy husband from the ufe of wits.
Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly,
When he demean'd himfelf rough, rude, and wildly.
Why bearyou thefe rebukes, and anfwer not ?
Adr. She did betray me to my own reproof.
Good people enter, and lay hold on him.
Abb. No, not a creature enters in my houfe.
Adr. Then let your fervants bring my husband forth.
Abb. Neither ; he took this place for fa ::Stuary,
And it fhall privilege him from your hands,
' Till I have brought him to his wits again,
Or lofe my labour in affaying it.
Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse,
Diet his fickneſs, for it is my office,
And will have no attorney but my ſelf,
And therefere let me have him home with me..
Abb. Be patient, for I will not let him ftir,
'Till I have us'd th' approved means I have,
With wholfome fyrups, drugs, and holy prayers
To make of him a formal man again ;
It is a branch and parcel of mine oath,
A charitable duty of my order ;
Therefore depart and leave him here with me,
Adr. I will not hence, and leave my husband here i
And ill it doth befeem your holiness
To feparate the husband and the wife.
Abb. Be quiet and depart, thou shalt not have him,
Luc. Complain unto the Duke of this indignity.
Adr, Come go, I will fall proftrate at his feet,
And never rife, until my tears and prayers
Have won his Grace to come in perion hither,
And take perforce my husband from the Abbeís.
Enter Merchant and Angelo .

Mer. By this I think the dial points at five :


Anon I'm fure the Duke himſelf in perfon
C 2 Comes
52 The Comedy of ERRORS.
Comes this way to the melancholy vale ;
The place of death and forry execution.
Behind the ditches of the abbey here.
Ang. Upon what cauſe ?
Mer. To fee a reverend Syracufan merchant,
Who put unluckily into this bay
Against the laws and ftatutes of this town,
Beheaded publickly for his offence.
Ang. See where they come, we will behold his death,
Luc. Kneel to the Duke before he paſs the abbey.

SCENE . III.

Enter the Duke, and Ageon bare-headed, with the


Headfman, and other Officers.
Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publickly.
If any friend will pay the fum for him
He ſhall not die, fo much we tender him.
Adr. Juftice, moft facred Duke, againſt the Abbefs.
Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady ;
It cannot be that he hath dene thee wrong.
Adr. May it pleafe your Grace, Antipholis my huf
band,
Whom I made lord of me and all I had,
At your important letters , this ill day
A moft outragious fit of madneſs took him,
Thas defp'rately he hurry'd through the ſtreet,
With him his bondmen all as mad as he,
Doing difpleafure to the citizens,
By rushing in their houles ; bearing thence
Rings, jewels, any thing his rage did like.
Once did I get him bound, and fent him home,
Whilft 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 thofe that had the guard of him,
And with his mad attendant and himſelf,
Each one with ireful paffion, with drawn fwords
Met us again, and madly bent on us,
Chas'd us away ; 'till raifing of more aid
We
The Comedy of ERRORS . 53
We came again to bind them ; then they fled
Into this abbey, whither we purfu'd them ,
And here the Abbefs fhuts the gates on us,
And will not fuffer us to fetch him out,
Nor fend him forth that we may bear him hence.
Therefore, moft gracious Duke, with thy command,
Let him be brought forth, and born hence for help.
Duke. Long fince thy hufband ferv'd me in my wars,
And I to thee ingag'd a Prince's word,
When thou didst make him mafter of thy bed,
To do him all the grace and good I could.
Go fome of you knock at the abbey gate,
And bid the lady Abbefs come to me.
I will determine this before I ftir.

SCENE IV ..
Enter a Miffenger.
Me. O miftrefs, miftrefs, fhift and fave your feif;
My mafter and his man are both broke loofe,"
Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor,
Whoſe beard they have fing'doff with brands of fire ;
And ever as it blaz'd, they threw on him
Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair ;
My mafter preaches patience to him, and the while
His man with fciffars nicks him like a fool :
And fure, unless you fend fome prefent help,
Between them they will kill the conjurer.
Adr. Peace fool, thy mafter and his man are here,
And that is falfe thou doft report to us .
Meff. Miftrefs, upon my life I tell you true,
I have not breath'd almoft fince I did fee it.
He crys for you , and vows if he can take
you,
To fcorch your face, and to disfigure you .
[ Cry within
Hark, hark, I hear him , miftrefs ; fly, be gone.
Duke. Come ftand by me, fear nothing guard with
halberds. ?
Adr. Ay me, it is my hufband ; witness you,
That he is born about invifible.
C 3 Ev'n
54 The Comedy of ERRORS,
Ev'n now we hous'd him in the abbey here,
And now he's there, pait thought of human reafon.

SCENE V.

Enter Antipholis and Dromio of Eph .


E. Ant. Juftice, moft gracious Duke, oh grant me
jultice.
Even for the fervice that long fince I did thee,
When I beftrid thee in the wars, and took
Deep fears to fave thy life, even for the blood
That then I loft for thee, now grant me juſtice.
Egeon. Unless the fear of death doth make me dote,
I fee my fon Antipholis, and Dromio.
E. Ant. Juftice, ſweet Prince, against that woman
there ;
She whom thou gav't to me to be my wife ;
That hath abufed and difhonour'd me,
Ev'n in the fixength and height of injury ;
Beyond imagination is the wrong
That fhe this day hath fhameleſs thrown on me.
Duke. Difcover how, and thou shalt find me juft.
E. Ant. This day, great Duke, the hut the doors up
on me ;
Whilft the with harlots feated in my: houſe.
Duke. A grievous fault ; fay woman, didst thou fo ?
Adr. No, my good lord ; my telf,, he and my fifter,
To-day did dine together ; fo befal ny foul,
As this is falfe he burthens me withal.
Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor fleep on night,
But fhe tells to your Highness fimple truth.
Ang. O perjur'd woman they are both forfwora,
In this the mad-mau juftly chargeth them.
E. Ant. My Liege, I am advifed what I fay.
Neither difturb'd with the effect of wine,
Nor heady rash provok'd with raging ire,
Albeit my wrongs might make one wifer mad .
This woman lock'd me out this day from dinner
That goldfinith there, were he not pack'd with her,
Could witness it ; for he was with me then,
Who
The Comedy of ERRORS 35
Who parted with me to go fetch a chain,
Promifing to bring it to the Porcupine,
Where Balthazar and I did dine together.
Our dinner done, and he not coming thither,
I went to feek him ; in the ſtreet I met him,
And in his company that gentleman.
There did this perjur'd goldímith fwear me down,
That I this day from him receiv'd the chain,
Which God he knows I faw not ; for the which
He did arreft me with an officer.
I did obey, and fent my peaſant home
For certain ducats he with none return'd.
Then fairly I befpoke the officer
To go in perſon with me to my houſe.
By th'way we met my wife, her fifter, and
A rabble more of vile confederates ;
They brought one Pinch, a hungry lean-fac'd villain,
• A meer anatomy, a mountebank,
A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune teller,
Aneedy, hollow ey'd, fharp-looking-wretch,
A living dead man. This pernicious flave
Forfooth took on him as a conjurer ;
And gazing in my eyes, feeling my pulfe,
And with no face, as ' twere, out- facing me,
Cries out I was poffeft. Then all together
They fell upon me, bound me, bore me thence,
And in a dark and dankith vault at home
"
There left me and my man, both bound together
"Till gnawing with myteeth my bonds afunder,
1 I gain'd my freedom , and immediately
Ran hither to your Grace, whom I befeech
To give me ample fatisfaction
For thefe deep thames and great Indignities.
Ang. My lord, in truth thus far I witnefs with him ;
That he din'd not at home, but was lock'd out.
Duke. But had he fuch a chain of thee, or no ?
Ang. He had, my lord ; and when he ran in here,
Theſe People faw the chain about his neck.
Mer. Befides I will be fworn thefe ears of mine
Heard you confefs you had the chain of him,
After
56 The Comedy of ERRORS.
. After you firft forfwore it on the mart,
And thereupon I drew my fword on you ;
And then you fled into this abbey here,
From whence I think you're come by miracle.
E. Ant. I never came within theſe abbey walls,
Nor ever didst thou draw thy fword on me ;
I never faw the chain, fo help me heav'n ;
And this is falſe you burthen me withal .
Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this ?
I think you all have drunk of Circe's cup :
If here you hous'd him, here he would have been,
If he were mad, he would not plead fo coldly :
You fay he din'd at home, the goldsmith here
Denies that faying, Sirrah, what ſay you ?
E. Dro, Sir, he din'd with her there, at the Porcu
pine.
Cur. He did, and from my finger fnatch'd that ring.
E. Ant. 'Tis true, my Liege, this ring I had of her.
Dnke. Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here ?
Cur. As fure, my Liege, as I do fee your Grace.
Duke. Why this is ftrange ; go call the Abbefs hi
ther ';
I think you are all mated, or ſtark mad .
[Ex. one to the Abbefs.

SCENE VI.

Egeon. Moft mighty Duke, vouchfafe me fpeak a


word :
Haply I fee a friend will fave my life,
And pay the fum that may deliver me.
Duke. Speak freely, Syracufan, what thou wilt.
Egeon. Is not your name, Sir, call'd Antipholis ?
And is not that your bond-man Dormio ?
E. Dro. Within this hour I was his bond-man, Sir,
But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords,
Now am I Dormio, and his man unbound .
Egeon. I am fure both of you remember me.
E. Dro. Our felves we do remember, Sir, by you ;
For lately we were bound as you are now.
You
The Comedy of ERRORS. 57

You are not Pinch's patient, are you , Şir ?


geon. Why look you ftrange on me? you know
me well.
E. Ant. I never faw you in my life till now.
Egeon. Oh! grief hath chang'd me fince you faw
me laft.
And careful hours with time's deformed hand
Have written ftrange defeatures in my face ;
But tell me yet, doft thou not know my Voice ?
E. Ant. Neither.
Egeon. Dormio, nor thou ?
E. Dro. No, trust me, nor I,
Ægeon. I am fure thou doft.
E. Dro. I, Sir ? but I am fure I do not ; and what
foever a man denies, you are now bound to believe
him .
geon. Not know my voice ! oh time's extremity,
Haft thou fo crack'd and ſplitted my poor tongue
In ſeven ſhort years, that here my only fon
Knows not my feeble key of untun'd cares ?
Tho' now this grained face of mine be hid
In fap-confuming winter's drizled fnow,
And all the conduits of my blood froze up ;
Yet hath my night of life fome memory,
6
My wafting lamp fome fading glimmer left
My dull deaf ears a little ufe to hear :
• All theſe old witneffes, I cannot err,
6
Tell me thou art my fon Antipholis.
E. Ant. I never faw my Father in my life.
Egeon. But feven years fince, in Syracufa bay,
Thou know't we parted ; but perhaps my fon,
Thou fham'it t'acknowledge me in mifery.
E. Ant . The Duke, and all that know me in the city,
Can witneſs with me that it is not fo :
I ne'er faw Syracufa in my life.
Duke. I tell thee, Syracufan ; twenty years
Have I been patron to Antipholis,
During which time he ne'er faw Syracufa :
I fee thy age and dangers make thee dote.

SCENE
58 The Comedy of ERRORS.

SCENE VII.

Enter the Abbess, with Antipholis Syracufan and


Dromio Syracufan.

Abb. Most mighty Duke, behold a man much wrong'd,


[ All gather to fee him.
Adr. Ifee two hufbands, or mine eyes deceive me.
Duke. One of theſe men is Genius to the other ;
And fo ofthefe which is the natural man,
And which the fpirit ? who deciphers them ?
S. Dro. I, Sir, am Dromio, command him away.
E. Dro. I, Sir, am Dremio, pray let me ftay.
S. Ant. Egeon, art thou not ? or elfe his ghoft ?
S. Dro O, my old mafter who hath bound him
here ?
Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loofe his bonds,
And gain a huſband by his liberty.
Speak, old Egeon, if theu be'ft the man
That hadft a wife once call'd Emilia,
That bore thee at a burthen two fair fons ?
Oh if thou be'ft the fame #geon, fpeak ;
And fpeak unto the fame Emilia.
Duke. Why here begins the morning fiory right :
Thefe two Antipholis's, these two fo like,
And thofe two Dromio's, one in femblance ;
Befides her urging of her wrack at fea,
Theſe plainly are the parents to theſe children,
Which accidentally are met together.
Egeon. IfI dream not, thou art Æmilia ;
If thou art fhe, tell me where is that fon
That floated with thee on the fatal raft.
·Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he and I,
And the twin Dromio, all were taken up ;
But by and by rude fiſhermen of Corinth
By force took Dromio and my fon from them,
And me they left with thofe of Epidamnum.
What then became ofthem I cannot tell ;
I, to this fortune that you fee me in.
Duke. Antipholis, thou cam'ft from Corinth first.
S. Ant.
The Comedy of ERRORS. 59
S. Ant. No, Sir, not I, I came from Syracuse.
Duke. Stay, ftand apart, I know not which is
which.
E. Ant. I came from Corinth, my most gracious Lord.
E. Dro. And I with him.
E. Ant. Brought to this town by that most famous
warrior,
Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle.
Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-day ?
S, Ant. I, gentle miſtreſs.
Adr. And are not you my huſband ?
E. Ant. No, I fay nay to that.
S. Ant. And fo do I, yet fhe did call me ſo :
And this fair gentlewoman here
Did call me brother. What I told you then,
I hope I fhall have leifure to make good,
If this be not a dream I fee and hear.
Ang. That is the chain, Sir, which you had of me,
S. Ant. I think it be, Sir, I deny it not.
Adr. And you, Sir, for this chain arreſted me.
Ang. I think I did, Sir, I deny it not..
Adr. I fent you mony, Sir, to be yourbail
By Domin, but I think he brought it not.
E. Dro. No, none by me,
S. Ant. This purfe of ducats I receiv'd from you,
And Dramio my man did bring them me :
I fee we ftill did meet each other's man,
And I was ta'en for him, and he for me,
And thereupon thefe errors all arofe .
E. Ant. Thefe ducats pawn I for my father here.
Duke. It fhall not need, thy father hath his life.
Cur. Sir, I muſt have that diamond from you.
E. Ant. There take it, and much thanks for my
good cheer.
Abb. Renowned Duke , vouchfafe to take the pains
To go with us into the abbey here,
And hear at large difcourfed all our fortunes :
And all that are affembled in this place,
That by this fympathiz'd one day's error

Have
60 The Comedy of ERRORS.
j
Have fuffer'd wrong ; go, keep us company,
And ye fhall have full fatisfaction ,
Thirty three years have I been gone in travel
Of you my fons, and ' till this preſent hour
My heavy burthens are delivered ;
The Duke, my huſband, and my children both,
And youthe kalenders of their nativity,
Go to a goflip's feaft, and go with me,
After fo long grief ſuch nativity !
Duke. With all my heart I'll goffip at this feaft.

SCENE VIII.

Manent the two Antiph, and two Dromio's.


S. Dro. Mafter, fhall I fetch your Stuff from fhip
board ?
E. Ant. Diomio, what stuff of mine haft thou im
bark'd ?
S, Dro. Your goods that lay at hoft, Sir, in the Centaur.
S. Ant. He speaks to me ; I am your mafter,. Dromio.
Come go with us, we'll look to that anon ;
Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him . [ Exit.
S, Dro. There is a fat friend at your master's houſe,
"That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner :
She now fhall be my fifter, not my wife.
E. Dro. Methinks you are my glafs, and not my
brother :
I fee by you I am a fweet fac'd youth .
Will you walk in to fee their goffiping ?
S. Dro. Not I, Sir ; you're my elder,
E. Dro. That's a queſtion :
How fhall I try it ?
S. Dro. We'll draw cuts for the fenior :
'Till then, lead thou firft,
E. Dro. Nay, then thus [ Embracing
We came into the world like brother and brother :
And now let's go hand in hand not one before ano
ther. [Exeunt.

FINI
APR
+

1.
1
PRESERVATION SERVICE
---------------------------------‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒

SHELFMARK ! 763 ppp 53

THIS BOOK HAS BEEN

MICROFILMED ( 1994 )
RPI

MICROFILM NO SEE ESTC


53

TC

James Sheppard Scott.

46, Kensington Park Gardens ,


W. 11 .

You might also like