S. Dro. Not that Adam, that kept the paradife; but that Adam, that keeps the prifon; he that in the goes calves-skin, that was kill'd for the prodigal; he that Sir, like an evil angel, and bid you came behind you, forfake your liberty.

S. Ant. I understand thee not.

S. Dro. No why, 'tis a plain cafe; he that went like a base-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 men, and gives 'em fuits of durance; he, that fets up his reft to do more exploits with his mace, than a morris-pike.

S. Ant. What! thou mean'ft an officer?

S. Dro. Ay, Sir, the ferjeant of the band; he, that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his bond; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and faith, God give you good reft!

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 deliver you.

S. Ant. The fellow is distract, and so am I, And here we wander in illufions;

deliver us from hence!

Enter a Courtezan.

Cour. 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. 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 angels of light; light

is

is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn; come not near her.

Cour. 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, befpeak a long spoon.

S. Ant. Why, Dromio?

S. Dro. Marry, he must have a long spoon, that muft eat with the devil.

S. Ant. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'ft thou me of fupping?

Thou art, as you are all, a forceress :

I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone.

Cour. 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 cherrytone: but fhe, more covetous, would have a chain. Master, be wife; an if you give it her, the devil will hake her chain, and fright us with it."

Cour. I pray you, Sir, my ring, or elfe the chain; I hope, you do not mean to cheat me fo?

S. Ant. Avaunt, thou witch! come, Dromio, let us go. 8. Dro. Fly pride, fays the peacock; mistress, that you know. [Exeunt.

Manet Courtezan.

Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholis is mad;
Elfe would he never so demean himself.
A ring he hath of mine worth forty 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 prefent inftance of his rage)
Is a mad tale he told to day at dinner,
Of his own door being fhut against his entrance.
Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now to hie home to his house,
K 2

And

And tell his wife, that, being lunatick,
He rush'd into my houfe, and took perforce
My ring away. This courfe I fittest chuse;
For forty ducats is too much to lose.

SCENE changes to the Street.
Enter Antipholis of Ephefus, with a Jailer.

E. Ant.

[Exit.

EAR me not, man; I will not break away:
I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, fo 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 harshly 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 rope's-end, Sir; and to that end am
return'd.

E. Ant. And to that end, Sir, I will welcome you. [Beats Dromic

Offi. Good Sir, be patient. E. Dro. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in ad verfity.

Offi. Good now, hold thy tongue.

E. Dro. Nay, rather perfuade him to hold his hands
E. Ant. Thou whorfon, fenfeless villain!

E. Dre. I would, I were senseless, Sir, that I migh not feel your blows.

E. Ant. Thou art fenfible in nothing but blows, and fo is an ass.

E. Dro

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 am warm, he cools me with beating; I am wak'd with it, when I fleep; rais'd with it, when I fit; driven out 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 beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he hath lam'd me, I fhall beg with it from door to door.

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 the prophecie, like the parrot, beware the rope's

end..

E. Ant. Wilt thou ftill talk ?

[Beats Dromio. Cour. How fay you now? is not your husband mad ? Adr. His incivility confirms no lefs.

Good Doctor Pinch, you are a Conjurer,
Establish him in his true fenfe again,

And I will please you what you will demand.
Luc. Alas, how fiery and how fharp he looks!
Cour. Mark, how he trembles in his extafie!
Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse.
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 darkness hie thee ftrait,

I conjure thee by all the Saints in heav'n.

E. Ant. Peace, doating wizard, peace; I am not mad. Adr. Oh, that thou wert not, poor diftreffed foul!

E. Ant. You minion, you, are these your customers? Did this companion with the faffron face

Revel and feast it at my houfe to day,
Whilft upon me the guilty doors were fhut,
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 I at home? thou villain, what fay't 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 herfelf revile me there?
E. Dro. Sans fable, fhe herself revil'd you there.
E. Ant. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and
fcorn me?

E. Dro. Certes, fhe did, the kitchen-veftal scorn'd you.
E. Ant. And did I not 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 in thefe contraries ? 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 arrest

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'ft not thou to her for a purfe 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. Miftrefs, 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 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 goid, But I confefs, Sir, that we were lock'd out. Adr. Diffembling villain, thou speak ft false in both. E. Ant.