Who, but for staying on our controversy, Ant. S. Thou art a villain to impeach me thus. [They draw. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, Courtesan, and others. Adr. Hold; hurt him not, for God's sake; he is mad;Some get within him, take his sword away; Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house. Dro. S. Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house. This is some priory;-in, or we are spoiled. [Exeunt ANTIPH. and DRO. to the priory. Enter the Abbess. 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 fast, And bear him home for his recovery. Ang. I knew he was not in his perfect wits. Mer. I am sorry now, that I did draw on him. Abb. How long hath this possession held the man? Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, And much different from the man he was; But, till this afternoon, his passion Ne'er brake into extremity of rage. Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck of sea? Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye Strayed his affection in unlawful love? A sin prevailing much in youthful men, Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; Abb. Ay, but not rough enough. Adr. As roughly as my modesty would let me. Adr. Abb. Ay, but not enough. And in assemblies too. Adr. It was the copy of our conference. Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. Abb. And thereof came it, that the man was mad. The venom clamors of a jealous woman Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. It seems his sleeps were hindered by thy railing; And thereof comes it that his head is light. Thou say'st his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings; Unquiet meals make ill digestions, Thereof the raging fire of fever bred; And what's a fever but a fit of madness? Thou say'st his sports were hindered by thy brawls; (Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair,) Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house. Adr. Then, let your servants bring my husband forth. Abb. Neither; he took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands, Till I have brought him to his wits again, Or lose my labor in assaying it. Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, And therefore let me have him home with me. With wholesome sirups, drugs, and holy prayers, 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; And ill it doth beseem your holiness, To separate the husband and the wife. Abb. Be quiet, and depart; thou shalt not have him. [Exit Abbess. Luc. Complain to the duke of this indignity. Adr. Come, go; I will fall prostrate at his feet, And never rise until my tears and prayers Have won his grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the abbess. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five. Anon, I am sure, the duke himself in person Comes this way to the melancholy vale; The place of death and sorry execution, Behind the ditches of the abbey here. Ang. Upon what cause? Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Who put unluckily into this bay Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publicly for his offence. Ang. See, where they come; we will behold his death. Luc. Kneel to the duke, before he pass the abbey. Enter Duke, attended; ÆGEON, bareheaded; with the Headsman and other Officers. Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publicly, If any friend will pay the sum for him, He shall not die; so much we tender him. Adr. Justice, most sacred duke, against the abbess! Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady; It cannot be, that she hath done thee wrong. Adr. May it please your grace, Antipholus, my husband,— Whom I made lord of me and all I had, At your important letters,-this ill day A most outrageous fit of madness took him; By rushing in their houses, bearing thence Whilst to take order for the wrongs I went, He broke from those that had the guard of him; Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. When thou didst make him master of thy bed, I will determine this, before I stir. Enter a Servant. Serv. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! My master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor, Whose beard they have singed off with brands of fire; And ever as it blazed they threw on him Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair. My master preaches patience to him, and the while And, sure, unless you send some present help, Adr. Peace, fool; thy master and his man are here; And that is false, thou dost report to us. Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breathed almost, since I did see it. He cries for you, and vows, if he can take you, To scorch your face, and to disfigure you. [Cry within. Hark, hark, I hear him, mistress; fly, begone. Duke. Come, stand by me; fear nothing. Guard with halberds! Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, That he is borne about invisible. Even now we housed him in the abbey here; Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Ephesus. Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke, O, grant me justice! Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there, Even in the strength and height of injury! Beyond imagination is the wrong, That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. Duke. Discover how, and thou shalt find me just. Ant. E. This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me, While she with harlots feasted in my house. Duke. A grievous fault. Say, woman, didst thou so? Adr. No, my good lord;-myself, he, and my sister, To-day did dine together. So befall my soul, As this is false he burdens me withal! Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, But she tells to your highness simple truth! Ang. O perjured woman! they are both forsworn. Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say; There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down, I did obey; and sent my peasant home |