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For better times to come:

Her brother's ghost his paved bed would break, And take her hence in horror.

Mari. Isabel,

Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me;

Hold up your hands, say nothing, I'll speak all.
They say best men are moulded out of faults;
And, for the most, become much more the better
For being a little bad; so may my husband.
Oh, Isabel! will you not lend a knee?
Duke. He dies for Claudio's death.
Isab. Most bounteous sir,
[Kneeling.
Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd
As if my brother liv'd: I partly think,
A due sincerity govern'd his deeds,
Till he did look on me; since it is so,
Let him not die: my brother had but justice,
In that he did the thing for which he dy'd :
For Angelo,

-Friar, advise him;

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[jects; 20

His act did not o'ertake his bad intent;
And must be bury'd but as an intent,
That perish'd by the way: thoughts are no sub-
Intents, but merely thoughts.

Mari. Merely, my lord.

[say.

Duke. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up,

I

25

I have bethought me of another fault :-
Provost, how came it, Claudio was beheaded
At an unusual hour?

Prov. It was commanded so.

Duke. Had you a special warrant for the deed?
Prov. No, my good lord; it was by private 30
message.
[tice:

Duke. For which I do discharge you of your of
Give up your keys.

Prov. Pardon me, noble lord:

I thought it was a fault, but knew it not;
Yet did repent me after more advice':
For testimony whereof, one in the prison,
That should by private order else have dy'd,
I have reserv'd alive.

Duke. What's he?

Prov. His name is Barnardine. [dio.Duke. I would, thou had'st done so by ClauGo, fetch him hither; let me look upon him. [Exit Provost. Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise As you, lord Angelo, have still appear'd, Should slip so grossly, both in the heat of blood, And lack of temper'd judgment afterward.

Ang. I am sorry that such sorrow I procure: And so deep sticks it in my penitent heart, That I crave death more willingly than mercy: 'Tis my deserving, and I do entreat it. [lietta. Re-enter Provost, Barnardine, Claudio, and JuDuke. Which is that Barnardine? Prov. This, my lord.

Duke. There was a friar told me of this man:Sirrah, thou art said to have a stubborn soul, That apprehends no further than this world, Andsquar'stthylifeaccordingly: thou'rtcondemn'd; But, for those earthly faul, I quit them all; I pray thee, take this mercy to provide

35

yours.

I find an apt remission in myself;

And yet here's one in place I cannot pardon ;—
You, sirrah, that knew me for a fool, a coward,

One all of luxury, an ass, a madman;
Wherein have I deserved so of you,
That you extol me thus?

[To Lucio.

Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick: if you will hang me for it, you may, but I had rather it would please you, I might be whipp'd.

Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.— Proclaim it, provost, round about the city; If any woman's wrong'd by this lewd fellow, (As I have heard him swear himself, there's one Whom he begot with child) let her appear, And he shall marry her: the nuptial finish'd, Let him be whipp'd and hang'd.

Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said, even now, I made you a duke; good, my lord, do not recompense me, in making me a cuckold.

Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. 40 Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal

45

Remit thy other forfeits :-Take him to prison: And see our pleasure herein executed.

Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.— She, Claudio, that you wrong'd, look you restore. Joy to you, Mariana! love her, Angelo;

I have confess'd her, and I know her virtue.— Thanks,good friend Escalus, for thymuch goodness; 50 There's more behind, that is more gratulate ". Thanks, provost, for thy care and secrecy; We shall employ thee in a worthier place:Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home The head of Ragozine for Claudio's: 55 The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel,

I have a motion much imports your good; Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline, What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine: So bring us to our palace; where we'll shew 60 What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know. [Exeunt.

That is, according to my custom.

That is, consid 'ration. 2 That is, requites. ing carnal offence. 5 hat is, more to be rejoiced in.

* Mean

COMEDY

COMEDY OF ERRORS.

PERSONS

SOLINUS, Duke of Ephesus. ÆGEON, a Merchant of Syracuse.

ANTIPHOLIS of Ephesus,

REPRESENTED.

Twin Brothers and Sons to Ageon and

known to each other.

ANTIPHOLIS of Syracuse,) Amilu, but unDROMIO of Ephesus, Twin Brothers and Slaves DROMIO of Syracuse, to the two Antipholis's. BALTHAZAR, a Merchant.

ANGELO, a Goldsmith.

A Merchant, Friend to Antipholis of Syracuse.
DR. PINCH, a Schoolmaster and a Conjurer.

EMILIA, Wife to Ægeon, an Abbess at Ephesus.
ADRIANA, Wife to Antipholis of Ephesus.
LUCIANA, Sister to Adriana.

LUCE, Servant to Adriana.
A Courtezan.

Jailor, Officers, and other Attendants.
SCENE, Ephesus.

SCENE I.

The Duke's Palace.

A C T I.

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And, by the doom of death, end woes and all.
Duke. Merchant of Siracusa, plead no more;
I am not partial, to infringe our laws:
The enmity and discord, which of late
Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke
To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,-
Who, wanting gilders to redeem their lives,
Have seal'd his rigorous statutes with their bloods,
Excludes all pity from our threat'ning looks.
For, since the mortal and intestine jars
Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us,
It hath in solemn synods been decreed,
Both by the Syracusans and ourselves,
To admit no traffic to our adverse towns:
Nay, more; If any, born at Ephesus,
Be seen at Syracusan marts and fairs,
Again, if any, Syracusan born,

Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies,
His goods confiscate to the duke's dispose,
Unless a thousand marks be levied,
To quit the penalty, and to ransom him.
Thy substance, valu'd at the highest rate,
Cannot amount unto a hundred marks;
Therefore, by law thou art condemn'd to die.
Ageon. Yet this my comfort; when your words
are done,

5

My woes end likewise with the evening sun. Duke. Well, Syracusan, say, in brief, the cause Why thou departedst from thy native home; And for what cause thou cam'st to Ephesus.

Egeon. A heavier task could not have been imThan I to speak my griefs unspeakable: [pos'd, Yet, that the world may witness, that my end Was wrought by nature,not by vile offence, I'll utter what my sorrow gives me leave. 10In Syracusa 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 prosperous voyages I often made 15 To Epidamnum, till my factor's death; And he, great care of goods at random left, Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse; From whom my absence was not six months old, Before herself (almost at fainting, under

20 The pleasing punishment that women bear)
Had made provision for her following me,
And soon, and safe, arrived where I was.
There she had not been long, but she became
A joyful mother of two goodly sons;

25 And, which was strange, the one so like the other
As could not be distinguish'd but by names.
That very hour, and in the self-same inn,
A poor mean woman was delivered

Of such a burden, male twins, both alike: 30 Those (for their parents were exceeding poor) I bought, and brought up to attend my sons. My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys, [Made daily motions for our home return:

Unwilling

Unwilling I agreed; alas, too soon.
We came aboard:

A league from Epidamnum had we sail'd,
Before the always-wind-obeying deep
Gave any tragic instance of our harm:
But longer did we not retain much hope;
For what obscured light the heavers did grant,
Did but convey unto our fearful minds

A doubtful warrant of immediate death; [brac'd,

Do me the favour to dilate at full
What hath befall'n of them, and thee, till now.
Ageon. My youngest boy, and yet my eldest
At eighteen years became inquisitive [care,

5 After his brother; and importun'd me,
That his attendant (for his case was like,
Reft of his brother, but retain'd his name,)
Might bear him company in quest of him :
Whom whilst I labour'd of a love to see,

Which though myself would gladly have em-101 hazarded the loss of whom I lov'd.

Yet the incessant weepings of my wife,
Weeping before, for what she saw must come,
And piteous phinings of the pretty babes,
That mourn'd for fashion, ignovant what to fear,
Fore'd me to seek delays for them and me.
And this it was,--for other means were none.-
The sailors sought for salety by our beat,
And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us:
My wife, more careful for the latter-born,
Had fasten'd him into a small spare mast,
Such as sea-faring men provide for storms;
To him one of the other twins was bound,
Whilst I had been like heedful of the other.
The children thus dispos'd, my wife and 1,
Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fix'd,
Fasten'd ourselves at either end the mast;
And floating straight, obedient to the stream,
Were carry'd towards Corinth, as we thought.
At length the sun, gazing upon the earth,
Dispers'd those vapours that offended us;
And, by the benefit of his wish'd light,
The seas wax'd calm, and we discovered
Two ships from far making amain to us,
Of Corinth that, of Epidaurus this:
But, ere they came,-Oh, let me say no more!
Gather the sequel by that went before.

[so;

Duke. Nay, forward, old man, do not break off
For we may pity, though not pardon thee.

Egon. Oh, had the gods done so, I had not now
Worthily term'd them merciless to us!
For ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues,
We were encountered by a nighty rock;
Which being violently borne upon,

Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst,
So that, in this unjust divorce of us,
Fortune had left to both of us alike
What to delight in, what to sorrow for.
Her part, poor soul! seeming as burdened
With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe,
Was carry'd with more speed before the wind;
And in our sight they three were taken up
By fishermen of Corinth, as we thought.
At length, another ship had seiz'd on ts;
And, knowing whom it was their hap to save,
Gave helpful welcome to their shipwreck'dguests;
And would have reft the fisher of his
prey,
Had not their bark been very slow of sail,[course.
And therefore homeward did they bend their
Thus have you heard me severed from my bliss;
That by misfortune was my life prolong’d,
To tell sad stories of my own mishaps.
Duke. And, for the sakes of them thou sorrowest

[for,

Five summers have I spent in farthest Greece,
Roaming clean' through the bounds of Asia,
And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus;
Hopeless to find, yet loth to leave unsought,
15 Or that, or any place that harbours men.
But here must end the story of my life;
And happy were I in my timely death,
Could all my travels warrant me they live. [mark'd
Duke. Hapless Egeon, whom the fates have
20 To bear the 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 disannul,
My soul should sue as advocate for thee.
25 But, though thou art adjudged to the death,
And passed sentence may not be recall'd,
But to our honour's great disparagement,
Yet will I favour thee in what I can;
Therefore, merchant, I'll limit thee this day,
30 To seek thy help by beneficial help:
Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus;
Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum,
And live; if not, then thou art doom'd to die :-
Jailor, take him to thy custody.[Ex. Duke & train,
Jail. I will, my lord.
Ageon. Hopeless, and heipless, doth Egeon
But to procrastinate his lifeless end.

35

40

[wend',

[Exeunt Ageon and Jailor,

SCENE II.

Changes to the Street.

Enter Antipholis of Syracuse, a Merchant, and

Dromio.
[num,
Mer. Therefore give out, you are of Epidam-
45 Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate.
This very day, a Syracusan merchant
Is apprehended for arrival here;
Aud, not being able to buy out his life,
According to the statute of the town,

50 Dies ere the weary sun set in the west,
There is your money, that I had to keep. [host,
Ant. Go bear it to the Centaur, where we
And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee.
Within this hour it will be dinner-time:

55 Till that, I'll view the manners of the town,
Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings,
And then return, and sleep within mine inn;
For with long travel I am stiff and weary.
Get thee away.
[word,
Dro. Many a man would take you at your
And go indeed, having so good a means.
[Exit Dromia.

60

2

Clean is still used in the North of England instead of quite, fully, completely. That is, go. Ant,

Ant. A trusty villain, sir; that very oft,
When I am dull with care and melancholy,
Lightens my humour with his merry jests.
What, will you walk with me about the town,
And then go to my 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 o'clock,
Please you, I'll meet with you upon the mart,
And afterwards consort you till bed-time;
My present business calls me from you now.

Methinks your maw, like mine, should be your
And strike you home without a messenger. [clock,
Ant. Come, Dromio, come, these jests are
out of season;

5 Reserve them till a merrier hour than this.
Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee ?[me.
E. Dro. To me, sir? why, you gave no gold to
Ant. Come on, sir knave, have done you'r
foolishness,

10And tell me, how thou hast dispos'd thy charge. E. Dro. My charge was but to fetch you from

20

Ant. Farewell till then: I will go lose myself,
And wander up and down to view the city.
Mer, Sir, I commend you to your own content.
[Exit Merchant 15
Ant. He that commends me to mine own con-
Commends me to the thing I cannot get, [tent,
I to the world am like a drop of water,
That in the ocean seeks another drop;
Who, falling there, to find his fellow forth,
Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself:
So I, to find a mother, and a brother,
In quest of them, unhappy, lose myself.
Enter Dromio of Ephesus.
Here comes the almanack of my true date.-
What now? How chance,thou art return'd so soon?
E.Dro. Return'd so soon! rather approach'd too
The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit;[late;
The clock has strucken twelve upon the bell,
My mistress made it one upon my cheek:
She is so hot, because the meat is cold;
The meat is cold, because you come not home;
You come not home, because youhave no stomach;
You have no stomach, having broke your fast;
But we, that know what 'tis to fast and
pray,
Are penitent for your default to-day.

Ant. Stop in your wind, sir: tell me this, I pray;
Where have you left the money that I gave you?
E.Dro. Oh,-six-pence, that I had o' Wednesday
To pay the sadler for my mistress' crupper-[last,
The sadler had it, sir, I kept it not.

Ant. I am not in a sportive humour now;
Tell me, and daily not, where is the money?
We being strangers here, how dar'st thou trust
So great a charge from thine own custody?

E. Dro. I pray you, jest sir, as you sit at dinner:
I from my mistress come to you in post;
If I return, I shall be post indeed,

For she will score your fault upon my pate.

the mart

Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner;
My mistress, and her sister, stay for you.

Ant. Now, as I am a christian, answer me,
In what safe place you have dispos'd my money;
Or I shall break that merry sconce' of yours,
That stands on tricks when I am undispos'd:
Where are the thousand marks thou hadst of me?
E. Dro. I have some marks of yours upon my

pate,
Some of my mistress' marks upon my shoulders,
But not a thousand marks between you both.
If I should pay your worship those again,
25 Perchance, you will not bear them patiently.
Ant. Thy mistress' marks! what mistress, slave,
[Phoenix;

30

35

40

hast thou?

E. Dro. Your worship's wife, my mistress at the She that doth fast, 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's sake,
hold your hands.

Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels.
[Exit Dromio.
Ant. Upon my life, by some device or other,
The villain is o'er-raught' of all my money.
They say, this town is full of cozenage;
As, nimble jugglers, that deceive the eye;
Dark-working sorcerers, that change the mind;
Soul-killing witches, that deform the body;
Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks,
45 And many such like liberties of sin:

If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner.
I'll to the Centaur go to seek this slave;
I greatly fear, my money is not safe.

[Exit.

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Adr. Why should their liberty than ours be more Luc. Because their business still lies out o' door. Adr. Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill. Luc. Oh, know he is the bridle of your will. [so. Adr. There's none, but asses, wil be bridled Luc. Why head-strong liberty is lash'd with woe. There's nothing, situate under heaven's eye, But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky: The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls, Are their males' subject, and at their controuls: Men, more divine, the masters of all these, Lords of the wide world, and wild watry seas, Indu'd with intellectual sense and souls, Of more pre-eminence than fish and fowls, Are masters to their females, and their lords: Then let your will attend on their accords.

Adr. This servitude makes you to keep unwed. Luc. Not this, but troubles of the marriage-bed. dr. But, were you wedded, you would bear

some sway.

Luc. Ere I learn love, I'll practise to obey. Adr. How if your husband start some other where'?

5

'Tis dinner-time, quoth I: My gold, quoth he:Your meat doth burn, quoth I; My gold, quoth he: Will you come? quoth I; My gold, quoth be: Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain? The pig, quoth I, is burn'd; My gold, quoth he: My mistress, sir, quoth I; Hang up thy mistress; I know not thy mistress; out on thy mistress! Luc. Quoth who?

E. Dro. Quoth my master:

101 know, quoth he, no house,no wife, no mistress;~ So that my errand due unto my tongue,

I thank him, I bare home upon my shoulders; For, in conclusion, he did beat me there. [home, Adr. Go back again, thou slave, and fetch him 15 E.Dro. Goback again, and be new beaten home? For God's sake, send some other messenger. Adr. Back, slave, or I will break thy pate across, E. Dro. And he will bless that cross with other beating:

20

Luc. Till he come home again, I would forbear.
Adr. Patience, unmov'd, no marvel though 25

she pause;

They can be meek, that have no other cause.
A wretched soul, bruis'd with adversity,
We bid be quiet, when we hear it cry;
But were we burden'd with like weight of pain,
As much, or more, we should ourselves complain:
So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee,
With urging helpless patience would'st relieve me:
But, if thou live to see like right bereft,
This fool-begg'd patience in thee will be left.

Luc. Well, I will marry one day, but to try; Here comes your man, now is your husband nigh. Enter Dromio of Ephesus.

Adr. Say, is your tardy master now at hand? E. Dro. Nay, he is at two hands with me, and that my two ears can witness.

Adr. Say, didst thou speak with him? know'st thou his mind?

E. Dro. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear: Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his meaning?

E. Dro. Nay, he struck so plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal so doubtfully, that I could scarce understand them'.

Adr. But say, I pry'thee, is he coming home? It seems he hath great care to please his wife. E.Dro.Why, mistress, sure my master is hornAdr. Horn-mad, thou villain? [mad.

Between you I shall have a holy head. [home.
Adr. Hence, prating peasant; fetch thy master
E. Dro. Am I so round with you,as you with me,
That like a foot-ball you do spura me thus ?
You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither:
If I last in this service, you must case me in leather.

[Exit.

Luc. Fye, how impatience loureth in your face! Adr. His company must do his minions grace, Whilst I at home starve for a merry look. 3011ath homely age the alluring beauty took From my poor cheek? then he hath wasted it: Are my discourses dull? barren my wit? If voluble and sharp discourse be marr'd, Unkindness blunts it, more than marble hard. 35 Do their gay vestments his affections bait? That's not my fault, he's master 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 40A sunny look of his would soon repair: But, too unruly deer, he breaks the pale, And feeds from home; poor I am but his stale3. Luc. Self-harming jealousy!-fye, beat it hence. Adr. Unfeeling fools can with such wrongs dis45 I know his eye doth homage other-where; [pense. Or else, what lets it but he would be here? Sister, you know, he promis'd me a chain:— Would that alone, alone he would detain, So he would keep fair quarter with his bed! 50I see, the jewel, best enamelled,

E. Dro. I mean not cuckold-mad; but, sure, 55
he's stark mad:

When I desir'd him to come home to dinner,
He ask'd me for a thousand marks in gold:

6

Will lose his beauty; and the gold 'bides still,
That others touch; yet often touching will
Wear gold: and so no man, that hath a name,
But falshood and corruption doth it shame.
Since that my beauty cannot please his eye,
I'll weep what's left away, and weeping die.
Luc. How many fond fools serve madjealousy!
[Exeunt,

Meaning, some other place. Meaning, stand under them. 3 That is, plain, free in speech. *Meaning, my change, or alteration of features. That is, his pretence, his cover. See a preceding note in the Tempest. The sense is, " Gold, indeed, will long bear the handling; however, often touching will wear even gold; just so the greatest character, though as pure as gold itself, may, in time, be injured by the repeated attacks of falshood and corruption.

SCENE

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