Ant. S. I think, I had; I never did deny it. Mer. Yes, that you did, Sir; and forswore it too. Mer. These ears of mine, thou know'st, did hear thee: To walk where any honest men resort. Ant. S. Thou art a villain, to impeach me thus: [They draw. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, COURTEZAN, 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 spoil'd. [Exeunt ANTIPH. and DROMIO to the Priory. Enter the ABBESS. Abb. Be quiet, people; Wherefore throng you hither. Ang. I knew, he was not in his perfect wits. Ne'er brake into extremity of rage. Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck at sea? 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. And in assemblies too. Abb. Ay, but not enough. Adr. It was the copy of our conference: In bed, he slept not for my urging it; In company, I often glanced it; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. Abb. And thereof came it, that the man was mad: The venom clamours of a jealous woman Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing: And thereof comes it that his head is light. Thou say'st, his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings: Thereof the raging fire of fever bred; And what's a fever but a fit of madness? Thou say'st, his sports were hinder'd by thy brawls: (Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair); Good people, enter, and lay hold on him. Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house. Adr. Then, let your servants bring my husband forth. And it shall privilege him from your hands, Or lose my labour in assaying it. Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, And therefore let me have him home with me. With wholesome syrups, 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. Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity. Adr. Come, go; I will fall prostrate at his feet, And never rise until my tears and prayers *Sane. [Exit ABBESS. Have won his grace to come in person hither, Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publicly for his offence. Ang. See, where they come; we will behold his death. Enter DUKE attended; ÆGEON bare-headed; 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; That desperately he hurried through the street By rushing in their houses, bearing thence He broke from those that had the guard of him; Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. Duke. Long since, thy husband served me in my wars: When thou didst make him master of thy bed, * Importunate. To do him all the grace and good I could.- I will determine this, before I stir. Enter a SERVANT. Serv. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair: Adr. Peace, fool, thy master and his man are here: Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; [Cry within. Duke. Come, stand by me, fear nothing: Guard with halberts. Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, That he is borne about invisible: Even now we housed him in the abbey here; And now he's there, past thought of human reason. Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Ephesus. Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke, oh, grant me justice! Even for the service that long since I did thee, When I bestrid thee in the wars, and took Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood That then I lost for thee, now grant me justice. Ege. Unless the fear of death doth make me dote, I see my son Antipholus, and Dromio. Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there. She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife; That hath abused and dishonour'd me, 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? *I. e. one after another. + I. e. cuts his hair close. The term once included male cheats. To-day did dine together: So befall my soul, 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. In this the madman justly chargeth them. Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say: There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down, Which, God he knows, I saw not: for the which, I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: he with none return'd. Then fairly I bespoke the officer, To go in person with me to my house. By the way we met My wife, her sister, and a rabble more Of vile confederates; along with them They brought one Pinch; a hungry lean-faced villain, A mere anatomy, a mountebank, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking wretch, Ran hither to your grace; whom I beseech To give me ample satisfaction For these deep shames and great indignities. Ang. My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him; That he dined not at home but was lock'd out. Duke. But had he such a chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord: and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck. |