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

SCENE changes to the Street.

[Exite

Enter Antipholis of Ephesus with the Failor.

E. Ant. F

Ear me not, man; I will not break away;
I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, fo much moneys

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 Ephesus,
I tell you, 'twill found harshly in her ears.

money.

Enter Dromio of Ephefus, with a rope's-end. Here comes my man; I think, he brings the 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 money?

E. Dro. Why, Sir, I gave the money 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. Dre. To a rope's-end, Sir; and to that end am I return'd.

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

Offi. Good Sir, be patient.
E. Dro. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity.
Offi. Good now, hold thy tongue.

Dro. Nay, rather perfuade him to hold his hands.

E. Ant.

E. Ant. Thou whorefon, 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 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 shall beg with it from door to door.

Enter Adriana, Luciana, Courtezan, and Pinch.

E. Ant. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder. (19) E. Dro. Miftrefs, refpice finem, refpect your end; or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, beware the rope's-end. E. Ant.

(19) Miftrefs, refpice finem, respect your end, or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, beware the rope's end.] We will endeavour to explain these words, as they lie in order. Refpice finem seems to come in here oddly enough to make a joke. But I am of opinion, that Shakespeare might here allude to the laft words of a famous fatirical pamphlet, wrote at that time by Buchanan against the Lord of Liddington in Scotch, ending with these Latin words, Refpice finem, refpice funem.

-Our Author, perhaps, would fhew, he could puna as well in English as the other had done in Latin; and therefore tranflates, Refpect your end, or beware the rope's-end. As for the phrafe, the prophecy like the parrot, we are to remember the London tradmen of that time were very fond of this new exotick bird, because he could speak; and, perhaps, almost as well as fome grave citizens. In teaching him the Lingua, 'twas no wonder they fhould delight themselves in giving bim many knavish words, as repe, Scot, &c. to the offence of many of his Majesty's Northern subjects, of whom there are fuch a number of merry ftories on record. However the word rope, by the bye, was the most common word in his language, and, no doubt, the most of fenfive. And the joke was this; when the parret had bespatter'd any one with it, for the wife owner to fay to the offended paflenger. Sir, take care; my parrot prophefies. Butler hints at this, Cantol Part 1. ver. 549, fpeaking of Ralpho's knowledge in augury.

Could

E. Ant. Wilt thou still 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 ecftafy!

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 darkness hie thee ftrait,

I conjure thee by all the faints 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 feaft it at my houfe to-day,

Whilft upon me the guilty doors were shut,
And I deny'd to enter in my house?

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'ft thou?
E. Dre. 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 the herfelf revile me there?
E. Dio. Sans fable, the herfelf revil'd you there.
E. Ant. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and
fcorn me?

E. Dro. Certes, fhe did; the kitchen-vestal scorn'd you.
E. Ant. And did not I in rage depart from thence ?

Could tell what fubtleft parrots mean,
That speak and think contrary clean;
What member 'tis of whom they talk,

When they cry, rope! and waik, knave walk.

For by this time they had made many party parrots, we may well fup.

pole

Mr. Warburton.

E. Dro

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 these 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 money to redeem you, By Dromio here, who came in hafte for it.

E. Dra. Money by me? "heart and good will you might, Bat, furely, mafter, not a rag of money.

E. Ant. Went'ft not thou to her for a purse of ducats
Adr. He came to me, and I deliver'd it.

Luc. And I am witness with her, that she 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 didft thou lock me forth to-day.. And why dost 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 speak'ft falfe in both... E. Ant. Diffembling harlot, thou art falfe in all ; And art confederate with a damned pack, To make a loath some abje&t fcorn of me: But with thefe nails I'll pluck out thofe falfe eyes, That would behold in me this fhameful sport..

Enter three or four, and offer to bind him he frives.", 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 murder me? thou jailor, thou, I am thy prifoner, wilt thou fuffer them

To make a rescue ?

Offi. 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 displeasure to himself?
Off. He is my prisoner; if I let him
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,

go,

[They bind Antipholis and Dromio. And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it. Good mafter Doctor, see him fafe convey'd Home to my houfe. Oh, moft unhappy day! E. Ant. Oh, moft 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. Dro. Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, good mafter; cry, the devil.

Luc. God help, poor fouls, how idly do they talk!
Adr. Go bear him hence; filter, ftay you with me.
[Exeunt Pinch, Antipholis, and Dromis.

Say now, whofe fuit is he arrested at?

Manent Officer, Adriana, Luciana, and Courtezan. Offi. One Angelo, a goldfmith; do you know him? Adr. I know the man; what is the fum he owes ? Ofi. To hundred ducats.

Adr. Say, how grows it due?

Offi. Due for a chain your husband had of him.
Adr. He did befpeak a chain for

me, but had it not. Cour. When as your husband all in rage to-day Came to my houfe, and took away my ring, (The ring I faw upon 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.

Enter Antipholis of Syracufe, with his rapier drawn, and Dromio of Syracuse.

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