his rest1 to do more exploits with his mace than a morris-pike.2

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

Dro. S. Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band; he that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his band; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and says, God give you good rest.

Ant. S. Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there any ship puts forth to-night? May we begone?

Dro. S. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since, that the bark Expedition put forth to-night; and then were you hindered by the sergeant, to tarry for the hoy Delay. Here are the angels that you sent for, to deliver you.

Ant. S. The fellow is distract, and so am I;

And here we wander in illusions.

Some blessed power deliver us from hence!

Enter a Courtesan.

Cour. Well met, well met, master Antipholus.
I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now;
Is that the chain you promised me to-day?

Ant. S. Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not.
Dro. S. Master, is this mistress Satan?

Ant. S. It is the devil.

Dro. S. Nay, she is worse; she is the devil's dam; and here she comes in the habit of a light wench; and thereof comes, that the wenches say, God damn me, that's as much as to say, God make me a light wench. It is written, they appear to men like angels of light. Light 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? with me? We'll mend our dinner here.

1 This is a metaphorical expression for being determined, or resolutely bent to do a thing, taken from the game of Primero.

2 A morris-pike is a moorish pike, commonly used in the 16th century. It was not used in the morris dance, as Johnson erroneously supposed.

Dro. S. Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon.

Ant. S. Why, Dromio?

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

Ant. S. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou me of supping?

Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress.

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 promised; And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.

Dro. S. Some devils ask but the parings of one's nail, A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,

A nut, a cherry-stone; but she, more covetous,
Would have a chain.

Master, be wise; an if you give it her,

The devil will shake her chain, and fright us with it. Cour. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain; I hope you do not mean to cheat me so.

Ant. S. Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, let

us go.

Dro. S. Fly pride, says the peacock.

Mistress,
that you know. [Exeunt ANT. and DRO.
Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholus is mad
Else would he never so demean himself.
A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the same he promised me a chain;
Both one, and other, he denies me now.
The reason that I gather he is mad,
(Besides this present instance of his rage,)
Is a mad tale, he told to-day at dinner,

Of his own doors being shut 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,
And tell his wife, that, being lunatic,
He rushed into my house, and took perforce
My ring away. This course I fittest choose
For forty ducats is too much to lose.

[Exit

SCENE IV. The same.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, and an Officer.

Ant. E. Fear me not, man; I will not break away; I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money To warrant thee, as I am 'rested for. My wife is in a wayward mood to-day, And will not lightly trust the messenger, That I should be attached in Ephesus. I tell you, 'twill sound harshly in her ears.—

Enter DROMIO of Ephesus, with a rope's end. Here comes my man; I think he brings the money. How now, sir? have you that I sent you for?

Dro. E. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay them all.

Ant. E. But where's the money?

Dro. E. Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope. Ant. E. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? Dro. E. I'll serve you, sir, five hundred at the rate. Ant. E. To what end did I bid thee hie thee home? Dro. E. To a rope's end, sir; and to that end am I returned.

Ant. E. And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. [Beating him.

Off. Good sir, be patient.

Dro. E. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity.

Off. Good now, hold thy tongue.

Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands.

Ant. E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain!

Dro. E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows.

Ant. E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass.

Dro. E. I am an ass indeed; you may prove it by

my long ears.' I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service, but blows. When I am cold, he heats me with beating; when I am warm, he cools me with beating; I am waked with it, when I sleep; raised with it, when I sit; driven out of doors with it, when go from home; welcomed home with it, when I return. Nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door.

I

Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, and the Courtesan, with PINCH, and others.

Ant. E. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder.

Dro. E. Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, Beware the rope's end.

Ant. E. Wilt thou still talk?

[Beats him. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband mad?

Adr. His incivility confirms no less.-
Good doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer;
Establish him in his true sense again,

And I will please you what you will demand.
Luc. Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks!
Cour. Mark, how he trembles in his ecstasy! 3
Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your
pulse.

Ant. E. There is my hand, and let it feel your ear. Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man, To yield possession to my holy prayers,

And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight;

I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven.

1 Long from frequent pulling.

2 In the old copy-"and a schoolmaster, called Pinch." As learning was necessary for an exorcist, the schoolmaster was often employed.

3 This tremor was anciently thought to be a sure indication of being possessed by the devil.

Ant. E. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not

mad.

Adr. O that thou wert not, poor, distressed soul! Ant. E. You minion, you, are these your customers ?1

Did this companion with a saffron face
Revel and feast it at my house to-day,
Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut,
And I denied to enter in my house?

Adr. O husband, God doth know you dined at home,

Where 'would, you had remained until this time,
Free from these slanders, and this open shame!

Ant. E. Dined at home! Thou villain, what say'st thou?

Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home. Ant. E. Were not my doors locked up, and I shut out?

Dro. E. Perdy, your doors were locked, and you

shut out.

Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? Dro. E. Sans fable, she herself reviled you there. Ant. E. Did not her kitchen maid rail, taunt, and scorn me?

Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scorned you.

Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from thence? Dro. E. In verity you did;-my bones bear wit

ness,

That since have felt the vigor of his rage.

Adr. Is't good to soothe him in these contraries? Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his vein, And, yielding to him, humors well his frenzy.

Ant. E. Thou hast suborned the goldsmith to arrest

me.

1 "A customer was a familiar, an intimate, a customary haunter of any place."

2 Companion is a word of contempt, anciently used as we now use fellow.

3 A corruption of the common French oath, par dieu.