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Adr. As if time were in debt! how fondly doft thou reafon ?

S. Dro. Time is a very bankrout, and owes more than he's worth, to feafon.

Nay, he's a thief too; have you not heard men fay,
That Time comes ftealing on by night and day?

If Time be in debt and theft, and a ferjeant in the way,
Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?

Enter Luciana.

Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the money, bear it ftrait, And bring thy mafter home immediately. Come, fifter, I am preft down with conceit; Conceit, my comfort and my injury.

S. Ant.

SCENE changes to the Street.

Enter Antipholis of Syracufe.

TH

[Exeunt.

Here's not a man I meet, but doth falute me, As if I were their well-acquainted friend; And every one doth call me by my name. Some tender money to me, fome invite me; Some other give me thanks for kindnesses; Some offer me commodities to buy.

Ev'n now a taylor call'd me in his shop,

And fhow'd me filks that he had bought for me,
And therewithal took measure of my body.
Sure, these are but imaginary wiles,

And Lapland forcerers inhabit here.

Enter Dromio of Syracufe.

S. Dro. Mafter, here's the gold you fent me for; (18) what, have you got rid of the picture of old Adam new-apparel'd?

S. Ant.

(18) what, have you got the picture of old Adam new apparell'd?] A fhort word or two must have flipt out here, by fome accident in copying, or at prefs: otherwife I have no conception of the meaning of the paffage. The cafe is this. Dromio's mafter had been arrested, and fent his fervant home for money to redeem him: He running back with the money, meets the twin Antipholis, whom he mistakes for

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S. Ant. What gold is this? what Adam doft thou mean ? S. Dro. Not that Adam, that kept the paradife; but that Adam, that keeps the prifon; he that goes in the calves-skin, that was kill'd for the prodigal; he that came behind you, Sir, like an evil angel, and bid you Torfake your liberty.

S. Ant. I understand thee not.

S. Dro. No? why 'tis a plain cafe; he that went like a base-viol in a cafe of leather; the man, Sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives them a fob, and refts them; he, Sir, that takes pity on decay'd men, and gives them fuits of durance; he, that fets up his reft to do more exploits with his mace, than a morris-pike. S. Ant. What! thou mean'ft an officer ?

S. Dro. Ay, Sir, the ferjeant of the band; he, that brings any man to answer it that breaks his bond; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and faith, God give you good reft.

S. Ant. Well, Sir, there reft in your foolery. Is there any fhip puts forth to-night? may we be gone? S. Dro. Why, Sir, I brought you word an hour fince, that the bark Expedition puts forth to-night; and then were you hinder'd by the ferjeant, to tarry for the hoy Delay; here are the angels that you fent for, to deliver you.

S. Ant. The fellow is diftract, and fo am I, And here we wander in illufions;

Some bleffed power deliver us from hence!

Enter a Courtezan.

Cour. Well met, well met, mafter Antipholis. I fee, Sir, you have found the goldsmith now: Is that the chain, you promis'd me to-day?

his master, and feeing him clear of the officer before the money was come, he cries in a furprize;

What, have you got rid of the picture of old Adam new apparell d? For fo, I have ventur'd to fupply, by conjecture. But why is the officer call'd old Adam new apparell'd? The allufion is to Adam in his ftate of innocence going naked; and immediately after the fall, being cloathed in a frock of fkins. Thus he was new-apparell'd : and in like manner the ferjeants of the counter were formerly clad in buff, r calves-fkin, as the Author humorously a little lower calls it.

Ş. Ant.

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

S. Ant. It is the Devil.

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S. Dro. Nay, fhe is worfe, fhe's the devil's dam and here fhe comes in the habit of a light wench, and thereof comes, that the wenches fay, God dam me, that's as much as to fay, 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, we'll mend our dinner here? S. Dro. Mafter, if you do expect fpoon meat, befpeak a long fpoon.

S. Ant. Why, Dromio?

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

S. Ant. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou me of Thou art, as you are all, a forceress : [fupping?

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 promis'd, And I'll be gone, Sir, and not trouble you.

S. Dro. Some devils afk but the parings of one's nail, a rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a nut, à cherry ftone: but fhe, more covetous, would have a chain. Mafter, be wife; 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 fo

S. Ant. Avant, thou witch! come, Dromio, let us go. S. Dro. Fly pride, fays the peacock; mistress, that you know. [Exeunt.

Manet Courtezan.

Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholis is mad;
Elfe would he never fo demean himself.
A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the fame he promis'd me a chain;
Both one, and other, he denies me now.

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The reason, 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 fhut the doors against his way.
My way is now to hie home to his house,
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.

Enter Antipholis of Ephefus with the Failor. E. Ant.

F

[Exit.

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

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

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

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

E. Ant

E. Ant. Thou whorefon, fenfeless 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 fhall 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 feems 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 Englife 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 tradeimen of that time were very fond of this new exotic bird, because he could speak; and, perhaps, almoft as well as fome grave citizens. In teaching him the Lingua, 'twas no wonder they should delight themfelves in giving him many knavish words, as rope, Scot, &c. to the offence of many of his Majesty's Northern fubjects, of whom there are fuch a number of merry ftories on record. However the word rope, by the bee, was

the most common word in his language, and, no doubt, the most offenfive. And the joke was this; when the parrot had befpatter'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, Canto I. Part I. wer. 549, fpeaking of Ralpho's knowledge in augury.

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