Me. Miftrefs, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breath'd almoft, fince I did fee it, He crys for you, and vows if he can take you, To fcorch your face, and to disfigure you. [Cry within. Hark, hark, I hear him, miftrefs; fly, be gone. Duke. Come, ftand by me, fear nothing: guard with halberds. Adr. Ay me, it is my husband; witness you, That he is borne about invisible! Ev'n now we hous'd him in the abbey here, Enter Antipholis, and Dromio of Eph. E. Ant. Juftice, moft gracious Duke, oh, grant me justice. Even for the service that long fince I did thee, E. Ant. Juftice, fweet Prince, against that woman there; She whom thou gav'ft to me to be my wife; That the this day hath fhameless thrown on me. Whilft the with harlots feafted in my houfe. Duke. A grievous fault; fay, woman, didft thou fo? Adr. No, my good lord: my felf, he, and my fifter, To day did dine together: fo befal my foul, As this is falfe, he burthens me withal! Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor fleep on night, But the tells to your Highnefs fimple truth! Ang. O perjur'd woman! they are both forfworn. In this the mad-man juftly chargeth them. E. Ant. My Liege, I am adviled, what I fay. There did this perjur'd goldfmith fwear me down, I did obey, and fent my peasant home To go in perfon with me to my house, By th' way we met my wife, her fifter, and They brought one Pinch, a hungry lean-fac'd villain, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller, Ran hither to your Grace; whom I beseech Το To give me ample fatisfaction For these deep thames and great indignities. Ang. My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him; That he din'd not at home, but was lock'd out. Duke. But had he fuch a Chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord; and when he ran in here, Thefe People faw the Chain about his neck. Mer. Befides, I will be fworn, these ears of mine Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this? E. Dro. Sir, he din'd with her there, at the Porcupine. Cur. He did, and from my finger fnatch'd that Ring. ther; I think, you are all mated, or ftark mad. [Ex. one to the Abbefs. Egeon. Moft mighty Duke, vouchfafe me fpeak a word : Haply I fee a friend, will fave my life; And pay the fum that may deliver me. Duke. Speak freely, Syracufan, what thou wilt. And is not that your bond-man Dromio? E. Dro. E. Dro. Within this hour I was his bond-man, Sir, But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords; Now am I Dromio, and his man unbound. Egeon. I am fure, you both of you remember me. E. Dre. Our felves we do remember, Sir, by you; For lately we were bound, as you are now. You are not Pinch's Patient, are you, Sir? Egeon. Why look you ftrange on me? you know me well. E. Ant. I never faw you in my life, 'till now. Egeon. Oh! grief hath chang'd me, fince you faw me last; And careful hours with time's deformed hand Have written ftrange defeatures in my face; But tell me yet, doft thou not know my voice? Egeon. Dromio, nor thou? E. Dro. No, truft me, Sir, nor I. Egeon. I am fure, thou doft. ' E. Dre. I, Sir? but I am fure, I do not; and whatfoever a man denies, you are now bound to believe him. Egeon. Not know my voice! oh, time's extremity! Haft thou fo crack'd and splitted my poor tongue In feven fhort years, that here my only fon Knows not my feeble key of untun'd cares? Tho' now this grained face of mine be hid In fap-confuming winter's drizled fnów, And all the conduits of my blood froze up; Yet hath my night of life fome memory; My wafting lamp fome fading glimmer left, My dull deaf ears a little ufe to hear; All these old witneffes, I cannot. err, Tell me thou art my fón Antipholis. E. Ant. I never faw my father in my life. Egeon. But feven years fince, in Syracufa-bay, Thou know'it, we parted; but, perhaps, my fon, Thou fham'ft t'acknowledge me in mifery. E. Ant. The Duke, and all that know me in the city, Can witness with me that it is not fo; I ne'er faw Syracufa in my life. Duke. I tell thee, Syracufan, twenty years Have I been Patron to Antipholis, During which time he ne'er faw Syracufa: Enter the Abbess, with Antipholis Syracufan, and Dromio Syracufan. Abb. Moft mighty Duke, behold a man much wrong'd. [All gather to fee him. Adr. I fee two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me. Duke. One of thefe men is Genius to the other; And fo of thefe which is the natural man, And which the fpirit? who deciphers them? S. Dro. I, Sir, am Dromio; command him away. E. Dro. I, Sir, am Dromio; pray, let me ftay. S. Ant. Ægeon, art thou not? or elfe his ghost? S. Dro. O, my old mafter who hath bound him here? Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds; And gain a husband by his liberty. Speak, old Egeon, if thou be'ft the man, Duke. Why, here begins his morning ftory right Ægeon. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia; Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he and I, What |