Adr. Where is thy mafter, Dromio,? Is he well? S. Dro. No, he's in Tartar Limbo, worfe than hell? A devil in an everlasting garment hath him, One whofe hard heart is button'd up with feel: A fiend, a fury, pitilefs and rough, A wolf, nay, worfe, a fellow all in buff; A back friend, a fhoulder-clapper, one that commands Adr. Why, man, what is the matter? S. Dro. I do not know the matter; he is 'refted on the cafe. Adr. What, is he arrested? tell me, at whofe fuit. S. Dro. I know not at whofe fuit he is arrefted, well; but he's in a fuit of buff which 'refted him, that I can tell. Will you fend him, Miftrefs, redemption, the money in his desk ? Adr. Go fetch it, fifter. This I wonder at, [Exit Luciana. That he, unknown to me, fhould be in debt! Tell me, was he arrested on a bond? S. Dro. Not on a bond, but on a stronger thing, A chain, a chain; do you not hear it ring? Adr. What, the chain? S. Dro. No, no; the bell; 'tis time that I were gone * *. that I were gone. It was two ere I left him, and now the clock strikes one. Adr The hours come back! that I did never hear. S. Pro. O yes, if any hour meet a fergeant, a' turns back for very fear. Adr. As if time were in debt! how fondly doft thou reafon? S. Dro. is a very bankrout, and owes more than he's worth to feason. Nay, he's a thief too: have you not heard men fay, If Time be in debt and theft, and a ferjeant in the way, Enter Luciana. Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the money, bear it ftraight, SCENE V. Changes to the freet. S. Ant. There'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. And Lapland forcerers inhabit here. Enter Dromio of Syracufe. 8. Dro. Mafter, here's the gold you fent me for; what have you got rid of the picture of old Adam newapparell'd * ? S. Ant. What gold is this? what Adam dost thou mean? S. Dro. Not that Adam that kept the paradise, but that Adam that keeps the prifon; be that goes in the calves fkin that was kill'd for the prodigal; he that came behind you, Sir, like an evil angel, and bid you forfake your liberty. S. Ant. I understand thee not. S. Dro. No why, 'tis a plain cafe; he that went like a bafe-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 "ém fuits of durance; he that fets up his Alluding to the coat of kins made for Adam after the fall, and the leathern coat worn by the officer who made the arreft. reft reft to do more exploits with his mace, than a Maurice pike t. S. Ant. hat! thou mean'ft an officer ? S. Dro. Ay, Sir, the ferjeant of the band; he that brings any man to anfwer it that breaks his bond; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and faith, God give you good rest! S. Ant. Well, Sir, there reft in your foolery. Is there any thip puts forth to-night? may we begone? 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 distract, and so am I, And here we wander in illufions; Some bleffed power deliver us from hence! SCENE VI. 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? S. Ant. Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not ‡. Cour. Sets up his reft, is phrafe a taken from military exercife. When gunpowder was first invented, its force was very weak compared to that in prefent ufe. This neceffarily required fire arms to be of an ex- ̧ traordinary length. As the artifts improved the ftrength of their pow der, the foldiers proportionably shortened their arms and artillery; fo that the cannon which Froitlart tells us was once fifty foot long, was contracted to less than ten. This proportion likewife held in their muskets; fo that, till the middle of the last century, the musketeers always fupported their pieces, when they gave fire, with a reft fuck before them into the ground, which they called fetting up their reft, and is here alluded to. There is another quibbling allufion too to the ferjeant's office of arrefting. Mr. Warburton. † i. e. a pikeman of prince Maurice's army. He was the greatest General of that age, and the conductor of the Low country wars against Spain, under whem all the English Gentry and Nobilny were bred to the fervice. Being frequently overborne with numbers, he be came famous for his fine retreats, in which a ftand of pikes is of great fervice. Hence the pikes of his army became famous for their military exploits. Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner, Or for my daimond 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, a cherry-ftone; but fhe, more covetous, would have a chain.. Mafter, be wife; an if you give it her, the devil will fhake her chain, and fright us with it. Cour. I pray you, Sir, my ring, or elfe the chain; I hope you do not mean to cheat ine fo. S. Ant. Avaunt, thou witch! come, Dromio, let us go + [Exeunt. Manet Courtezan. Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholis is mad; A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats, S. Ant. It is the devil. S. Dro. Nay, fhe is worse, 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. Will you go Cour. Your man and you are marvellous merry, Sir. with me, we'll mend our dinner bere. S. Dro. Mafter, if you do expect spoon-meat, bespeak a long Ipoon. S. Ant. Why, Dromio? S. Dro. Mairy, he must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil S. Ant. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'ft thou me of fupping? Thou art, as you are all, a forceress : I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone, Cour Give me the ring, &c. + let us g. S. Dro. Ely pride, fays the peacock; Miftrefs, that you know. SCENE, &c. VOL. III, A a [Exeunt. QB On purpofe fhut the doors against his way. le rufh'd into my houfe, and took perforce [Exit. SCENE VIII. Changes to the fireet. E. Ant. Fear me not, man; I will not break away; I tell you 'twould found harfhly in her ears. Enter Dromio of Ephefus, with a rope's end. E. Dro. Here's that, Iwarrant you, will pay them E. Dro. Why, Sir, I gave the money for the rope. E. Ant. And to that end, Sir, I will welcome you. [Beats Dromio. Of. Good Sir, be patient. E. Dro. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adverfity. Off. Good now, hold thy tongue. E. Dro. Nay, rather perfuade him to hold his hands. E. Ant. Thou whorefon, fenfeless villain! E. Dro. I would I were fenfelefs, Sir, that I might not feel your blows. E. nt. Thou art fenfible in nothing but blows, and fo is an aís. E. Dr.. |