E. Ant. Thou whorefon, senseless 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 service 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 shoulders, 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 Burbanan against the Lord of Liddington in Scotch, ending with thefe Latin words, Refpice finem, refpice funem.

Our Author, perhaps, would fhew, he could punn 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 tradesmen of that time were very fond of this new exotic bird, because he could fpeak; and, perhaps, almoft as well as fome grave citizens. In teaching him the Lingua, 'twas no wonder they fhould delight them felves in giving him many knavish words, as rope, Scot, &c. to the offence of many of his Majefty's Northern fubjects, of whom there are fuch a number of merry stories on record. However the word rope, by the bye, 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 paffenger, Sir, take care; my parrot prophefies. Butler hints at this, Canto I. Part 1. ver, 549, speaking of Ralpho's knowledge in augury.

K- 5:

Could

E. Ant. Wilt thou ftill talk?

[Beats Dromio.
Cour. How fay you now? is not your husband mad
Adn. 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 fharp he looks!
Cour. Mark, how he trembles in his ecstasy!
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 madɩ. Adr. Oh! that thou wert not, poor diftreffed foul! E. Ant. You minion, you, are these your cuftomers Did this companion with the faffron face

Revel and feaft it at my houfe to-day,,

Whilft upon me the guilty doors were fhut,
And I deny'd to enter in my houfe

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. Dro. Sir, footh to say, 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 shutout..
E. Ant. And did not she herself revile me there?
E. Dro. Sans fable, she herself 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 fpeak and think contrary clean;
What member 'tis of whom they talks.

When they cry, rope! amd walk, knave walk.

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

Rofe

Mr. Warburtone
E. Dros

E. Dro. In verity, you did; my bones bear witnefs,, hat 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, yeilding to him, humours well his frenzy. E. Ant. Thou haft fuborn'd the goldsmith to arreft me.Adr. Alas, I fent you money to redeem you, By Dromio here, who came in hafte for it.

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

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

Luc. And I am witness with her, that fhe 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 did ft thou lock me forth to-day. And why doft 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 fpeak'ft falfe in both.. E. Ant. Diffembling harlot, thou art false in all; And art confederate with a damned pack, To make a loathfome abject fcorn of me: But with these 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 ftrives.. 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 ?

Off.. 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.

Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer
Haft thou delight to fee a wretched man
Do outrage and displeasure to himself?

Offi. He is my prifoner; if I let him go,
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,

[They bind Antipholis and Dromio
And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it.
Good mafter Doctor, fee him fafe convey'd
Home to my houfe. Oh, most unhappy day!
E. Ant. Oh, moft unhappy ftrumpet!

E. Dro. Master, 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; fifter, ftay you with me.
[Exeunt Pinch, Antipholis, and Dromio,
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 ?
Off. Two hundred ducats,

Adr. Say, how grows it due

Off. Due for a chain your husband had of him..
Adr. He did bespeak 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 see it.
Come, jailor, bring me where the goldfmith is,
I long to know the truth hereof at large...

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

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

1

Adr

Adr. And come with naked fwords;

Let's call more help to have them bound again.
Offi. Away, they'll kill us.

[They run out.

Manent Antipholis and Dromio.

S. Ant. I fee, these witches are afraid of fwords. S. Dro. She, that would be your wife, now ran from you. S. Ant. Come to the Centaur, fetch our stuff from thence: I long, that we were fafe and found aboard.

S. Dro. Faith, ftay here this night; they will furely do us no harm; you faw, they fpake us fair, gave us gold; methinks, they are fuch a gentle nation, that but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here ftill, and turn witch.

S. Ant. I will not stay to-night for all the town; Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard.

[Exeunt

SCENE, a Street, before a Priory

Enter the Merchant and Angelo.

ANGELO..

Am forry, Sir, that I have hinder'd you;
But, I poteft he had the chain or me

Tho' moft difhoneftly he doth deny it..

Mer. How is the man efteem'd here in the city?
Ang Of very reverent reputation, Sir,

Of credit infinite, highly belov❜d,

Second to none that lives here in the city;
His word might bear my wealth at any time..
Mer. Speak foftly: yonder, as I think, he walks

Enter Antipholis and Dromio of Syracufe. Ang. "Tis fo; and that self-chain about his neck, Which he forfwore moft monftrously to have.

Good