A thread bare juggler, and a fortune-teller, There left me and my man, both bound together; Ran hither to your Grace; whom I beseech For these deep fhames 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, These people faw the chain about his neck. Mer. Befides, I will be fworn, these ears of mine Heard you confefs, you had the chain of him, From whence, I think, you're come by miracle. Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this? E. Dro. Sir, he din'd with her there, at the Porcupine. Cour Cour. As fure, my Liege, as I do fee your Grace. Duke. Why, this is ftrange; go call the Abbess hither; I think, you are all mated, or stark mad. [Ex. one to the Abbess. Egeon. Moft mighty Duke, vouchfafe me speak 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. Egeon. Is not your name, Sir, call'd Antipholis ? And is not that your bond-man Dromio? 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. Dro. 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 fav me laft; And careful hours with time's deformed hand Have written ftrange defeatures in my face; But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? E. Ant. Neither. Egeon. Dromio, nor thou? E. Dro. No, trust me, Sir, nor I. E. Dro. I, Sir? but I am fure, I do not: and what- My My wafting lamp fome fading glimmer left, E. Ant. I never faw my father in my life. E. Ant. The Duke, and all that know me in the city, Can witnefs with me that it is not fo: I ne'er faw Syracufa in my life. Duke. I tell thee, Syracufan, twenty years During which time he ne'er faw Syracufa: Enter the Abbefs, with Antipholis Syracusan, and Dromio 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 these men is Genius to the other; And fo of these which is the natural man, And which the fpirit? who deciphers them? S. Dro. I, Sir, am Dromio; command him away. Speak, old #geon, if thou be'ft the man, Oh, if thou be'ft the fame Egeon, speak; Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right: Which accidentally are met together. Egeon. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia; Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he and I, Duke. Antipholis, thou cam'ft from Corinth firft. E. Ant. Brought to this town by that moft famous warrior, Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to day? Adr. And are not you my husband? E. Ant. No, I fay nay to that. S. Ant. And fo do I, yet fhe did call me fo: had of me. Ang. That is the chain, Sir, which you S. Ant. This purfe of ducats I receiv'd from you, E. Ant. E. Ant. Thefe ducats pawn I for my father here. Abb. Renowned Duke, vouchfafe to take the pains. And hear at large difcourfed all our fortunes: And all that are affembled in this place, Twenty five years have I but gone in travel (17) The duke, my husband, and my children both, Duke. With all my heart, I'll goffip at this feaft. [Exeunt. (17) Thirty-three years.] 'Tis impoffible the Poet could be fo forgetful, as to defign this Number here: and therefore I have ventur'd to alter it to twenty-five, upon a Proof, that, I think, amounts to Demonftration. The Number, I prefume, was at firft wrote in figures, and, perhaps, blindly; and thence the Miftake might arife. Ageon, in the firft Scene of the first A&t, is precife as to the Time his Son left him, in Quest of his Brother: My youngest Boy, and yet my eldest Care, At eighteen Tears became inquifitive After his Brother, &c. And how long it was from the Son's thus parting from his Father, to their meeting again at Ephefus, where Ægeon, miftakenly, recognizes the Twin-brother for him; we as precisely learn from another Paffage in the fifth A&t. Æge. But seven years fince, in Syracufa-bay, Thou know't we parted; So that these two Numbers, put together, settle the Date of their Birth beyond Dispute. Manent |