| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
 | 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
 | Comedy of Errors |  |
The mart.
Enter second Merchant, ANGELO, and an officer.
Second Merchant
You know since Penetecost the sum is due;
and since I have not much impotun'd you.
Nor had I now, sir, but that I am bound
To Persia, and want gilders for my voyage.
Therefore make present satisfaction,
Or I attach you by this officer.
Angelo.
Ev'n just the sum that I do owe to you,
Is growing to me from Antipholis;
And in the instant that I met with you,
He had of me a bracelet -at five o'clock
I shall receive the money for the same.
Please you but walk with me down to his house,
I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.
Officer
That labour you may spare -see where he comes.
Enter ANTIPHOLIS of Ephesus and DROMIO of Ephesus.
An. of Eph.
While I go to the goldsmith's house, go thou
And buy a rope's end -that will I bestow
Among the base confederates of my wife,
For locking me out of my doors to-day.
But soft, I see the goldsmith -get thee gone
To buy the rope, and bring it home to me.
Exit Dr.
A man is well holpe up, that trusts to you:
I promis'd me your presence, and the bracelet;
But nei than nor the goldsmith came to me.
Angelo
Saving your merry humour, here's the note
How much your jewel weighs, to th'utmost carat.
The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion,
Make it amount to three odd ducats more
Than I stand 'debted to this gentleman.
I pray you see him presently discharg'd,
For he is bound to sea, and stays but for it.
An. of EPh.
I am not funish'd with the sum about me,
Besides I have some business in the town.
Good Signor, take the stranger to my house,
And with you take the bracelet. -Bid my wife
Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof.
Perchance I willl be there as soon as you.
Angelo.
Then you will bring the bracelet there yourself?
An. of Eph.
No do you bear it, lest I come not time enough.
Angelo.
Well, sir, I will then -have you it about you?
An. of Eph.
An if I have not, sir, I hope you have,
Or else you may return without your money.
Angelo.
Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the jewel,
Both wind and tide stay for the gentleman,
And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
An. of Eph.
I guess you use this dalliance to excuse
Your breach of promise at the Porcupine.
I should have chid you for not bringing it,
But, like a shrew you first begin to brawl.
2nd. Mer
The hour steals on -I pray you, sir, dispatch.
Angelo.
You hear how he importunes me; -the bracelet -
An. of Eph.
Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money.
ngelo.
Come, come, you know I gave it you even now;
Or give it me, or send me by some token.
An. oF Eph.
fie, now you run this humour out of breath -
Come, where is it? -I pray you let me see it.
2nd Mer.
My business cannot brook this dalliance -
Good sir, say, if you'll answer me, or no;
If not, I'll leave him to the officer.
An. of Eph.
I answer you! -what should I answer you?
Angelo.
The money that you owe me for the bracelet.
An. of Eph.
I owe you none, till I receive the bracelet.
Angelo
You know I gave it you half an hour since.
An. of Eph.
You gave me none; you wrong me much to say so.
Angelo.
You wrong me more, sir, in denying it;
Consider how it stands upon my credit.
2nd Mer,
Well, officer arrest him at my suit.
Officer.
I do, and charge you in the duke's name, to obey me.
Angelo.
This touches me, sir, in my reputation+
Either consent to pay the sum for me,
Or I attach you by this officer.
An. of Eph.
Consent to pay for what I never had!
Arrest me foolish fellow, if thou dar'st.
Angelo.
Here is thy fee -arrest him, officer -
I would not spare my brother in this case,
If he should scorn me so apparently.
Officer.
I do arrest you sir, -you hear the suit.
An. of Eph.
I do obey thee, till I give thee bail.
But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear,
As all the metal in your shop will answer.
Angelo.
Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,
To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.
Enter DROMIO of Syracuse.
Dr. of Syr.
Master, there is a bark of Epidamnum
That stays till her owner comes aboard;
Then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir,
I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought
The, oil, the balsumum and aqua vitae.
The ship is in her trim, the merry wind
Blows fair from land, they stay for naught at all,
But for the owner, master, and yourself.
An. of Eph.
How now, madman! Why thou peevish sheep,
What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?
Dr. of Syr.
A ship you sent me to, sir, to hire wastage.
An. of Eph.
Thou drunken slave, I sent the for a rope;
And told thee to what purpose and for whom.
Dr. of Syr.
You sent me to the bay sir, for a bark.
An. of Eph.
I will debate the matter at more leisure,
And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee strait,
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry,
There is a purse of ducats, let her send it;
Tell her I am arrested in the street,
And that shall bail me. -Hie thee, slave, begone.
On, officer, to prison, till he comes.
Exit An. of Eph. Angelo, Mer and Officer.
Dr. of Syr.
To Adriana's! — that is where we din'd —
Go there again! — Surely my poor master's mind is strangely altered.
-But now he sent me to seek a vessel, and swore he would
not stay an hour longer — now he denies it all, and rather seems
inclined to take up his abode here; for, upon the strength of one
visit only, he has got the key of Adriana's treasure I see; and
sends for her ducats as familiarly as he would for his own. — Then
how he should come arrested! — I'll venture, however, to her
house once more, and get the money for him, if that Blowzabel,
who claimed me for her husband, does not set her kitchenstuff
countenance in my way, and fright me from my purpose.
Exit.
Enter second Merchant, ANGELO, and an officer.
Second Merchant
You know since Penetecost the sum is due;
and since I have not much impotun'd you.
Nor had I now, sir, but that I am bound
To Persia, and want gilders for my voyage.
Therefore make present satisfaction,
Or I attach you by this officer.
Angelo.
Ev'n just the sum that I do owe to you,
Is growing to me from Antipholis;
And in the instant that I met with you,
He had of me a bracelet -at five o'clock
I shall receive the money for the same.
Please you but walk with me down to his house,
I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.
Officer
That labour you may spare -see where he comes.
Enter ANTIPHOLIS of Ephesus and DROMIO of Ephesus.
An. of Eph.
While I go to the goldsmith's house, go thou
And buy a rope's end -that will I bestow
Among the base confederates of my wife,
For locking me out of my doors to-day.
But soft, I see the goldsmith -get thee gone
To buy the rope, and bring it home to me.
Exit Dr.
A man is well holpe up, that trusts to you:
I promis'd me your presence, and the bracelet;
But nei than nor the goldsmith came to me.
Angelo
Saving your merry humour, here's the note
How much your jewel weighs, to th'utmost carat.
The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion,
Make it amount to three odd ducats more
Than I stand 'debted to this gentleman.
31
For he is bound to sea, and stays but for it.
An. of EPh.
I am not funish'd with the sum about me,
Besides I have some business in the town.
Good Signor, take the stranger to my house,
And with you take the bracelet. -Bid my wife
Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof.
Perchance I willl be there as soon as you.
Angelo.
Then you will bring the bracelet there yourself?
An. of Eph.
No do you bear it, lest I come not time enough.
Angelo.
Well, sir, I will then -have you it about you?
An. of Eph.
An if I have not, sir, I hope you have,
Or else you may return without your money.
Angelo.
Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the jewel,
Both wind and tide stay for the gentleman,
And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
An. of Eph.
I guess you use this dalliance to excuse
Your breach of promise at the Porcupine.
I should have chid you for not bringing it,
But, like a shrew you first begin to brawl.
2nd. Mer
The hour steals on -I pray you, sir, dispatch.
Angelo.
You hear how he importunes me; -the bracelet -
An. of Eph.
Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money.
ngelo.
Come, come, you know I gave it you even now;
Or give it me, or send me by some token.
An. oF Eph.
fie, now you run this humour out of breath -
Come, where is it? -I pray you let me see it.
2nd Mer.
My business cannot brook this dalliance -
Good sir, say, if you'll answer me, or no;
If not, I'll leave him to the officer.
An. of Eph.
I answer you! -what should I answer you?
Angelo.
The money that you owe me for the bracelet.
An. of Eph.
I owe you none, till I receive the bracelet.
Angelo
You know I gave it you half an hour since.
An. of Eph.
You gave me none; you wrong me much to say so.
Angelo.
You wrong me more, sir, in denying it;
Consider how it stands upon my credit.
2nd Mer,
Well, officer arrest him at my suit.
Officer.
I do, and charge you in the duke's name, to obey me.
Angelo.
This touches me, sir, in my reputation+
Either consent to pay the sum for me,
Or I attach you by this officer.
An. of Eph.
Consent to pay for what I never had!
Arrest me foolish fellow, if thou dar'st.
32
Angelo.
Here is thy fee -arrest him, officer -
I would not spare my brother in this case,
If he should scorn me so apparently.
Officer.
I do arrest you sir, -you hear the suit.
An. of Eph.
I do obey thee, till I give thee bail.
But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear,
As all the metal in your shop will answer.
Angelo.
Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,
To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.
Enter DROMIO of Syracuse.
Dr. of Syr.
Master, there is a bark of Epidamnum
That stays till her owner comes aboard;
Then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir,
I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought
The, oil, the balsumum and aqua vitae.
The ship is in her trim, the merry wind
Blows fair from land, they stay for naught at all,
But for the owner, master, and yourself.
An. of Eph.
How now, madman! Why thou peevish sheep,
What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?
Dr. of Syr.
A ship you sent me to, sir, to hire wastage.
An. of Eph.
Thou drunken slave, I sent the for a rope;
And told thee to what purpose and for whom.
Dr. of Syr.
You sent me to the bay sir, for a bark.
An. of Eph.
I will debate the matter at more leisure,
And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee strait,
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry,
There is a purse of ducats, let her send it;
Tell her I am arrested in the street,
And that shall bail me. -Hie thee, slave, begone.
On, officer, to prison, till he comes.
Exit An. of Eph. Angelo, Mer and Officer.
Dr. of Syr.
To Adriana's! — that is where we din'd —
Go there again! — Surely my poor master's mind is strangely altered.
-But now he sent me to seek a vessel, and swore he would
not stay an hour longer — now he denies it all, and rather seems
inclined to take up his abode here; for, upon the strength of one
visit only, he has got the key of Adriana's treasure I see; and
sends for her ducats as familiarly as he would for his own. — Then
how he should come arrested! — I'll venture, however, to her
33
who claimed me for her husband, does not set her kitchenstuff
countenance in my way, and fright me from my purpose.
Exit.
| Comedy of Errors | |