Rings, jewels, any thing his rage did like. Duke. Long since, thy husband serv'd me in my wars; Enter a Servant. Serv. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! My master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the maids a-row2, and bound the doctor, Whose beard they have singed off with brands of fire ; And ever as it blazed, they threw on him Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair: My master preaches patience to him, while + 1 to take order -] i. e. to take measures. 2 Beaten the maids a-row,] i. e. successively, one after another. † "My master preaches patience to him, and the while "MALONE. His man with scissars nicks him like a fool*: Adr. Peace, fool, thy master and his man are here; And that is false, thou dost report to us. Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breath'd almost, since I did see it. He cries for you, and vows, if he can take you, To scorch your face, and to disfigure you: [Cry within. Hark, hark, I hear him, mistress; fly, be gone. Duke. Come, stand by me, fear nothing: Guard with halberds. Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you That he is borne about invisible: Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here; And now he's there, past thought of human reason. Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Ephesus. Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke, oh, grant me justice! Even for the service that long since I did thee, 3 His man with scissars nicks him like a fool:] The force of this allusion I am unable to explain with certainty. Perhaps it was once the custom to cut the hair of idiots close to their heads. There is a proverbial simile-" Like crop the conjurer;" which might have been ironically applied to these unfortunate beings. STEEVENS. There is a penalty of ten shillings in one of King Alfred's ecclesiastical laws, if one opprobriously shave a common man like a fool. TOLLET. Fools, undoubtedly, were shaved and nicked in a particular manner, in our author's time, as is ascertained by the following passage in The Choice of Change, containing the Triplicitie of Divinitie, Philosophie, and Poetrie, by S. R. Gent. 4to. 1598: "Three things used by monks, which provoke other men to laugh at their follies. 1. They are shaven and notched on the head like fooles." MALONE. † To bestride one in battle is an act of friendship, or assistance, frequently mentioned in these plays. Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there. She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife; Even in the strength and height of injury! That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. Duke. Discover how, and thou shalt find me just. Ant. E. This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me, Whilst she, with harlots feasted in my house. Duke. A grievous fault: Say, woman, didst thou so? Adr. No, my good lord; -myself, he, and my sister, To-day did dine together: So befal my soul, As this is false, he burdens me withal! Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, Ang. O perjur'd woman! they are both forsworn. 4 - with harlots - Harlot was a term of reproach applied to cheats among men, as well as to wantons among women. 5 I am advised - ] i. e. I am not going to speak preci pitately or rashly, but on reflection and consideration. + "disturbed"-MALONE, who considers the effect as making only two syllables. Where Balthazar and I did dine together. There did this perjur'd goldsmith swear me down, I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: He with none return'd. Then fairly I bespoke the officer, To go in person with me to my house. By the way we met My wife, her sister, and a rabble more Of vile confederates; along with them They brought one Pinch; a hungry lean-faced villain, A mere anatomy, a mountebank, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; A needy, hollow-ey'd, sharp-looking wretch, Ran hither to your grace; whom I beseech For these deep shames, 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 such a chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord; and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck. Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, these ears of mine Heard you confess, you had the chain of him, Nor ever didst thou draw thy sword on me : Duke. What an intricate impeach is this! Dro. E. Sir, he dined with her there, at the Porcu pine. Cour. He did; and from my finger snatch'd that ring. Ant. E. 'Tis true, my liege, this ring I had of her. Duke. Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here? Cour. As sure, my liege, as I do see your grace. Duke. Why, this is strange: -Go call the abbess hither; I think, you are all mated, or stark mad. [Exit an Attendant. Æge. Most mighty duke, vouchsafe me speak a word, Haply, I see a friend will save my life, Duke. Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir, Ege. I am sure, you both of you remember me. |