a

If thou had'st been Dromio to-day in my place, Thou would'st have chang’d thy face for a name,

or thy name for an ass. Luce. [Within.] What a coil is there! Dromio,

who are those at the gate? Dro. E. Let my master in, Luce. Luce.

Faith no; he comes too late; And so tell

your master. Dro. E.

O Lord, I must laugh:Have at you with a proverb.-Shall I set in my staff? Luce. Have at you with another: that's, -When?

can you tell? Dro. S. If thy name be called Luce, Luce, thou

hast answer'd him well. Ant. E. Do you hear, you minion? you'll let us .

in, I hope? Luce. I thought to have ask'd you. Dro. S.

And you said, no.

, Dro. E. So, come, help; well struck; there was

blow for blow. Ant. E. Thou baggage, let me in. Luce.

Can you tell for whose sake? Dro. E. Master, knock the door hard. Luce.

Let him knock till it ake. Ant. E. You'll cry for this, minion, if I beat the

door down. Luce. What needs all that, and a pair of stocks

in the town? Adr. [Within.] Who is that at the door, that

keeps all this noise? Dro. S. By my troth, your town is troubled with

unruly boys. Ant. E. Are you there, wife? you might have

come before. Adr. Your wife, sir knave! go, get you from the

Dro. E. If you went in pain, master, this knave

would go sore. Ang. Here is neither cheer, sir, nor welcome;

we would fain have either. Bal. In debating which was best, we shall part

with neither.2 Dro. E. They stand at the door, master; bid

them welcome hither. Ant. E. There is something in the wind, that we

cannot get in. Dro. E. You would say so, master, if your gar

ments were thin. Your cake here is warm within; you stand here in

the cold: It would make a man mad as a buck, to be so bought

and sold. Ant. E. Go, fetch me something, I'll break ope

the gate.

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you, sir;

Dro. S. Break any breaking here, and I'll break

your knave's pate.
Dro. E. A man may break a word with

and words are but wind;
Ay,and break it in your face, so he break it not behind.
Dro. S. It seems, thou wantest breaking; Out

upon thee, hind! Dro. E. Here's too much, out upon thee! I pray

thee, let me in. Dro. S. Ay, when fowls have no feathers, and

fish have no fin. Ant. E. Well, I'll break in; Go borrow me a crow. Dro. E. A crow without a feather; master, mean

you so!

2

we shall part with neither.] Mr.Tyrwhitt says, that, in our old language, to part signified to have part. But part does not signify to share or divide, but to depart or go away; and Balthazar means to say, that whilst debating which is best, they should go away without either.

a

For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a

feather: If a crow help us in, sirrah, we'll pluck a crow to

gether. Ant. E. Go, get thee gone, fetch me an iron

crow. Bal. Have patience, sir ; 0, let it not be

SO;
Herein you war against your reputation,
And draw within the

compass of

suspect The unviolated honour of your wife. Once this, Your long experience of her wis

dom, Her sober virtue, years, and modesty, Plead on her part some cause to you un

known; And doubt not, sir, but she will well excuse Why at this time the doors are made against

you.*
Be ruld by me; depart in patience,
And let us to the Tiger all to dinner:
And, about evening, come yourself alone,
To know the reason of this strange restraint.
If by strong hand you offer to break in,

,
Now in the stirring passage of the day,
A vulgar comment will be made on it;
And that supposed by the common rout
Against your yet ungalled estimation,
That may with foul intrusion enter in,
And dwell upon your grave when you are dead: :
For slander lives upon succession;
For ever hous'd, where it once gets posses-

sion.

4

9 Once this,] Once this, may mean, once for all, at once.

the doors are made aguinst you.] To make the door is the expression used to this day in some counties of England, instead of, to bar the door.

Ant. E. You have prevail'd; I will depart in

quiet, And, in despight of mirth,mean to be merry. I know a wench of excellent discourse, Pretty and witty; wild, and, yet too, gentle; There will we dine: this woman that I mean, My wife (but, I protest, without desert,) Hath oftentimes upbraided me withal; To her will we to dinner. Get you home, And fetch the chain; by this, I know, 'tis made: Bring it, I pray you, to the Porcupine; For there's the house; that chain will I bestow (Be it for nothing but to spite my wife,) Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste: Since mine own doors refuse to entertain me, I'll knock elsewhere, to see if they'll disdain me. Ang. I'll meet you at that place, some hour

hence. Ant. E. Do so; This jest shall cost me some expence.

[Exeunt.

Enter LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse. Luc. And may it be that you have quite forgot

A husband's office? shall, Antipholus, hate, Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot?

Shall love, in building, grow so ruinate?

And, in despight of mirth,] Though mirth has withdrawn herself from me, and seems determined to avoid me, yet in despight of her, and whether she will or not, I am resolved to be merry

a

If you did wed my sister for her wealth,
Then, for her wealth's sake, use her with more

kindness:
Or, if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth;
Mufte

your false love with some show of blind

ness: Let not my sister read it in

.

sister read it in your eye; Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator; Look sweet, speak fair, become disloyalty;

Apparel vice like virtue's harbinger:
Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted;

Teach sin the carriage of a holy saint;
Be secret-false: What need she be acquainted?

: What simple thief brags of his own attaint? 'Tis double wrong, to truant with your bed,

And let her read it in thy looks at board: Shame hath a bastard fame, well managed;

Ill deeds are doubled with an evil word. Alas, poor women! make us but believe,

Being compact of credit, that you love us; Though others have the arm, show us the sleeve;

We in your motion turn, and you may move us. Then, gentle brother, get you in again;

Comfort my sister, cheer her, call her wife: 'Tis holy sport, to be a little vain,

When the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife. Ant, S. Sweet mistress, (what your name is else,

I know not, Nor by what wonder you do hit on mine,) Less, in your knowledge, and your grace, you show

not, Than our earth's wonder; more than earth divine. Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak;

Lay open to my earthy gross conceit,

;

6 Being compact of credit,] Means, being made altogether of credulity.

vain,] Is light of tongue, not veracious. JOHNSON.

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