Mer. I dare, and do defy thee for a villain. [They draw. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, Courtezan, and others. Adr. Hold,hurt him not, for God's sake; he is mad ;Some get within him, 2 take his sword away: Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house. Dro.S. Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house. 3 This is some priory ;-In, or we are spoil'd. [Exeunt ANT.S. and DRO.S. to the Priory. Enter the Abbess. Abb. Be quiet, people; Wherefore throng you hither? Ang. I knew, he was not in his perfect wits. Ne'er brake into extremity of rage. Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck at sea? Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? A sin, prevailing much in youthful men, Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; Abb. Ay, but not rough enough. Adr. As roughly, as my modesty would let mè. Adr. And in assemblies too. Abb. Ay, but not enough. Adr. It was the copy of our conference:4 In bed, he slept not for my urging it; At board, he fed not for my urging it ; [2] i. e. close with him, grapple with him. STEEVENS. [3] i.e. go into a house. So, we say-a dog takes the water. STEEV. [4] ie. the theme. We still talk of setting copies for boys. STEEVENS. Alone, it was the subject of my theme; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. Abb. And thereof came it, that the man was mad: The venom clamours of a jealous woman Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. It seems, his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing: And therefore comes it, that his head is light. Thou say'st, his meat was sauc'd with thy upbraidings: Unquiet meals make ill digestions, Thereof the raging fire of fever bred; And what's a fever but a fit of madness? Thou say'st, his sports were hinder'd by thy brawls: (Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair ;) Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly, Good people, enter, and lay hold on him. Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house. Adr. Then, let your servants bring my husband forth. Abb. Neither; he took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands, Till I have brought him to his wits again, Or lose my labour in assaying it. Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Diet his sickness, for it is my office, And will have no attorney but myself; And therefore let me have him home with me. It is a branch and parcel of mine oath, [5] i.e. to bring him back to his senses, and the forms of sober behaviour. So, in Measure for Measure, "informal women," for just the contrary. STE. A charitable duty of my order; Therefore depart, and leave him here with me. Adr. I will not hence, and leave my husband here; And ill it doth beseem your holiness, To separate the husband and the wife. Abb. Be quiet, and depart, thou shalt not have him. [Exit Abbess. Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity. Adr. Come, go; 1 will fall prostrate at his feet, And never rise until my tears and prayers Have won his grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the abbess. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five: Anon, I am sure, the duke himself in person Comes this way to the melancholy vale ; The place of death and sorry execution,6 Behind the ditches of the abbey here. Ang. Upon what cause? Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Who put unluckily into this bay Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publicly for his offence. Ang. See, where they come; we will behold his death. Luc. Kneel to the duke, before he pass the abbey. Enter Duke attended; ÆGEON bare-headed; with the Headsman, and other Officers. Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publicly, If any friend will pay the sum for him, He shall not die, so much we tender him. Adr. Justice, most sacred duke, against the abbess ! Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady; It cannot be, that she hath done thee wrong. Adr. May it please your grace, Antipholus, my husband, Whom I made lord of me and all I had, At your important? letters, this ill day A most outrageous fit of madness took him ; That desperately he hurried through the street, (With him his bondman, all as mad as he) Doing displeasure to the citizens By rushing in their houses, bearing thence [6] Sorry had anciently a stronger meaning than at present. Mr. Douce is of opinion, that it is put for sorrowful. STEEVENS. [7] Important seems to be used for importunate. JOHNSON. Rings, jewels, any thing his rage did like. He broke from those that had the guard of him ; Chased us away; till, raising of more aid, Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. Duke. Long since, thy husband serv'd me in my wars; And I to thee engag'd a prince's word, When thou didst make him master of thy bed, I will determine this, before I stir. Enter a Servant. Ser. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! My master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor, Whose beard they have singed off with brands of fire; Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair : Adr. Peace, fool, thy master and his man are here; And that is false, thou dost report to us. Ser. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; I have not breath'd almost, since I did see it. To scorch your face, and to disfigure you: [Cry within. [8] A strong escape, I suppose, means an escape effected by strength or violence. STEEVENS. 38* VOL. I. Duke. Come, stand by me, fear nothing: Guard with halberds. Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here ; Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROM10 of Ephesus. Ant.E. Justice,sweet prince,against that woman there. Even in the strength and height of injury ! That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. Duke. A grievous fault :-Say, women, didst thou so? Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, Ant.E. My liege, I am advised what I say';' Nor heady-rash, provok'd with raging ire, [9] Antipholus did not suspect his wife of having entertained courtezans, but of having been confederate with cheats to impose on him and abuse him. Therefore, he says to her-Act IV. sc. iy: "are these your customers? "Did this companion with the saffron face "Revel and feast it at my house to-day?" By this description he points out Pinch and his followers. Harlots was a reproach applied to cheats among men as well as to wantons among women. Chaucer uses the word more than once : "A sturdy harlot went hen ay behind, Sompnoures Tale, v. 7330. [1] i.e. I am not going to speak precipitately or rashly, but on reflection and consideration. STEEVENS. |