ACT V. SCENE I. The same. Enter Merchant and ANGELO. Ang. I am sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd But, I protest, he had the chain of me, Though most dishonestly he doth deny it. you; Mer. How is the man esteem'd here in the city? Second to none that lives here in the city; Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Syracuse. Ang. 'Tis so; and that self chain about his neck, Which he forswore, most monstrously, to have. Good sir, draw near to me, I'll speak to him.Signior Antipholus, I wonder much That you would put me to this shame and trouble; Fye on thee, wretch! 'tis pity, that thou liv'st Ant. S. Thou art a villain, to impeach me thus: I'll prove mine honour and mine honesty Against thee presently, if thou dar'st stand. 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,3 take his sword away: 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? Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband hence: Ang. I knew, he was not in his perfect wits. Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, 3 •get within him,] i. e. close with him, grapple with him. 4 take a house.] i. e. go into a house. So, we say-a dog takes the water. STEEVENS. VOL. IV. F Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck at Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye 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 me. Abb. Haply, in private. Adr. Abb. Ay, but not enough. And in assemblies too. Adr. It was the copy of our conference: 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. 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: 5 the copy-] i. e. the theme. We still talk of setting copies for boys. STEEVENS. Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue, (Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair;)" Luc. She never reprehended him but mildly, Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house. Abb. Neither; he took this place for sanctuary, Till I have brought him to his wits again, Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, And therefore let me have him home with me. It is a branch and parcel of mine oath, Therefore depart, and leave him here with me. 6 (Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair;)] Kinsman means near relation. Many words are used by Shakspeare with much greater latitude. 7 a formal man again:] i. e. to bring him back to his senses, and the forms of sober behaviour. Adr. I will not hence, and leave here; And ill it doth beseem your holiness, To separate the husband and the wife. my husband Abb. Be quiet, and depart, thou shalt not have him. [Exit Abbess. Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity. Adr. Come, go; I 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,* Behind the ditches of the abbey here. Ang. Upon what cause? Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Against the laws and statutes of this town, 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 publickly, If any friend will pay the sum for him, He shall not die, so much we tender him. 8 Adr. Justice, most sacred duke, against the abbess! sorry execution,] So, in Macbeth: "Of sorriest fancies your companions making." Sorry had anciently a stronger meaning than at present, and seems to have meant sorrowful. |