8 6

The Qmedy ofErrors,

For we may pitty, though not pardon thee-

Aierch. Oh had the gods done fo, I had not nowWorthily tearm'd them mercileffe to us :

For ere the fhips could meet by twice five leagues,

We were encountred by a mighty rocke,

Which being violently borne up upon,

Our helpefuU fir ip was fplitted in the midfi ; •

So that m this un juft divorce of us,

Fortune had left to both of us alike,

W hat to delight in, what to forrow for,

Her part, poore foule, feeming as burdened,

With Idler .waight ,but not with iefier woe,

Was carried with morefpeed before the winde,

And in our fight they three were taken upBy Fifhermenof Corinth, as we thought.

At length another (hip had feiz’d on us,

And knowing whom it was their hap to fave,

Gave helpefull welcome to their fhip-wrackt guefts,And would have reft the Fifhers of their prey,

Had not their barke beene very flow of faile ;

And therefore homeward did they bend their courfef •Thus have you heard me fever’d from my bliffe,

That by misfortunes was my life prolong’d,

To tell fad ftories of my owne mifhaps.

Duke. And for the fakes of them thou forroweft for,Doe me the favourio dilate at full,

W hat hath befalne of them and thee till now-

Menb. My yongeft boy, aud yet my eldeft care,Ateighteene yeares became inquifitiveAfter his brother ; and importun’d meThat his attendant, (for his cafe was like,

Reft of his brother, but retain’d his name,)

Might beare him-company in the queft of him:

Whom whil’ft I laboured of a love to fee,

1 hazarded the Ioffe of whom I lov’d.

Five Sommers have I fpent in fartheft Greece ,

Roming cleane through the bounds of A fist,

And coafting homeward,came to Epbefut :

Hopeleffe to finde, yet loath to leave unfoughtOr that, or any place that harbours men :

But heere muft end the ftory of my life,

And happy were I in my tinaely death,

Could all my travells warrant me they live.

Duk. Hapltffe Egeon whom the fates have marktTo beare th’ extremitie of dire milhap:

Now truft me, were it not againft our Lawes,

Againft my Crowne,my oath, my digjiity,WhichPrinces would,they may notdifanull,

My foule ftiould fue as advocate for thee:

But though thou art adjudged to the death,

Andpaffed fentence may not be recal’dBut to our honours great difparagement:

Yet will I favour thee in what I can,

Therefore Marchant, He limit thee this dayTo feeke thy lielpe by bcneh’ciall helpe,

Try all the friends thou haft m ffphefus,

Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the fumme,

And live: if no, then thou art doom’d to die:lay lor take him to thy cuftodie.

laylor. I will my Lord.

Kerch. Hopeleffe and helpeleffe doth Egeon wend,

But to procraftinate his Uveleffe end. Exeunt.

Enter Antiphoiis,Erotes,a ^Merchant, and'Dromto.

Mer. Therefore give out you are of Epidamium,

Left that your goods too foone be confifcate :

This very day a Sjracufan MerchantIs apprehended for arrivall here,

And not being able to buy out his life,

According to the ftatuteof thetowne,

Dies ere the weary Sunne let in the Weft :

There is your monie that I had to keepe-Ant. Goe beare it to the Centaure, where we hoft, iAnd ftay there ‘Dromio, tell I come to thee ;

Till that lie view the manners of the towne,

Within this houre it will be dinner time:

Perufe the traders, gaze upon the buildings,

And then returne and fleepe within mine Inne,

For with long travaile lam ftift’e and wearie.

Get thee away. *

fDro. Many a man would take you at your word,

And goe indeede, having fo good a meanes.

Exit Dromio.

Ant. A traftie villaine fir, that very oft,

When I am dull with care and melancholly,

Lightens my humor with his merry jefts:

What, will you vvalke with me about the towne,

And then goe .to the Iniie and dine with me iE. Mer. I am invited fir to certaine Merchants,

Of whom 1 hope to make much benefit:

I crave your pardon, foone at five aclocke,

Pleafc you, lie meete with you upon the Mart,

And afterward coafort you till bed time:

My prefent bufineffe cals me from you now-Ant. Farewell till then : I will goe loofc my life,

And wander up and downe to view the Gitie.-£. (JHer. Sir I commend you to your owne content.

Exeunt.

oAnt, He that commends me to my owne content.Commends me to the thing 1 cannot get:

I to the world am like a drop of water,

That in the Ocean feekes another drop,

Who falling there to finde his fellow forth,

(Vnfeene, inquifitive ) confounds himfelfe,

So I, to finde a Mother and a Brother,

In queft of him (unhappie ) loofe my felfe.

Enter Dromio efEphefus.

Here comes thealmanacke of my true date:

W hat now ? How chance thou art return’d fo foone.

E.Dro. Return’d fo foone, rather approacht too late:The Capon burnes, the Pig fals from thefpit-The clocke hath ftrucken twelue upon the bell:

My Miftris made it one upon my cheeke:

She is lo hot becaufethemeate is coldeThe meate is cold becaule you come not home ;

You come not home, becaufeyou have no ftomacke:You have no ftomacke, having brokeyour faft:

But vve that know what ’tisto faft aud pray,

Are penitent for your default to day.

Ant. Stop in your winde fir, tell me this I pray,Where have you left the mony that I gave you?

E. Dro. Oh .’fixe pence that I had a wenfday Iaft,

To pay the Sadler for my Miftris crupper:

The Sadler had it Sir,I kept it not.

rslnt. I am notin a fportivehumor now:

Tell me, and dally not, where is the monie ?

W e being ftrangers here, how dar’ft thou truftSo great a charge from thine owne cuftodie.

E. Dro. I pray you jeft fir as you fit at dinner :

I from my Miftris come to you in poft :

If I returne I {Rail be poft indeede.

' For

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