Off. Good sir, be patient. Dro. E. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity. Off. Good now, hold thy tongue. Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands. Ant. E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain! Dro. E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows. Ant. E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass. Dro. E. I am an ass indeed; you may prove it by my long ears. I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service, but blows: when I am cold, he heats me with beating: when I am warm, he cools me with beating: I am waked with it, when I sleep; raised with it, when I sit; driven out of doors with it, when I go from home; welcomed home with it, when I return: nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, and the Courtezan, with PINCH3, and others. Ant. E. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder. Dro. E. Mistress, respice finem*, respect your 2 Long from frequent pulling. 3 In the old copy-and a schoolmaster, called Pinch.' As learning was necessary for an exorcist, the schoolmaster was often employed. Within a very few years, in country villages the pedagogue was still a reputed conjurer. * Buchanan wrote a pamphlet against the Lord of Liddington, which ends with these words: respice finem, respice funem. Shakspeare's quibble may be borrowed from this. The parrot's proVOL. IV. R end; or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, Be ware the rope's end. Ant. E. Wilt thou still talk? [Beats him. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband mad? Adr. His incivility confirms no less.Good doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer; Establish him in his true sense again, And I will please you what you will demand. Ant. E. There is my hand and let it feel your ear. Ant. E. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not mad. Adr. O, that thou wert not, poor distressed soul! Ant. E. You minion, you, are these your customers 6? phecy may be understood by means of the following lines in Hudibras: 'Could tell what subtlest parrots mean, When they cry rope, and walk, knave, walk.' 5 This tremor was anciently thought to be a sure indication of being possessed by the devil. Caliban in the Tempest saysThou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling. 6A customer,' says Malone, 'is used in Othello for a common woman. Here it seems to signify one who visits such women.' It is surprising that a man like Malone, whose life had been devoted to the study and elucidation of Shakspeare, should so often seem ignorant of the language of the poet's time. A customer was a familiar, an intimate, a customary haunter of any place; as any of the old dictionaries would have shown him Did this companion with a saffron face Adr. O, husband, God doth know you din'd at home, Where 'would, you had remain'd until this time, Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home. Ant. E. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I shut out? Dro. E. Perdy, your doors were lock'd, and you shut out. Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? scorn me? Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scorn'd you. Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from thence? Dro. E. In verity you did;--my bones bear wit ness, That since have felt the vigour of his rage. Adr. Is't good to sooth him in these contraries? Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his vein, And, yielding to him, humours well his frenzy. under the word consuetudo or custom. It is true that in Othello, and in All's Well that Ends Well, Shakspeare has used the word to signify a common woman; i. e. one familiar with any man. This was a popular application of the word. In Udal's translation of Erasmus's Apophthegms, p. 55, we have it applied to a man as Shakspeare has done here:- Aristippus was a customer of one Lais, a notable misliving woman.' 7 Companion is a word of contempt, anciently used as we now use fellow. 8 A corruption of the common French oath par dieu. Ant. E. Thou hast suborn'd' the goldsmith to arrest me. Adr. Alas, I sent you money to redeem you, By Dromio here, who came in haste for it. Dro. E. Money by me? heart and good-will you might, But, surely, master, not a rag of money. Ant. E. Went'st not thou to her for a purse of ducats? Adr. He came to me, and I deliver'd it. Luc. And I am witness with her, that she did. Dro. E. God and the rope-maker, bear me witness, That I was sent for nothing but a rope! Pinch. Mistress, both man and master is possess'd; I know it by their pale and deadly looks: They must be bound, and laid in some dark room. Ant. E. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth to-day, And why dost thou deny the bag of gold? Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. Dro. E. And, gentle master, I receiv'd no gold; But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in both. Ant. E. Dissembling harlot, thou art false in all; And art confederate with a damned pack, To make a loathsome abject scorn of me: But with these nails I'll pluck out these false eyes, That would behold in me this shameful sport. [PINCH and his assistants bind ANT. and DRO. Adr. O, bind him, bind him, let him not come near me. Pinch. More company;-the fiend is strong within him. Luc. Ah me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks! Ant. E. What, will you murder me? Thou gaoler, thou, I am thy prisoner; wilt thou suffer them Off. Masters, let him go; He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. Pinch. Go, bind this man, for he is frantick too. Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish 9 officer? Hast thou delight to see a wretched man Do outrage and displeasure to himself? Off. He is my prisoner; if I let him go, The debt he owes, will be requir'd of me. Adr. I will discharge thee, ere I Bear me forthwith unto his creditor, And, knowing how the debt grows, I will Good master doctor, see him safe convey'd Home to my house. O most unhappy day! Ant. E. O most unhappy 10 strumpet! go from thee: pay it. Dro. E. Master, I am here enter'd in bond for you. Ant. E. Out on thee, villain! wherefore dost thou mad me? Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, Good master; cry, the devil. Luc. God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk! Adr. Go bear him hence.-Sister, go you with me. [Exeunt PINCH and Assistants with ANT. and DRO, Say now, whose suit is he arrested at? Off. One Angelo, a goldsmith; Do you know him? Adr. I know the man: What is the sum he owes? Off. Two hundred ducats. Adr. Say, how grows it due? Off. Due for a chain, your husband had of him. Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it not. Cour. When as your husband, all in rage, to-day 9 Vide before, p. 172, note 6. 10 Unhappy for unlucky, i. e. mischievous. |