Duke. Hapless Ægeon, whom the fates have mark'd

To bear th' extremity of dire mishap!
Now trust me, were it not against our laws,
Against my crown, my oath, my dignity,
My soul should sue as advocate for thee:
But though thou art adjudged to the death,
And passed sentence cannot be recall'd,
Without our honour's great disparagement,
Yet will I favour thee in what I can :
I therefore, merchant, limit thee this day,
To seek thy life by beneficial help:
Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus;
Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum,
And live; if not, then art thou doom'd to die.
[Exeunt the Duke & Officers of State.—Flourish.
Egeon. What friends, alas! can misery expect?
This pity but prolongs the date of pain

:

And to a sure, though short-protracted end
Helpless and hopeless doth Ægeon wend.

[Exit with the Officers.

SCENE II.

THE HOUSE AND GARDEN OF ANTIPHOLIS.

Enter Luciana.

Luciana. Why does Antipholis so long delay, And give his wife new cause for jealousy? In vain I still preach patience-for she says That should I live to see these griefs my own, My boasted reasoning would be thrown aside. Well, I will marry one day but to try

Yet all things must combine to tempt me to it. First, the season-not when drear winter chills; But when, as good old calendars assert, Wedlock's apt season, merry spring time comes!

SONG.-(As you like it.)

I.

It was a lover and his lass,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, That o'er the green corn-field did pass,

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding, a-ding, ding, Sweet lovers love the spring.

II.

This carol they began that hour,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

How that life was but a flower,

In the spring time, &c.

SCENE III.

THE MART. VIEW OF THE HARBOUR IN THE BACK..

Enter Antipholis of Syracuse and Cleon.

Cle. Therefore give out you are of Epidamnum :
Lest that your goods be forfeit to the state.
This very day a Syracusan merchant
Is apprehended for arrival here;

And, not being able to buy out his life,
Dies ere the weary sun sets in the west.———
There is your money which I had to keep.

Ant. of Syr. Where is that loitering knave?—
Dromio! Dromio.!

And stay there, sirrah, till I come to thee..
Within this hour it will be dinner-time;
'Till then, I'll view the manners of the town,
Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings,
And then return, and sleep within mine iņn ;.
For with long travel I am sick and weary.
Get thee away!

Dr. of Syr. Many a man would take you at your word,

And go away indeed, having so great

A treasure in his charge. Of what strength do
You conceive my honesty, good master,

That you dare put it to such temptation?

Ant. of Syr. Of proof against a greater charge

than this:

Were it remiss, thy love would strengthen it;
I think, thou would'st not wrong me, if thou could'st.
Dr. of Syr. I hope, I should not, sir; but there

is such

A thing as trusting too far.

Odd's heart, 'tis

A weighty matter; and, if balanc'd in

A stilliard against my honesty,

I doubt

Ant. of Syr. That very doubt is my security; No further argument, but speed away.

Dr. of Syr. Ay; but, master, you know the old saying,

Ant. of Syr. Then thou hast no occasion to tell it me.

Begone I say.

A trusty villain, sir, that

[Exit Dromio of Syracuse.
very oft

When I am dull with care and melancholy,
Lightens my humour with his merry jests.-
What, will you walk with me about the town,
And then go to the inn, and dine with me? -
Cle. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants,
Of whom I hope to make much benefit:
I crave your pardon: but, at five o'clock,

you,

Please
I'll meet you here upon the mart;
And afterwards consort with you 'till bed-time.
My present business calls me from you now.
Ant. of Syr. Farewell, 'till then.—I will go
myself,

lose

And wander up and down, to view the city.
Cle. Sir, I commend you to your own content.
[Exit Cleon.
Ant. of Syr. He that commends me to my own

content,

Commends me to the thing I cannot get.
I, to the world, am like a drop of water
That in the ocean seeks another drop;
Who, failing there to find his fellow out,
Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself:
So I, to find a mother and a brother,
In search of them, unhappy, lose myself.-

Enter Dromio of Ephesus.

How now? How chance thou art return'd so soon? Dr. of Eph. Return'd so soon! rather approach'd

too late :

The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit;
The clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell,
My mistress made it one upon my cheek;
She is so hot, because the meat is cold:

The meat is cold, because you come not home;
You come not home, because you have no stomach;
You have no stomach, having broke your fast:

But we, that know what 't is to fast and pray,

C