S.Dro. Runne master run, for G.o.ds sake take a house, This is some Priorie, in, or we are spoyl"d.
Exeunt. to the Priorie.
Enter Ladie Abbesse.
Ab. Be quiet people, wherefore throng you hither?
Adr. To fetch my poore distracted husband hence, Let vs come in, that we may binde him fast, And beare him home for his recouerie
Gold. I knew he was not in his perfect wits
Mar. I am sorry now that I did draw on him
Ab. How long hath this possession held the man
Adr. This weeke he hath beene heauie, sower sad, And much different from the man he was: But till this afternoone his pa.s.sion Ne"re brake into extremity of rage
Ab. Hath he not lost much wealth by wrack of sea, Buried some deere friend, hath not else his eye Stray"d his affection in vnlawfull loue, A sinne preuailing much in youthfull men, Who giue their eies the liberty of gazing.
Which of these sorrowes is he subiect too?
Adr. To none of these, except it be the last, Namely, some loue that drew him oft from home
Ab. You should for that haue reprehended him
Adr. Why so I did
Ab. I but not rough enough
Adr. As roughly as my modestie would let me
Ab. Haply in priuate
Adr. And in a.s.semblies too
Ab. I, but not enough
Adr. It was the copie of our Conference.
In bed he slept not for my vrging it, At boord he fed not for my vrging it: Alone, it was the subiect of my Theame: In company I often glanced it: Still did I tell him, it was vilde and bad
Ab. And thereof came it, that the man was mad.
The venome clamors of a iealous woman, Poisons more deadly then a mad dogges tooth.
It seemes his sleepes were hindred by thy railing, And thereof comes it that his head is light.
Thou saist his meate was sawc"d with thy vpbraidings, Vnquiet meales make ill digestions, Thereof the raging fire of feauer bred, And what"s a Feauer, but a fit of madnesse?
Thou sayest his sports were hindred by thy bralles.
Sweet recreation barr"d, what doth ensue But moodie and dull melancholly, Kinsman to grim and comfortlesse dispaire, And at her heeles a huge infectious troope Of pale distemperatures, and foes to life?
In food, in sport, and life-preseruing rest To be disturb"d, would mad or man, or beast: The consequence is then, thy iealous fits Hath scar"d thy husband from the vse of wits
Luc. She neuer reprehended him but mildely, When he demean"d himselfe, rough, rude, and wildly, Why beare you these rebukes, and answer not?
Adri. She did betray me to my owne reproofe, Good people enter, and lay hold on him
Ab. No, not a creature enters in my house
Ad. Then let your seruants bring my husband forth Ab. Neither: he tooke this place for sanctuary, And it shall priuiledge him from your hands, Till I haue brought him to his wits againe, Or loose my labour in a.s.saying it
Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Diet his sicknesse, for it is my Office, And will haue no atturney but my selfe, And therefore let me haue him home with me
Ab. Be patient, for I will not let him stirre, Till I haue vs"d the approoued meanes I haue, With wholsome sirrups, drugges, and holy prayers To make of him a formall man againe: It is a branch and parcell of mine oath, A charitable dutie of my order, Therefore depart, and leaue him heere with me
Adr. I will not hence, and leaue my husband heere: And ill it doth beseeme your holinesse To separate the husband and the wife
Ab. Be quiet and depart, thou shalt not haue him
Luc. Complaine vnto the Duke of this indignity
Adr. Come go, I will fall prostrate at his feete, And neuer rise vntill my teares and prayers Haue won his grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the Abbesse
Mar. By this I thinke the Diall points at fiue: Anon I"me sure the Duke himselfe in person Comes this way to the melancholly vale; The place of depth, and sorrie execution, Behinde the ditches of the Abbey heere
Gold. Vpon what cause?
Mar. To see a reuerent Siracusian Merchant, Who put vnluckily into this Bay Against the Lawes and Statutes of this Towne, Beheaded publikely for his offence
Gold. See where they come, we wil behold his death Luc. Kneele to the Duke before he pa.s.se the Abbey.
Enter the Duke of Ephesus, and the Merchant of Siracuse bare head, with the Headsman, & other Officers.
Duke. Yet once againe proclaime it publikely, If any friend will pay the summe for him, He shall not die, so much we tender him
Adr. Iustice most sacred Duke against the Abbesse
Duke. She is a vertuous and a reuerend Lady, It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong
Adr. May it please your Grace, Antipholus my husba[n]d, Who I made Lord of me, and all I had, At your important Letters this ill day, A most outragious fit of madnesse tooke him: That desp"rately he hurried through the streete, With him his bondman, all as mad as he, Doing displeasure to the Citizens, By rushing in their houses: bearing thence Rings, Iewels, any thing his rage did like.
Once did I get him bound, and sent him home, Whil"st to take order for the wrongs I went, That heere and there his furie had committed, Anon I wot not, by what strong escape He broke from those that had the guard of him, And with his mad attendant and himselfe, Each one with irefull pa.s.sion, with drawne swords Met vs againe, and madly bent on vs Chac"d vs away: till raising of more aide We came againe to binde them: then they fled Into this Abbey, whether we pursu"d them, And heere the Abbesse shuts the gates on vs, And will not suffer vs to fetch him out, Nor send him forth, that we may beare him hence.
Therefore most gracious Duke with thy command, Let him be brought forth, and borne hence for helpe
Duke. Long since thy husband seru"d me in my wars And I to thee ingag"d a Princes word, When thou didst make him Master of thy bed, To do him all the grace and good I could.
Go some of you, knocke at the Abbey gate, And bid the Lady Abbesse come to me: I will determine this before I stirre.
Enter a Messenger.
Oh Mistris, Mistris, shift and saue your selfe, My Master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the Maids a-row, and bound the Doctor, Whose beard they haue sindg"d off with brands of fire, And euer as it blaz"d, they threw on him Great pailes of puddled myre to quench the haire; My Mr preaches patience to him, and the while His man with Cizers nickes him like a foole: And sure (vnlesse you send some present helpe) Betweene them they will kill the Coniurer
Adr. Peace foole, thy Master and his man are here, And that is false thou dost report to vs
Mess. Mistris, vpon my life I tel you true, I haue not breath"d almost since I did see it.
He cries for you, and vowes if he can take you, To scorch your face, and to disfigure you:
Cry within.
Harke, harke, I heare him Mistris: flie, be gone