If Time be in debt and theft, and a ferjeant in the way, Hath he not reafon to turn back an hour in the day?

Enter Luciana.

Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the mony, bear it ftrait, And bring thy mafter home immediately. Come, fifter, I am preft down with conceit; Conceit, my comfort and my injury. [Exeunt.

Enter Antipholis of Syracufe.

S. Ant. There's not a man I meet, but doth falute

me,'

As if I were their well-acquainted friend;
And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender mony to me, fome invite me
Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;
Some offer me commodities to buy.

Even now a taylor call'd me in his fhop,
And fhow'd me filks that he had bought for me,
And therewithal took meafure of my body.
Sure, thefe are but imaginary wiles,

And Lapland forcerers inhabit here.

Enter Dromio of Syracufe.

S. Dro. Mafter, here's the gold you fent me for what, have you got the picture of old Adam new apparell❜d?

What, have you got the Picture of old Adam new apparell'd?] A fhort Word or two muft have flipt out here, by fome Accident in copying, or at Prefs; other wife I have no conception of the meaning of the Paffage. The Cafe is this. Dromio's Mafter had been arrested, and fent his VOL. III.

S. Ant.

S. Ant. What gold is this? what Adam doft thou mean?

S. Dro. Not that Adam, that keeps the paradife; but that Adam, that keeps the prifon; he that goes in the calves-skin, that was kill'd for the prodigal; he that came behind you, Sir, like an evil angel, and bid you forfake your liberty.

S. Ant. I understand thee not. you S. Dro. No? why, 'tis a plain cafe. He that went like a bafe-viol in a cafe of leather the man, Sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives them a fob, and 'refts them; he, Sir, that takes pity on decay'd men, and gives 'em fuits of durance; he, that fets up his reft

What, bave you got rid of the Picture of old Adam new apparell'd?

For fo have I ventur'd to fupply, by Conjecture. But why is the Officer call'd old Adam new apparell'd? The Allufion is to Adam in his State of Innocence going naked; and immediately after the Fall, being cloath'd in a Frock of Skins. Thus he was new apparell'd and, in like manner, the Sergeants of the Counter were formerly clad in Buff, or Calves-fkin, as the Author humorously a little lower calls it. THEOBALD.

The explanation is very good, but the text does not require to be amended.

traordinary length. As the artifts improved the strength of their powder, the foldiers proportionably fhortned their arms and artillery; fo that the cannon which Froilart tells us was once fifty foot long, was contracted to lefs than ten. This proportion likewife held in their muskets fo that, till the middle of the last century, the musketeers always fupported their pieces when they gave fire, with a Reft ftuck before them into the ground, which they called Setting up their Reft, and is here alluded to. There is another quibbling allufion too to the ferjeant's office of arrefting. But what most wants animadverfion is the morris-pike, which is without meaning, impertinent to the sense, and falfe in the allufion; no pike being used amongst the dancers fo called, or at least not fam'd for much execution. In a word, Shakespeare wrote,

5 he, that fets up his rest to do more exploits with his mace, than a MORRIS-pike.] Sets up his Reft, is a phrafe taken from military exercife. When gunpowder was first invented, its force was very weak compared to that in prefent use. This neceffarily required fire-arms to be of an ex-ie. a Pikeman of Prince Mau

a MAURICE-Pike,

1

reft to do more exploits with his mace, than a morrispike.

S. Ant. What! thou mean'ft an officer?

S. Dro. Ay, Sir, the ferjeant of the band, he, that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his bond; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and faith, God give you good reft!

3. Ant. Well, Sir, there reft in your foolery. Is there any fhip puts forth to-night, may we be gone? S. Dro. Why, Sir, I brought you word an hour fince, that the bark Expedition puts forth to-night, and then were you hindered by the ferjeant, to tarry for the hoy Delay; here are the angels that you fent for, to deliver you.

S. Ant. The fellow is distract, and so am I, And here we wander in illufions;

Cour. Well met, well met, mafter Antipholis I fee, Sir, you have found the goldfmith now: Is that the chain you promis'd me to-day?

rice's army. He was the greateft general of that age, and the conductor of the Low-country wars against Spain, under whom all the English Gentry and Nobility were bred to the fervice. Being frequently overborn with numbers, he became famous for his fine Retreats, in which a stand of Pikes is of great fervice. Hence the Pikes of his army became famous for their military exploits. WARBURTON. This conjecture is very ingenious, yet the commentator talks

unneceffarily of the rest of a muket, by which he makes the he ro of the fpeech fet up the ref of a musket, to do exploits with a pike. The rest of a pike was a common term, and fignified, I believe, the manner in which it was fixed to receive the rush of the enemy. A morris pike was a pike used in a morris or a military dance, and with which great exploits were done, that is, great feats of dexterity were fhewn. There is no need of change.

S. Ant. Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not. S. Dro. Mafter, is this mistress Satan?

S. Ant. It is the devil.

S. Dro. Nay, fhe is worse, fhe's, the devil's dam ; and here's fhe comes in the habit of a light wench, and therefore comes, that the wenches fay, God dam me, that's as much as to fay, God make me a light wench. It is written, they appear to men like angels of light; light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn; come not near her.

Cour. Your man and you are marvellous merry, Sir. Will you go with me, we'll mend our dinner here? S. Dro. Mafter, if you do expect spoon-meat, befpeak a long spoon.

S. Ant. Why, Dromio?

S. Dro. Marry, he must have a long fpoon, that must eat with the devil.

S. Ant. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'ft thou me of fupping?

Thou art, as you are all, a forceress :

I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone.

Cour. Give me the ring of mine, you had at dinner, Or for my diamond the chain you promis'd, And I'll be gone, Sir, and not trouble you.

S. Dro. Some devils afk but the parings of one's nail, a rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a nut, a cherry-ftone: but the, more covetous, would have a chain. Mafter, be wife; an' if you give it her, the devil will thake her chain, and fright us with it.

Cour. I pray you, Sir, my ring, or else the chain; I hope, you do not mean to cheat me so?

S. Ant. Avaunt, thou witch! come, Dromio, let us go.

S. Dro. Fly pride, fays the peacock; mistress, that you know.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

S CE NE VII.

Manet Courtezan.

Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholis is mad;
Elfe would he never fo demean himself.

A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the fame he promis'd me a chain;
Both one, and other, he denies me now.
The reafon, that I gather, he is mad,
Befides this prefent inftance of his rage,
Is a mad tale he told to day at dinner,
Of his own door being shut againft his entrance,
Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now to hie home to his houfe,
And tell his wife, that, being lunatick,
He rush'd into my house, and took perforce
My ring away. This courfe I fitteft chufe;
For forty ducats is too much to lofe.

Changes to the Street.

Enter Antipholis of Ephefus, with a Failor.

[Exit.

E. Ant. Fear me not, man; I will not break away; I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, fo much mony, To warrant thee, as I am 'refted for. My wife is in a wayward mood to day, And will not lightly truft the meffenger, That I fhould be attach'd in Ephefus, I tell you, 'twill found harshly in her ears.