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The Comedy of Errors: Act IV, Scene 1

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The Comedy of Errors
Act IV, Scene 1

Scene 1

A public place.

  1. Enter Second Merchant, Angelo the goldsmith, and an Officer.

Second Merchant

1 - 6
  1. You know since Pentecost the sum is due,
  2. And since I have not much importun’d you,
  3. Nor now I had not, but that I am bound
  4. To Persia, and want guilders for my voyage:
  5. Therefore make present satisfaction,
  6. Or I’ll attach you by this officer.

Angelo

7 - 13
  1. Even just the sum that I do owe to you
  2. Is growing to me by Antipholus,
  3. And in the instant that I met with you
  4. He had of me a chain. At five a’clock
  5. I shall receive the money for the same:
  6. Pleaseth you walk with me down to his house,
  7. I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.
  1. Enter Antipholus of Ephesus, Dromio of Ephesus from the
  2. Courtezan’s.

Officer

14
  1. That labor may you save; see where he comes.

Antipholus of Ephesus

15 - 20
  1. While I go to the goldsmith’s house, go thou
  2. And buy a rope’s end; that will I bestow
  3. Among my wife and her confederates,
  4. For locking me out of my doors by day.
  5. But soft, I see the goldsmith. Get thee gone,
  6. Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me.

Dromio of Ephesus

21
  1. I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a rope!
  1. Exit Dromio.

Antipholus of Ephesus

22 - 26
  1. A man is well holp up that trusts to you:
  2. I promised your presence and the chain,
  3. But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me:
  4. Belike you thought our love would last too long
  5. If it were chain’d together, and therefore came not.

Angelo

27 - 33
  1. Saving your merry humor, here’s the note
  2. How much your chain weighs to the utmost charect,
  3. The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion,
  4. Which doth amount to three odd ducats more
  5. Than I stand debted to this gentleman.
  6. I pray you see him presently discharg’d,
  7. For he is bound to sea, and stays but for it.

Antipholus of Ephesus

34 - 39
  1. I am not furnish’d with the present money:
  2. Besides, I have some business in the town.
  3. Good signior, take the stranger to my house,
  4. And with you take the chain, and bid my wife
  5. Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof.
  6. Perchance I will be there as soon as you.

Angelo

40
  1. Then you will bring the chain to her yourself?

Antipholus of Ephesus

41
  1. No, bear it with you, lest I come not time enough.

Angelo

42
  1. Well, sir, I will. Have you the chain about you?

Antipholus of Ephesus

43 - 44
  1. And if I have not, sir, I hope you have:
  2. Or else you may return without your money.

Angelo

45 - 47
  1. Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain:
  2. Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman,
  3. And I, to blame, have held him here too long.

Antipholus of Ephesus

48 - 51
  1. Good Lord! You use this dalliance to excuse
  2. Your breach of promise to the Porpentine:
  3. I should have chid you for not bringing it,
  4. But like a shrew you first begin to brawl.

Second Merchant

52
  1. The hour steals on, I pray you, sir, dispatch.

Angelo

53
  1. You hear how he importunes me—the chain!

Antipholus of Ephesus

54
  1. Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money.

Angelo

55 - 56
  1. Come, come, you know I gave it you even now.
  2. Either send the chain, or send me by some token.

Antipholus of Ephesus

57 - 58
  1. Fie, now you run this humor out of breath.
  2. Come, where’s the chain? I pray you let me see it.

Second Merchant

59 - 61
  1. My business cannot brook this dalliance.
  2. Good sir, say whe’r you’ll answer me or no:
  3. If not, I’ll leave him to the officer.

How now? A madman?

J. Coghlan, 1816

Antipholus of Ephesus

62
  1. I answer you? What should I answer you?

Angelo

63
  1. The money that you owe me for the chain.

Antipholus of Ephesus

64
  1. I owe you none, till I receive the chain.

Angelo

65
  1. You know I gave it you half an hour since.

Antipholus of Ephesus

66
  1. You gave me none, you wrong me much to say so.

Angelo

67 - 68
  1. You wrong me more, sir, in denying it.
  2. Consider how it stands upon my credit.

Second Merchant

69
  1. Well, officer, arrest him at my suit.

Officer

70
  1. I do, and charge you in the Duke’s name to obey me.

Angelo

71 - 73
  1. This touches me in reputation.
  2. Either consent to pay this sum for me
  3. Or I attach you by this officer.

Antipholus of Ephesus

74 - 75
  1. Consent to pay thee that I never had!
  2. Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar’st.

Angelo

76 - 78
  1. Here is thy fee, arrest him, officer.
  2. I would not spare my brother in this case,
  3. If he should scorn me so apparently.

Officer

79
  1. I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit.

Antipholus of Ephesus

80 - 82
  1. I do obey thee, till I give thee bail.
  2. But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear
  3. As all the metal in your shop will answer.

Angelo

83 - 84
  1. Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,
  2. To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.
  1. Enter Dromio of Syracuse from the bay.

Dromio of Syracuse

85 - 92
  1. Master, there’s a bark of Epidamium
  2. That stays but till her owner comes aboard,
  3. And then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir,
  4. I have convey’d aboard, and I have bought
  5. The oil, the balsamum, and aqua-vitae.
  6. The ship is in her trim, the merry wind
  7. Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at all
  8. But for their owner, master, and yourself.

Antipholus of Ephesus

93 - 94
  1. How now? A madman? Why, thou peevish sheep,
  2. What ship of Epidamium stays for me?

Dromio of Syracuse

95
  1. A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage.

Antipholus of Ephesus

96 - 97
  1. Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope,
  2. And told thee to what purpose and what end.

Dromio of Syracuse

98 - 99
  1. You sent me for a rope’s end as soon:
  2. You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.

Antipholus of Ephesus

100 - 108
  1. I will debate this matter at more leisure,
  2. And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
  3. To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight:
  4. Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
  5. That’s cover’d o’er with Turkish tapestry
  6. There is a purse of ducats; let her send it.
  7. Tell her I am arrested in the street,
  8. And that shall bail me. Hie thee, slave, be gone!
  9. On, officer, to prison till it come.
  1. Exeunt all but Dromio of Syracuse.

Dromio of Syracuse

109 - 113
  1. To Adriana! That is where we din’d,
  2. Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband:
  3. She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.
  4. Thither I must, although against my will,
  5. For servants must their masters’ minds fulfill.
  1. Exit.
Production Comedy of Errors by the Carolina Players of the University of North Carolina

From: Production Comedy of Errors by the Carolina Players of the University of North Carolina

Carolina Players, circa 1930

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