SCENE I. A public place. The Comedy of Errors  Shakespeare homepage  |  Comedy of Errors  | Act 4, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. A public place. 

 Enter Second Merchant, ANGELO, and an Officer  Second Merchant  You know since Pentecost the sum is due, 

 And since I have not much importuned you; 

 Nor now I had not, but that I am bound 

 To Persia, and want guilders for my voyage: 

 Therefore make present satisfaction, 

 Or I'll attach you by this officer. 

 ANGELO  Even just the sum that I do owe to you 

 Is growing to me by Antipholus, 

 And in the instant that I met with you 

 He had of me a chain: at five o'clock 

 I shall receive the money for the same. 

 Pleaseth you walk with me down to his house, 

 I will discharge my bond and thank you too. 



 Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus and DROMIO of Ephesus from the courtezan's  Officer  That labour may you save: see where he comes. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  While I go to the goldsmith's house, go thou 

 And buy a rope's end: that will I bestow 

 Among my wife and her confederates, 

 For locking me out of my doors by day. 

 But, soft! I see the goldsmith. Get thee gone; 

 Buy thou a rope and bring it home to me. 

 DROMIO OF EPHESUS  I buy a thousand pound a year: I buy a rope. 



 Exit  ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  A man is well holp up that trusts to you: 

 I promised your presence and the chain; 

 But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me. 

 Belike you thought our love would last too long, 

 If it were chain'd together, and therefore came not. 

 ANGELO  Saving your merry humour, here's the note 

 How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat, 

 The fineness of the gold and chargeful fashion. 

 Which doth amount to three odd ducats more 

 Than I stand debted to this gentleman: 

 I pray you, see him presently discharged, 

 For he is bound to sea and stays but for it. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  I am not furnish'd with the present money; 

 Besides, I have some business in the town. 

 Good signior, take the stranger to my house 

 And with you take the chain and bid my wife 

 Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof: 

 Perchance I will be there as soon as you. 

 ANGELO  Then you will bring the chain to her yourself? 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  No; bear it with you, lest I come not time enough. 

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

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  An if I have not, sir, I hope you have; 

 Or else you may return without your money. 

 ANGELO  Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain: 

 Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman, 

 And I, to blame, have held him here too long. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  Good Lord! you use this dalliance to excuse 

 Your breach of promise to the Porpentine. 

 I should have chid you for not bringing it, 

 But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl. 

 Second Merchant  The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, dispatch. 

 ANGELO  You hear how he importunes me;--the chain! 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  Why, give it to my wife and fetch your money. 

 ANGELO  Come, come, you know I gave it you even now. 

 Either send the chain or send me by some token. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  Fie, now you run this humour out of breath, 

 where's the chain? I pray you, let me see it. 

 Second Merchant  My business cannot brook this dalliance. 

 Good sir, say whether you'll answer me or no: 

 If not, I'll leave him to the officer. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  I answer you! what should I answer you? 

 ANGELO  The money that you owe me for the chain. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  I owe you none till I receive the chain. 

 ANGELO  You know I gave it you half an hour since. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  You gave me none: you wrong me much to say so. 

 ANGELO  You wrong me more, sir, in denying it: 

 Consider how it stands upon my credit. 

 Second Merchant  Well, officer, arrest him at my suit. 

 Officer  I do; and charge you in the duke's name to obey me. 

 ANGELO  This touches me in reputation. 

 Either consent to pay this sum for me 

 Or I attach you by this officer. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  Consent to pay thee that I never had! 

 Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou darest. 

 ANGELO  Here is thy fee; arrest him, officer, 

 I would not spare my brother in this case, 

 If he should scorn me so apparently. 

 Officer  I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  I do obey thee till I give thee bail. 

 But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear 

 As all the metal in your shop will answer. 

 ANGELO  Sir, sir, I will have law in Ephesus, 

 To your notorious shame; I doubt it not. 



 Enter DROMIO of Syracuse, from the bay  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Master, there is a bark of Epidamnum 

 That stays but till her owner comes aboard, 

 And then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir, 

 I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought 

 The oil, the balsamum and aqua-vitae. 

 The ship is in her trim; the merry wind 

 Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at all 

 But for their owner, master, and yourself. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  How now! a madman! Why, thou peevish sheep, 

 What ship of Epidamnum stays for me? 

 DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope; 

 And told thee to what purpose and what end. 

 DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  You sent me for a rope's end as soon: 

 You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark. 

 ANTIPHOLUS 

 OF EPHESUS  I will debate this matter at more leisure 

 And teach your ears to list me with more heed. 

 To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight: 

 Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk 

 That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry, 

 There is a purse of ducats; let her send it: 

 Tell her I am arrested in the street 

 And that shall bail me; hie thee, slave, be gone! 

 On, officer, to prison till it come. 



 Exeunt Second Merchant, Angelo, Officer, and Antipholus of Ephesus  DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  To Adriana! that is where we dined, 

 Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband: 

 She is too big, I hope, for me to compass. 

 Thither I must, although against my will, 

 For servants must their masters' minds fulfil. 



 Exit  Shakespeare homepage  |  Comedy of Errors  | Act 4, Scene 1 

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