for you and your wench and snatchcrust your Men. What wenches? what Parasites ? Mess. Villaine, Ile make thee tell me what thou meanest by all this talke? Cyl. Away Jack Napes, I say nothing to thee, for I know thee not, I speake to him that I know. Men. Out, drunken foole, without doubt thou art out of thy wits. I 20 Cyl. That you shall see by the dressing of your meat. 125 to do there, whiles your dinner is making readie. Men. Is he gone? Messenio I thinke uppon thy words Mess. Tush marke I pray. Ile laie fortie pound here Men. But I wonder how he knowes my name. 130 anie straunge shippe arriveth at the Haven, they 135 sende a boye or a wench to enquire what they be, what their names be, whence they come, wherefore they come, etc. If they can by any meanes strike acquaintance with him, or allure him to their houses, he is their owne. We are here in a tickle 140 place maister: tis best to be circumspect. Men. I mislike not thy counsaile Messenio. Soft, here comes some- Mess. I, but follow it then. bodie forth. amongst you. Enter EROTIUM. 145 Let the doore stand so, away, it shall not be shut. ΙΟ Make haste within there ho: maydes looke that Men. Whom doth this woman speake to? Ero. Even to you Sir: to whom else should I speake? Men. Gentlewoman, ye are a straunger to me, and I marvell at your speeches. Ero. Yea Sir, but such a straunger, as I acknowledge ye for my best and dearest friend, and well you have deserved it. 160 Men. Surely Messenio, this woman is also mad or drunke, that useth all this kindesse to me uppon 165 so small acquaintance. Mess. Tush, did not I tell ye right? these be but leaves have you with this man? where have you seene Ero. Where he sawe me, here in Epidamnum. Mes. In Epidamnum? who never will till this day set 175 his foote within the towne ? Ero. Go, go, flowting Jack. Menechmus what need all this? I pray go in. Men. She also calls me by my name. Mess. She smels your purse. Men. Messenio, come hither: here take my purse. 180 Ile I know whether she aime at me or my purse, ere I go. Men. A good motion; yea, and thanks with all my Erot. Never thanke me for that which you com- Men. That I commaunded? Erot. Yea for you and your Parasite. Men. My Parasite ? Erot. Peniculus, who came with you this morning, Men. A cloake that I brought you, which I got from Erot. Tush, what needeth all this jesting? Pray leave off. Erot. What ship do you tell me off? 1)V* Mes. Marry Ile tell ye: an old rotten weather-beaten thinke ye? Erot. Come, come, Menechmus, I pray leave this sport- Men. Well, Gentlewoman, the truth is, you mistake my 185 190 195 200 205 Erot. Why, thinke ye I knowe ye not to be Menechmus, 210 the sonne of Moschus, and have heard ye say, ye were borne at Siracusis where Agathocles did raigne; then Pythia, then Liparo, and now Hiero. Men. All this is true. Mess. Either shee is a witch, or else shee hath dwelt 215 there and knew ye there. Men. Ile go in with her, Messenio, Ile see further of this matter. Mess. Ye are cast away then. Men. Why so? I warrant thee, I can lose nothing, 220 Ero. Will ye staie any longer for your Peniculus, your Men. Not I, Ile neither staie for him, nor have him let Erot. All the better. But Sir, will ye doo one thing for me? Men. What is that? 230 Ero. To beare that cloake which you gave me to the 235 Diars, to have it new trimd and altred. Men. Yea that will be well, so my wife shall not know it. Let mee have it with mee after dinner. I will but speake a word or two with this fellowe, then Ile follow ye in. Ho, Messenio, come aside. Goe and provide for thyselfe and these ship boyes in 240 some inne; then looke that after dinner you come hither for me. Mess. Ah maister, will yee be conycatcht thus wilfully? 245 4441 Men. Wilt thou be gone? * Mess. See, see, she hath him safe inough now. Thus Come ACT 3. Enter PENICULUS. IO * Twentie yeares I thinke and more, have I playde 20 |