ye stil? what do ye doubt? I saie, care not for his threatnings, nor for anie of his words. Take him up, and bring him to the Physitians house: I will go thither before. [Exit. 325 Men. What newes? how now masters? what will ye do with me? why do you thus beset me? whither carrie ye me? Helpe, helpe, neighbors, friends, citizens !

Mess. O Jupiter, what do I see? my maister abused by 330 a companie of varlets.

Men. Is there no good man will helpe me?

Mess. Helpe ye maister! yes the villaines shall have

my life before they shall thus wrong ye. Tis more
fit I should be kild, then you thus handled. Pull 335
out that rascals eye that holds ye about the necke
there. Ile clout these peasants; out ye rogue, let
go ye varlet.

Men. I have hold of this villaines eie.

Mess. Pull it out, and let the place appear in his head. 340 Away ye cutthroat theeves, ye murtherers.

Lo. Omnes. O, O, ay, ay; crie pittifullie.

Mess. Away, get ye hence, ye mongrels, ye dogs. Will ye be gone? Thou raskal behind there, Ile give thee somewhat more, take that. It was time to 345 come maister; you had bene in good case, if I had not bene heere now. I tolde you what would come of it.

Men. Now as the Gods love me, my good friend I

thank thee: thou hast done that for me which I 350 shall never be able to requite.

Messe. I'le tell ye how Sir; give me my freedome.

Men. Should I give it thee?

Mess. Seeing you cannot requite my good turne.

Men. Thou art deceived, man.

355

Mess. Wherein ?

Men. On mine honestie, I am none of thy maister; I

had never yet anie servant would do so much for

me.

Messe. Why then bid me be free: will you?

Men. Yea surelie: be free, for my part.

Mes. O sweetly spoken; thanks my good maister.
Servus alius. Messenio, we are all glad of your good

fortune.

360

Mess. O maister, Ile call you maister still. I praie use 365 me in anie service as ye did before. Ile dwell with you still; and when ye go home, Ile wait upon you.

Men. Nay, nay, it shall not need.

Mess. Ile go strait to the Inne, and deliver up my accounts, and all your stuffe.

up safely sealed in the casket,

I will goe fetch it to you.

Men. Do, fetch it.

Mess. I will.

Your purse is lockt 370 as you gave it mee.

Men. I was never thus perplext. Some deny me to 375 be him that I am, and shut me out of their doores. This fellow saith he is my bondman, and of me he begs his freedome: he will fetch my purse and monie. Well, if he bring it, I will receive it, and set him free. I would he would so go his way. 380 My old father in lawe and the Doctor, saie I am mad: who ever sawe such strange demeanors. Well though Erotium be never so angrie, yet once againe Ile go see if by intreatie I can get the cloake on her to carrie to my wife.

[Exit. 385

Enter MENECHMUS the traveller, and MESSENIO. Men. Impudent knave, wilt thou say that I ever saw thee since I sent thee away to day, and bad thee come for mee after dinner?

Messe. Ye make me starke mad: I tooke ye away, and
reskued ye from foure great bigboand villaines, 390
that were carrying ye away even heere in this
place. Heere they had ye up; you cried Helpe,
helpe. I came running to you: you and I to-
gither beate them away by maine force. Then for
my good turne and faithfull service, ye gave me 395
my freedome: I told ye I would go fetch your
Casket: now in the meane time you ranne some

other way to get before me, and so you denie it all
againe.

Men. I gave thee thy freedome ?

Mess. You did.

Men. When I give thee thy freedome, Ile be a bond

man my selfe; go thy wayes.

Mess. Whewe, marry I thanke for nothing.

Enter MENECHMUS the Citizen.

400

Men. Forsworne Queanes, sweare till your hearts ake, 405 and your eyes fall out, you shall never make me beleeve that I carried hence either cloake or chaine.

Mess. O heavens, maister, what do I see?

Men. Tra. What?

Mess. Your ghoast.

410

Men. Tra. What ghoast?

Mess. Your Image, as like you as can be possible.

Men. Tra. Surely not much unlike me, as I thinke.
Men. Cit. O my good friend and helper, well met;

thanks for thy late good helpe.

415

Mess. Sir, may I crave to know your name?

Men. Cit. I were too blame if I should not tell thee anie

thing; my name is Menechmus.

Men. Tra. Nay my friend, that is my name.

Men. Cit. I am of Syracusis in Sicilia.

Men. Tra. So am I.

Mess. Are you a Syracusan?

Men. Cit. I am.

Mess. Oho, I know ye: this is my maister: I thought

420

hee there had bene my maister, and was proffering 425
my service to him. Pray pardon me Sir, if I said
any thing I should not.

Men. Tra. Why doating patch, didst thou not come
with me this morning from the ship?

Messe. My faith he saies true. This is my maister, you 430 may go looke ye a man. God save ye maister:

you Sir, farewell. This is Menechmus.

Men. Cit. I say, that I am Menechmus.

Messe. What a jest is this? Are you Menechmus ?
Men. Cit. Even Menechmus, the sonne of Moschus.
Men. Tra. My father's sonne?

Men. Cit. Friend, I go about neither to take your father
nor your country from you.

435

Mess. O immortal Gods, let it fall out as I hope! and for my life these two are the two Twinnes, all 440 things agree so jump together. I will speak to my maister. Menechmus.

Both. What wilt thou?

Mess. I call you not both: but which of you came with

me from the ship?

Men. Cit. Not I.

Men. Tra. I did.

Mess. Then I call you. Come hither,

445

Men. Tra. What's the matter?

Mess. This same is either some notable cousening Jug- 450

ler, or else it is your brother whom we seeke. I
never sawe one man so like an other: water to
water, nor milke to milke, is not liker than he is to
you.

Men. Tra. Indeed I thinke thou saiest true.

Finde it 455 that he is my brother, and I here promise thee thy freedom.

Messe. Well, let me be about it. Heare ye Sir; you say

your name is Menechmus.

Men. Cit. I do.

Mess. So is this man's. You are of Syracusis?

Men. Cit. True.

Mess. So is he. Moscus was your father?

Men. Cit. He was.

460

Mess. So was he his. What will you say, if I find 465

that ye are brethren and twins ?

Men. Cit. I would thinke it happie newes.

Mess. Nay staie maisters both: I meane to have the

Mes. Well this goeth right thus farre. What is the

farthest thing that you remember there?

Men. Cit. How I went with my father to Tarentum, to

a great mart, and there in the preasse I was stolne 480 from him.