#HE SOUGHT ME AND BOUGHT ME WITH HIS REDEEMING BLOOD

[sunflower-chai]

we’re singing victory in Jesus on sunday and maybe my southerner is showing but MAN that’s a good hymn

#OH VICTORY IN JESUS MY SAVIOR FOREVER #HE SOUGHT ME AND BOUGHT ME WITH HIS REDEEMING BLOOD #HE LOVED ME ERE I KNEW HIM AND ALL MY LOVE IS DUE HIM #HE PLUNGED ME TO VICTORY BENEATH THE CLEANSING FLOOD #faith #choir chronicles #mer talks

[walkswithmyfather]

“VICTORY IN JESUS”

“I heard an old, old story,

How a Savior came from glory,

How He gave His life on Calvary

To save a wretch like me;

I heard about His groaning,

Of His precious blood's atoning,

Then I repented of my sins

And won the victory.

Chorus: O victory in Jesus,

My Savior, forever.

He sought me and bought me

With His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing,

Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.

How He made the lame to walk again

And caused the blind to see;

And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,

Come and heal my broken spirit,"

And somehow Jesus came and bro't

To me the victory.

I heard about a mansion

He has built for me in glory.

And I heard about the streets of gold

Beyond the crystal sea;

About the angels singing,

And the old redemption story,

And some sweet day I'll sing up there

The song of victory.”

—E.M. Bartlett, (1939)

From: “Postcards From God” (FB)

#christian music #christian hymns #christian songs #christian blog #god #belief in god #faith in god #encouragement #jesus #belief in jesus #faith in jesus #keep the faith #make him known #bible

[vaguelyhumanshapedbeing]

Fun fact! There is nothing stopping you from posting the entirety of Shakespeare plays on Tumblr.com!

Exhibit 1 — The Comedy of Errors:

ACT 1

Scene 1

Enter ⌜Solinus⌝ the Duke of Ephesus, with ⌜Egeon⌝ the Merchant of Syracuse, Jailer, and other Attendants.

EGEON   Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall,  And by the doom of death end woes and all. DUKE   Merchant of Syracusa, plead no more.  I am not partial to infringe our laws. 5 The enmity and discord which of late  Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke  To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,  Who, wanting guilders to redeem their lives,  Have sealed his rigorous statutes with their bloods, 10 Excludes all pity from our threat’ning looks.  For since the mortal and intestine jars  ’Twixt thy seditious countrymen and us,  It hath in solemn synods been decreed,  Both by the Syracusians and ourselves, 15 To admit no traffic to our adverse towns.  Nay, more, if any born at Ephesus  Be seen at Syracusian marts and fairs;  Again, if any Syracusian born  Come to the bay of Ephesus, he dies, 20 His goods confiscate to the Duke’s dispose,

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 Unless a thousand marks be levièd  To quit the penalty and to ransom him.  Thy substance, valued at the highest rate,  Cannot amount unto a hundred marks; 25 Therefore by law thou art condemned to die. EGEON   Yet this my comfort: when your words are done,  My woes end likewise with the evening sun. DUKE   Well, Syracusian, say in brief the cause  Why thou departedst from thy native home 30 And for what cause thou cam’st to Ephesus. EGEON   A heavier task could not have been imposed  Than I to speak my griefs unspeakable;  Yet, that the world may witness that my end  Was wrought by nature, not by vile offense, 35 I’ll utter what my sorrow gives me leave.  In Syracusa was I born, and wed  Unto a woman happy but for me,  And by me, had not our hap been bad.  With her I lived in joy. Our wealth increased 40 By prosperous voyages I often made  To Epidamium, till my factor’s death  And ⌜the⌝ great care of goods at random left  Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse;  From whom my absence was not six months old 45 Before herself—almost at fainting under  The pleasing punishment that women bear—  Had made provision for her following me  And soon and safe arrivèd where I was.  There had she not been long but she became 50 A joyful mother of two goodly sons,  And, which was strange, the one so like the other  As could not be distinguished but by names.

p. 11

 That very hour, and in the selfsame inn,  A mean woman was deliverèd 55 Of such a burden, male twins, both alike.  Those, for their parents were exceeding poor,  I bought and brought up to attend my sons.  My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys,  Made daily motions for our home return. 60 Unwilling, I agreed. Alas, too soon  We came aboard.  A league from Epidamium had we sailed  Before the always-wind-obeying deep  Gave any tragic instance of our harm; 65 But longer did we not retain much hope,  For what obscurèd light the heavens did grant  Did but convey unto our fearful minds  A doubtful warrant of immediate death,  Which though myself would gladly have embraced, 70 Yet the incessant weepings of my wife,  Weeping before for what she saw must come,  And piteous plainings of the pretty babes,  That mourned for fashion, ignorant what to fear,  Forced me to seek delays for them and me. 75 And this it was, for other means was none:  The sailors sought for safety by our boat  And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us.  My wife, more careful for the latter-born,  Had fastened him unto a small spare mast, 80 Such as seafaring men provide for storms.  To him one of the other twins was bound,  Whilst I had been like heedful of the other.  The children thus disposed, my wife and I,  Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fixed, 85 Fastened ourselves at either end the mast  And, floating straight, obedient to the stream,  Was carried towards Corinth, as we thought.

p. 13

 At length the sun, gazing upon the earth,  Dispersed those vapors that offended us, 90 And by the benefit of his wished light  The seas waxed calm, and we discoverèd  Two ships from far, making amain to us,  Of Corinth that, of Epidaurus this.  But ere they came—O, let me say no more! 95 Gather the sequel by that went before. DUKE   Nay, forward, old man. Do not break off so,  For we may pity though not pardon thee. EGEON   O, had the gods done so, I had not now  Worthily termed them merciless to us. 100 For, ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues,  We were encountered by a mighty rock,  Which being violently borne ⌜upon,⌝  Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst;  So that, in this unjust divorce of us, 105 Fortune had left to both of us alike  What to delight in, what to sorrow for.  Her part, poor soul, seeming as burdenèd  With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe,  Was carried with more speed before the wind, 110 And in our sight they three were taken up  By fishermen of Corinth, as we thought.  At length, another ship had seized on us  And, knowing whom it was their hap to save,  Gave healthful welcome to their shipwracked guests, 115 And would have reft the fishers of their prey  Had not their ⌜bark⌝ been very slow of sail;  And therefore homeward did they bend their course.  Thus have you heard me severed from my bliss,  That by misfortunes was my life prolonged 120 To tell sad stories of my own mishaps.

p. 15

DUKE   And for the sake of them thou sorrowest for,  Do me the favor to dilate at full  What have befall’n of them and ⌜thee⌝ till now. EGEON   My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care, 125 At eighteen years became inquisitive  After his brother, and importuned me  That his attendant—so his case was like,  Reft of his brother, but retained his name—  Might bear him company in the quest of him, 130 Whom whilst I labored of a love to see,  I hazarded the loss of whom I loved.  Five summers have I spent in farthest Greece,  Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia,  And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus, 135 Hopeless to find, yet loath to leave unsought  Or that or any place that harbors men.  But here must end the story of my life;  And happy were I in my timely death  Could all my travels warrant me they live. DUKE  140 Hapless Egeon, whom the fates have marked  To bear the extremity of dire mishap,  Now, trust me, were it not against our laws,  Against my crown, my oath, my dignity,  Which princes, would they, may not disannul, 145 My soul should sue as advocate for thee.  But though thou art adjudgèd to the death,  And passèd sentence may not be recalled  But to our honor’s great disparagement,  Yet will I favor thee in what I can. 150 Therefore, merchant, I’ll limit thee this day  To seek thy ⌜life⌝ by beneficial help.  Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus;  Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum,

p. 17

 And live. If no, then thou art doomed to die.— 155 Jailer, take him to thy custody. JAILER  I will, my lord. EGEON   Hopeless and helpless doth Egeon wend,  But to procrastinate his lifeless end. They exit.

⌜Scene 2⌝

Enter Antipholus ⌜of Syracuse, First⌝ Merchant, and Dromio ⌜of Syracuse.⌝

⌜FIRST⌝ MERCHANT   Therefore give out you are of Epidamium,  Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate.  This very day a Syracusian merchant  Is apprehended for arrival here 5 And, not being able to buy out his life,  According to the statute of the town  Dies ere the weary sun set in the west.  There is your money that I had to keep. ⌜He gives money.⌝ ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE, handing money to Dromio⌝   Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host, 10 And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee.  Within this hour it will be dinnertime.  Till that, I’ll view the manners of the town,  Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings,  And then return and sleep within mine inn, 15 For with long travel I am stiff and weary.  Get thee away. DROMIO ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Many a man would take you at your word  And go indeed, having so good a mean. Dromio ⌜of Syracuse⌝ exits.

p. 19

ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   A trusty villain, sir, that very oft, 20 When I am dull with care and melancholy,  Lightens my humor with his merry jests.  What, will you walk with me about the town  And then go to my inn and dine with me? ⌜FIRST⌝ MERCHANT   I am invited, sir, to certain merchants, 25 Of whom I hope to make much benefit.  I crave your pardon. Soon at five o’clock,  Please you, I’ll meet with you upon the mart  And afterward consort you till bedtime.  My present business calls me from you now. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  30 Farewell till then. I will go lose myself  And wander up and down to view the city. ⌜FIRST⌝ MERCHANT   Sir, I commend you to your own content.⌜He exits.⌝ ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   He that commends me to mine own content  Commends me to the thing I cannot get. 35 I to the world am like a drop of water  That in the ocean seeks another drop,  Who, falling there to find his fellow forth,  Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself.  So I, to find a mother and a brother, 40 In quest of them, unhappy, lose myself.

Enter Dromio of Ephesus.

 Here comes the almanac of my true date.—  What now? How chance thou art returned so soon? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Returned so soon? Rather approached too late!  The capon burns; the pig falls from the spit; 45 The clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell;  My mistress made it one upon my cheek.

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 She is so hot because the meat is cold;  The meat is cold because you come not home;  You come not home because you have no stomach; 50 You have no stomach, having broke your fast.  But we that know what ’tis to fast and pray  Are penitent for your default today. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Stop in your wind, sir. Tell me this, I pray:  Where have you left the money that I gave you? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  55 O, sixpence that I had o’ Wednesday last  To pay the saddler for my mistress’ crupper?  The saddler had it, sir; I kept it not. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   I am not in a sportive humor now.  Tell me, and dally not: where is the money? 60 We being strangers here, how dar’st thou trust  So great a charge from thine own custody? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner.  I from my mistress come to you in post;  If I return, I shall be post indeed, 65 For she will scour your fault upon my pate.  Methinks your maw, like mine, should be your  ⌜clock,⌝  And strike you home without a messenger. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Come, Dromio, come, these jests are out of season. 70 Reserve them till a merrier hour than this.  Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   To me, sir? Why, you gave no gold to me! ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Come on, sir knave, have done your foolishness,  And tell me how thou hast disposed thy charge.

p. 23

DROMIO OF EPHESUS  75 My charge was but to fetch you from the mart  Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner.  My mistress and her sister stays for you. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Now, as I am a Christian, answer me  In what safe place you have bestowed my money, 80 Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours  That stands on tricks when I am undisposed.  Where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   I have some marks of yours upon my pate,  Some of my mistress’ marks upon my shoulders, 85 But not a thousand marks between you both.  If I should pay your Worship those again,  Perchance you will not bear them patiently. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Thy mistress’ marks? What mistress, slave, hast  thou? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  90 Your Worship’s wife, my mistress at the Phoenix,  She that doth fast till you come home to dinner  And prays that you will hie you home to dinner. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE, beating Dromio⌝   What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face,  Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  95 What mean you, sir? For God’s sake, hold your  hands.  Nay, an you will not, sir, I’ll take my heels. Dromio ⌜of⌝ Ephesus exits. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Upon my life, by some device or other  The villain is ⌜o’erraught⌝ of all my money. 100 They say this town is full of cozenage,  As nimble jugglers that deceive the eye,

p. 25

 Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind,  Soul-killing witches that deform the body,  Disguisèd cheaters, prating mountebanks, 105 And many suchlike liberties of sin.  If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner.  I’ll to the Centaur to go seek this slave.  I greatly fear my money is not safe. He exits.

p. 29

ACT 2

⌜Scene 1⌝

Enter Adriana, wife to Antipholus ⌜of Ephesus,⌝ with Luciana, her sister.

ADRIANA   Neither my husband nor the slave returned  That in such haste I sent to seek his master?  Sure, Luciana, it is two o’clock. LUCIANA   Perhaps some merchant hath invited him, 5 And from the mart he’s somewhere gone to dinner.  Good sister, let us dine, and never fret.  A man is master of his liberty;  Time is their master, and when they see time  They’ll go or come. If so, be patient, sister. ADRIANA  10 Why should their liberty than ours be more? LUCIANA   Because their business still lies out o’ door. ADRIANA   Look when I serve him so, he takes it ⌜ill.⌝ LUCIANA   O, know he is the bridle of your will. ADRIANA   There’s none but asses will be bridled so. LUCIANA  15 Why, headstrong liberty is lashed with woe.

p. 31

 There’s nothing situate under heaven’s eye  But hath his bound in earth, in sea, in sky.  The beasts, the fishes, and the wingèd fowls  Are their males’ subjects and at their controls. 20 Man, more divine, the master of all these,  Lord of the wide world and wild wat’ry seas,  Endued with intellectual sense and souls,  Of more preeminence than fish and fowls,  Are masters to their females, and their lords. 25 Then let your will attend on their accords. ADRIANA   This servitude makes you to keep unwed. LUCIANA   Not this, but troubles of the marriage bed. ADRIANA   But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway. LUCIANA   Ere I learn love, I’ll practice to obey. ADRIANA  30 How if your husband start some otherwhere? LUCIANA   Till he come home again, I would forbear. ADRIANA   Patience unmoved! No marvel though she pause;  They can be meek that have no other cause.  A wretched soul bruised with adversity 35 We bid be quiet when we hear it cry,  But were we burdened with like weight of pain,  As much or more we should ourselves complain.  So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee,  With urging helpless patience would relieve me; 40 But if thou live to see like right bereft,  This fool-begged patience in thee will be left. LUCIANA   Well, I will marry one day, but to try.  Here comes your man. Now is your husband nigh.

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Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Ephesus.

ADRIANA   Say, is your tardy master now at hand? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  45Nay, he’s at two hands with me,  and that my two ears can witness. ADRIANA   Say, didst thou speak with him? Know’st thou his  mind? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear. 50 Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. LUCIANA  Spake he so doubtfully thou couldst not feel  his meaning? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  Nay, he struck so plainly I could  too well feel his blows, and withal so doubtfully 55 that I could scarce understand them. ADRIANA   But say, I prithee, is he coming home?  It seems he hath great care to please his wife. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Why, mistress, sure my master is horn mad. ADRIANA   Horn mad, thou villain? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  60 I mean not cuckold mad,  But sure he is stark mad.  When I desired him to come home to dinner,  He asked me for a ⌜thousand⌝ marks in gold.  “’Tis dinnertime,” quoth I. “My gold,” quoth he. 65 “Your meat doth burn,” quoth I. “My gold,” quoth  he.  “Will you come?” quoth I. “My gold,” quoth he.  “Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain?”  “The pig,” quoth I, “is burned.” “My gold,” quoth 70 he.

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 “My mistress, sir,” quoth I. “Hang up thy mistress!  I know not thy mistress. Out on thy mistress!” LUCIANA  Quoth who? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  Quoth my master. 75 “I know,” quoth he, “no house, no wife, no  mistress.”  So that my errand, due unto my tongue,  I thank him, I bare home upon my shoulders,  For, in conclusion, he did beat me there. ADRIANA  80 Go back again, thou slave, and fetch him home. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Go back again and be new beaten home?  For God’s sake, send some other messenger. ADRIANA   Back, slave, or I will break thy pate across. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   And he will bless that cross with other beating. 85 Between you, I shall have a holy head. ADRIANA   Hence, prating peasant. Fetch thy master home. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Am I so round with you as you with me,  That like a football you do spurn me thus?  You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither. 90 If I last in this service, you must case me in leather. ⌜He exits.⌝ LUCIANA   Fie, how impatience loureth in your face. ADRIANA   His company must do his minions grace,  Whilst I at home starve for a merry look.  Hath homely age th’ alluring beauty took 95 From my poor cheek? Then he hath wasted it.  Are my discourses dull? Barren my wit?  If voluble and sharp discourse be marred,

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 Unkindness blunts it more than marble hard.  Do their gay vestments his affections bait? 100 That’s not my fault; he’s master of my state.  What ruins are in me that can be found  By him not ruined? Then is he the ground  Of my defeatures. My decayèd fair  A sunny look of his would soon repair. 105 But, too unruly deer, he breaks the pale  And feeds from home. Poor I am but his stale. LUCIANA   Self-harming jealousy, fie, beat it hence. ADRIANA   Unfeeling fools can with such wrongs dispense.  I know his eye doth homage otherwhere, 110 Or else what lets it but he would be here?  Sister, you know he promised me a chain.  Would that alone o’ love he would detain,  So he would keep fair quarter with his bed.  I see the jewel best enamelèd 115 Will lose his beauty. Yet the gold bides still  That others touch, and often touching will  ⌜Wear⌝ gold; ⌜yet⌝ no man that hath a name  By falsehood and corruption doth it shame.  Since that my beauty cannot please his eye, 120 I’ll weep what’s left away, and weeping die. LUCIANA   How many fond fools serve mad jealousy! ⌜They⌝ exit.

⌜Scene 2⌝

Enter Antipholus ⌜of Syracuse.⌝

ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   The gold I gave to Dromio is laid up  Safe at the Centaur, and the heedful slave

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 Is wandered forth in care to seek me out.  By computation and mine host’s report, 5 I could not speak with Dromio since at first  I sent him from the mart. See, here he comes.

Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse.

 How now, sir? Is your merry humor altered?  As you love strokes, so jest with me again.  You know no Centaur? You received no gold? 10 Your mistress sent to have me home to dinner?  My house was at the Phoenix? Wast thou mad,  That thus so madly thou didst answer me? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   What answer, sir? When spake I such a word? ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Even now, even here, not half an hour since. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  15 I did not see you since you sent me hence,  Home to the Centaur with the gold you gave me. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Villain, thou didst deny the gold’s receipt  And told’st me of a mistress and a dinner,  For which I hope thou felt’st I was displeased. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  20 I am glad to see you in this merry vein.  What means this jest, I pray you, master, tell me? ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Yea, dost thou jeer and flout me in the teeth?  Think’st thou I jest? Hold, take thou that and that. Beats Dromio. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Hold, sir, for God’s sake! Now your jest is earnest. 25 Upon what bargain do you give it me? ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Because that I familiarly sometimes  Do use you for my fool and chat with you,

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 Your sauciness will jest upon my love  And make a common of my serious hours. 30 When the sun shines, let foolish gnats make sport,  But creep in crannies when he hides his beams.  If you will jest with me, know my aspect,  And fashion your demeanor to my looks,  Or I will beat this method in your sconce. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  35“Sconce” call you it? So you  would leave battering, I had rather have it a  “head.” An you use these blows long, I must get a  sconce for my head and ensconce it too, or else I  shall seek my wit in my shoulders. But I pray, sir, 40 why am I beaten? ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Dost thou not know? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Nothing, sir, but that I am  beaten. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Shall I tell you why? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  45Ay, sir, and wherefore, for they  say every why hath a wherefore. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  “Why” first: for flouting  me; and then “wherefore”: for urging it the second  time to me. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  50 Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season,  When in the “why” and the “wherefore” is neither  rhyme nor reason?  Well, sir, I thank you. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Thank me, sir, for what? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  55Marry, sir, for this something  that you gave me for nothing. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  I’ll make you amends next,  to give you nothing for something. But say, sir, is it  dinnertime? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  60No, sir, I think the meat wants  that I have.

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ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  In good time, sir, what’s  that? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Basting. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  65Well, sir, then ’twill be dry. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  If it be, sir, I pray you eat none of  it. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Your reason? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Lest it make you choleric and 70 purchase me another dry basting. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Well, sir, learn to jest in  good time. There’s a time for all things. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  I durst have denied that before  you were so choleric. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  75By what rule, sir? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Marry, sir, by a rule as plain as  the plain bald pate of Father Time himself. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Let’s hear it. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  There’s no time for a man to 80 recover his hair that grows bald by nature. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  May he not do it by fine and  recovery? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Yes, to pay a fine for a periwig,  and recover the lost hair of another man. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  85Why is Time such a niggard  of hair, being, as it is, so plentiful an excrement? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Because it is a blessing that he  bestows on beasts, and what he hath scanted ⌜men⌝  in hair, he hath given them in wit. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  90Why, but there’s many a  man hath more hair than wit. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Not a man of those but he hath  the wit to lose his hair. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Why, thou didst conclude 95 hairy men plain dealers without wit. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  The plainer dealer, the sooner  lost. Yet he loseth it in a kind of jollity.

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ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  For what reason? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  For two, and sound ones too. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  100Nay, not sound, I pray you. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Sure ones, then. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  Nay, not sure, in a thing  falsing. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Certain ones, then. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  105Name them. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  The one, to save the money that  he spends in ⌜tiring;⌝ the other, that at dinner they  should not drop in his porridge. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  You would all this time 110 have proved there is no time for all things. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Marry, and did, sir: namely, e’en  no time to recover hair lost by nature. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  But your reason was not  substantial why there is no time to recover. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  115Thus I mend it: Time himself is  bald and therefore, to the world’s end, will have  bald followers. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  I knew ’twould be a bald  conclusion. But soft, who wafts us yonder?

Enter Adriana, ⌜beckoning them,⌝ and Luciana.

ADRIANA  120 Ay, ay, Antipholus, look strange and frown.  Some other mistress hath thy sweet aspects.  I am not Adriana, nor thy wife.  The time was once when thou unurged wouldst vow  That never words were music to thine ear, 125 That never object pleasing in thine eye,  That never touch well welcome to thy hand,  That never meat sweet-savored in thy taste,  Unless I spake, or looked, or touched, or carved to  thee. 130 How comes it now, my husband, O, how comes it

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 That thou art then estrangèd from thyself?  “Thyself” I call it, being strange to me,  That, undividable, incorporate,  Am better than thy dear self’s better part. 135 Ah, do not tear away thyself from me!  For know, my love, as easy mayst thou fall  A drop of water in the breaking gulf,  And take unmingled thence that drop again  Without addition or diminishing, 140 As take from me thyself and not me too.  How dearly would it touch thee to the quick,  Shouldst thou but hear I were licentious  And that this body, consecrate to thee,  By ruffian lust should be contaminate! 145 Wouldst thou not spit at me, and spurn at me,  And hurl the name of husband in my face,  And tear the stained skin off my harlot brow,  And from my false hand cut the wedding ring,  And break it with a deep-divorcing vow? 150 I know thou canst, and therefore see thou do it.  I am possessed with an adulterate blot;  My blood is mingled with the crime of lust;  For if we two be one, and thou play false,  I do digest the poison of thy flesh, 155 Being strumpeted by thy contagion.  Keep then fair league and truce with thy true bed,  I live distained, thou undishonorèd. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Plead you to me, fair dame? I know you not.  In Ephesus I am but two hours old, 160 As strange unto your town as to your talk,  Who, every word by all my wit being scanned,  Wants wit in all one word to understand. LUCIANA   Fie, brother, how the world is changed with you!

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 When were you wont to use my sister thus? 165 She sent for you by Dromio home to dinner. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  By Dromio? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  By me? ADRIANA   By thee; and this thou didst return from him:  That he did buffet thee and, in his blows, 170 Denied my house for his, me for his wife. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Did you converse, sir, with this gentlewoman?  What is the course and drift of your compact? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   I, sir? I never saw her till this time. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Villain, thou liest, for even her very words 175 Didst thou deliver to me on the mart. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   I never spake with her in all my life. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   How can she thus then call us by our names—  Unless it be by inspiration? ADRIANA   How ill agrees it with your gravity 180 To counterfeit thus grossly with your slave,  Abetting him to thwart me in my mood.  Be it my wrong you are from me exempt,  But wrong not that wrong with a more contempt.  Come, I will fasten on this sleeve of thine. ⌜She takes his arm.⌝ 185 Thou art an elm, my husband, I a vine,  Whose weakness, married to thy ⌜stronger⌝ state,  Makes me with thy strength to communicate.  If aught possess thee from me, it is dross,  Usurping ivy, brier, or idle moss, 190 Who, all for want of pruning, with intrusion  Infect thy sap and live on thy confusion.

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ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE, aside⌝   To me she speaks; she moves me for her theme.  What, was I married to her in my dream?  Or sleep I now and think I hear all this? 195 What error drives our eyes and ears amiss?  Until I know this sure uncertainty  I’ll entertain the ⌜offered⌝ fallacy. LUCIANA   Dromio, go bid the servants spread for dinner. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   O, for my beads! I cross me for a sinner. ⌜He crosses himself.⌝ 200 This is the fairy land. O spite of spites!  We talk with goblins, owls, and sprites.  If we obey them not, this will ensue:  They’ll suck our breath, or pinch us black and blue. LUCIANA   Why prat’st thou to thyself and answer’st not? 205 Dromio—thou, Dromio—thou snail, thou slug,  thou sot. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   I am transformèd, master, am I not? ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   I think thou art in mind, and so am I. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Nay, master, both in mind and in my shape. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  210 Thou hast thine own form. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   No, I am an ape. LUCIANA   If thou art changed to aught, ’tis to an ass. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   ’Tis true. She rides me, and I long for grass.  ’Tis so. I am an ass; else it could never be 215 But I should know her as well as she knows me.

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ADRIANA   Come, come, no longer will I be a fool,  To put the finger in the eye and weep  Whilst man and master laughs my woes to scorn.  Come, sir, to dinner.—Dromio, keep the gate.— 220 Husband, I’ll dine above with you today,  And shrive you of a thousand idle pranks.  ⌜To Dromio.⌝ Sirrah, if any ask you for your master,  Say he dines forth, and let no creature enter.—  Come, sister.—Dromio, play the porter well. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE, aside⌝  225 Am I in Earth, in heaven, or in hell?  Sleeping or waking, mad or well-advised?  Known unto these, and to myself disguised!  I’ll say as they say, and persever so,  And in this mist at all adventures go. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  230 Master, shall I be porter at the gate? ADRIANA   Ay, and let none enter, lest I break your pate. LUCIANA   Come, come, Antipholus, we dine too late. ⌜They exit.⌝

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ACT 3

Scene 1

Enter Antipholus of Ephesus, his man Dromio, Angelo the goldsmith, and Balthasar the merchant.

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Good Signior Angelo, you must excuse us all;  My wife is shrewish when I keep not hours.  Say that I lingered with you at your shop  To see the making of her carcanet, 5 And that tomorrow you will bring it home.  But here’s a villain that would face me down  He met me on the mart, and that I beat him  And charged him with a thousand marks in gold,  And that I did deny my wife and house.— 10 Thou drunkard, thou, what didst thou mean by this? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Say what you will, sir, but I know what I know.  That you beat me at the mart I have your hand to  show;  If the skin were parchment and the blows you gave 15 were ink,  Your own handwriting would tell you what I think. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   I think thou art an ass. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Marry, so it doth appear  By the wrongs I suffer and the blows I bear.

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20 I should kick being kicked and, being at that pass,  You would keep from my heels and beware of an ass. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   You’re sad, Signior Balthasar. Pray God our cheer  May answer my goodwill and your good welcome  here. BALTHASAR  25 I hold your dainties cheap, sir, and your welcome  dear. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   O Signior Balthasar, either at flesh or fish  A table full of welcome makes scarce one dainty  dish. BALTHASAR  30 Good meat, sir, is common; that every churl affords. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   And welcome more common, for that’s nothing but  words. BALTHASAR   Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry  feast. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  35 Ay, to a niggardly host and more sparing guest.  But though my cates be mean, take them in good  part.  Better cheer may you have, but not with better  heart.⌜He attempts to open the door.⌝ 40 But soft! My door is locked. ⌜To Dromio.⌝ Go, bid  them let us in. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Maud, Bridget, Marian, Ciceley, Gillian, Ginn! DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝   Mome, malt-horse, capon, coxcomb, idiot, patch!  Either get thee from the door or sit down at the 45 hatch.

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 Dost thou conjure for wenches, that thou call’st for  such store  When one is one too many? Go, get thee from the  door. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  50 What patch is made our porter? My master stays in  the street. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝   Let him walk from whence he came, lest he catch  cold on ’s feet. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Who talks within there? Ho, open the door. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝  55 Right, sir, I’ll tell you when an you’ll tell me  wherefore. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Wherefore? For my dinner. I have not dined today. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝   Nor today here you must not. Come again when you  may. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  60 What art thou that keep’st me out from the house I  owe? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝   The porter for this time, sir, and my name is  Dromio. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   O villain, thou hast stolen both mine office and my 65 name!  The one ne’er got me credit, the other mickle  blame.  If thou hadst been Dromio today in my place,  Thou wouldst have changed thy face for a name, or 70 thy name for an ass.

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Enter Luce ⌜above, unseen by Antipholus of Ephesus and his company.⌝

LUCE   What a coil is there, Dromio! Who are those at the  gate? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Let my master in, Luce. LUCE   Faith, no, he comes too late, 75 And so tell your master. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   O Lord, I must laugh.  Have at you with a proverb: shall I set in my staff? LUCE   Have at you with another: that’s—When, can you  tell? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝  80 If thy name be called “Luce,” Luce, thou hast  answered him well. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Luce⌝   Do you hear, you minion? You’ll let us in, I hope? LUCE   I thought to have asked you. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝    And you said no. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  85 So, come help. Well struck! There was blow for  blow. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Luce⌝   Thou baggage, let me in. LUCE   Can you tell for whose sake? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Master, knock the door hard. LUCE  90 Let him knock till it ache. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   You’ll cry for this, minion, if I beat the door down. ⌜He beats on the door.⌝

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LUCE   What needs all that, and a pair of stocks in the  town?

Enter Adriana, ⌜above, unseen by Antipholus of Ephesus and his company.⌝

ADRIANA   Who is that at the door that keeps all this noise? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝  95 By my troth, your town is troubled with unruly  boys. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Are you there, wife? You might have come before. ADRIANA   Your wife, sir knave? Go, get you from the door. ⌜Adriana and Luce exit.⌝ DROMIO OF EPHESUS   If you went in pain, master, this knave would go 100 sore. ANGELO, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Here is neither cheer, sir, nor welcome. We would  fain have either. BALTHASAR   In debating which was best, we shall part with  neither. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  105 They stand at the door, master. Bid them welcome  hither. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   There is something in the wind, that we cannot get  in. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   You would say so, master, if your garments were 110 thin.  Your cake here is warm within; you stand here in  the cold.

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 It would make a man mad as a buck to be so  bought and sold. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  115 Go, fetch me something. I’ll break ope the gate. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝   Break any breaking here, and I’ll break your knave’s  pate. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   A man may break a word with ⌜you,⌝ sir, and words  are but wind, 120 Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not  behind. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝   It seems thou want’st breaking. Out upon thee, hind! DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Here’s too much “Out upon thee!” I pray thee, let  me in. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜within⌝  125 Ay, when fowls have no feathers and fish have no  fin. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Dromio of Ephesus⌝   Well, I’ll break in. Go, borrow me a crow. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   A crow without feather? Master, mean you so?  For a fish without a fin, there’s a fowl without a 130 feather.—  If a crow help us in, sirrah, we’ll pluck a crow  together. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Go, get thee gone. Fetch me an iron crow. BALTHASAR   Have patience, sir. O, let it not be so. 135 Herein you war against your reputation,  And draw within the compass of suspect  Th’ unviolated honor of your wife.  Once this: your long experience of ⌜her⌝ wisdom,

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 Her sober virtue, years, and modesty 140 Plead on ⌜her⌝ part some cause to you unknown.  And doubt not, sir, but she will well excuse  Why at this time the doors are made against you.  Be ruled by me; depart in patience,  And let us to the Tiger all to dinner, 145 And about evening come yourself alone  To know the reason of this strange restraint.  If by strong hand you offer to break in  Now in the stirring passage of the day,  A vulgar comment will be made of it; 150 And that supposèd by the common rout  Against your yet ungallèd estimation  That may with foul intrusion enter in  And dwell upon your grave when you are dead;  For slander lives upon succession, 155 Forever housèd where it gets possession. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   You have prevailed. I will depart in quiet  And, in despite of mirth, mean to be merry.  I know a wench of excellent discourse,  Pretty and witty, wild and yet, too, gentle. 160 There will we dine. This woman that I mean,  My wife—but, I protest, without desert—  Hath oftentimes upbraided me withal;  To her will we to dinner. ⌜To Angelo.⌝ Get you home  And fetch the chain; by this, I know, ’tis made. 165 Bring it, I pray you, to the Porpentine,  For there’s the house. That chain will I bestow—  Be it for nothing but to spite my wife—  Upon mine hostess there. Good sir, make haste.  Since mine own doors refuse to entertain me, 170 I’ll knock elsewhere, to see if they’ll disdain me. ANGELO   I’ll meet you at that place some hour hence.

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ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Do so. This jest shall cost me some expense. They exit.

⌜Scene 2⌝

Enter ⌜Luciana⌝ with Antipholus of Syracuse.

⌜LUCIANA⌝   And may it be that you have quite forgot   A husband’s office? Shall, Antipholus,  Even in the spring of love thy love-springs rot?   Shall love, in ⌜building,⌝ grow so ⌜ruinous?⌝ 5 If you did wed my sister for her wealth,   Then for her wealth’s sake use her with more   kindness.  Or if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth —   Muffle your false love with some show of 10  blindness.  Let not my sister read it in your eye;   Be not thy tongue thy own shame’s orator;  Look sweet, speak fair, become disloyalty;   Apparel vice like virtue’s harbinger. 15 Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted.   Teach sin the carriage of a holy saint.  Be secret-false. What need she be acquainted?   What simple thief brags of his own ⌜attaint?⌝  ’Tis double wrong to truant with your bed 20  And let her read it in thy looks at board.  Shame hath a bastard fame, well managèd;   Ill deeds is doubled with an evil word.  Alas, poor women, make us ⌜but⌝ believe,   Being compact of credit, that you love us. 25 Though others have the arm, show us the sleeve;   We in your motion turn, and you may move us.

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 Then, gentle brother, get you in again.   Comfort my sister, cheer her, call her ⌜wife.⌝  ’Tis holy sport to be a little vain 30  When the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Sweet mistress—what your name is else I know not,   Nor by what wonder you do hit of mine—  Less in your knowledge and your grace you show not   Than our Earth’s wonder, more than Earth divine. 35 Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak.   Lay open to my earthy gross conceit,  Smothered in errors, feeble, shallow, weak,   The folded meaning of your words’ deceit.  Against my soul’s pure truth why labor you 40  To make it wander in an unknown field?  Are you a god? Would you create me new?   Transform me, then, and to your power I’ll yield.  But if that I am I, then well I know   Your weeping sister is no wife of mine, 45 Nor to her bed no homage do I owe.   Far more, far more, to you do I decline.  O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note   To drown me in thy ⌜sister’s⌝ flood of tears.  Sing, Siren, for thyself, and I will dote. 50  Spread o’er the silver waves thy golden hairs,  And as a ⌜bed⌝ I’ll take ⌜them⌝ and there lie,   And in that glorious supposition think  He gains by death that hath such means to die.   Let love, being light, be drownèd if she sink. LUCIANA  55 What, are you mad that you do reason so? ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Not mad, but mated—how, I do not know. LUCIANA   It is a fault that springeth from your eye.

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ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   For gazing on your beams, fair sun, being by. LUCIANA   Gaze when you should, and that will clear your 60 sight. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night. LUCIANA   Why call you me “love”? Call my sister so. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Thy sister’s sister. LUCIANA   That’s my sister. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  65 No,  It is thyself, mine own self’s better part,  Mine eye’s clear eye, my dear heart’s dearer heart,  My food, my fortune, and my sweet hope’s aim,  My sole Earth’s heaven, and my heaven’s claim. LUCIANA  70 All this my sister is, or else should be. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Call thyself “sister,” sweet, for I am thee.  Thee will I love, and with thee lead my life;  Thou hast no husband yet, nor I no wife.  Give me thy hand. LUCIANA  75 O soft, sir. Hold you still.  I’ll fetch my sister to get her goodwill.She exits.

Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse, ⌜running.⌝

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Why, how now, Dromio.  Where runn’st thou so fast? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Do you know me, sir? Am I 80 Dromio? Am I your man? Am I myself? ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Thou art Dromio, thou art  my man, thou art thyself. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  I am an ass, I am a woman’s  man, and besides myself.

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ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  85What woman’s man? And  how besides thyself? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Marry, sir, besides myself I am  due to a woman, one that claims me, one that  haunts me, one that will have me. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  90What claim lays she to thee? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Marry, sir, such claim as you  would lay to your horse, and she would have me as  a beast; not that I being a beast she would have me,  but that she, being a very beastly creature, lays 95 claim to me. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  What is she? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  A very reverend body, ay, such a  one as a man may not speak of without he say  “sir-reverence.” I have but lean luck in the match, 100 and yet is she a wondrous fat marriage. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  How dost thou mean a “fat  marriage”? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Marry, sir, she’s the kitchen  wench, and all grease, and I know not what use to 105 put her to but to make a lamp of her and run from  her by her own light. I warrant her rags and the  tallow in them will burn a Poland winter. If she lives  till doomsday, she’ll burn a week longer than the  whole world. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  110What complexion is she of? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Swart like my shoe, but her face  nothing like so clean kept. For why? She sweats. A  man may go overshoes in the grime of it. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  That’s a fault that water will 115 mend. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  No, sir, ’tis in grain; Noah’s flood  could not do it. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  What’s her name? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Nell, sir, but her name ⌜and⌝

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120 three quarters—that’s an ell and three quarters—  will not measure her from hip to hip. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Then she bears some  breadth? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  No longer from head to foot than 125 from hip to hip. She is spherical, like a globe. I  could find out countries in her. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  In what part of her body  stands Ireland? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Marry, sir, in her buttocks. I 130 found it out by the bogs. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Where Scotland? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  I found it by the barrenness,  hard in the palm of the hand. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Where France? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  135In her forehead, armed and  reverted, making war against her heir. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Where England? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  I looked for the chalky cliffs, but  I could find no whiteness in them. But I guess it 140 stood in her chin, by the salt rheum that ran  between France and it. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Where Spain? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Faith, I saw it not, but I felt it hot  in her breath. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  145Where America, the Indies? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  O, sir, upon her nose, all o’erembellished  with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires,  declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of  Spain, who sent whole armadas of carracks to be 150 ballast at her nose. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Where stood Belgia, the  Netherlands? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  O, sir, I did not look so low. To  conclude: this drudge or diviner laid claim to me,

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155 called me Dromio, swore I was assured to her, told  me what privy marks I had about me, as the mark  of my shoulder, the mole in my neck, the great wart  on my left arm, that I, amazed, ran from her as a  witch. 160 And, I think, if my breast had not been made of  faith, and my heart of steel,  She had transformed me to a curtal dog and made  me turn i’ th’ wheel. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Go, hie thee presently. Post to the road. 165 An if the wind blow any way from shore,  I will not harbor in this town tonight.  If any bark put forth, come to the mart,  Where I will walk till thou return to me.  If everyone knows us, and we know none, 170 ’Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack, and be gone. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   As from a bear a man would run for life,  So fly I from her that would be my wife.He exits. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   There’s none but witches do inhabit here,  And therefore ’tis high time that I were hence. 175 She that doth call me husband, even my soul  Doth for a wife abhor. But her fair sister,  Possessed with such a gentle sovereign grace,  Of such enchanting presence and discourse,  Hath almost made me traitor to myself. 180 But lest myself be guilty to self wrong,  I’ll stop mine ears against the mermaid’s song.

Enter Angelo with the chain.

ANGELO   Master Antipholus. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Ay, that’s my name.

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ANGELO   I know it well, sir. Lo, here’s the chain. 185 I thought to have ta’en you at the Porpentine;  The chain unfinished made me stay thus long. ⌜He gives Antipholus a chain.⌝ ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   What is your will that I shall do with this? ANGELO   What please yourself, sir. I have made it for you. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Made it for me, sir? I bespoke it not. ANGELO  190 Not once, nor twice, but twenty times you have.  Go home with it, and please your wife withal,  And soon at supper time I’ll visit you  And then receive my money for the chain. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   I pray you, sir, receive the money now, 195 For fear you ne’er see chain nor money more. ANGELO   You are a merry man, sir. Fare you well.He exits. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   What I should think of this I cannot tell,  But this I think: there’s no man is so vain  That would refuse so fair an offered chain. 200 I see a man here needs not live by shifts  When in the streets he meets such golden gifts.  I’ll to the mart, and there for Dromio stay.  If any ship put out, then straight away. He exits.

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ACT 4

Scene 1

Enter a ⌜Second⌝ Merchant, ⌜Angelo the⌝ Goldsmith, and an Officer.

⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT, ⌜to Angelo⌝   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. 5 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, 10 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 Courtesan’s.

OFFICER   That labor may you save. See where he comes. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Dromio of Ephesus⌝  15 While I go to the goldsmith’s house, go thou

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 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. 20 Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me. DROMIO ⌜OF EPHESUS⌝   I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a rope! Dromio exits. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Angelo⌝   A man is well holp up that trusts to you!  I promisèd your presence and the chain,  But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me. 25 Belike you thought our love would last too long  If it were chained together, and therefore came not. ANGELO, ⌜handing a paper to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Saving your merry humor, here’s the note  How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat,  The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion, 30 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 furnished with the present money. 35 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  40 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?

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ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   An if I have not, sir, I hope you have,  Or else you may return without your money. ANGELO  45 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. 50 I should have chid you for not bringing it,  But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT, ⌜to Angelo⌝   The hour steals on. I pray you, sir, dispatch. ANGELO, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   You hear how he importunes me. The chain! ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money. ANGELO  55 Come, come. You know I gave it you even now.  Either send the chain, or send ⌜by me⌝ some token. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Fie, now you run this humor out of breath.  Come, where’s the chain? I pray you, let me see it. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   My business cannot brook this dalliance. 60 Good sir, say whe’er 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  65 You know I gave it you half an hour since.

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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, ⌜to Angelo⌝  70 I do, and charge you in the Duke’s name to obey  me. ANGELO, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   This touches me in reputation.  Either consent to pay this sum for me,  Or I attach you by this officer. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  75 Consent to pay thee that I never had?—  Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar’st. ANGELO, ⌜to Officer⌝   Here is thy fee. Arrest him, officer.⌜Giving money.⌝  I would not spare my brother in this case  If he should scorn me so apparently. OFFICER, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝  80 I do arrest you, sir. You hear the suit. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   I do obey thee till I give thee bail.  ⌜To Angelo.⌝ But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as  dear  As all the metal in your shop will answer. ANGELO  85 Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,  To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.

Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse from the bay.

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Master, there’s a bark of Epidamium  That stays but till her owner comes aboard,

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 And then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir, 90 I have conveyed 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 naught at all  But for their owner, master, and yourself. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  95 How now? A madman? Why, thou peevish sheep,  What ship of Epidamium 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  100 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. ⌜He gives a key.⌝ 105 Give her this key, and tell her in the desk  That’s covered 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. Begone.— 110 On, officer, to prison till it come. ⌜All but Dromio of Syracuse⌝ exit. 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, 115 For servants must their masters’ minds fulfill. He exits.

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⌜Scene 2⌝

Enter Adriana and Luciana.

ADRIANA   Ah, Luciana, did he tempt thee so?   Might’st thou perceive austerely in his eye  That he did plead in earnest, yea or no?   Looked he or red or pale, or sad or merrily? 5 What observation mad’st thou in this case  ⌜Of⌝ his heart’s meteors tilting in his face? LUCIANA   First he denied you had in him no right. ADRIANA   He meant he did me none; the more my spite. LUCIANA   Then swore he that he was a stranger here. ADRIANA  10 And true he swore, though yet forsworn he were. LUCIANA   Then pleaded I for you. ADRIANA   And what said he? LUCIANA   That love I begged for you he begged of me. ADRIANA   With what persuasion did he tempt thy love? LUCIANA  15 With words that in an honest suit might move.  First he did praise my beauty, then my speech. ADRIANA   Did’st speak him fair? LUCIANA   Have patience, I beseech. ADRIANA   I cannot, nor I will not hold me still. 20 My tongue, though not my heart, shall have his will.  He is deformèd, crooked, old, and sere,  Ill-faced, worse-bodied, shapeless everywhere,

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 Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind,  Stigmatical in making, worse in mind. LUCIANA  25 Who would be jealous, then, of such a one?  No evil lost is wailed when it is gone. ADRIANA   Ah, but I think him better than I say,   And yet would herein others’ eyes were worse.  Far from her nest the lapwing cries away. 30  My heart prays for him, though my tongue do   curse.

Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse ⌜with the key.⌝

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Here, go—the desk, the purse! Sweet, now make  haste. LUCIANA   How hast thou lost thy breath? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  35 By running fast. ADRIANA   Where is thy master, Dromio? Is he well? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   No, he’s in Tartar limbo, worse than hell.  A devil in an everlasting garment hath him,  One whose hard heart is buttoned up with steel; 40 A fiend, a fairy, pitiless and rough;  A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff;  A backfriend, a shoulder clapper, one that  countermands  The passages of alleys, creeks, and narrow lands; 45 A hound that runs counter and yet draws dryfoot  well,  One that before the judgment carries poor souls to  hell. ADRIANA  Why, man, what is the matter?

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DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  50 I do not know the matter. He is ’rested on the case. ADRIANA   What, is he arrested? Tell me at whose suit. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   I know not at whose suit he is arrested well,  But is in a suit of buff which ’rested him; that can I  tell. 55 Will you send him, mistress, redemption—the  money in his desk? ADRIANA   Go fetch it, sister. (Luciana exits.) This I wonder at,  ⌜That⌝ he, unknown to me, should be in debt.  Tell me, was he arrested on a band? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  60 Not on a band, but on a stronger thing:  A chain, a chain. Do you not hear it ring? ADRIANA  What, the chain? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   No, no, the bell. ’Tis time that I were gone.  It was two ere I left him, and now the clock strikes 65 one. ADRIANA   The hours come back. That did I never hear. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   O yes, if any hour meet a sergeant, he turns back  for very fear. ADRIANA   As if time were in debt. How fondly dost thou 70 reason! DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Time is a very bankrout and owes more than he’s  worth to season.  Nay, he’s a thief too. Have you not heard men say  That time comes stealing on by night and day?

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75 If ⌜he⌝ be in debt and theft, and a sergeant in the  way,  Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?

Enter Luciana, ⌜with the purse.⌝

ADRIANA   Go, Dromio. There’s the money. Bear it straight,  And bring thy master home immediately. ⌜Dromio exits.⌝ 80 Come, sister, I am pressed down with conceit:  Conceit, my comfort and my injury. ⌜They⌝ exit.

⌜Scene 3⌝

Enter Antipholus ⌜of⌝ Syracuse, ⌜wearing the chain.⌝

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   There’s not a man I meet but doth salute me  As if I were their well-acquainted friend,  And everyone doth call me by my name.  Some tender money to me; some invite me; 5 Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;  Some offer me commodities to buy.  Even now a tailor called me in his shop  And showed me silks that he had bought for me,  And therewithal took measure of my body. 10 Sure these are but imaginary wiles,  And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.

Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse ⌜with the purse.⌝

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Master, here’s the gold you sent  me for. What, have you got the picture of old Adam  new-appareled? ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  15 What gold is this? What Adam dost thou mean?

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DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Not that Adam that kept the  Paradise, but that Adam that keeps the prison; he  that goes in the calf’s skin that was killed for the  Prodigal; he that came behind you, sir, like an evil 20 angel, and bid you forsake your liberty. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  I understand thee not. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  No? Why, ’tis a plain case: he  that went like a bass viol in a case of leather; the  man, sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives 25 them a sob and ’rests them; he, sir, that takes pity  on decayed men and gives them suits of durance; he  that sets up his rest to do more exploits with his  mace than a morris-pike. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  What, thou mean’st an 30 officer? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band;  he that brings any man to answer it that breaks his  band; one that thinks a man always going to bed  and says “God give you good rest.” ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  35Well, sir, there rest in your  foolery. Is there any ships puts forth tonight? May  we be gone? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Why, sir, I brought you word an  hour since that the bark Expedition put forth tonight, 40 and then were you hindered by the sergeant  to tarry for the hoy Delay. Here are the angels that  you sent for to deliver you.⌜He gives the purse.⌝ ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   The fellow is distract, and so am I,  And here we wander in illusions. 45 Some blessèd power deliver us from hence!

Enter a Courtesan.

COURTESAN   Well met, well met, Master Antipholus.

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 I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now.  Is that the chain you promised me today? ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  50 Master, is this Mistress Satan? ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   It is the devil. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Nay, she is worse; she is the  devil’s dam, and here she comes in the habit of a  light wench. And thereof comes that the wenches 55 say “God damn me”; that’s as much to say “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. COURTESAN  60 Your man and you are marvelous merry, sir.  Will you go with me? We’ll mend our dinner here. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Master, if ⌜you⌝ do, expect spoon  meat, or bespeak a long spoon. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  Why, Dromio? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  65Marry, he must have a long  spoon that must eat with the devil. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE, ⌜to the Courtesan⌝   Avoid then, fiend! What tell’st thou me of supping?  Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress.  I conjure thee to leave me and be gone. COURTESAN  70 Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner  Or, for my diamond, the chain you promised,  And I’ll be gone, sir, and not trouble you. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Some devils ask but the parings  of one’s nail, a rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin, a 75 nut, a cherrystone; but she, more covetous, would  have a chain. Master, be wise. An if you give it her,  the devil will shake her chain and fright us with it.

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COURTESAN   I pray you, sir, my ring or else the chain.  I hope you do not mean to cheat me so. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  80 Avaunt, thou witch!—Come, Dromio, let us go. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  “Fly pride,” says the peacock.  Mistress, that you know. ⌜Antipholus and Dromio⌝ exit. COURTESAN   Now, out of doubt Antipholus is mad;  Else would he never so demean himself. 85 A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,  And for the same he promised me a chain.  Both one and other he denies me now.  The reason that I gather he is mad,  Besides this present instance of his rage, 90 Is a mad tale he told today at dinner  Of his own doors being shut against 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 house 95 And tell his wife that, being lunatic,  He rushed into my house and took perforce  My ring away. This course I fittest choose,  For forty ducats is too much to lose. ⌜She exits.⌝

⌜Scene 4⌝

Enter Antipholus ⌜of⌝ Ephesus with a Jailer, ⌜the Officer.⌝

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Fear me not, man. I will not break away.  I’ll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money,  To warrant thee, as I am ’rested for.  My wife is in a wayward mood today

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5 And will not lightly trust the messenger  That I should be attached in Ephesus.  I tell you, ’twill sound harshly in her ears.

Enter Dromio ⌜of⌝ Ephesus with a rope’s end.

 Here comes my man. I think he brings the  money. 10 How now, sir? Have you that I sent you for? DROMIO OF EPHESUS, ⌜handing over the rope’s end⌝   Here’s that, I warrant you, will pay them all. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  But where’s the money? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  15 I’ll serve you, sir, five hundred at the rate. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   To what end did I bid thee hie thee home? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  To a rope’s end, sir, and to that  end am I returned. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜beating Dromio⌝   And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. OFFICER  20Good sir, be patient. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  Nay, ’tis for me to be patient. I am  in adversity. OFFICER  Good now, hold thy tongue. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  Nay, rather persuade him to hold 25 his hands. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  Thou whoreson, senseless  villain. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  I would I were senseless, sir, that  I might not feel your blows. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  30Thou art sensible in nothing  but blows, and so is an ass.

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DROMIO OF EPHESUS  I am an ass, indeed; you may  prove it by my long ears.—I have served him from  the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have 35 nothing at his hands for my service but blows.  When I am cold, he heats me with beating; when I  am warm, he cools me with beating. I am waked  with it when I sleep, raised with it when I sit,  driven out of doors with it when I go from home, 40 welcomed home with it when I return. Nay, I bear it  on my shoulders as a beggar wont her brat, and I  think when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it  from door to door.

Enter Adriana, Luciana, Courtesan, and a Schoolmaster called Pinch.

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Come, go along. My wife is coming yonder. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  45Mistress, respice finem, respect  your end, or rather, the prophecy like the parrot,  “Beware the rope’s end.” ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  Wilt thou still talk? Beats Dromio. COURTESAN, ⌜to Adriana⌝   How say you now? Is not your husband mad? ADRIANA  50 His incivility confirms no less.—  Good Doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer;  Establish him in his true sense again,  And I will please you what you will demand. LUCIANA   Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks! COURTESAN  55 Mark how he trembles in his ecstasy. PINCH, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse.

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ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜striking Pinch⌝   There is my hand, and let it feel your ear. PINCH   I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man,  To yield possession to my holy prayers, 60 And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight.  I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Peace, doting wizard, peace. I am not mad. ADRIANA   O, that thou wert not, poor distressèd soul! ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   You minion, you, are these your customers? 65 Did this companion with the saffron face  Revel and feast it at my house today  Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut  And I denied to enter in my house? ADRIANA   O husband, God doth know you dined at home, 70 Where would you had remained until this time,  Free from these slanders and this open shame. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   “Dined at home”? ⌜To Dromio.⌝ Thou villain, what  sayest thou? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  75 Were not my doors locked up and I shut out? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Perdie, your doors were locked, and you shut out. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   And did not she herself revile me there? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Sans fable, she herself reviled you there. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Did not her kitchen maid rail, taunt, and scorn me?

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DROMIO OF EPHESUS  80 Certes, she did; the kitchen vestal scorned you. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   And did not I in rage depart from thence? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   In verity you did.—My bones bears witness,  That since have felt the vigor of his rage. ADRIANA, ⌜to Pinch⌝   Is ’t good to soothe him in these contraries? PINCH  85 It is no shame. The fellow finds his vein  And, yielding to him, humors well his frenzy. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Adriana⌝   Thou hast suborned the goldsmith to arrest me. ADRIANA   Alas, I sent you money to redeem you  By Dromio here, who came in haste for it. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  90 Money by me? Heart and goodwill you might,  But surely, master, not a rag of money. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Went’st not thou to her for a purse of ducats? ADRIANA   He came to me, and I delivered it. LUCIANA   And I am witness with her that she did. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  95 God and the rope-maker bear me witness  That I was sent for nothing but a rope. PINCH   Mistress, both man and master is possessed.  I know it by their pale and deadly looks.  They must be bound and laid in some dark room. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Adriana⌝  100 Say wherefore didst thou lock me forth today.

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 ⌜To Dromio of Ephesus.⌝ And why dost thou deny the  bag of gold? ADRIANA   I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   And, gentle master, I received no gold. 105 But I confess, sir, that we were locked out. ADRIANA   Dissembling villain, thou speak’st false in both. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Dissembling harlot, thou art false in all,  And art confederate with a damnèd pack  To make a loathsome abject scorn of me. 110 But with these nails I’ll pluck out these false eyes  That would behold in me this shameful sport. ADRIANA   O bind him, bind him! Let him not come near me.

Enter three or four, and offer to bind him. He strives.

PINCH   More company! The fiend is strong within him. LUCIANA   Ay me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks! ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  115 What, will you murder me?—Thou jailer, thou,  I am thy prisoner. Wilt thou suffer them  To make a rescue? OFFICER   Masters, let him go.  He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. PINCH  120 Go, bind this man, for he is frantic too. ⌜Dromio is bound.⌝ ADRIANA, ⌜to Officer⌝   What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer?  Hast thou delight to see a wretched man  Do outrage and displeasure to himself?

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OFFICER   He is my prisoner. If I let him go, 125 The debt he owes will be required of me. ADRIANA   I will discharge thee ere I go from thee.  Bear me forthwith unto his creditor,  And knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it.—  Good Master Doctor, see him safe conveyed 130 Home to my house. O most unhappy day! ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  O most unhappy strumpet! DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Master, I am here entered in bond for you. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Out on thee, villain! Wherefore dost thou mad me? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Will you be bound for nothing? Be mad, good 135 master.  Cry “The devil!” LUCIANA   God help poor souls! How idly do they talk! ADRIANA, ⌜to Pinch⌝   Go bear him hence. ⌜Pinch and his men⌝ exit ⌜with Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus.⌝ Officer, Adriana, Luciana, Courtesan remain.  Sister, go you with me. 140 ⌜To Officer.⌝ Say now whose suit is he arrested at. OFFICER   One Angelo, a goldsmith. Do you know him? ADRIANA   I know the man. What is the sum he owes? OFFICER   Two hundred ducats. ADRIANA   Say, how grows it due? OFFICER  145 Due for a chain your husband had of him.

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ADRIANA   He did bespeak a chain for me but had it not. COURTESAN   Whenas your husband all in rage today  Came to my house and took away my ring,  The ring I saw upon his finger now, 150 Straight after did I meet him with a chain. ADRIANA   It may be so, but I did never see it.—  Come, jailer, bring me where the goldsmith is.  I long to know the truth hereof at large.

Enter Antipholus ⌜of⌝ Syracuse with his rapier drawn, and Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse.

LUCIANA   God for Thy mercy, they are loose again! ADRIANA  155 And come with naked swords. Let’s call more help  To have them bound again. OFFICER   Away! They’ll kill us. Run all out as fast as may be, frighted. ⌜Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse remain.⌝ ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   I see these witches are afraid of swords. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   She that would be your wife now ran from you. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE  160 Come to the Centaur. Fetch our stuff from thence.  I long that we were safe and sound aboard. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Faith, stay here this night. They  will surely do us no harm. You saw they speak us  fair, give us gold. Methinks they are such a gentle 165 nation that, but for the mountain of mad flesh that  claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to  stay here still, and turn witch.

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ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   I will not stay tonight for all the town.  Therefore, away, to get our stuff aboard. They exit.

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ACT 5

Scene 1

Enter the ⌜Second⌝ Merchant and ⌜Angelo⌝ the Goldsmith.

ANGELO   I am sorry, sir, that I have hindered you,  But I protest he had the chain of me,  Though most dishonestly he doth deny it. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   How is the man esteemed here in the city? ANGELO  5 Of very reverend reputation, sir,  Of credit infinite, highly beloved,  Second to none that lives here in the city.  His word might bear my wealth at any time. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   Speak softly. Yonder, as I think, he walks.

Enter Antipholus and Dromio ⌜of Syracuse⌝ again, ⌜Antipholus wearing the chain.⌝

ANGELO  10 ’Tis so, and that self chain about his neck  Which he forswore most monstrously to have.  Good sir, draw near to me. I’ll speak to him.—  Signior Antipholus, I wonder much  That you would put me to this shame and trouble, 15 And not without some scandal to yourself,

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 With circumstance and oaths so to deny  This chain, which now you wear so openly.  Besides the charge, the shame, imprisonment,  You have done wrong to this my honest friend, 20 Who, but for staying on our controversy,  Had hoisted sail and put to sea today.  This chain you had of me. Can you deny it? ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   I think I had. I never did deny it. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore it too. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝  25 Who heard me to deny it or forswear it? ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   These ears of mine, thou know’st, did hear thee.  Fie on thee, wretch. ’Tis pity that thou liv’st  To walk where any honest men resort. ANTIPHOLUS ⌜OF SYRACUSE⌝   Thou art a villain to impeach me thus. 30 I’ll prove mine honor and mine honesty  Against thee presently if thou dar’st stand. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   I dare, and do defy thee for a villain.They draw.

Enter Adriana, Luciana, Courtesan, and others.

ADRIANA   Hold, hurt him not, for God’s sake. He is mad.—  Some get within him; take his sword away. 35 Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house! DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Run, master, run. For God’s sake, take a house.  This is some priory. In, or we are spoiled. ⌜Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse⌝ exit to the Priory.

Enter Lady Abbess.

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ABBESS   Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither? ADRIANA   To fetch my poor distracted husband hence. 40 Let us come in, that we may bind him fast  And bear him home for his recovery. ANGELO   I knew he was not in his perfect wits. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   I am sorry now that I did draw on him. ABBESS   How long hath this possession held the man? ADRIANA  45 This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad,  And much different from the man he was.  But till this afternoon his passion  Ne’er brake into extremity of rage. ABBESS   Hath he not lost much wealth by wrack of sea? 50 Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye  Strayed his affection in unlawful love,  A sin prevailing much in youthful men  Who give their eyes the liberty of gazing?  Which of these sorrows is he subject to? ADRIANA  55 To none of these, except it be the last,  Namely, some love that drew him oft from home. ABBESS   You should for that have reprehended him. ADRIANA   Why, so I did. ABBESS   Ay, but not rough enough. ADRIANA  60 As roughly as my modesty would let me. ABBESS   Haply in private.

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ADRIANA   And in assemblies too. ABBESS  Ay, but not enough. ADRIANA   It was the copy of our conference. 65 In bed he slept not for my urging it;  At board he fed not for my urging it.  Alone, it was the subject of my theme;  In company I often glancèd it.  Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. ABBESS  70 And thereof came it that the man was mad.  The venom clamors of a jealous woman  Poisons more deadly than a mad dog’s tooth.  It seems his sleeps were hindered by thy railing,  And thereof comes it that his head is light. 75 Thou sayst his meat was sauced with thy  upbraidings.  Unquiet meals make ill digestions.  Thereof the raging fire of fever bred,  And what’s a fever but a fit of madness? 80 Thou sayest his sports were hindered by thy brawls.  Sweet recreation barred, what doth ensue  But moody and dull melancholy,  Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair,  And at her heels a huge infectious troop 85 Of pale distemperatures and foes to life?  In food, in sport, and life-preserving rest  To be disturbed would mad or man or beast.  The consequence is, then, thy jealous fits  Hath scared thy husband from the use of wits. LUCIANA  90 She never reprehended him but mildly  When he demeaned himself rough, rude, and  wildly.—  Why bear you these rebukes and answer not?

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ADRIANA   She did betray me to my own reproof.— 95 Good people, enter and lay hold on him. ABBESS   No, not a creature enters in my house. ADRIANA   Then let your servants bring my husband forth. ABBESS   Neither. He took this place for sanctuary,  And it shall privilege him from your hands 100 Till I have brought him to his wits again  Or lose my labor in assaying it. ADRIANA   I will attend my husband, be his nurse,  Diet his sickness, for it is my office  And will have no attorney but myself; 105 And therefore let me have him home with me. ABBESS   Be patient, for I will not let him stir  Till I have used the approvèd means I have,  With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy prayers,  To make of him a formal man again. 110 It is a branch and parcel of mine oath,  A charitable duty of my order.  Therefore depart and leave him here with me. ADRIANA   I will not hence and leave my husband here;  And ill it doth beseem your holiness 115 To separate the husband and the wife. ABBESS   Be quiet and depart. Thou shalt not have him. ⌜She exits.⌝ LUCIANA, ⌜to Adriana⌝   Complain unto the Duke of this indignity. ADRIANA   Come, go. I will fall prostrate at his feet  And never rise until my tears and prayers

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120 Have won his grace to come in person hither  And take perforce my husband from the Abbess. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   By this, I think, the dial points at five.  Anon, I’m sure, the Duke himself in person  Comes this way to the melancholy vale, 125 The place of ⌜death⌝ and sorry execution  Behind the ditches of the abbey here. ANGELO  Upon what cause? ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT   To see a reverend Syracusian merchant,  Who put unluckily into this bay 130 Against the laws and statutes of this town,  Beheaded publicly for his offense. ANGELO   See where they come. We will behold his death. LUCIANA, ⌜to Adriana⌝   Kneel to the Duke before he pass the abbey.

Enter the Duke of Ephesus, and ⌜Egeon⌝ the Merchant of Syracuse, bare head, with the Headsman and other Officers.

DUKE   Yet once again proclaim it publicly, 135 If any friend will pay the sum for him,  He shall not die; so much we tender him. ADRIANA, ⌜kneeling⌝   Justice, most sacred duke, against the Abbess. DUKE   She is a virtuous and a reverend lady.  It cannot be that she hath done thee wrong. ADRIANA  140 May it please your Grace, Antipholus my husband,  Who I made lord of me and all I had  At your important letters, this ill day  A most outrageous fit of madness took him,

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 That desp’rately he hurried through the street, 145 With him his bondman, all as mad as he,  Doing displeasure to the citizens  By rushing in their houses, bearing thence  Rings, jewels, anything his rage did like.  Once did I get him bound and sent him home 150 Whilst to take order for the wrongs I went  That here and there his fury had committed.  Anon, I wot not by what strong escape,  He broke from those that had the guard of him,  And with his mad attendant and himself, 155 Each one with ireful passion, with drawn swords,  Met us again and, madly bent on us,  Chased us away, till raising of more aid,  We came again to bind them. Then they fled  Into this abbey, whither we pursued them, 160 And here the Abbess shuts the gates on us  And will not suffer us to fetch him out,  Nor send him forth that we may bear him hence.  Therefore, most gracious duke, with thy command  Let him be brought forth and borne hence for help. DUKE  165 Long since, thy husband served me in my wars,  And I to thee engaged a prince’s word,  When thou didst make him master of thy bed,  To do him all the grace and good I could.  Go, some of you, knock at the abbey gate, 170 And bid the Lady Abbess come to me.  I will determine this before I stir.⌜Adriana rises.⌝

Enter a Messenger.

⌜MESSENGER⌝   O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself.  My master and his man are both broke loose,  Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor,

p. 143

175 Whose beard they have singed off with brands of  fire,  And ever as it blazed they threw on him  Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair.  My master preaches patience to him, and the while 180 His man with scissors nicks him like a fool;  And sure, unless you send some present help,  Between them they will kill the conjurer. ADRIANA   Peace, fool. Thy master and his man are here,  And that is false thou dost report to us. MESSENGER  185 Mistress, upon my life I tell you true.  I have not breathed almost since I did see it.  He cries for you and vows, if he can take you,  To scorch your face and to disfigure you.Cry within.  Hark, hark, I hear him, mistress. Fly, begone! DUKE  190 Come, stand by me. Fear nothing.—Guard with  halberds.

Enter Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus.

ADRIANA   Ay me, it is my husband. Witness you  That he is borne about invisible.  Even now we housed him in the abbey here, 195 And now he’s there, past thought of human reason. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Justice, most gracious duke. O, grant me justice,  Even for the service that long since I did thee  When I bestrid thee in the wars and took  Deep scars to save thy life. Even for the blood 200 That then I lost for thee, now grant me justice. EGEON, ⌜aside⌝   Unless the fear of death doth make me dote,  I see my son Antipholus and Dromio.

p. 145

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there,  She whom thou gav’st to me to be my wife, 205 That hath abusèd and dishonored me  Even in the strength and height of injury.  Beyond imagination is the wrong  That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. DUKE   Discover how, and thou shalt find me just. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  210 This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me  While she with harlots feasted in my house. DUKE   A grievous fault.—Say, woman, didst thou so? ADRIANA   No, my good lord. Myself, he, and my sister  Today did dine together. So befall my soul 215 As this is false he burdens me withal. LUCIANA   Ne’er may I look on day nor sleep on night  But she tells to your Highness simple truth. ANGELO   O perjured woman!—They are both forsworn.  In this the madman justly chargeth them. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  220 My liege, I am advisèd what I say,  Neither disturbed with the effect of wine,  Nor heady-rash provoked with raging ire,  Albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad.  This woman locked me out this day from dinner. 225 That goldsmith there, were he not packed with her,  Could witness it, for he was with me then,  Who parted with me to go fetch a chain,  Promising to bring it to the Porpentine,  Where Balthasar and I did dine together. 230 Our dinner done and he not coming thither,

p. 147

 I went to seek him. In the street I met him,  And in his company that gentleman. ⌜He points to Second Merchant.⌝  There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down  That I this day of him received the chain, 235 Which, God He knows, I saw not; for the which  He did arrest me with an officer.  I did obey and sent my peasant home  For certain ducats. He with none returned.  Then fairly I bespoke the officer 240 To go in person with me to my house.  By th’ way we met  My wife, her sister, and a rabble more  Of vile confederates. Along with them  They brought one Pinch, a hungry, lean-faced 245 villain,  A mere anatomy, a mountebank,  A threadbare juggler, and a fortune-teller,  A needy, hollow-eyed, sharp-looking wretch,  A living dead man. This pernicious slave, 250 Forsooth, took on him as a conjurer,  And, gazing in mine eyes, feeling my pulse,  And with no face (as ’twere) outfacing me,  Cries out I was possessed. Then all together  They fell upon me, bound me, bore me thence, 255 And in a dark and dankish vault at home  There left me and my man, both bound together,  Till gnawing with my teeth my bonds in sunder,  I gained my freedom and immediately  Ran hither to your Grace, whom I beseech 260 To give me ample satisfaction  For these deep shames and great indignities. ANGELO   My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him:  That he dined not at home, but was locked out.

p. 149

DUKE   But had he such a chain of thee or no? ANGELO  265 He had, my lord, and when he ran in here,  These people saw the chain about his neck. ⌜SECOND⌝ MERCHANT, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Besides, I will be sworn these ears of mine  Heard you confess you had the chain of him  After you first forswore it on the mart, 270 And thereupon I drew my sword on you,  And then you fled into this abbey here,  From whence I think you are come by miracle. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   I never came within these abbey walls,  Nor ever didst thou draw thy sword on me. 275 I never saw the chain, so help me heaven,  And this is false you burden me withal. DUKE   Why, what an intricate impeach is this!  I think you all have drunk of Circe’s cup.  If here you housed him, here he would have been. 280 If he were mad, he would not plead so coldly.  ⌜To Adriana.⌝ You say he dined at home; the  goldsmith here  Denies that saying. ⌜To Dromio of Ephesus.⌝ Sirrah,  what say you? DROMIO OF EPHESUS, ⌜pointing to the Courtesan⌝  285 Sir, he dined with her there at the Porpentine. COURTESAN   He did, and from my finger snatched that ring. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜showing a ring⌝   ’Tis true, my liege, this ring I had of her. DUKE, ⌜to Courtesan⌝   Saw’st thou him enter at the abbey here? COURTESAN   As sure, my liege, as I do see your Grace.

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DUKE  290 Why, this is strange.—Go call the Abbess hither. Exit one to the Abbess.  I think you are all mated or stark mad. EGEON   Most mighty duke, vouchsafe me speak a word.  Haply I see a friend will save my life  And pay the sum that may deliver me. DUKE  295 Speak freely, Syracusian, what thou wilt. EGEON, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Is not your name, sir, called Antipholus?  And is not that your bondman Dromio? DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Within this hour I was his bondman, sir,  But he, I thank him, gnawed in two my cords. 300 Now am I Dromio, and his man, unbound. EGEON   I am sure you both of you remember me. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   Ourselves we do remember, sir, by you,  For lately we were bound as you are now.  You are not Pinch’s patient, are you, sir? EGEON, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝  305 Why look you strange on me? You know me well. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   I never saw you in my life till now. EGEON   O, grief hath changed me since you saw me last,  And careful hours with time’s deformèd hand  Have written strange defeatures in my face. 310 But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  Neither. EGEON  Dromio, nor thou? DROMIO OF EPHESUS  No, trust me, sir, nor I.

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EGEON  I am sure thou dost. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  315Ay, sir, but I am sure I do not, and  whatsoever a man denies, you are now bound to  believe him. EGEON   Not know my voice! O time’s extremity,  Hast thou so cracked and splitted my poor tongue 320 In seven short years that here my only son  Knows not my feeble key of untuned cares?  Though now this grainèd face of mine be hid  In sap-consuming winter’s drizzled snow,  And all the conduits of my blood froze up, 325 Yet hath my night of life some memory,  My wasting lamps some fading glimmer left,  My dull deaf ears a little use to hear.  All these old witnesses—I cannot err—  Tell me thou art my son Antipholus. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  330 I never saw my father in my life. EGEON   But seven years since, in Syracusa, boy,  Thou know’st we parted. But perhaps, my son,  Thou sham’st to acknowledge me in misery. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   The Duke and all that know me in the city 335 Can witness with me that it is not so.  I ne’er saw Syracusa in my life. DUKE   I tell thee, Syracusian, twenty years  Have I been patron to Antipholus,  During which time he ne’er saw Syracusa. 340 I see thy age and dangers make thee dote.

Enter ⌜Emilia⌝ the Abbess, with Antipholus ⌜of⌝ Syracuse and Dromio ⌜of⌝ Syracuse.

p. 155

ABBESS   Most mighty duke, behold a man much wronged. All gather to see them. ADRIANA   I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me. DUKE   One of these men is genius to the other.  And so, of these, which is the natural man 345 And which the spirit? Who deciphers them? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   I, sir, am Dromio. Command him away. DROMIO OF EPHESUS   I, sir, am Dromio. Pray, let me stay. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   Egeon art thou not, or else his ghost? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   O, my old master.—Who hath bound him here? ABBESS  350 Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds  And gain a husband by his liberty.—  Speak, old Egeon, if thou be’st the man  That hadst a wife once called Emilia,  That bore thee at a burden two fair sons. 355 O, if thou be’st the same Egeon, speak,  And speak unto the same Emilia. DUKE   Why, here begins his morning story right:  These two Antipholus’, these two so like,  And these two Dromios, one in semblance— 360 Besides her urging of her wrack at sea—  These are the parents to these children,  Which accidentally are met together. EGEON   If I dream not, thou art Emilia.  If thou art she, tell me, where is that son 365 That floated with thee on the fatal raft?

p. 157

ABBESS   By men of Epidamium he and I  And the twin Dromio all were taken up;  But by and by rude fishermen of Corinth  By force took Dromio and my son from them, 370 And me they left with those of Epidamium.  What then became of them I cannot tell;  I to this fortune that you see me in. DUKE, ⌜to Antipholus of Syracuse⌝   Antipholus, thou cam’st from Corinth first. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   No, sir, not I. I came from Syracuse. DUKE  375 Stay, stand apart. I know not which is which. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  And I with him. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Brought to this town by that most famous warrior  Duke Menaphon, your most renownèd uncle. ADRIANA  380 Which of you two did dine with me today? ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   I, gentle mistress. ADRIANA   And are not you my husband? ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  No, I say nay to that. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   And so do I, yet did she call me so, 385 And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here,  Did call me brother. ⌜To Luciana.⌝ What I told you  then  I hope I shall have leisure to make good,  If this be not a dream I see and hear. ANGELO, ⌜turning to Antipholus of Syracuse⌝  390 That is the chain, sir, which you had of me.

p. 159

ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE   I think it be, sir. I deny it not. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to Angelo⌝   And you, sir, for this chain arrested me. ANGELO   I think I did, sir. I deny it not. ADRIANA, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   I sent you money, sir, to be your bail 395 By Dromio, but I think he brought it not. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  No, none by me. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE, ⌜to Adriana⌝   This purse of ducats I received from you,  And Dromio my man did bring them me.  I see we still did meet each other’s man, 400 And I was ta’en for him, and he for me,  And thereupon these errors are arose. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, ⌜to the Duke⌝   These ducats pawn I for my father here. DUKE   It shall not need. Thy father hath his life. COURTESAN, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Sir, I must have that diamond from you. ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS  405 There, take it, and much thanks for my good cheer. ABBESS   Renownèd duke, vouchsafe to take the pains  To go with us into the abbey here  And hear at large discoursèd all our fortunes,  And all that are assembled in this place 410 That by this sympathizèd one day’s error  Have suffered wrong. Go, keep us company,  And we shall make full satisfaction.—  Thirty-three years have I but gone in travail  Of you, my sons, and till this present hour 415 My heavy burden ⌜ne’er⌝ deliverèd.—  The Duke, my husband, and my children both,

p. 161

 And you, the calendars of their nativity,  Go to a gossips’ feast, and go with me.  After so long grief, such nativity! DUKE  420 With all my heart I’ll gossip at this feast. All exit except the two Dromios and ⌜the⌝ two brothers ⌜Antipholus.⌝ DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   Master, shall I fetch your stuff from shipboard? ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS   Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou embarked? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   Your goods that lay at host, sir, in the Centaur. ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE, ⌜to Antipholus of Ephesus⌝   He speaks to me.—I am your master, Dromio. 425 Come, go with us. We’ll look to that anon.  Embrace thy brother there. Rejoice with him. ⌜The brothers Antipholus⌝ exit. DROMIO OF SYRACUSE   There is a fat friend at your master’s house  That kitchened me for you today at dinner.  She now shall be my sister, not my wife. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  430 Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother.  I see by you I am a sweet-faced youth.  Will you walk in to see their gossiping? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  Not I, sir. You are my elder. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  That’s a question. How shall we 435 try it? DROMIO OF SYRACUSE  We’ll draw cuts for the signior.  Till then, lead thou first. DROMIO OF EPHESUS  Nay, then, thus:  We came into the world like brother and brother, 440 And now let’s go hand in hand, not one before  another. They exit.

#shakespeare #the comedy of errors #william shakespeare #english literature #its free and the government can’t stop you #english

[ren3gade]

O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever. He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew Him And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing, Of His cleansing pow'r revealing. How He made the lame to walk again And caused the blind to see; And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, Come and heal my broken spirit," And somehow Jesus came and bro't To me the victory.

#txf telly tag #oooh victorreeee in jesussss

[miajolensdevotion]

Twenty-eight Prophecies  Fulfilled On the Crucifixion Day

On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, all the prophecies concerning His suffering were fulfilled in every detail—a lasting testimony that Jesus truly is the Messiah. The first prophecy, the oldest of all, had been given by God at the time of Adam and Eve’s sin: 1) The serpent would bruise the seed of the woman. Prophesied: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her  Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15). Fulfilled: “ ‘Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.  And if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself.’ But He said this to signify by what  death He was about to die” (John 12:31-33). 2) The Messiah would be cut off, but not for Himself, as prophesied by Daniel. Prophesied: “And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself” (Dan.  9:26). Fulfilled: “ ‘Nor consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people, than that the  whole nation should perish.’ Now he did not say this of himself, but being high priest that year,  prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but also that He  might gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (John 11:50- 52). 3) The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was foretold by David. Prophesied: “Even a man, my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up  his heel against me” (Psa. 41:9).   Fulfilled: “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order that he might  deliver Him up to them. And after hearing this, they were delighted and promised to give him  money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him” (Mark 14:10-11). 4) Jesus Christ would be forsaken by His disciples, as prophesied by Zechariah.   Prophesied: “ ‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man who is My compan ion,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘Strike the Shepherd [Jesus], and the sheep shall be scattered’ ”  (Zech. 13:7). Fulfilled: “Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50). 5) The price of His betrayal was also foretold by Zechariah. Prophesied: “And I said to them, ‘If it is good, give me my price; and if not, let it go.’ So they 1 weighed my price—thirty pieces of silver” (Zech. 11:12). Fulfilled: “And said, ‘What are you willing to give me, and I will deliver Him up to you?’ And  they offered him thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:15). 6) Zechariah also foretold what would be done with the betrayal money. Prophesied: “And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the princely price at which I  was valued by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the  house of the LORD” (Zech. 11:13). Fulfilled: “Now when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, he changed  his mind and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, ‘I have  sinned and have betrayed innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it your self.’ And after throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he went out and hanged him self. But the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the  treasury, since it is the price of blood.’ And after taking counsel, they bought a potter’s field with  the pieces of silver, for a burial ground for strangers” (Matt. 27:3-7). 7) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ would be sacrificed as the Passover Lamb of God. Prophesied: “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter…” (Isa. 53:7). Fulfilled: “For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us” (I Cor. 5:7). “Knowing that you were  not redeemed by corruptible things … but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without  blemish and without spot; Who truly was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was  manifested in these last times for your sakes” (I Pet. 1:18-20). 8) Isaiah also prophesied the scourging and mocking that He would suffer. Prophesied: “I gave My back to the smiters [scourgers], and My cheeks to them that plucked off  the hair; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting” (Isa. 50:6).   Fulfilled: “Then he released Barabbas to them; but after scourging Jesus, he delivered Him up so  that He might be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers, after taking Jesus with them into the  Praetorium, gathered the entire band against Him; and they stripped Him and put a scarlet cloak  around Him. And after platting a crown of thorns, they put it on His head; and a rod in His right  hand; and bowing on their knees before Him, they mocked Him, and kept on saying, ‘Hail, king  of the Jews!’ Then, after spitting on Him, they took the rod and struck Him on the head” (Matt.  27:26-30). 9) Both Isaiah and David prophesied that Jesus’ body would be mutilated. Prophesied: “Many were astonished at Him—for His body was so disfigured—even His form  beyond that of the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14). “I can count all My bones; they look and gloat over  Me” (Psa. 22:17). Fulfilled: “But after scourging Jesus, he delivered Him up so that He might be crucified” (Matt.  27:26). “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him” (John 19:1). 2 10) David prophesied the shame and dishonor that Jesus would suffer, being condemned as a  criminal. Prophesied: “[The] reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen upon Me…. You have  known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor; my enemies are all before You. Reproach  has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for sympathy, but there was none;  and for comforters, but I found none” (Psa. 69:9, 19-20). Fulfilled: “At that point Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Have you come out to take Me with swords  and clubs, as against a robber?’ ” (Matt. 26:55) “They answered and said, ‘He is deserving of  death!’ ” (Matt. 26:66) 11) David also foretold that false witnesses would testify against Christ. Prophesied: “Cruel witnesses rose up; they asked me of things that I knew nothing about” (Psa.  35:11). Fulfilled: “And the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find testimony against  Jesus, to put Him to death; but they did not find any. For many bore false witness against Him,  but their testimonies did not agree. And some rose up and bore false witness against Him, say ing...” (Mark 14:55-57). 12) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not make an effort to defend Himself at the trial. Prophesied: “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is  brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not  His mouth” (Isa. 53:7). Fulfilled: “Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Don’t You hear how many things they testify against You?’  And He did not answer even one word to him, so that the governor was greatly amazed” (Matt.  27:13-14). 13) Isaiah also foretold Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as the sin offering for the world.   Prophesied: “Surely He has borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him  stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we  ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own  way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all…. Yet the LORD willed to crush Him  and He has put Him to grief: You shall make His life an offering for sin. He shall see His seed;  He shall prolong His days, and that the purpose of the LORD might prosper in His hand. He  shall see of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My  righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:4-6, 10-11). Fulfilled: “Therefore, he then delivered Him up to them so that He might be crucified. Now they  took Jesus and led Him away; and He went out bearing His own cross to the place called ‘A  Skull,’ which is called in Hebrew, ‘Golgotha’; where they crucified Him, and with Him two oth ers, one on this side and one on the other side, and Jesus in the middle. Now Pilate also wrote a 3 title and put it on the cross. And it was written, ‘Jesus the Nazarean, the King of the Jews’ ”  (John 19:16-19). 14) As Isaiah had prophesied, He was numbered among lawbreakers. Prophesied: “He was counted among the transgressors…” (Isa. 53:12). Fulfilled: “And also two other malefactors were led away with Him to be put to death. And  when they came to the place called ‘Skull,’ there they crucified Him and the malefactors, one on  the right and one on the left” (Luke 23:32-33). 15) David prophesied that His hands and His feet would be pierced. Prophesied: “Dogs have surrounded Me; a band of evildoers have encircled me; they have  pierced My hands and My feet…” (Psa. 22:16). Fulfilled: “And they crucified Him” (Mark 15:25). “Then the other disciples said to him, ‘We  have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘If I do not see the nail marks in His hands, and put my  finger into the nail marks, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe at all!’ Now after  eight days, His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. After the doors were shut, Jesus  came and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Bring forth your  finger, and see My hands; and bring forth your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbe lieving, but believing’ ” (John 20:25-27). 16) The parting of His garments was also prophesied by David.   Prophesied: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots upon My vesture” (Psa.  22:18). Fulfilled: “Then they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to deter mine whose it shall be’; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, ‘They divided My gar ments among them, and they cast lots for My vesture.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things”  (John 19:24). 17) In another psalm, David prophesied that they would give Him vinegar to drink. Prophesied: “They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to  drink” (Psa. 69:21). Fulfilled: “They gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink; but after tasting it, He would not  drink” (Matt. 27:34). 18) David also prophesied that many would be watching Jesus during the crucifixion.  Prophesied: “They look and gloat over Me” (Psa. 22:17). Fulfilled: “And the guards sat down there to guard Him” (Matt. 27:36). “And all the people who  were gathered together to this sight, after seeing the things that took place, beat their breasts and  returned” (Luke 23:48). 4 19) Among those watching would be Jesus’ family and friends, who would stand at a distance. Prophesied: “My loved ones and my friends stand apart from my plague; and my neighbors  stand far off” (Psa. 38:11). Fulfilled: “Now all those who knew Him stood afar off observing these things, the women also  who followed Him from Galilee” (Luke 23:49). 20) Some of His observers would shake their heads at Him. Prophesied: “And I also became a reproach to them when they looked upon me; they shook their  heads” (Psa. 109:25). Fulfilled: “But those who were passing by railed at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You  who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of  God, come down from the cross!” (Matt. 27:39-40) 21) Even the words of His reproachers were prophesied by David. Prophesied: “He trusted on the LORD; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He de lights in Him!” (Psa. 22:8). Fulfilled: “ ‘He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, “I  am the Son of God.” ’ And the two robbers who were also crucified with Him reproached Him  with the same words” (Matt. 27:43-44). 22) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would make intercession for sinners. This intercession began  even during His crucifixion. Prophesied: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors” (Isa. 53:12). Fulfilled: “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not understand what they are do ing.’ And they divided His garments, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34). 23) David prophesied the thoughts of Jesus at the height of His suffering. Prophesied: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me, and why are You so far from help ing me, and from the words of my groaning?” (Psa. 22:1.) Fulfilled: “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama  sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matt. 27:46). 24) Zechariah prophesied that His body would be pierced with a spear. Prophesied: “And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced…” (Zech. 12:10). Fulfilled: “But one of the soldiers had pierced His side with a spear, and immediately wa ter and blood had come out....And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look upon Him 5 Whom they pierced’ ” (John 19:34, 37). 25) David prophesied that Jesus would commit His spirit to God. Prophesied: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit…” (Psa. 31:5). Fulfilled: “And after crying out with a loud voice, Jesus said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit  My spirit.’ And when He had said these things, He expired” (Luke 23:46). 26) David also prophesied Jesus’ last words.   Prophesied: “They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall yet be  born, that He has done this” (Psa. 22:31). The Hebrew literally reads, “For it is finished.” Fulfilled: “Therefore, when Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, ‘It is finished.’ And after  bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit” (John 19:30). 27) As no bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Ex. 12:46), not a bone of His would be  broken. Prophesied: “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psa. 34:20). Fulfilled: “Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first one, and the legs of the other  who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead,  they did not break His legs....For these things took place so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,  ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken’ ” (John 19:32-33, 36). 28) His burial in the tomb of a rich man was foretold by Isaiah. Prophesied: “By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and with His generation who did  consider that He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He  was stricken? And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although  He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isa. 53:8-9). Fulfilled: “And when evening was coming on, a rich man of Arimathea came, named Joseph,  who was himself a disciple of Jesus. After going to Pilate, he begged to have the body of Je sus. [Jesus would otherwise have been buried among the criminals.] Then Pilate commanded  the body to be given over to him. And after taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen  cloth, and placed it in his new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and after rolling a great  stone to the door of the tomb, he went away” (Matt. 27:57-60). 6

[e-devotion]

victory in Jesus

We really do have victory in Jesus.  He promises it.  He provides it.  We claim the promise God provides.

Psalm 20:7  NLT  

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

It is time with live out what we have heard and sang and believe.  Our success is based not on our skill or hard work, our resources or luck.  Our success and victory is based on our obedience to Christ.

Trust Him for victory.  E.M. Bartlett said it this way:

I heard an old, old story

How a Savior came from glory

How He gave His life on Calvary

To save a wretch like me

I heard about His groaning

Of His precious blood's atoning

Then I repented of my sins

And won the victory, yeah

Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever

He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood

He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood

I heard about His healing

Of His cleansing power revealing

How He made the lame to walk again

And caused the blind to see

And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit"

And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory…

Yes, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever

He sought me, and He bought me with His redeeming blood

He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood

Yes, He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood

There is victory based on what our Savior has done for us.  That is sweet and lasting victory in the name of Jesus!

1 Corinthians 15:57  NASB  

but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[fidei]

For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian

A sermon of St Augustine on the anniversary of his ordination

From the moment this burden, about which such a difficult account has to be rendered, was placed on my shoulders, anxiety about the honour shown to me has always haunted me. What is to be dreaded about the office I hold, if not that I may take more pleasure (which is so dangerous) in the honour shown to me than in what bears fruit in your salvation? Whenever I am terrified by what I am for you, I am given comfort by what I am with you. For you I am a bishop, but with you I am, after all, a Christian. The former signifies an office undertaken, the latter, grace; the former is a name for danger, the latter a name for salvation.

  Finally, as if on the open sea, I am being tossed about by the stormy activity involved in being a bishop; but as I recall by whose blood I have been redeemed, I enter a safe harbour in the tranquil recollection of being a Christian. Thus, while toiling away at my own proper office, I take my rest in the marvellous benefit conferred on us all in common. So I hope that the fact that I have been bought, together with you, gives me more pleasure than my having been placed at your head; then, as the Lord has commanded, I will be more effectively your servant, and be preserved from ingratitude for the price for which I was bought to be, not too unworthily, your fellow-servant. I am certainly obliged to love the Redeemer, and I know what he said to Peter: Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep. Once he said it, twice, a third time. Love was being questioned and toil demanded, because where the love is greater, the work is less of a burden.

What shall I pay back to the Lord for all that he has paid back to me? If I say that I am paying back by herding his sheep, even then it is not I who am doing it, but the grace of God within me. So when can I be found to be paying back to him, if he is always there before me? And yet, because we give our love freely, because we are herding his sheep, we look for a reward. How can this be? How can it be consistent to say “I give my love freely, which is why I am herding sheep” and at the same time “I request a reward because I am herding sheep”? This could not possibly happen: in no way at all could a reward be sought from one who is loved freely, unless the reward actually were the very one who is being loved. I mean, if what we are paying back for his having redeemed us is our herding his sheep, being his shepherds, what are we paying back for the fact of his having made us shepherds? Being bad shepherds, you see (may God preserve us from it) is something that we are through our own badness, whereas being good shepherds (God grant it may be so!) is something that can come only through his grace. So it is, my brethren, that we command and implore you not to receive the grace of God in vain. Make my ministry fruitful. You are God’s agriculture. From the outside, receive the work of the planter and the waterer; but from the inside, receive the work of the One who makes you grow. Please, give me your help by both your prayers and your obedience, so that I may find my delight not in being in charge of you but in being of use to you.

[milady564me]

Victory

“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.This is my God, and I will praise him my father’s God, and I will exalt him!” Exodus 15:2 https://gwensmith.net Anyone remember that old hymn “Victory in Jesus”? “Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior foreverHe sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory…

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[theraccolta]

MANNER OF HEARING MASS AT HOME by Rev. Leonard Goffine

For those who on account of sickness, old age, or for other proper reasons cannot assist at holy Mass, especially on Sundays and Holidays.

PREFATORY REMARKS.

Bear in mind, O Christian soul, that those who would with pleasure be present at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, if it were possible, such as the sick, the infirm, the aged, fathers and mothers who must remain at home with the little children, and for other reasons, are all included in the holy Sacrifice, that is, take part in the prayers of the Church, in the blessings and merits of the Sacrifice, if they have a sincere desire for it, and, include themselves in the holy Sacrifice. The holy Sacrifice of the Mass does not belong to any one person, but is offered for all the faithful. As Christ offered Himself for all men on the cross, so He now offers Himself in an unbloody manner for all in the holy Mass, and as He offers the blessing and merits of His sacrifice on the cross to all men, all also have a part in them, who by faith, by hearty desire, by penitent sentiments, and by a life pleasing to God assist at the holy Sacrifice. And if you are kept at home, the priest prays, the Church prays, your Saviour Jesus Christ offers Himself, and the merits and blessing of the holy Sacrifice flow to you, if you only heartily desire it, and unite your prayers at home with the prayers of the priest and the whole congregation. Therefore kneel in spirit before the altar and devoutly make a GOOD INTENTION. My Father and my God, Thou knowest how sincerely I would like to assist at the Sacrifice of Thy beloved Son, my Redeemer, which is now being offered to Thee upon the altar by the hands of the priest; but obstacles as Thou knowest, prevent me. Because I cannot now be present in Thy holy house, do Thou graciously look down upon the desire of my heart, and let me have part in the prayers of Thy holy Church and in the blessing and merits of Thy divine Son, who died for me on the cross, and again offers Himself in an unbloody manner upon the altar. With the same intention with which the priest accomplishes the holy Sacrifice on the altar, I also offer it to Thee for Thy praise and glory, in thanksgiving for all gifts and graces which Thou hast granted me, to reconciliate Thee with me, a poor sinner, and for forgiveness of my sins, and with the most fervent petition, that Thou wilt be to me in my cares and afflictions a gracious Father, and for the sake of Thy Son Jesus not refuse me Thy aid. O my holy Guardian Angel, do thou stand by my side and unite thy prayers with mine, that they may be acceptable to God's Majesty, and do thou, my beloved Mother Mary, assist me that I may attend in spirit to the unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass with the same intention as thou didst have, when thou didst assist at the bloody Sacrifice of the cross. Amen. FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF MASS TO THE GOSPEL. My Lord and my God! Creator of heaven and earth, the highest Majesty! how can I presume to raise my hands and pray to Thee? Thou art infinite holiness, in whose sight even the angels are not pure, Thou art the Almighty, before whom even the blessed spirits veil their faces, and I, what am I? Nothing but a poor sinner, a little dust and ashes, who long ago deserved punishment. But Thou art also infinitely gracious and merciful. In the spirit of the deepest contrition and humility, behold, I prostrate myself before Thee with the priest and confess my fault, my great fault, my greatest fault. From my inmost heart I grieve for all my sins and crimes, earnestly beseeching Thee, O my good God and Father, to bestow forgiveness upon me. With the priest I penitently call upon Thee, have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me! Thy mercy is indeed infinitely great, and a contrite heart Thou wilt never despise. And if my sorrow and contrition are not sufficient, O Father in heaven, then graciously accept the penitent tears of all the holy penitents, the dolors of my beloved Mother Mary under the cross, and the grief of Thy most tender heart for the sins of men. Graciously accept the homage which the Church offers Thee, to which I also add my poor adoration. To Thee, O God on high, be glory! Would that Thou mightest be everywhere glorified! Would that Thy most holy name might be everywhere honored and praised! For this Thou didst send Thine only begotten Son upon earth, for this, that all men might acknowledge Thee, love Thee, learn to serve Thee; and for this Thy divine Son sent His apostles over the whole earth to lead all men to the truth. O give me the grace to always acknowledge the truth which Thy Son brought to earth, and ever more faithfully observe His sacred precepts, that I may be acceptable to Thee and eternally happy. Amen. FROM THE GOSPEL TO THE CONSECRATION. Most heartfelt thanks to Thee, O God! for the Catholic faith in which I was born, and which as a little child I received, without any merit of mine, from Thy hands.  O how unfortunate would I be, if like so many others I were left to wander in heresy or unbelief, never finding the light of the true faith, which shines only in the Catholic Church, to lead me to heaven! With joy I profess this my holy faith, and beseech Thee, O my God, with all my heart to grant me the grace to live always in accordance with it. For what would it avail me if I should fully believe every truth the Catholic Church teaches, if I did not also faithfully obey it?  O my God, do not permit this ever to happen, do not permit me to give ear to false and evil doctrines, which are everywhere spread by vicious men; do not permit me to become weak in faith, do not permit me to be faithless to the promises I have made Thee in Baptism and holy Communion. I desire to be and to remain a child of Thy holy Church, for in this Church alone can I be happy; for she only has all the means of grace for happiness, she alone possesses the fountain of all grace, the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in which Thine only Son, Jesus, offers Himself to Thee, in order to bestow upon us all that His blood won for us on the cross. I see now, in spirit, the priest standing on the altar with bread and wine in his hands, praying to the Holy Ghost to bless these gifts, that they may be fitted to be changed into the body and blood of Thy beloved Son. I unite my heart to these consecrated gifts of sacrifice, and lay it upon the altar. I possess nothing which I could give to Thee, but a heart which can and will love Thee. O take this poor heart of mine, purify it from all sins and stains, inflame it with the fire of Thy love, and draw it near to Thee, O infinite Goodness, that it may be never more separated from Thee. At the same time I offer to Thee with my heart all its cares and anxieties. Nothing that weighs upon it, is unknown to Thee, O my God, plain before Thy eyes lie all my heart's desires. O do not permit it to desire anything displeasing to Thee, turn it entirely to Thee, and by Thy grace make it ever one with the most loving heart of Thy most loving Son, who, as long as He was upon earth, sought only that Thy will should be done upon earth as in heaven. Amen. BEFORE THE ELEVATION. Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O Triune God, and because Thou art infinitely holy, no offering can please Thee as that infinitely holy Sacrifice of Thy Son Jesus, and because Thou art infinitely just, no other Sacrifice can satisfy Thee but this one stainless Sacrifice, which Thy beloved Son accomplished on the cross, and now in an unbloody manner renews upon the altar. For the sake of this holy Sacrifice now being accomplished on the altar, I beseech Thee, O God in heaven, to graciously look down upon all true Christians and preserve them in the unity of faith and love; permit the light of truth to shine for all unbelievers and heretics, give Thy good Spirit to the *True and valid pope, our common father and head, to the bishops and priests, that they may lead the souls entrusted to them, in the way of salvation to heaven, give the grace of conversion to all poor sinners, console the afflicted, strengthen the weak, guide the erring, steady the wavering, and graciously hear the prayers of those who supplicate Thee. Remember, O best Father, my poor soul, also, bought by Thy divine Son with His blood. I confess in deepest humility and most profound sorrow, that I have often stained that soul with sin and by transgressing Thy holy commandments; give me but one drop of that Most Precious Blood, and it will become pure and pleasing to Thee. Thou knowest my desire to serve Thee with all faithfulness, O give me Thy grace, always to do Thy holy will; assist me, that I may always follow the beautiful virtues of Thy beloved Son, His humility, His peacefulness, and become thus always more and more pleasing to Thee. Do not forsake me, O merciful Father, in my crosses and afflictions, and in the heavy cares which weigh upon my heart. Give me strength to bear them, and cause all to redound to Thy honor and the salvation of my own poor soul. Aid me now, O most blessed Virgin and Mother of God, and all you saints in heaven, in this most solemn hour, when Jesus, the Lamb of God, offers Himself with your petitions, that my prayers may be heard at the throne of God, before which you stand, singing hymns of praise. You have won and are now happy, we must yet suffer and fight, aid us, that through Christ, our Saviour, we may conquer the enemies of our salvation and meet with you in heaven. Amen. AT THE ELEVATION. Most merciful Heavenly Father! Thou hast given us Thy beloved Son Jesus, and with Him all. He, Thine only Son, is now my possession, He is now present on the altar, and I presume to draw near to Him, presume to offer Him to Thee for Thy glory, in thanksgiving for all Thy graces, for forgiveness of my sins, and for the obtaining of new graces which I so much need. A thousand thanks to Thee for having given us Thy beloved Son, through whom we poor sinners have access to Thee; through Him, my Jesus, I offer to Thy great Majesty my heart, my body, my soul, everything that I am or have. I offer Thee His infinite merits for my poverty, His infinite virtues for my sinfulness, the holiness of His life upon earth for my crimes, His Most Precious Blood as my appeal for mercy. Have mercy on me, O Father in Heaven, have mercy on me! Forgive me all my offences, and permit me to be and remain Thy child. Amen. AFTER THE ELEVATION. How infinitely great, O my most loving Jesus, how perfectly incomprehensible is Thy love for us weak men who can do nothing but sin! It was not enough for Thee to die on the cross with unutterable agonies for us, and by that bloody Sacrifice reconcile us sinners with Thy just Father, opening heaven to us, but Thou wouldst daily renew it on our altars, wouldst daily descend from heaven, changing the bread into Thy Sacred Body and the wine into Thy most Precious Blood, presenting to our eyes Thy death upon the cross and giving us all its merits. O who can comprehend this Thine infinite love? And how ungrateful we are to Thee for it! Instead of loving Thee in return, instead of doing everything which is pleasing to Thee, instead of following Thee and becoming always more like Thee, we insult Thee, nail Thee anew by our sins to the cross, drive Thee from us, and follow the broad way of the world, which leads to destruction. I also, O my most loving Saviour, am one of these ingrates; O forgive me, for I am indeed sorry from my whole heart for having acted so ungratefully towards Thee. In deepest humility I fall down before Thee, confessing my offences, give me but a drop of Thy most Precious Blood; that I may be purified. Look upon me with the eyes of Thy boundless mercy, and give me the grace to love Thee with my whole heart and faithfully to serve Thee. Yes, I love Thee, O Jesus, I love Thee, and will always love Thee. Remember also, O most faithful Jesus, those who have departed from this world in faith in Thee and Thy most holy Church, remember my (parents, relations) friends, benefactors; let them share in the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, that they may obtain consolation and comfort in the tortures of purgatory and soon arrive at redemption. Amen. AT THE PRIEST'S COMMUNION. O Jesus, how unutterable is Thy love for man! Thou art not only willing to bestow upon him the merits of Thy holy Sacrifice, but desirest to give Thyself entirely to him, to nourish and strengthen his soul by Thy most Sacred Body and Blood, uniting Thyself wholly with him. How infinitely great is Thy condescension to us, Thy poor creatures! Thou who art infinite Holiness, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Lord of legions, desirest to come to us and dwell with us! Who could believe it, if Thou hadst not said it? Since it is, then, certain and true, that Thou dost visit us and dwell in our hearts, I will presume, poor sinner though I am, to draw near to Thee, to unite myself with the priest and earnestly pray and beseech Thee, O Jesus! Come to me! I am not worthy, but Thy great goodness, Thy great mercy permits me to hope, that Thou wilt not refuse to deign to come into my poor heart. I cannot, it is true, now actually receive Thee, Thy Sacred Body and Blood, with the priest, but Thou canst come to me with Thy effective grace to console, strengthen, purify, and sanctify my soul. Come, then, O Jesus, sole desire of my heart! Behold, I dedicate my heart to Thee, may it love only Thee! I dedicate my soul to Thee, may it think only of Thee and be acceptable to Thee! I dedicate my body and all its members to Thee, that they may be used only in doing good. Come, O Jesus, and make me entirely Thine, for Thee I desire to live and to die. Amen. FROM THE COMMUNION TO THE BENEDICTION. Thou hast now, O most tender Jesus, finished Thy most holy Sacrifice, Thou hast given Thyself for the honor and glory of Thy Heavenly Father, and called at His throne for grace and mercy for us. Thou hast permitted the merits of Thy most holy Sacrifice to flow into our souls. How can I thank Thee enough for it? For if I had the tongues of all the angels, I could not sufficiently praise Thee. Since I have not the power, I offer Thee the praise, adoration, and thanks of Thy holy Mother Mary and of all the saints, earnestly beseeching Thee to supply from Thy own loving heart all that I, in my poverty, cannot give Thee. Thou hast given me the grace, O Heavenly Father, to offer Thee Thy divine Son in union with the priest and the congregation, to adore and praise Thee, and to presume to offer Thee the price of the forgiveness of my sins. Thanks be to Thee for this grace. May I stand always firmly in faith in Thee and in Him, Thy only begotten Son, whom Thou hast sent, may my trust in Thee never become weakened and may I never cease to love Thee as long as I live! Amen. AT THE BENEDICTION. May ✠ God the Father, ✠ the Son, and ✠ the Holy Ghost bless me. Strengthened by this blessing, I will seek to-day and at all times to do Thy will, O Holy Trinity. I desire not only to be called Thy child, O Heavenly Father, but to be Thy child, always and at all times to fulfil Thy commandments with filial obedience.  I desire not only to be Thy disciple, O Jesus, but to be Thy faithful disciple. I wish to be humble and meek, like Thee, at peace with all men, always preserving purity of body and soul, and merciful to all my fellowmen, friends, and enemies alike. I will cheerfully follow Thy inspirations, O Divine Spirit, faithfully use the graces, with which Thou overloadest me, depart from sin, and live for virtue. O Mary, blessed Mother of my Saviour, pray for me and assist me to keep my resolutions. Take me, and all for whom I am bound to pray and all my friends, under thy protection and lead us to the heaven, where thou livest in splendor, that with thee and the saints we may always love and praise the Triune God. Amen.

#hearing mass #plague #method of hearing mass #method of assisting at mass #holy mass

[atoutlines]

In Him We Have Redemption

Exodus 13:1-22

Redemption That Doesn’t Go Without Saying (v1-10)

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” (v1-2).

Why was God responding with such intensity to Pharaoh’s mistreatment and murder of Israel?

He was a protective Father who cared and sought justice. And he wanted his people to remember.

To set apart the “firstborn” was to set apart the entire family.

The firstborn was a representative, “signifying the center and future of the family”.

“Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” (v3).

They were God’s possession because he had rescued them and they were to never forget this!

They were to also remember through the Feast of Unleavened Bread: “No leavened bread shall be eaten.” (v3).

In order to recall the swiftness they were brought out in order to be brought into their own land (v4-5).

The act of eating unleavened bread would last seven days culminating in a massive feast (v6-7). But why?

To remember, yes, but also to talk about with their kids and therefore use as an opportunity to teach their kids:

“You shall tell your son on that day...” (v8).

This feast, like the Passover feast was to “be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth.” (v9).

God set this feast up as a “statute” to be kept from “year to year” (v10).

Redemption That Doesn’t Come Cheap (v11-17)

“you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s.” (v12).

Since the firstborn male was the familial representative, God was saying all of Israel is mine.

And in taking the firstborn of Egypt, he was communicating they were his as well. And the animals? Likewise, his!

The connection with redemption becomes clearer as we consider the Passover.

In order for the first born sons to be saved, a payment had to be made through the sacrifice of the first born lamb.

The life of a first born male lamb would be taken and its blood sprinkled on the door post as a sign. But why a lamb?

“Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.”

Some animals were clean, others unclean by God’s design. This was to teach Israel his holiness.

Because unredeemed animals were God’s possession, they still needed to be redeemed.

Anything unclean always required a payment from something clean. This was to teach:

“And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.’” (v14).

Anything unredeemed deserves death (v15). Because man is unclean we deserve death. With a payment we can be bought back. The rite served as a “mark” that pointed to a greater redemption that required a greater price (v16).

Redemption That Doesn’t Ever Depart (v18-22)

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near.” (v17a).

Instead of leading his people north, a two-week journey, he led them south which would take 40 years.

God knew his people. They weren’t ready militarily or spiritually (v17b). They were not actually “equipped for battle” rather they were simply “in formation” (v18). A year later, this would be proven (Num 14:4).

God knows the best way for us. He also will be faithful all along the way.

This is proven in v19, where the bones of Joseph being carried out of Egypt and eventually into a final resting place in the promised land (cf Josh. 24:32) was a reminder that what God had told Abraham was coming to pass.

One of the most miraculous expressions of God’s faithfulness was what he would use to guide the Israelites:

“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” (v21).

Even more unbelievable is what is said in v22: “The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”

This gives us a glimpse of future redemption that would come through God’s own son (Heb 9:12).

[walkswithmyfather]

“Victory in Jesus” By E. M. Bartlett:

“I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from Glory

How He gave His life on Calvary, to save a wretch like me.

I heard about his groaning, of his precious blood's atoning,

Then I repented of my sins, and won the Victory.

CHORUS:

Oh, Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever

He sought me and he bought me with His redeeming blood

He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him

He plunged me to Victory, beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing.

How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see;

And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit.",

And some how Jesus came and brought to me the Victory.

I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory,

And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea;

About the angels singing, and the old redemption story,

And some sweet day I'll sing up there the song of Victory!”

(Via)

#bible #christian blog #god #belief in god #faith in god #jesus #belief in jesus #faith in jesus #christian life #christian living #christian faith #christian inspiration #christianity #christian encouragement #encouragement #christian motivation #christian quotes #christian music #christian hymns #christian songs #e. m. bartlett #keep the faith #make him known

[sablelab]

Covert Operations - Chapter 51

DISCLAIMER: This is a modern AU crossover story with Outlander and La Femme Nikita. LFN and its characters do not belong to me nor do those from Outlander.

SYNOPSIS:  Jamie has an epiphany about his feelings and Claire’s reaction to his gift. Meanwhile he is actually setting a trap to capture Madame Cheung

 *N.B. This chapter contains some suggestive text.

 THANK YOU all for the lovely comments re the 50th chapter milestone.  There will be a couple more chapters in the Madame Cheung arc and when Jamie and Claire return to Section One, they regroup and see what steps need to be taken to bring the rest of the triad down, for they have yet to capture the Dragon Head – Sun Yee Lok.  THANK YOU for your support of my writing this story and I hope you continue to enjoy where I take our two characters in the chapters to come.

Chapters 1 - 50 can be found at …https://sablelab.tumblr.com/covertoperations

  CHAPTER 51(S)

It didn’t take long for Jamie to reach the bedroom and sliding Claire down his body they gazed into each other's eyes while the air around them crackled with pent up sexual energy. Her breath caught at the heat swirling in the depths of Jamie’s stare igniting a flame that burned deep inside her.  Drawing his Sassenach nearer, her nipples beaded into tight buds against his chest while he continued to place kisses to her soft responsive lips.  Claire coiled her arms back up around his neck and brought their bodies even closer, then applying the slightest amount of pressure she urged his head down for a hot open-mouth kiss. James Fraser tasted like heaven. His lips were warm and masculine, hot, demanding and oh so intoxicating. Lost to the moment, she sighed as his mouth captured hers compellingly.

Teasing the strands of his hair, Claire brushed the collar of Jamie’s shirt with her fingertips and then dug her hands into his thick mane of curls holding her body close to his so that there was little space between them. She wanted nothing more than to feel the warmth of his hands and the heat of his mouth on her naked flesh as he tasted her, but their clothing was in the way. Feeling the distinct ridge of Jamie’s erection, there was no denying the heat of his need and Claire moved provocatively against him. Then with tentative fingers, she gently glided her hand over the front of his trousers. Moaning at her discovery, her hands sought and found the hardened ridge of his body and boldly explored him. A groan escaped from Jamie’s throat too at the boldness of her actions. In retaliation he skimmed her jaw while his lips trailed a steamy path down the side of Claire’s neck. Sensation shot through her with lightning speed and she lost her balance stumbling backwards. Catching her Jamie pressed his love up against the side of the dressing table. Claire moaned but continued to explore her new-found discovery.  Caressing the fabric of his trousers she tormented Jamie as she glided her fingers over the bulge feeling him harden even more. He in turn struggled with his feelings as Claire’s movements were playing havoc with his libido. Boldly unzipping his fly, she slipped her hand beneath his trousers and felt his erection. Claire shivered with desire as her own sex pulsed in response. Aching for Jamie’s touch, she wrapped her fingers around his rock-hard cock and gently stroked the velvety smoothness of him. Jamie sucked in a sharp hiss of breath and lowered his hand down hard over Claire’s halting her movements. Tenderly picking her hand up, he caressed it placing a kiss to her palm. Need raked her insides as he held her gaze captive in a look Claire could not deny.  James Fraser was mesmerized by the boldness of his Sassenach and staring at one another for a brief moment, they both reached out as lips collided once more. With a flurry of movement his hands were dexterous as he quickly removed the clothing that was a barrier to her skin. In no time Claire stood before him in enticing red lace lingerie. The high cut of her panties revealed the lithe length of her long legs while her breasts heaved in the constriction of her bra. The sight of her was nearly his undoing.

Trailing tender caresses down her throat Jamie lingered on her breast while his hands gently cupped her and his lips worked their magic. Claire’s head fell back when he squeezed her breasts and his thumbs searched for her taut nipples protruding through the lace. Capturing his face with her hands she pressed him closer to her flesh.

He kissed her again.

Sliding further down her body Jamie stroked Claire’s thigh were her panties rested on her skin. Placing his hand over the lace he cupped the heat of her groin and provocatively pressed his hand there. Feeling his touch, warmth spread straight to the region where his hand rested. Reluctantly though Jamie left her heaving in want for this more intimate touch as he removed his hand and skimmed it over her stomach while his other hand caressed her warm back. Claire trembled as riotous sensations coursed through her body. She moaned, but still Jamie’s gentle touch ignited the flames of desire and she could do nothing but enjoy the moment. Unclipping the fastening on the front of Claire’s bra her breasts broke free of the restraining garment and Jamie’s hands glided over her heaving chest removing the bra from her body. Capturing the lace on one finger he let it fall to the floor while his eyes held hers prisoner. His lips eventually returned to her chest and once again he caressed the mound of her breast lovingly.

Impatient fingers loosened Jamie’s shirt and pushed if from his frame while he quickly removed the rest of his own clothing.  At the same time, he continued to glide up and over her body in familiar renewal of her velvet soft skin. Tracing his hands back down her thighs Jamie then lifted his woman into his arms as he lavished kisses to her mouth.  Wrapping her legs around him, Claire wove her hands into his hair and held him tightly to her.

Lifting her closer Jamie deepened their kiss, meanwhile Claire’s hands encircled his head holding him enslaved to her mouth as her thighs held him in a vice like grip.  They kissed wildly, then walking her backwards they fell to the bed and Jamie rolled his Sassenach beneath him.

The next morning…

Piercing blue eyes caressed Claire’s body as he watched the rise and fall of her chest in peaceful slumber. Leisurely running his hands over the soft skin of her back Jamie felt every gradation of her body, a body he knew so well. Claire’s kiss-bruised lips also tempted him and he tenderly placed a chaste caress to her soft mouth. Although a beckoning raw need for her once again darted through his veins, Jamie didn’t want to wake her, but the warmth of his Sassenach pressed against him as she lay asleep in his arms was oh so tempting. Sighing, Claire inched closer to his warmth.

His eyes travelled down the column of her throat before resting on her hand that rose and fell on his chest. Capturing it in his, Jamie drew her closer as his thoughts turned to the gift and her reaction to it. The spontaneity of her kisses last night when he’d given her the watch still played on his mind. He had felt a kick in the stomach when he’d seen her unshed tears and the impulsiveness of her reaction had captured his heart. His act of kindness had overwhelmed her. He didn’t know what had possessed him to barter for the watch ... he only knew at the time that he had seen how much Claire had loved the timepiece and he’d wanted her to have it. Her response only endorsed his decision to do so. He loved the way he felt at her reaction and was glad he’d done something out of the ordinary. So many times, he had hurt her, betrayed her trust, made Claire question the reasons why he did things ... but with this one gift he had somehow redeemed some of his past indiscretions. It felt good. He was captivated by this woman who was his world.  He never realised that his gift would evoke such a profound response from Claire and he was overwhelmed with how her reaction made him feel as well.  It was just a watch, albeit one that she had admired but when he saw it, he knew why she had loved it. He suddenly realised that it was not just a gift to his Sassenach but it was a token of his love that he’d bought it for her. This was obviously what Claire had felt in receiving the gift.  He would never figure women out and especially not this woman, but he had to acknowledge it was why she had so suddenly welled up with tears and emotion.  His gift had touched her heart and in return it had made him introspective.  This wonderful woman was worming her way into his heart. He was falling in love with Claire Beauchamp more and more and for the first time in his life he could admit this to himself.

Ever since he had been recruited to Section One his life had been mapped out for him from the get go. He was a cold-blooded killer who had become desensitised to the notion of love.  He’d always seen himself as an unlovable man because that is what Section had made him.  He was a ruthless, calculated assassin and their penultimate cold operative who was devoid of any feelings or compassion and empathy.  He’d never once questioned the why of his actions, that is until Claire was recruited to Section One and was given to him to train. He always knew that he was not worthy of love but this amazing woman obviously saw in him what he did not of his character. This had always been so perplexing because she had come into his life and turned it upside down. He didn’t quite understand how Claire could feel the way she did. 

But now, his perception had changed.  Suddenly everything made complete sense. He had clarity about his feelings for this woman that he had long suppressed but which Claire had been able to tap into. His Sassenach was unlike any other woman he had ever met. Little by little she was indeed breaking down the barriers he had erected surrounding his heart … ones which he thought were impregnable.  Perhaps he was beginning to see what she saw … he was worthy of love after all.

Jamie pulled Claire into a tighter embrace. She played such havoc with his inner demons and sorely tested his control, but having her in his arms and feeling her warmth against his body was comforting. Jamie bent forwards. Brushing Claire’s hair away from her temple he smelt her inimitable scent, a smell so intoxicating that it drove him to distraction. His Sassenach was so beautiful ... if only she knew the power, she had over him.

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As he watched her sleeping, Jamie felt his body harden in reaction to his thoughts and her nearness. He tried to curtail his growing libido by reflecting on her deep cover mission with Madame Cheung. 

It had been difficult but his presence had helped considerably. The Rising Dragons triad had many facets and this Madame Cheung had been involved in the very area that Claire abhorred. She was vulnerable where there were innocents being abused and this mission was beginning to take its toll on her emotions.  However, their end game scenario would soon bring Madame Cheung’s reign to an end and severely incapacitate an important part of the triad’s business and revenue.  Not only that, but the girls in her employ would be set free to return to their families or to start a new life free of the shackles of the triad. Claire would certainly relish the belief that they had achieved freedom for the girls in servitude and that their predicament was no longer.   However, their failure to locate the elusive Sun Yee Lok would necessitate further missions until he was brought down. Once they returned to Section One, they would be able to regroup before the next phase that he knew would come. What this may involve was unknown but anything was possible.  More than likely Claire would go undercover once more given her past experience but that was up to Madeline and Operations to decide the best course of action.  He was thankful though that his Sassenach wouldn’t be involved in another deep cover mission like that with Madame Cheung on her own.  Being so close to the Rising Dragons again would be far more dangerous for Claire especially coming on the heels of this mission. Another deep cover mission could put her in jeopardy and Section could ill afford for their operative to be compromised at such a crucial stage in the big picture.

Operations had said they were working this like an onion before capturing the Rising Dragons’ leader, but there were many layers yet to peel away that would require patience and perseverance. 

Leaning into her body, Jamie gently traced Claire’s curves with his hands while his eyes caressed her delicate features. He kissed her and stroked his fingertips along her arm. His body began to betray him as he felt the surging need radiate though him. His Sassenach’s nearness was sheer torture. He wanted her. Feeling the tightening in his groin, Jamie’s breathing became more laboured and when he shifted his hips and pressed them closer to her warmth a moan echoed mournfully in their room. 

Claire stirred. Instinctively she moved against him half opening her sleepy eyes. Closing them again, she snuggled closer to Jamie’s warmth as the throaty, soft timbre of her voice murmured his name.

“Jamie?” 

“Aye?” Opening her sleepy eyes at the husky sound of his voice, Claire peered into the fathomless blue eyes of James Fraser. She could easily drown in those eyes that seemed to see deep into her soul.  Surely Jamie knew that she adored him and loved him beyond comprehension.  Claire smiled; her eyes lingering on his beckoning mouth. He grinned back at her then gently kissed her forehead. Reaching out, she tenderly stroked his stubbled face before running her fingertips along his tempting lips. They parted and he captured her wayward index finger caressing it with the tip of his tongue before reluctantly releasing it. Tracing Claire’s petal soft lips Jamie closed the distance between them gently stroking her face before capturing her mouth in a gentle kiss. “Good morning,” he replied in a hushed voice. “Good morning.” “We have to get up mo ghràidh.” “Do we?” Claire replied mischievously feeling his painful erection throbbing against her soft skin. Jamie watched as a beaming smile crossed her face. He couldn’t help himself. With her laughter echoing in the room he rolled his woman beneath him capturing her mouth in a punishing kiss that silenced them both as desire for each other consumed them. Later that morning ...

Wandering into the breakfast nook, Claire saw that Madame Cheung was already there. “Good Morning Madame”

“Claire ... Where is Monsieur Le Comte? He’s not with you ... Hmmm?” “No, he went for a swim in the pool.” “Ahhh ... Needed some cooling off, did he?” She intonated slyly noticing that her protégé was a little dishevelled this morning. “But of course ... Madame!” Madame Cheung laughed out loud at her hidden innuendo. “Good ... Come sit down.” Claire joined her at the breakfast table and the woman watched as she moved her food around on her plate seemingly lost in thought. “What ... No appetite my dear? Or are you thinking about that intoxicating man Monsieur Le Comte?  It appears that you are entertaining him well judging by that rosy flush I see on your cheeks.” “No ... you actually,” Claire replied glancing at the woman sitting opposite her. “Me?” She replied somewhat bemused. “Yes ... about where you grew up. Were you like the girls in your employ? Oh, lots of things really.” She paused before adding, “I grew up on the streets in many different places ...” “Yes ... I know.” Claire looked at her with surprise. “Did that happen to you too?” “Don’t be embarrassed Claire ... I recognized immediately that you were from the streets. I too had a poor upbringing.  I pretty much grew up on the street myself.” “Did you? Not that it shows ... Well, perhaps a little in the eyes. You’ve done very well.” Jamie had not yet made an appearance on the terrace and was listening intensely to their conversation on his frequency channel, hoping that Claire wouldn’t mention Madame Cheung’s procurement of the young girls they had seen at her club.  What he did know was that she was baiting her into revealing her plans for the next few days. He lowered his head, and began worrying his chin with his fingers absently waiting for their conversation to turn towards the information they required to set the mission profile for her capture into action.

“One thing about the streets is that you learn to take care of yourself.  That some brains and a little luck … You’re a fighter like me. You’ve survived Claire and now that you are working for the Rising Dragons, we will take care of you.”

“Is that how you came to be in the triad?”

“In a fashion … yes it was.  I worked my way up the ranks when my potential was recognised and I have never looked back.  I see a similar projection for you in the triad Claire like myself.”

“Thank you.  I’m very happy working for you Madame.”

She smiled at her reply.  “That is good.”

“Madame Cheung?  I was wondering if you would like to join Monsieur Le Comte and I on a trip to Koh Samui tomorrow?” “Unfortunately, I have to stay in Bangkok for the next two days.” “Business?” “Does it really matter?” “So where are you going if you don’t mind me asking?” Claire queried looking for the intel that they need to set the wheels in motion for her capture. “No, not at all my dear. I have to attend to some business at the club ... I’ll be there for the next couple of days. But you enjoy yourself at Koh Samui tomorrow ... anyway you don’t need my company when you have Monsieur Le Comte. Now do you?” “No Madame ... I can learn more about him that may be of use to the Rising Dragons.” “Exactly ... Perhaps you can take in some sights around Bangkok as well. I’ll have Magnus prepare the limousine.” Just then Jamie entered the terrace and made his way towards the two women. Looking up, Madame Cheung noticed his approach. “Oh, here comes Monsieur Le Comte now.” “Bonjour mes demoiselles - Good morning ladies.” “Good morning ... Come sit down and have some breakfast, or would you prefer juice?” “Coffee will be fine.” “Claire was just saying that you planned on going to Koh Samui tomorrow.” “Oui.” “And today? ... Perhaps some sightseeing?” “That’s what I’d like to discuss Madame. Perhaps I could come to the club and go over our business propositions. I’m sure Claire could relax here by the pool.” “Sounds good to me,” Claire replied. “Certainly Monsieur Le Comte.  Splendid idea. The quicker we go over our business agreement the quicker we can set things in motion ... don’t you agree?” “Definitely.” “Excellent ... but come this afternoon ... then you can spend time with Claire as well.” Madame Cheung smiled cagily ... “I don’t want to monopolise your time ... after all you are paying for her services.” “Of course.” “I’ll see you later then.” “Yes. Yes, you will.”  Jamie replied with a disguised undercurrent in his tone that was foreboding for this woman.

  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ to be continued

#jamie and claire #JamieandClaire #jamie and claire fanfic #James Fraser #claire beauchamp #outlanderfanfic #covertoperations

[talkingtothetallman]

Unconditional Joy

I have a new saying at UPS to describe my day on route: "Sun's out, fun route!" Basically, when the sun's shining, it's gonna be a good day :)

Or, rather I will make the day good. Let me explain what I mean.

I love when the sun shines while I'm on route because it gives me energy. The puffy white poofs in the sky encased in a brilliant blue makes me excited, and puts a pep in my step. The opposite? Dreary gray and black clouds filling the sky, raindrops plummeting down onto my truck's windshield, and the squeaky wipers smearing them away so I can see. I suppose with a depiction like that, it's no wonder why you must think I like driving on sunny days.

I've been reflecting on this contrast as of late. As I've been on route, clicking off stops, my prayer has been that I would find joy every day, no matter the weather. But further than that, that I would reflect on Christ and give Him praise and be thankful for my job, regardless of the perhaps a myriad of reasons that I could consider my day bad.

A Christian should be happy, full of joy. After all, our joy comes from Christ, who is our Strength, Shield, Defender, and Friend. That really hits home as I bask in the warm sunlight as the final few rays of the day slip below the horizon. You might say, "Of course it's easy to be happy in those situations!" And I'd say you're correct; of course it is. But that's the point I'm trying to make. A Christian glorifies Jesus even when days don't feel that beautiful. Why? Because again, Christ is our Strength, Shield, Defender, and Friend; He has sought us and bought us when His redeeming blood.

When I have these periods that seem to lack a joy that is glorifying to God, I try to start praying. My Savior isn't dependent on whether I have a good route or a bad route, whether the sun is out or whether is hiding behind the clouds; He actually isn't dependent on anything... well, except one thing That's what's so amazing. All he requires is that I serve Him and call on Christ to save me. Reflecting in that makes any "bad" day not matter in the long run. After all, I have Christ. Christ is enough me.

My prayer is that you and me both can not depend on circumstances to dictate our happiness; that's what the world does. Rather, we pray to our Savior every day for the grace we need to live for Him and find joy in Him.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17

#jesus christ #writers #christian inspiration #christian #ups #christianity

[personaloutreach]

Victory in Jesus

E.M. Bartlett Victory in Jesus Verse 1I heard an old, old story how a Savior came from glory,How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning,Then I repented of my sins and won the victory ChorusO victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever!He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my…

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[frederickwiddowson]

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 22:1-6 comments: the plot to kill Christ, the Messiah

Luke 22:1 ¶ Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. 2  And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. 3  Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. 5  And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 6  And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

 The Feast of Unleavened Bread and its relationship to the Passover should be read from the Old Testament.

 Exodus 12:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the

morning ye shall burn with fire. 11  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover. 12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14  And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 17  And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. 18  In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. 19  Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that

soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

 The chief priests and the scribes sought how they could kill Jesus but not in such a way as to arouse the riotous inclinations of an unruly people who adored Him. It is at this point in God’s plan to redeem mankind to Himself that Satan entered Judas.

 Jesus called Judas a devil.

 John 6:70  Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

 And although the specifics aren’t related here Judas, a man given to doubtful loyalty to Christ, is possessed, as we understand it, by Satan himself. See here for Judas’ bad character.

 John 12:6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

 And here for the specific occurrence of Satan taking control of him.

 John 13:26  Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27  And after the sop

Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28  Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30  He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

 But when Satan is finished using a person they are themselves typically finished.

 Matthew 27:1 ¶  When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2  And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6  And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7  And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8  Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10  And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

[homebaseministries]

Today’s Scripture

O Victory in Jesus, May savior forever, He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him. He plunged me into victory beneath the cleansing flood.

It’s an old song you can find in the now rear church Hymnals. Do you understand that through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice we were given victory over many things in our lives? We don’t have to…

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#Depression #Discourage #Faith #Hope #Joy #Suffering #Today’s Scripture #Victorious