Was Shakespeare Bound to an Attorney? army, holds forth in this wise: "So, if a son that is by his father sent about merchandise, do sinfully miscarry upon the sea, the impu tation of his wickedness, by your rule, should be imposed upon his father that sent him. . . . But this is not so: for they purpose not their death, when they purpose their ser vices." Here is a statement the propriety of which From a lecturer the cluster on criminal of pleasing law might jumbles envy. which comprise the action of "The Comedy of Errors" may be detached an episode which, though bringing to light a somewhat high-handed creed of jurisprudence (evolved by the playwright, no doubt, to infuse greater spice into the adventure) justifies as thoroughly perhaps as any excursion by the poet into this mazy region the estimate ven tured. Angelo, the goldsmith, had, pursuant to order, manufactured a costly chain for Antipholus of Ephesus; but meeting, soon afterwards, that person's twin brother and double, Antipholus of Syracuse, and mistak ing him for the vendee of the chattel, de livery of it is then and there made to him; notwithstanding his stout repudiation of lia bility in respect of its purchase—his bluntlyavowed disbelief in his right to its possession. Falling in, at a later period, with his real cus tomer, the merchant craves immediate satis faction of his debt; pleading, as excuse for the uncivil demand, that he was himself un dergoing pressure from one of his own creditors. The guiltless object of the mis conception is, for the moment, petrified by the goldsmith's plausible account of his re ceipt of the ornament—such falling upon him like a bolt from a clear sky; but, ere long asserting himself, repels, with natural heat, the imputation that he had personally ac quired it at any time. After a passing exer cise with the rackets of contention, Angelo causes the protester's arrest by a constable, whom he had brought with him; the victim, as he is carried off, breathing out promises of fire and slaughter to requite his oppressor. The taking into custody, it may be interpo
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lated, has been looked upon as in the nature of mesne process, aiding recovery of a claim preferred. The servant of the outraged seignor, hurrying with news of the calamity to his master's wife, reports that her unlucky spouse has been "arrested on the case." Be fore manual coercion was practised, the trader had given his captive amiable warning of his design; brushing the pool of negotia tion with a taking fly, "either consent to pay this sum for me, or I attach you by this offi cer." The position obtains no less powerful ad vocacy from a turn which the under-plot in the second part of "Henry IV." assumes. Falstaff, it seems, had placed himself under obligation to Mistress Quickly, the hostess of an Eastcheap inn—his indebtedness ac cruing, not merely in respect of the liquid and liquidated item, potations consumed in the hostelry, but with reference to a graver, less materialistic source—breach of promise of marriage. What the dame thereupon im parts, in her weighty consultation with the officer of justice, to whom, in this unsettling hour, she has recourse, unveils the far from auspicious complexion of affairs. Hostess: "Master Fang, have you entered the action?" Fang: "It is entered." Host: "Where's your yeoman? Is it a lusty yeo man? Will he stand to it?" Fang, (to his boy): "Sirrah, where's Snare?" Host: "O Lord! ay: good Master Snare." Snare : "Here, here." Fang: "Snare, we must arrest Sir John Falstaff." Host: "Ay, good Master Snare, I have entered him and all." Anon, the lady further unbosoms herself: "I pray ye, since my action is entered, and my case so openly known to the world, let him be brought to his answer." The behemoth's per son having been secured without difficulty, through an opportune meeting with him on a public thoroughfare, the profligate—a brisk interchange of acerbities between the wronged Chloe and her deluder first occurring,— essays to force her into an unfair settlement. Little headway being made, however, upon
