Porpentine (WAS: Underwater Themes )

[David Morris]

No OED, but how 'bout some Bard...

http://www.shopthenet.net/publiclibrary/Shakespeare/Comedies/comedyoferrors_3.html

BALTHAZAR
Have patience, sir; O, let it not be so!
Herein you war against your reputation
And draw within the compass of suspect
The unviolated honour of your wife.
Once this,--your long experience of her wisdom,
Her sober virtue, years and modesty,
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,
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,
And that supposed by the common rout
Against your yet ungalled estimation
That may with foul intrusion enter in
And dwell upon your grave when you are dead;
For slander lives upon succession,
For ever housed 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:
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:
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,
I'll knock elsewhere, to see if they'll disdain me.

ANGELO
I'll meet you at that place some hour hence.


http://www.shakespeare.com/FirstFolio/THE_COMEDY_OF_ERRORS/5.1.html

ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
  My liege, I am advised what I say, 215
  Neither disturbed with the effect of wine,
  Nor heady-rash, provoked with raging ire,
  Albeit my wrongs might make one wiser mad.
  This woman lock'd me out this day from dinner:
  That goldsmith there, were he not pack'd with her, 220
  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 Balthazar and I did dine together.
  Our dinner done, and he not coming thither, 225
  I went to seek him: in the street I met him
  And in his company that gentleman.
  There did this perjured goldsmith swear me down
  That I this day of him received the chain,
  Which, God he knows, I saw not: for the which 230
  He did arrest me with an officer.

[...]

ANGELO  My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him,
  That he dined not at home, but was lock'd out.


DUKE SOLINUS  But had he such a chain of thee or no?


ANGELO  He had, my lord: and when he ran in here,
  These people saw the chain about his neck. 260


Second Merchant  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:
  And thereupon I drew my sword on you;
  And then you fled into this abbey here, 265
  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:
  I never saw the chain, so help me Heaven!
  And this is false you burden me withal. 270


DUKE SOLINUS  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;
  If he were mad, he would not plead so coldly:
  You say he dined at home; the goldsmith here 275
  Denies that saying. Sirrah, what say you?


DROMIO OF EPHESUS  Sir, he dined with her there, at the Porpentine.


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