1756Ford. A Buck-basket?

1757Fal. Yes: a Buck-basket: ram'd mee in with foule

1758Shirts and Smockes, Socks, foule Stockings, greasie

1759Napkins, that (Master Broome) there was the rankest

1760compound of villanous smell, that euer offended no-

1761strill.

1762Ford. And how long lay you there?

1763Fal. Nay, you shall heare (Master Broome) what I

1764haue sufferd, to bring this woman to euill, for your

1765good: Being thus cram'd in the Basket, a couple of

1766Fords knaues, his Hindes, were cald forth by their Mi-

1767stris, to carry mee in the name of foule Cloathes to

1768Datchet-lane: they tooke me on their shoulders: met

1769the iealous knaue their Master in the doore; who

1770ask'd them once or twice what they had in their Bas-

1771ket? I quak'd for feare least the Lunatique Knaue

1772would haue search'd it: but Fate (ordaining he should

1773be a Cuckold) held his hand: well, on went hee, for

1774a search, and away went I for foule Cloathes: But

1775marke the sequell (Master Broome) I suffered the pangs

1776of three seuerall deaths: First, an intollerable fright,

1777to be detected with a iealious rotten Bell-weather:

1778Next to be compass'd like a good Bilbo in the circum-

1779ference of a Pecke, hilt to point, heele to head. And

1780then to be stopt in like a strong distillation with stink-

1781ing Cloathes, that fretted in their owne grease:

1782thinke of that, a man of my Kidney; thinke of that,

1783that am as subiect to heate as butter; a man of conti-

1784nuall dissolution, and thaw: it was a miracle to scape

1785suffocation. And in the height of this Bath (when I

1786was more then halfe stew'd in grease (like a Dutch-

1787dish) to be throwne into the Thames, and

1788coold, glowing-hot, in that serge like a Horse-

1789shoo; thinke of that; hissing hot: thinke of that (Master

1790Broome.)

1791Ford. In good sadnesse Sir, I am sorry, that for my sake

1792you haue sufferd all this.

1793My suite then is desperate: You'll vndertake her no

1794more?

1795Fal. Master Broome: I will be throwne into Etna,

1796as I haue beene into Thames, ere I will leaue her thus;

1797her Husband is this morning gone a Birding: I

1798haue receiued from her another ambassie of mee-

1799ting: 'twixt eight and nine is the houre (Master

1800Broome.)

1801Ford. 'Tis past eight already Sir.

1802Fal. Is it? I will then addresse mee to my appoint-

1803ment: Come to mee at your conuenient leisure, and

1804you shall know how I speede: and the conclusion

1805shall be crowned with your enioying her: adiew: you

1806shall haue her (Master Broome) Master Broome, you shall

1807cuckold Ford.

1808Ford. Hum: ha? Is this a vision? Is this a dreame?

1809doe I sleepe? Master Ford awake, awake Master Ford:

1810ther's a hole made in your best coate (Master Ford:) this

1811'tis to be married; this 'tis to haue Lynnen, and Buck-

1812baskets: Well, I will proclaime my selfe what I am:

1813I will now take the Leacher: hee is at my house: hee

1814cannot scape me: 'tis impossible hee should: hee can-

1815not creepe into a halfe-penny purse, nor into a Pepper-

1816Boxe: But least the Diuell that guides him, should

1817aide him, I will search impossible places: though

1818what I am, I cannot auoide; yet to be what I would

1819not, shall not make me tame: If I haue hornes, to make

1820one mad, let the prouerbe goe with me, Ile be horne-

1821mad. Exeunt.

1824Mist. Pag. Is he at M. Fords already think'st thou?

1825Qui. Sure he is by this; or will be presently; but

1826truely he is very couragious mad, about his throwing

1827into the water. Mistris Ford desires you to come so-

1828dainely.

1829Mist. Pag. Ile be with her by and by: Ile but bring

1830my yong-man here to Schoole: looke where his Master

1831comes; 'tis a playing day I see: how now Sir Hugh, no

1832Schoole to day?

1833Eua. No: Master Slender is let the Boyes leaue to play.

1834Qui 'Blessing of his heart.

1835Mist. Pag. Sir Hugh, my husband saies my sonne pro-

1836fits nothing in the world at his Booke: I pray you aske

1837him some questions in his Accidence.

1838Eu. Come hither William; hold vp your head; come.

1839Mist. Pag. Come-on Sirha; hold vp your head; an-

1840swere your Master, be not afraid.

1841Eua. William, how many Numbers is in Nownes?

1842Will. Two.

1843Qui. Truely, I thought there had bin one Number

1844more, because they say od's-Nownes.

1845Eua. Peace, your tatlings. What is (Faire) William?

1846Will. Pulcher.

1847Qu. Powlcats? there are fairer things then Powlcats,

1848sure.

1849Eua. You are a very simplicity o'man: I pray you

1850peace. What is (Lapis) William?

1851Will. A Stone.

1852Eua. And what is a Stone (William?)

1853Will. A Peeble.

1854Eua. No; it is Lapis: I pray you remember in your

1855praine.

1856Will. Lapis.

1857Eua. That is a good William: what is he (William) that

1858do's lend Articles.

1859Will. Articles are borrowed of the Pronoune; and be

1860thus declined. Singulariter nominatiuo hic haec, hoc.

1861Eua. Nominatiuo hig, hag, hog: pray you marke: geni-

1862tiuo huius: Well: what is your Accusatiue-case?

1863Will. Accusatiuo hinc.

1864Eua. I pray you haue your remembrance (childe) Ac-

1865cusatiuo hing, hang, hog.

1866Qu. Hang-hog, is latten for Bacon, I warrant you.

1867Eua. Leaue your prables (o'man) What is the Foca-

1868tiue case (William?)

1869Will. O, Vocatiuo, O.

1870Eua. Remember William, Focatiue, is caret.

1871Qu. And that's a good roote.

1872Eua. O'man, forbeare.

1873Mist. Pag. Peace.

1874Eua. What is your Genitiue case plurall (William?)

1875Will. Genitiue case?

1876Eua. I.

1877Will. Genitiue horum, harum, horum.

1878Qu. 'Vengeance of Ginyes case; fie on her; neuer

1879name her (childe) if she be a whore.

1880Eua. For shame o'man.

1881Qu. You doe ill to teach the childe such words: hee

1882teaches him to hic, and to hac; which they'll doe fast

1883enough of themselues, and to call horum; fie vpon you.