EPITON

Here sir. Love sir may lie in your lunges, and I think it does, and that is the cause you blow, and are so pursy. A Poet? whats that? No. They are two lads. Larks? are you blind? they are two little Boys. Nay I tell you my Master is more then a man. Nay my Master will match them. At hand sir. Passing fat: and I would not change this life to be a Lord, and your self passes all comparison, for oh there Captains kill and beat, and there is nothing you kill, but you also eat. My master thinks himself the valiantest man in the world if he kill a wren: so warlike a thing he ac counteth to take away life, though it be from a Lark. Sir. What mean you Master to be so desperate? What is that monster? I cannot imagine it; yet let me see, a black enemy with rough locks it may be a sheep, and Ovis is a sheep: his Sire so strong, a Ram is a sheeps Sire: that being also and engine of war, horns he hath, and four legs, so hath a sheep: without doubt this monster is a black sheep; Is it not a sheep that you mean? Good master pity them. Why it is a Squirrel. Here sir. Whats that? I understand you not. I. I. I. No. Why? Who is that? Are you in love? Here. Will you be trimmed sir? I will furnish you sir. Sir will you give over wars, & play with that babble called love? Love hath made you very eloquent, but your face is nothing fair. Nay I must seek a new Master if you can speak nothing but verses. Stay Master, you forget your self. Pithily, and to the purpose, but what? begin you to nod. Who ever saw such a woodcock, love Dipsas? without doubt all the world will now account him vam liant, that ventureth on her, whom none durst under take. But here comes two wags. If you want Masters, join with me and serve Sir Tophas, who must needs keep more men, because he is towards marriage. Yonder sleeping in love. He hath taken his thoughts a hold lower, and say, seeing it is the fashion of the world, he will veil bonnet to beauty. Lovely. Dipsas. Tush you be simple, my Ma. hath a good mar riage. Why in marrying Dipsas, he shall have every day twelve dishes of meat to his dinner, though there be none but Dipsas with him. Four of flesh, four of fish, four of fruit. For flesh these, woodcock, goose, bitter, & rail. For fish these, crab, carp, lump, and pouting. For fruit these, fretters, meddlers, hartichockes, and Lady longings. Thus you see he shall fare Like a King, though he be but a beggar. Agreed. Let us hear him awhile. I but my Master yawning one day in the Sun, love crept into his mouth before he could close it, and there kept such a tumbling in his body, that he was glad to untruss the points of his heart, and entertain Love as a stranger. We will trauice. Will you go sir? A pox of all false Proverbs, and were a Pro verb a Page, I would have him by the ears. Why? you know it is said, the tied tarrieth no man. A monstrous lie; for I was tide two hours, and tarried for one to unloose me. Poor? No, no, you base conceited slaves, I am a most complyt Gentleman, although I be in disgrace with sir Tophas. I, because I cannot get him a lodging with Endymion, he would feign take a nap for forty or fifty years. In love? why he does nothing but make Sonnets. I, this is one. The beggar Love that knows not where to lodge: At last within my heart when I slept, he crept, I waked, and so my fancies began to fodge. Why the other was short, the first is called from the thumb to the little finger, the second from the little finger to the elbow, and some he hath made to reach to the crown of his head, and down again to the soul of his foot: it is set to the tune of the black Saunce, ratio est, because Dipsas is a black Saint. No my hearts, I am and absolute Microcosmus, a petty world of my self, my library is my head, for I have no other books but my brains: my wardrobe on my back, for I have no more apparel then is on my body; my armoury at my fingers ends, for I use no other Artillery then my nails; my treasure in my purse. Sie omniam meam mecum porto. Now sirs, my Palace is paved with grass, and tiled with stars: for celo tegitur qui non habet urnam, he that hath no house, must he in the yard. Not in any Melancholy sort, for mine exercise I will walk horses. Why is it not said: It is good walking when one hath his horse in his hand? By angling; Oh 'tis a stately occupation to stand four hours in a cold Morning, and to have his nose bitten with frost, before his bait be mumbled with a Fish. Yes in a Western barge, when with a good wind and lusty pugges, one may go ten miles in two days. Yes the quickest of all. No, when I am in hast, xxi. games at Chess, to pass a few minutes. Tush let me alone, but I must needs see if I can find where Endymion lies, and then go to a cer taine fountain hard by, where they say faithful Lovers shall have allthings they will ask. If I can find out any of these, ego et Magister meus erimus in tuto, I and my Master shall be Friends. He is resolved to weep some three or four payle-fuls, to avoid the rheum of love that wambleth in his stomach. I will go with you. But how shall we see for the Watch? So me thinks, for they smell all of drink, Like a beggars beard. Let Master Constable speak: I think he is the wisest among you. Oh wicked application. Let me then trip up the heals of your affec cion, and thrust your goodwill into the gutter. No doubt there is good cheer: what dishes of delight does his Lordship feast you withal? Excellent love lap. A brave banquet. There are three or four little hairs. Oh sir your chin is but a quyller yet, you will be most majestical when it is full fledge. But I marvel that you love Dipsas that old Crone. Why she is so cold, that no fire can thaw her thoughts. Argumentum ab antiquitate, My master loves antic work. Good sir. Nothing hath made my master a fool, but flat Scholarship. Yes. I. So. Oh lepidum caput, Oh mad cap master. You were worthy to win Dipsas, were she as old again, for in your love, you have worn the nap of your wit quite off, and made it threadbare. But soft who comes here? Master, she is bent I warrant you. That goes harden Master, for then you must have none. Let him lose his tongue to, I care not. Wisely provided. How say you my Friends, will you angle for my Masters cause? Know you not that my Master is Liber tenens? Samias What's that? A Freeholder. But I will after him.