PRISIUS

Her birth requires a better bridegroom than such a groom. Marry gup, I am sure he hath no better bred than is made of wheat, nor worn siner cloth than is made of will, nor learned better manners than are taught in schools. Twit not me with my ancestors, nor my wives honesty, if thou dost. My hands shake so, that Wertenberg thou in place where, I would teach thee to cog. Indeed it beco ̄ meth men of our experience to reason, not rail: to debate the matter, not to combat it. Stay Sperantus, this is Like my case, for I have be tampering as long to have a marriage continued ̄ mit ted between my wench and Memphios only son, they say he is as goodly a youth as one shall see in a Summer's day, and as neat a stripling as ever went on neats leather, his father will not let him be forth of his sighed, he is so tender over him, he yet lies with his mother for catching cold. Now my pretty else, as proud as the day is long, she will none of him, she forsooth will choose her own husband, made mar riages prove mad marriages, she will choose with her eye and Like with her heart before she consent with her tonge, neither father nor mother, kith nor kin shall be her carver in a husband, she will fallen too where she likes best, and thus the chick scarce out of the shell cackles as though she had be trodden with and hundredth cocks, and mother of a thou sand eggs. And I'll no more dandle my daughter, she shall prick on a clout till her fingers ache, or I'll cause her leave to make my heart ache. But in good time, though with ill luck, behold if they be not both together, let us stand close and hear all, so shall we prevent all. Tush spit not you, & I'll warrant I my beard is as good as a handkerchief. I, in what book read you that lesson. Out of a flirts sampler, but let us stay the end, this is but the beginning, you shall hear two chil dren well brought up. Wittily but uncivilly. Theres a girl that knows her lerripoope. Soft Livia, take me with you, it is not good in law without witness. I think this hight love hath provided but cold cheer. And my minion hath wrought well, where every stitch in her sampler is a pricking stitch at my heart: you take your pleasure on parents, they are peevish, fools, churls, overgrown with igno rance, because overworn with age, little shalt thou know the case of a father before thy self be a more there, when thou shalt breed thy child with conti nuall pains, and bringing it forth with deadly pangs, nurse it with thine own paps, and nourish it up with motherly tenderness, and then find them to curse thee with their hearts, when they should ask blessing on their knees, and the collop of thine own bowels to be the torture of thine own soul, with tears trickling down thy checks, and drops of blood falling from thy heart, thou wilt in vtte ring of thy mind wish them rather unborn than unnatural, & to have had their cradles their graves rather than thy death their bridals. But I will not dispute what thou shouldst have done, but correct what thou hast done, I perceive sowing is and idle exercise, and that every day there come more thoughts into thine head, than stitches into thy work, I'll see whither you can spin a better mind than you have stitched, and if I coop you not up, then let me be the capon. And you pretty minx, that must be fed with love upon sops I'll take and order to cram you with sorrows, get you in without look or reply. Let us about it, and also go on with match king them to our minds, it was happy that we pre vented that by chance, which we could never yet suspect by circumstance. I think Lucio be gone a squirelling, but I'll squirrel him for it, I sent him on my errand, but I must go for and answer myself, I have tied up the loving worm my daughter, and will see whither fancy can worm fancy out of her head, this green nosegay I fear my boy hath smelled to, for if he get but a penny in his purse, he turns it suddenly into Argentum potabile, I must search every place for him, for I stand on thorns till I hear what he hath done. The old time was a good time, Ale was and ancient drink, and accounted of our ancestors au tentical, Gascone wine was liquour for a Lord, Sack a medicine for the sick, and I may tell you, he that had a cup of read wine to his oysters, was hoisted in the Queens subsidy book. Is't possible. And I mine to discern a spigot from a fau cet. Why what said he? Let us all go, for I must to my clothes that hang on the tenters, my boy shall hang with them, if he answer me not his days work. Come neighbour, I perceive the love of our chil dren waxes key cold. Bavins will have their flashes, and youth their fancies, the one as soon quenched as the other burned, but who be these? What be these that hasten so to marry? You see marriage is destiny, made in heaven, though consummated on earth. Yes God give them joy, seeing in spite of our hearts they must join. And I, and since there is no remedy, that I am glad of it. Not, I. Well, seeing our purposes are prevented, we must lay other plots, for Livia shall not have Canaius. Wilt thou go soon to Memphios house? I cast the morrow in thy fate, & bid good night to all neighbourhood. Thy son, my daughter is seduced, for I hear say she is married, and our boys can tell. How sayest thou, tell the truth or I'll grind thee to powder in my mill, Be they married? That no fault, the place is holy. Trush, thats but common courtesy. Villain they be married. And I'll be put out of doubt. Livia come forth. The baggage begins to blush. Then 'tis bootless to ask you Livia. I remember we herd a contract between Man phios son and Stellios daughter, and that our good wills being asked which needed not, we gave them, which booted not. I'll pay thee after a manner. You convey cleanly in deed, if coosnage be clean dealing, for in the apparel of your children you have conveyed a match between ours, which grieves us not a little. Heres a children in deed, I'll never forget it. Well of that more anon, not so suddenly least our ungracious youths think we dare do no other, but in truth their loves stirs up nature in me. We are happy, we missed the foolish match. Why have you all be with Mother Bomby? Then to end alliars, our children's matches shall stand with our good liking, Livia enjoy Candius. Whats the matter? The next day at mine. It is unneighbourly done to suffer your son since he came from school to spend his time in love, and unwisely done to let him hover over my daughter, who hath nothing to her dowry but her needle, & must prove a Sempster, nor he any thing to take to but a Grammar, and cannot at the best be but a schoolmaster. It shall pass anger, thou shalt find it rage. Impudent giglot, was it not enough to abuse me but also to belie me? Oh villainy not to be born, Wast thou privy to this practice?