Actus. i. Scæna iii.
Mage Mumble crust,[390] spinning on the distaffe. Tibet Talk apace, sowyng. Annot Alyface, knittyng. R. Roister.
M. Mumbl. If thys distaffe were spoonne[,] Margerie Mumblecrust[—]
Tib. Talk.[391] Where good stale ale is will drinke no water I trust.
M. Mumbl. Dame Custance hath promised us good ale and white bread.[392]
Tib. Talk. If she kepe not promise, I will beshrewe hir head: B ii b
But it will be starke nyght before I shall have done. 5
R. Royster [aside]. I will stande here a while, and talke with them anon,
I heare them speake of Custance, which doth my heart good,
To heare hir name spoken doth even comfort my blood.
M. Mumbl. Sit downe to your worke Tibet like a good girle.
Tib. Talk. Nourse medle you with your spyndle and your whirle, 10
No haste but good, Madge Mumblecrust, for whip and whurre[393]
The olde proverbe doth say, never made good furre.
M. Mumbl. Well, ye wyll sitte downe to your worke anon, I trust.
Tib. Talk. Soft fire maketh sweete malte,[394] good Madge Mumblecrust.
M. Mumbl. And sweete malte maketh joly good ale for the nones. 15
Tib. Talk. Whiche will slide downe the lane without any bones.
Cantet.[395]
Olde browne bread crustes must have much good mumblyng,
But good ale downe your throte hath good easie tumbling.
R. Royster [aside]. The jolyest wench that ere I hearde, little mouse,—
May I not rejoice that she shall dwell in my house? 20
Tib. Talk. So sirrha, nowe this geare beginneth for to frame.
M. Mumbl. Thanks to God, though your work stand stil, your tong is not lame
Tib. Talk. And though your teeth be gone, both so sharpe and so fine
Yet your tongue can renne on patins[396] as well as mine.
M. Mumbl. Ye were not for nought named Tyb Talke apace. 25
Tib. Talk. Doth my talke grieve you? Alack, God save your grace.
M. Mumbl. I holde[397] a grote ye will drinke anon for this geare.
Tib. Talk. And I wyll pray you the stripes for me to beare.
M. Mumbl. I holde a penny, ye will drink without a cup.
Tib. Talk. Wherein so ere ye drinke, I wote ye drinke all up. 30
An. Alyface.[398] By Cock and well sowed, my good Tibet Talke apace.
Tib. Talk. And een as well knitte my nowne Annot Alyface.
R. Royster [aside]. See what a sort she kepeth that must be my wife[!]
Shall not I when I have hir, leade a merrie life?
Tib. Talk. Welcome my good wenche, and sitte here by me just. 35
An. Alyface. And howe doth our old beldame here, Mage Mumblecrust?
Tib. Talk. Chyde, and finde faultes, and threaten to complaine.
An. Alyface. To make us poore girles shent to hir is small gaine. B iii
M. Mumbl. I dyd neyther chyde, nor complaine, nor threaten.
R. Royster [aside]. It woulde grieve my heart to see one of them beaten. 40
M. Mumbl. I dyd nothyng but byd hir worke and holde hir peace.
Tib. Talk. So would I, if you coulde your clattering ceasse:
But the devill can not make olde trotte[399] holde hir tong.
An. Alyface. Let all these matters passe, and we three sing a song,
So shall we pleasantly bothe the tyme beguile now, 45
And eke dispatche all our workes ere we can tell how.
Tib. Talk. I shrew them that say nay, and that shall not be I.
M. Mumbl. And I am well content.
Tib. Talk. Sing on then by and by.
R. Royster [aside]. And I will not away, but listen to their song,
Yet Merygreeke and my folkes tary very long. 50
Tib, An, and Margerie, doe singe here.
Pipe mery Annot.[400] etc.
Trilla, Trilla. Trillarie.
Worke Tibet, worke Annot, worke Margerie.
Sewe Tibet, knitte Annot, spinne Margerie.
Let us see who shall winne the victorie. 55
Tib. Talk. This sleve is not willyng to be sewed I trowe,
A small thing might make me all in the grounde to throwe.
Then they sing agayne.
Pipe merrie Annot. etc.
Trilla. Trilla. Trillarie.
What Tibet, what Annot, what Margerie. 60
Ye sleepe, but we doe not, that shall we trie.
Your fingers be nombde, our worke will not lie.
Tib. Talk. If ye doe so againe, well I would advise you nay.
In good sooth one stoppe[401] more, and I make holy day.
They singe the thirde tyme.
Pipe Mery Annot. etc. 65
Trilla. Trilla. Trillarie.
Nowe Tibbet, now Annot, nowe Margerie. B iii b
Nowe whippet[402] apace for the maystrie,
But it will not be, our mouth is so drie.
Tib. Talk. Ah, eche finger is a thombe to day me thinke, 70
I care not to let all alone, choose it swimme or sinke.
They sing the fourth tyme.
Pipe Mery Annot. etc.
Trilla. Trilla. Trillarie.
When Tibet, when Annot, when Margerie.
I will not, I can not, no more can I. 75
Then give we all over, and there let it lye.
Lette hir caste downe hir worke.
Tib. Talk. There it lieth, the worste is but a curried cote[!][403]
Tut I am used therto, I care not a grote.
An. Alyface. Have we done singyng since? then will I in againe,
Here I founde you, and here I leave both twaine.
Exeat.
M. Mumbl. And I will not be long after: Tib Talke apace.
Tib. Talk. What is ye matter?
M. Mumbl. [looking at R.]. Yond stode a man al this space
And hath hearde all that ever we spake togyther.
Tib. Talk. Mary the more loute he for his comming hither.
And the lesse good he can to listen maidens talke. 85
I care not and I go byd him hence for to walke:
It were well done to knowe what he maketh here away.[404]
R. Royster [aside]. Nowe myght I speake to them, if I wist what to say.
M. Mumbl. Nay we will go both off, and see what he is.
R. Royster. One that hath hearde all your talke and singyng ywis. 90
Tib. Talk. The more to blame you, a good thriftie husbande[405]
Woulde elsewhere have had some better matters in hande.
R. Royster. I dyd it for no harme, but for good love I beare,
To your dame mistresse Custance, I did your talke heare.
And Mistresse nource I will kisse you for acquaintance. 95
M. Mumbl. I come anon sir.
Tib. Talk. Faith I would our dame Custance
Sawe this geare.
M. Mumbl. I must first wipe al cleane, yea I must.
Tib. Talk. Ill chieue[406] it dotyng foole, but it must be cust.
[Royster kisses Mumblecrust.]
M. Mumbl. God yelde[407] you sir, chad[408] not so much ichotte[408] not whan,
Nere since chwas bore chwine, of such a gay gentleman. 100
R. Royster. I will kisse you too[,] mayden[,] for the good will I beare you. B iv
Tib Talk. No forsoth, by your leave ye shall not kisse me.
R. Royster. Yes be not afearde, I doe not disdayne you a whit.
Tib. Talk. Why shoulde I feare you? I have not so little wit,
Ye are but a man I knowe very well. 105
R. Royster. Why then?
Tib. Talk. Forsooth for I wyll not, I use not to kisse men.
R. Royster. I would faine kisse you too good maiden, if I myght.
Tib. Talk. What shold that neede?
R. Royster. But to honor you by this light.
I use to kisse all them that I love[,] to God I vowe.
Tib. Talk. Yea sir? I pray you when dyd ye last kisse your cowe.[409] 110
R. Royster. Ye might be proude to kisse me, if ye were wise.
Tib. Talk. What promotion were therein?
R. Royster. Nourse is not so nice.[410]
Tib. Talk. Well I have not bene taught to kissing and licking.
R. Royster. Yet I thanke you mistresse Nourse, ye made no sticking.
M. Mumbl. I will not sticke for a kosse with such a man as you. 115
Tib. Talk. They that lust: I will againe to my sewyng now.
An. Alyfac[e, re-entering]. Tidings hough, tidings, dame Custance greeteth you well.
R. Royster. Whome me?
An. Alyface. You sir? no sir? I do no suche tale tell.
R. Royster. But and she knewe me here.
An. Alyface. Tybet Talke apace,
Your mistresse Custance and mine, must speake with your grace.
Tib. Talk. With me?
An. Alyface. Ye muste come in to hir out of all doutes.
Tib. Talk. And my work not half done? A mischief on all loutes.
Ex[eant] am[bae.]
R. Royster. Ah good sweet nourse[!]
M. Mumb. A good sweete gentleman[!]
M. Mumbl. Nay I can not tel sir, but what thing would you?
R. Royster. Howe dothe sweete Custance, my heart of gold, tell me[,] how? 125
M. Mumbl. She dothe very well sir, and commaunde me to you.
R. Royster. To me?
M. Mumbl. Yea to you sir.
R. Royster. To me? nurse tel me plain
To me?
M. Mumb. Ye.
R. Royster. That word maketh me alive again.
M. Mumbl. She commaunde me to one last day who ere it was.
R. Royster. That was een to me and none other by the Masse. 130
M. Mumbl. I can not tell you surely, but one it was.
R. Royster. It was I and none other: this commeth to good passe.
I promise thee nourse I favour hir.
M. Mumb. Een so sir.
R. Royster. Bid hir sue to me for mariage.
M. Mumbl. Een so sir. B iv b
R. Royster. And surely for thy sake she shall speede. 135
M. Mumb. Een so sir.
R. Royster. I shall be contented to take hir.
M. Mumb. Een so sir.
R. Royster. But at thy request and for thy sake.
M. Mumb. Een so sir.
R. Royster. And come hearke in thine eare what to say.
M. Mumb. Een so sir.
Here lette him tell hir a great long tale in hir eare.[411]