Mere-craft hath whiſper’d with the while.
Man. Sir, if you thinke you doe pleaſe mee, in this, 30 You are deceiu’d!
Mer. No, but becauſe my Lady, Nam’d him my kinſman; I would ſatisfie you, What I thinke of him: and pray you, vpon it To iudge mee!
Man. So I doe: that ill mens friendſhip, Is as vnfaithfull, as themſelues.
Tay. Doe you heare? 35 Ha’ you a Buſineſſe about Tooth-picks?
Mer. Yes, Madame. Did I ne’r tell’t you? I meant to haue offer’d it Your Lady-ſhip, on the perfecting the pattent. [145]
Tay. How is’t!
Mer. For ſeruing the whole ſtate with Tooth-picks; The Proiect for Tooth-picks. (Somewhat an intricate Buſineſſe to diſcourſe) but—40 I ſhew, how much the Subiect is abus’d, Firſt, in that one commodity? then what diſeaſes, And putrefactions in the gummes are bred, By thoſe are made of adultrate, and falſe wood? My plot, for reformation of theſe, followes. 45 To haue all Tooth-picks, brought vnto an office, There ſeal’d; and ſuch as counterfait ’hem, mulcted. And laſt, for venting ’hem to haue a booke Printed, to teach their vſe, which euery childe Shall haue throughout the kingdome, that can read, 50 And learne to picke his teeth by. Which beginning Earely to practice, with ſome other rules, Of neuer ſleeping with the mouth open, chawing Some graines of maſticke, will preſerue the breath Pure, and ſo free from taynt—ha’ what is’t? ſaiſt thou?
Traines his man whiſpers him.
Tay. Good faith, it ſounds a very pretty Bus’neſſe! 56