Boy. God bless your Worships health Sir.
Merch. Farewell boy. [Exeunt.
Enter Master Merry-thought.
Wife. Ah old Merry-thought, art thou there again? let's hear some of thy Songs.
Old Mer. Who can sing a merrier note
Than he that cannot change a gr[o]at?
Not a D[eni]er left, and yet my heart leaps; I do wonder yet, as old as I am, that any man will follow a Trade, or serve, that may sing and laugh, and walk the streets: my wife and both my sons are I know not where, I have nothing left, nor know I how to come by meat to supper, yet am I merry still; for I know I shall find it upon the Table at six a Clock; therefore hang Thought
I would not be a Servingman to carry the cloke-bag still.
Nor would I be a Fawlconer the greedy Hawkes to fill.
But I would be in a good house, and have a good Master too:
Bt I would eat and drink of the best, and no work would I do.
This is [it] that keeps life and soul together, mirth: this is the Philosophers stone that they write so much on, that keeps a man ever young.
Enter a Boy.