The Presence-Chamber.
Enter Bilioso and Prepasso, two Pages before them; Maquerelle, Bianca, and Emilia.
Bil. Make room there, room for the ladies! why, gentlemen, will not ye suffer the ladies to be entered in the great chamber? why, gallants! and you, sir, to drop your torch where the beauties must sit too!
Pre. And there’s a great fellow plays the knave; why dost not strike him?
Bil. Let him play the knave, o’ God’s name; thinkest thou I have no more wit than to strike a great fellow?—The music! more lights! revelling-scaffolds! do you hear? Let there be oaths enow ready at the door, swear out the devil himself. Let’s leave the ladies, and go see if the lords be ready for them. 12
[Exeunt Bilioso, Prepasso, and Pages.
Maq. And, by my troth, beauties, why do you not put you into the fashion? this is a stale cut; you must come in fashion: look ye, you must be all felt, felt and feather, a felt upon your bare hair:[556] look ye, these tiring things are justly out of request now: and, do ye hear? you must wear falling-bands, you must come into the falling fashion: there is such a deal o’ pinning these ruffs, when the fine clean fall is worth all: and again, if ye should chance to take a nap in the afternoon, your falling-band requires no poting-stick[557] to recover his form: believe me, no fashion to the falling,[558] I say. 23
Bian. And is not Signior St. Andrew[559] a gallant fellow now.
Maq. By my maidenhead, la, honour and he agree as well together as a satin suit and woollen stockings.
Emilia. But is not Marshal Make-room, my servant in reversion, a proper gentleman? 29