Bid. Proclaim our titles!
Do. Bosphoros Cormelydon Honorificacuminos Bidet!
Hol. I think your majesty’s a Welshman; you have a horrible long name.
Bid. Death or silence! Proceed!
Do. Honorificacuminos Bidet, Emperor of Cracks,[494] Prince of Pages, Marquess of Mumchance,[495] and sole Regent over a Bale[496] of False Dice: to all his under-ministers health, crowns, sack, tobacco, and stockings uncrack’d above the shoe. 10
Bid. Ourself will give them their charge. Now let
me stroke my beard, and I had it, and speak wisely, if I knew how. Most unconscionable, honest little, or little honest, good subjects, inform our person of your several qualities, and of the prejudice that is foisted upon you, that ourself may preview, prevent, and preoccupy the pestilent[497] dangers incident to all your cases.
Do. Here is a petition exhibited of the particular grievances of each sort of pages. 19
Bid. We will vouchsafe, in this our public session, to peruse them. Pleaseth your excellent wagship to be informed that the division of pages is tripartite (tripartite), or threefold: of pages, some be court-pages, others ordinary gallant pages, and the third apple-squires,[498] basket-bearers, or pages of the placket: with the last we will proceed first. Stand forth, page of the placket,[499] what is your mistress?
Slip. A kind of puritan.[500]