Mul. And what news—what news, good Andrew? 40
Coc. Marry, sir, you know the Conduit at Greenwich, and the under-holes that spouts up water?
Mul. Very well; I was wash’d there one day, and so was my wife—you might have wrung her smock, i’faith! But what o’ those holes?
Coc. Thus, sir. Out of those little holes, in the midst of the night, crawl’d out twenty-four huge, horrible, monstrous, fearful, devouring——
Mul. Bless us! 49
Coc. Serpents, which no sooner were beheld, but they turn’d to mastiffs, which howl’d; those mastiffs instantly turn’d to cocks, which crowed; those cocks, in a moment, were changed to bears, which roar’d; which bears are at this hour to be yet seen in Paris Garden, living upon nothing but toasted cheese and green onions.
Mul. By the Lord! and this may be, my wife and I will go see them. This portends something.
Coc. [aside.] Yes, worshipful fist,[46] thou’st feel what portends by and by. 59
Mul. And what more news? You shave the world—especially you barber-surgeons—you know the ground of many things. You are cunning privy searchers: by the mass, you scour all. What more news?
Coc. They say, sir, that twenty-five couple of Spanish