2. If I had as many Mayden-heads, as I have hayres on my head, Ide venture them all rather then to come into so hot a place; prethy strew thou, for my little armes are weary.
1. I am sure thy little tongue is not.
2. No faith that’s like a woman bitten
with fleas, it neuer lyes stil: fye vpont, what a miserable thing tis to be a noble Bride, there’s such delayes in rising, in fitting gownes, in tyring, in pinning Rebatoes, in poaking, in dinner, in supper, in Reuels, & last of all in cursing the poore nodding fidlers, for keeping Mistris Bride so long vp from sweeter Reuels; that, oh I could neuer endure to put it vp without much bickering.
1. Come th’art an odde wench, hark, harke, musicke? nay then the Bride’s vp.
2. Is she vp? nay then I see she has been downe: Lord ha mercy on vs, we women fall and fall still, and when we haue husbands we play upon them like Virginall Jackes, they must ryse and fall to our humours, or else they’l neuer get any good straines of musicke out of vs; but come now, haue at it for a mayden-head.
strew.
As they strew, enter Sir Quintilian Shorthose with Peeter Flash and two or three seruingmen, with lights.
Sir quin. Come knaues, night begins to be like my selfe, an olde man; day playes the theefe and steales vpon vs; O well done wenches, well done, well done, you haue couered all the stony way to church with flowers, tis well, tis well, ther’s an Embleame too, to be made out of these flowers and stones, but you are honest wenches, in, in, in.