Lod. That close shaving made barbers a company,
And now every citizen uses it.
Cand. Of geometric figures the most rare,
And perfect’st, are the circle and the square;
The city and the school much build upon
These figures, for both love proportion.
The city-cap is round, the scholar’s square,
To show that government and learning are
The perfect’st limbs i’ th’ body of a state:
For without them, all’s disproportionate.
If the cap had no honour, this might rear it,
The reverend fathers of the law do wear it.
It’s light for summer, and in cold it sits
Close to the skull, a warm house for the wits;
It shows the whole face boldly, ’tis not made
As if a man to look on’t were afraid,
Nor like a draper’s shop with broad dark shed,
For he’s no citizen that hides his head.
Flat caps as proper are to city gowns,
As to armours helmets, or to kings their crowns.
Let then the city-cap by none be scorned,
Since with it princes’ heads have been adorned.
If more the round cap’s honour you would know,
How would this long gown with this steeple[245] show?
All. Ha, ha, ha! most vile, most ugly.
Cand. Pray, signor, pardon me, ’twas done in jest.
Bride. A cup of claret wine there.
1st Pren. Wine? yes, forsooth, wine for the bride.
Car. You ha’ well set out the cap, sir.
Lod. Nay, that’s flat.
Cand. A health!
Lod. Since his cap’s round, that shall go round. Be bare,
For in the cap’s praise all of you have share.