Courtine discovered bound on a couch.
Cour. Heigho! heigho! Ha! where am I? Was I drunk or no, last night? Something leaning that way. But where the devil am I? sincerely in a bawdy-house: faugh! what a smell of sin is here! Let me look about; if there be ever a Geneva Bible or a Practice of Piety in the room, I am sure I have guessed right. What's the matter now? tied fast! bound too! What tricks have I played to come into this condition? I have lighted into the territories of some merrily-disposed chambermaid or other; and she in a witty fit, forsooth, hath trussed me up thus: has she pinned no rags to my tail, or chalked me upon the back, trow? Would I had her mistress here at a venture!
Enter Sylvia and Maid.
Sylv. What would you do with her, my enchanted knight, if you had her? you are too sober for her by this time: next time you get drunk, you may perhaps venture to scale her balcony like a valiant captain as you are.
Cour. Hast thou done this, my dear destruction? and am I in thy limbo? I must confess, when I am in my beer, my courage does run away with me now and then; but let me loose, and thou shalt see what a gentle humble animal thou hast made me. Fie upon't! what, tie me up like an ungovernable cur to the frame of a table! let, let thy poor dog loose, that he may fawn and make much of thee a little.
Sylv. What, with those paws which you have been ferreting Moor-fields withal, and are very dirty still? After you have been daggling[48] yourself abroad for prey, and can meet with none, you come sneaking hither for a crust, do you?
Maid. Shall I fetch the whip and the bell, madam, and slash him for his roguery soundly?
Cour. Indeed, indeed! Do you long to be ferking[49] of man's flesh, madam flea-trap? Does the chaplain of the family use you to the exercise, that you are so ready for it?
Sylv. If you should be let loose, and taken into favour now, you would be for rambling again so soon as you had got your liberty.