WILL CRICKET. Dost hear, Peg? if e'er I forget thee, I pray God, I may never remember thee.
PEG.
Peace! here comes my granam Midnight.
Enter MOTHER MIDNIGHT.
MOTHER MIDNIGHT. What, Peg! what, ho! what, Peg, I say! what, Peg, my wench? where art thou, trow?
PEG.
Here, granam, at your elbow.
MOTHER MIDNIGHT.
What mak'st thou here this twatter light? I think thou'rt in a dream;
I think the fool haunts thee.
WILL CRICKET. Zounds, fool in your face! Fool? O monstrous intitulation. Fool? O, disgrace to my person. Zounds, fool not me, for I cannot brook such a cold rasher, I can tell you. Give me but such another word, and I'll be thy tooth-drawer—even of thy butter-tooth, thou toothless trot, thou!
MOTHER MIDNIGHT. Nay, William, pray ye, be not angry; you must bear with old folks, they be old and testy, hot and hasty. Set not your wit against mine, William; for I thought you no harm, by my troth.
WILL CRICKET.
Well, your good words have something laid my choler. But, granam, shall
I be so bold to come to your house now and then to keep Peg company?
MOTHER MIDNIGHT. Ay, and beshrew thy good heart, and thou dost not. Come, and we'll have a piece of a barley bag-pudding or something, and thou shalt be very heartily welcome, that thou shalt, and Peg shall bid thee welcome too. Pray ye, maid, bid him welcome, and make much of him, for, by my vay, he's a good proper springal.[146]