Mech. Save you, gentlemen; sir, is your master at any leisure?
Pre. Here sit thee down, where never serpent hisses,
And being set, I'll smother thee with kisses.[190]
His businesses yet are many, you must needs attend awhile.
Mech. We must attend; umph! even snails keep state,
When with slow thrust their horns peep forth the gate.
We must attend! 'tis custom's fault, not mine,
To make men proud, on whom great favours shine:
Tis somewhat 'gainst my nature to attend,
But when we must, we must be patient;
A man may have admittance to the king
As soon as to these long-robes, and as cheap.
Come, gentlemen, shall we walk?
Thus are the pavement-stones before the doors
Of these great tongue-gilt orators worn smooth
With clients dancing 'fore[191] them.
Vel. It's strange to see how the world waits upon them: therein they are the only men now.
Mech. O, only; they of all men in request.
Your physician is the lawyer for your health,
And moderates unruly humours best.
Others are nobody compar'd with him:
For all men neglect their health in regard of their profit.
Drap. True, and that's it makes these men grow so fat—
Swell with rich purchases?
Mech. Yea, with golden fees
And golden titles too; they can work miracles,
And, like creators, even of empty nothing
Erect a world of goodly livings, fair demesnes
And gallant manors, heap'd one on another.
Vel. They gain indeed excessively, and are not like us citizens,
Expos'd to hazard of the seas and traffic.
Mech. Why, here's a fellow now, this orator,
Even Prate—you would little think it, his father was
An honest proiner[192] of our country vines;
Yet he's shot to his foot-cloth[193].
Drap. O, he is! he proined him well, and brought him up to learning.