Plea. I am not such an enemy now to his humour as to your nephew's. He rails against our sex, and thinks, by beating down the price of a woman, to make us despair of merchants; but if I had his heartstrings tied on a true-lover's knot, I would so firk him, till he found physic in a rope.
Sec. He's a scurvy-tongued fellow, I am sure of that; and if I could have got a staff, I had marked him.
Wid. What did he do to thee, Secret?
Plea. Why, he swore he had a better opinion of her than to think she had her maidenhead; but if she were that fool, and had preserved the toy, he swore he would not take the pains of fetching it, to have it. I confess, I would fain be revenged on them, because they are so blown up with opinion of their wit.
Wid. As I live, my nephew travels still: the sober, honest Ned Wild will not be at home this month.
Plea. What say you? will you abuse them and all the rest, and stand to my first proposition?
Wid. Yes, faith, if it be but to bury my servant Sad; for he cannot last above another fall. And how, think you, will your servant take it?
Plea. Mine! O, God help me, mine's a healthy fool. I would he were subject to pine, and take things unkindly: there were some hope to be rid of him; for I'll undertake to use him as ill as anybody.
Wid. As I live, I am easily resolved: for if I would marry, I know neither who nor what humour to choose.
Sec. By my troth, madam, you are hard to please, else the courtier might have served turn.