Mac. God look you all three, methought I had seen you.
Ye are a fair company.
1st Shepherd. Can ye now moan you?
2nd Shepherd. Shrew, jape![117]
Thus late as thou goes,
What will men suppose?
And thou hast an ill noise[118]
Of stealing of sheep.
Mac. And I am true as steel all men wait,
But a sickness I feel, that holds me full haytt,[119]
My belly fares not well, it is out of its state.
3rd Shepherd. Seldom lies the devil dead by the gate.
Mac. Therefore
Full sore am I and ill,
If I stand stock still;
I eat not a nedyll[120]
This month and more.
1st Shepherd. How fares thy wife? By my hood, how fares she?
Mac. Lies weltering! by the rood! by the fire, lo!
And a house full of brood,[121] she drinks well too,
Ill speed other good that she will do;
But so
Eats as fast as she can,
And each year that comes to man,
She brings forth a lakan,[122]
And some years two.
But were I not more gracious, and richer by far,
I were eaten out of house, and of harbour,
Yet is she a foul dowse, if ye come near.
There is none that trows, nor knows, a war[123]
Than ken I.
Now will ye see what I proffer,
To give all in my coffer
To-morrow next to offer,
Her head mass-penný.
2nd Shepherd. I wot so forwaked[124] is none in this shire:
I would sleep if I taked less to my hire.
3rd Shepherd. I am cold and naked, and would have a fire.