With fresh meat; so hungry Lent adieu,
We are resolv'd to feed in spight of you.
FINIS
LONDON
Printed by M. S. for Thomas Jenner, and are to be sold at his Shop at the South Entrance of the Royal Exchange 1660.
[175] I.e. foxed or drunk.
[93.] George (Peele) was not so merry at London with his Capons and Claret, as poore Anthony the Barber was sorrowfull at Brainford for the losse of his Lute, & therefore determined to come to London to seeke out George Peele, which by the meanes of a Kinsman that Anthony Nit had in London, his name was Cuts or Feats, a Fellow that had good skill in tricks on the Cards, and he was well acquainted with the place where George's common abode was, and for kindred sake he directed the Barber where he should have him, which was at a blinde Ale house in Sea-cole Lane.[176] There he found George in a greene Jerkin, a Spanish platter fashioned Hat, all alone with a Pecke of Oysters. The Barber's heart danc'd within him for joy he had so happily found him; he gave him the time of the day. George not a little abashed at the sight of the Barber, yet went not to discover it openly; he that at all times had a quicke invention, was not now behind hand to entertaine my Barber, who knew for what his comming was. George thus saluted him, My honest Barber, quoth George, welcome to London, I partly know your businesse, you come for your Lute, doe you not? Indeed Sir, quoth the Barber, for that is my comming. And beleeve me, quoth George, you shall not lose your labour, I pray you stand to, and eat an oyster, and I'le go with you presently: For a Gentleman in the Citie of great worship, borrowed it of me for the use of his Daughter, that plays exceeding well, and had a great desire to have the Lute; but, Sir, if you will goe along with me to the Gentlemans house, you shall have your Lute with great satisfaction, for had you not come, I assure you I had sent to you; for you must understand that all that was done at Brainford among us mad Gentlemen, was but a jest, and no otherwise. Sir, I think not any otherwise, quoth the Barber, but I would desire your worship, that as you had it of me in lone, so in kindnesse you would helpe me to it againe. What else, quoth George, Ile goe with thee presently, even as I am, for I came from hunting this morning, and should I go up to the certain Gentlemen above, I should hardly get away. I thank you Sir, quoth the Barber, so on goes George with him in his greene Jerkin, a wand in his hand very pretty, till he came almost to the Alderman's House, where, making a sodaine stay, Afore God, quoth George, I must crave thy pardon at this instant, for I have bethought myselfe, should I go as I am, it would be imagined I had had some of my Lords hounds out this morning, therefore I'le take my leave of thee, and meet thee where thou wilt about one of the Clock. Nay good Sir, quoth the Barber, goe with me now, for I purpose, God willing, to be at Brainford tonight. Saist thou so, quoth George, why then I'le tell thee what thou shalt doe, thou art here a stranger, and altogether unknowne, lend me thy Cloake and thy Hat, and doe thou put on my greene Jerken, and I'le goe with thee directly along. The Barber, unwilling to leave him untill he had his Lute, yeelded to the change. So when they came to the Gentleman's porch he put on George's greene Jerken and his Spanish Hat: and he the Barbers Cloake, and his Hat; either of them being thus fitted, George knocks at the doore, to whom the Porter bids heartily welcome, for George was well knowne, who at that time had all the oversight of the Pageants, he desires the Porter to bid his friend welcome, for he is a good fellow and a keeper, Master Porter, one that at his pleasure can bestow a haunch of Venison on you: Marry that can I, quoth the Barber. I thank you Sir, answered the Porter, Master Peele, my Master is in the Hall, pleaseth it you to walke in? With all my heart, quoth George, in the meane time let my friend beare you company. That he shall, Master Peele, quoth the Porter, and if it please him he shall take a simple dinner with me. The Barber gives him harty thankes, nothing doubting Master Peele any way, seeing him knowne, and himselfe so welcome, fell in Chat with the Porter. George Peele goes directly to the Alderman, who now is come into the Court in the eye of the Barber, where George after many complaints, drawes a black paper out of his bosome, & making action to the Barber, reads to the Alderman as followeth, I humbly desire your worship to stand my friend in a sleight matter; yonder hard favoured knave, that sits by your Worship's Porter, hath dog'd me to arrest me, and I had no other meanes but to take your Worship's house for shelter; the occasion is but triviall, onely for stealing of a piece of flesh, myselfe consorted with three or foure gentlemen of good fashion, that would not willingly have our names come in question. Therefore this is my boone, that your Worship would let one of your servants let me out at the Garden doore, and I shall think myselfe much indebted to your Worship. The kind Gentleman, little dreaming of George Peele's deceit, took him into the Parlor, gave him a brace of Angels, & caused one of his servants to let George out at the Garden doore, which was no sooner opened, but George made way for the Barber seeing him any more, and all the way he went, could not choose but laugh at his knavish conceit; how he had guld the simple Barber, who sat all this while with the Porter, blowing of his nayles; to whom came this fellow that let George out. You whorson Keeperly Rascall, quoth the fellow, dare you come any honest Gentleman in my Masters house? Not I, so God helpe me, quoth the Barber, I pray Sir where is the Gentleman Master Peele that came along with me? Farre enough, quoth the Fellow, for your comming neere him, he is gone out at the Garden doore. Garden doore? quoth the Barber, Sir, I am no Keeper, I am quite undone: I am a Barber dwelling at Brainford, and, with weeping teares, up and told him how George had used him. The servant goes in & tels his Master; which when he heard, he could not but laugh at the first: yet in pitty of the poore Barber, he gave him twenty shillings towards his losse. The Barber, sighing, tooke it, and towards Brainford home he goes, and whereas hee came from thence in a new Cloake and a faire Hat, hee went home weeping in an old Hat, and a greene Jerken.
The accompanying illustration is taken from a tract, in itself of no literary merit or humour, but the picture is amusing, representing a "Brown[177] Dozen of Drunkards, ali-ass Drink-haros, Jocoseriously descanted to our wine drunk, wrath drunk, and zeale drunk staggering times."
