Fal. I think I am as like to ride the mare, if I have
any vantage of ground to get up.
Ch. Just. How comes this, Sir John? Fie! what man[3505]75
of good temper would endure this tempest of exclamation?
Are you not ashamed to enforce a poor widow to so rough
a course to come by her own?
Fal. What is the gross sum that I owe thee?
Host. Marry, if thou wert an honest man, thyself and the80
money too. Thou didst swear to me upon a parcel-gilt[3506]
goblet, sitting in my Dolphin-chamber, at the round table, by
a sea-coal fire, upon Wednesday in Wheeson week, when[3507]
the prince broke thy head for liking his father to a singing-man[3508]
of Windsor, thou didst swear to me then, as I was85
washing thy wound, to marry me and make me my lady thy
wife. Canst thou deny it? Did not goodwife Keech, the
butcher's wife, come in then and call me gossip Quickly?
coming in to borrow a mess of vinegar; telling us she had
a good dish of prawns; whereby thou didst desire to eat90
some; whereby I told thee they were ill for a green wound?
And didst thou not, when she was gone down stairs, desire[3509]
me to be no more so familiarity with such poor people;[3510]
saying that ere long they should call me madam? And didst
thou not kiss me and bid me fetch thee thirty shillings? I[3511]95
put thee now to thy book-oath: deny it, if thou canst.
Fal. My lord, this is a poor mad soul; and she says[3512]
up and down the town that her eldest son is like you: she
hath been in good case, and the truth is, poverty hath distracted
her. But for these foolish officers, I beseech you I100
may have redress against them.
Ch. Just. Sir John, Sir John, I am well acquainted
with your manner of wrenching the true cause the false
way. It is not a confident brow, nor the throng of words
that come with such more than impudent sauciness from105
you, can thrust me from a level consideration: you have,[3513]
as it appears to me, practised upon the easy-yielding spirit[3513]
of this woman, and made her serve your uses both in purse[3513]
and in person.[3513]
Host. Yea, in truth, my lord.[3514]110
Ch. Just. Pray thee, peace. Pay her the debt you owe[3515]
her, and unpay the villany you have done her: the one[3516]
you may do with sterling money, and the other with current
repentance.
Fal. My lord, I will not undergo this sneap without115
reply. You call honourable boldness impudent sauciness:
if a man will make courtesy and say nothing, he is virtuous:[3517]
no, my lord, my humble duty remembered, I will[3518]
not be your suitor. I say to you, I do desire deliverance[3519]
from these officers, being upon hasty employment in the[3520]120
king's affairs.
Ch. Just. You speak as having power to do wrong:
but answer in the effect of your reputation, and satisfy the[3521]
poor woman.