Old. Your pardon, lady, your pardon: be not offended with your very humble servant—But, I say, sir, you are a beggarly younger brother, twenty years younger than her, without any land or stock, but your great stock of impudence: therefore what pretension can you have to her?
Free. You have made it for me: first, because I am a younger brother.
Wid. Why, is that a sufficient plea to a relict? how appears it, sir? by what foolish custom?
Free. By custom time out of mind only. Then, sir, because I have nothing to keep me after her death, I am the likelier to take care of her life. And for my being twenty years younger than her, and having a sufficient stock of impudence, I leave it to her whether they will be valid exceptions to me in her widow's law or equity.
Old. Well, she has been so long in chancery, that I'll stand to her equity and decree between us. Come, lady, pray snap up this young snap[107] at first, or we shall be troubled with him. Give him a city-widow's answer, that is, with all the ill-breeding imaginable.—[Aside to Widow Blackacre.] Come, madam.
Wid. Well then, to make an end of this foolish wooing, for nothing interrupts business more: first for you, major—
Old. You declare in my favour, then?
Free. What, direct the court! come, young lawyer, thou shalt be a counsel for me. [To Jerry.
Jer. Gad, I shall betray your cause then, as well as an older lawyer; never stir.
Wid. First, I say, for you, major, my walking hospital of an ancient foundation; thou bag of mummy, that wouldst fall asunder, if 'twere not for thy cerecloths—