University of Virginia Library

Scene I.

Love-Wit
, Neighbovrs.
Has there beene such resort, say you?

Nei. 1.
Daily, sir.

Nei. 2.
And nightly, too.

Nei. 3.
I, some as braue as lords.

Nei. 4.
Ladies, and gentlewomen.

Nei. 5.
Citizens wiues.

Nei. 1.
And knights.

Nei. 6.
In coches.

Nei. 2.
Yes, & oyster-women.

Nei. 1.
Beside other gallāts.

Nei. 3.
Sailors wiues.

Nei. 4.
Tabacco-men.

Nei. 5.
Another Pimlico!

Lov.
What should my knaue aduance,
To draw this companie? He hung out no banners
Of a strange Calfe, with fiue legs, to be seene?
Or a huge Lobster, with sixe clawes?

Nei. 6.
No, sir.

Nei. 3.
We had gone in then, sir.

Lov.
He has no guift
Of teaching i'the nose, that ere I knew of!
You saw no Bills set vp, that promis'd cure
Of agues, or the tooth-ach?

Nei. 2.
No such thing, sir.

Lov.
Nor heard a drum strooke, for Babiouns, or Puppets?

Nei. 5.
Neither, sir.

Lov.
What deuice should he bring forth now!
I loue a teeming wit, as I loue my nourishment.
'Pray god he ha' not kept such open house,
That he hath sold my hangings, and my bedding:
I left him nothing else. If he haue eate 'hem,
A plague o' the moath, say I. Sure he has got
Some bawdy pictures, to call all this ging;
The Frier, and the Nun; or the new Motion
Of the Knights courser, couering the Parsons mare;
The Boy of sixe yeere old, with the great thing:
Or't may be, he has the Fleas that runne at tilt,
Vpon a table, or some Dog to daunce?
When saw you him?

Nei. 1.
Who sir, Ieremie?

Nei. 2.
Ieremie butler?
We saw him not this mont'h.

Lov.
How!

Nei. 4.
Not these 5. weeks, sir.

Nei.
These six weeks, at the least.

Lov.
Yo'amaze me, neighbours!

Nei. 5.
Sure, if your worship know not where he is,
Hee's slipt away.

Nei. 6.
Pray god, he be not made away!

He knocks.
Lov.
Ha? It's no time to question, then.

Nei. 6.
About
Some three weekes since, I heard a dolefull cry,
As I sate vp, a mending my wiues stockings.

Lov.
This's strange! that none will answere! Didst thou heare
A cry, saist thou?

Nei. 6.
Yes, sir, like vnto a man
That had beene strangled an houre, and could not speake.

Nei. 2.
I heard it too, iust this day three weekes, at two a clock
Next morning.

Lov.
These be miracles, or you make 'hem so!
A man an houre strangled, and could not speake,
And both you heard him cry?

Nei. 3.
Yes, downeward, sir.

Lov.
Thou art a wise fellow: Giue me thy hand I pray thee.
What trade art thou on?

Nei. 3.
A smith, and't please your worship.

Lov.
A smith? Then, lend me thy helpe, to get this dore open.

Nei. 3.
That I will presently, sir, but fetch my tooles—

Nei. 1.
Sir, best to knock againe, afore you breake it.