 | The Churl |  |
SCENE II.
Enter STRATILAX.Strat.
'Tis marvalous, Strabax, our measter's zon
Bean't yet come back to town—May hap, he's privately
Zlunk into thick corrupting hussey's house.
Ast.
[aside.]
If he should see me now, he'll scold me off.
Strat.
I be'ant so crusty as I was, Astaphium,
Not near—I'se no churl now—Nay, daun't be frightned.
What would'st thou ha'—
Ast.
What?—Why, your churlishness.
Strat.
Command whate'er, and in what way thou would'st—
Vor I am chang'd; I've got new manners now,
And cast the old ones off—Plague! I could love,
E'en I, and take a bona-roba home—
Ast.
This is rare news indeed! But, tell me—Have you—
Strat.
A bona-roba, you would say, may-hap—
244
You've a quick comprehension—
Strat.
Hark you me!
Zinse to and fro I've trudg'd so oft to town,
I'm grown a banterer, a nice poker too—
Ast.
Astonishing!—What means that nonsense, prithee?
Joker you would have said, perhaps.
Strat.
Ay, joker,
Or poker; there's no such mighty difference.
Ast.
Follow me in, my love—
Strat.
Here, take these boli,
As earnest, that you'll come to me anon.
Ast.
Merciful! Boli! what strange beasts are those?
Why did you not say oboli?
245
To zave
An o; like the Prænestine volk, who say
Vor pewit, wit—
Ast.
Follow me.
Strat.
I but waits
Vor Strabax here, who ought to come to toon.
Ast.
Strabax is here with us—He's just now come.
Strat.
What here, avore he gang to zee his mother?
Alack-a-day!—He's good for nought, I'se zure.
Ast.
What! your old way again!
Strat.
Nay, I ha' done.
Ast.
Walk in—Give me your hand, I pray—
Strat.
Here—take't.
[gives his hand.
Now am I leading to a publick house,
Where I shall vind bad treatment vor my money.
[Exeunt.
| The Churl | |