Anne.

Will't please your worship to come in, Sir?

Slen.

No, I thank you, forsooth, heartily; I am very well.

Anne.

The dinner attends you, Sir.

Slen.

I am not a-hungry, I thank you, forsooth. Go, Sirrah, for all you are my man, go wait upon my cousin Shallow: [Ex. Simple.] A Justice of peace sometime may be beholden to his friend for a man. I keep but three men and a boy yet, 'till my mother be dead; but what though, yet I live like a poor gentleman born.

Anne.

I may not go in without your worship; they will not sit, 'till you come.

Slen.

I'faith, I'll eat nothing: I thank you as much as though I did.

Anne.

I pray you, Sir, walk in.

Slen.

I had rather walk here, I thank you: I bruis'd my shin th'other day with playing at sword and dagger with a master of fence, three veneys for a dish of stew'd prunes; and, by my troth, I cannot abide the smell of hot meat since. Why do your dogs bark so? be there bears i'th' town?

Anne.

I think, there are, Sir; I heard them talk'd of.

Slen.

I love the sport well, but I shall as soon quarrel

at it as any man in England. You are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not?

Anne.

Ay, indeed, Sir.

Slen.

That's meat and drink to me now; I have seen Sackerson loose twenty times, and have taken him by the chain; but I warrant you, the women have so cry'd and shriek'd at it, that it past:^{5 note} but women, indeed, cannot abide 'em, they are very ill-favour'd rough things.

Page.

Come, gentle Mr. Slender, come; we stay for you.

Slen.

I'll eat nothing, I thank you, Sir.

Page.

By cock and pye, you shall not chuse, Sir; come; come.

Slen.

Nay, pray you, lead the way.

Page.

Come on, Sir.

Slen.

Mistress Anne, yourself shall go first.

Anne.

Not I, Sir; pray you, keep on.

Slen.

Truly, I will not go first, truly-la: I will not do you that wrong.

Anne.

I pray you, Sir.

Slen.

I'll rather be unmannerly, than troublesome; you do yourself wrong, indeed-la.