SCENE II.
Enter Chief Justice.
Ch. Just.
What's the matter? keep the peace here, hoa.
Host.
Good my lord, be good to me. I beseech you stand
to me.
-- 311 --
Ch. Just.
How now, Sir John? what, are you brawling here?
Doth this become your place, your time, and business?
You should have been well on your way to York.
Stand from him fellow, wherefore hang'st thou on him?
Host.
O my most worshipful lord, an't please your grace I
am a poor widow of Eastcheap, and he is arrested at my suit.
Ch. Just.
For what sum?
Host.
It is more than for some, my lord, it is for all; all I
have; he hath eaten me out of house and home; he hath put
all my substance into that fat belly of his; but I will have some
of it out again, or I'll ride thee o'nights, like the mare.
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 of good
temper would endure this tempest of exclamation? are you not
asham'd to inforce 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, thy self, and the
mony too. Thou did'st swear to me on a parcel-gilt goblet, sitting
in my Dolphin-chamber, at the round table, by a sea-coal
fire, on Wednesday in Whitson-week, when the Prince broke thy
head for likening him to a singing-man of Windsor; thou didst
swear to me then, as I was washing thy wound, to marry me,
and make me my lady thy wife. Canst thou deny it? did not
good-wife 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 eat some; whereby I told thee they were ill for a green wound?
and didst not thou, when she was gone down stairs, desire me to
be no more so familiarity with such poor people, saying that ere
long they should call me Madam? and didst thou not kiss me,
and bid me fetch thee thirty shillings? I put thee now to thy
book-oath, deny it if thou can'st.
-- 312 --
Fal.
My lord, this is a poor mad soul; and she says 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 I 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 sawciness from you, can thrust me from
a level consideration. I know you have practis'd upon the easie-yielding
spirit of this woman.—
Host.
Yes in troth, my lord.
Ch. Just.
Pr'ythee, peace; pay her the debt you owe her, and
unpay the villany you have done her; the one you may do with
sterling mony, and the other with currant repentance.
Fal.
My lord, I will not undergo this † notesneap without reply.
You call honourable boldness impudent sawciness: If a man will
curt'sie and say nothing, he is virtuous. No, my lord, my humble
duty remember'd, I will not be your sutor: I say to you, I
desire deliverance from these officers, being upon hasty employment
in the King's affairs.
Ch. Just.
You speak, as having power to do wrong: but answer
in the effect your reputation, and satisfie the poor woman.
Fal.
Come hither, hostess.
[Aside.
George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].