RALPH. What, Master Nichol, are you here all this while? NEW. I think I am here, or else I do thee beguile. TOM. So God help me, I am glad that you be in sight; For in faith your presence hath made my heart light. NEW. I will make it lighter anon, I trow. [_Aside._ My masters, I have a piece of land for you, do you know? RALPH. Marry, that is the cause of our hither resort. For now we are void of all joy and comfort. TOM. You see in what case we now stand in, And you heard us also even now, I ween, Wherefore, good Master Nichol, let us have this land now, And we shall think ourselves much bound unto you. NEW. You know, that I this land must divide, Which I shall do; but a while abide. All thy goods for ale at pledge be (_to Tom_), And thou (_to Ralph_) say'st a pair of dice have made thee free.[354] First, Ralph Roister, come thou unto me, Because thou hast lost every whit at dice, [_He giveth the bag to_ R. ROISTER, _and the bottle to_ TOM TOSSPOT. Take there this bag to carry bread and cheese, And take thou this bottle, and mark what I shall say: If he chance to eat the bread and cheese by the way, Do thou in this matter follow my counsel, Drink up the drink, and knock him about the head with the bottle; And because that Ralph is the elder knave, This staff also of me he shall have.[355] RALPH. But where is the land, that to us you promised? NEW. In faith, good fellows, my promise is performed. TOM. By Gog's blood, I thought that it would be so. NEW. This must you have, whe'r you will or no, Or else fall to work with shovel and with spade; For begging now must be your chiefest trade. RALPH. Gog's heart, can I away[356] with this life? To beg my bread from door to door? I will rather cut my throat with a knife, Than I will live thus beggarly and poor. By Gog's blood, rather than I will it assay, I will rob and steal, and keep the highway. TOM. Well, Ralph Roister, seeing we be in this misery, And labour we cannot, and to beg it is a shame; Yet better it is to beg most shamefully, Than to be hanged, and to thievery[357] ourselves frame. NEW. Now, my masters, learn to beware; But like will to like, quoth the Devil to the Collier.