Be it knowne unto all men that I Henry Porter do owe unto Phillip Henchlowe the some of x's of lawfull money of England which I did borrowe of hym the 26 of Maye a'o. dom. 1599 Henry Porter[204]. "The Two Angry Women of Abington" is thus noticed by the late Charles Lamb: "The pleasant comedy from which these extracts are taken is contemporary with some of the earliest of Shakespeare's, and is no whit inferior to either the 'Comedy of Errors' or the 'Taming of the Shrew,' for instance. It is full of business, humour, and merry malice. Its night scenes are peculiarly sprightly and wakeful. The versification unencumbered, and rich with compound epithets."[205] A.D. THE PROLOGUE. Gentlemen, I come to ye like one that lacks and would borrow, but was loth to ask, lest he should be denied: I would ask, but I would ask to obtain; O, would I knew that manner of asking! To beg were base; and to couch low, and to carry an humble show of entreaty, were too dog-like, that fawns on his master to get a bone from his trencher: out, cur! I cannot abide it; to put on the shape and habit of this new world's new-found beggars, mistermed soldiers[206], as thus: "Sweet gentlemen, let a poor scholar implore and exerate that you would make him rich in the possession of a mite of your favours, to keep him a true man in wit, and to pay for his lodging among the Muses! so God him help, he is driven to a most low estate! 'tis not unknown what service of words he hath been at; he lost his limbs in a late conflict of flout; a brave repulse and a hot assault it was, he doth protest, as ever he saw, since he knew what the report of a volley of jests were; he shall therefore desire you"--A plague upon it, each beadle disdained would whip him from your company. Well, gentlemen, I cannot tell how to get your favours better than by desert: then the worse luck, or the worse wit, or somewhat, for I shall not now deserve it. Well, then[207], I commit myself to my fortunes and your contents; contented to die, if your severe judgments shall judge me to be stung to death with the adder's hiss. THE NAMES OF THE SPEAKERS.[208] M[ASTER] GOURSEY. MIST[RESS] GOURSEY. M[ASTER] BARNES. MIST[RESS] BARNES. FRANK GOURSEY. PHILIP [BARNES.] BOY. MALL BARNES. DICK COOMES. HODGE. NICHOLAS PROVERBS. SIR RALPH SMITH. [LADY SMITH.] WILL, _Sir Ralph's man. [Other Attendants_.] THE PLEASANT COMEDY OF THE TWO ANGRY WOMEN OF ABINGTON. _Enter_ MASTER GOURSEY _and his wife, and_ MASTER BARNES _and his wife, with their two sons, and their two servants_. MASTER GOURSEY. Good Master Barnes, this entertain of yours, So full of courtesy and rich delight, Makes me misdoubt my poor ability In quittance of this friendly courtesy.