WASPE. Nay, he knows too well I will not leave him, and that makes him
presume: Well, sir, will you go now? if you have such an itch in your
feet, to foot it to the Fair, why do you stop, am I [o'] your
tarriers? go, will you go, sir? why do you not go?
COKES. O Numps, have I brought you about? come, mistress Grace, and
sister, I am resolute Bat, i'faith, still.
GRACE. Truly, I have no such fancy to the Fair, nor ambition to see
it: there's none goes thither of any quality or fashion.
COKES. O Lord, sir! you shall pardon me, mistress Grace, we are enow
of ourselves to make it a fashion; and for qualities, let Numps alone,
he'll find qualities.
QUAR. What a rogue in apprehension is this, to understand her language
no better!
WINW. Ay, and offer to marry her! Well, I will leave the chase of my
widow for to-day, and directly to the Fair. These flies cannot, this
hot season, but engender us excellent creeping sport.
QUAR. A man that has but a spoonful of brain would think
so.--Farewell, John.
[_Exeunt Quarlous and Winwife._
LIT. Win, you see 'tis in fashion to go to the Fair, Win; we must to
the Fair too, you and I, Win. I have an affair in the Fair, Win, a
puppet-play of mine own making, say nothing, that I writ for the
motion-man, which you must see, Win.
MRS. LIT. I would I might, John; but my mother will never consent to
such a profane motion, she will call it.
LIT. Tut, we'll have a device, a dainty one: Now, Wit, help at a
pinch, good Wit, come, come, good Wit, an it be thy will! I have it,
Win, I have it i'faith, and 'tis a fine one. Win, long to eat of a
pig, sweet Win, in the Fair, do you see, in the heart of the Fair, not
at Pye-corner. Your mother will do any thing, Win, to satisfy your
longing, you know; pray thee long presently; and be sick o' the
sudden, good Win. I'll go in and tell her; cut thy lace in the mean
time, and play the hypocrite, sweet Win.
MRS. LIT. No, I'll not make me unready for it: I can be hypocrite
enough, though I were never so strait-laced.
LIT. You say true, you have been bred in the family, and brought up
to't. Our mother is a most elect hypocrite, and has maintained us all
this seven year with it, like gentlefolks.
MRS. LIT. Ay, let her alone, John, she is not a wise wilful widow for
nothing; nor a sanctified sister for a song. And let me alone too, I
have somewhat of the mother in me, you shall see: fetch her, fetch
her--[_Exit Littlewit._] Ah! ah!
[_Seems to swoon._
_Re-enter LITTLEWIT with DAME PURECRAFT._
PURE. Now, the blaze of the beauteous discipline, fright away this
evil from our house! how now, Win-the-fight, child! how do you? sweet
child, speak to me.
MRS. LIT. Yes, forsooth.
PURE. Look up, sweet Win-the-fight, and suffer not the enemy to enter
you at this door, remember that your education has been with the
purest: What polluted one was it, that named first the unclean beast,
pig, to you, child?
MRS. LIT. Uh, uh!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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