English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections
Which being said, after some fire workes that hee had made of purpose,
threw out among them, and downe stayres goes he, gets to his Horse,
and so with fortie shillings to London; leaves the Players to answer
it; who when the Jest was knowne, their innocence excused them, beeing
as well gulled as the Maior and the Audience.
[Footnote 237: A list or catalogue.]
[82.] There was a faire ship of two hundred tuns lying at the Tower
Wharfe at _London_, where a Countryman passing by, most earnestly
looked on the said ship, and demanded how old shee was. One made
answer that she was a yeare old. Good Lord blesse me, said the
Countryman, is shee so big growne in one yeere, what a greatnesse will
shee bee by the time she comes to my age?
[82.] Twelve Schollers riding together, one of them said, my masters,
let us ride faster. Why? quoth another, methinks wee ride a good pace,
I'le warrant it is foure mile an hour. Alas, said the first, what is
foure mile an houre amongst us all?
[17.] A patient man coming home from work, but it seems did not bring
home to his Shrewish Wife so much money as she expected; with that
she flew about his ears, and did so jole him! Good wife, says he,
be quiet, for I would willingly wear my bands without cuffs, if you
please.
[105.] On a night _Scogin_ and his chamber-fellow, and two or three
of the Bishops servants being merrily disposed, consult how they might
have good cheere and pay no money, and every one invented a way as
they thought best. At last _Scogin_ said, I have invented a cleanly
shift. At the signe of the Crowne against Peter's Church, is a new
Tapster, which ere this hath not seene any of us, and he is also
purblind, so that if he see us hereafter, he cannot know us. Therefore
wee will goe thither and make good cheere, and when we have a
reckoning, we will contend who shall pay all; then will I say to avoid
the contention, that the Tapster shall be blinded, and we wil run
round about him, and whosoever he catcheth first, let him pay for all,
and so we may escape away. Every man liked _Scogin's_ device best, so
in conclusion they came thither, and had good cheere, for they spared
no cost: so that in the end their reckoning drew to ten Shillings.
Then as _Scogin_ had devised afore, they did. The Tapster was blinded,
so they ran round about him, and first _Scogin_ got out, and then
another, so that at last they got all away, and left the tapster
groping in every place about the house for him that should pay the
shot. The master of the house being in a chamber next to the place
where they were, and hearing the stamping that they made, came in to
see what they did, whom the Tapster caught in his armes, saying, Sir,
you must pay the reckoning. Marry, said his Master, so I thinke I must
indeed, for here is no body else to pay it. Then the Tapster and his
Master sought and enquired for _Scogin_ and the rest, but they could
neither find them, nor heare newes of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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