English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections
[105.] When _Scogin_ should ride home againe, his bootes were nought,
and hee could not tell what shift to make. At last he devised what he
might doe: whereupon he sent his man for a shoo-maker to bring him a
paire of Bootes. The shoo-maker brought the bootes, and when hee had
pulled on the right foot boote, and was pulling on the other boot,
Scogin said, it was marvellous strait, and that it did pinch his leg:
wherefore hee prayed him to carry it home, and set it on the laste an
houre or two: for (quoth he) I have a thing to write that will hold
mee two houres, and all that time I will sit and write, & keepe this
other boote on my leg still untill that be ready. The shoomaker tooke
the boot and went home, as Scogin had bidden him. When the shoo maker
was gone, hee sent his man for another shoo maker, and caused one to
pull off the boot which the first shoo maker had pulled on. When the
other shoo maker was come, _Scogin_ caused him to pull on the left
boot, and when hee was pulling on the right foot boot, _Scogin_ found
fault with it, as he did with the first shoo maker, and sent him away
in like sort. When he was gone, hee caused his man to make ready their
horses, and hee pulled on the boot againe, which the first shoo maker
had left behinde him, and so he rode away with the two bootes of
two shoo makers: shortly after, the shoomakers came and enquired for
_Scogin_, but hee and his man were gone, almost an houre before.
[82.] Two Playsterers being at worke for mee at my house in
Southwarke, did many times patch and dawbe out part of their dayes
labour with prating, which I, being digging in my garden did over
heare that their chat was of their wives, and how that if I were able
(quoth one) my wife should ride in pompe through London, as I saw a
Countesse ride yesterday. Why, quoth the other, how did shee ride I
pray? Marry, said hee, in state, in her _Horslitter_. O base, quoth
the other, _Horslitter_: I protest as poore a man as I am, I would
have allowed my wife a three-peny trusse of cleane Straw.
[26.] _Henry Martin_ the great Rumper, for you know all Martins are
Birds, and he being so, flew so high before; but after the King's most
happy Restauration, was brought so low, as to kneel at the Bar of the
Lord's House; though 'tis thought he never came into the Lords House
before, unless it were to see a handsome Girl there. But at the Lords
Bar he was askt what he could say, that Judgment should not pass upon
him? My Lords, says he, I understood that the King's Proclamation
extended to favour of life, upon rendring myself, which I then did.
And, withal, my Lords, I do let you to know, and I do ingeniously
confess it, that I never obey'd any of his Majesty's Proclamations
before, but this; and I hope I shall not be hang'd for taking the
King's word now.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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