_Second Piscator._ Humph! I am fairly content with _my_ catch, and had all been landed that have been hookt--but no matter! "Fishers must not rangle," as the Angler's song hath it. _First Piscator._ Marry, no indeed! (_Sings._) O the brave fisher's life It is the best of any! He who'd mar it with mere strife Sure must be a zany. Other men, Now and then, Have their wars, And their jars; Our rule stil Is goodwill As we gaily angle. We have hooks about our hat, We have rod and gaff too; We can cast and we can chat, Play our fish and chaff too. None do here Use to swear, Oathes do fray Fish away. Our rule still Is goodwill. Fishers must not rangle. _Second Piscator._ Well sung, brother! Oh me, but even at our peaceful and vertuous pastime, there bee certain contentious and obstructive spoil-sports now. These abide not good old Anglers' Law, but bob and splash in other people's swims, fray away the fish they cannot catch, and desire not that experter anglers should, do muddy the stream and block its course, do net and poach and foul-hook in such noisy, conscienceless, unmannerly sort, that even honest angling becometh a bitter labour and aggravation. _First Piscator._ Marry, yes brother! the Contemplative Man's Recreation is verily not what it once was. What would the sweet singer, Mr. WILLIAM BASSE, say to the busy B's of our day; DUBARTAS to B-RTL-Y, or Mr. THOMAS BARKER, of pleasant report, to TOMMY B-WL-S? _Second Piscator._ Or worthy old COTTON to the cocky MACULLUM MORE? _First Piscator._ Or the equally cocky BRUMMAGEM BOY? _Second Piscator._ Or Dame JULIANA BERNERS to B-LF-UR? _First Piscator._ Or Sir HUMPHREY DAVY to the haughty autocrat of H-TF-LD? _Second Piscator._ Wel, wel, I hate contention and obstruction and all unsportsmanlike devices--when I am fishing. _First Piscator._ And so say I. (_Sings._) The Peers are full of prejudice, As hath too oft been tri'd; High trolollie lollie loe, high trolollie lee! _Second Piscator._ The Commons full of opulence, And both are full of pride. _Then care away_ _and fish along with me!_ _First Piscator._ Marry, brother, and would that I could always do so. But doomed as we often are to angle in different swims, I may not always land the big fish that you hook, or even---- _Second Piscator._ Wel, honest scholer, say no more about it, but let us count and weigh our day's catch. By Jove, but that bigge one I landed after soe long a fight, and which you were so luckie as to gaff in that verie snaggy and swirly pool itselfe, maketh a right brave show on the grassie bank! And harkye, scholer, 'tis a far finer and rarer fish than manie woule suppose at first sight!