[_Bar-keeper without_.] Where a Pox are you all; must Company wait an Hour
for a Room?
[_A noise of Drawers_.] Coming, coming, coming, Sir.
_Enter a Drawer with Lights_, Shrimp, Knapsack, and Master _Totty_.
_Draw_. Please to be here, Gentlemen?
_Shr_. What's become of your Beau-Drawer, that wore a long _Spanish_ Wig,
lac'd Linnen, silk Stockings, and a Patch?
_Draw_. He happen'd, Sir, to make bold with a silver _Monteth,_ and is
gone for a Soldier--What Wine are you for Gentlemen?
_Shr._ [_Aside to the Drawer_.] D'you know Sir _Harry Sprightly,_ Friend?
_Draw_. Yes, Sir.
_Shr_. What Wine does he drink?
_Draw_. Three and Six-penny, Sir.
_Shr_. I am his Servant, draw us the same.
_Tot._ Bring me some Sack. [_Exit Drawer._
_Shr._ Well, Master, what think you of _London_ now, is not the rattling
of Coaches, the ringing of Bells, and the joyful Cry of _Great and good
News from Holland_, preferrable to the Country, where you see nothing but
Barns and Cow-houses, hear nothing but the grunting of Swine, and converse
with nothing but the Justice, the Jack-daw, and your old Grand-mother.
_Tot._ Ay, marry is it, and if they ever get me there again, I'll give 'em
leave to pickle and preserve me; here are Drums and Trumpets, Soldiers and
Sempstresses, and fine Sights in ev'ry Street: In the Country we are glad
to go four Miles to see a House o'fire. Nay, wou'd you believe it, we
ha'n't so much as a Tavern in our Town; Gentlemen are forc'd to use Gammer
_Grimes's_ Thatch'd Ale-house, except the Curate be with 'em, and then
they smoke, and drink in the Vestry.
[_Drawer enters with Wine._
_Knap._ Come, Master, here's my hearty Service t'you.
_Tott._ Your hearty Servant thanks you, Sir--Mr. _Shrimp_, here's the
Respects of a Gudgeon t'you.
_Shr._ Ah! you're an arch Wag.
_Tott._ But, pray, Mr. _Shrimp_, where may a body buy a little Wit, my
Grand-mother charg'd me to get some; and, she says, bought Wit's best;
'tis a mighty scarce Commodity i'the Country; we have above two hundred
Gentlemen near us that never heard on't. Our Chaplain has a little, but
they say 'tis n't the right sort.
_Shr._ Mr. _Knapsack_ can furnish you with five or ten Pounds worth when
you please.
_Knap._ Mr. _Shrimp_, Master, has a much better Stock, but that you may
n't think I engross it to my self, as they say _Bull_ does Coffee, what I
have is at your Service.
_Tott._ Sir, my Service t'you again, [_drinks_] This is much better than
_Lincoln_ Ale, fegs.
_Knap._ What think you now, Master, of a pretty Wench to towze a little?
_Tott_. He, he, he, [_grins_] I don't know what you mean, Sir.
_Knap_. Had you never any pleasant Thoughts o'the Fair Sex.
_Tott_. I never lay with any Body but my Grand-mother; when she was in a
good humour, she'd tickle a Body sometimes, but if she never meddl'd mith
me, I never meddl'd with her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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