HODGE HUFFLE, a cheater, his champion. NICK STUFF, the ladies' tailor. PINNACIA STUFF, his wife. TRUNDLE, a coachman. BARNABY, a hired coachman. STAGGERS, the smith, only talked on. The SCENE, Barnet. THE PROLOGUE. OU are welcome, welcome all to the New Inn : Though the old house, we hope our cheer will win Your acceptation: we have the same cook 'Tis not the meat there, but the mouth's displaced, Deep, he dares say, he will not think, that all— AM not pleased, indeed, you are in the right; Nor is my house pleased, if my sign could speak, The sign of the LIGHT HEART. There you may read it; So may your master too, if he look on it. A heart weigh'd with a feather, and outweigh'd too: I will maintain the rebus against all humours, Whether it be by chance or art, There 'tis exprest: first, by a purse of gold, I am an inn-keeper, and know my grounds, Drawn thorough birdlime, a fine subtility! Or poring through a multiplying-glass, As measuring an ant's eggs with the silk-worm's, 7 Two turtles, makes.] The old term for mates. "The turtledoves have such love one to another, being makes, that when one of them is dead, the other will never after have any other make.” Book of notable Things. 1627. 8 Old abbot Islip could not invent better, Or prior Bolton with his bolt and ton.] The reader may find in Camden's Remains, the rebus made use of by these ecclesiastics to express their names on the several buildings erected by them, or belonging to them. The bolt and ton, is a ton pierced through with an arrow, for which bolt was anciently used. WHAL. One of "old abbot Islip's" conundrums was an eye with a slip of a tree! There is not much to be said for the ingenuity of either; but such was the wisdom of the times. Both these men, however, had other and better claims to the notice of posterity than those puerile devices, and Islip in particular (who was abbot of Westminster) is entitled to our commendation for the stand which he made against Wolsey in the height of his power, and the generous firmness with which he protected the proscribed Skelton, from his resentment. By a phantastic instrument of thread, Shall give you their just difference to a hair! Which I have seen you busy at, through the key hole But never had the fate to see a fly Enter LOVEL. Alive in your cups, or once heard, Drink, mine host! Or such a cheerful chirping charm come from you. Lov. What's that, what's that? Fer. A buzzing of mine host About a fly; a murmur that he has. Host. Sir, I am telling your Stote here, monsieur For that I hear's his name, and dare tell you, sir, Lov. We have set our rest up here, sir, in your Host. Sir, set your heart at rest, you shall not do it, Unless you can be jovial. Brain of man! Be jovial first, and drink, and dance, and drink. And, then, your scandalous commons Lov. How, mine host! Host. Sir, they do scandal me upon the road here. A poor quotidian rack of mutton, roasted Dry to be grated! and that driven down With beer and butter-milk, mingled together, |