A broke-wing'd shop-keeper? I nose them straight. He had no father, I warrant him, that durst own him; Some foundling in a stall, or the church-porch; Brought up in the hospital; and so bound pren tice; 3 Then master of a shop; then one o' the inquest; Tip. Good faith, of most Of your shop citizens: they are rude animals! And let them get but ten mile out of town, They out-swagger all the wapentake. Fly. What's that? Tip. A Saxon word to signify the hundred. Burst. Come, let us drink, sir Glorious, some brave health Upon our tip-toes. Tip. To the health of the Bursts. Burst. Why Bursts? Tip. Why Tiptos? Burst. O, I cry you mercy! Tip. It is sufficient. Huf. What is so sufficient? Tip. To drink to you is sufficient. Huf. On what terms? Tip. That you shall give security to pledge me. Huf. So you will name no Spaniard, I will pledge you. Tip. I rather choose to thirst, and will thirst ever, • Some foundling Brought up in the hospital, &c.] i, e. in Christ's hospital. See Vol. I. p. 41. Than leave that cream of nations uncried up. Huf. How! spill it? Spill it at me? 4 [Throws the wine at him. Tip. I reck not; but I spilt it. Fly. Nay, pray you be quiet, noble bloods. I cry, with my cousin Huffle. Huf. Spaniards! pilchers. Tip. Do not provoke my patient blade; it sleeps, And would not hear thee: Huffle, thou art rude, Burst. Two ounces! Tip. Prudence. Burst. Half a dram! Burst. A pennyweight! • Spill it at me ?] This vapour of a drunken bully, is set down by the commentators as a sneer at Shakspeare. That Shakspeare meant to raise a laugh at the practice of biting the thumb as an incitement to quarrel (which is noticed by many of our old writers) is clear; but who, that is not warped by prejudice can see any propensity to" ridicule" the incident here. Our drunkard flings his glass in the face of another, and when questioned whether the insult was designed, professes that it was, and that he is indifferent as to the consequences. In Romeo and Juliet, the dialogue is purely comic; in this place it is serious. As well might the critics maintain that, when Barnaby in the preceding page says, "Do they sing at me?" he intended a burlesque upon the same passage. "Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona," and others, besides Shakspeare, had undoubtedly eyes and ears for the fantastic and apish humours of the times. Whalley, whose copy of this play, is full of errors, reads above "I reck not, but I spill it:" and Steevens and Malone gladly follow him, as the corruption is in favour of the imaginary allusion to Shakspeare. D d VOL. V. Burst. Three scruples! Tip. He carries such a dose of it in his looks, Actions and gestures, as it breeds respect To him from savages, and reputation With all the sons of men. Burst. Will it give him credit With gamesters, courtiers, citizens, or tradesmen? Tip. He'll borrow money on the stroke of his beard, Or turn of his mustaccio! his mere cuello, That sees his gait, but straight will furnish him Huf. I have heard the Spanish name Is terrible to children in some countries; Tip. Huffle, you do shuffle. Enter STUFF, and PINNACIA his wife richly habited. Burst. 'Slid, here's a lady! Huf. And a lady gay! Tip. A well-trimm'd lady! Huf. Let us lay her aboard. Burst. Let's hail her first. Tip. By your sweet favour, lady. Stuff. Good gentlemen be civil, we are stran gers. Burst. An you were Flemings, sir Huf. Or Spaniards Tip. They are here, have been at Sevil in their days, And at Madrid too. Pin. He is a foolish fellow, I pray you mind him not, he is my Protection. Tip. In your protection he is safe, sweet lady. So shall you be in mine. Huf. A share, good colonel. Tip. Of what? Huf. Of your fine lady: I am Hodge, My name is Huffle. Tip. Huffling Hodge, be quiet. Burst. And I pray you, be you so, glorious colonel; Hodge Huffle shall be quiet. Huf. [singing.] A lady gay, gay; For she is a lady gay, gay, gay. For she is a lady gay. Tip. Bird of the vespers, vespertilio Burst, You are a gentleman of the first head; But that head may be broke, as all the body isBurst, if you tie not up your Huffle quickly. Huf. Tie dogs, not men. Burst. Nay, pray thee, Hodge, be still. Tip. This steel here rides not on this thigh in vain. Huf. Shew'st thou thy steel and thigh, thou glorious dirt! Then Hodge sings Samson, and no ties shall [They fight. hold. Enter PIERCE, JUG, and JORDAN. Pierce. Keep the peace, gentlemen: what do you mean? Tip. I will not discompose myself for Huffle. [Exeunt all (but Stuff and Pin.) fighting. Pin. You see what your entreaty and pressure still Of gentlemen, to be civil, doth bring on: Will carry your goose about you still, your planing-iron! Your tongue to smooth all! is not here fine stuff! Stuff. Why, wife? Pin. Your wife! have not I forbidden you that? Do you think I'll call you husband in this gown, Or any thing, in that jacket, but Protection? Here, tie my shoe, and shew my velvet petticoat, And my silk stocking. Why do you make me a lady, If I may not do like a lady in fine clothes? Stuff. Sweet heart,, you may do what you will with me. Pin. Ay, I knew that at home; what to do with you; But why was I brought hither? to see fashions? Stuff. And wear them too, sweet heart; but this wild company. Pin. Why do you bring ine in wild company? You'd have me tame and civil, in wild company! I hope I know wild company are fine company, And in fine company, where I am fine myself, A lady may do any thing, deny nothing To a fine party, I have heard you say it. Re-enter PIERCE. Pierce. There are a company of ladies above Desire your ladyship's company, and to take The surety of their lodgings from the affront Of these half beasts were here e'en now, the Centaurs. Pin. Are they fine ladies? Pierce. Some very fine ladies. |