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But then the lender muft needs stay for it.
When I was young, I had the scope of youth,
Both wild and wanton, careless and defperate;
But fuch mad ftrains as he's poffefs'd withal
1 thought it wonder for to dream upon.

Flow. Jun. I told you fo, but you would not believe it.

Flow. Sen. Well I have found it but one thing comforts me.

Brother, to-morrow he is to be married

To beauteous Luce, fir Lancelot Spurcock's daughter. Flow. Jun. Is't poffible?"

Flow. Sen. 'Tis true, and thus I mean to curb him.

This day, brother, I will you fhall arrest him:
If

any thing will tame him, it must be that;
For he is rank in mischief, chain'd to a life
That will encrease his fhame, and kill his wife.
Flow. Jun. What, arreft him on his wedding day!
That

Were an unchriftian, and unhuman part.
How many couple even for that very day
Have purchas'd seven years' forrow afterward!
Forbear it then to-day; do it to morrow;
And this day mingle not his joy with forrow.

Flow. Sen. Brother, I'll have it done this very day,

And in the view of all, as he comes from church. Do but obferve the courfe that he will take; Upon my life he will forfwear the debt.

And, for we'll have the fum fhall not be flight, Say that he owes you near three thousand pound: Good brother, let it be done immediately,

Flow. Jun. Well, feeing you will have it fo, Brother I'll dot, and ftraight provide the fhrieve. Flow. Sen. So brother, by this means fhall we per

ceive

What fir Lancelot in this pinch will do,

And

And how his wife doth ftand affected to him,
(Her love will then be try'd to the uttermoft)
And all the rest of them. Brother, what I will do,
Shall harm him much, and much avail him too.

SCENE

III.

A high road near London.

[Exeunt.

Enter Oliver; afterwards fir Arthur Greenfield.

Oli. Cham affured thick be the place that the fcoundrel appointed to meet me. If 'a come, zo: if 'a come not, zo. And che were avife he would make a coystrel on us, ched veese him, and ched vang him in hand; che would hoyft him, and give it him to and again, zo chud. Who been 'a there? fir Arthur? chil stay afide. [Goes afide. Sir Arth. I have dog'd the De'nfhire man into the

field,

For fear of any harm that should befal him.

I had an inkling of that yefternight,

That Flowerdale and he fhould meet this morning. Though, of my foul, Oliver fears him not,

Yet for I'd fee fair play on either fide,

Made me to come, to fee their valours try'd.-
Good morrow to mafter Oliver.

Oli. God and good morrow.

Sir Arth. What, mafter Oliver, are you angry

91

?

And che were avife he would make a coystrel on us,-] If I were aware, if I thought, that he intended to treat me like a mean perfon.-On for of. A coyftrel or cuftrel [Couftillier Fr.] is pro perly the fervant of a man at arms, or life-guard of a prince. Each of the life guards of king Henry VIII. had a cuftrel that attended upon him. Hence it came to fignify a low mean man.I have given a wrong explanation of this term, ante p. 84.

See notes on Twelfth Night, last edit. vol. iv.

MALONE.

p. 162.

STEEVENS.

Oli. What an it be, tyt and grieven you?

Sir Arth. Not me at all, fir; but I imagine by Your being here thus arm'd, you stay for fome That you should fight withal.

Oli. Why an he do? che would not dezire you to take his part..

Sir Arth. No, by my troth, I think you need it

not;

For he you look for, I think, means not to come. Oli. No! an che were affure of that, ched veeze him in another place.

Enter Daffodil.

Daff. O, fir Arthur, mafter Oliver, ah me! Your love, and your's, and mine, fweet mistress Luce, This morn is married to young Flowerdale.

Sir Arth. Married to Flowerdale! 'tis impoffible. Oli. Married, man? che hope thou doft but jeft, to make a vlowten merriment of it.

Daff. O'tis too true! here comes his uncle.

Enter Flowerdale Junior, with Sheriff and Officers.

Flow. Fun. Good norrow, fir Arthur; good morrow, mafter Oliver.

Oli. God and good morn, mafter Flowerdale. I pray you tellen us, is your fcoundrel kinfman married?

Flow. Jun. Mafter Oliver, call him what you will, but he is married to fir Lancelot's daughter here. Sir Arth. Unto her?

To make a vlowten merriment of it.] Vlowten is the Western pronunciation of flowting. To make a jeering merriment of it. MALONE. In the Merry Wives of Windfor, fir Hugh Evans complains that he is made a vlouting ftog," i. e. flouting flock. STEEVENS.

66

Oli. Ay, ha' the old vellow zerved me thick a trick? why man, he was a promife, chil chud 'a had her: is 'a zutch a vox? chil look to his water, che vore him.

Flow. Jun. The mufick plays; they are coming from the church.

Sheriff, do your office : fellows, ftand ftoutly to it.

Enter Sir Lancelot Spurcock, M. Flowerdale, Weathercock, Civet, Luce, Frances, Flowerdale Senior, and Attendants.

Oli. God give you joy, as the old zaid proverb is, and fome zorrow among. You met us well, did you not?

Sir Lanc. Nay, be not angry, fir; the fault is in me. I have done all the wrong; kept him from coming to the field to you, as I might, fir; for I am a juftice, and fworn to keep the peace.

Weath. Ay marry is he, fir, a very juftice, and fworn to keep the peace: you must not difturb the weddings.

Sir Land. Nay, never frown nor ftorm, fir; if you do, I'll have an order taken for you.

Oli. Well, well, chil be quiet.

Weath. Mafter Flowerdale, fir Lancelot; look you who here is? mafter Flowerdale.

Sir Lanc. Mafter Flowerdale, welcome with all my heart.

M. Flow. Uncle, this is the i'faith.-Master Underfheriff, arreft me? At whofe fuit ?-Draw, Kit. Flow. Jun. At my fuit, fir.

Sir Lanc. Why, what's the matter, mafter Flowerdale ?

Flow. Jun. This is the matter, fir. This unthrift here hath cozen'd you, and hath had of me in feveral fums three thousand pound.

M. Flow.

M. Flow. Why, uncle, uncle.

Flow. Jun. Coufin, coufin, you have uncled me and if you be not ftaid, you'll prove a cozener unto all that know you.

Sir Lanc. Why, fir, fuppofe he be to you in debt Ten thousand pound, his ftate to me appears To be at least three thousand by the year.

Flow. Jun. O, fir, I was too late inform'd of that plot;

How that he went about to cozen you,

And form'd a Will, and fent it

To your good friend there, mafter Weathercock,
In which was nothing true, but brags and lies.
Sir Lanc. Ha! hath he not fuch lordfhips, lands,
and ships?

Flow. Jun. Not worth a groat, not worth a halfpenny he.

Sir Lanc. I pray tell us true; be plain, young Flowerdale.

M: Flow. My uncle here's mad, and difpos'd to do me wrong; but here's my man, an honeft fellow by the lord, and of good credit, knows all is true. Flow. Sen. Not I, fir; I am too old to lie. I rather know

You forg'd a Will, where every line you writ,
You studied where to quote your lands might lie'.
Weath. And I pr'ythee where be they, honeft
friend?

2 Coufin, coufin, you have uncled me; and, if you be not faid, you'll prove a cozener -] So in K. Henry IV. P. I: "And gentle Harry Percy, and kind coufin, "O the devil take fuch cozeners."

Again, in K. Richard III:

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"Coufins indeed; and by their uncle coxen'd."

MALONE.

3- where to quote your lands might lie.] i. e. to obferve, to point out to obfervation. See note on the Two Gent, of Verona, Jaft edit. vol. i. p. 152.

STEEVENS.

Flow.

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