devil should be hungry, come sneaking behind me, like a cowardly catchpole, and clap his talons on my haunches 'Tis woundy cold sure-I dudder and shake like an aspen leaf every joint of me. Saw. To scandal and disgrace pursue 'em, Et sanctabicetur nomen tuum. [Exit Doc. How now, my son, how is't? Cud. Scarce in a clean life, mother witch.--But did your goblin and you spout Latin together? Saw. A kind of charm I work by; didst thou hear me? Cud. I heard I know not the devil what mumble in a scurvy base tone, like a drum that had taken cold in the head the last muster. Very comfortable words; what were they? and who taught them you? Saw. A great learned man. Cud. Learned man! learned devil it was as soon! But what? what comfortable news about the party? Saw. Who? Kate Carter? I'll tell thee. Thou know'st the stile at the west end of thy father's pease-field; be there to-morrow night after sunset; and the first live thing thou seest, be sure to follow, and that shall bring thee to thy love. Cud. In the pease-field? has she a mind to codlings already? The first living thing I meet, you say, shall bring me to her? 2 Cuddy. In the pease-field? has she a mind to codlings already?] I observed (page 407) that, by codlings, in the passage there Saw. To a sight of her, I mean. She will seem wantonly coy, and flee thee; but follow her close and boldly do but embrace her in thy arms once, and she is thine own. fa Cud. "At the stile, at the west-end of my ther's pease-land, the first live thing I see, follow and embrace her, and she shall be thine." Nay, an I come to embracing once, she shall be mine; I'll go near to make a taglet else. [Exit. Saw. A ball well bandied! now the set's half won; The father's wrong I'll wreak upon the son. [Exit. quoted, Ford meant young pease; and the quotation from the text sufficiently proves it. Lydgate, in his poem called Lickpenny, mentions them as cried about the streets of London in his time, ready dressed, with strawberries and cherries on the stalk. "Hot pescods on began to crye, Strawberries ripe, and cherries in the ryse.". Burton mentions green pease under the name of codlings, in his Anatomie. Brome, in his " Mad Couple well matched," speaks of sending early cherries and codlings to the citizens' wives, as bribes to procure credit for their commodities. Apples in June, when, in the language of our old writers, they had scarcely codded, whether hot or cold, would have proved no great temptation to ladies of such exquisite taste as the fair What-d'ye-lacks of Cheapside : early pease might, indeed, hope to tempt them; and such were their codlings. It may be added, that so common was the word in this sense, that the women who gathered pease for the London markets were called codders; a name which they still retain. That there was an apple of this name was never meant to be questioned. SCENE II.-CARTER'S House. Enter CARTER, WARBECK, and SOMERTON. Car. How now, gentlemen! cloudy? I know, master Warbeck, you are in a fog about my daughter's marriage. War. And can you blame me, sir? Car. Nor you me justly. Wedding and hanging are tied up both in a proverb; and destiny is the juggler that unties the knot: my hope is, you are reserved to a richer fortune than my poor daugh ter. War. However, your promise Car. Is a kind of debt, I confess it. Car. Yet some gentlemen break in that point, now and then, by your leave, sir. Som. I confess thou hast had a little wrong in the wench; but patience is the only salve to cure it. Since Thorney has won the wench, he has most reason to wear her. War. Love in this kind admits no reason to wear her. Car. Then Love's a fool, and what wise man will take exception? Som. Come, frolick, Ned; were every man master of his own fortune, Fate might pick straws, and Destiny go a wool-gathering. War. You hold your's in a string though: 'tis well; but if there be any equity, look thou to meet the like usage ere long. Som. In my love to her sister Katherine? Indeed, they are a pair of arrows drawn out of one quiver, and should fly at an even length; if she do run after her sister, War. Look for the same mercy at my hands, as I have received at thine. Som. She'll keep a surer compass; I have too strong a confidence to mistrust her. War. And that confidence is a wind that has blown many a married man ashore at Cuckold's Haven, I can tell you; I wish your's more prosperous though. Car. Whate'er you wish, I'll master my promise to him. War. Yes, as you did to me. Car. No more of that, if you love me: but for the more assurance, the next offer'd occasion shall consummate the marriage; and that once seal'd Som. Leave the manage of the rest to my care. 3 She'll keep a surer compass.] The metaphor is still from archery. Arrows shot compass-wise, that is, with a certain elevation, were generally considered as going more steadily to the mark. Enter FRANK THORNEY and SUSAN. But see, the bridegroom and bride come; the new pair of Sheffield knives, fitted both to one sheath. War. The sheath might have been better fitted, if somebody had their due; but Som. No harsh language,* if thou lovest me, Frank Thorney has done- War. No more than I, or thou, or any man, things so standing, would have attempted. Som. Good-morrow, master bridegroom. War. Come, give thee joy: may'st thou live long and happy In thy fair choice! Frank. I thank ye, gentlemen; kind master Warbeck, I find you loving. War. Thorney, that creature,-(much good do thee with her!) Virtue and beauty hold fair mixture in her; The match is fair and equal, the success + Som. No harsh language, &c.] I have given this short speech to Somerton. Warbeck's reply sufficiently shows that it could not be spoken by Carter. |