As I am a knight, I honour her, and forgive her heartily.

CLE. About it then presently. Truewit is gone before to confront the coaches, and to acquaint you with so much, if he meet you. Join with him, and 'tis well. See, here comes your antagonist, but take you no notice, but be very jovial.

 

Enter La Fool

 

LA F. Are the ladies come, Sir John Daw, and your mistress? Sir Dauphine! You are exceeding welcome, and honest Master Clerimont. Where's my cousin? Did you see no collegiates, gentlemen?

 

Exit Daw

DAU. Collegiates! Do you not hear, Sir Amorous, how you are abused?

LA F. How, sir!

CLE. Will you speak so kindly to Sir John Daw, that has done you such an affront?

LA F. Wherein, gentlemen? Let me be a suitor to you to know, I beseech you!

CLE. Why sir, his mistress is married today, to Sir Dauphine's uncle, your cousin's neighbour, and he has diverted all the ladies, and all your company thither, to frustrate your provision, and stick a disgrace upon you. He was here, now, to have enticed us away from you too: but we told him his own, I think.

LA F. Has Sir John Daw wronged me so inhumanly?

DAU. He has done it, Sir Amorous, most maliciously and treacherously: but if you'll be ruled by us, you shall quit him i'faith.

LA F. Good gentlemen! I'll make one, believe it. How I pray?

DAU. Marry, sir, get me your pheasants, and your godwits, and your best meat, and dish it in silver dishes of your cousin's presently, and say nothing, but clap me a clean towel about you, like a sewer; and bare-headed, march afore it with a good confidence ('tis but over the way, hard by) and we'll second you, where you shall set it o' the board, and bid 'em welcome to't, which shall show 'tis yours, and disgrace his preparation utterly: and, for your cousin, whereas she should be troubled here at home with care of making and giving welcome, she shall transfer all that labour thither, and be a principal guest herself, sit ranked with the college- Honours, and be honoured, and have her health drunk as often, as bare, and as loud as the best of 'em.

LA F. I'll go tell her presently. It shall be done, that's resolved.

 

Exit

 

CLE. I thought he would not hear it out, but 'twould take him.

DAU. Well, there be guests and meat now; how shall we do for music?

CLE. The smell of the venison, going through the street, will invite one noise of fiddlers or other.

DAU. I would it would call the trumpeters thither.

CLE. Faith, there is hope, they have intelligence of all feasts. There's good correspondence betwixt them and the London cooks. 'Tis twenty to one but we have 'em.

DAU. 'Twill be a most solemn day for my uncle, and an excellent fit of mirth for us.

CLE. Aye, if we can hold up the emulation betwixt Fool and Daw, and never bring them to expostulate.

DAU. Tut, flatter 'em both (as Truewit says) and you may take their understandings in a purse-net.