Hen. Hangd, hangd by any meanes! marry
her? had I
The King of Spaines 7 Kingdomes,
Gallicia, Navarre, the 2 Castiles,
Leon, Arragon, Valentia, Granada,
And Portugall to make up 8, Ide lose them
All to be rid of such a piece of flesh.
Ten. How? such a piece of flesh? Why, she has limbes Mad out of wax.[49]
Hen. Then have her to some faire And shew her for money.
Ten. Is she not sweet complexiond?
Hen. As most Ladyes are that studye painting.
Ten. What meate will downe your throat, when you scorne pheasant, partridge, woodcocke & coney? Would I had such a dish.
Hen. Woodcocke and coney take to you, my Don Teniente; Ile none; and because you keepe such a wondering why my stomach goes against the wench (albeit I might find better talke, considering what ladder I stand upon) Ile tell you, signior, what kind of wife I must have or none.
Ten. Pray let me see her picture.
Hen. Draw
then this curtaine:
Give me a wife that’s sound of wind and limbe;
Whose teeth can tell her age; whose hand nere felt
A touch lascivious; whose eyes are balls
Not tossd by her to any but to me;
Whose breath stinkes not of sweatmeates; whose lippes
kisse
Onely themselves and mine; whose tongue nere lay
At the signe of the Bell. She must not
be a scold,
No, nor a foole to be in love with Bables[50];
No, nor too wise to think I nere saile true
But when she steares the rudder. I’de not
have
Her belly a drum, such as they weave points on,
Unles they be taggd with vertue; nor would I have
Her white round breasts 2 sucking bottles to nurse
Any Bastards at them.
Ten. I believe you would not.
Hen. I would not have her tall, because
I love not
To dance about a May pole; nor too lowe
(Litle clocks goe seldome true); nor, sir, too fatt
(Slug[51] shipps can keepe no pace); no, nor too leane,
To read Anatomy lectures ore her Carcas.
Nor would I have my wife exceeding faire,
For then she’s liquorish meate; & it would mad
me
To see whoremasters teeth water at her,
Red haird by no meanes, though she would yeild money
To sell her to some Jew for poyson. No,
My wife shall be a globe terrestriall,
Moving upon no axeltree but mine;
Which globe when I turne round, what land soever
I touch, my wife is with me, still Ime at home.
Ten. But where will you find such a wife on earth?
Hen. No, such a wife in the Moone for me doth tarry: If none such shine here I with none will marry.
Ten. The Lordes are come.
Hen. I care neyther for Lords nor Ladies.
Enter the Nobles as before; Fernando, Manuell, Clarke, Jaylor.