Enter Prentices.

Host.  There, there my fine fil-pots; give the word as you passe; anon, anon, sir anon; heere and there in the twinckling, looke well at the barre, there again my little Mercuries, froath them up to the brimme, and fill as tis needeful; if their Pates be full of Wine let your Pottles be three quarters; trip and goe, here and there; now, my brave Lad, wash thy woundes with good Wine; bidde am welcom, my little Sybil; put sugar in his hole there, I must in to my guests; sleepe soundly till morning; Canarie is a Jewell, and a Figge for Browne-bastard.[236]
          
                                                     [Exit.

Hostes.  Gentlemen, ye are welcom, though my husband be a little talkative, yet truly he is an unreasonable honest man, yee shall finde his words and his sayings all one.

Scil.  I thinke no less, yet I would desire to enter as time and place shall serve.

Hostes.  Ile lead the way forsooth.

Phy.  Nay, pray ye, Hostesse, a word.  I say little, but i’me sure I have sustained the most wrong; by this light, I had rather he had broke my head in three places; I pray you lend me a brush, hee has put my hat quite out of fashion.

Host.  That shall ye sir, a brush there, hoe!

    Enter[237] Boss, with the dog.

Bos. Salve, sis salvus.  I pray yee which of you five is Hostis of this house?

Boy.  That’s easily discernd, for foure weare breeches.

Bos.  Nere the sooner for that, my diminitive youth, for women now adaies weare breeches as well as men; mary, the difference lies in the bawble.

Hostis.  Well, sir, to open the truth, I am the Hostesse.

Bos.  The fruit is known, by the Tree at the first view, as the Author writes, learnedly; come basilus manus.[238]

Scil.  This kissing becomes a Gentleman, ile use it sure.[239]

Bos.  Secondly, Mistris Hostesse, I would know what lodging ye have for my Lady and her traine.

Hostis.  What will serve your turne, sir?

Bos.  Ile call my selfe to account and specifie thus:  my Lady and her Dogge, that’s two visible; then there’s the Dogge and my Lady, thats four invisible; then there’s my Ladies dogge and I, quoth the dogge, that’s six; then theres sequence of three, viz., the Dogge, and I, and my Lady; then there’s a pair of Knaves, viz., the Dogge & my selfe & my Lady turnd up; viz., my Lady sequence of three, a paire of Knaves and my Lady, turn’d up to play upon:—­we can have no less than five beds.

Hostis.  Truely you must lye close together (the Servants I meane), for I am so thrust with Guest I [c]an hardly spare so many.

Bos.  Faith, weele lie together as close as we can; there’s my Lady and her dogge lye al together and I at the bed’s feete, and theres all our family of Love.[240]