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Show a?8 ^~ ESOP. 1 1 \fcp. Haft thou any bufinefs with m e , Friend ? | Rog. Yes, by m y troth, have I; But if Roger were to be hang'd up for't, Look you now, he could not hold laughing : What 1 have in m y Mind, out it comes : But bar that; l'fe on honeft Lad as well as another. Efop. M y Time's dearer to m e than yours, Friend j Have you any thing to fay to m e ? Rog. Gadswookers, do People ufe to ask for Folks when they have nothing to fay to 'em ? l'fe tell you m y bufinefs. Efop. Let's hear it. Rog. I have, as you fee, a little Wit. Efop. True. Rog. I live in a Village hard by, and l'fe the beft M a n tn it, tho I fay it that fhou'd not fay it. I have good Drink in m y Cellar, and good Corn in my Barn; I have Cows and Oxen, Hogs and Sheep, Cocks and Hens, and Geefe and Turkeys: but the truth will out, and fo let it out. l'fe e'en tir'd of being call'd plain Roger. I has a Leathern Purfe, and in that Purfe there's many a fair Half-Crown, with the King's fweet Face upon it, G o d blefs him ; and with this Money I have a mind to bind m y felf Prentice to a Courtier : It's a good Trade, as I have heard fay ; there's Money ftirring: Let a Lad be but diligent, and do what he's bid, he fhall be let into the Secret, and fhare part of the Profits; I have not liv'd to thefe Years for nothing : Thofe that will fwim, muft go into deep Water: l'fe get oar Wife Joan to be the Queen's Chamber-maid ; and then Crack fays m e 1', and forget all m y Acquaintance. } But to come to the bufinefs. You who are the Kings great Favourite, I defire you'll be pleas'd to fell me fome of your Friendfhip, that I may get a Court-Place. C o m e , you fhall chufe m e one your felf ; you look like a fhrewd M a n ; by the Mafs you do. Efop. I chufe thee a Place ! M, ESOP. ^^ 2?9 Rog. Yes< I would willingly have it fuch a fort of a place, as wou'd coft little, and bring in a great deal ; in a word, much Profit, and nothing to do. Efop. But you muft name what Poft you think wou'd fuit your Humour. Rog. W h y l'fe pratty indifferent as to that : Secretary of State, or Butler; twenty Shillings more, twenty Shillings lefs, is not the thing I ftand upon, l'fe no Hagler, Godswookars •, and he that fays I am 'Zbud he lyes: There's m y Humour now. Efop. But hark you, Friend, you fay you are well as you are, why then do you defire to change ? Rog. W h y what a queftion now is there for a M a n of your Parts ? I'm well, d'ye fee m e ; and what of all that ? I defire to be better: There's an Anfwer for you. [Afide.] Let Roger alone with him. Efop. Very well: This is reafoning ; and I love a Man fhould reafon with me. But let us enquire a little whether your Reafons are good or not. You fay at home you want for nothing. Rog. Nothing, 'fore George. Efop. Y o u have good Drink ? Rog. 'Zbud the beft i'th' Parifh. [Singing."] And dawne it merrily goes, m y Lad, and dawne it merrily goes. Efop. Y o u eat heartily ? Rog. I have a noble Stomach. Efop. Y o u fleep well ? Rog. Juft as I drink, till I can fleep no longer. Efop. You have fome honeft Neighbours ? Rog. Honeft ! 'Zbud w e are all fo, theTawne raund, we live like Breether ; when one can farve another, he does it with all his Heart and Guts; when w e have any thing that's good, w e eat it together, Holydays and Sundays w e play at Nine-pins, tumble upon the Grafs with wholefome young Maids, laugh till w e fplit, daunce till we are weary, eat till w e burft, drink till w e are fleepy, then fwap into Bed, and Snore till w e rife - Breakfaft. to Efop. |