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Pope, Alexander, 1688-1744

"A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 2"


DALILAH. Yea, marry, I warrant you, master hoddypeak.
BARNABAS. Learn apace, sister, and after to spin and sew,
And other honest housewifely points to know.
ISMAEL. Spin, quod-a? yea, by the mass, and with your heels up-wind,
For a good mouse-hunt is cat after Saint Kind.[215]
BARNABAS. Lewd speaking corrupteth good manners, Saint Paul doth say;
Come, let us go, if ye will, to school this day;
I shall be shent for tarrying so long,
[_Barnabas goeth out_.
ISMAEL. Go, get thee hence, thy mouth full of horse-dung!
Now, pretty sister, what sport shall we devise?
Thus palting[216] to school, I think us unwise:
In summer die for thrist,[217] in winter for cold,
And still to live in fear of a churl who would?
DALILAH. Not I, by the mass, I had rather he hanged were,
Than I would sit quaking like a mome for fear.
I am sun-burned in summer, in winter the cold
Maketh my limbs gross, and my beauty decay;
If I should use it, as they would I should,
I should never be fair woman, I dare say.
ISMAEL. No, sister, no, but I can tell,
Where we shall have good cheer,
Lusty companions two or three,
At good wine, ale, and beer.
DALILAH. O good brother, let us go,
I will never go more to-to[218] school.
Shall I never know,
What pastime meaneth?
Yes, I will not be such a fool.
ISMAEL. Have with thee, Dalilah:
Farewell our school!
Away with books and all,
[_They cast away their books_.


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