Page 1362 - Shakespeare - Vol. 4

She swore by wine and bread she would not break.

SCHOOLMASTER
An eel and woman,
A learnèd poet says, unless by th’tail [50]
And with thy teeth thou hold, will either fail.
In manners this was false position.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN
A fire-ill take her; does she flinch now?

THIRD COUNTRYMAN
What
Shall we determine, sir?

SCHOOLMASTER
Nothing;
Our business is become a nullity, [55]

Yea, and a woeful and a piteous nullity.

FOURTH COUNTRYMAN
Now, when the credit of our town lay on it,
Now to be frampold, now to piss o’th’nettle!
Go thy ways, I’ll remember thee; I’ll fit thee.

Enter Gaoler’s Daughter.

DAUGHTER

[sings]

The George Alow came from the south, [60]
From the coast of Barbary-a;
And there he met with brave gallants of war,
By one, by two, by three-a.

Well hailed, well hailed, you jolly gallants,

And whither now are you bound-a? [65]