ick-bat
there, that lay in my Way, I had beat you off.

_Ber._ Stand fair.

_Adol._ I won't cheat: I intend to beat you, by Art, and not to cheat
ye, since we contend for the Prize of Honour: Rub, rub.

_Ber._ A great Cast in Troth.

_Adol._ Nay, don't laugh before you've won. We are equal yet.

_Ber._ This is who shall: He that first hits the Jack is up. I have beat
you, sing.

_Adol._ Stay, you should have said how many you'd make up, for my Hand
is not come in yet.

_Ber._ Judgment, Gentlemen.

_Arbitr._ 3.

_Adol._ Very well.

_Ber._ Well, what do you say now? Are you beat or no?

_Adol._ You have had better Luck than I, but yet I won't vail to you, as
to Strength and Art; I'll stand to what the Company says.

_Arb._ The _German_ has beat, and the Victory is the more glorious, that
he has beat so good a Gamester.

_Ber._ Now Cock, crow.

_Adol._ I am hoarse.

_Ber._ That's no new Thing to Cocks; but if you can't crow like an old
Cock, crow like a Cockeril.

_Adol._ Let _Germany_ flourish thrice.

_Ber._ You ought to have said so thrice. I am a-dry; let us drink
somewhere, I'll make an end of the Song there.

_Adol._ I won't stand upon that, if the Company likes it.

_Arb._ That will be the best, the Cock will crow clearer when his Throat
is gargled.

* * * * *

_3. The Play of striking a Ball through an Iron Ring.

GASPAR, ERASMUS.

Gas._ Come, let's begin, _Marcolphus_ shall come in, in the Losers
Place.

_Er._ But what shall we play for?

_Gas._ He that is beat shall make and repeat _extempore_ a Distich, in
Praise of him that beat him.

_Er._ With all my Heart.

_Gas._ Shall we toss up who shall go first?

_Er._ Do you go first if you will, I had rather go last.

_Gas._ You have the better of me, because you know the Ground.

_Er._ You're upon your own Ground.

_Gas._ Indeed I am better acquainted with the Ground, than I am with my
Books; but that's but a small Commendation.

_Er._ You that are so good a Gamester ought to give me Odds.

_Gas._ Nay, you should rather give me Odds; but there's no great Honour
in getting a Victory, when Odds is taken: He only can properly be said
to get the Game, that gets it by his own Art; we are as well match'd as
can be.

_Er._ Yours is a better Ball than mine.

_Gas._ And yours is beyond me.

_Er._ Play fair, without cheating and cozening.

_Gas._ You shall say you have had to do with a fair Game