to fatten 'em. But they are as good
people as a man shall keepe company withall, and bring up the young
gentlewomen so vertuously. I came into one of their houses tother day
for a carreere, and I found the baud sick upon her death bed, very
religious and much given to repentance for those poore sins she had
comitted. When she had taken order for her soule, she told me the young
gentlewoman I look'd for was in the next roome; and desiring her upon
her blessing to give me content, she turnes herselfe to the wall and
gives up the ghost very privatly, because she was loth to trouble us.

_Un_. By your relation theis appeare to be very good people. What if we
went to visit one of these Matrons? I have a great mind--

_Cap_. Wy, now you speake like an understanding soldier, and one that
may come to something in the end. Lett us therefore march on.

_Un_. March on to _Venus_ Warres.

_Cap_. For you know, _Thomas_, that the Spider and the Bee, the Spider
and the Bee, do both--something, but in troth I have forgott what tis.

_Un_. Tis no matter what; let us goe.

_Cap_. Goe? no more but goe? though I be a Captaine, if I be not chosen
in this imployment--

_Tho_. What, then, Captaine?

_Cap_. Why, then--I cannot goe.

_Tho_. Very right; but wo' not those young gentlewomen you talk'd of
give a man something to make a man afraid of pepper upon occasion?

_Cap_. You will be prating so long till I breake your head for
pretending to that which you have not, sirra.

_Tho_. Alas, I never had it in my life.

_Un_. What's that, Captaine?

_Cap_. Wit, I talke of wit.

_Un_, Who has any wit? does my man offer to have wit?

_Cap_. Nay, take no offence at it, for I meant none to either of you
by this sack. Drawer, give me my oath, cannot you drinke without wit?
cannot you game without wit?

_Un_. And yet by your favour the gamesters are cald the wits now.

_Cap_. Tis no wit to cozen; confederacy and dishonesty will doo't
without wit. Ile iustifie it: do not you know the receit of Cozenage?
take an ounce of knavery at the least,--and confederacie is but so many
knaves put together,--then you must take a very fine young Codling heire
and pound him as small as you can.

_Un_. And what then, Captaine?

_Cap_. Why, then you must cozen him.

_Un_. But which way?

_Cap_. Which way? Why, which way you will: is not cozen him enough? thou
art a pretty fellow, ile talke with thee. Thy name's _Thomas_; take
heed, I say still,