MRS MA.  A slave? nay, worse; dost thou maintain my man,
And this my maid? ’tis I maintain them both. 
I am thy wife; I will not be dress’d so,
While thy gold lasts; but then most willingly
I will bequeath thee to flat beggary. 
I do already hate thee; do thy worst;
                                  [He threatens her. 
Nay, touch me, if thou dar’st; what, shall he beat me?

BRA.  I’ll make him seek his fingers ’mongst the dogs,
That dares to touch my mistress; never fear,
My sword shall smoothe the wrinkles of his brows,
That bends a frown upon my mistress.

Y. ART.  I had a wife would not have us’d me so: 
But God is just.

MRS MA.  Now, Arthur, if I knew
What in this world would most torment thy soul,
That I would do; would all my evil usage
Could make thee straight despair and hang thyself! 
Now, I remember:—­where is Arthur’s man,
Pipkin? that slave! go, turn him out of doors;
None that loves Arthur shall have house-room here.

    Enter PIPKIN.

Yonder he comes; Brabo, discard the fellow.

Y. ART.  Shall I be over-master’d in my own? 
Be thyself, Arthur:—­strumpet! he shall stay.

MRS MA.  What! shall he, Brabo? shall he, Mistress Splay?

BRA.  Shall he? he shall not:  breathes there any living
Dares say he shall, when Brabo says he shall not?

Y. ART.  Is there no law for this? she is my wife;
Should I complain, I should be rather mock’d. 
I am content; keep by thee whom thou list. 
Discharge whom thou think’st good; do what thou wilt,
Rise, go to bed, stay at home, or go abroad
At thy good pleasure, keep all companies;
So that, for all this, I may have but peace. 
Be unto me as I was to my wife;
Only give me, what I denied her then,
A little love, and some small quietness—­
If he displease thee, turn him out of doors.

PIP.  Who, me?  Turn me out of doors?  Is this all the wages I shall have at the year’s end, to be turned out of doors?  You, mistress! you are a—­

MRS SPLAY.  A what? speak, a what? touch her and touch me, taint her and taint me; speak, speak, a what?

PIP.  Marry, a woman that is kin to the frost.[22]

MRS SPLAY.  How do you mean that?

PIP.  And you are akin to the Latin word, to understand.

MRS SPLAY.  And what’s that?

PIP. Subaudi, subaudi? and, sir, do you not use to pink doublets?

MRS SPLAY.  And why?

PIP.  I took you for a cutter, you are of a great kindred; you are a common cozener, everybody calls you cousin; besides, they say you are a very good warrener, you have been an old coneycatcher:  but, if I be turned a-begging, as I know not what I am born to, and that you ever come to the said trade, as nothing is unpossible, I’ll set all the commonwealth of beggars on your back, and all the congregation of