Fran.  I’ll take the law on you.

Lov.  The law allows none to scold in their own causes:  What dost thou think the lawyers take our money for?

Fran.  I hope you intend to deal by my husband like a gentleman, as they say?

Lov.  Then I should beat him most unmercifully, and not pay him neither.

Fran.  Come, you think to fobb me off with your jests, as you do my husband; but it won’t be:  yonder he comes, and company with him.  Husband, husband! why, William, I say!

Enter BIBBER, BURR, and FAILER, at the other end.

Lov.  Speak softly, and I will satisfy thee.

Fran.  You shall not satisfy me, sir; pay me for what you owe me, for chamber-rent and diet, and many a good thing besides, that shall be nameless.

Lov.  What a stygian woman’s this, to talk thus?  Hold thy tongue ’till they be gone, or I’ll cuckold thy husband.

Fran.  You cuckold him—­would you durst cuckold him!  I will not hold my tongue, sir.

Bib.  Yonder’s my guest; what say you, gentlemen?  Shall I call him to go down with us?

Lov.  I must make a loose from her, there’s no other way.  Save ye, Mr Failer; is your cousin Trice stirring yet?  Answer me quickly, sir, is your cousin Trice yet stirring?

Fail.  I’ll go and see, sir.  Sure the man has a mind to beat me; but I vow to gad I have no mind to be beaten by him.  Come away, Burr.  Will, you follow us.

Bib.  I’ll be with you immediately.

[Exeunt BURR and FAILER.

Lov.  Who was that with Failer, Will?

Bib.  A man at arms, that’s come from Holland.

Lov.  A man out at arms thou mean’st, Will.

Bib.  Good, i’faith.

Fran.  Aye, aye; you run questing up and down after your gambols, and your jests, William; and never mind the main chance, as they say:  Pray get in your debts, and think upon your wife and children.

Lov.  Think upon the sack at Carey-house, with the Abricot flavour, Will.  Hang a wife; what is she, but a lawful kind of manslayer?  Every little hug in bed is a degree of murdering thee:  and for thy children, fear ’em not:  thy part of ’em shall be taylors, and they shall trust; and those, thy customers get for thee, shall be gentlemen, and they shall be trusted by their brethren; and so thy children shall live by one another.

Bib.  Did you mark that, Frances?  There was wit now; he call’d me cuckold to my face, and yet for my heart I cannot be angry with him.  I perceive you love Frances, sir; and I love her the better for your sake; speak truly, do you not like such a pretty brown kind of woman?

Lov.  I do i’faith, Will; your fair women have no substance in ’em, they shrink in the wetting.

Fran.  Well, you may be undone if you will, husband:  I hear there are two or three actions already out against him:  You may be the last, if you think good.