“Thou art a wall
To make the ball
   Rebound from.

“Thou hast a back
For beadle’s crack
   To sound from, to sound from.

The foolishest dolts are the ground-plot of the most wit, as the idlest rogues are of the most industry.  Even thou hast brought wit down from Oxford.  And before a thief is hanged, parliament must make laws, attorneys must engross them, printers stamp and publish them, hawkers cry them, judges expound them, juries weigh and measure them with offences, then executioners carry them into effect.  The farmer hath already sown the hemp, the ropemaker hath twisted it; sawyers saw the timber, carpenters tack together the shell, grave-diggers delve the earth.  And all this truly for fellows like unto thee.”

William Shakspeare.

“Whom a God came down from heaven to save.”

Sir Thomas.

“Silas! he hangeth not.  William, I must have the heads of the sermon, six or seven of ’em; thou hast whetted my appetite keenly.  How! dost duck thy pate into thy hat? nay, nay, that is proper and becoming at church; we need not such solemnity.  Repeat unto us the setting forth at St. Mary’s.”

Whereupon did William Shakspeare entreat of Master Silas that he would help him in his ghostly endeavours, by repeating what he called the preliminary prayer; which prayer I find nowhere in our ritual, and do suppose it to be one of those Latin supplications used in our learned universities now or erewhile.

I am afeard it hath not the approbation of the strictly orthodox, for inasmuch as Master Silas at such entreaty did close his teeth against it, and with teeth thus closed did say, Athanasiuswise, “Go and be damned!”

Bill was not disheartened, but said he hoped better, and began thus:-

“‘My brethren!’ said the preacher, ’or rather let me call you my children, such is my age confronted with yours, for the most part,—­ my children, then, and my brethren (for here are both), believe me, killing is forbidden.’”

Sir Thomas.

“This, not being delivered unto us from the pulpit by the preacher himself, we may look into.  Sensible man! shrewd reasoner!  What a stroke against deer-stealers! how full of truth and ruth!  Excellent discourse!”

William Shakspeare.

“The last part was the best.”

Sir Thomas.

“I always find it so.  The softest of the cheesecake is left in the platter when the crust is eaten.  He kept the best bit for the last, then?  He pushed it under the salt, eh?  He told thee—­”

William Shakspeare.

“Exactly so.”

Sir Thomas.

“What was it?”

William Shakespeare.

“‘Ye shall not kill.’

Sir Thomas.

“How I did he run in a circle like a hare?  One of his mettle should break cover and off across the country like a fox or hart.”