keech

Marry , if thou wert an honest man , thyself
and the money too . Thou didst swear to me upon a
parcel-gilt goblet , sitting in my Dolphin chamber at
the round table by a sea-coal fire , upon Wednesday
in Wheeson week , when the Prince broke thy head
for liking his father to a singing-man of Windsor ,
thou didst swear to me then , as I was washing thy
wound , to marry me and make me my lady thy wife .
Canst thou deny it ? Did not Goodwife Keech , the
butcher’s wife , come in then and call me Gossip
Quickly , coming in to borrow a mess of vinegar ,
telling us she had a good dish of prawns , whereby
thou didst desire to eat some , whereby I told thee
they were ill for a green wound ? And didst thou not ,
when she was gone downstairs , desire me to be no
more so familiarity with such poor people , saying
that ere long they should call me madam ? And didst
thou not kiss me and bid me fetch thee thirty
shillings ? I put thee now to thy book-oath . Deny it if
thou canst .

The devil speed him ! No man’s pie is freed
From his ambitious finger . What had he
To do in these fierce vanities ? I wonder
That such a keech can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o’ th’ beneficial sun
And keep it from the Earth earth .