SCENE III.--_Within the_ Smith's _House.

_Enter_ ADAM _and the_ Smith's Wife.

_Adam._ Why, but hear you, mistress: you know a woman's eyes are like a pair of pattens, fit to save shoe-leather in summer, and to keep away the cold in winter; so you may like your husband with the one eye, because you are married, and me with the other, because I am your man. Alas, alas! think, mistress, what a thing love is: why, it is like to an ostry-faggot,[99] that, once set on fire, is as hardly quenched as the bird[100] crocodile driven out of her nest.

_S. Wife._ Why, Adam, cannot a woman wink but she must sleep? and can she not love but she must cry it out at the cross? Know, Adam, I love thee as myself, now that we are together in secret.

_Adam._ Mistress, these words of yours are like to a fox-tail placed in a gentlewoman's fan, which, as it is light, so it giveth life: O, these words are as sweet as a lily! whereupon, offering a borachio[101] of kisses to your unseemly personage, I entertain you upon further acquaintance.

_S. Wife._ Alas, my husband comes!

_Adam._ Strike up the drum And say no words but mum.

_Enter the_ Smith.

_Smith._ Sirrah you, and you, huswife, well taken together! I have long suspected you, and now I am glad I have found you together.

_Adam._ Truly, sir, and I am glad that I may do you any way pleasure, either in helping you or my mistress.

_Smith._ Boy here, and knave, you shall know it straight; I will have you both before the magistrate, and there have you surely punished.

_Adam._ Why, then, master, you are jealous?

_Smith._ Jealous, knave! how can I be but jealous, to see you ever so familiar together? Thou art not only content to drink away my goods, but to abuse my wife.

_Adam._ Two good qualities, drunkenness and lechery: but, master, are you jealous?

_Smith._ Ay, knave, and thou shalt know it ere I pass, for I will beswinge thee while this rope will hold.

_S. Wife._ My good husband, abuse him not, for he never proffered you any wrong.

_Smith._ Nay, whore, thy part shall not be behind.

_Adam._ Why, suppose, master, I have offended you, is it lawful for the master to beat the servant for all offences?

_Smith._ Ay, marry, is it, knave.

_Adam._ Then, master, will I prove by logic, that seeing all sins are to receive correction, the master is to be corrected of the man. And, sir, I pray you, what greater sin is than jealousy? 'tis like a mad dog that for anger bites himself: therefore that I may do my duty to you, good master, and to make a white[102] son of you, I will so beswinge jealousy out of you, as you shall love me the better while you live.

_Smith._ What, beat thy master, knave?

_Adam._ What, beat thy man, knave? and, ay, master, and double beat you, because you are a man of credit; and therefore have at you the fairest for forty pence. [_Beats the_ Smith.

_Smith._ Alas, wife, help, help! my man kills me.

_S. Wife._ Nay, even as you have baked, so brew: jealousy must be driven out by extremities.

_Adam._ And that will I do, mistress.

_Smith._ Hold thy hand, Adam; and not only I forgive and forget all, but I will give thee a good farm to live on.

_Adam._ Begone, peasant, out of the compass of my further wrath, for I am a corrector of vice; and at night I will bring home my mistress.

_Smith._ Even when you please, good Adam.

_Adam._ When I please,--mark the words--'tis a lease-parol,[103] to have and to hold. Thou shalt be mine for ever: and so let's go to the ale-house. [_Exeunt._

_Oseas._ Where servants against masters do rebel, The commonweal may be accounted hell; For if the feet the head shall hold in scorn, The city's state will fall and be forlorn. This error, London, waiteth on thy state: Servants, amend, and, masters, leave to hate; Let love abound, and virtue reign in all; So God will hold his hand, that threateneth thrall.

ACT THE FOURTH