Thomas Dekker

“ The good man hearing his wife say so, doth euen leape for ioy, thinking all her words Gospell, and therefore presently he sets the Taylor a worke, willing him to dispatch out of hand, that his wife may be braue so soone as may be. ”

“ And if I thought I should liue long with you, I would vse meanes to make my selfe away: herewithall she puts finger in the eye making shew as though she wept. Thus plaies she with the sillie sot her husband (meaning nothing lesse then to doe as she saies) while he poore foole is in mind both wel and ill apaid, he thinkes himselfe well, because he imagines hee of a cold constitution, and therefore exceeding chast: he thinkes himselfe ill, to sée her fained teares, for that he verily supposes she loues him, which doth not a little gréeue him, being so kind and tender hearted. ”

“ But in the meane while the time runs on, and the day comes, wherein the poore man must pay his creditors, which being vnable to doe, he is at length arrested, and after due procéeding in law, he hath an execution serued vpon him, or else his pawne is forfaited, and by either of both he is almost vtterly vndone. ”

“ The next morning by the breake of day the poore man gets vp, who for care and thought could take no rest all night, and goes presently to the Drapers, of Illegible word he takes, vp cloth for thrée moneths time, paying for it after an Illegible word rate, by reason of their forbearance, and in like sort makes prouision for the rest ”

“ And therfore I mean against my cousin M. wedding (which you know wil be shortly) that you shall haue a new gowne, made on the bell fashion, with all things sutable thereunto, in such sort that the best woman in the parish shall not passe you. Nay (quoth she) God willing I mean to go to no weddings this twelue moneths, for the goodly credit I got by the last. By my faith (Section of illegible textaith he) but you shall: what? you must not be so headstrong and selfe-wild. I tell you if I say the word, you shall goe, and you shall want nothing that you aske or require. ”

“ Therefore he vseth all meanes possible to make her quiet, neither wil he giue her ouer, till he hath effected it. But she prosecuting her former purpose, which she hath alreadie set in so faire a forwardnes, makes as though she were nothing moued with his gentle perswasions ”