a-bleeding on Black-Monday last, at six o'clock
i' the morning, falling out that year on Ash-
Wednesday was four year in the afternoon.
Shy. What! are there masques? Hear you me, Jessica: 28
Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum,
And the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street 32
To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces,
But stop my house's ears, I mean my casements;
Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter
My sober house. By Jacob's staff I swear 36
I have no mind of feasting forth to-night;
But I will go. Go you before me, sirrah;
Say I will come.
Laun. I will go before, sir. Mistress, look out 40
at window, for all this;
There will come a Christian by,
Will be worth a Jewess' eye.
[Exit Launcelot.]
Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha?
Jes. His words were, 'Farewell, mistress;' nothing else. 45
Shy. The patch is kind enough, but a huge feeder;
Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day
More than the wild cat: drones hive not with me; 48
Therefore I part with him, and part with him
25 Black-Monday: Easter Monday
26, 27 falling out, etc.: mere nonsense
30 wry-neck'd: played with the head twisted
33 with varnish'd faces: wearing painted masks (or perhaps painted with cosmetics)
35 foppery: folly
36 Jacob's staff: cf. Gen. 32. 10; Heb. 11. 21
37 forth: out
43 Jewess' eye; cf. n.
44 Hagar's; cf. Gen. 16.
46 patch: the dress of fools, hence term of contempt; cf. cross-patch
47 profit: acquired proficiency, training
