sore times for us. You must know there hath been a
Parliament commission of inquiry into weights and
measures, and last Michaelmas a year, no! let me
see--well, marry! there came down--

_Will._ Well, well, thou shalt finish anon.

_Host._ It went nigh to kill me.

_Will._ Thou shalt tell me all hereafter.

_Host._ Damnation! but I am glad. The Lord
forgive me! I had nearly sworn.

_Will._ Thou hadst--nearly.

_Host._ And art thou a vessel of grace, or a brand
given to the burning? Of a verity--

_Will._ Come, no lies with me! I shall doubt thee
if thou cantest one word except in thy calling. Yet
I saw by thy first look thou wert glad to see me; so
give me thy hand, and I will shake it ere some one
calls for a draught of ale, and thou dost relapse into
the sordid and muddy calculation that makes thy
daily self, and so forget that the friend of thy youth
hath revisited thee. Nay, fear not, I will not betray
thee to thy present customers. But first tell me, why
thou art so changed: seeing that the cavaliers should
be thy best friends?