Roister Doister Part 4

+M. Mumbl.+ Sit downe to your worke Tibet like a good girle.

+Tib. Talk.+ Nourse medle you with your spyndle and your whirle, No haste but good, Madge Mumblecrust, for whip and whurre The olde prouerbe doth say, neuer made good furre.

+M. Mumbl.+ Well, ye wyll sitte downe to your worke anon, I trust.

+Tib. Talk.+ Soft fire maketh sweete malte, good Madge Mumblecrust.

+M. Mumbl.+ And sweete malte maketh ioly good ale for the nones.

+Tib. Talk.+ Whiche will slide downe the lane without any bones.

_Cantet._ Olde browne bread crustes must haue much good mumblyng, But good ale downe your throte hath good easie tumbling.

+R. Royster.+ The iolyest wenche that ere I hearde, little mouse, May I not reioyce that she shall dwell in my house?

+Tib. Talk.+ So sirrha, nowe this geare beginneth for to frame.

+M. Mumbl.+ Thanks to G.o.d, though your work stand stil, your tong is not lame

+Tib. Talk.+ And though your teeth be gone, both so sharpe and so fine Yet your tongue can renne on patins as well as mine.

+M. Mumbl.+ Ye were not for nought named Tyb Talke apace.

+Tib. Talk.+ Doth my talke grieue you? Alack, G.o.d saue your grace.

+M. Mumbl.+ I holde a grote ye will drinke anon for this geare.

+Tib. Talk.+ And I wyll pray you the stripes for me to beare.

+M. Mumbl.+ I holde a penny, ye will drink without a cup.

+Tib. Talk.+ Wherein so ere ye drinke, I wote ye drinke all vp.

+An. Alyface.+ By c.o.c.k and well sowed, my good Tibet Talke apace.

+Tib. Talk.+ And een as well knitte my nowne Annot Alyface.

+R. Royster.+ See what a sort she kepeth that must be my wife.

Shall not I when I haue hir, leade a merrie life?

+Tib. Talk.+ Welcome my good wenche, and sitte here by me iust.

+An. Alyface.+ And howe doth our old beldame here, Mage Mumblecrust?

+Tib. Talk.+ Chyde, and finde faultes, and threaten to complaine.

+An. Alyface.+ To make vs poore girles shent to hir is small gaine.

+M. Mumbl.+ I dyd neyther chyde, nor complaine, nor threaten.

+R. Royster.+ It woulde grieue my heart to see one of them beaten.

+M. Mumbl.+ I dyd nothyng but byd hir worke and holde hir peace.

+Tib. Talk.+ So would I, if you coulde your clattering cea.s.se: But the deuill can not make olde trotte holde hir tong.

+An. Alyface.+ Let all these matters pa.s.se, and we three sing a song, So shall we pleasantly bothe the tyme beguile now, And eke dispatche all our workes ere we can tell how.

+Tib. Talk.+ I shrew them that say nay, and that shall not be I.

+M. Mumbl.+ And I am well content.

+Tib. Talk.+ Sing on then by and by.

+R. Royster.+ And I will not away, but listen to their song, Yet Merygreeke and my folkes tary very long.

+Tib+, +An+, _and_ +Margerie+, _doe singe here_.

Pipe mery Annot. etc.

Trilla, Trilla. Trillarie.

Worke Tibet, worke Annot, worke Margerie.

Sewe Tibet, knitte Annot, spinne Margerie.

Let vs see who shall winne the victorie.

+Tib. Talk.+ This sleue is not w.i.l.l.yng to be sewed I trowe, A small thing might make me all in the grounde to throwe.

_Then they sing agayne._

Pipe merrie Annot. etc.

Trilla. Trilla. Trillarie.

What Tibet, what Annot, what Margerie.

Ye sleepe, but we doe not, that shall we trie.

Your fingers be nombde, our worke will not lie.

+Tib. Talk.+ If ye doe so againe, well I would aduise you nay.

In good sooth one stoppe more, and I make holy day.

_They singe the thirde tyme._

Pipe Mery Annot. etc.

Trilla. Trilla. Trillarie.

Nowe Tibbet, now Annot, nowe Margerie.

Nowe whippet apace for the maystrie, But it will not be, our mouth is so drie.

+Tib. Talk.+ Ah, eche finger is a thombe to day me thinke, I care not to let all alone, choose it swimme or sinke.

_They sing the fourth tyme._

Pipe Mery Annot. etc.