1 You'll leave your noise anon, ye rascals: do you 2 take the court for Paris-garden? ye rude slaves, 3 leave your gaping. Within 4 Good master porter, I belong to the larder.
Porter
5 Belong to the gallows, and be hanged, ye rogue! is 6 this a place to roar in? Fetch me a dozen crab-tree 7 staves, and strong ones: these are but switches to 8 'em. I'll scratch your heads: you must be seeing 9 christenings? do you look for ale and cakes here, 10 you rude rascals?
Man
11 Pray, sir, be patient: 'tis as much impossible-- 12 Unless we sweep 'em from the door with cannons-- 13 To scatter 'em, as 'tis to make 'em sleep 14 On May-day morning; which will never be: 15 We may as well push against Powle's, as stir em.
Porter
16 How got they in, and be hang'd?
Man
17 Alas, I know not; how gets the tide in? 18 As much as one sound cudgel of four foot-- 19 You see the poor remainder--could distribute, 20 I made no spare, sir.
Porter
21 You did nothing, sir.
Man
22 I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand, 23 To mow 'em down before me: but if I spared any 24 That had a head to hit, either young or old, 25 He or she, cuckold or cuckold-maker, 26 Let me ne'er hope to see a chine again 27 And that I would not for a cow, God save her! Within 28 Do you hear, master porter?
Porter
29 I shall be with you presently, good master puppy. 30 Keep the door close, sirrah.
Man
31 What would you have me do?
Porter
32 What should you do, but knock 'em down by the 33 dozens? Is this Moorfields to muster in? or have 34 we some strange Indian with the great tool come to 35 court, the women so besiege us? Bless me, what a 36 fry of fornication is at door! On my Christian 37 conscience, this one christening will beget a 38 thousand; here will be father, godfather, and all together.
Man
39 The spoons will be the bigger, sir. There is a 40 fellow somewhat near the door, he should be a 41 brazier by his face, for, o' my conscience, twenty 42 of the dog-days now reign in's nose; all that stand 43 about him are under the line, they need no other 44 penance: that fire-drake did I hit three times on 45 the head, and three times was his nose discharged 46 against me; he stands there, like a mortar-piece, to 47 blow us. There was a haberdasher's wife of small 48 wit near him, that railed upon me till her pinked 49 porringer fell off her head, for kindling such a 50 combustion in the state. I missed the meteor once, 51 and hit that woman; who cried out 'Clubs!' when I 52 might see from far some forty truncheoners draw to 53 her succor, which were the hope o' the Strand, where 54 she was quartered. They fell on; I made good my 55 place: at length they came to the broom-staff to 56 me; I defied 'em still: when suddenly a file of 57 boys behind 'em, loose shot, delivered such a shower 58 of pebbles, that I was fain to draw mine honour in, 59 and let 'em win the work: the devil was amongst 60 'em, I think, surely.
Porter
61 These are the youths that thunder at a playhouse, 62 and fight for bitten apples; that no audience, but 63 the tribulation of Tower-hill, or the limbs of 64 Limehouse, their dear brothers, are able to endure. 65 I have some of 'em in Limbo Patrum, and there they 66 are like to dance these three days; besides the 67 running banquet of two beadles that is to come.
Enter Chamberlain
Chamberlain
68 Mercy o' me, what a multitude are here! 69 They grow still too; from all parts they are coming, 70 As if we kept a fair here! Where are these porters, 71 These lazy knaves? Ye have made a fine hand, fellows: 72 There's a trim rabble let in: are all these 73 Your faithful friends o' the suburbs? We shall have 74 Great store of room, no doubt, left for the ladies, 75 When they pass back from the christening.
Porter
76 An't please 77 your honour, 78 We are but men; and what so many may do, 79 Not being torn a-pieces, we have done: 80 An army cannot rule 'em.
Chamberlain
81 As I live, 82 If the king blame me for't, I'll lay ye all 83 By the heels, and suddenly; and on your heads 84 Clap round fines for neglect: ye are lazy knaves; 85 And here ye lie baiting of bombards, when 86 Ye should do service. Hark! the trumpets sound; 87 They're come already from the christening: 88 Go, break among the press, and find a way out 89 To let the troop pass fairly; or I'll find 90 A Marshalsea shall hold ye play these two months.
Porter
91 Make way there for the princess.
Man
92 You great fellow, 93 Stand close up, or I'll make your head ache.
Porter
94 You i' the camlet, get up o' the rail; 95 I'll peck you o'er the pales else.