as lief
be a list of an English kersey as be piled, as thou
art piled, for a French velvet. Do I speak
feelingly now?
I think thou dost; and, indeed, with most painful
feeling of thy speech: I will, out of thine own
confession, learn to begin thy health; but, whilst I
live, forget to drink after thee.
I think I have done myself wrong, have I not?
Yes, that thou hast, whether thou art tainted or free.
Behold, behold. where Madam Mitigation comes! I
have purchased as many diseases under her roof as come to--
To what, I pray?
Judge.
To three thousand dolours a year.
Ay, and more.
A French crown more.
Thou art always figuring diseases in me; but thou
art full of error; I am sound.
Nay, not as one would say, healthy; but so sound as
things that are hollow: thy bones are hollow;
impiety has made a feast of thee.
How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica?
Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried
to prison was worth five thousand of you all.
Who's that, I pray thee?
Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio.
Claudio to prison? 'tis not so.
Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw
him carried away; and, which is more, within these
three days his head to be chopped off.
But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so.
Art thou sure of this?
I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam
Julietta with child.
Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two
hours since, and he was ever precise in
promise-keeping.
Besides, you know, it draws something near to the
speech we had to such a purpose.
But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation.
Away! let's go learn the truth of it.
Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what
with the gallows and what with poverty, I am
custom-shrunk.
How now! what's the news with you?
Yonder man is carried to prison.
Well; what has he done?
A woman.
But what's his offence?
Groping for trouts in a peculiar river.
What, is there a maid with child by him?
No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have
not heard of the proclamation, have you?
What proclamation, man?
All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down.
And what shall become of those in the city?
They shall stand for seed: they