Volume Ii Part 35 (1/2)

The world is now meetly well amended indeed,

ESAU. By my truth, if I had bidden[267] from meat any longer, I think my very maw would have fret asunder.

Then had I been dead and gone, I make G.o.d a vow.

RAGAN. Surely then the world had had a great loss of you; For where should we have had your fellow in your place?

[_Aside_.

ESAU. What should I have done with my birthright in this case?

RAGAN. Kept it still, and you had not been a very a.s.s. [_Aside_.

ESAU. But the best pottage it was yet, that ever was.

It were sin not to sell one's soul for such gear.

RAGAN. Ye have done no less in my conscience, I fear. [_Aside_.

ESAU. Who is this that standeth clattering at my back?

RAGAN. A poor man of yours, sir, that doth his dinner lack.

ESAU. Dinner, wh.o.r.eson knave? dinner at this time a' day?

Nothing with thee but dinner and munching alway.

Why, thy wh.o.r.eson villain slave, who is hungry now?

RAGAN. Indeed, sir (as seemeth by your words) not you.

ESAU. A man were better fill the bellies of some twelfe, Than to fill the gut of one such wh.o.r.eson elf; That doth none other good but eat, and drink, and sleep.

RAGAN. He shall do something else, whom ye shall have to keep. [_Aside_.

ESAU. And that maketh thee so slothful and so lither, I dare say he was six hours coming hither, When I sent him to make provision afore, Not pa.s.sing a mile hence or very little more.

And yet being so far pa.s.s'd the hour of dining, See, and the knave be not for his dinner whining!

Fast a while, fast with a mischief, greedy slave, Must I provide meat for every glutton knave?

RAGAN. I may fast, for any meat that of you I have. [_Aside_.

ESAU. Or deserve thy dinner, before thou do't crave.

RAGAN. If I have not deserved it at this season, I shall never deserve it in mine own reason.

Ye promised I should eat, till I cried ho.

ESAU. Yea, that was, if we took either hare, teg, or doe.

RAGAN. But when yourself were hungry, ye said, I wot what----

ESAU. What, thou villain slave, tellest thou me now of that?

RAGAN. Then, help, run apace, Ragan, my good servant.

ESAU. Yea then was then, now is it otherwise: avaunt!

Have I nothing to do but provide meat for you?

RAGAN. Ye might have given me some part, when ye had enough.

ESAU. What, of the red rice pottage with Jacob I had?