lenten pie, that is something stale and hoar ere
it be spent. He walks by them and sings.
'An old hare hoar,
And an old hare hoar, 144
Is very good meat in Lent:
But a hare that is hoar,
Is too much for a score,
When it hoars ere it be spent.'
Romeo, will you come to your father's? we'll to
dinner thither. 149
Rom. I will follow you.
Mer. Farewell, ancient lady; farewell,
'Lady, lady, lady.' 152
Nurse. Marry, farewell! I pray you, sir,
what saucy merchant was this, that was so full
of his ropery?
Rom. A gentleman, nurse, that loves to hear
himself talk, and will speak more in a minute
than he will stand to in a month. 158
Nurse. An a' speak anything against me, I'll
take him down, an a' were lustier than he is,
and twenty such Jacks; and if I cannot, I'll find
those that shall. Scurvy knave! I am none of
his flirt-gills; I am none of his skeins-mates.
She turns to Peter, her man.
And thou must stand by too, and suffer every
knave to use me at his pleasure! 165
Pet. I saw no man use you at his pleasure;
if I had, my weapon should quickly have been
142 hoar: mouldy
143 spent: consumed
152 Lady; cf. n.
154 merchant: fellow
155 ropery: knavery
161 Jacks: ill-mannered fellows
163 flirt-gills: loose women
skeins-mates: companions to a scapegrace (?)
