_Adol._ Very well.
_Ber._ Well, what do you say now? Are you beat or no?
_Adol._ You have had better Luck than I, but yet I won"t vail to you, as to Strength and Art; I"ll stand to what the Company says.
_Arb._ The _German_ has beat, and the Victory is the more glorious, that he has beat so good a Gamester.
_Ber._ Now c.o.c.k, crow.
_Adol._ I am hoa.r.s.e.
_Ber._ That"s no new Thing to c.o.c.ks; but if you can"t crow like an old c.o.c.k, crow like a c.o.c.keril.
_Adol._ Let _Germany_ flourish thrice.
_Ber._ You ought to have said so thrice. I am a-dry; let us drink somewhere, I"ll make an end of the Song there.
_Adol._ I won"t stand upon that, if the Company likes it.
_Arb._ That will be the best, the c.o.c.k will crow clearer when his Throat is gargled.
_3. The Play of striking a Ball through an Iron Ring.
GASPAR, ERASMUS.
Gas._ Come, let"s begin, _Marcolphus_ shall come in, in the Losers Place.
_Er._ But what shall we play for?
_Gas._ He that is beat shall make and repeat _extempore_ a Distich, in Praise of him that beat him.
_Er._ With all my Heart.
_Gas._ Shall we toss up who shall go first?
_Er._ Do you go first if you will, I had rather go last.
_Gas._ You have the better of me, because you know the Ground.
_Er._ You"re upon your own Ground.
_Gas._ Indeed I am better acquainted with the Ground, than I am with my Books; but that"s but a small Commendation.
_Er._ You that are so good a Gamester ought to give me Odds.
_Gas._ Nay, you should rather give me Odds; but there"s no great Honour in getting a Victory, when Odds is taken: He only can properly be said to get the Game, that gets it by his own Art; we are as well match"d as can be.
_Er._ Yours is a better Ball than mine.
_Gas._ And yours is beyond me.
_Er._ Play fair, without cheating and cozening.
_Gas._ You shall say you have had to do with a fair Gamester.
_Er._ But I would first know the Orders of the Bowling-alley.
_Gas._ We make 4 up; whoever bowls beyond this Line it goes for nothing; if you can go beyond those other Bounds, do it fairly and welcome: Whoever hits a Bowl out of his Place loses his Cast.
_Er._ I understand these Things.
_Gas._ I have shut you out.
_Er._ But I"ll give you a Remove.
_Gas._ If you do that I"ll give you the Game.
_Er._ Will you upon your Word?
_Gas._ Yes, upon my Word: You have no other Way for it but to bank your Bowl so as to make it rebound on mine.
_Er._ I"ll try: Well, what say you now Friend? Are not you beaten away?
(Have I not struck you away?)
_Gas._ I am, I confess it; I wish you were but as wise as you are lucky; you can scarce do so once in a hundred Times.
_Er._ I"ll lay you, if you will, that I do it once in three Times. But come pay me what I have won.
_Gas._ What"s that?
_Er._ Why, a Distich.
_Gas._ Well, I"ll pay it now.
_Er._ And an extempore one too. Why do you bite your Nails?
_Gas._ I have it.
_Er._ Recite it out.
_Gas._ As loud as you will.
_Young Standers-by, dap ye the Conqueror brave, Who me has beat, is the more learned Knave_.
Han"t you a Distich now?
_Er._ I have, and I"ll give you as good as you bring.