Il6 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



Ven. Trust me, good master, you shall not sow 

 your seed in barren ground, for I hope to return 

 you an increase answerable to your hopes ; but, 

 however, you shall find me obedient and thankful 

 and serviceable to my best ability. 



Pise. 'T is enough, honest scholar ! come, let 's 

 to supper. Come, my friend Coridon, this trout 

 looks lovely : it was twenty-two inches when it 

 was taken ; and the belly of it looked, some part 

 of it, as yellow as a marigold, and part of it as 

 white as a lily ; and yet, methinks, it looks better 

 in this good sauce. 



Cor. Indeed, honest friend, it looks well and 

 tastes well. I thank you for it ; and so doth my 

 friend Peter, or else he is to blame. 



Peter. Yes, and so I do ; we all thank you, and 

 when we have supped I will get my friend Coridon 

 to sing you a song for requital. 



Cor. I will sing a song if anybody will sing an- 

 other. Else, to be plain with you, I will sing none. 

 I am none of those that sing for meat, but for 

 company. I say, " 'T is merry in hall when men 

 sing all." 



Pise. I '11 promise you I '11 sing a song that was 

 lately made, at my request, by Mr. William Basse, 

 one that hath made the choice songs of the 

 " Hunter in his Career," and of " Tom of Bed- 

 lam," and many others of note ; and this that I 

 will sing is in praise of angling. 



1 Parody on the adage, 



" It 's merry in the hall 

 When beards wag all." 



