CHAP, v.] THE THIRD DA V. 85 



him up, and make him a fisher. And I will tell him one thing 

 for his encouragement, that his fortune hath made him happy to 

 be scholar to such a master ; a master that knows as much, both 

 of the nature and breeding of fish, as any man ; and can also tell 

 him as well how to catch and cook them, from the Minnow to the 

 Salmon, as any that I ever met withal. 



PISCATOR. Trust me, brother Peter, I find my scholar to be 

 so suitable to my own humour, which is to be free and pleasant 

 and civilly merry, that my resolution is to hide nothing that I know 

 from him. Believe me, scholar, this is my resolution ; and so 

 here's to you a hearty draught, and to all that love us and the 

 honest art of Angling. 



VENATOR. 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. 



PISCATOR. 'Tis 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. 



CORIDON. 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. 



CORIDON. I will sing a song, if anybody will sing another : 

 else, to be plain with you, I will sing none. I am none of those 

 that sing for meat, but for company : I say, 



"'Tis merry in hall. 

 When men sing all." * 



PISCATOR. I'll promise you I'll 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 

 Bedlam," t and many others of note ; and this, that I will sing, is 

 in praise of Angling. 



* A parody on the adage, 



" It's merry in hall, 



When beards wag all." 

 i.e., when all are eating. H. 



t This song, beginning " Forth from my sad and darksome cell," with the music to it, 

 set by Hen. Lawes, is printed in a book entitled Playford's Antidote against Melancholy, 



