Page:Wanton Tom, or, The merry history of Tom Stitch the tailor.pdf/14

14 When the time came that Tom appeared before the chamberlain, his maſter made this complaint of him:-Worſhipful ſir, I have brought my man before you to have him ſeverely puniſhed for being ſo impudent and fancy as to lie with my wife and to prove the truth of it I have brought my maid to witneſs it; Therefore I intreat your worſhip to puniſh him with all the ſeverity the law can inflict.

The chamberiain hearing what a fool he was to proclaim himſelf a cucklold, ſmiled in conceit; then called Tom, and asked him, Whether that was true which his maſter ſaid againſt him? To which he anſwered it it pleaſe your worſhip I cannot deny it. You are an impudent rogue, ſaid the chamberlain. Not, ſaid Tom, ſuch an impudent rogue as your worſhip --akes me to be Come, sirrah, ſaid the chamberlain I'll teach you to let your words cloſer together. He obſerving Tom to be very arch, reproved him, by telling him fly from the embraces of his miſtreſs, as Joſeph did. May it pleaſe your were ſhip, ſaid Tom, if his miſtreſs had been to fair as mine, he would not have forſaken her. The chamberlain hearing this jeſt, fell into a great laughter, as, likewiſe did all thoſe that were then preſent and immediately diſmiſsed him, without any puniſhment.