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

 14                        When the time came that Tom appear- ed 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 impu- dent and saucy 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 chamberlain hearing what a fool he                      was to proclaim himself a cuckold, smiled in conceit; then called Tom, and asked him, Whether that was true which his master said against him? To which he                      answered, if it please your worship, I can- not deny it. You are, said the chamber- lain, an impudent rogue. Not said Tom, such an impudent rogue, as your worship ---takes me to be. Çome, sirrah, said the chamberlain, I'll teach you to set your words closer together. He, observing Tom to be very arch, reproving him, by                      telling him what a great sin it was, and bidding him fly from the embraces of his mistress, as Joseph did. May it please your worship, said Tom, if his mistress had been so fair as mine he would not have forsaken her. The chamberlain hearing this jest, fell into a great laughter,