sequious to my Friends, especially when
they require nothing but what's reasonable. O ridiculous! Do you think I
would refuse when offer'd me, that which I should have ask'd for of my
own Accord?

* * * * *

_Don't deceive me. The Form._

_Ch._ Well, but take Care you don't delude me. See you don't deceive me.
Take Care you don't make me feed a vain Hope. See you don't fail my
Expectation. See you don't disappoint me. See you don't lull me on with
a vain Hope.

_Au._ There is no Need to swear. In other Things, in other Matters you
may be afraid of Perfidy. In this I won't deceive you. But hark you, see
that you provide nothing but what you do daily: I would have no holy Day
made upon my Account. You know that I am a Guest that am no great
Trencher Man, but a very merry Man.

_Ch._ I'll be sure to take Care. I will entertain you with Scholars
Commons, if not with slenderer Fare.

_Au._ Nay, if you'd please me, let it be with _Diogenes_'s Fare.

_Ch._ You may depend upon it, I will treat you with a _Platonick_
Supper, in which you shall have a great many learned Stories, and but a
little Meat, the Pleasure of which shall last till the next Day: whereas
they that have been nobly entertain'd, enjoy perhaps a little Pleasure
that Day, but the next are troubled with the Head-ach, and Sickness at
the Stomach. He that supp'd with _Plato_, had one Pleasure from the easy
Preparation, and Philosopher's Stories; and another the next Day, that
his Head did not ach, and that his Stomach was not sick, and so had a
good Dinner of the sauce of last Night's Supper.

_Au._ I like it very well, let it be as you have said.

_Ch._ Do you see that you leave all your Cares and melancholy Airs at
Home, and bring nothing hither but Jokes and Merriment; and as _Juvenal_
says,

_Protenus ante meum, quicquid dolet, exue limen.

Lay all that troubles you down before my Door, before you come into it._

_Au._ What? Would you have me bring no Learning along with me? I will
bring my Muses with me, unless you think it not convenient.

_Ch._ Shut up your ill-natured Muses at Home with your Business, but
bring your good-natured Muses, all your witty Jests, your By-words, your
Banters, your Pleasantries, your pretty Sayings, and all your
Ridiculosities along with you.

_Au._ I'll do as you bid me; put on all my best Looks. We'll be merry
Fellows. We'll laugh our Bellies full. We'll make much of ourselv