THE LAMENTABLE COMPLAINTS OF neck FROTH the Tapster, and RVLEROST the cook. Concerning the restraint lately set forth, against drinking, potting, and piping on the Sabbath day, and against selling meate. a depiction of Nick Froth the Tapster and Ruleroast the Cook Printed in the year, 1641. THE LAMENTABLE COMPLAINTS OF neck FROTH the Tapster, AND RVLEROST the Cook. Concerning the restraint lately set forth, against drinking, potting, and piping on the Sabbath-day, and against selling meate. Froth. MY honest friend cook ruffian well met, I pray thee what good news is stirring. Cook. Good news( said you?) I, where is't? there is such news in the world, will anger thee to hear of, it is as bad, as bad may be. Fr. Is there so? I pray thee what is it, tell me whatsoever it be. Co. Have you not heard of the restraint lately come out against us, from the higher Powers; whereby we are commanded not to sell meat nor draw drink upon Sundays, as we will answer t●e contrary at our perils. Fr. I have heard that some such thing was intended to be done, but never before now, that it was under black and white: I hope there is no such matter: Art thou sure this thy news is true? Co. Am I sure, I ever roasted a fat big on a Sunday until the eyes dropped out, think you. S'foot, shall I not credit my own eyes. Fr. I would thine had dropped out too, before ever thou hadst seen this, and if this be your news, you might have kept it, with a pox to you. Co. Nay, why so choleric my friend, you told me you would hear me with patience, whatsoever it were. Fr. I cry thee hearty mercy, honest Rulerost, I am sorry for what I said, it was my passion made me forget myself so much: but I hope this command as you speak, will not continue long, will it think you Master cook? Co. Too long to our grief I fear, the Church-Wardens, Side-men, and Constables, will so look to our read Lattices, that we shall not dare to put our heads out of doors on a Sunday hereafter. What think you neighbour, is it not like to prove so? Fr. truly it is much to be feared; but what do you think will become of us then, if these times hold? Co. i'faith, Master Froth, we must shut up our doors and hang padlocks on them, and never so much as take leave of our Land-lords. Fr. Master Ruierost, I jump with you in opinion for if I tarry in my house till quarter-day, my Land-lord, I fear, will provide me a house gratis. I am very unwilling to trust him, he was always wonderful kind, and ready to help any of his debtors to such a curtisie; to be plain with you, I know not in which of the counters I shall keep my Christmas, if I do not wisely by running away prevent him. Co. Thou hast spoken my own thoughts, but I stand not so much in danger of my gripping Land-lord, as I do of Master Kill-calfe my Butcher, I am run into almost half a yeares arrearages wi●h him; I do owe him near ninety pounds for meat, which I have had of him at divers and sundry times, as by his Tally, may more at large appear. Fr. I myself am almost as far in debt to my Brewer, as you are to your Butcher; I had almost forgotten that, I see I am no man of this World; if I tarry in England: He hath often threatened to make dice of my bones already, but Ile prevent him; Ile show him the bag, I warrant him. Co. He had rather you would show him the money and keep the bag to yourself. Fr. I much wonder, Master Rulerost why my trade should be put down, it being so necessary in a Common-wealth: why, the noble art of drinking, it is the soul of all good fellowship, the marrow of a Poets Minervs, it makes a man as valiant as Hercules, though he were as cowardly as a French man; besides, I could prove it necessary for any man sometimes to be drunk, for suppose you should kill a man when you are drunk, you shall never be hanged for it until you are sober; therefore I think it good for a man to be always drunk: and besides it is the kindest companion, and friendliest sin of all the seven; for most fins leave a man by some accident or other, before his death. But this will never forsake him till the breath be out of his body: and lastly, a full bowl of strong beer will drown all sorrows. Co, Master neck, you are mistaken, your trade is not put down as you seem to say; what ●s done, is done to a good intent; to the end that poor men that work hard all the week for a little money, should not spend it all on the Sunday while they should be at some Church, and so consequently there will not be so many beggars. Fr. Alack you know all my profit doth arise onely upon Sundays, let them but allow me that privilege, and abridge me all the week besides: S'foot, I could have so scoured my young sparks up for a penny a demi Can, or a half pint, heaped with froth. I got more by uttering half a barrel in time of Divine service, then I could by a whole barrel at any other time, for my customers were glad to take any thing for money, and think themselves much engaged to me; but now the case is altered. Co. truly Master Froth, you are a man of a Light constitution, and not so much to be blamed as I that am more solid: O what will become of me! I now think of the lusty Surloines of roast beef which I with much policy divided into an innumerable company of semy slices, by which, with my provident wife, I used to make eighteen pence of that which cost me but a groat( provided that I sold it in service time,) I could tell you too, how I used my half Cans and my Bloomesbury Pots, when occasion served; and my smoke which I sold dearer then any Apothecary doth his physic: but those happy dayes are now past, and therefore no more of that. Fr. Well, I am rid of one charge which did continually vex me by this means. Co. I prie thee what was that? Fr. Why Master Rulerost, I was wont to be in see with the Apparitors, because they should not bring me into the Bawdy Court for selling drink on sundays. Ile assure you they used to have a Noble a quarter of me, but now they shall excuse me, they are like to have no more quartridge of me, and indeed the truth is, their trade begins to be out of request as well as ours. Co. I, trust me neighbour, I pity them; I was as much troubled with those kind of Rascals as yourself, onely I confess I paid them no quartridge, but they tickled my beef, a ston of beef was no more in one of their bellies, then a man in Pauls; but now I must take occasion to ease myself of that charge; and with confidence I will now bid them, walk knave, walk. Fr. truly Master Rulerost, it doth something ease my mind when I think that we have companions in misery. Authority I perceive is quick sighted, it can quickly espy a hole in a knaves coat. But Master cook we forget ourselves, it groweth near supper time, and we must part, I would tell you what I intend to do, but time prevents me, therefore Ile refer it until the next time we meet; And so farewell. FINIS.