SIR ARTH. Well, 'tis in vain to cross thee, Providence: Dear son, I take thee up into my heart; Rise, daughter.
HOST. Why, Sir John.[316] send for Spindle's noise[317] presently: Ha! ere't be night, I'll serve the good Duke of Norfolk.
SIR JOHN. Grass and hay! mine host, let's live till we die, and be merry; and there's an end.
SIR ARTH. What, is breakfast ready, mine host?
SIR ARTH. Sirrah! ride straight to Cheston nunnery, Fetch thence my lady; the house, I know, By this time misses their young votary. Come, knights, let's in.
BIL. I will to horse presently, sir. A plague on my lady, I shall miss a good breakfast. Smug, how chance you cut so plaguely behind, Smug?
BIL. Farewell, Smug, thou art in another element.
SMUG. I will be by and by; I will be Saint George again.
SIR ARTH. Take heed the fellow do not hurt himself.
SIR RALPH. Did we not last night find two Saint Georges here?
FAB. Yes, knights, this martialist was one of them.
CLARE. Then thus conclude your night of merriment.
(1.) _Ram-Alley: Or Merrie Trickes. A Comedy Divers times here-to-fore acted by the Children of the Kings Reuels. Written by Lo: Barrey. At London Printed by G. Eld, for Robert Wilson, and are to be sold at his shop in Holborne, at the new yate of Grayes-Inne._ 1611. 4.
(2.) _Ram-Alley; Or Merry-Trickes. A Comedy. Divers times here-to-fore acted by the Children of the Kings Revels. Written by Lo. Barrey. London. Printed by John Norton, for Robert Wilson._ 1636. 4.
Lodowick Barry is said to have been a gentleman of Irish birth, and Anthony Wood is pleased to compliment him with the title of Lord, which is very probably a mistake. No circumstances concerning him remain, not even the times of his birth and death; though the latter was not unlikely to be soon after the publication of the following play, the only one which he wrote. The writer of his article in the "Biographia Dramatica" says that "the plot in this play of William Small-shanks decoying the Widow Taffata into marriage is the same with that in Kiligrew's 'Parson's Wedding,' _and both taken from the 'English Rogue._'" The latter part of this assertion is entirely without foundation, and the least attention to dates would have prevented the writer's falling into so gross an error. Both plays were published before "The English Rogue" appeared; "Ram-Alley"[318] above fifty years; and "The Parson's Wedding" about ten or twelve.