Information prepared by the Project Gutenberg legal advisor 17
SLY . Are you my wife , and will not call me husband ? My men should call me lord : I am your goodman .
PAGE . My husband and my lord , my lord and husband ; I am your wife in all obedience .
SLY . I know it well . What must I call her ? LORD . Madam . SLY . Al ' ce madam , or Joan madam ? LORD . Madam , and nothing else ; so lords call ladies .
SLY . Madam wife , they say that I have dream ' d And slept above some fifteen year or more .
PAGE . Ay , and the time seems thirty unto me , Being all this time abandon ' d from your bed .
SLY . ' Tis much . Servants , leave me and her alone . Madam , undress you , and come now to bed .
PAGE . Thrice noble lord , let me entreat of you To pardon me yet for a night or two ; Or , if not so , until the sun be set : For your physicians have expressly charg ' d , In peril to incur your former malady , That I should yet absent me from your bed : I hope this reason stands for my excuse .
SLY . Ay , it stands so that I may hardly tarry so long ; but I would be loath to fall into my dreams again : I will therefore tarry , in despite of the flesh and the blood .
[ Enter a SERVANT .]
SERVANT . Your honour ' s players , hearing your amendment , Are come to play a pleasant comedy ; For so your doctors hold it very meet , Seeing too