Glend. A shorter time shall send me to you, lords; 92
And in my conduct shall your ladies come,
From whom you now must steal and take no leave;
For there will be a world of water shed
Upon the parting of your wives and you. 96
Hot. Methinks my moiety, north from Burton here,
In quantity equals not one of yours:
See how this river comes me cranking in,
And cuts me from the best of all my land 100
A huge half-moon, a monstrous cantle out.
I'll have the current in this place damm'd up,
And here the smug and silver Trent shall run
In a new channel, fair and evenly: 104
It shall not wind with such a deep indent,
To rob me of so rich a bottom here.
Glend. Not wind! it shall, it must; you see it doth.
Mort. Yea, but 108
Mark how he bears his course, and runs me up
With like advantage on the other side;
Gelding the opposed continent as much,
As on the other side it takes from you. 112
Wor. Yea, but a little charge will trench him here,
And on this north side win this cape of land;
And then he runs straight and even.
Hot. I'll have it so; a little charge will do it.
Glend. I will not have it alter'd.
Hot.Will not you? 117
Glend. No, nor you shall not.
Hot.Who shall say me nay?
Glend. Why, that will I.
93 conduct: escort
97 moiety: portion
99 cranking: winding
100 the best of all my land; cf. n.
101 cantle: piece
103 smug: neat, trim
106 bottom: low, rich land
111 Gelding: cutting
opposed continent: country opposite
113 charge: expense
