A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vi Part 68

PLEASURE.

At liberty, thou spotless magistrate, That of the cause dost carry all regard, Careless of bribes, of birth and parentage, Because thyself art only born to bliss.

Bless us so much, that lords of London are, That those three ladies, born and bred with us, May by our suits release of thraldom find.

NEMO.

Release, my lords! why seek ye their release, That have perpetual prison for their doom?

POLICY.

But Nemo can from thence redeem them all.

NEMO.

Their deeds were cause, not Nemo, of their thrall.

POMP.

Yet Nemo was the judge that sentence gave.

NEMO.

But Nemo never spill'd, whom he could save.

PLEASURE.

Thou from perpetual prison may'st revoke.

POLICY.

Death hath no power 'gainst him to give a stroke.

POMP.

Thou only mild and courteous sir, vouchsafe To grant our suit, and set those ladies free.

NEMO.

What is your purpose in this earnest suit?

PLEASURE.

To marry them, and make them honest wives.

NEMO.

But may it be, that men of your regard, Lords of such fortune and so famous place, Will link yourselves with ladies so forlorn, And so distained with more than common crimes?

POLICY.

Marriage doth make amends for many a miss.

POMP.

And love doth cover heaps of c.u.mbrous evils.

PLEASURE.

And doth forget the faults that were before.

NEMO.

Mean as you say: you need to say no more.

POLICY.

In token that we mean what we have said, Lo, here our shields, the prizes of our love, To challenge all, except thyself, that dare Deny those ladies to be ours by right.

NEMO.

Woo them and win them, win them and wear them too: I shall both comfort and discourage you, my lords.

The comfort's this: of all those former crimes, Wherewith the world was wont these dames to charge, I have them clear'd, and made them all as free As they were born, no blemish left to see.

But the discourage, gentle lords, is this: The time of their endurance hath been long, Whereby their clothes of cost and curious stuff Are worn to rags, and give them much disgrace.

POMP.

Alas. good ladies! was there none that sued For their release, before we took't in hand?

NEMO.

Yes, divers for fair Lucre sought release.

And some for Love would fain have paid the fees; But silly Conscience sat without regard In sorrow's dungeon, sighing by herself.

Which when I saw that some did sue for Love, And most for Lucre, none for Conscience, A vow I made, which now I shall perform: Till some should sue to have release for all, Judg'd as they were, they should remain in thrall.

But you, that crave their freedoms all at once.

Shall have your suit, and see them here ere long.

A little while you must have patience, And leave this place. Go in, my lords, before.

POMP.

Becometh us to wait on Nemo still.

NEMO.

Not so; but, lordings, one condition more.

You promise me, sith they are in my power, I shall dispose them, when they are releas'd, Upon you three, as I shall think it best.

POMP.

Do but command, and we shall all subscribe.

NEMO.

Then go your ways, for I have here to do.

[_Exeunt Three Lords_.

_Enter_ SORROW.

Sorrow, draw near; to-morrow bring thou forth Love, Lucre, Conscience, whom thou hast in thrall, Upon these stones to sit and take the air, But set no watch or spial[246] what they do.

[_Exeunt Ambo_.

_Enter_ FRAUD, USURY, DISSIMULATION, SIMONY, and SIMPLICITY.

FRAUD.

How happy may we call this merry day, my mates, wherein we meet, that once were desperate, I think, ever to have seen one another, when Nemo, that upright judge, had, by imprisoning our mistresses, banished us (by setting such diligent watch for us) out of London, and almost out of the world. But live we yet and are we met, and near our old seat?

Usury, is it thou? Let me see, or hath some other stolen thy face?

Speakest thou, man?

USURY.

No, Fraud: though many have counterfeited both thee and me, We are ourselves yet, and no changelings, I see And why shouldst thou ask me, man, if I live?

The silly a.s.s cannot feed on harder forage than Usury: she upon thistles, and I upon a brown crust of a month old.