A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vi Part 75

[_Exeunt ambo_.

NEMO.

Lucre consumes, being won by Fraud or shift.

Thus, lords, you see how these are qualified, And how these ladies shun that sharp rebuke, Which some deserve by taking of such toys, As women weak are tempted soon with gifts.

But here they come, that must these ladies deck.

Lucre, arise; come from the stone of Care.

_Enter_ HONEST INDUSTRY, PURE ZEAL, _and_ SINCERITY.

HONEST INDUSTRY.

Fair Lucre, lo, what Honest Industry To thee hath brought, to deck thy dainty self.

Lucre, by Honest Industry achiev'd, Shall prosper, nourish, and continue long.

Come to thy chamber, to attire thee there.

NEMO.

Thou mayest depart with Honest Industry.

[_Exit_ LUCRE _with_ HONEST INDUSTRY.

PURE ZEAL.

And, Love, arise from Charity's cold flint: Pure Zeal hath purchas'd robes to cover Love.

Whiles Love is single, Zeal shall her attire, With kind affection mortifying l.u.s.t.

Come, Love, with me these garments to put on.

NEMO.

Love, follow Zeal, and take his ornaments.

[_Exit_ LOVE _with_ PURE ZEAL.

SINCERITY.

Rise, Conscience, from that marble of Remorse, That weeping stone that scalds thy parched skin: Sincerity such robes for thee hath brought, As best beseems good Conscience to adorn.

Come, follow, that thou may'st go put them on; For Conscience, clothed by Sincerity, Is armed well against the enemy.

NEMO.

Follow him, Conscience: fear not; thou art right.

[_Exit_ CONSCIENCE _with_ SINCERITY.

POLICY.

Most reverend Nemo, thanks for this good sight.

Lucre is clothed by Honest Industry.

POMP.

Love by Pure Zeal.

PLEASURE.

And Conscience by Sincerity.

NEMO.

Lordings, thus have you seen them at the first, And thus you see them, trust me, at the worst.

Depart we now: come hence a day or two, And see them deck'd as dainty ladies should, And make such choice as may content you all.

POLICY.

Thanks, righteous Nemo. We, the London lords, Only to thee ourselves acknowledge bound.

[_Exeunt omnes_.

_Enter_ PAINFUL PENURY _and_ SIMPLICITY.

PENURY.

Come on, gentle husband; let us lay our heads together, our purses together, and our reckonings together, to see whether we win or lose, thrive or not, go forward or backward. Do you keep a book or a score?

SIMPLICITY.

A score, wife? you mean for the alehouse, do you not?

I would have her examine me thereof no further, for I am in too far there, more than I would she should know. [_Aside_.

PENURY.

I mean no alehouse-score, but a note of your wares. Let me see: first you began to set up with a royal. How much money have ye? What ware, and what gain?

SIMPLICITY.

I have five shillings in money, two shillings in wares, or thereabout, and I owe two shillings and eightpence upon the score; how much is that? Five shillings, two shillings, and two shillings and eightpence?

PENURY.

That is nine shillings and eightpence: so we are worse by a groat than when we began. Well, once again I'll set ye up: here is four groats I have got by bearing water this week: make up your stock, and run no more behind. Who comes here?

_Enter_ FRAUD, _like [a foreign] artificer_.

SIMPLICITY.

What lack ye? What do ye lack?

FRAUD.

Me lack-a de monish pour de feene--very feene--French knack, de feene gold b.u.t.ton, de brave bugla lace, a de feene gold ring-a. You be free man, me un' foreigner: you buy a me ware, you gain teene pownd by lay out teene sh.e.l.lengs.

SIMPLICITY.

Wife, what hard luck have we, that cannot make ten shillings now to gain ten pound. Why, ten pound would set us up for ever.

PENURY.

Husband, see the ware; and if ten shilling will buy it, it shall go hard but we will make that money. Friend, show my husband your wares.

FRAUD.

Look you dere, mastra, de feene b.u.t.toon de la gold, de ring-a de gold, de bugla shean: two sh.e.l.leng un doozen de b.u.t.toon, un sh.e.l.leng-a un ring. 'Tis worth ten sh.e.l.leng, but, mastra and mastressa, me muss a make money to go over in my own countrey, but me lose teen pound pour hast to go next tide, or to-morrow.

PENURY.

Here is five shillings; buy them of this stranger.

SIMPLICITY.

Friend, you have not stolen them, but you make them? Well, I'll buy them in the open market, and then I care not; here is ten shillings; deliver me the wares.

FRAUD.