A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vi Part 53

CONSCIENCE.

What, Usury, it is great pity thou art unhanged yet.

USURY.

Believe me, Conscience, it grieves me thou art brought so low.

CONSCIENCE.

Believe me, Usury, it grieves me thou wast not hanged long ago; For if thou hadst been hanged, before thou slewest Hospitality, Thou hadst not made me and thousands more to feel like poverty.

_Enter_ LUCRE.

LUCRE.

Methought I heard one cry brooms along the door.

USURY.

Ay, marry, madam; it was Conscience, who seems to be offended at me very sore.

LUCRE.

Alas, Conscience! art thou become a poor broom-wife?

CONSCIENCE.

Alas, Lucre! wilt thou continue a harlot all [the] days of thy life?

LUCRE.

Alas! I think it is a grief to thee that thou art so poor.

CONSCIENCE.

Alas, Lucre! I think it is no pain to thee, that thou still playest the wh.o.r.e.

LUCRE.

Well, well, Conscience, that sharp tongue of thine hath not been thy furtherance: If thou hadst kept thy tongue, thou hadst kept thy friend, and not have had such hindrance.

But wottest thou who shall be married tomorrow?

Love with my Dissimulation; For, I think, to bid the guests they are by this time wellnigh gone; And having occasion to buy brooms, I care not if I buy them all.

CONSCIENCE.

Then, give me a s.h.i.+lling, and with a goodwill have them you shall.

LUCRE.

Usury, carry in these brooms, and give them to the maid, For I know of such store she will be well apaid.

[_Exit_ USURY _with the brooms_.

Hold, Conscience; though thy brooms be not worth a quarter so much, Yet to give thee a piece of gold I do it not grutch; And if thou wouldst follow my mind, thou shouldst not live in such sort, But pa.s.s thy days with pleasure, store of every kind of sport.

CONSCIENCE.

I think you lead the world in a string, for everybody follows you: And sith every one doth it, why may not I do it too?

For that I see your free heart and great liberality, I marvel not that all people are so willing to follow ye.

LUCRE.

Then, sweet soul, mark what I would have thee do for me.

That is, to deck up thy poor cottage handsomely; And for that purpose I have five thousand crowns in store, And when it is spent, thou shalt have twice as much more.

But only see thy rooms be neat, when I shall thither resort, With familiar friends to play, and[213] pa.s.s the time in sport; For the deputy, constable and spiteful neighbours do spy, pry, and eye about my house, That I dare not be once merry within, but still mute like a mouse.

CONSCIENCE.

My good Lady Lucre, I will fulfil your mind in every kind of thing, So that you shall be welcome at all hours, whomsoever you do bring: And all the dogs in the town shall not bark at your doings, I trow; For your full pretence and intent I do throughly know, Even so well as if you had opened the very secrets of your heart, For which I doubt not but to rest in your favour by my desert.

But here comes your man, Usury.

_Enter_ USURY.

LUCRE.

I'll send him home for the money--Usury, step in, And bring me the box of all abhomination, that stands in the window: It is little and round, painted with divers colours, and is pretty to the show.

USURY.

Madam, is there any superscription thereon?

LUCRE.

Have I not told you the name? for shame; get you gone.

[_Exit_ USURY.]

Well, my wench, I doubt not but our pleasures shall excel, Seeing thou hast got a corner fit, where few neighbours dwell, And they be of the poorest sort, which fits our turn so right, Because they dare not speak against our sports and sweet delight: And if they should, alas! their words would nought at all be weigh'd, And for to speak before my face they will be all afraid.

_Enter_ USURY, _with a painted box of ink in his hand_.

USURY.

Madam, I deem this same to be it, so far as I can guess.

LUCRE.

Thou sayest the truth; 'tis it indeed: the outside shows no less, But, Usury, I think Dissimulation hath not seen you since your coming home; Therefore go see him: he will rejoice, when to him you are shown.

It is a busy time with him: help to further him, if you can.

USURY.

You may command me to attend at board to be his man.

[_Exit_ USURY.

_Here let_ LUCRE _open the box, and dip her finger in it, and spot_ CONSCIENCE' _face, saying as followeth_.

LUCRE.

Hold here, my sweet; and then over to see if any want.

The more I do behold this face, the more my mind doth vaunt.

This face is of favour, these cheeks are reddy and white; These lips are cherry-red, and full of deep delight: Quick-rolling eyes, her temples high, and forehead white as snow; Her eyebrows seemly set in frame, with dimpled chin below.

O, how beauty hath adorned thee with every seemly hue, In limbs, in looks, with all the rest proportion keeping due.

Sure, I have not seen a finer soul in every kind of part: I cannot choose but kiss thee with my lips, that love thee with my heart.

CONSCIENCE.

I have told the crowns, and here are just so many as you to me did say.

LUCRE.

Then, when thou wilt, thou may'st depart, and homewards take thy way.