按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Will have your purse。
SURESBY。
Th'art an honest knave：
Tell me what are they？ where they may be caught？
Aye； those are they I look for。
LIFTER。
You talk of me； sir；
Alas； I am a puny！ there's one indeed
Goes by my name； he puts down all for purses；
He'll steal your worship's purse under your nose。
SURESBY。
Ha； ha！ Art thou so sure； varlet？
Well； well；
Be as familiar as thou wilt； my knave；
Tis this I long to know。
LIFTER。
And you shall have your longing ere ye go。
This fellow； sir； perhaps will meet ye thus；
Or thus； or thus； and in kind complement
Pretend acquaintance； somewhat doubtfully；
And these embraces serve
SURESBY。
Aye； marry； Lifter； wherefor serve they？
＇Shrugging gladly。＇
LIFTER。
Only to feel
Whether you go full under sail or no；
Or that your lading be aboard your bark。
SURESBY。
In plainer English； Lifter； if my purse
Be stored or no？
LIFTER。
Ye have it； sir。
SURESBY。
Excellent； excellent。
LIFTER。
Then； sir； you cannot but for manner's sake
Walk on with him； for he will walk your way；
Alleging either you have much forgot him；
Or he mistakes you。
SURESBY。
But in this time has he my purse or no？
LIFTER。
Not yet； sir； fie！
＇Aside。｝ No； nor I have not yours。
＇Enter Lord Mayor； &c。＇
But now we must forbear； my lords return。
SURESBY。
A murren on't！Lifter； we'll more anon：
Aye； thou sayest true； there are shrewd knaves indeed：
＇He sits down。＇
But let them gull me； widgen me； rook me； fop me！
Yfaith； yfaith； they are too short for me。
Knaves and fools meet when purses go：
Wise men look to their purses well enough。
MORE。
＇Aside。＇ Lifter； is it done？
LIFTER。
＇Aside。＇ Done； Master Shreeve； and there it is。
MORE。
＇Aside。＇ Then build upon my word。 I'll save thy life。
RECORDER。
Lifter； stand to the bar：
The jury have returned the guilty； thou must die；
According to the custom。Look to it； Master Shreeve。
LORD MAYOR。
Then； gentlemen； as you are wont to do；
Because as yet we have no burial place；
What charity your meaning's to bestow
Toward burial of the prisoners now condemned；
Let it be given。 There is first for me。
RECORDER。
And there for me。
ANOTHER。
And me。
SURESBY。
Body of me； my purse is gone！
MORE。
Gone； sir！ what； here！ how can that be？
LORD MAYOR。
Against all reason； sitting on the bench。
SURESBY。
Lifter； I talked with you； you have not lifted me？ ha！
LIFTER。
Suspect ye me； sir？ Oh； what a world is this！
MORE。
But hear ye； master Suresby； are ye sure
Ye had a purse about ye？
SURESBY。
Sure； Master Shrieve！ as sure as you are there；
And in it seven pounds； odd money； on my faith。
MORE。
Seven pounds； odd money！ what； were you so mad；
Being a wise man and a magistrate；
To trust your purse with such a liberal sum？
Seven pounds； odd money！ fore God； it is a shame；
With such a sum to tempt necessity：
I promise ye； a man that goes abroad
With an intent of truth； meeting such a booty；
May be wrought to that he never thought。
What makes so many pilferers and felons；
But these fond baits that foolish people lay
To tempt the needy miserable wretch？
Should he be taken now that has your purse；
I'd stand to't； you are guilty of his death；
For； questionless； he would be cast by law。
Twere a good deed to fine ye as much more；
To the relief of the poor prisoners；
To teach ye lock your money up at home。
SURESBY。
Well； Master More； you are a merry man；
I find ye； sir； I find ye well enough。
MORE。
Nay； ye shall see； sir； trusting thus your money；
And Lifter here in trial for like case；
But that the poor man is a prisoner；
It would be now suspected that he had it。
Thus may ye see what mischief often comes
By the fond carriage of such needless sums。
LORD MAYOR。
Believe me； Master Suresby； this is strange；
You； being a man so settled in assurance；
Will fall in that which you condemned in other。
MORE。
Well； Master Suresby； there's your purse again；
And all your money： fear nothing of More；
Wisdom still keeps the mean and locks the door。
SCENE III。 London。 A state apartment。
＇Enter the Earls of Shrewsbury and Surrey； Sir Thomas Palmer；
and Sir Roger Cholmley。＇
SHREWSBURY。
My lord of Surrey； and Sir Thomas Palmer
Might I with patience tempt your grave advise；
I tell ye true； that in these dangerous times
I do not like this frowning vulgar brow：
My searching eye did never entertain
A more distracted countenance of grief
Than I have late observed
In the displeased commons of the city。
SURREY。
Tis strange that from his princely clemency；
So well a tempered mercy and a grace；
To all the aliens in this fruitful land；
That this high…crested insolence should spring
From them that breathe from his majestic bounty；
That； fattened with the traffic of our country；
Already leaps into his subject's face。
PALMER。
Yet Sherwin； hindered to commence his suit
Against De Barde by the ambassador；
By supplication made unto the king；
Who having first enticed away his wife；
And got his plate； near worth four hundred pound；
To grieve some wronged citizens that found
This vile disgrace oft cast into their teeth；
Of late sues Sherwin； and arrested him
For money for the boarding of his wife。
SURREY。
The more knave Barde； that； using Sherwin's goods；
Doth ask him interest for the occupation。
I like not that； my lord of Shrewsbury：
He's ill bested that lends a well paced horse
Unto a man that will not find him meet。
CHOLMLEY。
My lord of Surrey will be pleasant still。
PALMER。
Aye； being then employed by your honors
To stay the broil that fell about the same；
Where by persuasion I enforced the wrongs；
And urged the grief of the displeased city；
He answered me； and with a solemn oath；
That； if he had the Mayor of London's wife；
He would keep her in despite of any English。
SURREY。
Tis good； Sir Thomas； then； for you and me；
Your wife is dead； and I a bachelor：
If no man can possess his wife alone；
I am glad； Sir Thomas Palmer； I have none。
CHOLMLEY。
If a take a wife； a shall find her meet。
SURREY。
And reason good； Sir Roger Cholmley； too。
If these hot Frenchmen needsly will have sport；
They should in kindness yet defray the charge：
Tis hard when men possess our wives in quiet；
And yet leave us in； to discharge their diet。
SHREWSBURY。
My lord； our catours shall not use the market
For our provision； but some stranger now
Will take the vittailes from him he hath bought：
A carpenter； as I was late informed；
Who having bought a pair of doves in Cheap；
Immediately a Frenchman took them from him；
And beat the poor man for resisting him；
And when the fellow did complain his wrongs；
He was severely punished for his labor。
SURREY。
But if the English blood be once but up；
As I perceive their hearts already full；
I fear me much； before their spleens be cold；
Some of these saucy aliens for their pride
Will pay for 't soundly； wheresoere it lights：
This tide of rage that with the eddy strives；
I fear me much； will drown too many lives。
CHOLMLEY。
Now； afore God； your honors； pardon me：
Men of your place and greatness are to blame。
I tell ye true； my lords； in that his majesty
I