Lucre And Conscience on the Marble of remorse Loue Loue on the flint of frozen Charitie Ladies alas what tattered soules are we Con. Sorrow our hearts time our cloaths hath torn Lucre Then sit we down like silly soules forlorne And hide our faces that we be not knowen For Sorrowes plagues tormented me no more Than wil their fight that knew me heretofore Loue then wil their sight that knew vs heretofore Draw ruth and help from them for our reliefe Con. For our reliefe for Conscience and for Loue No help smal ruth that our distresse may mooue Loue O Conscience thou wouldst lead me to dispaire But that I see the way to hope is faire And Hope to heauen directs a readie way And heauen to help is prest to them that pray Lucre That pray with faith and with vnfain'd remorse For true beleefe and teares make praier of force Con. Then veile our selues and silent let vs stay till heauens shall please to send some friends this way Sit all down Frau. Ladies vnmask'd blush not for base attire Here are none but friends and seruants all deer Lady Lucre Deerer vnto vs than daily breath we draw from sweetest aire Dearer then life dearer then heauen it selfe Deigne to discouer those alluring lampes Those louely eies more cleare than Venus Star Whose bright aspectes worlds woonder do produce Vnueile I say that beauty more diuine than Nature saue in thée did euer paint that we sworne slaues vnto our mistresse may Once more behold those stately louely lookes And doo those duties which vs wel beseemes Such duties as we all desire to doe Con. I know that tongue Lucre beware of Fraud Luc. Of Fraud Indéed by spéech it should be he Fra what séekest thou Frau. Lucre to honor thée with wit with worth with life with al I haue to be thy seruant as I was before to get thée cloathes and what thou wantest els Lucre No Fraud farewell I must be wonne no more to keepe such seruants as I kept before Simo. Swéet Lady Lucre me thou maiest accept Lucre How art thou called Simo. Simon Lucre I No sir Conscience saith Con: No Lucre now beware false not thy faith For Simoni 's subiect to perpetuall curse Dis. As you two haue sped I would desire to spéed no worse Frau. Make you a suit you may chance to spéed better Dis. Not I for of al my tongue is best knowen But if I speak it shal be to her that was once mine owne Good Ladie Loue thou litle knowest the griefe that I thy friend sustaine for thy distresse And lesse beleeuest what care I haue of thée Looke vp good Loue and to supply thy wants Aske what thou wilt and thou shalt haue of me Of me that ioy more in thy libertie Than in this life our light that comforts me Loue O gall in hunnie serpent in the grasse O bifold fountaine of two bitter streames Dissimulation fed with Vipers flesh Whose wordes are oylt whose déedes the dartes of death Thy tongue I know that tongue that me be guil'd Thy selfe a Deuil madest me a Monster vild From thee well knowne well may I blesse my selfe Deere bought repentance bids me shun thy snare Con. O happie Loue if now thou can beware simp. Marie but heare ye motley-beard I think this blindfold buzzardly hedge-wench spoke to ye she knowes ye though she see ye not harke ye you women if you 'il go to the alehouse I le bestow two pots on ye and we 'il get a paire of Cardes and some company and winne twenty pots more for you play the best at a game call'd smelling of the foure knaues that euer I saw Vsu. Foure soft yet they haue not smelt thée Simp. No I am one more than is in the deck but you 'il bee smeld as soone as ye begin to speake I le see what they 'il say to me hear ye you women wiues widdowes maides mens daughters What shall I cal ye these four fellowes hark ye shal I cal ye crafty knaues make me beléeue that you are the three that were the three faire Ladies of London Con. Gentle Simplicity we are vnhappy they Sim. Now ye bad fellowes which of ye had such a word as gentle firâ— Vsu. Bad fellowes yee Rascall If ere you bring me pawne I le pinch yee for that word sim. I cry you mercie M. Iniurie M. vsurie I meant not you Frau. If you meane vs we may be euen with yee too Simp. Tut I knew you an Ostler and a theefe beside you haue rub'd my horse heels er now for al your priâ—e but Ladies if ye be the thrée ladies which of ye dwelt in Kent street one of ye did but I know not which is she ye looke all so like broom-wenches I was once her seruaÌ„t I le nere be ashamed of her though I be rich I she be poore yet if she that hath bene my dame or he that hath bin my maister come in place I le speak to theÌ„ sure I le do my duty which is Lady Consc Con. Euen I am she Simplicity Sim. I am glad ye are out of prison I thought ye had forgot me I went a begging from you til the bedles snapt me vp now I am free and keepe a stall of Ballades I may buy and sell I would you had as good a gown now as I carried once of yours to pawn to Vsury here Con. Gramercy good â—imp wilt thou be with me now simp. No I thank you hartily I le beg no more I can not be with ye though I would for I am maried to painful penury Looke now my proud stately maisters I may if I wil you would if ye might Frau. No not dwel with such a beggar as Conscience simp. No Fraud nere loued Conscience since he was an Ostler Vsu. Who cares for Conscience but dies a begger sim. That wil not Vsury do he wil first take 3. score pound in the hundred Dis. loue looke on me and I will giue thee cloathes loue I will no more by thee be so disguised simp. Ye doe the wiser for his face looks like a cloakbacke Dis. In thy affections I had once a place loue Those fond affections wrought me foul disgrace Dis. I le make amends if ought amisse were done loue Who once are burn'd the fire will euer shun Dis. And yet once burn'd to warme againe may prooue loue Not at thy fire I will be perfect loue simp. I promise you the wenches haue learn'd to answer wittily Her 's many faire proffers to Lucre and loue But who cloaths poore Conscience she may sit long inough Vsu. I wil cloath her straight Vsurie takes Frauds cloak casts it on Cons simp Wil you maister Vsurie that 's honestly spoke Ha that 's no gramercie to cloath her with another mans cloake But I see you haue a craft in the dooing M. Vsury Vsury couers Conscience with Frauds cloake verie cunningly Con. Alas who loades my shoulders with this heauie weed Fy how
company No girdes nor old grudges but congratulate this méeting And sirs if you say it let 's tel how we haue liued since our parting simp. O it is great pity Vsu. What to tell how we haue liued simp. No that ye doo liue Frau. Yet againe sirra Vsury as for thée it were folly to aske for thou liuest but too wel but Dissimulation and simony how haue you two liued discourse I pray you hartily simp. Faith euen like two mice in an amberie that eat vp all the meat and when they haue done gnaw holes in the cupbord Dis. Fraud after my scaping away at the Sessions where I shifted as thou knowest in thrée sundry shapes one of a Frier and they can dissemble another like a woman and they doo litle else the third as a Saint and a Deuill and so is a woman I was banished out of London by Nemo to the countrie went I amongst my olde friendes and neuer better loued than among the russet coates once in a moneth I stole in othe market day to Leaden-hall and about and sometime to VVestminster hall Now hearing some speach that the Ladies should be sued for for I ame come in hope of my old intertaiment supposing my selfe not knowen of many and hoping the three Lords wil preuaile in their suit and I to serue one of them simp. He shall doo well that giues thee a coat but he should do better that could take of thy skinne simo. And I haue bene a traueiler abroad in other realms for here I am so cried out against by preachers and yet some ministers that be none could be content to vse me that I was glad to be gone nowe in some other landes and not verie far of I am secretly fostered sauing in Scotland and the low Countries they are refourmed they can not abide me Wel now and then hither I came stealing ouer sea and hearing as you here intend as you doo Frau. And for mine owne part amongst artificers and amongst a few bad conscienced Lawyers I haue found such entertainment as dooth passe yet would I with Lucre faine be as I was simp. Fraud is as ill as a cut-purse by the masse Vsu. And for Vsury the longer I liue the greater loue I find Yet would I be with Lucre again to please my mind Frau. Heer 's a good fellow too one of our acquaintance how hast thou liued Simplicity simp. More honestly then all the rest of thy company for when I might beg no longer as begging was but bad for you coson'd me once of an alms I fel to tankard bearing so â—os a wife of the same science painful penury then got I my fréedom and feeling my shoulder grow wearie of the tankard set vp an easier trade to sel ballads Frau. Hadst thou a stock to set vp withal Simp Wise inough to tell you I yonder 's my stal but beware I loose nothing for if I do I le lay it straight to some of you for I saw none so like theiues I promise you since I set vp Frau. Ye are a wiseman when your nose is in the cup but soft who comes here step wee close aside for these be the three Ladies for my life brought out of prison by their keeper let vs be whist and we shall heare and see all Sirra you must say nothing Enter Sorrow and the three Ladies he sets them on three stones on the stage simp. not til ye speak for I am affraid of him that 's with the woman Con. O Sorrow when when sorrow wilt thou cease To blow the sparke that burnes my troubled soule To féede the worme that stings my fainting breast And sharp the stéele that goares my dieng heart My thoughtes are thornes my teares hot drops of lead I plaine I pine I die yet neuer dead If world would end my woe should but begin Loe this the case of Conscience for her sin And sin the food wherewith my worme was fed That stings me now to death yet neuer dead Loue Yet neuer dead and yet Loue doeth not thâ—â— Loue that to losse in life her follie lent Folly the food whereon her frailtie fed Frailtie the milke that Natures breast did giue Life losse and follie frailtie foode and kinde Worme sting thornes fire and torment to the mind Life but a breath and follie but a flower Frailtie claie dust the foode that fancie scornes Loue a sweet bait to couer losses sower Flesh breedes the fire that kindles lustfull thornes Lust fire bait scorne dust flower and feeble breath Die quench deceiue flie fade and yeeld to death To death O good if death might finish all We die each day and yet for death we cal Lucre For death we call yet death is stil in sight Lucre doth seald in drops of melting gold Accusing Rust cals on eternal might Where flames consume and yet we fréeze with cold Sorrow addes Sulphur vnto Furies heat And chops them yee whose chattering teeth do beat But sulphur snow flame frost nor hideous crieng Can cause them die that euer are in dying Nor make the paine diminish or increase sorrow is slacke and yet wil neuer cease Sor. When Sorrow ceaseth Shame shal then begin With those that wallow sencelesse in their sin But Ladies I haue drawen you from my Den To open aire to mittigate some mone Conscience sit downe vpon that sweating stone And let that Flint loue serue thee for a seate And Ladie Lucre on that stone rest you And Ladies thus I leaue you here alone Mourne ye but moane not I shal absent be Yet good it were sometime to thinke on me Exit Con. Comfort it is to thinke on Sorrow past Loue Sorrow remaines when ioy is but a blast Luc. A blast of wind is worldes felicitie Con. A blasting wind and full of miserie Loue O Conscience thou hast most tormented me Luc. Me hath thy worm O Conscience stong too déep Con. But more my selfe my thoughtes tormented haue Than both of you in sorrowes sullen caue From whence drawen foorth I find but litle rest A seat vneasie wet and scalding hot On this hard stone hath sorrow me assignde Loue and on my seat my selfe I frozen find No flint more harde no yce more cold then this Lucre I think my seat some mineral stone to be I cold from it it drawes heat from me Ladies consent and we our seates will view Con. Dare we for shame our stained faces shew Loue My double face is single growen againe Lucre My spots are gone my skin is smooth and plain Con, Doffe we our veiles and greet this gladsom light The chaser of glome sorrowes heauie might Loue Haile cheerful aire and clearest christal skie Lucre Haile shining sunne and fairest firmament Comfort to those that time in woe haue spent Con. Vpon my weeping stone is set remorse in brazen letters Loue And on this Flint in lead is Charity Lucre In golden letters on my stone is Care Con. Then Lucre fits vpon the stone of care
man may see he that 's ordained to be rich shal be rich gow woman Exeunt Enter Nemo and the three Lordes as though they had bene chyding Ne. From whence good Lordes grew this hot argument pol. Thou knowest alreadie yet if thou wilt heare For this we striue fond pleasure makes account Somming his bils without an auditorie That Ladie Lucre ought of right be his plea. So I affirme and so I wil maintaine That Ladie Lucre ought of right be his plea. So I affirme and so I wil maintaine That pleasure ought by right Dame Lucre haue To beare the charge of sportes and of delightes pom. Nay to support the haughty magnificence And lordly Pompe of Londons excellence Befits it rather Lucre ioine with me By whom her honor shal be most aduanced pol. More fit for pomp than pleasure but most fit That Pollicie with Lucre should be matched As guerdon of my studies and my cares And high employments in the common wealth plea. What pleasure can be fostered without cost pom, What Pompe or port without respect of gaine pol, What pollicie without preferment liues ple. Pleasure must haue Lucre pom. pomp hath need of Lucre pol, pollicy merits lucre ple, Pleasure dies without Lucre pom, Pomp decaies without Lucre pol, pollicy droopes without lucre Ne, Thus Lordes you showe your imperfections Subiect to passions straining honours boundes Be wel aduisde you promised to be rulde And haue those Dames by me disposed to you But since I see that humaine humors oft Makes men forgetfull of their greater good Be here a while Dame lucre shal be brought By me to choose which Lord she liketh best So you allow her choice with patience Exit Plea Go we abide thy doome til thy returne Pom. If lucre be not mad she wil be mine Pol. If she regard her good she wil be mine Plea If she loue happie life she wil be mine Women loue Pleasure pom. Women loue Pompe pol. Women vse Pollicie and here she comes that must decide the doubt Enter Nemo with Conscience al in white Ne. Conscience content thee with a queint conceit Conceile thy name to work a speciall good Thou art not knowne to any of these Lordes By face or feature til they heare thy name Which must be lucre for a fine deuice And Conscience cleare indeed 's the greatest gaine Lo Lordings here faire lucre whom ye loue lucre the choice is left vnto thy selfe Which of these three thou wilt for husband choose Con. The modestie that dooth our sex beseeme Forbids my tongue therin to tell my thought But may it please my Lordes to pardon me Which of you three shall deigne to make such choice Him shall I answere to his owne content pol, If lucre please to match with Pollicie She shall be mistresse ouer many men Pom. If lucre like to match with Londons Pomp In stately port all others she shall passe plea. If pleasure may for wife faire lucre gaine Her life shall be an earthly Paradice Ne. Lo Lucre men and port and plesant life Are here propounded Which wilt thou accept Con. Lord pollicie Loue were the only choice Me thinks for you that all your cares imploy And studies for the loue of common wealth For you Lord pleasure Conscience were a wife To measure your delightes by reasons rule In recreation Conscience helpe to vse plea, Were Conscience halfe so sweete as is thy selfe Her would I seek with suites and seruices Ne, No lesse accomplisht in perfection Is Conscience then this Ladie I protest plea, But on this Dame hath pleasure fixt his hart And this or death the period of his loue Con. Lucre with pompe most aptly might combine ple. Lucre or Loue if case thou wilt be mine Let passe thy name thy selfe doe I desire Thee will I haue except thy selfe denie With thee to liue or els for thee to die Ne. What if I denie ple. Then wil I haue her pol If we denie ple. So much the rather pom. The rather in despight of vs Not so Ne. My Lords no quarrell let this Lady goe And if ye trust me I le content ye both pleasure this is not lucre ple She 's Lucre vnto me but be she Loue or Consciēce this is she pol. Whom you wil haue ple. Spight of the Deuil I wil Con, Must it not be my Lord if I agrée ple. Agree Con. Some further proofe it fits of you to sée ple, Receiue a pawn my hart my hand and oth To be thy owne in loue in faith and troth Con. Thus you are fast and yet my selfe am frée ple. I know in ruth thou wilt me not refuse Con. I know not that but other I le not choose Ne. It is inough Lord pleasure do not feare Conscience will vse you as becomes her best plea. And art thou Conscience welcommer to me than either loue or Lucre Con. God send grace I be Ne. My Lords be pleasde ere long shal you be sped As much to your contents as pleasure is Say but the word my selfe shall soone present Lucre and loue wel worthy such as you pol, Right thankfully those fauors we 'il receiue Enter Diligence in hast Dil. My Lords if your affaires in present be not great Greater than any saue regard of life Yea euen the greatest of the common wealth Prepare ye to withstand a stratagem Such as this Land nor London euer knew The Spanish forces Lordings are prepar'd In brauerie and boast beyond all boundes T' inuade to win to conquer all this land They chieflie aime at Londons stately pompe At Londons pleasure wealth and pollicy Intending to dispoile her of them all And ouer all those louelie Ladies three Loue lucre Conscience peerlesse of the rarest price to tyrannize and carie hardest hand From Spain they come with Engine and intent to slay subdue to triumph and torment My selfe so heauen would spiall of them had And Diligence deere Lords they call my name If you vouchsafe to credit my report You do me right and to your selues no wrong Prouided that you arme you being warn'd pol. Diligence thy seruice shall be knowen and well rewarded Nemo for a time Conceale this Dame and liue secure vnséene Let vs alone whom most it dooth concerne to meete and match our euer wéening foes Pom. Nemo keepe cloase and Conscience pray for vs Bée gone and recommend vs to our God Con. My Lordes if euer show your honors now Those proud vsurping Spanish tyrants come To reaue from you what you doo most regard to take away your credit and your fame to race and spoile our right renowmed towne And if you loue or lucre doo regard Or haue of Conscience any kind of care The world shall witnesse by this action And of the loue that you to vs pretend In this your valour shall assurance giue More would I speake but daunger 's in delay You know my mind and heauens record my thoughtes When I with praiers for you will penitrate And will in heart be present in your
copulation I would haue thought once my horse should haue bene frée as soon as my selfe and sooner too for he would haue stombled with a sacke of meale and lien along in the channell with it when hee had done and that some cals fréedome but it 's but a durtie fréedome but ye may sée bad horses were but iades in those daies But soft here comes customers What lacke ye what is 't ye lack what lacke ye Come along and buy nothing fine Ballades new Ballades what lack ye Enter Nemo and the three Lordes Ne. My Lordes come on what suits haue you to me Pol. Renowmed Nemo the most onelie one That drawes no breath but of th' eternal aire That knowest our suit before we bound to speak For thou art the very Oracle of thoughts Whose vertues doo encompasse thee about As th' aire surroundes this massie globe of earth Who hast in power what euer pleaseth thee And canst bestow much more than we may craue To thee we seeke to thée on knées we sue That thou wilt deigne from thraldom to release Those louely Dames that London Ladies are Ne. What those thrée caitiefs long agoe condemn'd Loue Lucre Conscience wel deseruing death Being corrupt with all contagion The spotted Ladies of that stately towne pom. Loue Lucre Conscience we of thée desire Which in thy self hast all perfection Accomplished with all integritie And needest no helpe so doe what pleaseth thee Who holdest Fame and Fortune both thy slaues And doest compell the Destinies draw the coatch To thée we sue sith power thou hast thereto To set those Ladies at their libertie plea. At libertie thou spotlesse Magistrate That of the cause doost carie all regard Carelesse of bribes of birth and parentage Because thy selfe art onely borne to blisse Blesse vs so much that Lordes of London are That those thrée Ladies borne and bred with vs May by our suites release of thraldome send Ne. Release my Lords why seeke ye their relase That haue perpetuall prison for their doome pol. But Nemo can from thence redéeme them all Ne. Their deeds were cause not Nemo of their thral Pom. Yet Nemo was the Iudge that sentence gaue Ne. But Nemo neuer spill'd whom he could saue plea. Thou from perpetuall prison maist reuoke Pol. Death hath no power gainst him to strike a strok Pom. Thou onlie milde and curteous sir vouchsafe To graunt our suit and set those Ladies free Ne. What 's your purpose in this earnest suit Plea To marie them and make them honest wiues Ne. But may it be that men of your regard Lords of such fortune and so famous place Wil linke your selues with Ladies so forlorne And so disteined with more then common crimes Pol. Mariage doth make amends for many amisse Pom. And loue doth couer hears of combrous euils plea. And doth forget the faults that were before Ne. Meane as you say ye neede to say no more pol. In token that we meane what we haue said Lo here our shieldes the prizes of our loue To challenge all except thy selfe that dare Denie those Ladies to be ours by right Ne. Woo them win them win them wear thē too I shal both comfort and discourage you my Lords The comfort 's this of all those former crimes· Wherwith the world was wont those dames to charge I haue them cléer'd and made them all as free As they were borne no blemish left to sée But the discourage gentle Lords is this The time of their indurance hath bene long Whereby their cloathes of cost and curious stuffe Are worne to rags and giue them much disgrace Pom. Alas good Ladies was there none that sued For their release before we took 't in hand Ne. Yes diuers for fair Lucre sought release And some for Loue would faine haue paid the fées But sillie Conscience sat without regard In Sorrowes dungeon sighing by her selfe Which when I saw that some did sue for Loue And most for Lucre none for Conscience A vow I made which now I shall perfourme Til some should sue to haue release for all Iudg'd as they were they should remaine in thrail But you that craue their fréedomes all at once Shal haue your suit and see them here ere long A litle while you must haue patience And leaue this place go in my Lordes before Pom. Becommeth vs to waite on Nemo still Ne. Not so but Lordings the condition more You promise me sith they are in my power I shall dispose them when they are releas'd Vpon you three as I shall thinke it best Pom. Doe but commaund and we shall all subscribe Ne. Then goe your ways for I haue here to do Exeunt 3. Lorde Enter Sorrow Sorrow draw neere to morrow bring thou foorth Loue Lucre Conscience whom thou hast in thrall Vpon these stones to sit and take the aire But set no watch or spyall what they doo Exeunt ambo Enter Fraud Vsurie Dissimulation Simony and Simplicity Frau. How happie may we call this merie day my mates Wherein we meet that once were desperate I thinke euer to haue seene one another when Nemo that vpright Iudge had by imprisoning our Mistresses banished vs by setting such diligēt watch for vs out of London and almost out of the world But liue we yet And are we met and neere our old seat Vsury is it thou Let me see or hath some other stolne thy face Speakest thou man Vsu. No Fraud though many haue counterfeited both thee me We are our selues yet and no changlings I see And why shouldst thou aske me man if I liue The silly Asse can not feed on harder forrage than vsurie She vpon thistles and I vpon a browne crust of a moneth old simp. So that Vsury and an asse are two of the profitablest beasts that a man can kéepe yet th' one hath sharper teeth than th' other Frau. But what meanes Dissimulation He droopes me thinks What cheere man Why cousen frolick a fit art thou not glad of this meeting What 's the cause of thy melancholy Dis. Not melancholike but musing how it comes to passe that we are thus fortunate to méet as we doo simo. I le tell thee why we met because we are no mountaines simp. But ye are as ill for ye are monsters simo. And men may meete though mountaines cannot Frau, In token that this meeting is ioyfull to vs all Let vs embrace altogether with harts ioy and affection simp. I see many of these old prouerbes prooue true t is merrie when knaues meet Frau. How sir what 's that Sim. If a man had a casting net he might catch all you Frau. Art not thou Simplicity Simp. Goodman Simp for I am maried it like your maistership And you are mast Fraud too a pox on your worship I sée a fox and a false knaue haue all one luck the better for banning And many of you crafty knaues liue merilyer than we honest men Frau. Sirra bridle your tongue if you 'il be welcom to our