AVARICE. What will you term Avarice, I pray you let me hear? PERV. DOC. Even Frugality, for to that virtue it cometh most near. AVARICE. Content, by his wounds, I; but we must look to our feet, Lest we stumble in these names, whensoever we meet. PERV. DOC. Yea, see you take heed to that in any manner of case, So may you delude the people in every place. CRUELTY. Come then, it is time hence that away we depart. IGNORANCE. We are ready to follow with a most willing heart. AVARICE. But, sirs, because we have tarried so long, If you be good fellows, let us part with a song. CRUELTY. I am pleased, and therefore let every man Follow after in order, as well as he can. _The first_ SONG. Well handled, by the mass, on every side. Come, Avarice; for we two will no longer abide. [_Exit Cruelty and Avarice._ PERV. DOC. Farewell to you both, and God send you success, Such as may glad us all in your present business. Now they be departed, and we may not tarry, For it lieth us upon all to be stirring, by Saint Mary. New Custom prevaileth much everywhere, But, no matter, they be fools that do give him such ear. Let old custom prevail rather, it is better than new; This all will confess, that think scripture is true. Do as thy fathers have done before thee (quoth he): Then shalt thou be certain in the right way to be. And sure that is better than to follow the train, That each man inventeth of his own proper brain. Which hath brought the world to this case, as we see, That every day we hear of some notorious heresy. Yet all is the Gospel, whatsoever they say. Well, if it chance that a dog hath a day, Wo then to New Custom and all his mates, tush, tush, No man the Gospel will esteem then a rush. What will that other heretic do, Light of the Gospel, I pray? Dare not once show his face more than we at this day. But come, Ignorance, let us follow after apace, For we have abiden all too long in this place. IGNORANCE. Let us go then, but, by the mass, I am vengeance dry, I pray let us drink at the alehouse hereby. PERV. DOC. Content, in faith, thither with speed let us hie. FOOTNOTES: [21] [See Hazlitt's "Handbook," 1867, p. 129, _v._ costume, No. 3. The phrase seems to be used here to signify expensive foreign fashions generally.] [22] The 4to reads _grace_. The alteration by Mr Dodsley. [23] A proverb. _Tu hai mantillo di ogni acqua._--_S._ [24] _i.e._, The _onset._--_S._ [25] _i.e._, God's nails. So afterwards "By his wounds"--"His blood"--without repetition of the sacred name by way of introduction.--_S._