MERCATORE. Tink ye not dat me have carried over corn, leader, beef and bacon too, all tis while? And brought heder many babbles dese countrymen to beguile? Yes; shall me tell you, Madonna I me and my countrymans have sent over Bell-metal for make ordnance, yea, and ordnance itself beside, Dat my country and oder countries be so well furnish as dis country, and has never been spi'd. LUCRE. Now I perceive you love me; and if you continue in this still, You shall not only be with me, but command me when and where you will. MERCATORE. Lady, for to do all dis and more for you me be content; But I tink some skall[168] knave will put a bill in da Parliament, For dat such a tings shall not be brought here. LUCRE. Tush, Mercatore! I warrant thee, thou needest not to fear. What, and one do? there is some other will flatter, and say They do no hurt to the country, and with a sleight fetch that bill away. And if they do not, so that by Act of Parliament it be pass'd, I know you merchants have many a sleight and subtle cast, So that you will by stealth bring over great store, And say it was in the realm a long time before. For being so many of these trifles here, as there are at this day, You may increase them at pleasure, when you send over sea; And do but give the searcher an odd bribe in his hand, I warrant you, he will let you 'scape roundly with such things in and out the land. But, Signor Mercatore, I pray you walk in with me, And as I find you kind to me, so will I favour ye. MERCATORE. Me tank you, my good lady. But, Master Dissimulation, here is for your fellows, Fraud, Usury, and Simony, and say me give it dem. [_Exeunt LUCRE and MERCATORE_. DISSIMULATION. Ay marry, sir, these bribes have welcome[169] been. Good faith, I perceive, Dissimulation, Fraud, Usury, and Simony shall live In spite of Love and Conscience, though their hearts it doth grieve. Mass, masters, he that cannot lie, cog, dissemble and flatter now-a-days, Is not worthy to live in the world, nor in the court to have praise. _Enter_ ARTIFEX, _an Artificer_. ARTIFEX. I beseech you, good Master Dissimulation, befriend a poor man To serve Lady Lucre; and sure, sir, I'll consider it hereafter, if I can. DISSIMULATION. What, consider me? dost thou think that I am a bribetaker? Faith, it lies not in me to further thy matter. ARTIFEX. Good Master Dissimulation, help me: I am almost quite undone; But yet my living hitherto with Conscience I have won, But my true working, my early rising, and my late going to bed Is scant able to find myself, wife and children dry bread: For there be such a sort of strangers in this country, That work fine to please the eye, though it be deceitfully; And that which is slight, and seems to the eye well, Shall sooner than a piece of good work be proffered to sell; And our Englishmen be grown so foolish and nice, That they will not give a penny above the ordinary price.