A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06
English drama
HOSPITALITY.
O, what shall I say? Usury hath undone me, and now he hates me
to the death,
And seeks by all means possible for to bereave me of breath.
I cannot rest in any place, but he hunts and follows me everywhere,
That I know no place to abide, I live so much in fear.
But, out alas! here comes he that will shorten my days.
_Enter_ USURY.
USURY.
O, have I caught your old grey beard? you be the man whom the people
so praise:
You are a frank gentleman, and full of liberality.
Why, who had all the praise in London or England, but Master Hospitality?
But I'll master you now, I'll hold you a groat.
HOSPITALITY.
What, will you kill me?
USURY.
No; I'll do nothing but cut thy throat.
HOSPITALITY.
O help, help, help for God's sake!
_Enter_ CONSCIENCE, _running apace_.
CONSCIENCE.
What lamentable cry was that I heard one make?
HOSPITALITY.
O Lady Conscience! now or never help me.
CONSCIENCE.
Why, what wilt thou do with him, Usury?
USURY.
What will I do with him? marry, cut his throat, and then no more.
CONSCIENCE.
O, dost thou not consider, that thou shalt dearly answer
For Hospitality, that good member? refrain it therefore.
USURY.
Refrain me no refraining, nor answer me no answering:
The matter is answered well enough in this thing.
CONSCIENCE.
For God's sake, spare him! for country-sake, spare him; for pity-sake,
spare him;
For love-sake, spare him; for Conscience-sake, forbear him!
USURY.
Let country, pity, love, Conscience, and all go in respect of myself,
He shall die. Come, ye feeble wretch, I'll dress ye like an elf.
CONSCIENCE.
But yet, Usury, consider the lamentable cry of the poor:
For lack of Hospitality fatherless children are turned out of door.
Consider again the complaint of the sick, blind, and lame,
That will cry unto the Lord for vengeance on thy head in his name.
Is the fear of God so far from thee that thou hast no feeling at all?
O, repent, Usury! leave Hospitality, and for mercy at the Lord's
hand call.
USURY.
Leave prating, Conscience: thou canst not mollify my heart.
He shall, in spite of thee and all other, feel his deadly smart.
Yet I'll not commit the murder openly,
But hale the villain into a corner, and so kill him secretly.
Come, ye miserable drudge, and receive thy death.
HOSPITALITY.
Help, good lady, help! he will stop my breath.
CONSCIENCE.
Alas! I would help thee, but I have not the power.
HOSPITALITY.
Farewell, Lady Conscience: you shall have Hospitality in London
nor England no more.
[_Hale him in_.[194]
CONSCIENCE.
O help! help, help, some good body!
_Enter_ DISSIMULATION _and_ SIMPLICITY _hastily_.
DISSIMULATION.
Who is that calls for help so lustily?[195]
CONSCIENCE.
Out, alas! thy fellow Usury hath killed Hospitality.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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