SIMPLICITY _sings_. _Simplicity sings it, and 'sperience doth prove, No biding in London for Conscience and Love. The country hath no peer, Where Conscience comes not once a year; And Love so welcome to every town, As wind that blows the houses down. Sing down adown, down, down, down. Simplicity sings it, and 'sperience doth prove, No dwelling in London, no biding in London, for Conscience and Love_. SIMPLICITY. Now, sirrah, hast eaten up my song? and ye have, ye shall eat no more to-day, For everybody may see your belly is grown bigger with eating up our play. He has fill'd his belly, but I am never a whit the better, Therefore I'll go seek some victuals; and 'member, for eating up my song you shall be my debtor. [_Exit_ SIMPLICITY. _Enter_ MERCATORE, _the Merchant, and_ GERONTUS, _a Jew_. GERONTUS. But, Signor Mercatore, tell me, did ye serve me well or no, That having gotten my money would seem the country to forego? You know I lent you two thousand ducats for three months' space, And, ere the time came, you got another thousand by flattery and thy smooth face. So, when the time came that I should have received my money, You were not to be found, but was fled out of the country. Surely, if we that be Jews should deal so one with another, We should not be trusted again of our own brother; But many of you Christians make no conscience to falsify your faith, and break your day. I should have been paid at three[207] months' end, and now it is two years you have been away. Well, I am glad you be come again to Turkey; now I trust I shall receive the interest of you, so well as the principal. MERCATORE. Ah, good Master Geronto! pray heartily, bear a me a little while, And me shall pay ye all without any deceit or guile: Me have much business for my pretty knacks to send to England. Good sir, bear a me for five days, me'll despatch your money out of hand.[208] GERONTUS. Signor Mercatore, I know no reason why because you have dealt with me so ill: Sure, you did it not for need, but of set purpose and will; And, I tell ye,[209] to bear with ye four or five days goes sore against my mind, Lest you should steal away, and forget to leave my money behind. MERCATORE. Pray heartily, do tink a no such ting, my good friend, a me. Be my trot' and fait', me pay you all, every penny. GERONTUS. Well, I'll take your faith and troth once more, and trust to your honesty, In hope that for my long tarrying you will deal well with me. Tell me what ware you would buy for England, such necessaries as they lack?[210] MERCATORE. O no, lack some pretty fine toy, or some fantastic new knack; For da gentlewomans in England buy much tings for fantasy. You pleasure a me, sir, vat me mean a dere buy?