A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06
English drama
DISSIMULATION.
Love, look on me, and I will give thee clothes.
LOVE.
I will no more by thee be so disguised.
SIMPLICITY.
Ye do the wiser, for his face looks like a cloak-back.
DISSIMULATION.
In thy affections I had once a place.
LOVE.
Those fond affections wrought me foul disgrace.
DISSIMULATION.
I'll make amends, if ought amiss were done.
LOVE.
Who once are burn'd, the fire will ever shun.
DISSIMULATION.
And yet once burn'd to warm again may prove.
LOVE.
Not at thy fire; I will be perfect Love.
SIMPLICITY.
I promise you, the wenches have learn'd to answer wittily.
Here's many fair proffers to Lucre and Love,
But who clothes poor Conscience? she may sit long enough.
USURY.
I will clothe her straight.
[USURY _takes_ FRAUD'S _cloak, and casts it on_ CONSCIENCE.
SIMPLICITY.
Will you, Master Usury? that's honestly spoke.
Ha! that's no gramercy to clothe her with another man's cloak;
But I see you have a craft in the doing, Master Usury:
Usury covers Conscience with Fraud's cloak very cunningly.
CONSCIENCE.
Alas! who loads my shoulders with this heavy weed?
Fie! how it stinks: this is perfum'd indeed.
FRAUD.
Marry, gup, Goody Conscience! indeed I do you wrong,
But I'll quickly right it; my cloak shall not cumber you long.
USURY.
All this while Lucre knows not I am here,
But now will I to her; mark how I speed!
Lady, the fairest that Nature ever form'd,
Loadstone of love, that draws affection's darts,
The only object of all humane eyes,
And sole desired dainty of the world,
Thy vassal here, a virtue in thy need,
Whom thou by licence of the law may'st use,
Tenders himself and all his services
To do thy will in duty as 'tofore,
Glad of thy freedom as his proper life.
SIMPLICITY.
Lady Lucre, you love an apple: take heed the caterpillar consume
not your fruit.
LUCRE.
Who is it that maketh this latest suit?
SIMPLICITY.
'Tis Usury. [_Aloud in her ear_.
LUCRE.
Great is the service he hath done for me;
But, Usury, now I may not deal with thee.
USURY.
The law allows me, madam, in some sort.
CONSCIENCE.
But God and I would have thy bounds cut short.
USURY.
For you I reck not; but if God me hate,
Why doth the law allow me in some rate?
CONSCIENCE.
Usury slanders both law and state.
The law allows not, though it tolerate,
And thou art sure be shut out at heaven-gate.
USURY.
You were ever nice: no matter what you prate.
SIMPLICITY.
Then it will be with him, as it is with a great man's house in
dinner-time! he that knocks, when the door is shut, comes too late.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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