A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 06
English drama
SIMPLICITY.
Cannot you three tell, and the suit to you three? I am glad a simple
fellow yet can go beyond you three great Lords of London. Why, my suit,
look ye, is such a suit, as you are bound in honour to hear, for it is
for the puppet-like[281] wealth. I would have no new orders nor new
sciences set up in the city, whereof I am a poor freeman, and please
ye, as ye may read in my bill there--Simplicity freeman. But, my lords,
I would have three old trades, which are not for the commonwealth,
put down.
PLEASURE.
And after all this circumstance, sir, what be they?
SIMPLICITY.
They be not three what-lack-ye's, as what do ye lack? fine lockram,[282]
fine canvas, or fine Holland cloth, or what lack ye? fine ballads, fine
sonnets, or what lack ye? a purse, or a glass, or a pair of fine knives?
but they be three have-ye-any's, which methinks are neither sciences nor
occupations; and if they be trades, they are very malapert trades--and
more than reason.
POLICY.
As how, sir? name them.
SIMPLICITY.
Will you banish them as readily as I can name them? The first is,
have ye any old iron, old mail, or old harness?
POMP.
And what fault find ye with this?
SIMPLICITY.
What fault? I promise ye, a great fault: what have you, or any man else,
to do to ask me if I have any old iron? What, if I have, or what, if I
have not; why should you be so saucy to ask?
PLEASURE.
Why, fool, 'tis for thy good to give thee money for that that might lie
and rust by thee.
SIMPLICITY.
No, my lord, no; I may not call you fool: it is to mark the houses where
such stuff is that, against rebels rise, there is harness and weapon
ready for them in such and such houses; and what then? The rusty weapon
doth wound past surgery, and kills the queen's good subjects; and the
rest of the old trash will make them guns too: so it is good luck to
find old iron, but 'tis naught to keep it, and the trade is crafty. And
now, my Lord Policy, I speak to you, 'twere well to put it down.
POLICY.
Wisely said. Which is your second? Is that as perilous?
SIMPLICITY.
Yea, and worse. It is, have ye any ends of gold and silver? This is a
perilous trade, covetous, and a 'ticement to murder; for, mark ye, if
they that ask this should be evil-given, as Gods forbod, they see who
hath this gold and silver: may they not come in the night, break in at
their houses, and cut their throats for it? I tell ye, gold and silver
hath caused as much mischief to be done as that: down with it.
POMP.
They that have it need not show it.
SIMPLICITY.
Tush! they need ask no such question: many a man hath delight to show
what he hath. The trade is a 'ticing trade; down with it!
POLICY.
Now, your third, sir?
SIMPLICITY.
That is the craftiest of all, wherein I am disbus'd, for that goes
under the colour of Simplicity: have ye any wood to cleave?
PLEASURE.
A perilous thing: what hurt is there in this, sir?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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