HONESTY. I believe you well; for offenders never bewray their offences, Till the law find them, and punish them. But you would fain tell how to know a knave? Then thus: the first man you meet in the morning, If he salute you, draw near him, And smell to his hat, and after smell to your own; And, my cap to a noble, if his smell like yours, he is a knave. I think I spoke with you now! PERIN. Base villain, were it not that the king's presence Doth privilege thy presumption, I would teach you to jest with your fellows. KING. Forbear, Honesty; thou art a good plain fellow, And I commend thy wit, that hast such ways to know a knave. HONESTY. Honesty is plain, my lord, but no good fellow, For good fellows be purse-takers now-a-days: And there be so many of such good fellows, That Honesty may walk the streets without company. Not that there wants company, but honest company, I mean; Yet Honesty can clap a knave on the shoulder for all his bravery. PERIN. Why, base companion, mean you me? HONESTY. Not base, sir, because I was truly begotten, For Honesty may be suspected, but never detected. But you think I had a bailiff to my father, as you had, And that my mother could return a writ of error, As yours did, when such a gallant as you were gotten. KING. Believe me, Perin, he hath touch'd you now; And I perceive, though Honesty be simple, Yet many times he speaks truth. HONESTY. True, if it please your grace, for honest men will not lie. But, if your grace vouchsafe to give me leave, You shall see me find more knaves than one, If my cunning fail me not; or else say Honesty had no honesty. KING. But tell me, Dunstan, how thinkest thou of this motion? Were it not good, thinkest thou, we gave him leave To stifle such caterpillars as corrupt the commonwealth? For many times such simple men as he Bewray much matter in simplicity. Then, tell me, Dunstan, what thinkest thou of his motion? DUNSTAN. If it please your grace to think it good, Dunstan will say, as once Hephaestion did, When Alexander wan rich Macedon;[289] That whatsoe'er the king himself thought meet, He would in dutiful obedience yield unto. And so saith Dunstan to your majesty: For many times such simple men bring that to pass, That wiser heads cannot attain unto; For doubtless he hath some device in hand, Whereby to find such subtle knavery. KING. Well, Dunstan, then, as thou hast counsell'd me, I will for once make proof of Honesty. Sirrah: come hither: In hope you will, as your profession is In honest sort to find deceivers out, And, finding them, to give us notice straight, That we may punish them for their amiss. We give thee leave to work what means thou may'st, So it be not prejudice to the state nor us. HONESTY. My gracious lord, if Honesty offend In anything that he hath promised, And do not, as your grace hath given in charge, Stifle such caterpillars as corrupt the state, Let Honesty receive such punishment, As he deserves that leses to the king.[290]