BAILIFF. My sons, you see how age decays my state, And that my life, like snow before the sun, 'Gins to dissolve into that substance now, From whose enclosure grew my fire of life; The earth I mean, sweet mother of us all, Whom death, authorised by heaven's high power, Shall bring at last, from whence at first I came. Yet, ere I yield myself to death, my sons, Give ear, and hear what rules I set you down. And first to thee, my son, that liv'st by wit: I know thou hast so many honest sleights, To shift and cosen smoothly on thy wit, To cog and lie, and brave it with the best, That 'twere but labour lost to counsel thee. And therefore to the next-- Walter, that seems in show a husbandman-- My son, when that thy master trusts thee most, And thinks thou dealest as truly as himself, Be thou the first to work deceit to him; So by that means thou may'st enrich thyself, And live at pleasure when thy master's dead: And when to market thou art sent with wool, Put sand amongst it, and 'twill make it weigh-- The weight twice double than it did before: The overplus is thine into thy purse-- But now, my son, that keeps the court; Be thou a means to set the peers at strife, And curry favour, for the Commons' love. If any, but in conference, name the king, Inform his majesty they envy him; And if the king but move, or speak to thee, Kneel on both knees, and say, God save your majesty. If any man be favoured by the king, Speak thou him fair, although in heart thou envy him, But who is next? PRIEST. That am I, father, that use the word of God, And live only by the heavenly manna. BAILIFF. Who? the Priest? Give ear, my son, I have a lesson yet in store for thee. Thou must, my son, make show of holiness; And blind the world with thy hypocrisy; And sometime give a penny to the poor, But let it be in the church or market-place, That men may praise thy liberality. Speak against usury, yet forsake no pawns, So thou may'st gain three shillings in the pound. Warn thou the world from sin and vile excess, And now and then speak against drunkenness: So by this means thou shalt be termed wise, And with thy pureness blind the people's eyes. But now, my sons, discourse to me in brief How you have lived, and how you mean to die. CONEYCATCHER. Then, father, thus I live that use my wit: Unto myself I love still to be wise; For when I am driven to shift for meat or coin, Or gay apparel to maintain me brave, Then do I flaunt it out about the 'Change, As if I were some landed gentleman; And, falling in with some rich merchant there, I take commodities for six months' day: The bill being made, I must set to my hand; Then, if I pay not, they may burn the band.[296]