_Ver._ Let us meet them, sister Misericordia! _Miser._ And unto their sight present Respublica. _Just., Pax._ All hail, most dear sisters, Mercy and Verity! And, all hail, Respublica, with all sincerity! _Resp._ O ye ladies celestial! how much am I bound With thanks to fall flat before you on the ground, That ye thus vouchsafe a forlorn creature By your heave[n]ly protection to recure. _Just._ I, Justice, from heaven am come you to visit. _Pax._ And I, Peace, for ever with you to inhabit. _Miser._ And all we four sisters, to th' utmost of our power, Shall restore, establish, and defend your honour. _Just._ We shall first restore your most happy estate, And suppress all them that had made you desolate. _Ver._ Verity shall all truth open as it is. _Just._ I, Justice, shall redress whate'er is found amiss. _Miser._ I, Mercy, where the member may recured be, Shall temper the rigour and slake extremity. _Pax._ I, Peace, when th' uncurable is clean cut away And th' ill made good, shall flourish for ever and aye. _Resp._ And I, which cannot otherwise your goodness deserve, Shall your wholesome directions duly observe. And what if Insolence shall come, or Avarice? _Ver._ Detest them, abhor them, and refuse their service. I doubt not but they will be still haunting hither, Till we four shall them four take here altogether. _Miser._ Now, sisters! go we, and Respublica with us, To be new apparelled otherwise than thus. _Just._ Come on, Respublica! with us to wealth from woe: God hath given us in charge that it must be so. _Ver._ The blissful renovation ye shall reign in Must, from henceforth, now immediately begin. [_Cantent: "The mercy of God," et exeant, etc._ ACTUS QUINTI, SCENA QUINTA. AVARICE. ADULATION. _Avar._ Such greedy covetous folk as now-of-days been, I trow, before these present days were never seen; An honest man can go in no place of the street But he shall, I think, with an hundred beggars meet. "Give for God's sake!" "Give for saint Charity!" "Give for our Lady's sake!" "Give for the Trinity!" "Give in the way of your good-speed!" "Give, give!" "Give, give!" Find we our money in the street, do they believe? If I had not a special grace to say Nay, I were but undone amongst them, in one day. But who cometh yond? Honesty? he cometh in haste. _Adul._ I seek Policy. _Avar._ Here, boy! _Adul._ All is in waste! _Avar._ How so? _Adul._ We strive against the stream, all that we do. _Avar._ Wherein? _Adul._ That Verity come not this place unto. For wot ye what? _Avar._ I shall when he have spoke the word. _Adul._ Justice, and Peace too, with full consent and accord Are come down from heaven and have kissed together.