_Usurer._ I know you know the old proverb, "He is not wise that is not wise for himself": I would not be disgraced in this action; therefore here is twenty angels; say nothing in the matter, or what you say, say to no purpose, for the Judge is my friend. _Lawyer._ Let me alone, I'll fit your purpose. _Judge._ Come, where are these fellows that are the plaintiffs? what can they say against this honest citizen our neighbour, a man of good report amongst all men? _Alc._ Truly, Master Judge, he is a man much spoken of; marry, every man's cries are against him, and especially we; and therefore I think we have brought our Lawyer to touch him with as much law as will fetch his lands and my cow with a pestilence. _Thras._ Sir, I am the other plaintiff, and this is my counsellor: I beseech your honour be favourable to me in equity. _Judge._ O, Signor Mizaldo, what can you say in this gentleman's behalf? _Lawyer._ Faith, sir, as yet little good.--Sir, tell you your own case to the Judge, for I have so many matters in my head, that I have almost forgotten it. _Thras._ Is the wind in that door? Why then, my lord, thus. I took up of this cursed Usurer, for so I may well term him, a commodity of forty pounds, whereof I received ten pound in money, and thirty pound in lute-strings, whereof I could by great friendship make but five pounds: for the assurance of this bad commodity I bound him my land in recognisance: I came at my day, and tendered him his money, and he would not take it: for the redress of my open wrong I crave but justice. _Judge._ What say you to this, sir? _Usurer._ That first he had no lute-strings of me; for, look you, sir, I have his own hand to my book for the receipt of forty pound. _Thras._ That was, sir, but a device of him to colour the statute. _Judge._ Well, he hath thine own hand, and we can crave no more in law.--But now, sir, he says his money was tendered at the day and hour. _Usurer._ This is manifest contrary, sir, and on that I will depose; for here is the obligation, "to be paid between three and four in the afternoon," and the clock struck four before he offered it, and the words be "between three and four," therefore to be tendered before four. _Thras._ Sir, I was there before four, and he held me with brabbling[82] till the clock struck, and then for the breach of a minute he refused my money, and kept the recognisance of my land for so small a trifle.--Good Signor Mizaldo, speak what is law; you have your fee, you have heard what the case is, and therefore do me justice and right: I am a young gentleman, and speak for my patrimony. _Lawyer._ Faith, sir, the case is altered; you told me it before in another manner: the law goes quite against you, and therefore you must plead to the Judge for favour. _Thras._ [_Aside_]. O execrable bribery!