[Enter a Servingman.] MAN. Where be these players? ALL. Here, sir. MAN. My lord is sent for to the court, And all the guests do after supper part; And, for he will not trouble you again, By me for your reward a sends 8 angels, With many thanks. But sup before you go: It is his will you should be fairly entreated: Follow, I pray ye. WIT. This, Luggins, is your negligence; Wanting Wit’s beard brought things into dislike; For otherwise the play had been all seen, Where now some curious citizen disgraced it, And discommending it, all is dismissed. VICE. Fore God, a says true. But hear ye, sirs: 8 angels, ha! my lord would never give 8 angels more or less for 12d; other it should be 3l, 5l, or ten li.; there’s 20s wanting, sure. WIT. Twenty to one, tis so. I have a trick: my lord comes; stand aside. [Enter More, with Attendants with Purse and Mace.] MORE. In haste to counsel! what’s the business now, That all so late his highness sends for me?— What seekst thou, fellow? WIT. Nay, nothing: your lordship sent 8 angels by your man, and I have lost two of them in the rishes. MORE. Wit, look to that:—8 angels! I did send them ten.—Who gave it them? MAN. I, my lord; I had no more about me; But by and by they shall rescue the rest. MORE. Well, Wit, twas wisely done; thou playest Wit well indeed, Not to be thus deceived of thy right.— Am I a man, by office truly ordained Equally to decide true right his own, And shall I have deceivers in my house? Then what avails my bounty, when such servants Deceive the poor of what the Master gives? Go on, and pull his coat over his ears: There are too many such.—Give them their right.— Wit, let thy fellows thank thee: twas well done; Thou now deservest to match with Lady Wisdom. [Exit More with Attendants.] VICE. God a mercy, Wit!—Sir, you had a master Sir Thomas More more; but now we shall have more. LUGGINS. God bless him! I would there were more of his mind! a loves our quality; and yet he’s a learned man, and knows what the world is. CLOWN. Well, a kind man, and more loving than many other: but I think we ha’ met with the first.... LUGGINS. First served his man that had our angels; and he may chance dine with Duke Humphrey tomorrow, being turned away today. Come, let’s go. CLOWN. And many such rewards would make us all ride, and horse us with the best nags in Smithfield. [Exeunt.] SCENE II. Whitehall. The Council chamber. [Enter the Earls of Shrewsbury, Surrey, Bishop of Rochester, and other Lords; severally, doing courtesy to each other; Clerk of the Council waiting bareheaded.] SURREY. Good morrow to my Lord of Shrewsbury. SHREWSBURY. The like unto the honoured Earl of Surrey. Yond comes my Lord of Rochester. ROCHESTER. Good morrow, my good lords. SURREY. Clerk of the Council, what time is’t of day? CLERK. Past eight of clock, my lord. SHREWSBURY. I wonder that my good Lord Chancellor Doth stay so long, considering there’s matters Of high importance to be scanned upon.