The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 11 of 41
Wilson, Robert · published 1590 · first performed or written 1588 [1588-1590] (Annals) moral · Queen Elizabeth's Men (?) T39 Profit, conscience and dishonest dealing typicality 0.81 · 486 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
Alas good Ladies, was there none that sued For their release, before we took't in hand? Yes, divers for fair Lucre sought release, And some for Love would fain have paid the fees, But silly Conscience sat without regard, In sorrows dungeon, sighing by herself: Which when I saw that some did sue for Love, And most for Lucre, none for Conscience: A vow I made, which now I shall perform, Till some should sue to have release for all, judged as they were, they should remain in thrall: But you that crave their freedoms all at once Shall have your suit, and see them here ere long, A little while you must have patience, And leave this place: go in my Lords before. Becometh us to wait on Nemo still, Not so: but Lordings, the condition more You promise me, sith they are in my power, I shall dispose them when they are released Upon you three, as I shall think it best. Do but command and we shall all subscribe. Then go your ways, for I have here to do. Sorrow draw near, tomorrow bring thou forth Love, Lucre, Conscience, whom thou hast in thrall, Upon these stones to sit, and take the air, But set no watch or espial what they do. How happy may we call this merry day my mates, Wherein we meet, that once were desperate, I think, ever to have seen one another, when Nemo that upright judge had by imprisoning our Mistresses, banished us (by setting such diligent watch for us) out of London, and almost out of the world. But live we yet? And are we met? and near our old seat? Usury is it thou? Let me see, or hath some other stolen thy face? Speakest thou man? No Fraud, though many have counterfeited both thee & me, We are ourselves yet, and no changelings I see: And why shouldst thou ask me man if I live: The silly Ass can not feed on harder forage than usury, She upon thistles, and I upon a brown crust of a month old. So that Usury and an ass are two of the profitablest beasts that a man can keep, yet th'one hath sharper teeth than th'other. But what means Dissimulation? He droops methinks, What cheer man? Why cousen, frolic a fit, art thou not glad of this meeting? What's the cause of thy melancholy? Not melancholic, but musing how it comes to pass that we are thus fortunate to meet as we do. I'll tell thee why we met, because we are no mountains. But ye are as ill, for ye are monsters. And men may meet though mountains cannot. In token that this meeting is joyful to us all, Let us embrace altogether with heart's joy and affection. I see many of these old proverbs prove true, 'tis merry when knaves meet: How sir, what's that?
seed 43: T41 · seed 44: T39 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Alas good Ladies, was there none that sued For their release, before we took't in hand? Yes, diuers for fair Lcre sought release, And some for Loue would faine haue paid the sées, But sillie Conscience sat without regard, In Sorrowes dungeon, sighing by her selfe: Wich when I saw that some did sue for Loue, And most for Lucre, none for Conscience: A vow I made, which now I shall perfourme, Til some should sue to haue release for all, Iudg'd as they were, they should remaine in thrail: But you that craue their fréedomes all at once Shal haue your suit, and see them here ere long, A litle while you must haue ptience, And leaue this place: go in my Lordes before. Becommeth vs to waite on Nemo still, Not so: but Lordings, he condition more You promise me, sith they are in my power, I shall dispose them when they are releas'd Vpon you three, as I shall thinke it best. Doe but commaund and we shall all subscribe. Then goe your ways, for I haue here to do. Sorrow draw neere, to morrow bring thou foorth Loue, Lucre, Conscience, whom thou hast in thrall, Vpon these stones to sit, and take the aire, But set no watch or spyall what they doo. How happie may we call this merie day my mates, Wherein we meet, that once were desperate, I thinke, euer to haue seene one another, when Nemo that vpright Iudge had by imprisoning our Mistresses, banished vs (by setting such diligēt watch for vs) out of London, and almost out of the world. But liue we yet? And are we met? and neere our old seat? Vsury is it thou? Let me see, or hath some other stolne thy face? Speakest thou man? No Fraud, though many haue counterfeited both thee & me, We are our selues yet, and no changlings I see: And why shouldst thou aske me man if I liue: The silly Asse can not feed on harder forrage than vsurie, She vpon thistles, and I vpon a browne crust of a moneth old. So that Vsury and an asse are two of the profitablest beasts that a man can kéepe, yet th'one hath sharper teeth than th'other. But what meanes Dissimulation? He droopes me thinks, What cheere man? Why cousen, frolick a fit, art thou not glad of this meeting? What's the cause of thy melancholy? Not melancholike, but musing how it comes to passe that we are thus fortunate to méet as we doo. Ile tell thee why we met, because we are no mountaines. But ye are as ill, for ye are monsters. And men may meete though mountaines cannot. In token that this meeting is ioyfull to vs all, Let vs embrace altogether with harts ioy and affection. I see many of these old prouerbes prooue true, tis merrie when knaues meet: How sir, whats that?