The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 12 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 0.82 · 484 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
If a man had a casting net, he might catch all you. Art not thou Simplicity? Goodman Simp. for I am married, & it like your mastership, And you are mast. Fraud too, a pox on your worship. I see, a fox and a false knave have all one luck, the better for banning, And many of you crafty knaves live merrilier than we honest men. Sirrah, bridle your tongue if you'll be welcome to our company No girds nor old grudges, but congratulate this meeting, And sirs, if you say it, let's tell how we have lived since our parting. O it is great pity. What? to tell how we have lived: No, that ye do live. Yet again sirrah. Usury, as for thee it were folly to ask, for thou livest but too well, but Dissimulation and simony, how have you two lived? discourse I pray you heartily. Faith even like two mice in an aumbry that eat up all the meat, and when they have done, gnaw holes in the cupboard. Fraud, after my scaping away at the Sessions where I shifted as thou knowest in three sundry shapes, one of a Friar, and they can dissemble: another like a woman, and they do little else: the third as a Saint and a Devil, and so is a woman. I was banished out of London by Nemo, to the country went I, amongst my old friends and never better loved than among the russet coats: once in a month I stole in oath market day to Leadenhall and about, and sometime to Westminster hall. Now hearing some speech, that the Ladies should be sued for, for I am come in hope of my old entertainment, supposing myself not known of many, and hoping the three Lords will prevail in their suit, and I to serve one of them. He shall do well that gives thee a coat, but he should do better, that could take of thy skin. And I have been a traveller abroad in other realms, for here I am so cried out against by preachers (and yet some ministers that be none, could be content to use me) that I was glad to be gone now in some other lands, and not very far off, I am secretly fostered, saving in Scotland, and the low Countries, they are reformed, they can not abide me. Well now and then hither I came stealing over sea, and hearing as you here intend as you do. And for mine own part, amongst artificers and amongst a few bad conscienced Lawyers, I have found such entertainment, as doth pass, yet would I with Lucre fain be as I was. Fraud is as ill as a cutpurse, by the mass. And for Usury, the longer I live, the greater love I find Yet would I be with Lucre, again to please my mind.
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)
If a man had a casting net, he might catch all you. Art not thou Simplicity? Goodman Simp. for I am maried, & it like your maistership, And you are mast. Fraud too, a pox on your worship. I sée, a fox and a false knaue haue all one luck, the better for banning, And many of you crafty knaues liue merilyer than we honest men. Sirra, bridle your tongue if you'il be welcom to our cmpany No girdes nor old grudges, but congratulate this méeting, And sirs, if you say it, let's tel how we haue liued since our parting. O it is great pity. What? to tell how we haue liued: No, that ye doo liue. Yet againe sirra. Vsury, as for thée it were folly to aske, for thou liuest but too wel, but Dissimulation and simony, how haue you two liued? discourse I pray you hartily. Faith euen like two mice in an amberie that eat vp all the meat, and when they haue done, gnaw holes in the cupbord. Fraud, after my scaping away at the Sessions where I shifted as thou knowest in thrée sundry shapes, one of a Frier, and they can dissemble: another like a woman, and they doo litle else: the third as a Saint and a Deuill, and so is a woman. I was banished out of London by Nemo, to the countrie went I, amongst my olde friendes and neuer better loued than among the russet coates: once in a moneth I stole in othe market day to Leaden-hall and about, and sometime to VVestminster hall. Now hearing some speach, that the Ladies should be sued for, for I ame come in hope of my old intertaiment, supposing my selfe not knowen of many, and hoping the three Lords wil preuaile in their suit, and I to serue one of them. He shall doo well that giues thee a coat, but he should do better, that could take of thy skinne. And I haue bene a traueiler abroad in other realms, for here I am so cried out against by preachers (and yet some ministers that be none, could be content to vse me) that I was glad to be gone nowe in some other landes, and not verie far of, I am secretly fostered, sauing in Scotland, and the low Countries, they are refourmed, they can not abide me. Wel now and then hither I came stealing ouer sea, and hearing as you here intend as you doo. And for mine owne part, amongst artificers and among a few bad consienced Lawyers, I haue found such entetainment, as dooth passe, yet would I with Lucre faine be s I was. Fraud is as ill as a cut-purse, by the masse. And for Vsury, the longer I liue, the greater loue I find Yet would I be with Lucre, again to please my mind.