The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 22 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 0.77 · 483 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
So I affirm, and so I will maintain That pleasure ought by right Dame Lucre have, To bear the charge of sports and of delights. Nay to support the haughty magnificence And lordly Pomp of London's excellence, Befits it rather Lucre join with me, By whom her honour shall be most advanced. More fit for pomp than pleasure, but most fit That Policy with Lucre should be matched, As guerdon of my studies and my cares And high employments in the common wealth: What pleasure can be fostered without cost: What Pomp or port without respect of gain? What policy without preferment lives? Pleasure must have Lucre: pomp hath need of Lucre: policy merits lucre: Pleasure dies without Lucre, Pomp decay without Lucre, policy droops without lucre: Thus Lords you show your imperfections: Subject to passions, straining honours bounds, Be well advised, you promised to be ruled, And have those Dames, by me disposed to you, But since I see that humane humours oft Makes men forgetful of their greater good. Be here a while, Dame lucre shall be brought By me, to choose which Lord she liketh best, So you allow her choice with patience. Go, we abide thy doom till thy return, If lucre be not mad she will be mine, If she regard her good she will be mine. If she love happy life, she will be mine, Women love Pleasure. Women love Pomp. Women use Policy: and here she comes that must decide the doubt. Conscience content thee with a quaint conceit, Conceal thy name to work a special good, Thou art not known to any of these Lords, By face or feature, till they hear thy name, Which must be lucre for a fine device, And Conscience clear indeed's the greatest gain, Lo, Lordings here fair lucre whom ye love: lucre, the choice is left unto thyself, Which of these three thou wilt for husband choose. The modesty that doth our sex beseem Forbids my tongue therein to tell my thought, But may it please my Lords to pardon me, Which of you three shall deign to make such choice, Him shall I answer to his own content, If lucre please to match with Policy, She shall be mistress over many men. If lucre like to match with London's Pomp, In stately port all others she shall pass. If pleasure may for wife fair lucre gain, Her life shall be an earthly Paradise. Lo, Lucre, men, and port, and pleasant life Are here propounded, Which wilt thou accept? Lord policy, Love were the only choice methinks for you, that all your cares employ And studies for the love of common wealth, For you Lord pleasure, Conscience were a wife, To measure your delights by reason's rule, In recreation Conscience help to use. Were Conscience half so sweet as is thyself, Her would I seek with suits and services.
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)
So I affirme, and so I wil maintaine That pleasure ought by right Dame Lucre haue, To beare the charge of sportes and of delightes. Nay to support the haughty magnificence And lordly Pompe of Londons excellence, Befits it rather Lucre ioine with me, By whom her honor shal be most aduanced. More fit for pomp than pleasure, but most fit That Pollicie with Lucre should be matched, As guerdon of my studies and my cares And high employments in the common wealth: What pleasure can be fostered without cost: What Pompe or port without respect of gaine What pollicie without preferment liues? Pleasure must haue Lucre: pomp hath need of Lucre: pollicy merits lucre: Pleasure dies without Lucre, Pomp decaies without Lucre, pollicy droopes without lucre: Thus Lordes you showe your imperfections: Subiect to passions, straining honours boundes, Be wel aduisde, you promised to be rulde, And haue those Dames, by me disposed to you, But since I see that humaine humors oft Makes men forgetfull of their greater good. Be here a while, Dame lucre shal be brought By me, to choose which Lord she liketh best, So you allow her choice with patience. Go, we abide thy doome til thy returne, If lucre be not mad she wil be mine, If she regard her good she wil be mine. If she loue happie life, she wil be mine, Women loue Pleasure. Women loue Pompe. Women vse Pollicie: and here she comes that must decide the doubt. Conscience content thee with a queint conceit, Conceile thy name to work a speciall good, Thou art not knowne to any of these Lordes, By face or feature, til they heare thy name, Which must be lucre for a fine deuice, And Conscience cleare indeed's the greatest gaine, Lo, Lordings here faire lucre whom ye loue: lucre, the choice is left vnto thy selfe, Which of these three thou wilt for husband choose. The modestie that dooth our sex beseeme Forbids my tongue therin to tell my thought, But may it please my Lordes to pardon me, Which of you three shall deigne to make such choice, Him shall I answere to his owne content, If lucre please to match with Pollicie, She shall be mistresse ouer many men. If lucre like to match with Londons Pomp, In stately port all others she shall passe. If pleasure may for wife faire lucre gaine, Her life shall be an earthly Paradice. Lo, Lucre, men, and port, and plesant life Are here propounded, Which wilt thou accept? Lord pollicie, Loue were the only choice Me thinks for you, that all your cares imploy And studies for the loue of common wealth, For you Lord pleasure, Conscience were a wife, To measure your delightes by reasons rule, In recreation Conscience helpe to vse. Were Conscience halfe so sweete as is thy selfe, Her would I seek with suites and seruices.