The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 34 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 0.84 · 498 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
Please it your Lordship, fair semblance, I am well seen, though I say it, in sundry languages, meet for your Lordship, or any noble service, to teach divers tongues, and other rare things. I like ye very well, stay a while for your answer, Master Usury, I thank ye that ye offer me your service, it seems to be for your old mistress sake, Lady lucre, stay but a while, I will answer you with reason. How now my hearts, think ye we shall speed. Diligence, Come hither. I cannot tell what you shall, but I am sure I shall. I am as like as any of ye both. Fraud. Whist man, he's Skill. Skill, Why dost thou seek to serve Lady Love? What profit will that he? Cut hold thee content, I'll serve but a while, and serve mine own turn and away. Master Usury come hither, you desire to serve me, you have done Lady Lucre good service you say, but it was against God and Conscience you did it, neither ever in your life did ye any thing for Love: Well to be short, serve me you shall not, and I would I could banish you from London for ever, or keep you close prisoner, but that is not in me, but what is or may be, that strait you shall see: By policies counsel this shall be done, Diligence bring that iron, help me my Lords. Give me the iron Pomp, cozen Skill help to hold him, Sirrah, policy gives you this mark, do you see, A little x. standing in the midst of a great. C, Meaning thereby to let all men understand, that you must not take above bare x. pound in the hundred at any hand, And that too much too, and so be packing quietly: And know that London's Pomp is not sustained by usury, But by well ventured merchandise and honest industry. I would I had never seen ye, if this be your courtesy. Now cozen Skill, alias, filthy Fraud, No kinsman to Policy, nor friend to the state. In steed of serving me, Diligence take him to Newgate, Ask not why, sir, but Diligence if he do strive, Raise the street he's unweaponed, and thou hast a weapon on: And now Lords when ye will, about our affairs, let's be gone, Agreed, but what's become of fair semblance my man. A crafty villain, perceiving how we meant to Usury, slipped away. All hail, all rain, all frost, & all snow, be to you three Lords of London on a row: Read my supplantation and my suit ye shall know, Even for God's sake above, and three ladies' sakes below. M. Diligence, Do me favour, you know I am a gentleman. Step aside till my Lords be gone, I'll do for you what I can. What's here my boy, what's here? pleasure, this suit is sure to you, for it's mad stuff, and I know not what it means.
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)
Please it your Lordship, fair semblance, I am wel séen, though I say it, in sundry languages, méet for your Lordship, or any noble seruice, to teach diuers tongues, and other rare things. I like ye verie well, stay a while for your answere, Maister Vsury, I thanke ye that ye offer me your seruice, it séemes to be for your old maistresse sake, Lady lucre, stay but a while, I will answere you with reason. How now my hearts, think ye we shal spéed. Diligence, Come hether. I cannot tell what you shal, but I am sure I shal. I am as like as anie of ye both. Fraud. Whist man, he's Skil. Skil, Why doest thou séeke to serue Lady Loue? What profite wil that he? Cut hold thée content, Ile serue but a while, and serue mine owne turne and away. Maister Vsury come hether, you desire to serue me, you haue done Lady Lucre good seruice you say, but it was against God and Conscience you did it, neither euer in your life did ye anie thing for Loue: Well to be short, serue me you shall not, and I would I could banish you from London for euer, or keepe you cloase prisoner, but that is not in me, but what is or may be, that strait you shall see: By pollicies counsell this shall be done, Diligence bring that yron, helpe me my Lords. Giue me the yron Pomp, Cosen Skil help to hold him, Sirra, pollicy giues you this marke, doo you sée, A litle x. standing in the midd'st of a great. C, Meaning thereby to let all men vnderstand, that you must not take aboue bare x. pound in the hūdred at any hand, And that too much too, and so be packing quietly: And know that Londons Pomp is not sustained by vsury, But by well ventured marchandize and honest industrie. I would I had neuer seene ye, if this be your curtesie. Now Cosen Skil, alias, filthy Fraud, No kinsman to Pollicie, nor friend to the state. In steed of seruing me, Diligence take him to Newgate, Aske not whie, sir, but Diligence if he doe striue, Raise the street he's vnweaponed, and thou hast a weapon on: And now Lordes when ye wil, about our affaires, let's be gone, Agréed, but what's become of faire semblance my man. A crafie villaine, perceiuing how we meant to Vsurie, slipt away. All hail, all raine, all frost, & all snow, be to you thrée Lords of London on a row: Read my supplantation and my suit yee shall know, Euen for Gods sake aboue, and three Ladies sakes below. M. Diligence, Do me fauour, you know I am a gentleman. Step aside til my Lordes be gone, Ile doo for you what I can. What's here my boy, what's here? pleasure, this suit is sure to you, for it's mad stuffe, and I know not what it meanes.