The Three Lords and Three Ladies of London · chunk 40 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 0.91 · 492 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T39: conscience, lucre, usury, lucar, fraud, dissimulation, simony, london, lady, nemo.
These Lords and Ladies thus to church are gone, An honoured action to solemnize there, With greater joy will they return anon, Than Caesar did in Rome his Laurel wear. Lord policy hath Love unto his Fere. Lord pomp hath Lucre to maintain his port, Lord pleasure Conscience to direct his sport. Usury is marked to be known, Dissimulation like a shadow fleets, And Simony is out of knowledge grown, And Fraud unfound in London but by fits. Simplicity with painful penury sits. For Hospitality that was wont to feed him, Was slain long since and now the poor do need him. That Hospitality was an honest man, But had few friends (alas) if he had any, But Usury which cut his throat as than Was succoured, and sued for by many. Would Liberality had been by thy side, Than Hospitality, thou hadst never died. But what mean I, one of the marriage train, To mourn for him will near be had again. His Ghost may walk to mock the people rude: Ghosts are but shadows, and do sense delude: I talk too long, for so this lovely crew Are coming back, and have performed their due. O Lady Conscience that art married to Lord pleasure, Help thy servant simplicity to recover his lost treasure: A boon my Lords, all for Love and lucre's sake, Even as you are true Lords, help a false lout to take, Thou shalt have help, speak, what is the matter? See you yon fellow with the torch in his hand? One the falsest villain that is in this land, Let him be laid hold on that he run not away, And than ye shall hear what I have to say. Diligence bring him hither, good Lords and Ladies stay, O Master Fraud, welcome to the butts, Now I'll have my ten shillings in spite of your guts, The French Tanker consume ye, you were an old Frenchman, dam goll button, goll renga, bugla lace, you cozened me then, My Lords I beseech ye that at Tyburn he may totter, For instead of gold, the villain sold me copper. Is this true M. Skill? It is true in a sort my Lord, I thought to be pleasant with him being my old acquaintance, and disguised myself like an old French Artificer and having a few copper knacks, I sold them to him to make sport for ten shillings, which money I am content to pay him again so shall he have no loss though he have made a little sport. First give him an Angel before my face. Simplicity, art thou pleased? Truly I am pleased to take a good Angel for ten shillings, speciously of such a debtor as M. Fraud: but now I am to be pleased otherwise, that is, to see him punished, I promise ye the people love him well, for they would leave work and make half holiday to see him hanged.
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)
These Lordes and Ladies thus to church are gone, An honoured action to solemnize there, With greater ioy wil they return anone, Than Caesar did in Rome his Laurell weare. Lord pollicy hath Loue vnto his Fere. Lord pompe hath Lucre to maintaine his port, Lord pleasure Conscience to direct his sport. Vsury is marked to be knowen, Dissimulation like a shadow fléetes, And Simony is out of knowledge growen, And Fraud vnfound in London but by fits. Simplicity with painefull penurie sits. For Hospitality that was woont to feed him, Was slaine long since and now the poore doo néed him. That Hospitality was an honest man, But had few friendes (alas) if he had any, But Vsury which cut his throat as than Was succoured, and sued for by many. Would Liberality had bene by thy side, Then Hospitality, thou hadst neuer died. But what meane I, one of the mariage traine, To mourne for him wil nere be had againe. His Ghost may walke to mocke the people rude: Ghostes are but shadowes, and doe sense delude: I talke too long, for soe this louelie crue Are comming backe, and haue perfourm'd their due. O Lady Conscience that art maried to Lord pleasure, Help thy seruant simplicity to recouer his lost treasure: A boone my Lords, all for Loue and Lucre sake, Euen as you are true Lordes, help a false lout to take, Thou shalt haue helpe, speake, what is the matter? Sée you yen fellow with the torch in his hand? One the falsest villaine that is in this land, Let him be laid hold on that he run not away, And then yee shall heare what I haue to say. Diligence bring him bether, good Lordes and Ladies stay, O Maister Fraud, welcome to the buts, Now Ile haue my ten shillings in spite of your guts, The French Tanker consume ye, you were an old Frenchman, Da goll buttoone, goll renga, bugla lase, you coson'd me than, My Lords I beseech ye that at tyborne he may otter, For in steed of gold, the villaine sold me copper. Is this true M. Skil? It is true in a sort my Lord, I thought to bee pleasant with him being my old acquaince, and disguis'd my selfe like an old French Artificer and hauing a few copper knacks, I sold them to him to make sport for ten shillings, which money I am content to pay him againe so shall he haue no losse though he haue made a litle sport. First giue him an Angell before my face. Simplicity, art thou pleased? Truly I am pleas'd to take a good Angell for ten shillinges, speciouslie of such a debter as M. Fraud: but now I am to bee pleas'd otherwise, that is, to see him punished, I promise yee the people loue him wel, for they would leaue work and make halfe oliay to see him hanged.