on a bond Whiles the receiuer did deferre his comming We gaue this coozening woman being Hostice The whole summe to lay vp and straightly charg'd her Not to deliver 't but to vs all together She sayes one of vs three demanded it Of her in haste and ranne away and thus We lost our money and the bond lies forfeit Ben. Your Lordships leaue T is true she not denies But they so charg'd her and she was so coozend Therefore she yeelds to paiment Let 'hem come All three together they shall haue the money Grif. Vpon my faith a prettie quillet Abb. Wittie and iust How say you heere produce The other two your satisfaction 's ready Ben. The widdow 's cleard but master Valentine Nay man come neerer you 'd haue present pay Val. No Sir let it euen goe Ben. So must not you You gaue 300. pound to her t is true Which like a subtle Quacksaluer you robd My father of Sprites Fairies Val. I am cob'd Grip. It 's true my lord this is one of the Fairies Iustice Iustice Val. Well if there be no remedie I hope I shall not dance alone vpon the rope My lord here 's the other Fairie Abb. O Sir haue I found you Pull off that borrowd habite from his backe O that such foule deeds should be hid in blacke Gripe My Lord this Widow 's accessary too She plotted she receiu'd Iustice iustice Ab. But late thy song was mercy now all iustice Here 's all the goodnes of an Vsurer She sau'd his life he would now hang her Gripe She has robb'd me vndone me Val. It is most true my lord she plotted all Curf. Your villanie Ostice we shall now retort You cheated vs and we will hang you for 't Ben. How doe these mischiefes grow like Hidra's heads faster by cutting off Vast. Prodigious villaines will they thus cast away an innocent woman Yet I most vile of all that thus stand by And for my fault behold my poore wife dye Ben. My lord vpon my soule this woman's cleare And only malice thus accuseth her Ab. Speake woman art thou guilty Wife My lord I begge a word with my Confessor Then I shall answere Sir a word in priuate To Vaster Now Vaster ope thy vnbeleeuing eyes Lo thy deuoted wife for thy sinne dyes Yeeld but this kindnesse to my latest breath Thou hate'st me liuing loue me yet in death Farewell My lord I will not say I 'm guilty Do as your euidence and wisedome leades you Ab. This knot is hard to vndo Vast. My lord I le help you Loe I am that third Fairy that pronounce This woman cleare and those two periur'd knaues We three are guilty let your sentence come I haue deseru'd will not despaire my doome Wife My lord he sayes not true hee 's innocent I guilty Ab. Speake on your soules which of these tongues speak truth Val. Curf. My lord the woman's cleare Ab. Pernicious Villaines hopelesse to be good That thus haue stroue to spill the guiltlesse bloud Widow y' are quitted Sir waite you your doome Vast. With patience Beniamin Gripe I here accuse you for murdering Richard Vaster Ab. How Vast. My lord I found that Vaster dying bury'd him Saw him receiuing death by this mans sword Theft 's a great sin but murder most abhorr'd Ab. Speake is this possible Ben. We met in single combate in the field It seemes his life vnto my sword did yeeld Ann. Ay me my father slaine Rob. And by his friend Fate whither will thy proiects tend Ann. My husbands hand my fathers life vndoes For this fact he must dye thus both I lose Ben. Forgiue me all by me you all haue lost The wife a Husband children a deare Parent Thus I returne you all some recompence Nan thou shalt lose a husband An. Heauens defend Ben. Mother you lose a son brother a friend Wife Can nature so degenerate that a man should liue stand by and see another suffer for murdering him Vast. Once againe off disguise My lord thus I preuent this fear'd disaster My second case pull'd off I am plaine Vaster Rob. My father Wife My deare husband Vast. Most most deare friend My loue to you doth beyond bounds extend My Lord first to this honourable Bench I' here present the Kings most gracious pardon For vs three here heauen no lesse pardon vs Now to my wife see wench I am new borne Rench'd from the plague of a suspected horne Blacke Iaundeys of the minde thou fained spirit That haunts mens quiet thoughts with troubling shades Pernicious Ielousie that like needlesse Physicke Divertest health to voluntary sicknesse I brush thee off like dust See I am now New marry'd to my loue and to my life Neuer could man boast a more constant wife Deare Beniamin now Sonne what I haue left Of all my shipwrack'd fortunes shall be thine Ben. Resume your former state my father yeelds it Vast. Thankes to your honestie not his yet thus Some meanes of satisfaction I haue found I le pay him backe his lost three hundred pound The fairie money which was iust the price Of my redeemed lands Ben. Now master Bromley That vniuersall mercie to our guilt May be affoorded and no blood be spilt Surrender vp your lease for the three liues To Sagers wife and children and I le quit you Brom. I do most freely yeeld it Sag. Sager liues And hartie thankes for your forc'd kindnesse giues Abb. Happy delusions in such waies of ill I wish men may be thus mistaken still Nic. Rauens and Sprites and Fairies and Hares and diuels-Thus haue I lost my wench lost my money lost my watch lost my wits I doe here renounce the faith of all Almanackes Physiogmoners Palmists Fortune-tellers Erra Pater was an Asse and so are Prognosticators his children from generation to generation Grip. I haue drunke powerfull physicke and the Dropsie Of my till now nere quenched auarice Dries vp like dew at the ascending Sunne Vaster take back your lands and for the money Giue it my sonne in portion with your daughter Hencefoorth I le study to requite the wrongs Which I haue done poore men by vsurie And vomit vp th' extortions that doe lie As vndigested crudities on my conscience My future life shall bee in mercie spent I 'm Gripe no more that name I doe repent Abb. All Chronicles be fill'd with this and let it Be as a wonder to all eares imparted England had once an Vsurer conuerted EPILOGVE Ben. THe Session now dissolues each Iustice rises No hurt is done this is the milde Assises We haue scap'd faire thus farre yet there remaines A stronger iudgement to passe on our paines Too much to hope or doubt we must not dare We humbly then stand at your censures barre If the worst comes that may be yet I looke For this grace to be saued by my booke But if with your applause our merit stands Faith then be friends with vs and giue 's your hands FINIS
dead man Dreames quoth a and he will not beleeue a dreame he 's an Infidell One night I dream't that I found gold at a play Next day I came thither flatter'd with these hopes Zlid before the Prologue had done I had lost my purse Coz if you ha' no faith in dreames farewell I would not dreame of heauen lest I find hell Exit Ben. This charme has cast him off now to my morgage Oh Vaster thou art dead thy haplesse issue Expos'd to the bleake ayre of these cold times I haue no meanes to expiate the wrongs My cruell Father and my selfe more bloudy Haue done thee but by charitie to thine All the poore pieces that remaine of thee So with the plaisters of our broken good We hide the wounds first hauing shed the bloud Within there Hoh Enter Robert and Anne Vaster Rob. Thou com'st vpon thy death infectious issue of the worlds plague if thy bloud stained foote enter these dores Our parents are from home Till their returne I le keepe possession Or lose it with my life Ben. Incensed Youth Thou fight'st 'gainst power with a sword of straw As good cope with the diuell as with the Law Anne Me thinks Sir there should dwell some pittie in your looke Oh cast an eye of mercie on the woes Of two most wretched Orphans doubly lost First in their Parents miseries but oh most In their vntimely deaths for we doubt sore We neuer shall behold their faces more Ben. My griefe requites you both No matter had it so pleas'd the high powers If that my Father had excused yours Ann. Good Sir forget your strength and do not triumph ouer the prostrate fortunes of two wretches Expos'd to vnresisted tyrannie Behold a Mayden begging on her knee Ben. Rise that 's heauens due These armes now thee entwine That wish for euer to be called thine A strange new influence runs through my affections Into my panting heart and there inthron'd Commands my lower faculties to loue This poore distressed Virgin I am flam'd With pittie and affection whether more Yet let my senses some coole reason gather What loue the daughter and haue slaine the father I must heauen knowes I must See my lov'd friends My comming to you is for other ends My Father sent me to inuade your lands A while stand free redeemed with my hands There 's money to relieue you that done you shall haue more Despaire not heauen will not forsake the poore Rob. Right noble sonne of so profest a foe Heauen be as kinde to you as you t' our woe Ben. I burst if I containe my passion Fairest Virgin If thou dar'st credite me I loue thee Rob. Hold Here take your kindnes back Though we are poore My sister was not bred to be a whore Forbeare to touch her Ben. Fond Youth thy rage is vaine Th' art young thy errour doth thy vertue staine I loue her as a wife Anne Oh doe not mock me How can I thinke you to such fortunes borne Will looke vpon a Mayd so poore forlorne Ben. Alas that pouerty should vertue smother Not in my brest No I le still honest be Vertue in rags are gold's all one to me Censure me both as you shall finde me true I le be your father and your brother too Enter old Gripe brought in a chaire by Nice and Thirsty Grip. So let me downe till I haue seene my new morgage How now son Beniamin ha' you taken possession Ben. Of that you cannot dispossesse me Sir Grip. No knaue what wilt thou take my lands before I 'm dead You are a braue son indeed But this is the world If the father be poore the sonne would be ridde of him to saue charges If rich he must haue his lands ere his bones be cold Thir. They may be cold for they ha' been rotten these dozen yeeres Nic. I am very hungry Thir. I am very thirsty Ni. But dare not eate because I was dream'd to night of choking Ann. Now brother w' are vndone The damned father will peruert the son Rob. Gowt dropsie lamenesse rotten legges can hasten T' vndoe the poore Vsurers that sit Bound to their chaires with charms cannot moue But by their porters can to ill bestirre them He needs make haste that is at hell before them Grip. Ha for 3. Moneths Ben. Indeed Sir by that power you put me in In charity to their miserable state Orphan'd of Parents and of meanes to liue I gaue them 3. moneths profite of the lands Grip. Out Villaine Charitie 's a begger as thou wut be 3. moneths three weekes 3. dayes 3. houres had been more charity then euer I shew'd or will shew to such beggers Come Nice Thirsty list me I le take possession my selfe Ben. I hope Sir you 'l not nullifie my deed Exit Thirst Grip. Deed mee no deedes I le nullifie thee from being mine heire Come helpe me I say Nic. Indeed Sir I dare not lift you against the poore Grip. Where 's my man Thirsty Nic. He 's gone in to drinke Sir Grip. Oh he 's a good knaue he has got possession ot'h house Thir. Of nothing master but the Buttry I Grip. As lame as I am I le in my selfe Rob. Sit still you lethargie y' had better drop Ben. Containe your selfe young friend He is my father Let not the warme nest of my loue to you Hatch vp encouragement to my fathers wrongs Rob. You are my sterne Sir at your pleasure guide This tempest-beaten vessell Ben. Good Sir confirme This worke of pietie which I presum'd On faith of your good nature to affoord Grip. Sirrah your good nature will bring you to th' Almeshouse Thou shalt not inherit a doyt of mine And for you two Kitlins I le make you mew i th Iayle and there be any law in England So this chasing fit hath got me the vse of my legges againe Oh excellent Surgion would thou wert here againe for the other 25. pounds Ben. Strange that same Quack-saluer has done him good against his will How fare you Sir Grip. The worse for thee Bastard Th' hast too much charitie in thee to be the sonne of old Gripe Ann. Deare brother yeeld possession wee 'l begge rather Then this our worthy friend should lose his father Rob. Sir be not so incens'd resume your sonne Into your former loue and I resigne All right that his free promise hath made mine Grip. Come then Nice Thirsty Oh braue Surgion I can goe Oh braue morgage I can enter Exit Nic. M. Beniamin a sober word in priuate If this wench want harbour I care not if I giue her a nights lodging Ben. I haue inuited her with her brother to supper this night Will you Ni. Oh it 's Fry-day and I know you haue flesh Ben. Thou wouldst take her any night Is she not flesh Nic. Sweet Cousin I would not eate her If you please to commend me to her let me see for what I leaue that to you Exit Ben. Goe in let me alone This petulant
Priapus-rode Mee thinks sweet-heart your honest-man should bee one that should please your appetite stirre your veines tickle your bloud and make you laugh delight into your panting spleene Wife An honest diuell Th' are friends to hell that tempt weake soules to euill Ben. Come let me kisse thee so this was with ease Words are ayry shades th' are deeds that please Wife Sir do not thinke to enter my chaste fort Encourag'd by this parle You presume Ben. Not to vnlocke thy treasures with such keyes Gold only can surprise such holds as these And I haue that will doo 't Wife Then vse it well How 's wealth abus'd when it conducts to hell Sir I will set no price on your desires Bon. I le be the franker Pay-master Wife You must Then pay me for my vertue so I le' take it What starues lust is well bought not what it feedes 'T is follies dregges with coyne to buy ill deedes Ben. Come come why should you be so quaint and nice That know what belongs to 't Dsso a Virgin At thirteene or perhaps a little vnder Could not with whuling nay's be so peruerse In her beworded Mayden-head Wif. I must Ben. Thou dost not rightly of my merits deeme I would not know you such as you now seeme Ben. The golden footed law that goes or runs Staies and turnes backe as we giue motion to it Shall step the pase which thou would'st haue it Nay Speake as thy tongue instructs it I will change Thy pouerty to gold rich robes a Coach And prauncing Coursers that shall whirle thee through The popular streets and when thou sitst in pride The tamed law shall lacquay by thy side Wife These are some incitations to a heart Tainted with malice or that thinkes a heauen In glorious ostentation or would stand Affected with the bane of prurient lust I 'm of another temper Pray you leaue me Ben. Thou shalt Nectar drinke Make ebrious waste of the sweet Gnossian wines Fesants shall be course dyet refin'd marow Small pounded nuts and losseng'd Amylum Scrap'd pearle and date-stones sprinkled on each slice And strew'd with sugar like white frost on yce Grant me but loue I le raine a showre of Gold Into thy lappe out-shining Ioue when he Wrapt in his glory courted Danae Wife Thy language does affright me Oh my starres Ben. O let not teares spoile such a beauty Tell mee Why spill you water like a Crockodile to captiue mee that might haue don 't with mirth nimbler then ayre Wife Sir I haue no desire To take your lust but pittie Some what prompts my credulous heart there is some goodnesse in you Ben. My truth shall quite thy faith Impart thy mind Wife I le trust you Sir I am a wretched woman The widow or the wife I know not whether of the distressed or dead Vaster Ben. How I faint to tell thee thou art then a widow The warres haue ended his infortunate dayes Nay let not griefe oppresse thy spirits Oh I haue kill'd the wife and husband with one blow Lift vp thy sowning eyes Wife Oh let me dye Rather short death then lingring miserie Ben. Reuiue thy heart Vaster yet liues in me I am his sonne that hath thy husbands lands Wife And can I looke for mercy at your hands Ben. Receiue this earnest all my state is thine Wife You cannot with these spels charme me to sinne Ben. I do not when I taint thy chaster eares With motions of blacke lust pronounce me Villaine Tell me who brought you to this Brothell-Inne Wife He to whom heauen I trust hath clear'd all sin My Vaster sold me hither I was content Thus to relieue his state when all was spent Ben. But couldst thou liue infectlesse in this ayre Wife I haue and will Ben. Will This giues strange suspicion Wife I made a promise that without consent Of her that bought me I would not depart Enter Mar-mayde See where th' Inchantresse comes Marm. Now minion you must be gadding Cry you mercie Land-lord if you 'l haue any sport walke in walke in You shall take out your rent here Land-lord She shall be your own Vacation and Terme too Land-lord Ben. So you pernicious Damme of lusts foule littour You that buy beauty and do sell 't againe And liue by th' occupation Heare you Free This woman from your brothell slauerie Or I shall bring you to the cart and lash Marm. Oh I am cast away she cost me fifty pounds I ne're got foure grotes by her yet Ben. Thou shalt lose more by keeping her Goe cleanse the house from this disorder or I here discharge thee Marm. Good Land-lord bestow her where you will I am content to be rid of her so I may hold your favour Foxe pull your honesty Is this the dancing mayde One more such purchase will vndoe my trade Enter Gripe Grip. Hostice Ostice wher 's your kinswoman Marm. Yonder Sir talking with my Land-lord your Worships sonne Gripe Son Benjamin yea faith are you so close with a wench Come hither she 's a whore Take heed on her Exit Mar. If she want mennes bring her home she shall keep my house Faith I grow old and cannot now long liue Oh such a Wench would be restoratiue Perswade her Ben Exit Gripe Ben. I le do my best Sir See The pleased fates consent to succour thee My fathers house shall shelter thee vnknowne Please the old man with words but hold your owne If my plot takes as I can hope no lesse This lust of his shall thy good fortunes blesse Act. Tertius Enter Robert Vaster and Anne Rob. COme sister to my sorrowes and my selfe They say society in woes doth lighten Our pressures but I finde the contrary My woes are heauier by thy companie My griefe for thy distresse doubles mine owne I should be farre lesse wretched if alone Ann. Sweet brother since we must both suffer thinke it some comfort that we share an equall fortune Griefe has lesse power to worke on our sad hearts Where mutuall loues contend to beare their parts Rob. Little once thought thy mother that thy fate Should stoope to seruice to relieue thy state We are not try'd but in our miserie He is a cunning Coach-man that can turne Well in a narrow roome To manage plenty In a right forme commends the state not person Hee 's blest that to be rich can giue consent With honestie or rest poore with content I wonder Benjamin doth not visit vs His last reliefe is done if that spring drye We faint for succour and must fainting dye Enter Bromley See here comes Bromley once our fathers Steward Sure hee 'l support vs Sister cry his kindnesse thy speech is more pathetical Brom. Theeues Lawyers Rogues Harlots and Inne-keepers are mens purgations Griffin has cheated mee tooke twenty angels from me theeues tooke 'hem from him He promis'd to draw Sager to compound now the day 's gone against me Oh I could wish my nailes turn'd Vultures tallons That I might teare their flesh in
must be violent Giue him some Aqua-fortis that would speed him Let 's see Me thinks a little Gun-powder Should haue some strange relation to this fit I haue seene Gun-powder oft driue out stones From Forts and Castle-walls huger then he Has any in his reynes or bladder sure Faith 'cause I am a souldier I 'le make triall Of that same blacke and vaporous Minerall I 'le shoote into his belly if the gunne hold I 'le giue him charge enough some Aquavitae First brewd together would allay it well I le sweare to try it if I doe not misse By a strange tricke I le make my Vsurer pisse Sir I le goe in and prepare for aou. Grip. Doe so Here Thirsty there be the Keys of the Buttry attend vpon him good Thirsty let him lacke nothing as thou lou'st me Thirst. I loue you Master but here 's a good key I loue better Sweete instrument of my ioy let me kisse thee Alas that thou and I should be such strangers Wee ha' but one barrell now if that should bee in my masters disease troubled with the strangullion and could not runne well if it bee not emptie I le giu 't a scowring Exit Grip. Now if this rare wonder of leaches can cure mee of this griping that I may haue some fortie or threescore yeares more to gather in by that time I shall gather enough to keepe me all the rest of my life When a man growes vp to to sixe or seuen score it is high time to thinke of mortalitie and to take some ease These three or foure nights I ha' bene haunted with Fairies they dance about my bed-side poppe in a peece of gold betweene the sheetes scatter here and there fragments of siluer in euery corner I keepe my chamber swept cleane linnen fire to warme them euery night I was at first a fraide they had beene spirits now I see they are good harmelesse Fairies If I can please them I shall grow rich rich Sonne I haue stayd for you Enter Beniamin Ben. You haue done your health the more wrong Sir Grip. How dost like my morgage Ben. It 's a faire liuing Sir but I would not haue you meddle with it Grip. Why my wise sonne Ben. Oh Sir good deeds are scant When we aduantage take of poore mens want Bruster 's an honest man lend him some money without such sharpe securitie Grip. Not a doyt If he come to me and conuey the morgage I haue it ready els I haue no money Sonne come and sup with me Ben. I follow Sir Preposterous transuersion of our selues Th' erection of our faces should instruct Our groueling thoughts t' ascend How do men thwart The teaching hand of Nature and our birth Our heads cut aire and yet our hearts plow earth I looke for Sager here He 's come Enter Sager Sag. Heer 's my owne case and counterfeit by this dangerlesse plummet we may sound the depth of his more close and intricate stratagems Ben. So wiser masters lay some easie baites At once to tempt and trie their seruants truth The subiect for quack-saluing Empirickes To exercise their inexperience on Should not be men but malkins Sag. Do you thinke that he would doe me violence asleepe would he not wake me to some conference Ben. No hee 's a most ranke Coward and I know Dares not come neere thee though thou wert asleepe If he does ought he 'l do 't by that long Engine Conceale your selfe awhile How fares my name How does she brooke my slow-pac'd comming to her Sag. Faith in your constancie lightens all griefe She neuer heares you mention'd but she startles As if your name like some celestiall fire Quicken'd her slow-pac'd spirits with new life I neuer knew vertue and beauty meete In a more happy mixture I remoue Exit Ben. I loue her freely shee 's to me as th' ayre Her beauty is best and blest whose soule is faire The Wolfe is come Enter Bromley with a fowling piece Brom. Good euening to you Sir Ben. My wish requite you You walke to haue a shoot Sir I depart I would be loth to preiudice your sport Brom. Saw you not Mr Sager Sir of late This is his walke I would faine speake with him Ben. Why would you speake with him Brom. Sir for no harme Ben. I do not thinke you meane it but you know hee 's valiant like a Lyon if crosse words should stirre your blouds to quarrell Sir take heed Hee 'l be too hard for you and your long weapon This medow is his euening walke Farewell to you Sir Exit Ben. Brom. Good night M. Beniamin you need not doubt me If I could meet him at th' aduantage now He is the Fowle I 'd shoot at His life done The Farme is mine Oh ye whose hopes depend Like lingring shadowes on anothers end What need you waite with patience natures leasure When such an engine can soone work your pleasure Tarry yonder 's a man now by his habite It should be Sager What and fast asleepe Wish'd opportunity to my reuenge I le kill him ere he wakes Stay grant he should In this vnbeaten medow lately act Some horrid sinne please his adulterous lust I should then with his body strike his soule And sinke them both together Reason no further Thou chiding conscience See the Fates haue plac't Him fit for vengeance enemie sleepe thy last Hee 's Planet-strucke falne downe now to my Farme He that would rise must thanke his wit or arme Oh but my murder pish who euer stood Exit In fortunes height without some touch of blood Enter Beniamin and Sager at seuerall wayes Ben. This I diuin'd Sag. Happy preuention Ben. Goe thou despairing wretch and for thy will Ten thousan swords shall thy vex'd conscience kill 'T was a vaine blow to vs and no bloud spilt Not lesse in thy intention is thy guilt This Clergy-habite which you haue assum'd Make good a while for your supposed death Allow his tyrannie free scope liue close Till time shall ripen those euents we striue To build on this vile ground Hold ther 's my key Into my chamber I sup at my fathers Exit Sager What come againe Enter Bromley Brom. I cannot be at rest I must needes see If this late murdered corps remoued be Some gold I haue put vp in this Portmantua If I should be pursu'd this may relieue me Ay me the bodi 's gone sure it 's reueal'd Murder from heauens eye cannot be conceal'd What shall I doe sit downe lye there my gold Enter Nice and Thirsty on either side crying So ho Nic. Holla Cousin Beniamin So ho ho Thir. Oh ho ho excurrit Brom. Oh me the Countrie 's vp what shall I do Ben. This foole hath frayd him Oh guilt how hast thou made Cowherd of man to fly at his owne shade Now Cousin Nice what holla you for Nic. You had need of a bell to ring you in Your father has stayd supper for you this houre Ben. Come then let 's walke on what 's