though our maisters loue Did binde vs while his loue was to the King It is no boote now to denie these things Which may be preiuditiall to the state And though that God hath raisde my fortune hyer Then any way I lookt for or deseru'de Yet my life no longer with me dwell Then I prooue true vnto my Soueraigne What say you maister Cromwell haue you those writings I or no Crom. Here are the writings and vpon my knees I giue them vp vnto the worthy Dukes Of Suffolke and of Norffolke he was my Maister And each vertuous part That liued in him I tenderd with my hart But what his head complotted gainst the state My countries loue commands me that to hate His sudden death I greeue for not his fall Because he sought to worke my countries thrall Suff. Cromwell the King shall here of this thy dutie Whom I assure my selfe will well rewarde thee My Lord le ts go vnto his Maiestie And show these writings which he longs to see Exit Norffolke and Suffolke Enter Bedford hastily Bed How now whos 's this Cromwell By by soule welcome to England Thou once didst saue my life didst not Cromwell Crom. If I did so 't is greater glorie for me that you remember it Then of my selfe vainelie to report it Bed Well Cromwell now is the time I shall commend thee to my Souereigne Cheere vp thy selfe for I will raise thy state A Russell yet was neuer found ingrate Exit Hales O how vncertaine is the wheele of state Who latelie greater then the Cardinall For feare and loue and now who lower lies Gaye honours are but Fortunes flatteries And whom this day pride and promotion swels To morrow enuie and ambition quels More Who sees the Cob-web intangle the poore Flie May boldlie say the wretches death is nigh Gard. I know his state and proud ambition Was too too violent to last ouer-long Hales Who soares too neare the sunne with golden winges Mealtes them to ruine his owne fortune bringes Enter the Duke of Suffolke Suf. Cromwell kneele downe in king Henries name Arise sir Thomas Cromwell thus beginnes thy fame Enter the Duke of Norffolke Norf. Cromwell the maiestie of England For the good liking he conceiues of thee Makes thee maister of the iewell house Chiefe Secretarie to himselfe and with all Creates thee one of his highnesse priuie Counsell Enter the Earle of Bedforde Bed Where is sir Thomas Cromwell is he knighted Suf. He is my Lorde Bed Then to adde honour to his name The King creates him Lord keeper of his priuie Seale And maister of the Roules Which you sir Christopher do now enioy The King determines higher place for you Crom. My Lords these honors are too high for my desert More O content thee man who would not choose it Yet thou art wise in seeming to refuse it Gard. Here 's honors titles and promotions I feare this climing will haue a sudden fall Norff. Then come my Lords le ts al together bring This new made Counseller to Englands King Exit all but Gardiner Gard. But Gardiner meanes his glorie shall be dimde Shall Cromwell liue a greater man then I My enuie with his honour now is bred I hope to shorten Cromwell by the head Exit Enter Friskiball very poore Fris. O Friskiball what shall become of thee Where shalt thou go or which way shalt thou turne Fortune that turnes her too vnconstant wheele Hath turn'd thy wealth and riches in the Sea All parts abroade where euer I haue beene Growes wearie of me and denies me succour My debters they that should releeue my want Forsweares my monie saies they owe me none They know my state too meane to beare out law And here in London where I oft haue beene And haue done good to manie a wretched man Am now most wretched here dispisd my selfe In vaine it is more of their hearts to trie Be patient therefore laye thee downe and die He lies downe Enter good man Seely and his wife Ioane Seely Come Ioane come le ts see what hee le doe for vs now Iwis we haue done for him when many a time and often he might haue gone a hungrie hungrie to bed Wife Alas man now he is made a Lord hee le neuer looke vpon vs hee le fullfill the old Prouerbe Set Beggers a horse-backe and thei le ride A welliday for my Cowe such as he hath made vs come behinde hand we had neuer pawnd our Cowe els to pay our rent Seely Well Ioane hee le come this waye and by Gods dickers I le tell him roundlie of it and if hee were tenne Lordes a shall knowe that I had not my Cheese and my Bacon for nothing Wife Doe you remember husband how hee woulde mouch vp my Cheese cakes he hath forgot this now but wee le remember him Seelie I we shall haue now three flappes with a Foxe taile but I faith I le gibber a ioynte but I le tell him his owne staye who comes heere O stand vppe heere hee comes stand vppe Enter Hodge verie fine with a Tipstafe Cromwell the Mace caryed before him Norffolke and Suffolke and attendants Hod. Come away with these beggars here rise vp sirra Come out the good people runne afore there ho Friskiball riseth and stands a farre off Seelie I wee are kicked awaye now wee come for our owne the time hath beene he woulde a looked more friendlye vpon vs And you Hodge we know you well inough though you are so fine Cro. Come hether sirrah stay what men are these My honest Host of Hounslow and his wife I owe thee mony father do I not Seelie I by the bodie of mee dooest thou woulde thou wouldest paye me good foure pound it is I haue a the poste at home Cro. I know t is true sirra giue him ten Angels And looke your wife and you do stay to dinner And while you liue I freelie giue to you Foure pound a yeare for the foure pound I ought you Seelie Art not changed art ould Tom still Now God blesse the good Lord Tom Home Ioane home I le dine with my Lorde Tom to day And thou shalt come next weeke Fetch my Cow home Ioane home Wife Now God blesse thee my good Lorde Tom I le fetch my Cow presentlie Exit Wife Enter Gardiner Cro. Sirra goe to yon stranger tell him I desire him Stay at dinner I must speake with him Gar. My Lorde of Norffolke see you this same bubble That same puffe but marke the end my Lord marke the ende Nor. I promise you I like not somthing he hath done But let that passe the King doth loue him well Cro. God morrow to my Lord of Winchester I know you beare me hard about the Abbie landes Gar. Haue I not reason when religion is wronged You had no colour for what you haue done Cro. Yes the abolishing of Antichrist And of this Popish order from our Realme I am no enemy to religion But what is done it is for Englands good What did they
THE True Chronicle Historie of the whole life and death of Thomas Lord Cromwell As it hath beene sundrie times publikely Acted by the Right Honorable the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants Written by W. S. Imprinted at London for William Iones and are to be solde at his house neere Holburne conduict at the signe of the Gunne 1602 The life and death of the Lord Cromwell Enter three Smithes Hodge and two other old Cromwels men Hodge COme masters I thinke it be past fiue a clock Is it not time we were at worke My old Master hee le be stirring anon 1. I cannot tell whether my old master will be stirring or no but I am sure I can hardly take my afternoones nap for my young Maister Thomas He keepes such a quile in his studie With the Sunne and the Moone and the seauen starres That I do verily thinke hee le read out his wits Hodge He skill of the starres there 's goodman Car of Fulhum He that carryed vs to the strong Ale where goodie Trundell Had her maide got with childe O he knowes the Starres Hee le tickle you Charles Waine in nine degrees That same man will tell you goodie Trundell When her Ale shall miscarie onely by the starres 2. I that 's a great vertue indeed I thinke Thomas Be nobody in comparison to him 1. Well maisters come shall we to our hammers Hodge I content first le ts take our mornings draught And then to worke roundly 2. I agreed goe in Hodge Exit omnes Enter young Cromwell Crom. Good morrow morne I doe salute thy brightnesse The night seemes tedious to my troubled soule Whose black obscuritie binds in my minde A thousand sundry cogitations And now Aurora with a liuely dye Addes comfort to my spirit that mountes on high Too high indeede my state being so meane My study like a minerall of golde Makes my hart proude wherein my hope 's inrowld My bookes is all the wealth I do possesse Here within they must beate with their hammers And vnto them I haue ingaged my hart O learning how deuine thou seemes to me Within whose armes is all felicity Peace with your hammers leaue your knocking there You doe disturbe my study and my rest Leaue off I say you madde me with the noyse Enter Hodge and the two Men Hodge Why how now Maister Thomas how now Will you not let vs worke for you Crom. You fret my hart with making of this noise Hod. How fret your hart I but Thomas you le Fret your fathers purse if you let vs from working 2. I this t is for him to make him a gentleman Shal we leaue worke for your musing that 's well I faith But here comes my olde maister now Enter olde Cromwell Old Cro. You idle knaues what are you loytring now No hammers walking and my worke to do What not a heate among your worke to day Hod. Marrie sir your sonne Thomas will not let vs worke at all Old Cro. Why knaue I say haue I thus carkde car'd And all to keepe thee like a gentleman And dost thou let my seruants at their worke That sweat for thee knaue labour thus for thee Cro. Father their hammers doe offend my studie Old Cro. Out of my doores knaue if thou likest it not I crie you mercie is your eares so fine I tell thee knaue these get when I doe sleepe I will not haue my Anuill stand for thee Crom. There 's monie father I will pay your men He throwes money among thē Old Cro. Haue I thus brought thee vp vnto my cost In hope that one day thou wouldst releeue my age And art thee now so lauish of thy coine To scatter it among these idle knaues Cro. Father be patient and content your selfe The time will come I shall hold golde as trash And here I speake with a presaging soule To build a pallace where now this cottage standes As fine as is King Henries house at Sheene Old Cro. You build a house you knaue you le be a begger Now afore God all is but cast away That is bestowed vpon this thriftlesse lad Well had I bound him to some honest trade This had not beene but it was his mothers doing To send him to the Vniuersitie How build a house where now this cottage standes As faire as that at Sheene he shall not here me A good boy Tom I con thee thanke Tom Well said Tom gramarcies Tom In to your worke knaues hence you sausie boy Exit all but young Cromwell Cro. Why should my birth keepe downe my mounting spirit Are not all creatures subiect vnto time To time who doth abuse the world And filles it full of hodge-podge bastardie There 's legions now of beggars on the earth That their originall did spring from Kings And manie Monarkes now whose fathers were The riffe-raffe of their age for Time and Fortune Weares out a noble traine to beggerie And from the dunghill minions doe aduance To state and marke in this admiring world This is but course which in the name of Fate Is seene as often as it whirles about The Riuer Thames that by our doore doth passe His first beginning is but small and shallow Yet keeping on his course growes to a sea And likewise Wolsey the wonder of our age His birth as meane as mine a Butchers sonne Now who within this land a greater man Then Cromwell cheere thee vp and tell thy soule That thou maist liue to flourish and controule Enter olde Cromwell Old Crom. Tom Cromwell what Tom I say Crom. Do you call sir Old Crom. Here is maister Bowser come to know if you haue dispatched his petition for the Lords of the counsell or no Crom. Father I haue please you to call him in Old Crom. That 's well said Tom a good lad Tom Enter Maister Bowser Bow Now Maister Cromwell haue you dispatched this petition Crom. I haue sir here it is please you peruse it Bow It shall not need wee le read it as we go by water And Maister Cromwell I haue made a motion May do you good and if you like of it Our Secretarie at Antwarpe sir is dead And the Marchants there hath sent to me For to prouide a man fit for the place Now I do know none fitter then yourselfe If with your liking it stand maister Cromwell Crom. With all my hart sir and I much am bound In loue and dutie for your kindnesse showne Old Cro Body of me Tom make hast least some body Get betweene thee and home Tom I thanke you good maister Bowser I thanke you for my boy I thanke you alwayes I thanke you most hartely sir Hoe a cup of Beere there for maister Bowser Bow It shall not need sir maister Cromwell will you go Crom. I will attend you sir Old Crom. Farewell Tom God blesse thee Tom God speed thee good Tom Exit omnes Enter Bagot a Broker solus Bag. I hope this day is fatall vnto some And by their losse must Bagot seeke to gaine
friend afore my Lordship will follow thee Exit Gou. Well Mantua since by thee the Earle is lost Within few dayes I hope to see thee crosd Exit omnes Enter Chorus Cho. Thus farre you see how Cromwelles fortune passed The Earle of Bedford being safe in Mantua Desires Cromwells companie into France To make requitall for his courtesie But Cromwell doth denie the Earle his sute And telles him that those partes he meant to see He had not yet set footing on the land And so directlie takes his way to Spaine The Earle to France and so they both do part Now let your thoughtes as swift as is the winde Skip some few yeares that Cromwell spent in trauell And now imagine him to be in England Seruant vnto the maister of the Roules Wherein short time there he beganne to florish An houre shall show you what few yeares did cherish Exit The Musick playes they bring out the banquet Enter Sir Christopher Hales and Cromwell and two seruants Hales Come sirs be carefull of your maisters credit And as our bountie now exceedes the figure Of common entertainment so do you With lookes as free as is your maisters soule Giue formall welcome to the thronged tables That shall receiue the Cardinals followers And the attendants of the Lord Chancellor But all my care Cromwell depends on thee Thou art a man differing from vulgar forme And by how much thy spirit is ranckt boue these In rules of Arte by so much it shines brighter by trauell Whose obseruance pleades his merit In a most learned yet vnaffecting spirit Good Cromwell cast an eye of faire regarde Bout all my house and what this ruder flesh Through ignorance or wine do miscreate Salue thou with curtesie if welcome want Full bowles and ample banquets will seeme scant Crom. Sir what soeuer lies in me Assure I will shew my vtmost dutie Exit Crom. Hales About it then the Lords will striaght be here Cromwell thou hast those parts would rather sute The seruice of the state then of my house I looke vpon thee with a louing eye That one day will prefer thy destinie Enter Messenger Mess. Sir the Lords be at hand Hales They are welcome bid Cromwell straight attend vs And looke you all things be in perfect readinesse The Musicke playes Enter Cardinall Wolsay Sir Thomas Moore and Gardiner Wol. O sir Christopher you are too liberall what a banket to Hal. My Lordes if wordes could show the ample welcome That my free hart affordes you I could then become a prater But I now must deale like a feast Polititian With your Lordshippes deferre your welcome till the banket end That it may then salue our defect of faire Yet Welcome now and all that tend on you Wol. Thankes to the kinde maister of the Roules Come and sit downe sit downe sir Thomas Moore T is strange how that we and the Spaniard differ Their dinner is our banquet after dinner And they are men of actiue disposition This I gather that by their sparing meate Their bodie is more fitter for the warres And if that famine chance to pinch their mawes Being vsde to fast it breedes lesse paine Hal. Fill me some Wine I le answere Cardinall Wolsay My Lord we Englishmen are of more freer soules Then hungerstarued and ill complexioned spaniardes They that are rich in Spaine spare bellie foode To deck their backes with an Italian hoode And Silkes of Ciuill And the poorest Snake That feedes on Lemmons Pilchers and neare heated His pallet with sweete flesh will beare a case More fat and gallant then his starued face Pride the Inquisition and this bellie euill Are in my iudgement Spaines three headed diuell Mo. Indeede it is a plague vnto their nation And stager after in blinde imitation Hal. My Lords with welcome I present your Lordships A sollemne health Mo. I loue health well but when healthes doe bring Paine to the head and bodies surfeting Then cease I healthes nay spill not friend For though the drops be small Yet haue they force to force men to the wall Wol. Sir Christopher is that your man Hal. And like your grace he is a Scholler and a Lingest One that hath trauelled manie partes of Christendome my Lorde Wol. My friend come nearer haue you beene a traueller Cro. My Lord I haue added to my knowledge the loe Countries France Spaine Germanie and Italie And though small gaine of profit I did finde Yet did it please my eye content my minde Wol. What doe you thinke of the seuerall states And princes Courtes as you haue trauelled Cro. My Lord no Court with England may compare Neither for state nor ciuill gouernement Lust dwelles in France in Italie and Spaine From the poore pesant to the Princes traine In Germanie and Holland riot serues And he that most can drinke most he deserues England I praise not for I here was borne But that she laugheth the others vnto scorne Wol. My Lord there dwelles within that spirite More then can be discerned by outwarde eye Sir Cristopher will you part with your man Hal. I haue sought to proffer him to your Lordship And now I see he hath preferred himselfe Wol. What is thy name Crom. Cromwell my Lorde Wol. Then Cromwell here we make thee Solliciter of our causes And nearest next our selfe Gardiner giue you kinde welcome to the man Gardiner imbraces him Mo. My Lorde you are a royall Winer Hath got a man besides your bountious dinner Well Knight praie we come no more If we come often or shut vp thy doore Wol. Sir Christopher Hales hadst thou giuen me Halfe thy landes thou couldest not haue pleased me So much as with this man of thine My infant thoughtes do spell Shortlie his fortune shall be lifted higher True industrie doth kindle honours fier And so kinde maister of the Roules farewell Hal. Cromwell farewell Cro. Cromwell takes his leaue of you That neare will leaue to loue and honour you Exit Omnes Enter Chorus Cho. Now Cromwells highest fortunes doth begin The Musicke playes as they go in Wolsay that loued him as he did his life Committed all his treasure to his hands VVolsay is dead and Gardiner his man Is now created Bishop of UUinchestor Pardon if we omit all UUolsayes life Because our play dependes on Cromwelles death Now sit and see his highest state of all His haight of rysing and his sodaine fall Pardon the errors is all readie past And liue in hope the best doth come at last My hope vpon your fauour doth depend And looke to haue your liking ere the end Exit Enter Gardiner Bishop of Winchester The Dukes of Norffolke and of Suffolke Sir Thomas Moore Sir Christopher Halles and Cromwell Nor. Maister Cromwell since Cardinall VVolsayes death His maiestie is giuen to vnderstand There 's certaine billes and writings in your hand That much concernes the state of England My Lord of VVinchester is it not so Gar. My Lord of Norfolke we two weare whilom fellowes And maister Cromwell
Cromwell Cro. My name is Thomas Cromwell gentlewoman Mi. Ba. Know you not one Bagot sir that 's come to Antwarpe Cro. No trust me I neuer saw the man But here are billes of debt I haue receiued Against one Banister a Marchant fallen into decaie Mi. Ba. Into decaie indeede long of that wretch I am the wife to wofull Banister And by that bloudie villaine am persu'de From London here to Antwarpe My husband he is in the gouernours handes And God of heauen knowes how hee le deale with him Now sir your hart is framed of milder temper Be mercifull to a distressed soule And God no doubt will trebell blesse your gaine Cro. Good mistris Banister what I can I will In any thing that lies within my power Mi. Ba. O speake to Bagot that same wicked wretch An Angells voyce may mooue a damned diuell Cro. Why is he come to Antwarpe as you here Mi. Ba. I hard he landed some two houres since Cro. Well mistris Banister assure your selfe I le speake to Bagot in your owne behalfe And winne him to all the pittie that I can Meane time to comfort you in your distresse Receiue these Angells to releeue your neede And be assured that what I can effect To doe you good no way I will neglect Mi. Ba. That mighty God that knowes each mortalles hart Keepe you from trouble sorrow griefe and smart Exit Mistris Banister Crom. Thankes courteous woman For thy hartie praier It greeues my soule to see her miserie But we that liue vnder the worke of fate Maie hope the best yet knowes not to what state Our starres and destinies hath vs asignde Fickle is fortune and her face is blinde Enter Bagot solus Ba. So all goes well it is as I would haue it Banister he is with the Gouernour And shortlie shall haue guiues vpon his heeles It glads my hart to thinke vpon the slaue I hope to haue his bodie rot in prison And after here his wife to hang her selfe And all his children die for want of foode The Iewels that I haue brought to Antwarpe Are recond to be worth fiue thousand pound Which scarcelie stoode me in three hundreth pound I bought them at an easie kinde of rate I care not which way they came by them That sould them me it comes not neare my hart And least they should be stolne as sure they are I thought it meete to sell them here in Antwarpe And so haue left them in the Gouernours hand Who offers me within two hundreth pound Of all my price but now no more of that I must go see and if my billes be safe The which I sent to maister Cromwell That if the winde should keepe me on the sea He might arest him here before I came And in good time see where he is God saue you sir Cro. And you pray pardon me I know you not Bag. It may be so sir but my name is Bagot The man that sent to you the billes of debt Cro. O the man that persues Banister Here are the billes of debt you sent to me As for the man you know best where he is It is reported you haue a flintie hart A minde that will not stoope to anie pittie An eye that knowes not how to shed a teare A hand that 's alwaies open for reward But maister Bagot would you be ruled by me You should turne all these to the contrarie Your hart should still haue feeling of remorse Your minde according to your state be liberall To those that stand in neede and in distresse Your hand to helpe them that do stand in want Rather then with your poyse to holde them downe For euerie ill turne show your selfe more kinde Thus should I doe pardon I speake my minde Bag. I sir you speake to here what I would say But you must liue I know as well as I I know this place to be extortion And t is not for a man to keepe him But he must lie cog with his dearest friend And as for pittie scorne it hate all conscience But yet I doe commend your wit in this To make a show of what I hope you are not But I commend you and t is well done This is the onelie way to bring your gaine Cro. My gaine I had rather chaine me to an ore And like a slaue there toile out all my life Before I de liue so base a slaue as thou I like an hipocrite to make a show Of seeming vertue and a diuell within No Bagot would thy conscience were as cleare Poore Banister nere had beene troubled here Bag. Nay good maister Cromwell be not angrie sir I know full well you are no such man But if your conscience were as white as Snow It will be thought that you are other wise Cro. Will it be thought that I am other wise Let them that thinke so know they are deceiu'de Shall Cromwell liue to haue his faith misconstered Antwarpe for all the wealth within thy Towne I will not stay here not two houres longer As good lucke serues my accountes are all made euen Therefore I le straight vnto the treasurer Bagot I know you le to the gouernour Commend me to him say I am bound to trauaile To see the fruitefull partes of Italie And as you euer bore a Christian minde Let Banister some fauour of you finde Bag. For your sake sir I le helpe him all I can To starue his hart out eare he gets a groate So maister Cromwell doe I take my leaue For I must straight vnto the gouernour Exit Bagot Cro. Farewell sir pray you remember what I said No Cromwell no thy hart was nere so bace To liue by falshoode or by brokerie But falles out well I little it repent Hereafter time in trauell shal be spent Enter Hodge his fathers man Hod. Your sonne Thomas quoth you I haue beene Thomast I had thought it had beene no such matter to a gone by water for at Putnaie I le go you to Parish-garden for two pence sitte as still as may be without any wagging or ioulting in my guttes in a little boate too heere wee were scarce foure mile in the great greene water but I thinking to goe to my afternoones vnchines as t was my manner at home but I felt a kinde of rising in my guttes at last one a the Sailers spying of me be a good cheere sayes hee set downe thy victualles and vppe with it thou hast nothing but an Eele in thy belly Well toote went I to my victtualles went the Sailers and thinking I to bee a man of better experience then any in the shippe asked mee what Woode the shippe was made of they all swore I tould them as right as if I had beene acquainted with the Carpenter that made it at last wee grewe neere lande and I grewe villanous hungrie went to my bagge the diuell a bitte there was the Sailers had tickled mee yet I cannot blame them it was a parte of kindnesse for I in
kindnesse toulde them what Woode the shippe was made of and they in kindnesse eate vp my victualles as indeede one good turne asketh another Well would I could I finde my maister Thomas in this Dutch Towne he might put some English Beare into my bellie Cro. What Hodge my fathers man by my hand welcome How doth my father what 's the newes at home Hod. Maister Thomas O God maister Thomas your hand gloue and all this is to giue you to vnderstanding that your father is in health and Alice Downing here hath sent you a Nutmeg Besse Make a race of Ginger my fellow Will Tom hath between them sent you a dozen of pointes good man Tolle of the Goate a paire of mittons my selfe came in person and this is all the newes Cro. Gramarsie good Hodge and thou art welcome to me But in as ill a time thou comest as may be For I am traueling into Italie What saist thou Hodge wilt thou beare me companie Hodge Will I beare thee companie Tom what tell'st me of Italie were it to the furthest part of Flaunders I would goe with thee Tom I am thine in all weale and woe thy owne to commaund what Tom I haue passed the rigorous waues of Neptunes blastes I tell you Thomas I haue beene in the danger of the flouds and when I haue seene Boreas beginne to plaie the Ruffin with vs then would I downe of my knees and call vppon Vulcan Cro. And why vpon him Hod. Because as this same fellow Neptune is God of the Seas so Vulcan is Lord ouer the Smithes and therefore I being a Smith thought his Godhead would haue some care yet of me Crom. A good conceit but tell hast thou dined yet Hod. Thomas to speake the truth not a bit yet I Crom. Come go with me thou shalt haue cheere good store And farewell Antwarpe if I come no more Hodg. I follow thee sweet Tom I follow thee Exit omnes Enter the Gouernour of the English house Bagot Banister his wife and two officers Gouer. Is Cromwell gone then say you maister Bagot What dislike I pray what was the cause Bag. To tell you true a wilde braine of his owne Such youth as they cannot see when they are well He is all bent to trauaile that 's his reason And doth not loue to eate his bread at home Gou. Well good fortune with him if the man be gone We hardly shall finde such a one as he To fit our turnes his dealings were so honest But now sir for your Iewels that I haue What do you say will you take my prise Bag. O sir you offer too much vnderfoote Gou. T is but two hundred pound betweene vs man What 's that in paiment of fiue thousand pound Bag. Two hundred pound birladie sir t is great Before I got so much it made me sweat Gou. Well Maister Bagot I le proffer you fairelie You see this Marchant maister Banister Is going now to prison at your sute His substance all is gone what would you haue Yet in regarde I knew the man of wealth Neuer dishonest dealing but such mishaps Hath falne on him may light on me or you There is two hundred pound betweene vs We will deuide the same I le giue you one On that condition you will set him free His state is nothing that you see your selfe And where naught is the King must lose his right Bag. Sir sir you speake out of your loue T is foolish loue sir sure to pittie him Therefore content your selfe this is my minde To do him good I will not bate a penie Ban. This is my comfort though thou doost no good A mighty ebbe followes a mighty floud Mi. Ba. O thou base wretch whom we haue fostered Euen as a Serpent for to poyson vs If God did euer right a womans wrong To that same God I bend and bow my heart To let his heauy wrath fall on thy head By whome my hopes and ioyes are butchered Bag. Alas fond woman I praie thee praie thy worst The Fox fares better still when he is curst Enter Maister Bowser a Marchant Go. Maister Bowser your welcome sir from England What 's the best newes how doth all our friendes Bow They are all well and do commend them to you There 's letters from your brother and your sonne So falre you well sir I must take my leaue My hast and businesse doth require such Go. Before you dine sir what go you out of towne Bow I faith vnlesse I here some newes in towne I must away there is no remedie Gou. Maister Bowser what is your busines may I know it You may sir and so shall all the Cittie Bow The King of late hath had his treasurie rob'd And of the choysest iewelles that he had The value of them was some seauen thousand pound The fellow that did steale these solewels he is hanged And did confesse that for three hundred pound He sould them to one Bagot dwelling in London Now Bagot 's fled and as we here to Antwarpe And hether am I come to seeke him out And they that first can tell me of his newes Shall haue a hundred pound for their reward Ba. How iust is God to right the innocent Gou. Maister Bowser you come in happie time Here is the villaine Bagot that you seeke And all those iewels haue I in my handes Officers looke to him hould him fast Bag. The diuell ought me a shame and now hath paide it Bow Is this that Bagot fellowes beare him hence We will not now stand for his replie Lade him with Yrons we will haue him tride In England where his villanies are knowne Bag. Mischiefe confusion light vpon you all O hang me drowne me let me kill my selfe Let go my armes let me run quick to hell Bow Away beare him away stop the slaues mouth They carry him away Mi. Ba. Thy workes are infinite great God of heauen Gou. I hard this Bagot was a wealthie fellow Bow He was indeed for when his goods were zeased Of Iewels coine and Plate within his house Was found the value of fiue thousand pound His furniture fullie worth halfe so much Which being all strainde for for the King He francklie gaue it to the Antwarpe marchants And they againe out of their bountious minde Hath to a brother of their companie A man decaide by fortune of the Seas Giuen Bagots wealth to set him vp againe And keepe it for him his name is Banister Gou. Maister Bowser with this happie newes You haue reuiued two from the gates of death This is that Banister and this his wife Bow Sir I am glad my fortune is so good To bring such tidings as may comfort you Ban. You haue giuen life vnto a man deemed dead For by these newes my life is newlie bred Mi. Ba. Thankes to my God next to my Soueraigne King And last to you that these good hopes doth bring Gou. The hundred pound I must receiue as due For finding Bagot
I freelie giue to you Bow And Maister Banister if so you please I le beare you companie when you crosse the Seas Ban. If it please you sir my companie is but meane Stands with your liking I le waite on you Gou. I am glad that all things do accorde so well Come Maister Bowser let vs in to dinner And Misterisse Banister be mery woman Come after sorrow now le ts cheere your spirit Knaues haue their due and you but what you merit Exit omnes Enter Cromwell and Hodge in their shirtes and without Hattes Hod. Call yee this seeing of fashions Marrie would I had staide at Putnaie still O Maister Thomas we are spoiled we are gone Crom. Content thee man this is but fortune Hodg. Fortune a plague of this Fortune makes me go wetshod the roagues would not leaue me a shooe to my feete for my hoase they scorned them with their heeles but for my Dublet and Hatte O Lord they imbrased me and vnlased me and tooke away my cloathes and so disgraced me Crom. Well Hodge what remedie What shift shall we make now Hodge Naie I know not for begging I am naught for stealing worse by my troth I must euen fall to my olde trade to the Hammer and the Horse heeles againe but now the worst is I am not acquainted with the humor of the horses in this countrie whether they are not coultish giuen much to kicking or no for when I haue one legge in my hand if he should vp and laie tother of my chops I were gone there laie I there laie Hodge Crom. Hodge I beleeue thou must worke for vs both Hodge O Maister Thomas haue not I tolde you of this haue not I manie a time and often said Tom or Maister Thomas learne to make a Horse-shooe it will be your owne another day this was not regarded Harke you Thomas what doe you call the fellowes that robd vs Crom. The Bandetto Hod. The Bandetto doe you call them I know not what they are called here but I am sure wee call them plaine theeues in England O Thomas that we were now at Putnay at the ale there Cro. Content thee man here set vp these two billes And let vs keepe our standing on the bridge The fashion of this countrie is such If any stranger be oppressed with want To write the maner of his miserie And such as are disposed to succour him Will doe it what hast thou set them vp Hod. I their vp God send some to reade them And not onelie to reade them but also to looke on vs And not altogether to looke on vs One standes at one end and one at tother But to releeue vs O colde colde colde Enter Friskiball the Marchant and reades the billes Fris. What 's here two Englishmen rob'd by the Bandetto One of them seemes to be a gendeman T is pittie that his fortune was so hard To fall into the desperate handes of theeues I le question him of what estate he is God saue you sir are you an Englishman Cro. I am sir a distressed Englishman Fri. And what are you my friend Hod. Who I sir by my troth I do not know my self what I am now but sir I was a smith sir a poore Farrier of Putnay that 's my maister sir yonder I was robbed for his sake sir Fri. I see you haue beene met by the Bandetto And therefore neede not aske how you came thus But Friskiball why doost thou question them Of their estate and not releeue their neede Sir the coine I haue about about me is not much There 's sixteene Duckets for to cloath yourselues There 's sixteene more to buie your diet with And ther 's sixteene to paie for your horse hire T is all the wealth you see my purse possesses But if you please for to enquire me out You shall not want for ought that I can doe My name is Friskiball a Florence Marchant A man that alwayes loued your nation Crom. This vnexpected fauour at your hands Which God doth know if euer I shall requite it Necessitie makes me to take your bountie And for your gold can yeeld you naught but thankes Your charitie hath helpt me from dispaire Your name shall still be in my hartie praier Fri. It is not worth such thankes come to my house Your want shall better be releeu'd then thus Crom. I pray excuse me this shall well suffice To beare my charges to Bononia Whereas a noble Earle is much distressed An Englishman Russell the Earle of Bedford Is by the French King solde vnto his death It may fall out that I may doe him good To saue his life I le hazard my hart blood Therefore kinde sir thankes for your liberall gift I must be gone to aide him ther 's no shift Fri. I le be no hinderer to so good an acte Heauen prosper you in that you goe about If Fortune bring you this way backe againe Pray let me see you so I take my leaue All good a man can wish I doe bequeath Exit Friskiball Crom. All good that God doth send light on your head There 's few such men within our climate bred How say you now Hodge is not this good fortune Hod. How say you I le tell you what Maister Thomas If all men be of this Gentlemans minde Le ts keepe our standings vpon this Bridge We shall get more here with begging in one day Then I shall with making Horshoes in a whole yeare Crom. No Hodge we must begone vnto Bononia There to releeue the noble Earle of Bedford Where if I faile not in my policie I shall deceiue their subtile treacherie Hodge Naye I le follow you God blesse vs from the theeuing Bandettoes againe Exit omnes Enter Bedforde and his Hoast Bed Am I betraide was Bedforde borne to die By such base slaues in such a place as this Haue I escaped so many times in France So many battailes haue I ouerpassed And made the French stirre when they hard my name And am I now betraide vnto my death Some of their harts bloud first shall pay for it Hoa. They do desire my Lord to speake with you Bed The traitors doe desire to haue my bloud But by my birth my honour and my name By all my hopes my life shall cost them deare Open the dore I le venter out vpon them And if I must die then I le die with honour Hoa. Alas my Lord that is a desperate course They haue begirt you round about the house Their meaning is to take you prisoner And so to send your bodie vnto France Bed First shall the Ocean be as drie as sand Before aliue they send me vnto France I le haue my bodie first bored like a Siue And die as Hector gainst the Myrmidons Eare France shall boast Bedfordes their prisoner Trecherous France that gainst the law of armes Hath here betraide thy enemie to death But be assured my bloud shal be reuenged Vpon the best liues that remaines in
This is the lodging of maister Fryskiball A liberall Marchant and a Florentine To whom Banister owes a thousand pound A Marchant Banckrout whose Father was my maister What do I care for pitie or regarde He once was wealthy but he now is falne And this morning haue I got him arested At the sute of maister Friskiball And by this meanes shall I be sure of coyne For dooing this same good to him vnknowne And in good time see where the marchant comes Enter Fryskiball Bag. God morrow to kind maister Friskiball Fri. God morrow to yourselfe good maister Bagot And what 's the newes you are so early stirring It is for gaine I make no doubt of that Bag. It is for the loue sir that I beare to you When did you see your debter Banister Fri. I promise you I haue not seene the man This two moneths day his pouertie is such As I do thinke he shames to see his friends Bag. Why then assure yourselfe to see him straight For at your sute I haue arrested him And here they will be with him presently Fry Arrest him at my sute you were to blame I know the mans misfortunes to be such As hee s not able for to pay the debt And were it knowne to some he were vndone Bag. This is your pittifull hart to thinke it so But you are much deceaued in Banister Why such as he will breake for fashion sake And vnto those they owe a thousand pound Pay scarce a hundred O sir beware of him The man is lewdly giuen to Dyce and Drabs Spends all he hath in harlots companies It is no mercy for to pitie him I speake the truth of him for nothing els But for the kindnesse that I beare to you Fry If it be so he hath deceiued me much And to deale strictly with such a one as he Better seuere then too much lenitie But here is Maister Banister himselfe And with him as I take the officers Enter Banister his wife and two officers Ban. O maister Friskiball you haue vndone me My state was well nigh ouerthrowne before Now altogether downe-cast by your meanes Mist. Ba. O maister Friskiball pity my husbands case He is a man hath liued as well as any Till enuious fortune and the rauenous sea Did rob disrobe and spoile vs of our owne Fri. Mistrisse Banister I enuie not your husband Nor willingly would I haue vsed him thus But that I here he is so lewdly giuen Haunts wicked company and hath enough To pay his debts yet will not be knowne thereof Ban. This is that damned Broker that same Bagot Whom I haue often from my Trencher fed Ingratefull Villaine for to vse me thus Bag. What I haue said to him is naught but truth Mi. Ban. What thou hast said springs from an enuious hart A Canniball that doth eate men aliue But here vpon my knee beleeue me sir And what I speake so helpe me God is true We scarse haue meate to feed our little babes Most of our Plate is in that Brokers hand Which had we mony to dephray our debt O thinke we would not bide that penurie Be mercifull kinde maister Friskiball My husband children and my selfe will eate But one meale a day the other will we keepe and sell As part to pay the debt we owe to you If euer teares did pierce a tender minde Be pittifull let me some fauour finde Bag. Be not you so mad sir to beleeue hir teares Fri. Go to I see thou art an enuious man Good misteris Banister kneele not to me I pray rise vp you shall haue your desire Holde officers be gone there 's for your paines You know you owe to me a thousand pound Here take my hand if eare God make you able And place you in your former state againe Pay me but if still your fortune frowne Vpon my faith I le neuer aske you crowne I neuer yet did wrong to men in thrall For God doth know what to my selfe may fall Ban. This vnexpected fauour vndeserued Doth make my hart bleed inwardly with ioy Nere may ought prosper with me is my owne If I forget this kindnesse you haue showne Mi Ba. My children in their prayers both night and day For your good fortune and successe shall pray Fri. I thanke you both I pray goe dine with me Within these three dayes if God giue me leaue I will to Florence to my natiue home Bagot holde there 's a Portague to drinke Although you ill deserued it by your merit Giue not such cruell scope vnto your hart Be sure the ill you do will be requited Remember what I say Bagot farewell Come Maister Banister you shall with me My fare is but simple but welcome hartily Exit all but Bagot Bag. A plague goe with you would you had eate your last Is this the thankes I haue for all my paines Confusion light vpon you all for me Where he had wont to giue a score of crownes Doth he now foyst me with a Portague Well I will be reuenged vpon this Banister I le to his creditors buie all the debt he owes As seeming that I do it for good will I am sure to haue them at an easie rate And when t is done in christendome he staies not But I le make his hart to ake with sorrow And if that Banister become my debter By heauen and earth I le make his plague the greater Exit Bagot Enter Chorus Cho. Now gentlemen imagine that young Cromwell In Antwarpe Ledger for the English Marchantes And Banister to shunne this Bagots hate Hearing that he hath got some of his debts Is fled to Antwarpe with his wife and children Which Bagot hearing is gone after them And thether sendes his billes of debt before To be reuenged on wretched Banister What doth fall out with patience sit and see A iust requitall of false trecherie Exit Cromwell in his study with bagges of money before him casting of account Cro. Thus farre my reckoning doth go straight euen But Cromwell this same ployding fits not thee Thy minde is altogether set on trauell And not to liue thus cloystered like a Nunne It is not this same trash that I regard Experience is the iewell of my hart Enter a Post Post I praie sir are you readie to dispatch me Cro. Yes here 's those summes of monie you must carie You goe so farre as Frankford do you not Post I doe sir Cro. Well prethie make all the hast thou canst For there be certaine English gentlemen Are bound for Venice and may hapilie want And if that you should linger by the way But in hope that you le make good speed There 's two Angels to buie you spurres and wandes Po. I thanke you sir this will ad winges indeede Cro. Golde is of power would make an Eagles speed Enter Mistris Banister What gentlewoman is this that greeues so much It seemes she doth adresse her selfe to me Mi. Ba. God saue you sir praie is your name maister