 | The Soddered Citizen |  |
Scæna [Quarta] [tertia]
Enter two Com̄issioners, A Solicitor, Wittworth, & .3. Creditors1. Com̄:
You knowe our busines, and aucthoritie,
Sol:
I, in the behalfe of all your Creditors,
Am Chozen to solicite, but those, fewe,
Whoe cannot raise my fee, of what y'aue left 'em,
Their poverties pleade for 'em,
1. Cred:
All our fortunes,
Remaine Sr., in your hands,
Vnder:
You are all welcome,
And may this worke, bringe ease, to my sad soule,
And such as suffer, in the fellowshipp,
Of my misfortunes, If the small remaynes,
Of a misguided; and consumed estate,
99
To eu'y man share like, disperst, might please,
I thankefully shall take his Charitie,
That will accept mee Iorneyman, to doe
The meanest Offices, allowinge bread,
To tame my hunger, my poore Girle shall worke,
And wayte vppon, the meanest of yor. Childeren;
Witt:
Oh Villaine howe soe nimbly, canst thou ingender?
And att once vent? with even accent,? such,?
Such Corpulent lyes,? in likenes of cleane truthes?
2. Com̄:
Oh grieue not Sr, the afflicted,
Vnder:
Blame him not,
I'me deepest in his debt, wc h I can never,
Vnder[OMITTED] whisp[OMITTED]
Never, satisfie;
Witt:
Tis not three mynutes yett,
Since those two Rascalls would haue had mee in,
A Third man, at their Devillish plott;
Wittworth, ye C[OMITTED] & Cred: are[OMITTED] a whisp[OMITTED] [OMITTED]
Vnder:
Offer't I saie, 'tis not the Twentith parte,
Of myne estate, the Iewells is the thinge,
Witt:
D'yee not belieue mee?
100
You speake improbable things,
Sol:
Whoe would refuse his money, on those tearmes?
ye 3. Creditors are in a whisper
2. Com:
Your lookes betray noe such simplicitie,
1. Com:
In troth wee cannott credite what you saie,
Witt:
Oh heauens, it is such an improbable thinge w'yee, to be honest?
2. Cred:
This may be, but tis impossible,
1. Cred:
Hee tells a tale of honestie, & knowes not what 'tis,
In such a case as this, I saie Charitie is honestie,
And Charitie begins att home.,
3. Cred:
Hee's a very simple ffellowe,
2. Cred:
I, if all was saide, that was spoaken,
3. Cred:
You saie true neighbour Burgis,
Witt:
Y'are a generation of people, I haue noe skill on,
When y'aue done Iugglinge, what my ∥te comes vnto,
Att your hands Ile expect, I would not live,
A Moneth amongst you, to enioy it all,
1. Com:
I wishe yee patience,
Witt:
I, you more honestie,
(exit
2. Cred:
Hee houlds this Cittie to be a very wicked place,
I'me partely of his mynde, & truely I thinke it would
mend much,, if it stood in the Countrey;
Vnder:
Nowe vrge it home, I warrant thee it takes,
Mount:
I am accus'd, and where,? heere in the Cittie,
And before whome,? my neighbours,, where, & wt h whome,
My reputacōn liues, by wc h I liue,
If theis beare not an accōn, w'aue noe Lawes,
Of our owne swayinge,
Sol:
A Cittie Iury Sr.,
Will trounce the gentleman,
Mount:
If to be Carefull of my poore estate,
As every honest man would be,? or if
Nimble indeavour to secure myne owne?
As every wise man would,? bee faults,? alas,
Then wisedome, & discrecōn, are foule synns,
«2 Cred:»
I, soe they are then, that they are,
[3. Cred:]
[Had I his smooth tongue I would not care for my Handicrafte,]
Mount:
Nowe doubtinge theis my truthes, as th'are but words,
101
As the foule stroake, hee leant my reputacōn,
By a deed (shall liue, & mingle with my fame,
When I am ashes) I will heere approue,
Mountaynes, noe Knaue, though all the world conceiue soe.,
What I haue seis'd of his, (even all hee has)
Although by virtue of my elder Iudgement,
Togeather with possession his assotiate,
I might detaine) I freely vncompelld
Will render to your hands, to be shared out,
I will come in a ffellowe Creditor,
And take a mutuall ∥te.—Nay pause, provided
That theis poore men, may haue full pay,, & then,
The rest to 'byde the hazard,
«C»om:
You doe a worke of wonder,
«C»om:
All the Cittie,
[OMITTED] May boast your virtue as the Chiefest,
«S»ol:
And,
[OMITTED] Your ffellowe Creditors, Crye vpp yor. Charitie,
«O»h howe happie was my Choyce of thee,
102
Mountaines noe Knaue, though all the world conceiue soe,
Mount:
I will goe fetch the moneys into Courte,
Will you healpe Sirs?
All 3.
With all our hearts,
exit cum Cre:
| The Soddered Citizen | |