University of Virginia Library

Scæn. 2.

Enter Usurer, and Scrivener.
Usu.
Oh, curse on that supply that snatcht from me
So rich a Morgage.

Scri.
You look'd not in the Almanack
For good and evill dayes.

Usu.
Yes, but too late:
For when 'twas past, I counsail'd with the day.

Scri.
And pray what was the Motto.

Usu.
Ghesse I pray thee.

Scri.
Alas poore man, all to no purpose, be better advis'd,
Or it may be, kept out of his clutches; these, if we may
Beleeve th'Astronomer, are omenous dayes.

Usu.
Tush, none of these.

Scri.
What then?

Vsu.
Nihil in Bag.

Scri.
Nihil in Bag? a scurvy criticall Embleme,
Presaging empty pockets, why no Cutpurse
Will trade when that's in power; then why would you.
Lend money in that unlucky houre?

Usu.
It shall be a warning to me: in th'meane time
Would it were raz'd out of the Kalendar quite,
It is a day prodigious.

Enter Changeable and Slightall.
Di.
If I can prove that all thy debts be paid
Thou art my owne, was't not, and speake thy conscience,
Our joynt condition?

Sl.
I confesse it was.

Di.
That Usurer's one of thy maine Creditors,
But when thou wast so free to pay thy debts, thou ne're
Dream'st of thy forfeit; propose to him thy question.

Sl
And I will, I bid thee that thy money
Ne're shall doe, save thee.

Vsu.
Beshrow you sir, you made me start,
What is your will with me?

Sl.
I speake to thee
As to the Drawer at the Vintners Barre:
What is all paid?

Vsu.
And like the Bar-boy I
When you bring ready mony, and keepe touch
All's pay'd sir, and y'are welcome.

Di.
'Tis confess'd.

Scri.
What's he that lookes so gastly?

Sl.
'Tis the Divell.

Scri.
My Pen and Inkhorne blesse me.

Vsu.
All those crosses that I have figur'd on the
Princes Coyne, stand still betwixt me and danger,

Exeunt Vsu. and Scri.
Di.
These are discharg'd, what refuge hast thou now?
Nay bring me unto all thy Creditors;
Ile prove thy debts discharg'd.

Sl.
I pray how many
Of our best London Gallants that hope Heaven,
Can say the like? merit I Hell for that?

Di.
But I must have my bargaine.

Sl.
Two words to't.

Enter two Gentlemen.
Di.
Hast thou not ow'd to these?

Sl.
Most true, I have.

Di.
Resolve me friends, as you are Gentlemen,
In what knowne summes did this man stand ingag'd to
Each of you?

Gen 1.
I know not why you aske sir,
But the time was he ought me some few peeces,
I thought them desperate once, but nobly, since
He to the full hath seene me satisfied.

Gen. 2.
I never met with a more generous debtor,
I onely trusted him with some few summes,
And he hath paid me use and principall,
A thing I ne're expected.

Di.
That's all Gentlemen—morow

Gen. 1.
The like to you; I wonder what the Divell
Slightall ayles, he lookes so strangely on us?

Gen. 2.
Sparkes no doubt, of his first madnesse.

Exeunt.
Di.
Doe but name the man, to whom thou canst appeale.

Sl.
I must confesse I'me gone by th'common Law,
The Chancery too, because of thee, my conscience,
If to any, I appeale to the Church.

Di.
And to whom there?

Sl.
To any reverent Father.

Ent. Frier Ber. and Frier Iohn.
Di.
Then to these, to both, or either, freely take thy choice.

Sl.
Holy Frier Bernard then, my parting breath
Could not desire a better confessor.

Di.
Reade there, and tell me what thou think'st of that.

Ber.
Give me but leave to take my second eyes,
I will resolve you presently.

Di.
In th'interim, what's the best newes in the parish?

Sl.
Where I live?

Di.
Yes.

Sl.
Ile tell thee all I know,
We are better to the Suburbes than they planted
Within the City; there on holy dayes
The taverne doores are ever shut till sixe,
Else is the Vintner fin'd; but there where wee
Keepe rendevous may be let in at three, and never stir
The Informers.

Ber.
Horrible; what tremour this begets?

Io.
Is that the Divell?

Ber.
So this Indenture speakes.

Io.
Ten thousand Creeds, as many Pater-nosters,
Ave Maries stand betweene me and harme.

Ber.
In these conditions, I like a cunning Lawyer find a
Clause to cheate the Divell, and to save a soule;
Be'st thou the greatest fell with Lucifer,
Nay he himselfe, I now am arm'd for thee: what claim'st
Thou of this man?

Di.
I claime a soule.

Ber.
Which is not forfeit.

Di.
Shew me reasons why.

Ber.
By helpe of Heaven I shall: this deede thus runs;
When all his Creditors are satisfied,
His Bonds discharg'd and cancell'd, debts full paid,
His Morgages call'd in, his words redeem'd,
This Bond is then in vertue; not till then.

Di.
All this I grant, and call to witnesse none
Save his owne Conscience; art thou not at freedome,
And cleare from all the world?

Sl.
Most true, I am,
Nor can I name that party under Heaven
To whom I owe one farthing; a brasse token
Will cancell all my scores.

Io.
'Tis a plaine case.

Ber.
Yes, but against the Divell.

Di.
Speake, how that?

Ber.
What were the summes for which he stood ingag'd?

Di.
Some fifteene thousand pounds, which I have pay'd,
And now the man owes nothing; therefore duely I
Claime both soule and body.

Ber.
Both are quit,
As thou thy selfe shalt to thy griefe confesse;
For I will prove him more indebted now
Than e're he was before.

Di.
To whom?

Ber.
To thee,
Whom till he have discharg'd the utmost penny,
The Bond's of no effect.

Di.
And am I tripp'd?

Io.
The Divell hath bragg'd he hath caught many a Frier,
Now one hath caught the Divell.

Sl.
Am I cleare then?

Io.
Yes, till thou pay'st him all his money downe,
Which when thou doest th'art worthy to be damn'd.

Sl.
Insert but that condition 'mongst the rest,
And I'le againe subscribe; Gramercy Frier.

Di.
Nay then I see vainely we Divells stand against the
Church, they have still the upper hand,
I yeeld me vanquish'd; in the meame time Frier read
And conceale.

Gives him another paper to reade.
Sl.
What, by a quid it freed? by a quirke in the Law? by
This I see the Divell's no good Lawyer: give me my deed,
That I may see it cancell'd and undone:
Ile teare it small as Atomes, that no memory
Of the least Letter be reserv'd as witnesse
Against my soule when I shall resurvive;
Nor shall I be at patience till I see
This Parchment ashes, and this horrid Writ
Dissolv'd to smoake and aire.

Di.
Yet for my love,
For all the good thou hast receiv'd by me,
For all my cost and charges, large expence,
As I acquit thee truely, so thou freely
Lend me thine eare.

Sl.
Thy bounty hath deserv'd it,
To save a soule I know no Scrivener here
That would not onely lend but give an eare.

Ber.
I am inform'd to th'full; if this be true,
Divell, th'art honest, and shalt have thy due:
Associate me Frier Iohn.

Io.
With all my heart,
If this be Asteroth I so late invoakt, I never shall desire
His company, but on an empty stomacke.

Ex. Friers.
Sl.
And shall I meet her there?

Di.
Presume thou shalt.

Sl.
The selfe same spirit?

Di.
And enjoy her to:
Doe thou but hazard as thou did'st before
And doubt not, she's thine owne.

Sl.
Substantially?

Di.
As a contracted Bride and Bed-fellow.

Sl.
No difference in her shape and ornament?

Di.
None.

Sl.
Thou canst doe much with me, nor doe I
Know beyond what bounds thy credence to extend: thou
May'st prove false, but th'hast bin yet my friend.

Exeunt all.