89Cro. Why should my birth keep down my mounting

90 spirit?

91Are not all creatures subject unto time?

92To time, who doth abuse the world,

93And fills it full of hodge-podge bastardy;

94There's legions now of beggars on the earth,

95That their original did spring from Kings,

96And many Monarchs now, whose Fathers were

97The riffe-raffe of their age; for time and fortune

98Weares out a noble train to beggery;

99And from the Dunghill minions doe advance

100To state: and mark, in this admiring world

101This is but course, which in the name of Fate

102Is seen as often as it whirles about:

103The River Thames that by our door doth passe,

104His first beginning is but small and shallow,

105Yet keeping on his course growes to a Sea.

106And likewise Wolsey, the wonder of our age,

107His birth as mean as mine, a Butchers Son;

108Now who within this Land a greater man?

109Then, Cromwell, cheer thee up, and tell thy soul,

110That thou may'st live to flourish and controule.

112Old Crom. Tom Cromwell, what Tom I say.

113Crom. Doe you call, sir?

114Old Crom. Here is Master Bowser come to know if

115you have dispach'd his petition for the Lords of the

116Council, or no.

117Crom. Father, I have, please you to call him in.

118Old Crom. That's well said, Tom, a good Lad, Tom.

120Bow. Now, Mr. Cromwell, have you dispatch'd this

121 petition?

122Crom. I have, sir, here it is, please you peruse it.

123Bow. It shall not need, we'll read it as we go by water.

124And, Master Cromwell, I have made a motion

125May doe you good, and if you like of it.

126Our Secretary at Antwerpe, sir, is dead,

127And the Merchants there hath sent to me,

128For to provide a man fit for the place:

129Now I doe know none fitter than your self,

130If with your liking it stand, Master Cromwell.

131Crom. With all my heart, sir, and I much am bound,

132In love and duty for your kindnesse shown.

134Get between thee and home, Tom.

135I thank you, good Master Bowser, I thank you for my

136 Boy,

137I thank you alwayes, I thank you most heartily, sir:

138Ho, a Cup of Beer here for Master Bowser.

140Crom. I will attend you, sir.

141Old Crom. Farewell, Tom, God blesse thee, Tom,

144Bag. I hope this day is fatal unto some,

145And by their losse must Bagot seek to gain.

146This is the Lodging of Master Friskiball,

147A liberall Merchant, and a Florentine,

148To whom Banister owes a thousand pound,

149A Merchant-Banckrupt, whose Father was my Master.

150What doe I care for pity or regard,

151He once was wealthy, but he now is faln,

152And this morning have I got him arrested

153At the suit of Master Friskiball,

154And by this meanes shall I be sure of Coyn,

155For doing this same good to him unknown:

156And in good time, see where the Merchant comes.

158Good morrow to kind Master Friskiball.

159Fris. Good morrow to your self, good Master Bagot,

160And whats the newes your are so early stirring?

161It is for gain, I make no doubt of that.

162Bag. It is for the love, sir, that I bear to you.

163When did you see your debtor Banister?

164Fris. I promise you, I have not seen the man

165This two moneths day, his poverty is such,

166As I doe think he shames to see his friends.

167Bag. Why then assure your self to see him straight,

168For at your suit I have arrested him,

169And here they will be with him presently.

170Fris. Arrest him at my suit? you were too blame,

171I know the mans misfortunes to be such,

172As he's not able for to pay the debt,

173And were it known to some, he were undone.

174Bag. This is your pittifull heart to think it so,

175But you are much deceiv'd in Banister:

176Why, such as he will break for fashion sake,

177And unto those they owe a thousand pound,

178Pay scarce a hundred: O, sir, beware of him,

179The man is lewdly given, to Dice and Drabs,

180Spends all he hath in Harlots companies,

181It is no mercy for to pity him:

182I speak the truth of him, for nothing else,

183But for the kindnesse that I bear to you.

184Fris. If it be so, he hath deceiv'd me much,

185And to deale strictly with such a one as he,

186Better severe than too much lenity:

187But here is Master Banister himself,

188And with him, as I take't, the Officers.

190Ban. O, Master Friskiball, you have undone me:

191My state was well nigh overthrown before,

192Now altogether down-cast by your meanes.

193Mist. Ba. O, Mr. Friskiball, pity my husband's case,

194He is a man hath liv'd as well as any,

195Till envious Fortune, and the ravenous Sea

196Did rob, disrobe, and spoil us of our own.

197Fris. Mistresse Banister, I envy not your husband,

198Nor willingly would I have us'd him thus:

199But that I hear he is so lewdly given,

200Haunts wicked company, and hath enough

201To pay his debts, yet will not be known thereof.

202Ban. This is that damned Broker, that same Bagot,

203Whom I have often from my Trencher fed:

204Ingratefull villain for to use me thus.

205Bag. What I have said to him is nought but truth.

207A Cannibal that doth eat men alive:

208But here upon my knee believe me, sir,

209And what I speak, so help me God, is true,

210We scrace have meat to feed our little Babes:

211Most of our Plate is in that Broker's hand,

212Which had we money to defray our debts,

213O think, we would not bide that penury:

214Be mercifull, kind Master Friskiball,

215My husband, children, and my self will eat

216But one meale a day, the other will we keep and sell,