Enter old Cromwell.

Old Crom. You idle Knaves, what are you loytring now? No Hammers walking, and my work to do? What not a Heat among your work to day?

Hodge. Marry, Sir, your Son Thomas will not let us work at all.

Old Crom. Why Knave I fay, have I thus cark'd and car'd, And all to keep thee like a Gentleman,

And doft thou let my Servants at their work;
That fweat for thee, Knave? labour thus for thee?
Crom. Father, their Hammers do offend my Study.
Old Crom. Out of my Doors, Knave, if thou lik'ft it not;
I cry you Mercy, are your Ears fo fine?

I tell thee, Knave, thefe get when I do fleep;

I will not have my Anvil ftand for thee.

Crom. There's Mony, Father, I will pay your Men. [He throws Mony among them. Old Crom. Have I thus brought thee up unto my Coft, In hope that one Day thou would'ft relieve my Age, And art thou now fo lavish of thy Coin,

To scatter it among thefe idle Knaves?

Crom. Father be patient, and content your self,
The time will come I fhall hold Gold as trash :
And here I fpeak with a prefaging Soul,

To build a Palace where now this Cottage ftands,
As fine as is King Henry's House at Sheen.

(Beggar; you'll be a

Old Crom. You build a House? you Knave,
Now afore God all is but caft away
That is beftow'd upon this thriftlefs Lad:
Well, had I bound him to fome honest Trade,
This had not been; but it was his Mother's doing,
To fend him to the University :

How? build a Houfe where now this Cottage ftands,
As fair as that at Sheen? he fhall not hear me.
A good Boy Tom, I con thee thank Tom,

Well faid Tom, Grammarcies Tom:

In to your work, Knaves; hence faucy Boy.

[Exeunt all but young Cromwell.

Crom. Why should my Birth keep down my mounting

Are not all Creatures fubje&t unto time?

To time, who doth abuse the World,

(Spirit?

And

And fills it full of hodge podge Baftardy;
There's Legions now of Beggars on the Earth,
That their Original did fpring from Kings;
And many Monarchs now, whofe Fathers were
The riff-raff of their Age; for Time and Fortune
Wears out a noble train to Beggary;

And from the Dunghil Minions do advance
To State; and mark, in this admiring World
This is but Courfe, which in the name of Fate
Is feen as often as it whirls about:

The River Thames that by our Door doth pals,
His first beginning is but fmall and fhallow,
Yet keeping on his Course grows to a Sea.
And likewife Wolfey, the wonder of our Age,
His Birth as mean as mine, a Butcher's Son;
Now who within this Land a greater Man?
Then, Cromwell, cheer thee up, and tell thy Soul,
That thou may'st live to flourish and controul.
Enter old Cromwell.

Old Crom. Tom Cromwell, what Tom I fay.
Crom. Do you call, Sir?

Old Crom. Here is Mafter Bowfer come to know if you have dispatch'd his Petition for the Lords of the Counfel,

or no.

Crom. Father, I have, please you to call him in. Old Crom, That's well faid, Tom, a good Lad, Tom. Enter Mafter Bowfer.

Bow. Now, Master Cromwell, have you dispatch'd this

Petition?

Crom. I have, Sir, here it is, please you peruse it. Bow. It shall not need, we'll read it as we go by Water. And, Mafter Cromwell, I have made a Motion May do you good, and if you like of it. Our Secretary at Antwerp, Sir, is dead, And the Merchants there have fent to me, For to provide a Man fit for the place : Now I do know none fitter than your felf, If with your liking it ftand, Mafter Cromwell.

Crom. With all my Heart, Sir, and I much am bound, In Love and Duty for your Kindness shown.

Old

Old Crom. Body of me, Tom,
Make hafte, left fome Body
Get between thee and home, Tom.
I thank you, good Mafter Bowfer,
I thank you for my Boy,

I thank you always, I thank you moft heartily, Sir:
Ho, a Cup of Beer here for Mafter Bowfer.

Bow. It fhall not need, Sir: Mafter Cromwell, will you go?

Crom. I will attend you, Sir.

Old Crom. Farewel, Tom, God bless thee, Tom,

God fpeed thee, good Tom.

Enter Bagot, a Broker, folus.
Bag. I hope this day is fatal unto fome,
And by their lofs muft Bagot feek to gain.
This is the Lodging of Mafter Friskibal,
A liberal Merchant, and a Florentine,
To whom Banifter owes a thousand Pound,

[Exeunt

A Merchant-Bankrupt, whofe Father was my Mafter,
What do I care for pity or regard,

He once was wealthy, but he now is fall'n,
And this Morning have I got him arrested
At the Suit of Master Friskibal,

And by this means fhall I be fure of Coin,
For doing this fame good to him unknown:

And in good time, fee where the Merchant comes.
Enter Friskibal.

Good morrow to kind Mafter Friskibal.

Frif. Good morrow to your felf, good Mafter Bagot,
And what's the News you are fo early stirring?
It is for Gain, I make no doubt of that.

Bag. It is for the Love, Sir, that I bear to you.
When did you fee your Debtor Banister ?
Frif. I promife you, I have not feen the Man
This two Months day, his Poverty is such,
As I do think he fhames to fee his Friends.
Bag. Why then affure your felf to fee him ftraight,
For at your Suit I have arrested him,

And here they will be with him prefently.
Frif. Arreft him at my Suit? you were to blame,
I know the Man's misfortunes to be fuch,

As he's not able for to pay the Debt,

And were it known to fome, he were undone.
Bag. This is your pitiful Heart to think it fo
But you are much deceiv'd in Banifter:
Why, fuch as he will break for Fashion fake,
And unto those they owe a thoufand Pound,
Pay scarce a hundred. O, Sir, beware of him,
The Man is lewdly given to Dice and Drabs,
Spends all he hath in Harlots companies,
It is no mercy for to pity him:

I speak the truth of him, for nothing else,
But for the kindness that I bear to you.

Frif. If it be fo, he hath deceiv'd me much,
And to deal ftrictly with fuch a one as he,
Better fevere than too much lenity:
But here is Mafter Banifter himself,
And with him, as I take't, the Officers.

Enter Banifter, his Wife, and two Officers.
Ban. O Mafter Friskibal, you have undone me:
My ftate was well nigh overthrown before,
Now altogether down-caft by your means.

Mrs. Ban. Q, Mr. Friskibal, pity my Husband's cafe, He is a Man hath liv'd as well as any,

'Till envious Fortune, and the ravenous Sea
Did rob, difrobe, and fpoil us of our own.

Frif. Miftrefs Banifter, I envy not your Husband,
Nor willingly would I have us'd him thus:
But that I hear he is fo lewdly given,
Haunts wicked Company, and hath enough
To pay his Debts, yet will not be known thereof.
Ban. This is that damned Broker, that fame Bagot,
Whom I have often from my Trencher fed:
Ingrateful Villain.for to ufe me thus.

Bag. What I have faid to him is nought but Truth. Mrs.Ban.What thou haft faid fprings from an envious Heart. A Cannibal that doth eat Men alive:

But here upon my Knee believe me, Sir,
And what I fpeak, fo help me God, is true,
We fcarce have Meat to feed our little Babes:
Moft of our Plate is in that Broker's Hand,

Which had we Mony to defray our Debts,
O think, we would not bide that Penury:
Be merciful, kind Master Friskibal,

My Husband, Children, and my felf will eat
But one Meal a day, the other will we keep and fell.
Frif. Go to, I fee thou art an envious Man.
Good Mistress Banifter, kneel not to me,
I pray rife up, you shall have your defire.
Hold Officers; be gone, there's for your pains,
You know you owe to me a thoufand Pound,
Here take my Hand, if e'er God make you able,
And place you in your former ftate again,
Pay me: but if ftill your Fortune frown,
Upon my Faith I'll never ask you Crown:
I never yet did wrong to Men in thrall,
For God doth know what to my felf may fall.
Ban. This unexpected Favour undeferv'd,
Doth make my Heart bleed inwardly with joy:
Ne'er may ought profper with me is my own,
If I forget this kindness you have shown.

Mrs. Ban. My Children in their Prayers both night and day) For your good Fortune and Succefs fhall pray. Frif. I thank you both, I pray go dine with me,, Within these three Days, if God give me leave, I will to Florence to my native home. Hold, Bagot, there's a Portague to drink, Although you ill deferv'd it by your merit; Give not fuch cruel fcope unto your Heart; Be fure the ill you do will be requited: Remember what I fay, Bagot, farewel Come, Mafter Banifter, you fhall with me, My Fare's but fimple, but welcome heartily.

[Exeunt all but Bagots Bag. A Plague go with you, would you had eat your last, Is this the thanks I have for all my pains?

Confufion light upon you all for me:

Where he had wont to give a fcore of Crowns,
Doth he now foift me with a Portague?
Well, I will be reveng'd upon this Banifter.
I'll to his Creditors, buy all the Debts he owes,
As feeming that I do it for good will,