SIMPLICITY. O yes, sir, your arms were known a great while ago, For your elder brother Deceit did give those arms too. Marry, the difference is all, which is the knot under the left ear. The painter says, when he is hung, you may put out the knot without fear. I am sure they were arms, for there was written in Roman letters round about the hempen collar: Given by the worthy valiant captain, Master Fraud, the ostler. Now, God be wi' ye, sir; I'll get me even close to the back-door. Farewell, Tom Beggar and Wily Will; I'll beg with you no more. [_Exit_.
TOM. O farewell, Simplicity: we are very loth to lose thy company.
FRAUD. Now he is gone, give ear to me. You seem to be sound men in every joint and limb, And can ye live in this sort to go up and down the country a-begging? O base minds! I trow I had rather hack it out by the highway-side, Than such misery and penury still to abide. Sirs, if you will be rul'd by me, and do what I shall say, I'll bring ye where we shall have a notable fine prey. It is so, sirs, that a merchant, one Mercatore, is coming from Turkey, And it is my lady's pleasure that he robbed should be: She hath sworn that we shall be all sharers alike, And upon that willed me some such companions as you be to seek.
TOM. O worthy Captain Fraud, you have won my noble heart: You shall see how manfully I can play my part. And here's Wily Will, as good a fellow as your heart can wish, To go a-fishing with a crank through a window, or to set limetwigs to catch a pan, pot or dish.
WILL. He says true; for I tell you, I am one that will not give back Not for a double shot out of a black Jack. O sir, you bring us a-bed, when ye talk of this gear. Come, shall we go, worthy Captain? I long, till we be there.
FRAUD. Ay, let us about it, to provide our weapons ready, And when the time serves, I myself will conduct ye.
TOM. O, valiantly spoken! Come, Wily Will, two pots of ale we'll bestow On our captain courageously for a parting blow.
_Enter the Judge of Turkey with_ GERONTUS _and_ MERCATORE.
[JUDGE.] Sir Gerontus, because you are the plaintiff, you first your mind shall say. Declare the cause you did arrest this merchant yesterday.
GERONTUS. Then, learned judge, attend. This Mercatore, whom you see in place, Did borrow two thousand ducats of me but for a five weeks' space: Then, sir, before the day came, by his flattery he obtained one thousand more, And promis'd me at two[221] months' end I should receive my store: But before the time expired, he was closely fled away, So that I never heard of him at least this two years' day, Till at the last I met with him, and my money did demand, Who sware to me at five days' end he would pay me out of hand. The five days came, and three days more, then one day he requested: I, perceiving that he flouted me, have got him thus arrested. And now he comes in Turkish weeds to defeat me of my money, But, I trow, he will not forsake his faith: I deem he hath more honesty.