ALL. Lady, we rest at your command in ought we can or may.
LUCRE. Then, Master Davy, to my palace haste thee away, And will Crafty Conveyance, my butler, to make ready The best fare in the house to welcome thee and thy company. But stay, Dissimulation, I myself will go with thee. Gentlemen, I'll go before; but pray, in any case, So soon as ye please, resort to my place.
SIMONY. I warrant you, lady,[165] we will not long absent be.
USURY. Fellow Simony, this fell out pat, so well as heart could wish. We are cunning anglers: we have caught the fattest fish. I perceive it is true that her grandmother told: Here is good to be done by use of silver and gold. And sith I am so well settled in this country, I will pinch all, rich and poor, that come to me.
SIMONY. And sirrah, when I was at Rome, and dwelt in the Friary, They would talk how England yearly sent over a great mass of money, And that this little island was more worth to the Pope, Than three bigger realms which had a great deal more scope; For here were smoke-pence, Peter-pence, and Paul-pence to be paid, Besides much other money that to the Pope's use was made. Why, it is but lately since the Pope received this fine, Not much more than twenty-six years--it was in Queen Mary's time.[166] But I think England had never known what this gear had meant, If Friar Austin from the Pope had not hither been sent; For the Pope, hearing it to be a little island, sent him with a great army over, And winning the victory, he landed about Rye, Sandwich, or Dover: Then he erected laws, having the people in subjection; So for the most part England hath paid tribute so long-- I, hearing of the great store and wealth in the country, Could not choose but persuade myself the people loved Simony.
USURY. But stay your talk till some other time: we forget my lady.
SIMONY. Of troth you say true, for she bad us make haste: [_Aside_.] But my talk, me-thought, savoured well, and had a good taste.
_Enter_ MERCATORE _like an Italian Merchant_.
MERCATORE. I judge in my mind a, dat me be not vare far From da place where dwells my Lady Lucar. But here come an shentlymane, a, soe he do.
Shentleman, I pray you heartily, let me speak you. Pray you, do you not know a shentleman dat Master Davy do call?