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sir thomas more-第2部分
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But such fond baits that foolish people lay
To tempt the needy miserable wretch?
Ten pounds; odd money; this is a pretty sum
To bear about; which were more safe at home。
Fore God; twere well to fine ye as much more
'Lord Mayor and More whisper。'
To the relief of the poor prisoners;
To teach ye be more careful of your own;
In sooth; I say ye were but rightly served;
If ye had lost as much as twice ten pounds。
MORE。
Good my lord; sooth a point or two for once;
Only to try conclusions in this case。
LORD MAYOR。
Content; good Master More: we'll rise awhile;
And; till the jury can return their verdict;
Walk in the garden。How say ye; Justices?
ALL。
We like it well; my lord; we'll follow ye。
'Exeunt Lord Mayor and Justices。'
MORE。
Nay; plaintiff; go you too;and officers;
'Exeunt Smart。'
Stand you aside; and leave the prisoner
To me awhile。Lifter; come hither。
LIFTER。
What is your worship's pleasure?
MORE。
Sirrah; you know that you are known to me;
And I have often saved ye from this place;
Since first I came in office: thou seest beside;
That Justice Suresby is thy heavy friend;
By all the blame that he pretends to Smart;
For tempting thee with such a sum of money。
I tell thee what; devise me but a means
To pick or cut his purse; and; on my credit;
And as I am a Christian and a man;
I will procure they pardon for that jest。
LIFTER。
Good Master Shrieve; seek not my overthrow:
You know; sir; I have many heavy friends;
And more indictments like to come upon me。
You are too deep for me to deal withal;
You are known to be one of the wisest men
That is in England: I pray ye; Master Sheriff;
Go not about to undermine my life。
MORE。
Lifter; I am true subject to my king;
Thou much mistake me: and; for thou shall not think
I mean by this to hurt thy life at all;
I will maintain the act when thou hast done it。
Thou knowest there are such matters in my hands;
As if I pleased to give them to the jury;
I should not need this way to circumvent thee。
All that I aim at is a merry jest:
Perform it; Lifter; and expect my best。
LIFTER。
I thank your worship: God preserve your life!
But Master Justice Suresby is gone in;
I know not how to come near where he is。
MORE。
Let me alone for that; I'll be thy setter;
I'll send him hither to thee presently;
Under the colour of thine own request;
Of private matters to acquaint him with。
LIFTER。
If ye do so; sir; then let me alone;
Forty to one but then his purse is gone。
MORE。
Well said: but see that thou diminish not
One penny of the money; but give it me;
It is the cunning act that credits thee。
LIFTER。
I will; good Master Sheriff; I assure ye。
'Exeunt More。'
I see the purpose of this gentleman
Is but to check the folly of the Justice;
For blaming others in a desperate case;
Wherein himself may fall as soon as any。
To save my life; it is a good adventure:
Silence there; ho! now doth the Justice enter。
'Enter Justice Suresby。'
SURESBY。
Now; sirrah; now; what is your will with me?
Wilt thou discharge thy conscience like an honest man?
What sayest to me; sirrah? be brief; be brief。
LIFTER。
As brief; sir; as I can。
'Aside。' If ye stand fair; I will be brief anon。
SURESBY。
Speak out; and mumble not; what sayest thou; sirrah?
LIFTER。
Sir; I am charged; as God shall be my comfort;
With more than's true。
SURESBY。
Sir; sir; ye are indeed; with more than's true;
For you are flatly charged with felony;
You're charged with more than truth; and that is theft;
More than a true man should be charged withal;
Thou art a varlet; that's no more than true。
Trifle not with me; do not; do not; sirrah;
Confess but what thou knowest; I ask no more。
LIFTER。
There be; sir; there be; if't shall please your worship
SURESBY。
There be; varlet! what be there? tell me what there be。
Come off or on: there be! what be there; knave?
LIFTER。
There be; sir; diverse very cunning fellows;
That; while you stand and look them in the face;
Will have your purse。
SURESBY。
Th'art an honest knave:
Tell me what are they? where they may be caught?
Aye; those are they I look for。
LIFTER。
You talk of me; sir;
Alas; I am a puny! there's one indeed
Goes by my name; he puts down all for purses;
He'll steal your worship's purse under your nose。
SURESBY。
Ha; ha! Art thou so sure; varlet?
Well; well;
Be as familiar as thou wilt; my knave;
Tis this I long to know。
LIFTER。
And you shall have your longing ere ye go。
This fellow; sir; perhaps will meet ye thus;
Or thus; or thus; and in kind complement
Pretend acquaintance; somewhat doubtfully;
And these embraces serve
SURESBY。
Aye; marry; Lifter; wherefor serve they?
'Shrugging gladly。'
LIFTER。
Only to feel
Whether you go full under sail or no;
Or that your lading be aboard your bark。
SURESBY。
In plainer English; Lifter; if my purse
Be stored or no?
LIFTER。
Ye have it; sir。
SURESBY。
Excellent; excellent。
LIFTER。
Then; sir; you cannot but for manner's sake
Walk on with him; for he will walk your way;
Alleging either you have much forgot him;
Or he mistakes you。
SURESBY。
But in this time has he my purse or no?
LIFTER。
Not yet; sir; fie!
'Aside。} No; nor I have not yours。
'Enter Lord Mayor; &c。'
But now we must forbear; my lords return。
SURESBY。
A murren on't!Lifter; we'll more anon:
Aye; thou sayest true; there are shrewd knaves indeed:
'He sits down。'
But let them gull me; widgen me; rook me; fop me!
Yfaith; yfaith; they are too short for me。
Knaves and fools meet when purses go:
Wise men look to their purses well enough。
MORE。
'Aside。' Lifter; is it done?
LIFTER。
'Aside。' Done; Master Shreeve; and there it is。
MORE。
'Aside。' Then build upon my word。 I'll save thy life。
RECORDER。
Lifter; stand to the bar:
The jury have returned the guilty; thou must die;
According to the custom。Look to it; Master Shreeve。
LORD MAYOR。
Then; gentlemen; as you are wont to do;
Because as yet we have no burial place;
What charity your meaning's to bestow
Toward burial of the prisoners now condemned;
Let it be given。 There is first for me。
RECORDER。
And there for me。
ANOTHER。
And me。
SURESBY。
Body of me; my purse is gone!
MORE。
Gone; sir! what; here! how can that be?
LORD MAYOR。
Against all reason; sitting on the bench。
SURESBY。
Lifter; I talked with you; you have not lifted me? ha!
LIFTER。
Suspect ye me; sir? Oh; what a world is this!
MORE。
But hear ye; master Suresby; are ye sure
Ye had a purse about ye?
SURESBY。
Sure; Master Shrieve! as sure as you are there;
And in it seven pounds; odd money; on my faith。
MORE。
Seven pounds; odd money! what; were you so mad;
Being a wise man and a magistrate;
To trust your purse with such a liberal sum?
Seven pounds; odd money! fore God; it is a shame;
With such a sum to tempt necessity:
I promise ye; a man that goes abroad
With an intent of truth; meeting such a booty;
May be wrought to that he never thought。
What makes so many pilferers and felons;
But these fond baits that foolish people lay
To tempt the needy miserable wretch?
Should he be taken now that has your purse;
I'd stand to't; you are guilty of his death;
For; questionless; he would be cast by law。
Twere a good deed to fine ye as much more;
To the relief of the poor prisoners;
To teach ye lock your money up at home。
SURESBY。
Well; Master More; you are a merry man;
I find ye; sir; I find ye well enough。
MORE。
Nay; ye shall see; sir; trusting thus your money;
And Lifter here in trial for like case;
But that the poor man is a prisoner;
It would be now suspected that he had it。
Thus may ye see what mischief often comes
By the fond carriage of such needless sums。
LORD MAYOR。
Believe me; Master Suresby; this is strange;
You; being a man so settled in assurance;
Will fall in that which you condemned in other。
MORE。
Well; Master Suresby; there's your purse again;
And all your money: fear nothing of More;
Wisdom still keeps the mean and locks the door。
SCENE III。 London。 A state apartment。
'Enter the Earls of Shrewsbury and Surrey; Sir Thomas Palmer;
and Sir Roger Cholmley。'
SHREWSBURY。
My lord of Surrey; and Sir Thomas Palmer
Might I with patience tempt your grave advise;
I tell ye true; that in these dangerous times
I do not like this frowning vulgar brow:
My searching eye did never entertain
A more distracted countenance of grief
Than I have late observed
In the displeased commons of the city。
SURREY。
Tis strange that from his princely clemency;
So well a tempered mercy and a grace;
To all the aliens in this fruitful land;
That this high…crested insolence should spring
From them that breathe from his majestic bounty;
That; fattened with the traffic of our country;
Already leaps into his subject's face。
PALMER。
Yet Sherwin; hindered to commence his suit
Against De Barde by the ambassador;
By supplication made unto the king;
Who having first enticed away his wife;
And got his plate; near worth four hundred pound;
To grieve some wronged citizens that found
This vile disgrace oft cast into their teeth;
Of late sues Sherwin; and arrested him
For money for the boarding of his wife。
SURREY。
The more knave Barde; that; using Sherwin's goods;
Doth ask him interest for the occupation。
I like not that; my lord of Shrewsbury:
He's ill bested that lends a well paced horse
Unto a man that will not find him meet。
CHOLMLEY。
My lord of Surrey will be pleasant still。
PALMER。
Aye; being then employed by your honors
To stay the broil that fell about the same;
Where by persuasion I enforced the wrongs;
And urged the grief of the displeased city;
He answered me; and with a solemn oath;
That; if he had the Mayor of London's wife;
He would keep her in despite of any English。
SURREY。
Tis good; Sir Thomas; then; for you and me;
Your wife is dead; and I a bachelor:
If no man can possess his wife alone;
I am glad; Sir Thomas Palmer; I have none。
CHOLMLEY。
If a take a wife; a shall find her meet。
SURREY。
And reason good; Sir Roger Cholmley; too。
If these hot Frenchmen needsly will have sport;
They should in kindness yet defray the char
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