of London.

Master HAMMON,

Master WARNER,

Master SCOTT,

Citizens of

London.

SIMON EYRE, the Shoemaker.

LOVELL, a Courtier.

DODGER, Servant to the Earl of
LINCOLN.

A DUTCH SKIPPER.

A Boy.

ROSE, Daughter of SIR ROGER.
SYBIL, her Maid.

MARGERY, Wife of SIMON EYRE.
JANE, Wife of RALPH.

Courtiers, Attendants, Officers, Soldiers, Hunters, Shoemakers,

Apprentices, Servants.

SCENE-London and Old Ford]

ACT I

SCENE I1

Enter the LORD MAYOR and the EARL OF LINCOLN

Lincoln

Y lord mayor, you have sundry times

MY

Feasted myself and many courtiers more;

Seldom or never can we be so kind

To make requital of your courtesy.

But leaving this, I hear my cousin Lacy
Is much affected to your daughter Rose.

L. MAYOR. True, my good lord, and she loves him so well That I mislike her boldness in the chase.

LINCOLN. Why, my lord mayor, think you it then a shame,

To join a Lacy with an Oateley's name?

L. MAYOR. Too mean is my poor girl for his high birth; Poor citizens must not with courtiers wed,

Who will in silks and gay apparel spend

More in one year than I am worth, by far:
Therefore your honour need not doubt my girl.
LINCOLN. Take heed, my lord, advise you what
A verier unthrift lives not in the world,
Than is my cousin; for I'll tell you what:
'Tis now almost a year since he requested
To travel countries for experience.

I furnished him with coin, bills of exchange,
Letters of credit, men to wait on him,
Solicited my friends in Italy

Well to respect him. But to see the end:
Scant had he journey'd through half Germany,
But all his coin was spent, his men cast off,
His bills embezzl'd,* and my jolly coz,
Asham'd to show his bankrupt presence here,
Became a shoemaker in Wittenberg,

A goodly science for a gentleman

Б

Of such descent! Now judge the rest by this:
Suppose your daughter have a thousand pound,
He did consume me more in one half year;
And make him heir to all the wealth you have
One twelvemonth's rioting will waste it all.
Then seek, my lord, some honest citizen
To wed your daughter to.

you do!

L. MAYOR.
I thank your lordship.
[Aside.] Well, fox, I understand your subtilty.—
As for your nephew, let your lordship's eye
But watch his actions, and you need not fear,
For I have sent my daughter far enough.
And yet your cousin Rowland might do well,
Now he hath learn'd an occupation;

And yet I scorn to call him son-in-law.

LINCOLN. Ay, but I have a better trade for him.

I thank his grace, he hath appointed him

Cousin; used of any relative not of one's immediate family.

Chief colonel of all those companies

Must'red in London and the shires about,

To serve his highness in those wars of France.
See where he comes!-

Enter LOVELL, LACY, and Askew

Lovell, what news with you?

LOVELL. My Lord of Lincoln, 'tis his highness' will,
That presently your cousin ship for France
With all his powers; he would not for a million,
But they should land at Dieppe within four days.
LINCOLN. Go certify his grace, it shall be done.

Now, cousin Lacy, in what forwardness
Are all your companies?

LACY.

All well prepared.

The men of Hertfordshire lie at Mile-end,
Suffolk and Essex train in Tothill-fields,

The Londoners and those of Middlesex,

All gallantly prepar'd in Finsbury,

With frolic spirits long for their parting hour.

Exit LOVELL.

L. MAYOR. They have their imprest,' coats, and furniture; And, if it please your cousin Lacy come To the Guildhall, he shall receive his pay; And twenty pounds besides my brethren Will freely give him, to approve our loves We bear unto my lord, your uncle here. LACY. I thank your honour.

LINCOLN.

Thanks, my good lord mayor. L. MAYOR. At the Guildhall we will expect your coming.

Exit.

LINCOLN. To approve your loves to me? No subtilty!

Nephew, that twenty pound he doth bestow

For joy to rid you from his daughter Rose.

But, cousins both, now here are none but friends,

I would not have you cast an amorous eye

Upon so mean a project as the love

Of a gay, wanton, painted citizen.

I know, this churl even in the height of scorn

Doth hate the mixture of his blood with thine.

I pray thee, do thou so! Remember, coz,
What honourable fortunes wait on thee.

Increase the king's love, which so brightly shines,
And gilds thy hopes. I have no heir but thee,—
And yet not thee, if with a wayward spirit
Thou start from the true bias of my love.

LACY. My lord, I will for honour, not desire
Of land or livings, or to be your heir,

So guide my actions in pursuit of France,

As shall add glory to the Lacys' name.

LINCOLN. Coz, for those words here's thirty Portuguese," And, nephew Askew, there's a few for you.

Fair Honour, in her loftiest eminence,

Stays in France for you, till you fetch her thence.
Then, nephews, clap swift wings on your designs.
Begone, begone, make haste to the Guildhall;
There presently I'll meet you. Do not stay:
Where honour beckons, shame attends delay.

ASKEW. How gladly would your uncle have you gone!
LACY. True, coz, but I'll o'erreach his policies.
I have some serious business for three days,
Which nothing but my presence can dispatch.
You, therefore, cousin, with the companies,
Shall haste to Dover; there I'll meet with you:
Or, if I stay past my prefixed time,
Away for France; we'll meet in Normandy.
The twenty pounds my lord mayor gives to me
You shall receive, and these ten Portuguese,

Part of mine uncle's thirty. Gentle coz,

Have care to our great charge; I know, your wisdom
Hath tried itself in higher consequence.

ASKEW. Coz, all myself am yours: yet have this care
To lodge in London with all secrecy;

Our uncle Lincoln hath, besides his own,

Many a jealous eye, that in your face

Stares only to watch means for your disgrace.
LACY. Stay, cousin, who be these?

⚫ Inclination.

10 A gold coin, worth about three pounds twelve shillings.

Exit.

Enter SIMON EYRE, MARGERY his wife, HODGE, FIRK, JANE, and RALPH with a piece"

EYRE. Leave whining, leave whining! Away with this whimpering, this puling, these blubbering tears, and these wet eyes! I'll get thy husband discharg'd, I warrant thee, sweet Jane; go to!

HODGE. Master, here be the captains.

EYRE. Peace, Hodge; hush, ye knave, hush!

FIRK. Here be the cavaliers and the colonels, master.

EYRE. Peace, Firk; peace, my fine Firk! Stand by with your pishery-pashery," away! I am a man of the best presence; I'll speak to them, an" they were Popes.-Gentlemen, captains, colonels, commanders! Brave men, brave leaders, may it please you to give me audience. I am Simon Eyre, the mad shoemaker of Tower Street; this wench with the mealy mouth that will never tire, is my wife, I can tell you; here's Hodge, my man and my foreman; here's Firk, my fine firking journeyman, and this is blubbered Jane. All we come to be suitors for this honest Ralph. Keep him at home, and as I am a true shoemaker and a gentleman of the gentle craft, buy spurs yourselves, and I'll find ye boots these seven years.

MARG. Seven years, husband?

15

16

EYRE. Peace, midriff, peace! I know what I do. Peace! FIRK. Truly, master cormorant, you shall do God good service to let Ralph and his wife stay together. She's a young new-married woman; if you take her husband away from her a-night, you undo her; she may beg in the daytime; for he's as good a workman at a prick and an awl, as any is in our trade.

JANE. O let him stay, else I shall be undone.

FIRK. Ay, truly, she shall be laid at one side like a pair of old shoes else, and be occupied for no use.

LACY. Truly, my friends, it lies not in my power:

The Londoners are press'd," paid, and set forth

By the lord mayor; I cannot change a man.

HODGE. Why, then you were as good be a corporal as a

11 Piece of leather. 12 Twiddle-twaddle.

13 If. 14 Frisky, tricky.

15 Used as a term of contempt. 16 Quibbling on colonel.

17 Impressed into service.