L. Mai.
Hauing dispachte our weightier businesses,
we may giue eare to pettie fellonies,
M^r. Sheriffe Moore, what is this fellowe?

Moore.
My Lord, he stands indyted ^note for a pursse,
^notehe hath bin tryed, the Iurie is together.

L. Mai. ^note
who sent him in?

Sure.
That did I my Lord,
Had he had right, he had bin hangd ere this,
the only captayne of the cutpursse crewe.

L. Mai.
what is his name?

Sure.
As his profession is, Lifter my Lord,
one that can lift a pursse ^note right cunningly.

L. Mai.
And is that he accuses him?

Sure
The same my Lord, whom, by your honors leaue,
I must say somewhat too, because I finde,
in some respectes he is well woorthie blame.

L. Mai.
Good M^r. Iustice Suresbie speake your minde,
we are well pleasde to giue you audience.

Sure.
Heare me Smart, thou art a foolish fellowe,
If Lifter be conuicted by the lawe,
As, I see not how the Iurie can acquit him:
Ile stand too't, thou art guiltie of his death.

Moore.
My Lord, thats woorthe the hearing.

L. Mai.
Listen then good Maister Moore.

Sure.
I tell thee plaine, it is a shame for thee,
with such a sum to tempte necessitie.
No lesse then ten poundes Sir, will serue your turne,
to carie in your pursse about with ye,
to crake and brag in Tauernes of your monie.
I promise ye, a man that goes a broade,
with an intent of trueth, meeting such a bootie
may be prouokte to that he neuer meante.
what makes so many pilferers and fellons,
but such fond baites that ^note foolish people lay:
to tempt the needie miserable ^note wretche.
ten poundes, odd monie, this ^note is a prettie sum,
to beare about, which were more safe at home,
fore God twere well to fine ye as much more Lord Maior and Moore whisper.
^noteto the releefe of the po
soners,
to teache ye be
your owne.

rightlie seru'de
^note

Moore.
^noteGood my Lord, soothe a
for once Fol. 4^a
only to trye conclusions in this case

L. Maior
Content good M^r. Moore. &fslash;weele rise awhile,
And till the Iurie can returne their verdict
walke in the garden: how saye ye Iustices?

All.
we like it well my Lord, weele followe ^note ye. &fslash;ex. L. Maior and Iustices

Moore.
Nay Plaintife, goe you too, And Officers, &fslash;ex. Smart.
stand you aside, and leaue the prisoner
to me awhile: Lifter, come hether.

Lift.
what is your woorships pleasure?

Moore.
Sirra, you knowe that you are knowne to me
And I haue often sau'de ye from this place

since first I came in Office: Thou seest beside,
that Iustice Suresbie is thy heauie freend,
^notefor ^note all the blame that he pretends to Smarte:
for tempting thee with such a summe of monie.
I tell thee what, deuise me but a meanes,
to pick or cutt his pursse, and on my credit
and as I am a christian and a man
I will procure thy pardon for that Ieast.

Lift.
Good M^r. Shreeue, seeke not my ouerthrowe,
you knowe Sir, I haue manie heauie freends
and more endictments like to come vppon me.
you are too deepe for me to deale withall,
you are knowne to be one of the wisest men that is in England.
I pray ye M^r. Sheriffe, goe not aboute
to vndermine my life

Moore.
Lifter, I am true subiect to my King,
thou much mistakste me and for thou shalt not thinke,
I meane by this to hurt thy life at all:
I will maintaine the act when thou hast doone it.
Thou knowest there are such matters in my hands,
as if I pleasde to giue them to the Iurie:
I should not need this way to circumuent thee.
All that I aime at, is a merrie iest:
performe it Lifter, and expect my best.

Lift.
I thanke your woorship, God preserue your life.
But M^r. Iustice Suresbie is gon in,
I knowe not how to come neere where he is.

Moore.
Let me alone for that, Ile be thy setter,
Ile send him hether to thee presently,
vnder the couller of thine owne request,
of priuate matters to acquainte him with.

Lift.
If ye doo so Sir, then let me alone
ffortie to one but then his pursse is gon.

Moore.
well said, but see that thou diminish not

one penie of the monie, but giue it me,
It is the cunning act, that credits thee.

Lift.
I will, good M^r. Sheriffe, I assure ye. —ex. Moore.
^noteI see the purpose of this Gentleman
is but to check the follie of the Iustice,
for blaming others in a desperate case,
wherin himselfe may fall as soone as any
To saue my life it is a good aduenter:
^noteSilence there hoe: now dooth the Iustice enter. &fslash; Ent. Iust. Suresbie.

Sure.
Now Sirra, now what is your will with me?
wilt thou discharge thy conscience like an honest man?
what sayst to me sirra be breefe be breef.

Lift.
As breefe Sir as I can
If ye stand fayre, I will be breefe annon. —aside.

Sure.
Speake out and mumble not, what saist thou Sirra?

Lift.
Sir, I am chargde as God shall be my comforte
with more then's true

Sure.
Sir Sir, ye are indeed, with more then's true,
for you are flatly chargde with fellonie.
you'r chargde with more then trueth and that is theft,
more then a true man should be chargde withall
Thou art a varlet, that's no more then true,
Trifle not with me, doo not, doo not Sirra,
confesse but what thou knowest, I aske no more.

Lift.
There be Sir, there be, ift shall please your woorship,

Sure.
There be varlet what be there, tell me what there be?
Come off or on, there be, what be there, knaue?

Lift.
There be Sir diuers very cunning fellowes,
that while you stand and looke them in the face:
will haue your pursse.

Sure.
Th'art an honest knaue.
tell me what are they? where they may be caught
I, those are they I looke for.

Lift.
you talke of me Sir
Alas I am a punie: ther's one indeed,
^notegoes by my name he puts downe all for pursses




^note
as familiare as thou wilt my knaue Fol. 4^b

tis this I long to knowe.

Lift
And you shall haue your longing ere ye goe. —aside
This fellowe Sir, perhaps will meete ye thus,
Or thus, or thus, and in kinde complement, &fslash; action
pretend acquaintaunce, somewhat doubtfully,
And these embraces serue.

Sure.
I marie Lifter, wherfore serue they? &fslash;shrugging gladly.

Lift
Only to feele
whether you goe full vnder saile or no,
Or that your lading be aboord your Barke.

Sure.
In playner English Lifter, if my pursse be storde or no?

Lift.
ye haue it Sir.

Sure.
Excellent, excellent.

Lift.
Then Sir, you cannot but for manners sake,
walke on with him, for he will walke your way:
Alleadging either you haue much forgot him,
or he mistakes you.

Sure.
But in this time has he my pursse or no?

Lift.
Not yet Sir, fye: &fslash; No nor ^note I haue not yours. &fslash;Ent. Lord Maior &c.
But now we must forbeare, my Lords returne.

Sure.
A murren on't: Lifter, weele more annon.
I, thou sayst true, there are shrewde knaues indeed &fslash; he sits downe.

But let them gull me, widgen me, rooke me, foppe me,
yfaith yfaith, they are too short for me.
knaues and fooles meete when pursses goe,
wise men looke to their pursses well enough.

Moore. aside.
Lifter, is it doone?

Lift. aside.
doone M^r. Shreeue, and there it is.

Moore. aside.
Then builde vppon my woord, Ile saue thy life.

Recor.
Lifter, stand to the barre,
the Iurie haue returnd thee guiltie, thou must dye,
according to the custome, looke to it M^r Shreeue.

L. Maior.
Then Gentlemen, as you are wunt to doo,
because as yet we haue no buriall place,
what charitie your meaning's to bestowe,
toward buriall of the prisoners now condemnde
let it be giuen, there is first for me.

Recor.
And thers for me.

Another.
And me.

Sure.
Bodie of me my pursse is gon.

Moore.
Gon Sir? what heere? how can that be?

L. Maior.
Against all reason, sitting on the benche?

Sure.
Lifter, I talkte with you, you haue not lifted me? ha?

Lift.
Suspect ye me Sir? Oh what a world ^note is this?

Moore.
But heare ye M^r. Suresbie, are ye sure
ye had a pursse about ye?

Sure.
Sure M^r. Shreeue, as sure as you are there,
and in it seauen poundes odd monie on my faith.

Moore.
Seauen poundes odd monie? what were you so madd,
beeing a wiseman, and a Magistrate
to trust your pursse with such a liberall sum.
Seauen poundes, odd monie fore God it is a shame:
with such a summe to tempt necessitie,
I promise ye, a man that goes abroade
with an intent of trueth, meeting such a bootie,

may be prouokte ^note to that he neuer thought.
what makes so many pilferers and fellons,
but these fond baites that foolish people lay:
to tempte the needie miserable wretche
Should he be taken now that has your pursse,
Ide stand too't, you are guiltie of his death,
for questionlesse, he would be cast by lawe.
Twere a good deed to fine ye as much more
to the releefe of the poore prisoners,
to teache ye lock your monie vp at home.

Sure.
well M^r. Moore you are a merie man,
I finde ye Sir, I finde ye well enough.

Moore.
Nay, ye shall see Sir, trusting thus your monie,
and Lifter here in triall for like case,
But that the poore man is a prisoner,
it would be now suspected that he had it.
Thus may ye see what mischeefe often comes:
by the fond cariage of such needlesse summes.

L. Maior.
Beleeue me M^r. Suresbie, this is straunge,
you beeing a man so setled in assuraunce,
will fall in that which you condemnd in other.

Moore.
well M^r. Suresbie theres your pursse agayne,
and all your monie feare nothing of Moore
wisedome still
the doore.
^note

Previous section

Next section