Law. A wresting power that makes a nose of wax,
Of grounded lawe, a damde and subtile drift,
In all estates to clime by others losse,
An eager thrift of wealth, forgetting trueth,
Might I ascend vnto the highest states,
And by discent discouer euery crime,
My friends I should lament, and you would greeue
To see the haplesse ruines of this Realme.
Diu. O Lawyer, thou haste curious eyes to prie,
Into the secrets maimes of their estate, 2160
But if thy vaile of error were vnmaskt,
Thy selfe should see your sect, do maime her most:
Are you not those that should maintaine the peace,
Yet onely are the patrones of our strife?
If your profession haue his ground and spring,
First from the lawes of God, then countriees right,
Not any waies inuerting natures power,
Why thriue you by contentions? Why deuise you
Clawses, and subtile reasons toexcept:
Our state was first before you grew so great, 2170
A Lanterne to the world for vnitie:
Now they that are befriended, and are rich,
Or presse the poore, come Homer without quoine,
He is not heard: What shall we terme this drift?
To say the poore mans cause is good and iust,
And yet the rich man gaines the best in lawe:
It is your guise, (the more the world laments)
To quoine Prouisoes to beguile your lawes,
To make a gay pretext of due proceeding,
When you delay your common pleas for yeares: 2180
Mark what these dealings lately here haue wroght:
The craftie men haue purchaste greatmens lands
They powle, they pinch, their tennants are vndone:
If these complaine by you they are vndone,
You fleese them of their quoine, their children beg,
And many want, because you may bee rich,
This scarre is mightie maister Lawyer,
Now man hath gotten head within this land,
Marke but the guise, the poore man that is wrongd,
Is readie to rebell: hee spoyles, he pilles, 2190
We need no foes to forrage that wee haue,
The lawe (say they) in peace consumed vs,
And now in warre wee will consume the lawe:
Looke to this mischiefe, Lawyers conscience knowes
You liue amisse, amend it, least you end.
Law. Good Lord, that their Diuines should see so farre
In others faults, without amending theirs?
Sir, sir, the generall defaults in state,
(If you would read before you did correct)
Are by a hidden working from aboue, 2200
By their successiue changes still remainde,
Were not the lawe by contraries maintainde,
How could the trueth from falsehood be discernde?
Did wee not tast the bitternesse of warre?
How could wee knowe the sweet effects of peace?
Did wee not feele the nipping winter frostes,
How should we know the sweetnesse of the spring?
Should all things still remaine in one estate,
Should not in greatest arts some scarres be found,
Were all vpright and changd, what world were this? 2210
A Chaos, made of quiet, yet no world,
Because the parts thereof did still accord,
This matter craues a variance not a speech,
But sir Diuine to you, looke on your maimes,
Diuisions, sects, your summonies and bribes:
Your cloaking with the great, for feare to fall,
You shall perceiue you are the cause of all.
Did each man know there were a storme at hand,
Who would not cloath him well, to shun the wet?
Did Prince and Peere, the Lawyer and the least, 2220
Know what were sinne, without a partiall glose,
Wee need no long discouery then of crimes,
For each would mend, aduis’de by holy men:
Thus but slightly shadow out your sinnes,
But if they were depainted out for life,
Alasse wee both had wounds inough to heale.
Merch. None of you both I see but are in fault,
Thus simple men as I do swallow flies,
This graue Diuine can tell vs what to do,
But wee may say: Phisitian mend thy selfe, 2230
This Lawyer hath a pregnant wit to talke,
But all are words, I see no deeds of woorth.
Law. Good Merchant lay your fingers on your mouth,
Be not a blab, for feare you bite your selfe,
What should I terme your state, but euen the way
To euery ruine in this Common-weale,
You bring vs in the meanes of all excesse,
You rate it, and retalde it as you please,
You sweare, forsweare, and all to compasse wealth,
Your mony is your God, your hoord your heauen, 2240
You are the groundworke ofcontention:
First heedlesse youth, by you is ouerreacht,
Wee are corrupted by your many crownes:
The Gentlemen, whose titles you haue bought,
Loose all their fathers toyle within a day,
Whilst Hob your sonne, and Sib your nutbrowne childe,
Are Gentle folkes, and Gentles are beguilde:
This makes so many Noble maides to stray,
And take sinister courses in the state. Enter a Scout.
Scout. My friends begone and if you loue your liues, 2250
The King of England marcheth heere at hand,
Enter the campe for feare you bee surprisde.
Diuine. Thankes gentle scout, God mend that is amisse,
And place true, zeale whereas corruption is. .Exeun..
Enter Dorothea, Ladie Anderson and Nano. V. v.
Doro. What newes in Court, Nano let vs know it?
Nano. If so you please my Lord, I straight will shew it:
The English king hath all the borders spoyld,
Hath taken Morton prisoner, and hath slaine
Seuen thousand Scottish Lords, not sarre from Twearde. 2260