POLICY.
You shall be answered straight.
PLEASURE. I can answer them quickly. Ye cannot have them, nor ye shall not have them.
POLICY. Stay, Pleasure; soft. My Lord Desire, you Lucre seek: desire of Lucre (be it without reproach to you, my lord) is covetousness, which cannot be separated long from that. Read, my lord. [Point to the stone of Care.
DESIRE.
In golden letters on this stone is written Care.
POLICY.
Care with desire of Lucre well agrees; the rather for that London's
Lucre may not be separated from London's Pomp: so you may take that
stone, if ye will; but the lady you cannot have.
DESIRE.
And a stone is a cold comfort, instead of Lucre.
POLICY. Devotion to Conscience (I speak now to you, my lord, that are learned) is sorrow for sin, or (in one word) read— [Points to the stone of Remorse.
DEVOTION.
On this sweating-stone in brass is set Remorse.
POLICY. And that is your portion; for Conscience is bestowed on London's Pleasure, because London makes o'[286] Conscience what pleasure they use and admit, and what time they bestow therein, and to what end: so, my Lord Devotion, either that or nothing.
DEVOTION.
A stone is a hard lot, instead of a lady.