Sum. Sir! when I entered mine office this was my oath:
To hearken about and hear
For backbiters, slanderers, and false jurors,
Schismatics, homicides, and great usurers, E1,v.
Bawds, advouterers, fornicators, and escheaters:
All such must penance do.
Pov. I know one such came never thereto.
Peace. Who is that?
Pov. His name is called Abundance,
Which hath done many a great offence;
For he keepeth another man's wife.
No manner of penance ye make him do,
But redeemeth with money, and let him go;
So in advoutry still he leadeth his life.
Sum. He made his purgation upon a book,
Or else redeemed with the silver hook.
Peace. Silver hook? that I deny!
For it is a plain decree
That open sin must do open punishment;
There can be no such judgment
That money shall stop the law.
Pov. Nay, there stop, and lay a straw!
Where see ye any man a substance
Put to open penance,
But punished by the purse?
A poor man, that hath nought to pay,
He shall be punished: this ye see every day;
But if he be obstinant, and will not obey,
Anon they will him curse.
Sum. Well, for thy saying another day thou shall fare the worse.
[Exit Sumner.
Pov. Sir, I beseech you comfort me with some solace!