SCENE III.--_At the_ Usurer's.

_Enter the_ Usurer, THRASYBULUS, _and_ ALCON.[68]

_Usurer._ Come on, I am every day troubled with these needy companions: what news with you? what wind brings you hither?

_Thras._ Sir, I hope, how far soever you make it off, you remember, too well for me, that this is the day wherein I should pay you money that I took up of you alate in a commodity.[69]

_Alc._ And, sir, sir-reverence of your manhood and gentry, I have brought home such money as you lent me.

_Usurer._ You, young gentleman, is my money ready?

_Thras._ Truly, sir, this time was so short, the commodity so bad, and the promise of friends so broken, that I could not provide it against the day; wherefore I am come to entreat you to stand my friend, and to favour me with a longer time, and I will make you sufficient consideration.

_Usurer._ Is the wind in that door? If thou hast thy money, so it is: I will not defer a day, an hour, a minute, but take the forfeit of the bond.

_Thras._ I pray you, sir, consider that my loss was great by the commodity I took up: you know, sir, I borrowed of you forty pounds, whereof I had ten pounds in money, and thirty pounds in lute-strings, which when I came to sell again, I could get but five pounds for them, so had I, sir, but fifteen pounds for my forty. In consideration of this ill bargain, I pray you, sir, give me a month longer.

_Usurer._ I answered thee afore, not a minute; what have I to do how thy bargain proved? I have thy hand set to my book that thou receivedst forty pounds of me in money.

_Thras._ Ay, sir, it was your device that, to colour the statute, but your conscience knows what I had.

_Alc._ Friend, thou speakest Hebrew to him when thou talkest to him of conscience; for he hath as much conscience about the forfeit of an obligation, as my blind mare, God bless her, hath over a manger of oats.

_Thras._ Then there is no favour, sir?

_Usurer._ Come to-morrow to me, and see how I will use thee.

_Thras._ No, covetous caterpillar, know that I have made extreme shift rather than I would fall into the hands of such a ravening panther; and therefore here is thy money, and deliver me the recognisance of my lands.

_Usurer_ [_aside_]. What a spite is this!--hath sped of his crowns! If he had missed but one half hour, what a goodly farm had I gotten for forty pounds! Well, 'tis my cursed fortune. O, have I no shift to make him forfeit his recognisance?

_Thras._ Come, sir, will you despatch and tell your money? [_It strikes four o'clock._

_Usurer_ [_aside_]. Stay, what is this o'clock? four;--let me see--"to be paid between the hours of three and four in the afternoon": this goes right for me.--You, sir, hear you not the clock, and have you not a counterpane[70] of your obligation? The hour is past, it was to be paid between three and four; and now the clock hath strucken four: I will receive none, I'll stand to the forfeit of the recognisance.

_Thras._ Why, sir, I hope you do but jest; why, 'tis but four, and will you for a minute take forfeit of my bond? If it were so, sir, I was here before four.

_Usurer._ Why didst thou not tender thy money then? if I offer thee injury, take the law of me, complain to the judge: I will receive no money.

_Alc._ Well, sir, I hope you will stand my good master for my cow. I borrowed thirty shillings on her, and for that I have paid you eighteen-pence a week, and for her meat you have had her milk, and I tell you, sir, she gives a pretty sup: now, sir, here is your money.

_Usurer._ Hang, beggarly knave! comest to me for a cow? did I not bind her bought and sold for a penny, and was not thy day to have paid yesterday? Thou gettest no cow at my hand.

_Alc._ No cow, sir! alas, that word "no cow" goes as cold to my heart as a draught of small drink in a frosty morning! "No cow," sir! Why, alas, alas, Master Usurer, what shall become of me, my wife, and my poor child?

_Usurer._ Thou gettest no cow of me, knave! I cannot stand prating with you; I must be gone.

_Ale._ Nay, but hear you, Master Usurer: "no cow!" Why, sir, here's your thirty shillings: I have paid you eighteen-pence a week, and therefore there is reason I should have my cow.

_Usurer._ What pratest thou? have I not answered thee, thy day is broken?

_Alc._ Why, sir, alas, my cow is a commonwealth to me! for first, sir, she allows me, my wife, and son, for to banquet ourselves withal, butter, cheese, whey, curds, cream, sod-milk, raw-milk, sour-milk, sweet-milk, and butter-milk: besides, sir, she saved me every year a penny in almanacs, for she was as good to me as a prognostication; if she had but set up her tail, and have gallop'd about the mead, my little boy was able to say, "O, father, there will be a storm"; her very tail was a calendar to me: and now to lose my cow! alas, Master Usurer, take pity upon me!

_Usurer._ I have other matters to talk on; farewell, fellows.

_Thras._ Why, but, thou covetous churl, wilt thou not receive thy money, and deliver me my recognisance?

_Usurer._ I'll deliver thee none; if I have wronged thee, seek thy mends at the law. [_Exit._

_Thras._ And so I will, insatiable peasant.

_Alc._ And, sir, rather than I will put up this word "no cow," I will lay my wife's best gown to pawn. I tell you, sir, when the slave uttered this word "no cow," it struck to my heart, for my wife shall never have one so fit for her turn again; for, indeed, sir, she is a woman that hath her twiddling-strings broke.

_Thras._ What meanest thou by that, fellow?

_Alc._ Marry, sir, sir-reverence of your manhood, she breaks wind behind; and indeed, sir, when she sat milking of her cow and let a fart, my other cows would start at the noise, and kick down the milk and away; but this cow, sir, the gentlest cow! my wife might blow whilst[71] she burst: and having such good conditions, shall the Usurer come upon me with "no cow"? Nay, sir, before I pocket up this word "no cow," my wife's gown goes to the lawyer: why, alas, sir, 'tis as ill a word to me as "no crown" to a king!

_Thras._ Well, fellow, go with me, and I'll help thee to a lawyer.

_Alc._ Marry, and I will, sir. No cow! well, the world goes hard. [_Exeunt._

_Oseas._ Where hateful usury Is counted husbandry; Where merciless men rob the poor, And the needy are thrust out of door; Where gain is held for conscience, And men's pleasure is all on pence; Where young gentlemen forfeit their lands, Through riot, into the usurer's hands; Where poverty is despis'd, and pity banish'd, And mercy indeed utterly vanish'd: Where men esteem more of money than of God; Let that land look to feel his wrathful rod: For there is no sin more odious in his sight Than where usury defrauds the poor of his right. London, take heed, these sins abound in thee; The poor complain, the widows wrongèd be; The gentlemen by subtlety are spoil'd; The ploughmen lose the crop for which they toil'd: Sin reigns in thee, O London, every hour: Repent, and tempt not thus the heavenly power.

ACT THE SECOND