Act 1 — SCENE V.

Hear. Our life, methinks, is but the same with others: To cosen and be cosen'd makes the age. The prey and feeder are that civil thing That sager heads call body politic. Here is the only difference: others cheat By statute, but we do't upon no grounds. The fraud's the same in both; there only wants Allowance to our way. The commonwealth Hath not declar'd herself as yet for us; Wherefore our policy must be our charter. Mean. Well-manag'd knav'ry is but one degree Below plain honesty. Slicer. Give me villany, That's circumspect and well-advis'd, that doth Colour at least for goodness. If the cloak And mantle were pull'd off from things, 'twould be As hard to meet an honest action as A liberal alderman or a court-nun. Hear. Knowing, then, how we must direct our steps, Let us chalk out our paths: you, Shape, know yours. Shape. Where'er I light on fortune, my commission Will hold to take her up: I'll ease my silken Friends of that idle luggage we call money. Hear. For my good toothless countess, let us try To win that old eremite thing that, like An image in a German clock,[136] doth move, Not walk—I mean, that rotten antiquary. Mean. He'll surely love her, 'cause she looks like some Old ruin'd piece, that was five ages backward. Hear. To the great vestry-wit, the livery-brain, My common-council pate, that doth determine A city-business with his gloves on's head, We must apply good hope of wealth and means. Slicer. That griping knight Sir Thomas must be call'd With the same lure: he knows t' a crumb how much Loss is in twenty dozen of bread, between That which is broke by th' hand and that is cut. Which way best keep his candles, bran or straw: What tallow's lost in putting of 'em out By spittle, what by foot, what by the puff, What by the holding downwards, and what by The extinguisher; which wick will longest be In lighting, which spend fastest. He must hear Nothing but moieties, and lives, and farms, Copies, and tenures; he is deaf to th' rest. Mean. I'll speak the language of the wealthy to him; My mouth shall swill with bags, revenues, fees, Estates, reversions, incomes, and assurance[s]. He's in the gin already; for his daughter, She'll be an easy purchase.[137] Hear. I do hope We shall grow famous; have all sorts repair As duly to us, as the barren wives Of aged citizens do to St Antholin's. Come, let us take our quarters; we may come To be some great officers in time, And with a reverend magisterial frown Pass sentence on those faults that are our own. [Exeunt omnes.