Note 321 — ACT IV. SCENE I.

Jack[s]-in-boxes I have to regret that the following passage does not well admit of abridgment: “This Jacke in a Boxe, or this Diuell in mans shape, wearing (like a player on a stage, good clothes on his backe) comes to a Goldsmiths Stall, to a Drapers, a Habberdashers, or into any other shoppe, where he knowes good store of siluer faces are to be seene. And there drawing foorth a faire new boxe, hammered all out of Siluer plate, he opens it, and powres forth twenty or forty Twenty-shillings pieces in new Gold. To which heape of worldly temptation thus much hee addes in words, that either he himselfe, or such a Gentleman (to whom he belongs) hath an occasion for foure or fiue dayes to vse forty pound. But because he is very shortly (nay he knowes not how suddenly) to trauaile to Venice, to Jerusalem or so, and would not willingly bee disfurnished of Gold, he doth therefore request the Citizen to lend (vpon those Forty Twenty-shilling pieces) so much in white money (but for foure, or fiue, or sixe dayes at the most) and for his good will he shall receiue any reasonable satisfaction. The Citizen (knowing the pawne to be better then a Bond) powreth downe forty pound in siluer: the other drawes it, and hauing so much gold in hostage, marcheth away with Bag and Baggage. Fiue dayes being expired, Jacke in a Boxe (according to his bargaine) beeing a man of his word, comes againe to the shop or stall, (at which he Angles for fresh Fish) and there casting out his line with a siluer hooke, that is to say, powring out the forty pound which he borrowed. The Citizen sends in, or steppes himselfe for the Boxe with the Golden Deuill in it: it is opened, and the army of Angels being mustered together, they are all found to be there. The Boxe is shut againe and set on the stall whilest the Citizen is telling of his mony: But whilest the musicke is sounding, Jacke in a Boxe actes his part in a dumbe shew thus; he shifts out of his fingers another Boxe of the same mettall and making that the former beares, which second Boxe is filled only with shillings, and being poized in the hand, shall seeme to carry the weight of the former, and is clap’d downe in place of the first. The Citizen in the meane time (whilest this Pitfall is made for him) telling the forty pounds, misseth thirty or forty shillings in the whole summe, at which the Jacke in a Boxe starting backe (as if it were a matter strange vnto him) at last (making a gathering within himselfe for his wits) he remembers, he sayes, that he layd by so much money as is wanting (of the forty pounds) to dispatch some businesse or other, and forgot to put it into the bag againe; notwithstanding, he intreats the Citizen to keepe his Gold still, he will take the white money home to fetch the rest and make vp the summe, his absence shall not bee aboue an houre or two: before which time hee shall bee sure to heare of him, and with this the little Deuil vanisheth carrying that away with him which in the end will send him to the Gallowes, (that is to say, his owne Gold) and forty pound besides of the Shop-keepers which he borrowed, the other being glad to take forty shillings for the whole debt, and yet is soundly boxt for his labor.” English Villanies, &c., sig. H, ed. 1632.