With such a sum to tempt necessity.

No less than ten pounds, sir, will serve your turn

To carry in your purse about with ye,

To crack and brag in taverns of your money?

I promise ye, a man that goes abroad

With an intent of truth, meeting such a booty,

May be provoked to that he never meant.

What makes so many pilferers and felons

But such fond baits that foolish people lay

To tempt the needy miserable wretch?

Ten pounds odd money, this is a pretty sum

To bear about, which were more safe at home.

Lord Mayor and More whisper

‘Fore God, ’twere well to fine ye as much more,

To the relief of the poor prisoners,

To teach ye be more careful of your own.

( ) rightly served.

( )

MORE

Good my lord, sooth a ( ) for once,

Only to try conclusions in this case.

LORD MAYOR

Content, good Master More. We’ll rise a while,

And till the jury can return their verdict

Walk in the garden. How say ye, justices?

ALL JUSTICES

We like it well, my lord; we’ll follow ye.

Exeunt Lord Mayor and Justices

MORE

Nay, plaintiff, go you too. Exit Smart

And officers,

Stand you aside, and leave the prisoner

To me a while.

Exeunt all but More and Lifter

Lifter, come hither.

LIFTER What is your worship’s pleasure?

MORE

Sirrah, you know that you are known to me,

And I have often saved ye from this place

Since first I came in office. Thou seest beside

That Justice Suresby is thy heavy friend,

For all the blame that he pretends to Smart

For tempting thee with such a sum of money.

I tell thee what: devise me but a means

To pick or cut his purse, and on my credit,

And as I am a Christian and a man,

I will procure thy pardon for that jest.

LIFTER

Good Master Sheriff, seek not my overthrow.

You know, sir, I have many heavy friends,

And more indictments like to come upon me.

You are too deep for me to deal withal.

You are known to be one of the wisest men

That is in England. I pray ye, Master Sheriff,

Go not about to undermine my life.

MORE

Lifter, I am true subject to my king.

Thou much mistak’st me, and for thou shalt not think

I mean by this to hurt thy life at all,

I will maintain the act when thou hast done it.

Thou knowest there are such matters in my hands

As, if I pleased to give them to the jury,

I should not need this way to circumvent thee.

All that I aim at is a merry jest.

Perform it, Lifter, and expect my best.

LIFTER

I thank your worship, God preserve your life!

But Master Justice Suresby is gone in.

I know not how to come near where he is.

MORE

Let me alone for that. I’ll be thy setter.

I’ll send him hither to thee presently,

Under the colour of thine own request

Of private matters to acquaint him with.

LIFTER

If ye do, sir, then let me alone.

Forty to one but then his purse is gone.

MORE

Well said; but see that thou diminish not

One penny of the money, but give it me.

It is the cunning act that credits thee.

LIFTER

I will, good Master Sheriff, I assure thee. Exit More

I see the purpose of this gentleman

Is but to check the folly of the Justice

For blaming others in a desperate case,

Wherein himself may fall as soon as any.

To save my life it is a good adventure.

Silence there, hol Now doth the Justice enter.

Enter Justice Suresby

SURESBY

Now, sirrah, now, what is your will with me?

Wilt thou discharge thy conscience, like an honest

man?

What sayst to me, sirrah? Be brief, be brief.

LIFTER As brief, sir, as I can.

(Aside) If ye stand fair, I will be brief anon.

SURESBY

Speak out and mumble not. What sayst thou, sirrah?

LIFTER

Sir, I am charged, as God shall be my comfort,

With more than’s true—

SURESBY

Sir, sir, ye are indeed, with more than’s true,

For you are flatly charged with felony.

You’re charged with more than truth, and that is theft:

More than a true man should be charged withal.

Thou art a varlet; that’s no more than true.

Trifle not with me, do not, do not, sirrah.

Confess but what thou knowest; I ask no more.

LIFTER

There be, sir—there be, if’t shall please your worship—

SURESBY

‘There be’, varlet? What be there, tell me what there be?

Come off or on ‘there be’, what be there, knave?

LIFTER

There be, sir, divers very cunning fellows

That while you stand and look them in the face

Will have your purse.

SURESBY

Thou’rt an honest knave.

Tell me, what are they, where they may be caught.

Ay, those are they I look for.

LIFTER

You talk of me, sir—

Alas, I am a puny. There’s one, indeed,

Goes by my name; he puts down all for purses

SURESBY

Be as familiar as thou wilt, my knave.

’Tis this I long to know.

LIFTER (aside)

And you shall have your longing ere ye go.—