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[Enter Dick and Rafe.]

What, Master Richard, how do you? How doest thou, Rafe? By God, gentlemen, the world grows bare with me: will you do as much as lend me an angel between you both. You know you won a hundred of me the other day.

RAFE.

How, an angel? God damn us, if we lost not every penny, within an hour after thou wert gone.

FLOWERDALE.

I prithee lend me so much as will pay for my supper.

I'll pay you again, as I am a gentleman.

RAFE.

Yfaith, we have not a farthing, not a mite:

I wonder at it, Master Flowerdale,

You will so carelessly undo yourself.

Why, you will lose more money in an hour,

Than any honest man spend in a year.

For shame, betake you to some honest Trade,

And live not thus so like a Vagabond.

[Exit both.]

FLOWERDALE.

A Vagabond, indeed! more villains you:

They gave me counsel that first cozened me:

Those Devils first brought me to this I am,

And being thus, the first that do me wrong.

Well, yet I have one friend left in store:

Not far from hence there dwells a Cockatrice,

One that I first put in a satin gown,

And not a tooth that dwells within her head,

But stands me at the least in 20 pound:

Her will I visit now my coin is gone,

And, as I take it, here dwells the Gentlewoman.

What ho, is Mistress Apricot within?

[Enter Ruffian.]

RUFFIAN.

What saucy Rascal is that which knocks so boldly?

O, is it you? old spend-thrift, are you here?

One that is turned Cozener about this town:

My Mistress saw you, and sends this word by me:

Either be packing quickly from the door,

Or you shall have such a greeting sent you straight,

As you will little like on: you had best be gone.

FLOWERDALE.

Why so, this is as it should be: being poor,

Thus art thou served by a vile painted whore.

Well, since thy damned crew do so abuse thee,

I'll try of honest men, how they will use me.

[Enter an ancient Citizen.]

Sir, I beseech you to take compassion of a man, one whose Fortunes have been better than at this instant they seem to be: but if I might crave of you some such little portion, as would bring me to my friends, I should rest thankful, until I had requited so great a courtesy.

CITIZEN.

Fie, fie, young man, this course is very bad,

Too many such have we about this City,

Yet for I have not seen you in this sort,

Nor noted you to be a common beggar:

Hold, there's an angel, to bear your charges down.

Go to your friends, do not on this depend:

Such bad beginnings oft have worser ends.

[Exit Citizen.]

FLOWERDALE.

Worser ends: nay, if it fall out no worse than in old angels I care not. Nay, now I have had such a fortunate beginning, I'll not let a sixpenny-purse escape me. By the mass, here comes another.

[Enter a Citizen's wife with a torch before her.]

God bless you, fair mistress. Now would it please you, gentlewoman, to look into the wants of a poor Gentle-Man, a younger brother, I doubt not but God will treble restore it back again: one that never before this time demanded penny, halfpenny, nor farthing.

CITIZEN'S WIFE. Stay, Alexander. Now, by my troth, a very proper man, and tis great pity: hold, my friend, there's all the money I have about me, a couple of shillings, and God bless thee.

FLOWERDALE.

Now God thank you, sweet Lady: if you have any friend, or Garden-house, where you may employ a poor gentleman as your friend, I am yours to command in all secret service.

CITIZEN'S WIFE. I thank you, good friend. I prithee let me see that again I gave thee: there is one of them a brass shilling; give me them, and here is half a crown in gold. [He gives it her.] Now, out upon thee, Rascal! secret service! what doest thou make of me? it were a good deed to have thee whipped. Now I have my money again, I'll see thee hanged before I give thee a penny. Secret service! On, good Alexander.

[Exit both.]

FLOWERDALE.

This is villainous luck. I perceive dishonesty will not thrive: here comes more. God forgive me, Sir Arthur, and Master Oliver: