LINCOLN

My Lord Mayor, you have sundry times

Feasted myself and many courtiers more;

Seldom or never can we be so kind

To make requital of your courtesy.

But leaving this, I hear my cousin Lacy

5

Is much affected to your daughter Rose.

OATLEY

True, my good lord, and she loves him so well

That I mislike her boldness in the chase.

LINCOLN

Why, my Lord Mayor, think you it then a shame

To join a Lacy with an Oatley’s name?

10

OATLEY

Too mean is my poor girl for his high birth.

Poor citizens must not with courtiers wed,

Who will in silks and gay apparel spend

More in one year than I am worth by far.

Therefore your honour need not doubt my girl.

15

LINCOLN

Take heed, my lord, advise you what you do.

A verier unthrift lives not in the world

Than is my cousin; for, I’ll tell you what,

‘Tis now almost a year since he requested

To travel countries for experience.

20

I furnished him with coin, bills of exchange,

Letters of credit, men to wait on him,

Solicited my friends in Italy

Well to respect him. But to see the end:

Scant had he journeyed through half Germany

25

But all his coin was spent, his men cast off,

His bills embezzled, and my jolly coz,

Ashamed to show his bankrupt presence here,

Became a shoemaker in Wittenberg –

A goodly science for a gentleman

30

Of such descent! Now judge the rest by this:

Suppose your daughter have a thousand pound,

He did consume me more in one half-year;

And make him heir to all the wealth you have,

One twelve-month’s rioting will waste it all.

35

Then seek, my lord, some honest citizen

To wed your daughter to.

OATLEY I thank your lordship.

[Aside] Well, fox, I understand your subtlety. –

As for your nephew, let your lordship’s eye

But watch his actions and you need not fear,

40

For I have sent my daughter far enough.

And yet your cousin Roland might do well

Now he hath learned an occupation.

[Aside] And yet I scorn to call him son-in-law.

LINCOLN

Ay, but I have a better trade for him.

45

I thank his Grace, he hath appointed him

Chief colonel of all those companies

Mustered in London and the shires about

To serve his Highness in those wars of France.

See where he comes. – Lovell, what news with you?

50

LOVELL

My Lord of Lincoln, ‘tis his Highness’ will

That presently your cousin ship for France

With all his powers. He would not for a million

But they should land at Dieppe within four days.

LINCOLN

Go certify his Grace it shall be done.

55