The fires of this dissention growing hotter and hotter on both sides, were more likely to flame more fiercely then to be quenched by the aproach of Pouerty and her ragged regiments, who by her scoutes vnderstanding that the golden Idoll (which so many fooles knéele to) was carryed and kept close within the walles of the City, being as the Pollodium was to Troy, thither she marches with all spéed, but perceiuing all places of entrance barred vp, she pitcheth her tents round about the Suburbs, planteth her artilery against the walles, leuelleth her great ordnance vpon the very wickets of the City gates, and by the sound of trumpet, did often summon Money to appeare in her likenesse, and not to hide her proud & cowardly head. Parlies were nine or ten times called on the Forreners part that dwelt without, but no answere returned from those ye slept within the Frée-dome.
Which scornefull disdaine being taken in snuffe by the poore snakes (who already began to shiuer with cold) Pouertie, (their Ringleader) quickned the chilnesse of ther frozen spirits, by the heate of a braue resolution newly kindled in her owne bloud: for calling Scatter-good her owne Herald, that still rides before her, when any tempest of warre is towards, him she chargeth vpon his life and allegiance, to go to the walles, and boldly to throw in her name, a proud defiance in the very face of Money, telling her, that for the safety of liues (which ly in the ballance of warre) she desires that two onely may arbitrate the quarrell in a Monarchy, and that therefore Pouerty challengeth Money to leaue the City if she dare, and hand to hand to grapple with her. Scatter-good (because he was knowne to be an Herald) was admitted to haue a sight of Money, and vpon first presenting himselfe, very stoutly deliuered his Ladies defiance.
Money was noted to change colour, and to looke excéeding pale, all the while the challenge was breathing forth, either for very anger, or extreame feare, but those that knew her qualities swore it was with anger, and the conclusion iustified their oath, for on a soddaine shaking her golden tresses with a maiesticall brauery, she defied that base defiance in regard the sender was of slauish and beggerly condition. Her selfe being high-borne, of bloud royall, of Noble discent, the other a penurious fugitiue, a méere canting Mort, traytor to all kingdomes, corrupter to all learning, & mother of none but such as are burdensome to euery Common-wealth. They both standing therefore vpon so vnequall bases, Money may by the law of Armes, refuse the combat, and in plaine tearmes did so, disdaining to defile her glorious hands vpon so wretched and infamous an enemy, but with a full oath swore and vowed to weary Pouerty and all her lank-bellied army, by driuing them quite from the gates of the City, or else to hold her and them play within so long, till she and her suncke-eyed company, famish and dye vnder the walles. And for that purpose, albeit she her selfe swim in pleasures and in plenty, and though ye earth opens her wombe liberally, powring forth her blessing to all thankfull creatures, yet will she (onely to vndo them and punish their carkases with pennury and famine, s•…d her precepts into euery shire, to all rich Farmers, Land-lords, and Graziers; that they (by expr•…sse commandement from her and her Lords, vpon their allegiance and loue they owe to Money, and as they are her slaues, vassailes and subiects, cause hard times to be made, onely to pinch the poore Hungarians, and to disable their sallow facd Empresse from once approaching the walles. These words she vttred with indignation, and high colour in her cheekes, and hauing eased the greatnesse of her wrath, commanded the messenger away: yet ere he went (to shew that a true Prince when he wrastleth hardest with his owne passions, should be carefull still of his renowne, fame and honours, she bestowed a golden chaine on Scatter-good, which Pouerty tooke from him, as scorning to sée any fauours (giuen by her enemy) worne by any of her subiects, especially her housholde seruants.
Scarce was the Herald turnd out at the Citty gates but the glorious mother of Plenty, checking her owne great spirit, for giuing her enemy so much cause to triumph ouer her as to proclaime her a coward, was halfe mad with rage at her owne folly, and in that heate of bloud, charged her droms to strike vp, her colours to be spread, her armies to be put in array, and the gates of the City to be set wide open for (in a brauado) she vowed to issue forth, and bid battaile to the beggerly Tartarians that beleagerd her. But her councel (wiser then so) kept her in perforce, doubling the guards about her, and inch•…nting her eare with all the bewitched tunes of musicke to cast her into a slumber till these stormes in her were at quiet, which if they had not done, but had pitched the field, as she once determined, it is by many probabilities) thought, that Pouerty had had a great hand •…uer her, and would haue put her to the worst. They therefore locked her vp, as it were by Iron force, compelling her against her frée-borne nature and condition, to be directed by them, and to lye close for a time, till noble aduantage should call her into action: and making present vse of her owne former spéeches, a common councell was called: where by the generall head it was ordered that Hard-heartednesse should haue the keyes of the City in kéeping, his office and charge being, not to suffer Money to goe out of the gates, though she herselfe in proper person commanded it, and was further ordained that precepts should presently be drawne, into all Shires, Countries and Cities. The tenor of which precepts followeth.
BY THE QUEENE OF GOLD AND SILUER.
TO all and Singular our Shires, Countries, Cities, Corporations, Townes, Villages Hamblets, &c. by what name or title soeuer, to whom these presents shall come, and to all you our obedient Subiects, Slaues and Vassailes, commonly stiled by the names of Money-mongers, viz. rich Farmers, yong Land-lords, Engrossers, Graziers, Forestallers, Hucksters Haglers, &c. with all the residue of our industrious, hearty & louing people, in all or any of these our shires or places formerly recited, either now resident, or at any time or times hereafter to be resident, greeting.
These are to will and require you vpon especial and expresse commandement deliuered in our owne person, and as you will answere the contrary at your vtmost perrils. First that you (the said rich Farmers) by your best power, meanes, sleights, pollicies, by-waies, and thrifty endeuours, cast all the nets you can, to get all manner of graine that growes within your reach, and being so gotten to aduance, raise, and heighthen the prices of them, worke vpon the least inch of aduantage, make vse of all seasons, hot, cold, wet, dry, foule or faire, in one rainy weeke your wheate may swell from foure shillings the bushell, to six shillings, seuen shillings, nay eight shillings. Sweepe whole markets before you, as you passe through one towne, if you finde the corne (like mens consciences, and womens honesties) low-prized, & sell the same in other townes when the price is enhanced. Let the times be deere, though the grounds be fruitfull, and the Markets kept empty though your barnes (like Cormorants bellies) breake their butten-holes, and rather then any of Pouerties soldiers, who now range vp and downe the kingdome, besieging our Cities, & threatning the confusion, spoile and dishonour both of you and vs, should haue bread to relieue them. I charge you all vpon your allegiance, to hoord vp your corne till it be musty, and then bring it forth to infect these needy Barbarians, that the rot, scuruy, or some other infectious pestilent disease, may run through the most part of their enfeebled army: Or if I, who may command, may perswade you, let mice and rats rather bee feasted by you, and fare well in your garners, then the least and weakest amongst Pouerties starued infantery, should get but one mouthfull, let them leape at crusts, it shall be sport enough for vs and our wealthy subiects about vs, to laugh at them whilest they nibble at the baite, and yet be choaked with the hooke.
Next, we will and command, that you the young Land-lords, who haue cause to go dancing to Church after your old rotten fathers funerals, with all might & main stretch your rents, til the heart strings of those that dwell in them be ready to cracke in sunder. Racke your poore neighbours, call in old leases, and turne out old tenants, those which your forefathers haue suffered quietly to enioy their liuings, and thereby to raise fat commodities to themselues, and begger families: Change you their coppy, cancell their old euidences, race out all workes of charity, vndoe them in a minute, that haue stood the
stormes of many an Age, make the most of your riches, and the least of such poore snakes. When you let your land, carry many eies in your head, looke into euery acre, into euery bush, euery ditch, euery turfe, wey euery blade of grasse to the full, that those who take it, may saue nothing by it no not so much as shall keepe a black-bird, or a sparrow, turne forty pence an acre, into forty shillings, and laugh at the simplicity of your forefathers, make bitter iests vpon your dead Gaffers, now you are made gentlemen of the first head, though it be by their digging in muck-hils, & in your Queanes company pittie the capacity of the kerzy stockingd WHORESONS, for not hauing so much wit to raise profit as you their sonnes haue, nor had euer the meanes to spend it so fast.
Thirdly our high pleasure is, that all you Engrosers of what name soeuer, buy vp the prime and pride of all commodities, that done, keepe them in your hands, to cause a dearth, and in the time of deerenes, marke them with what price you list. First and principally, I charge you, as you loue me, and for my only sake, who haue euer beene good Lady to you all, that in times of plenty you transport your corne, butter, cheese and all needfull commoditiess into other countries, of purpose to famish and impouerish these hated whining wretches, that lye vpon the hands of your Owne. Hire ware-houses, Vaults vnder ground, and cellers in the City, and in them imprison all necessary prouision for the belly, till the long nailes of famine breake open the dores, but suffer not you those treasured victuals, to haue their free liberties till you may make what prey you please of the buyers and cheapners. At which time I will prepare a certaine people that shall giue you your owne asking, and buy vp all you bring by the great, who shall afterwards sell it deerer then it was bought, by three parts, of purpose to choake this starueling scallion-eaters, whose breath is stinking in my nosthrils, and able to infect a quarter of the world. The people whom thus I promise to haue in a readines, are well knowne what they are, some call them Huksters or Haglers, but they are to me as honest Purueyers and Takers, and these politicke smooth faced Harpyes, shall out of a dearth raise a second deerenesse.
These and such like omitting my precepts, to Bakers, whose vpright dealing is not now to be weied, no, nor stood vpon, are the effects of my pleasure, which on your allegiance to me your Empresse, I strictly command you to obserue and put in practise.
No sooner was this precept drawne, but it went polt into ye country, no sooner was it read there, but the world was new moulded, yet some say it neuer looked with a more illfauoured face. The Farmers clapt their hands, Braziers went vp and downe fhrugging their shoulders, Land-lords set all the Scriueners in the country to worke to draw leases, conueiances, defeisances, and I know not what, in thrée market daies, dearth was made Clearke of the maket, the rich Curmudgeons made as though they were sorry; but the poore Husbandman looked heauily, his wife wrang her hands, his children pined, his hyndes grumbled, his leane ouer-wrought Iades bit on the bridle. They, who were in fauour with Money, and were on her side, sped wel enough; but Pouerties people were driuen to ye wal, or rather downe into the kennell: for corne skipt from foure to ten shillings a bushell, from ten to twelue shillings, stones of béefe began to be pretious, and for their price had béene w•…rne in rings, but that the stone cutter spoiled them in the grinding. Mutten grew to be déere, two crownes a buttocke of péefe, and halfe a crowne a wholesome breast of mutton, euery thing (to say truth) riz, except desert and honesty, & they could find nothing to rise by.
Pouerty was somewhat grieued, (but little dismayed) at these tyrranous, Godlesse and base procéedings of her enemy, because she herselfe and most of her army, haue béene old Seruitors to the warres, and béen familiarly acquainted with Emptinesse and Necessity, casting therefore all her troopes into seuerall rings, she went from one to one, and in the middest of each, councelled them all not to be disheartened, but with her to endure what miseries soeuer, sithence she would venture formost and fardest in any danger that could come vpon them. She told them by way of encouragement, that whereas Money (their daring enemy) brags that she is the daughter to the Sun, and Duéene of both the Indies. It is not so: for she is but of base birth bred, and begotten onely of the earth, whom she cannot deny to be her mother: and albeit it cannot be gainsayed, but that by her griping of riches into her hands, she is owner of many faire buildings, parkes, forrests, &c. Yet doth she oftentimes so farre forget her high birth, (whereof shee vainly boasteth and those beauties of which a company of old Misers, Churles, & penny-fathers are with dotage enamoured, that now and then (like a base common harlot) she will lye with a Cobler, a Car-man, a Collier, nay with the Diuels owne sonne and heire, a very damned broker, with these will she ly whole yeares together, they shall handle her, embrace her, abuse her, and vse her body after any villainous manner to satisfie their insatiable lust, whereas on the contrary part, quoth she, I that am your leader, famous ouer all the world, by my name and stile of Pouerty, vnder whose ensignes, full of rents, as tokens of seruice and honour, you all are now come to fight, am well known to be a Princesse, neither so dangerous, nor so base as Money shewes herselfe to be. Money makes all seruice done to her a very bondage in them that do it: those whom she fanours most, are her onely slaues; but Pouerty giues all her subiects liberty to range whither they list, to speake what they list, and to do what they list, her easist impositions are burdens, but the burdens which I throw vpon any, grow light by being borne. Who hath béene the Foundresse of Hospitals but I? who hath brought vp Charity but I? am not I the mother of Almes-déedes, and the onely nurse of Deuotion? do not I inspire Poets with those sacred raptures that bind men, how dull and brutish soeuer, to listen to their powerfull charmes, and so to become regular? doe not I sharpen their inuention, and put life into their verse? And whereas Money vaunts and beares her head high, by reason of her glorious and gallant troops that attend her, you all know, and the whole world can witnes with you, that Kings, Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Aldermen, with infinite others that were her déerest and wantonnest minions, haue vtterly forsaken her and her lasciuious pleasures, onely to liue with Pouerty (your Quéene) though now she be a little derected in the eye of the world, though not in her owne worth.
Thus she spake, and her spéeches kindled such fires of resolution in the hearts of her soldiers, that the Allarum was strucke vp, Ordnance planted for Batterie, scaling Ladders made ready, and all the instruments of terrour and death put in tune, which were set to be played vpon at the assault of a Cittie. They that kept their dennes like Foxes in their holes, slept not, hearing such thundring: but armed themselues with as braue resolution to defend, as the other had to inuade.
It was excellent musicke (considering how many discords there were) to heare how euery particular reg•…nent in Pouerties Camp, threatned to plague the Gold-finches of the Cittie, and to pluck their feathers, if euer they made a breach. Taylors swore to tickle the Mercers, & measure out their Sattins & veluets without a yard before their faces, when the prowdest of them all should not dare to say Bo to a Taylors Goose. Shoomakers, had a spite to none but the rich Curriers, and swore with their very awle, to flea off their skins (and the Tanners) ouer their eares, like old dead rabbets. Euery souldier prickt downe one Gold-smiths name or another, or else the signe in stead of ye name, as the Goate, the Vnicorne, the Bull, the Hart. &c. swearing damnable oathes to pisse in nothing but siluer, in méere scorne, because he had oftentimes walked by a stall, when his téeth hath watred at the golden bits lying there: yet could not so much as licke his lips after them. There was one little d•…arfish Cobler with a bald pate, and a nose indented like a scotch saddle, who tooke bread and salt, and praid God it might be his last, if he ran not ouer all the fine dames that withstoode him, in blacke reuenge that hee neuer had their custome in his shop, because it could neuer be found out or séene, that any of them did euer treade her shooe awry. And thus as they without shot their terrible threatnings into the aire, so did those within, laugh to thinke how they should domineere ouer the shake-rags, if ye warres might but cease.
All this while were trench
es cast vp of a great height by the Poldauies, to saue them from shot of the walles, whilst Pouerties Pioners had digd at least a quarter of a mile vnder the earth, and the mine with gun powder to blow vp one quarter of the Cittie: But this béeing quickly descryed, was as spéedily preuented by a countermine, so that all that labour tooke not such fire as was expected: yet went the Artillerie off on both sides, wilde fire flew from one to another, like squibs when Doctor Faustus goes to the diuell, arrowes flew faster then they did at a catte in a basket, whe¯ Prin•…Arthur, or the Duke of Shordich strucke vp the drumme in the field, many bullets were spent, but no breach into Monies quarters could be made: they that fought vnder her cullers were very wary, polliticke, strong, and valiant, yet would they not venture forth but on great aduantages, because they had somthing to loose, but Pouerties wild Bandetti, were desperate, carelesse of danger, gréedy of spoile, and durst haue torne the diuell out of his skinne to haue had their willes of Money, but Night (like a surly constable) commanding them to depart in peace, and to put vp their tooles. This assault (which was the first) gaue ouer, euery Captaine retyring to his place, the Desperueines (of Pouerties side) comming off at this time with the most losse.
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 242