PENNYBOY, the son, the heir and suitor.
PENNYBOY, the father, the Canter.
PENNYBOY, Richer, the uncle, the usurer.
CYMBAL, master of the STAPLE, and prime jeerer.
FITTON, emissary Court, and jeerer.
ALMANAC, doctor in physic, and jeerer.
SHUNFIELD, sea-captain, and jeerer.

MADRIGAL, poetaster and jeerer.

PICKLOCK, man o' law, and emissary Westminster.
PIEDMANTLE, pursuivant at arms, and heraldet.
REGISTER, of the staple, or office.

NATHANIEL, first clerk of the office.

THOMAS, Barber, second clerk of the office.

BROKER, Secretary, and gentleman-usher to PECUNIA. LICKFINGER, master-cook, and parcel-poet.

FASHIONER, the tailor of the times.

LEATHERLEG, shoemaker.

Linener.

Haberdasher.

Spurrier.

Customers, male and female.
Porter.

BLOCK and LOLLARD, two dogs.

Buz, AMBLER, grooms; Fiddlers, Singing-boy, Attendants, &c.

INTERMEAN or CHORUS. Gossips MIRTH, TATTLE, EXPECTATION, and CENSURE.

PECUNIA, infanta of the mines.

MORTGAGE, her nurse.

STATUTE, first woman.

BAND, second woman.

WAX, (ROSE,) chambermaid.

SCENE, London.

SCENE I. The Lodgings of PENNYBOY, jun.

Enter PENNYBOY, jun. and LEATHERLEG with a new pair of boots.

P. jun. [LEATH. pulls on his boots.] RAMERCY, Leatherleg: get me the spurrier,

And thou hast fitted me.

Leath. I'll do it presently.

[Exit.

P. jun. [walks up and down in his gown, waist-coat, and trowses,1

expecting his tailor.]

Look to me, wit, and look to my wit, land,
That is, look on me, and with all thine eyes,
Male, female, yea, hermaphroditic eyes,

And those bring all your helps and perspicils,"

1 In his trowses.] Trowses are the close drawers over which the hose or slops (the loose breeches) were drawn. I know not why Whalley constantly alters the word to trowsers.

2 Perspicils.] Optic glasses. We find the word in Albumazar, A. i. S. 3.

"Sir, 'tis a perspicil, the best under heaven."

WHAL.

This certainly (like many other quotations which might be pointed out) does not prove what it was brought to prove; but the word is nevertheless rightly explained.

To see me at best advantage, and augment

My form as I come forth; for I do feel
I will be one worth looking after shortly;
Now, by and by, that's shortly,-[draws forth his
watch, and sets it on the table.] It strikes!
one, two,

Three, four, five, six. Enough, enough, dear watch,
Thy pulse hath beat enough. Now sleep and rest ;
Would thou couldst make the time to do so too :
I'll wind thee up no more. The hour is come
So long expected! there, there, drop my wardship,
[Throws off his gown.

My pupillage and vassalage together.
And, Liberty, come throw thyself about me,
In a rich suit, cloke, hat, and band, for now
I'll sue out no man's livery, but mine own;
I stand on my own feet, so much a year,
Right round and sound, the lord of mine own ground.
And (to rhyme to it) threescore thousand pound!
Not come? not yet?-[Goes to the door and looks.]
Tailor, thou art a vermin,

Worse than the same thou prosecut'st and prick'st
In subtle seam-Go to, I say no more-
Thus to retard my longings, on the day

I do write man, to beat thee! One and twenty
Since the clock struck, complete! and thou wilt feel it,
Thou foolish animal !- -I could pity him,
An I were not heartily angry with him now,
For this one piece of folly he bears about him,
To dare to tempt the fury of an heir

T' above two thousand a year, yet hope his custom !
Well, master Fashioner, there's some must break-
A head, for this your breaking.-

Enter FASHIONER.

Are

you come, sir?

Fash. God give your worship joy!

P. jun. What! of your staying,

And leaving me to stalk here in my trowses,
Like a tame her'nsew for you?

Fash. I but waited
Below, till the clock struck.

P. jun. Why, if you had come

Before a quarter, would it so have hurt you,
In reputation, to have waited here?

Fash. No, but your worship might have pleaded nonage,

If you had got them on, ere I could make
Just affidavit of the time.

P. jun. That jest

Has gain'd thy pardon, thou hadst lived condemn'd
To thine own hell else, never to have wrought
Stitch more for me, or any Pennyboy,

I could have hinder'd thee: but now thou art mine.
For one and twenty years, or for three lives,
Choose which thou wilt, I'll make thee a copyholder,
And thy first bill unquestion'd. Help me on.
Fash. Presently, sir: [says his suit.3] I am bound
unto your worship.

P. jun. Thou shalt be, when I have seal'd thee a lease of my custom.

Fash. Your worship's barber is without.

P. jun. Who? Tom?

Come in, Tom.

Enter THOMAS, Barber.

Set thy things upon the board,

And spread thy cloths, lay all forth in procinctu,
And tell's what news?

Tho. O sir, a STAPLE OF NEWS!

Or the New Staple, which you please.

3 -says his suit.] Tries it on. Thus Evadne in the Rebellion. "I wonder why the tailor makes gowns so imperfect, that they need so many says?"

P. jun. What's that?

Fash. An office, sir, a brave young office set up: I had forgot to tell your worship.

P. jun. For what?

Tho. To enter all the News, sir, of the time. Fash. And vent it as occasion serves: a place Of huge commerce it will be!

P. jun. Pray thee, peace;

I cannot abide a talking tailor: let Tom (He is a barber) by his place relate it. What is't, an office, Tom?

Tho. Newly erected

Here in the house, almost on the same floor,
Where all the news of all sorts shall be brought,
And there be examined, and then register'd,
And so be issued under the seal of the office,
As Staple News; no other news be current.
P. jun. 'Fore me, thou speak'st of a brave busi-
ness, Tom.

Fash. Nay, if you knew the brain that hatch'd it, sir

P. jun. I know thee well enough: give him a loaf,

Tom ;1

Quiet his mouth, that oven will be venting else.
Proceed-

Tho. He tells you true, sir; master Cymbal
Is master of the office, he projected it,

He lies here, in the house; and the great rooms
He has taken for the office, and set up
His desks and classes, tables and his shelves.
Fash. He is my customer, and a wit, sir, too.
But he has brave wits under him-

Tho. Yes, four emissaries.

give him a loaf, Tom.] Again! Our old writers are never weary of this jest. In the Rebellion, by Rawlins, allusions to this artophagous propensity of the tailors occur in almost every page.