﻿168 



INDIAIS^A UNIVEESITY 



harbour more deceit imder their 

 dammaske cassockes, then is in all 

 the poore Rogues in a countrey, 

 Brokers I meane and Usurers, that 

 like vultures prey upon the simple, 

 those that are moaths in a common- 

 wealth, living upon the spoile of 

 young gentlemen, as thriftie as a 

 horse-leech, that will never leave 

 drinking untill he burst.^'^ 



greatest Connycatchers of all, as by 

 your leave maister R. G. I wil make 

 manifest. 



Sir reverence on your lordship, 

 had you such a moate in your eye, 

 that you could not see those Fox- 

 furd Gentlemen that hyde under 

 their go\^nies faced with foynes, 

 more falshood than all the Conny- 

 catchers in England beside, those 

 miserable Usurers (I meane) that 

 like Vultures pray uppon the spoyle 

 of the poore ?^'' 



The borrowing in ''The Letting of Humours Blood" is from 

 Lodge's excellent description of a usurer in "AYits ^liserie and the 

 Worlds Madnesse" (1596). This description is not far from be- 

 ing the best tiring in Lodge, and, in my opinion, represents the 

 Elizabethan prose satire near its high-Avater mark. The usurer has 

 bad many I'ough handlings from the pamphleteers, but Lodge's 

 stands out above them all. Rowlands' cribbing here is a distinct 

 indication of judgment if not of fine moral sense. On account of 

 its length the description will not be given in full. 



The Letting of Humours Blood. 



[The broker is] in manners and complexion, 



Jumpe like to Userie, his nearest kinne ; 



That wears a money bagge under his chiune : 



A bunch that doth resemble such a shape. 



And hayred like to Paris garden Ape, 



Foaming about the chaps like some wilde Boore. 



As swart and tawnie as an India ]Moore: 



AVith narrow brow, and Squirrell eyes, he showes. 



His faces chiefest ornament, is nose, 



Full furnished with many a Clarret staine, 



As large as any Codpiece of a Dane, 



Embossed cui'ious; every eye doth judge, 



His Jacket faced with motheaten Budge : 



To which a paire of Satten sleeves he weares. 



Wherein two pound of greace about he beares.'^ 



Martin MarJc-all, Beadle of Bndeicell, II. 14. 

 ^0 The Defence, XI. 51-52. 

 " 67. note 6. 



WorJc.9. I. ".3-54 



