Two Dyaloges (c. 1549) | Page 9

lyar and a thefe are abhorred and hated of all men. _Boni._ They are spyteful and odious names, and abhorred of all men, and not withe out good cause why. _Bea._ I graunte that, but althoughe to commyt adulterie be a more wycked synne then thefte yet for al that some men reioyse and shewe them selfe glad of that name, whiche wolde be redy by and by to drawe theyr swerdes and fyghte withe a man that wolde or durst call them theues. _Boni._ It is true there are many wolde take it euyll as you saye in dede. _Bea._ And nowe it is commyn to that poynt that thoughe there are many vnthryftes and spêdals whiche consume theyr substaunce at the ||wyne and vpon harlottes, and yet so wyllynge to continewe openly that all the worlde wonders at them, yet they wyll be offended and take peper in the noose yf a man shulde call them ruffyans or baudy knaues. _Boni._ Suche fellowes thynke they deserue prayse for the thynge, and yet for all that they can not abyde the name dewe to the thinge whiche they deserue. _Bea._ There is scarslye any name amonges vs more intollerable or worse can be abydden then to be called a lyar or a lyeng fellowe. _Boni._ I haue knowen some or this whiche haue kylled men for suche a spytefull worde as that is. _Bea._ Yea yea but wolde god suche hasty fellowes dyd as well abhorre the thinge and hate lienge as well as to be called lyers, was it neuer thy chaunce to be dysceyued of any man whiche borowinge mony of the appoyntynge the a certayne daye to repaye the sayd money and so performyd not his appoyntment nor kept his day? ||_Boni._ Yeas many tymes (god knoweth) and yet hath he sworne many a greuous othe and that not one tyme but many tymes. _Bea._ Peraduenture he wolde haue ben so honest as to haue payed it and yf he had had wherwith. _Boni._ Naye that is not so for he was able inoughe, but as he thought it better neuer to paye his dettes. _Bea._ And what call you this in englyshe, is it not playne lyenge? _Boni._ Yes as playne as Dunstable way, there can not be a lowder lye then this is. _Bea._ Durste you be so bolde to pulle one of these good detters of yours by the sleue and saye thus to hym, why hast thou dysceyued me so many tymes and broken promyse with me, or to talke to hym in playne englyshe, why doest thou make me so many lyes? _Boni._ Why no syr by my trouthe durst I not, excepte I were mynded before to cha?ge halfe a dosen drye blowes with hym. _Bea._ Dothe not masons Brekelayers, Carpenters, Smy||thes, Goldsmithes, Taylours, disceyue and disapoynt vs after the lyke maner daylye promysynge to do youre worke suche a daye and suche a daye without any fayle, or further delaye, and yet for all that they parforme not theyr promesse althoughe it stande the neuer somoche vpon hande, or that thou shuldest take neuer so moche profyte by it. _Boni._ This is a wonderous and strange vnshamefast knauerye of all that euer I hard of. But and ye speake of breakers of promyse then ye maye reken amongest them lawyers and atturneys at the lawe, which wyl not stycke to promyse or beare you in hande that they wyll be diligent and ernest in the furthera?ce and spedie expedicion of your sute. _Bea._ Reken quod he, naye ye maye reken fyve hundreth mennes names besyde these of sundrye faculties and occupacions whiche wyll promyse more by an ynch of a candle then they wyll performe by a whole pounde. _Boni._ Why ||and ye call this lyenge all the worlde is full of suche lyenge. _Bea._ Ye se also lykewyse that no man can abyde to be called thefe, and yet all men do not abhorre the thynge so greatly. _Boni._ I wolde gladly haue you to declare your mynde in this more playnlye & at large. _Bea._ What difference is there betwene hym whiche stealeth thy money forthe of thy cofer, and hym whiche forsweareth and falsely denyeth that whiche thou c?mytted to his custodie to be reserued and safely kept for thy vse only, or to suche tyme as thou arte mynded to call for it agayne. _Boni._ There is as they say neyther barrell better hearing, but that in my iudgement he is the falser knaue of the twayne whiche robbes a man that puttes his confidence and trust in hym. _Bea._ yea but howe fewe men are there nowe adayes lyuynge whiche are contente to restore agayne that whiche they were put in truste to kepe,