Two Dyaloges (c. 1549) | Page 9

thynge. _Boni._ Suerly it is euen so as ye
seye. _Bea._ Ye knowe also howe the names of a 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 chaûge 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 furtheraûce 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 cõmytted 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