Classic Poem

Hearsay, Caster, Shape.

Hear. Can I lie hid no where securely from
The throng, and presse of men? must every place
Become a Theater, where I seek shelter?
And solitudes become markets, cause I'm there?
Good Sir, I know your tricks: you would intrap;
This is your snare, not your request.
Sha. Take heed,
He's nois'd about for a deep searching head:
Ile pawn my life 'tis a trick.
Hear. Leave off these Ginnes,
You do not do it handsomly; you think
Y'have met with fooles I warrant.
Sha. On my life
A spie, a meere informer.
Cast. As I hope
For fortunes, my intentions are most faire.
Sha. A Gamesters Oath: he hath some reservation.
Hear. Yet did I think you true — —
Cast. By all that's good,
You do me wrong to think, that I'd wrong you.
Hear. When I lay Agent last in new Atlantis
I met with, what you now desire, a strange
New way of winning, but yet very sure.
Were not the danger great I'd — —
Cast. Do you think
I will betray my self, or you, whom I
Esteeme above my self? I have as yet
One hundred left; some part of which — —
Sha. Faith Sir,
These times require advice; if it should come
Unto the Councels eare once, he might be
Sent into other Kingdoms, to win up
Monies for the relief o'th' State, and so
Be as it were an honest kind of Exile.
Cast. If I do e'r discover, may I want
Monie to pay my Ordinary, may I
At my last stake (when there is nothing else
To lose the game) throw Ames Ace thrice together.
Ile give you forty pound in hand — —
Hear. I may
Shew you the vertue of 't, though not the thing;
I love my Country very well. Your high
And low men are but trifles: your poyz'd Dye
That's ballasted with Quicksilver or Gold
Is grosse to this — —
Sha. Profer him more I say.
Cast. Here's fifty — —
Hear. For the bristle Dye it is
Not worth that hand that guides it; toies fit only
For Glerks to win poore Costermongers ware with.
Sha. You do not come on well.
Cast. Here's threescore — —
Hear. Then
Your hollowed thumb join'd with your wriggled box,
The slur, and such like are not to be talk'd of;
They're open to the eye. For Cards you may
Without the help of any secret word,
Or a false hand, without the cut or shuffle,
Or the packt trick, have what you will your self;
There's none to contradict you.
Cast. If you please
But to instruct me here is fourescore pound.
Hear. Do y'think 'tis money I esteeme? I can
Command each Terme by Art, as much as will
Furnish a Navy. Had you but five pound
Left you in all the world, I'd undertake
Within one fortnight you should see five thousand.
Not that I covet any of your drosse,
But that the power of this Art may be
More demonstrably evident, leave in
My hands all but some smaller sum to set,
Something to stake at first.
Sha. Hee'l tell you all
If you but seem to trust him.
Cast. Here I'l lay
Down in your hands all but this little portion,
Which I reserve for a Foundation.
Hear. Being y'are confident of me, and I
Presume your lips are sealed up to silence,
Take that, which I did never yet discover;
So help you Fortune, me Philosophie.
(I must entreat your absence Mr Shape .)
I do presume you know the strength and pow'r
That lies in Phancie.
Cast. Strange things are done by it.
Hear. It works upon that which is not as yet.
The little Æthiop Infant had not been
Black in his Cradle, had he not been first
Black in the Mothers strong Imagination.
'Tis thought the hairie Child that's shewn about
Came by the Mothers thinking on the Picture
Of Saint John Baptist in his Camels Coat.
See we not Beasts conceive, as they do fansie
The present colours plac'd before their Eyes?
We owe pyed Colts unto the varied horsecloth;
And the white Partridge to the neighbouring snow.
Fancie can save or kill; it hath clos'd up
Wounds when the Balsam could not, and without
The aid of slaves; to think hath been a cure.
For Witchcraft then, that's all done by the force
Of meer Imagination. That which can
Alter the course of Nature, I presume
You'l grant shall bear more rule in petty hazzards.
Cast. It must, it must: good Sir, I pray go on.
Hea. Now the strong'st fancies still are found to dwel
In the most simple; they being easiest won
To the most firm beliefe, who understand not
Who 'tis they do believe. If they think 'twill
Be so, it will be so; they do command,
And check the course of Fortune; they may stop
Thunder, and make it stand, as if arrested,
In its mid journey: If that such a one
Shall think you'l win, you must win; 'tis a due
That nature paies those men in recompence
Of her deficiency, that what e'r they think
Shall come to passe. But now the hardest will be
To find out one that's capable of thinking.
Cast. I know you can produce an Instrument
To work this your design by. Let me owe you
The whole and entire courtesie.
Hear. I've one
Committed to my custody but lately,
The powerfull'st that way, I e'r found yet;
He will but think he shall b' abus'd in such
A Company, and he's abus'd; he will
Imagine only that he shall be cheated,
And he is cheated: All still comes to passe.
He's but one pin above a Natural: But — —
Cast. Wee'l purchase him; I'l take up for't; old Simon
Shall have my Farme outright now: what's a peece
Of durty Earth to me? a clod? a turf?
Hear. Because I see your freer nature's such,
As doth deserve supplies, I'l do my best
To win him o'r a while into your service.
Cast. If I should strive to pay you thanks, I should
But undervalue this great courtesie.
Sir, give me leave to think & worship. Stay;
First will I beggar all the Gentlemen
That do keep Termes; then build with what I win.
Next I'l undo all gaming Citizens,
And purchase upon that: the Foreman shall
Want of his wonted opportunities,
Old Thomas shall keep home I warrant him.
I will ascend to the Groom Porters next.
Flie higher Games, and make my mincing Knights
Walk musing in their knotty Freeze abroad:
For they shall have no home. There shall not be
That pleasure that I'l baulk: I'l run o'r Nature;
And when I've ransack'd her, I'l weary Art;
My means I'm sure will reach it. Let me see
'Twill yearly be — — By Heav'n I know not what — —
Hear. Ne'r think to sum it, 'tis impossible;
You shall ne'r know what Angels, Peeces, Pounds,
These names of want and beggary mean; your tongue
Shall utter nought but millions: you shall measure,
Not count your moneys; your revenews shall
Be proud and insolent, and unruly;
They shall encrease above your conquer'd spendings
In spight of their excesse; your care shall be
Only to tame your riches, and to make them
Grow sober, and obedient to your use.
Cast. I'l send some forty thousand unto Pauls ;
Build a Cathedral next in Banbury ;
Give Organs to each Parish in the Kingdom;
And so root out the unmusicall Elect.
I'l pay all Souldiers whom their Captaines won't;
Raise a new Hospitall for those maim'd People
That have been hurt in gaming; Then build up
All Colleges, that Ruine hath demolish'd,
Or, interruption left unperfect.
Hear. 'Twil
Never be done I think, unless you do it.
Provide the wealthiest Gamesters, there's but one
Thing that can do us wrong, Discovery.
You have no enemie, but frailty.
Cast. Night
And silence are loud names, compar'd with me.
Hear. I see the tide of Fortune rowling in
Without resistance. Go, be close, and happy.