'Tis Woman that seduces all Mankind,
By her we first were taught the wheedling Arts:
Her very Eyes can cheat; when most she's kind,
She tricks us of our Money with our Hearts.
For her, like Wolves by Night we roam for Prey,
And practise ev'ry Fraud, to bribe her Charms;
For suits of Love, like Law, are won by Pay,
And Beauty must be fee'd into our Arms.
PEACHUM. But make haste to Newgate, Boy, and let my Friends know what I
intend; for I love to make them easy one way or other.
FILCH. When a Gentleman is long kept in suspence, Penitence may break his
Spirit ever after. Besides, Certainty gives a Man a good Air upon his
Trial, and makes him risque another without Fear or Scruple. But I'll away,
for 'tis a Pleasure to be the Messenger of Comfort to Friends in
Affliction.
Scene 3.
PEACHUM.
But 'tis now high time to look about me for a decent Execution against
next Sessions. I hate a lazy Rogue, by whom one can get nothing 'till he
is hang'd. A Register of the Gang, [Reading] Crook-finger'd Jack. A Year
and a half in the service; Let me see how much the Stock owes to his
Industry; one, two, three, four, five Gold Watches, and seven Silver ones.
A mighty clean-handed Fellow! Sixteen Snuff-boxes, five of them of true
Gold. Six Dozen of Handkerchiefs, four silver-hilted Swords, half Dozen of
Shirts, three Tye-Periwigs, and a piece of Broad-Cloth.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25