Another city comedy from Middleton that involves tricks, lying, a faked death, and a hasty marriage. This play basically revolves around an usurer named Quomodo who cheats a fellow named Easy out of all his lands. This is especially egregious as Easy is a nice fellow wronged, and Quomodo is insensitive and callous. So Middleton has the audience root for the right people.
So Quomodo is possessed of Easy's land and starts to have doubts as to the future of his estate after he dies, so he does what any rational person would do and fakes his death. This is where the real comedy starts. Quomodo's neglected wife, in order to right the wrongs done to Easy, marries him on her husband's day of burial. Quomodo's son and inheritor goes around town insulting his father's memory and is himself cheated of his inheritance. And Quomodo bears witness to this. It is like It's a Wonderful Life except it isn't. Of course everything is set right at the end of the play and hopefully Quomodo has learned a lesson in humility and just being a good person.
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