A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Z

A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Vol. II

R >> Robert Dodsley >> A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Vol. II




CHARITY.
Sir, this he did for thee;
When thou wast bond, he made thee free,
And bought thee with his blood.

YOUTH.
Sir, I pray you tell me,
How may this be:
That I know, I was never bond
Unto none in England.

CHARITY.
Sir, I shall tell you--
When Adam had done great trespass,
And out of Paradise exiled was;
Then all the souls, as I can you tell,
Were in the bondage of the devil of hell,
Till the Father of heaven, of his great mercy,
Sent the Second Person in Trinity
Us for to redeem,
And so with his precious blood
He bought us on the rood,
And our souls did save.

YOUTH.
How should I save it, tell me now,
And I will be ruled after you
My soul to save.

RIOT.
What, youth; will ye forsake me?
I will not forsake thee.

HUMILITY.
I shall tell you shortly;
Kneel down and ask God mercy,
For that you have offended.

PRIDE.
Youth, wilt thou do so?
Follow them, and let us go?
Marry, I trow, nay.

YOUTH.
Here all sin I forsake,
And to God I me betake;
Good Lord, I pray thee have no indignation,
That I, a sinner, should ask salvation.

CHARITY.
Now thou must forsake Pride,
And all Riot set aside.

PRIDE.
I will not him forsake,
Neither early ne late;
I ween'd he would not forsake me;
But if it will none otherwise be,
I will go my way.

YOUTH.
Sir, I pray God be your speed,
And help you at your need.

RIOT.
I am sure thou wilt not forsake me,
Nor I will not forsake thee.

YOUTH.
I forsake you also,
And will not have with you to do.

RIOT.
And I forsake thee utterly:
Fie on thee, caitiff, fie!
Once a promise thou did me make,
That thou would me never forsake,
But now I see it is hard
For to trust the wretched world;
Farewell, masters, everychone.

HUMILITY.
For your sin look ye mourn,
And evil creatures look ye turn;
For your name, who maketh inquisition,
Say it is Good Contrition
That for sin doth mourn.

CHARITY.
Here is a new array,
For to walk by the way,
Your prayer for to say.

HUMILITY.
Here be beads[27] for your devotion,
And keep you from all temptation;
Let not vice devour.
When you see misdoing men,
Good counsel give them,
And teach them to amend.

YOUTH.
For my sin I will mourn,
All creatures I will turn;
And when I see misdoing men,
Good counsel I shall give them,
And exhort them to amend.

CHARITY.
Then shall ye be an heritor of bliss,
Where all joy and mirth is.

YOUTH.
To the which eternal
God bring the persons all
Here being, amen!

HUMILITY.
Thus have we brought our matter to an end
Before the persons here present;
Would every man be content,
Lest another day we be shent.

CHARITY.
We thank all this presence
Of their meek audience.

HUMILITY.
Jesu that sitteth in heaven so high,
Save all this fair company:[28]
Men and women that here be,
Amen, amen, for Charity.[29]






LUSTY JUVENTUS.

A MORALITY.



_An Enterlude called Lusty Juuentus, lyuely describing the frailtie of
youth: of natur prone to vyce: by grace and good counsayll traynable to
vertue.

The parsonages that speake.

Messenger,
Lusty Juuentus,
Good Counsaill,
Knowledge,
Sathan the deuyll,
Hypocrisie,
Felowship,
Abhominable Lyuyng,
Gods mercifull promises.

Foure maye playe it easely, takyng such partes as they thinke best: so
that any one take of those partes that be not in place at once.

[Col.] Imprynted at London, in Lothbury, ouer agaynst Sainct Margarits
Church, by Wyllyam Copland. 4°, black-letter_.[30]



HAWKINS'S PREFACE.


The editor has been favoured with two copies of this moral interlude;
one of which is preserved in the library belonging to Lincoln
Cathedral,[31] the other is in the possession of Mr. Garrick. It was
written in the reign of Edward the Sixth by one R. Wever, of whom the
editor can give the reader no further information. The former was
printed at London by Abraham Vele. The latter is a very different copy
from the other. A more obsolete spelling runs through the whole, and it
contains great variations besides, which the reader will find at the
bottom of each page. The conclusion being imperfect, the printer's
colophon is wanting, so that it cannot be known where this edition was
printed. According to Dr Percy's tables, it was printed by Richard
Pinson.[32]

The design of this interlude was to expose the superstitions of the
Romish Church, and to promote the Reformation. The stage (as the
learned Dr Percy observes) in those days literally was what wise men
have always wished it--a supplement to the pulpit: chapter and verse
are as formally quoted as in a sermon. See "Prologue of the Messenger,"
&c. From this play we learn that most of the young people were new
gospellers, or friends to the Reformation; and that the old were
tenacious of the doctrines imbibed in their youth, for thus the Devil
is introduced lamenting the downfall of superstition--

The old people would believe still in my laws,
But the younger sort lead them a contrary way;
They will not believe, they plainly say,
In old traditions and made by men,
But they will live as the scripture teacheth them, &c.

And in another place Hypocrisy urges--

The world was never merry,
Since children were so bold;
Now every boy will be a teacher,
The father a fool, and the child a preacher.

[This is certainly a piece of rather heavy and tedious morality,
replete with good instruction, but didactic to a fault. It is deficient
in the curious allusions, which abound in other productions of the same
kind; and even that mysterious character, _Abominable Living_, whose
introduction promises some amusement and illustration, moves off the
scene almost immediately after her first appearance, while _Little
Bess_, whose entrance might have been a vehicle for some diverting or
sentimental situation, does not "come on" at all.]




LUSTY JUVENTUS.


THE PROLOGUE OF THE MESSENGER.

For as much as man is naturally prone
To evil from his youth, as Scripture doth recite,[33]
It is necessary that he be speedily withdrawn
From concupiscence of sin, his natural appetite:
An[34] order to bring up youth Ecclesiasticus doth write,--
An untamed horse will be hard, saith he,
And a wanton child wilful will be.

Give him no liberty in youth, nor his folly excuse,
Bow down his neck, and keep him in good awe,
Lest he be stubborn: no labour refuse
To train him to wisdom and teach him God's law,
For youth is frail and easy to draw
By grace to goodness, by nature to ill:
That nature hath ingrafted, is hard to kill.

Nevertheless, in youth men may be best
Trained to virtue by godly mean;
Vice may be so mortified and so supprest,
That it shall not break forth, yet the root will remain;
As in this interlude by youth you shall see plain,
From his lust by Good Counsel brought to godly conversation,
And shortly after to frail nature's inclination.
The enemy of mankind, Satan, through Hypocrisy
Feigned or chosen holiness of man's blind intent,
Forsaking[35] God's word, that leadeth right way,
Is brought to Fellowship and ungracious company,
To Abhominable Living till he be wholly bent,
And so to desperation, if good counsel were not sent
From God, that in trouble doth no man forsake
That doth call, and trust in him for Christ's sake.

Finally, youth by God's special grace
Doth earnestly repent his abhominable living
By the doctrine of good counsel, and to his solace
God's mercy entereth to him reciting
God's merciful promises, as they be in writing:
He believeth and followeth, to his great consolation.[36]
And these parts ye shall see briefly played in their fashion.

_Here entereth_ LUSTY JUVENTUS, _or_ YOUTH, _singing as followeth_:

In a herber[37] green, asleep[38] where as I lay,
The birds sang sweet in the middes of the day;
I dreamed fast of mirth and play:
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Methought I walked still to and fro,
And from her company I could not go;
But when I waked, it was not so:
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Therefore my heart is surely pight[39]
Of her alone to have a sight,
Which is my joy and heart's delight:
In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Finis.

LUSTY JUVENTUS, _or_ YOUTH, _speaketh_.

What, ho? Are they not here?
I am disappointed, by the blessed mass!
I had thought to have found them making good cheer;
But now they are gone to some secret place.
Well, seeing they are gone, I do not greatly pass;[40]
Another time I will hold them as much,
Seeing they break[41] promise, and keep not the tweche.[42]

What shall I do now to pass away the day?
Is there any man here that will go to game?
At whatsoever he[43] will play,
To make one I am ready to the same:
Youth full of pleasure is my proper name.
To be alone is not my appetite,[44]
For of all things in the world I love merry company.

Who knoweth where is e'er a minstrel?
By the mass, I would fain go dance a fit[45]
My companions[46] are at it, I know right well;
They do not all this while in a corner sit:
Against another time they have taught me[47] wit:
I beshrew their hearts for serving me this,[48]
I will go seek them, whether I hit or miss.

_Here entereth_ GOOD COUNSEL, _to whom_ YOUTH _yet speaketh_.

Well i-met, father, well i-met:
Did you hear any minstrels play,
As you came hitherward upon your way?
And if you did, I pray you wish[49] me thither,
For I am going to seek them, and, in faith, I know not whither.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Sir, I will ask you a question by your favour:
What would you with the minstrel do?

JUVENTUS.
Nothing but have a dance or two,
To pass the time away in pleasure.

GOOD COUNSEL.
If that be the matter, I promise you sure,
I am the more sorrier that it should so be;
For there is no such passing the time appointed in the Scripture,
Nor yet thereunto it doth not agree!
I wish that ye would so use your liberty,
To walk as you are bound to do,
According to the vocation which God hath called you to.

JUVENTUS.
Why, sir, are you angry, because I have spoken so?
By the mass, it is alone for my appetite.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Show me your name, I pray you heartily,
And then I will my mind express.

JUVENTUS.
My name is called Juventus, doubtless:
Say what you will, I will give you the hearing.

GOOD COUNSEL.
For as much as God hath created you of nothing,
Unto his own likeness by spiritual illumination,
It is unmeet that ye should lead your living
Contrary to his godly determination.
Saint Paul unto the Ephesians giveth good exhortation,
Saying, walk circumspectly, redeeming the time;
That is, to spend it well, and not to wickedness incline.

JUVENTUS.
No, no, hardily none of mine;
If I would live so strait, you might count me a fool;
Let them keep those rules, which are doctors divine,
And have be brought up all their days in school.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Moses in the law exhorteth his people,
As in the book of Deuteronomy he doth plainly write,
That they should live obedient and thankful;
For in effect[50] these words he doth recite:
All ye this day stand before the Lord's sight,
Both princes, rulers, elders, and parents,
Children, wives, young, and old; therefore obey his commandments.

JUVENTUS.
I am too young to understand his documents;[51]
Wherefore did all they stand before his presence?

GOOD COUNSEL.
To enter with God peace and alliance,
Promising that they would him honour, fear, and serve:
All kind of people were bound in those covenants,
That from his law they should never swerve;
For God useth no partiality.

JUVENTUS.
What, am I bound, as well as the clergy,
To learn and follow his precepts and law?

GOOD COUNSEL.
Yea, surely, or else God will withdraw
His mercy from you, promised in his covenant;
For, except you live under his obedience and awe,
How can you receive the benefits of his Testament?
For he that[52] submitteth himself to be a servant,
And his master's commandment will not fulfil nor regard,
According as he hath done, is worthy his reward.

JUVENTUS.
It is as true a saying as ever I heard;
Therefore your name, I pray you[53] now tell,
For, by my truth, your communication I like wonders well.

GOOD COUNSEL.
My name is called Good Counsel.

JUVENTUS.
Good Counsel?
Now, in faith, I cry you mercy:
I am sorry that I have you thus offended;
But, I pray you, bear with me patiently,
And my misbehaviour shall be amended:
I know my time I have rudely spended,
Following my own lust, being led by ignorance;
But now I hope of better knowledge through your acquaintance.

GOOD COUNSEL.
I pray God guide you with his gracious assistance
Unto the knowledge of his truth, your ignorance to undo,
That you may be one of those numbered Christians,
Which followeth the lamb whither he doth go:
The lamb Jesus Christ my meaning is so,
By sure faith and confidence in his bitter death and passion,
The only price of our health and salvation.

JUVENTUS.
Sir, I thank you for your hearty oration:
And now, I pray you, show me your advisement,
How I may live in this my vocation,
According to God's will and commandment.

GOOD COUNSEL.
First of all, it is most expedient,
That you exercise yourself in continual prayer,
That it might please the Lord omnipotent
To send unto you his holy spirit and comforter,
Which will lead you every day and hour
Unto the knowledge of his word and verity,
Wherein you may learn to live most christianly.

JUVENTUS.
O Lord, grant me of thy infinite[54] mercy
[_He kneeleth_.
The true knowledge of thy[55] law and will,
And illumine my heart with spirit continually,
That I may[56] be apt thy holy precepts to fulfil;
Strengthen me, that I may persever still
Thy commandments to obey:
And then shall I never slip nor fall away.
[_He riseth_.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Full true be these words, which Christ himself did say,
He that seeketh shall surely find.

KNOWLEDGE _entereth_.
Behold, Youth, now rejoice we may,
For I see Knowledge of God['s][57] Verity stand here behind:
He is come now to satisfy your mind
In those things which you will desire;
Therefore together let us approach him near.

JUVENTUS.
Ah, Good Counsel, now[58] it doth appear,
That God never rejecteth the humbles[t] petition.

KNOWLEDGE.
Now the Lord bless you all with his heavenly benediction,
And with his fiery love your hearts inflame,
That of his merciful promises you may have the fruition,
The subtlety of the devil utterly to defame.
Now, good Christian audience, I will express my name,
The True Knowledge of God's Verity, this[59] my name doth hight,
Whom God hath appointed to give the blind their sight.

GOOD COUNSEL.
All praise be given to that Lord of might,
Which hath appointed you hither at this present hour;
For I trust you will so instruct youth aright,
That he shall live according to God's pleasure.

JUVENTUS.
And I thank Jesus Christ my Saviour,
That he is come to my company.

KNOWLEDGE.

I thank you, my friends, most heartily
For your gentle salutation.

JUVENTUS.
Sir, I will be so bold, by your deliberation,
To open my mind unto you now,
Trusting that, by your good exhortation,
I shall learn those things which I never knew:
This one thing chiefly I would learn of you,
How I may my life in this my vocation lead,
According as God hath ordained and decreed.

KNOWLEDGE.
The prophet David saith, that the man is blessed,
Which doth exercise himself in the law of the Lord,
And doth not follow the way of the wicked;
As the first psalm doth plainly record:[60]
The fourscore and thirteenth psalm thereunto doth accord;
Blessed is the man whom thou teachest, O Lord, saith he,
To learn thy[61] law, precepts, word, or verity.
And Christ in the gospel saith manifestly:
Blessed is he which heareth the Word of God and keepeth it;
That is, to believe his word and live accordingly,
Declaring the faith by the fruits of the spirit,
Whose fruits are these, as St. Paul to the Galathi doth write,
Love, joy, peace, long suffering, and faithfulness,
Meekness, goodness, temperance, and gentleness.

GOOD COUNSEL.
By[62] these words, which unto you he doth express,
He teacheth that you ought to have a steadfast faith;
Without the which[63] it is impossible doubtless
To please God, as Saint Paul saith:
Where faith is not, godly living decayeth;
For whatsoever is not of faith, saith St. Paul, is sin,
But where a perfect faith is, there is good working.

JUVENTUS.
It seemeth to me, that this is[64] your meaning,
That, when I observe God's commandments and the works of charity,
They shall prevail unto me nothing,
Except I believe to be saved thereby.

KNOWLEDGE.
No, no, you are deceived very blindly;
For faith in Christ's merits doth only justify,
And make us righteous in God's sight.

JUVENTUS.
Why should I then in good[65] works delight,
Seeing I shall not be saved by them?

GOOD COUNSEL.
Because they are required of all Christian men,
As the necessary fruits of true repentance.

KNOWLEDGE.
But the reward of the heavenly inheritance
Is given us through faith, for Christ's deservings;
As St. Paul declareth in the fourth chapter to the Romans,
Therefore we ought not to work as hirelings:
Seeing Christ hath purged us once from all our wicked living,
Let us no more wallow therein,
But persever, like good branches, bearing fruit in Him.

JUVENTUS.
Now I know where about you have been:
My elders never taught me so before.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Though your elders were blind, doubt not you therefore;
For Saint Peter saith, vain is the conversations
Which ye receive by your elders' traditions.

JUVENTUS.
I will gladly receive your godly admonitions:
But yet, I pray you, show me the cause
That they, being men of great discretions,
Did not instruct me in God's laws,
According to His will and ordinance.

KNOWLEDGE.
Because they themselves were wrapped in ignorance,
Being deceived by false preachers.

JUVENTUS.
O Lord, deliver me from wicked teachers,
That I be not deceived with their false doctrine.

GOOD COUNSEL.
To God's word you must only incline;
All other doctrine clean set apart.

JUVENTUS.
Surely that I will from the bottom of my heart;
And I thank the living God which hath given me the knowledge
To know His doctrine from the false and pervart,[66]
I being yet young and full tender of age;
And that He hath made me partaker of the heavenly inheritage,
Of his own[67] mercy, and not of my deserving,
For hell I have deserved by my sinful working.
I know right well, my elders and parents
Have of a long time deceived be
With blind hypocrisy and superstitious intents,
Trusting in their own works, which is nothing but vanity;
Their steps shall not be followed for me:
Therefore, I pray you, show me a brief conclusion,
How I ought to live in Christian religion.

KNOWLEDGE.
The first beginning of wisdom, as saith the wise Solomon,
Is to fear God with all thy[68] heart and power;
And then thou must believe all his promises without any exception,
And that He will perform them both constant and sure:
And then, because He is thy only Saviour,
Thou must love Him with all thy soul and mind,
And thy neighbour as thyself, because he hath so assigned.

JUVENTUS.
To love my neighbour as myself? I cannot be so[69] kind:
I pray you tell me, what mean you?

KNOWLEDGE.
My meaning is, as Christ saith in the sixth chapter of Matthew,[70]
To do to Him as you would be done to.

JUVENTUS.
I pray God give me grace so for to do,
That unto His will I may be obedient.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Here you shall receive Christ's testament
To comfort your conscience, when need shall require,
To learn the contents thereof, see that you be diligent;
The which all Christian men ought to desire,
For it is the well or fountain most clear,
Out of the which doth spring sweet consolation
To all those that[71] thirst after eternal salvation.

KNOWLEDGE.
Therein shall you find most wholesome preservation
Both in troubles, persecutions, sickness, and adversity,
And a sure defence in the time of temptation,
Against whom the devil cannot prevail with all his army:
And, if you persever therein unfeignedly,
It will set your heart at such quietness and rest,
Which cannot[72] never be turned with storms nor tempest.

GOOD COUNSEL.
With this thing you must neither flatter nor jest,
But stedfastly believe it every day and hour,
And let your conversation openly protest,
That of your heart it is the most precious treasure:
And then your godly example shall other men procure
To learn and exercise the same also:
I pray God strengthen you so for to do.

JUVENTUS.
Now for this godly knowledge which you have brought me to,
I beseech the living God reward[73] you again:
From your company I will never depart nor go,
So long as in this life I do remain;
For in this book I see manifest and plain,
That he that followeth his own lusts and imagination,
Keepeth the ready path to everlasting damnation:
And he that leadeth[74] a godly conversation
Shall be brought[75] to such quietness, joy, and peace,
Which in comparison passeth all worldly gloriation,
Which cannot endure, but shortly cease.
Both the time and hour I may now bless,
That I met with you, father Good Counsel,
To bring me to the knowledge of this[76] heavenly gospel.

KNOWLEDGE.
This your profession I like very well,
So that you intend to live according;
I pray God, your living do not rebel,
But ever agree unto your saying,
That, when ye shall make accounts or reckoning,
Of this talent which you have received,
You may be one of those, with whom the Lord shall be pleased.

GOOD COUNSEL.
For this conversation of Youth the Lord's name be praised:
Let us now depart for a season.
[_Exit_.]

KNOWLEDGE.
To give God the glory it is convenient and reason:
If you will depart, I will not tarry.
[_Exit_.]

JUVENTUS.
And I will never forsake your company,
While I live in this world.
[_Exit_.[77]

_Here entereth the_ DEVIL.

O, O, all too late!
I trow this gear will come to naught;
For I perceive my power doth abate,
For all the policy that ever I have wrought:
Many and sundry ways I have fought,
To have the Word of God deluded utterly;
O for sorrow! yet it will not be.
I have done the best that I can,
And my mistress also in every place,
To root it clean from the heart of man;
And yet for all that it flourisheth apace;
I am sore in dread to show my face,
My auctority and works are so greatly despised,
My inventions, and all that ever I have devised.
O, O, full well I know the cause,
That my estimation doth thus decay;
The old people would believe still in my laws,
But the younger sort lead them a contrary way;
They will not believe, they plainly say,
In old traditions and made by men,
But they will live, as the Scripture teacheth them.
Out, I cry, upon them, they do me open wrong,
To bring up their children thus in knowledge;
For, if they will not follow my ways, when, they are young,
It is hard turning them when they come to age:
I must needs find some means this matter to 'suage;
I mean, to turn their hearts from the Scripture quite,
That in carnal pleasures they may have more delight.
Well, I will go haste[78] to infect this youth
Through the enticement of my son Hypocrisy,
And work some proper feat to stop his mouth,
That he may lead his life carnally:
I had never more need my matters to apply.
O my child Hypocrisy, where art thou?
I charge thee of my blessing appear before me now.

[_Here entereth_ HYPOCRISY.

HYPOCRISY.
O, O, quoth he, keep again the sow;
I come as fast as I can, I warrant you:
Where is he that hath the sow to sell?
I will give him money, if I like her well;
Whether it be sow or hog, I do not greatly care,
For by my occupation I am a butcher.

DEVIL.
O my child, how dost thou fare?

HYPOCRISY.
_Sancti amen_, who have we there?
By the mass, I will buy none of thy ware;
Thou art a chapman for the devil.

DEVIL.
What, my son, canst thou not tell,
Who is here, and what I am?
I am thine own father Satan.

HYPOCRISY.
Be you so, sir? I cry you mercy then;
You may say I am homely, and lack learning,
To liken my father's voice unto a sow's groaning:
But, I pray you, show me the cause and why,
That you called me hither so hastily?

DEVIL.
Ah, Hypocrisy, I am undone utterly.

HYPOCRISY.
Utterly undone! nay, stop there hardily;
For I myself do know the contrary
By daily experience:
Do not I yet reign abroad?
And as long as I am in the world,
You have some treasure and substance.
I suppose I have been the flower
In setting forth thy laws and power
Without any delay:
By the mass, if I had not been,
Thou haddest not been worth a Flander's pin
At this present day.
The time were too long now to declare,
How many and great the number are,
Which have deceived be;
And brought clean from God's law
Unto thy yoke and awe,
Through the enticement of me.
I have been busied since the world began,
To graff thy laws in the heart of man,
Where they ought to be refused:
And I have so mingled God's commandments
With vain zeals and blind intents,
That they be greatly abused.
I set up great idolatry
With all[79] kind of filthy sodometry,
To give mankind a fall:
And I [have] brought up such superstition,
Under the name of holiness and religion.
That deceived almost all.
As holy cardinals, holy popes,
Holy vestments, holy copes,
Holy hermits and friars,
Holy priests, holy bishops,
Holy monks, holy abbots,
Yea, and all obstinate[80] liars:
Holy pardons, holy beads,
Holy saints, holy images,
With holy, holy blood,
Holy stocks, holy stones,
Holy clouts, holy[81] bones;
Yea, and holy holy wood.
Holy skins, holy bulls,
Holy rochets and cowls,
Holy crouches and staves,
Holy hoods, holy caps,
Holy mitres, holy hats;
Ah good holy holy knaves.
Holy days, holy fastings,
Holy twitching, holy tastings,
Holy visions and sights,
Holy wax, holy lead,
Holy water, holy bread,
To drive away spirits.
Holy fire, holy palm,
Holy oil, holy cream,
And holy ashes also;
Holy brooches, holy rings,
Holy kneeling, holy censings,
And a hundred trim-trams mo.
Holy crosses, holy bells,
Holy relics, holy jewels,
Of mine own invention;
Holy candles, holy tapers,
Holy parchments, holy papers:
Had not you a holy son?

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