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




DEVIL.
All these things, which thou hast done,
My honour and laws hath maintained;
But now, O alas! one thing is begun,[82]
By the which my kingdom is greatly decayed;
I shall lese all, I am sore afraid:
Except thy help, I know right plain,
I shall never be able to recover it again.
God's Word is so greatly sprung up in youth,
That he little regardeth my laws or me;
He telleth his parents that is very truth,
That they of long time have deceived be:
He saith according to Christ's verity
All his doings he will order and frame,
Mortifying the flesh with the lusts of the same.

HYPOCRISY.
Ah, sirrah, there beginneth the game:
What, is Juventus become so tame,
To be a New Gospeller?

DEVIL.
As fast as I do make, he doth mar;
He hath[83] followed so long the steps of Good Counsel,
That Knowledge and he together doth dwell;
For who is so busy in every place as youth,
To read and declare the manifest truth?
But, O Hypocrisy, if thou could stop his mouth,
Thou shouldst win my heart for ever.

HYPOCRISY.
What would you have me to do in the matter?
Show me therein your advisement.

DEVIL.
I would have thee go incontinent,
And work some crafty[84] feat or policy,
To set Knowledge and him at controversy;
And his company thyself greatly use,
That God's Word he may clean abuse.

HYPOCRISY.
At your request I will not refuse
To do that thing, which in me doth lie:
Doubt ye not, but I will excuse
Those things, which he doth plainly deny;
And I will handle my matters so craftily,
That, ere he cometh to man's state,
God's Word and his living shall be clean at the bate.

DEVIL.
Thou shalt have my blessing both early and late;
And, because thou shalt all my counsel keep,
Thou shalt call thy[85] name Friendship.

HYPOCRISY.
By the mass, it is a name full meet
For my proper and amiable person.

DEVIL.
O, farewell, farewell, my son;
Speed thy business, for I must be gone. [_Exit_.[86]

HYPOCRISY.
I warrant you, let me alone.
I will be with Juventus anon,
And that, ere he be ware;
And, i-wis, if he walk not straight,
I will use such a sleight,
That shall trap him in a snare.
How shall I bring this gear to pass?
I can tell now, by the mass,
Without any more advisement:
I will infect him with wicked company,
Whose conversation shall be so fleshly,
Yea, able to overcome an innocent.
This wicked Fellowship
Shall him company keep
For a while:
And then I will bring in
Abhominable[87] Living,
Him to beguile.
With words fair I will him 'tice,
Telling him of a girl nice,
Which shall him somewhat move;
Abhominable Living though she be,
Yet he shall no other ways see,
But she is for to love.
She shall him procure
To live in pleasure,
After his own phantasy;
And my matter to frame,
I will call her name
Unknowen Honesty.
This[88] will I convey
My matter, I say,
Somewhat handsomely;
That, through wicked Fellowship
And false pretended Friendship,
Youth shall live carnally.
Trudge, Hypocrisy, trudge!
Thou art a good drudge,
To serve the devil:
If thou shouldest lie and lurk,
And not intend thy work,
Thy master should do full evil.

_Here entereth YOUTH, to whom HYPOCRISY yet speaketh_.

What, Master Youth?
Well i-met, by my truth;
And whither away?
You are the last man,
Which I talked[89] on,
I swear, by this day.
Methought by your face,
Ere you came in place,
It should be you:
Therefore I did abide
Here in this tide[90]
For your coming, this is true.

JUVENTUS.
For your gentleness, sir, most heartily I thank you,
But yet you must hold me somewhat excused;
For to my simple knowledge I never knew,
That you and I together were acquainted:
But nevertheless, if you do it renew,
Old acquaintance will soon[91] be remembered.

HYPOCRISY.
Ah, now I see well, Youth is feathered,
And his crumbs he hath well gathered,
Since I spake with him last;
A poor man's tale cannot now be heard,
As in times past.
I cry you mercy, I was somewhat bold,
Thinking that you mastership would
Not have been so strange;
But now I perceive, that promotion
Causeth[92] both man, manners, and fashion
Greatly for to change.

JUVENTUS.
You are to blame this[93] me to challenge;
For I think I am not he, which you take me for.

HYPOCRISY.
Yes, I have known you ever since you were bore;
Your age is yet under a score,
Which I can well remember:
I-wis, i-wis, you and I
Many a time have been full merry,
When you were young and tender.

JUVENTUS.
Then, I pray you,[94] let us reason no lenger;
But first show your nomination.

HYPOCRISY.
Of my name to make declaration
Without any dissimulation,
I am called Friendship:
Although I be simple and rude of fashion,
Yet by lineage and generation
I am nigh kin to your mastership.

JUVENTUS.
What, Friendship?
I am glad to see that you be merry;
By my truth, I had almost you forgot,
By long absence brought out of memory.

HYPOCRISY.
By the mass, I love you so heartily,
That there is none so welcome to my company:
I pray you, tell me whither are you going?

JUVENTUS.
My intention is, to go hear a preaching.

HYPOCRISY.
A preaching, quod-a? ah, good little one!
By Christ, she will make you cry out of the winning,
If you follow her instruction so early in the morning.

JUVENTUS.
Full great[95] I do abhor this your wicked saying;
For, no doubt, they increase much sin and vice:
Therefore I pray you, show not your meaning,
For I delight not in such foolish fantasies.

HYPOCRISY.
Surely, then you are the more unwise:
You may have a spurt amongst them now and then;
Why should not you, as well as other men?

JUVENTUS.
As for those filthy doings[96] I utterly detest them;
I will hear no more of your wicked communication.

HYPOCRISY.
If I may be so bold by your deliberation,
What will you do at a preaching?

JUVENTUS.
Learn some wholesome and godly teaching
Of the true minister of Christ's gospel.

HYPOCRISY.
Tush, what he will say, I know right well;
He will say that God is a good man,[97]
He can make him no better, and say the best he can.

JUVENTUS.
I know that, but what then?
The more that God's Word is preached and taught,
The greater the occasion is to all Christian men
To forsake their sinful livings, both wicked, vile and naught:
And to repent their former evils, which they have wrought,
Trusting by Christ's death to be redeemed:
And he that this doth shall never be deceived.

HYPOCRISY.
Well said, master doctor, well said!
By the mass, we must have you into the pulpit:
I pray you be remembered, and cover your head;
For indeed you have need to keep in your wit:
Ah, sirrah, who would have thought it,
That youth had been such a well-learned man!
Let me see your portous,[98] gentle Sir John!

JUVENTUS.
No, it is not a book for you[99] to look on,
You ought not to jest with God's Testament.

HYPOCRISY.
What, man? I pray you be content;
For I do nothing else, but say my phantasy:
But yet, if you would do after my advisement,
In that matter you should not be so busy;
Was not your father as well-learned as ye?
And if he had said then as you have now done,
I-wis he had been like to make a burn.

JUVENTUS.
It were much better for me than to return
From my faith in Christ and the profession of his word.

HYPOCRISY.
Whether is better a halter or a cord,
I cannot tell, I swear by God's mother:
But I think[100] you will have the one or the other:
Will you lose all your friends' good will,
To continue in that opinion still?
Was there not as well-learned men before as now?
Yea, and better too, I may say to you?
And they taught[101] the younger sort of people
By the elders to take an example:
And if I did not love you, as nature doth me bind,
You should not know so much of my mind.

JUVENTUS.
Whether were[102] I better to be ignorant and blind,
And to be damned in hell for infidelity;
Or to learn godly knowledge, wherein I shall find
The right path-way to eternal felicity?

HYPOCRISY.
Can you deny, but it is your duty
Unto your elders to be obedient?

JUVENTUS.
I grant I am bound to obey my parents
In all things honest and lawful.

HYPOCRISY.
Lawful, quod-a? ah, fool, fool!
Wilt[103] thou set men to school,
When they be old?
I may say to you secretly,
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 pretty gear:
The foul presumption[104] of youth
Will turn shortly to great ruth,
I fear, I fear, I fear.

JUVENTUS.
The sermon will be done, ere I can come there:
I care not greatly whether I go or no;
And yet for my promise, by God I swear,
There is no remedy but I must needs go:
Of my companions there will be mo,
And I promised them, by God's grace,
To meet them there as the sermon was.

HYPOCRISY.
For once breaking promise do not you pass;
Make some excuse the matter to cease,
What have they to do?
And you and I were, I wot[105] where,
We would be as merry as there,
Yea, and merrier too.

JUVENTUS.
I would gladly in your company go;
But, if my companions should chance to see,
They would report full evil by me:
And peradventure, if I should[106] it use,
My company they would clean refuse.

HYPOCRISY.
What, are those fellows so curious,
That yourself you cannot excuse?
I will teach you the matter to convey;
Do what your own lust, and say as they say;
And if you be reproved with your own affinity,
Bid them pluck the beam out of their own eye:
The old popish priests mock and despise,
And the ignorant people, that believe their lies,
Call them papists, hypocrites, and joining of the plough;
Face[107] out the matter, and then good enough!
Let your book at your girdle be tied,
Or else in your bosom that he may be spied;
And then it will be said both with youth and age,
Yonder fellow hath an excellent knowledge.
Tush, tush!
I could so beat[108] the bush,
That all should be flush,
That ever I did.

JUVENTUS.
Now, by my truth, you are merrily disposed;
Let us go thither as you think best.

HYPOCRISY.
How say you? shall we go to breakfast?
Will you go to the pie-feast?
Or, by the mass, if thou wilt be my guest,
It shall cost thee nothing;
I have a furny card in a place,
That will bear a turn besides the ace,
She purveys now apace
For my coming:
And if thou wilt sibber[109] as well as I,
We shall have merry company:
And I warrant thee, if we have not a pie,
We shall have a pudding.

JUVENTUS.
By the mass, that meat I love above all thing;
You may draw me about the town with a pudding.[110]

HYPOCRISY.
Then you shall see my cunning:
A poor shift for a living
Amongest poor men used is;
The kind heart of hers
Hath eased my purse,
Many a time ere this.

[_Here entereth_ FELLOWSHIP.

FELLOWSHIP.
I marvel greatly where Friendship is;
He promised to meet me here ere this time:
I beshrew his heart, that his[111] promise doth miss;
And then be ye sure, it shall not be mine.

HYPOCRISY.
Yes, Fellowship, that it shall be thine,
For I have tarried here this hour or twain;
And this honest gentleman in my company hath been,
To abide your coming, this thing is plain.

FELLOWSHIP.
By the mass, if you chide, I will[112] be gone again;
For in faith, Friendship, I may say to thee,
I love not to be there, where chiders be.

HYPOCRISY.
No, God it knoweth, you are so full of honesty,
As a mary-bone is full of honey:
But, sirrah, I pray you, bid this gentleman welcome,
For he is desirous in your company to come:
I tell you he is a man of the right making;
And one that hath excellent learning;
At his girdle he hath such a book,
That the Popish priests dare not in him look:
This is a fellow for the nonce.

FELLOWSHIP.
I love him the better, by God's[113] precious bones:
You are heartily welcome, as I may say,
I shall desire you of better acquaintance;[114]
That of your company be bold I may,
You may be sure, if in me it lie
To do you pleasure, you should it find:
For, by the mass, I love you both with heart and mind.

JUVENTUS.
To say the same to you your gentleness doth me bind;
And I thank you heartily for your kindness.

HYPOCRISY.
Well[115] you see this gentleman fines[116]
Your gentleness and your kindness,
I thank him, and I thank you;
And I think, if the truth were sought,[117]
The one bad and the other naught,
Never a good, I make God a vow!
But yet, Fellowship, tell me one thing,
Did you see little Bess this morning?
We should have our breakfast yesternight, she said,
But she hath forgotten it now, I am afraid.

FELLOWSHIP.
Her promise shall be performed and paid;
For I spake with her, since the time I rose,
And then she told me how the matter goeth:
We must be with her between eight and nine,
And then her master and mistress will be at the preaching.

JUVENTUS.
I purposed myself there to have been;
But this man provoked me to the contrary,
And told me that we should have merry company.

FELLOWSHIP.
Merry, quod-a? we cannot choose but be merry;
For there is such a girl where as we go,
Which will make us to[118] be merry, whether we will or no.

HYPOCRISY.
The ground is the better on the which she doth go;
For she will make better cheer with that[119] little, which she can get,
Than many a[120] one can with a great banket of meat.

JUVENTUS.
To be in her company my heart is set;
Therefore, I pray you, let us be gone.

FELLOWSHIP.
She will come for us[121] herself anon;
For I told her before, where we would stand,
And then, she said, she would beck us with her hand.

JUVENTUS.
Now, by the mass, I perceive that she is a gallant:
What, will she take pains to come for us hither?

HYPOCRISY.
Yea, I warrant you; therefore you must be familiar with her:
When she cometh in place,
You must her embrace
Somewhat handsomely;
Lest she think it[122] danger,
Because you are a stranger,
To come in your company.

JUVENTUS.
Yea,[123] by God's foot, that I will be busy,
And I may say to you, I can play the knave secretly.

[_Here entereth_ ABHOMINABLE LIVING.[124]

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Hem! come away quickly,
The back door is open;[125] I dare not tarry:
Come, Fellowship, come on away!

HYPOCRISY.
What, Unknown Honesty? a word!
[_Draws_ A. L. _aside_.[126]
You shall not go yet, by God I swear;
Here is none but your friends, you need not to fray,
Although, this strange young gentleman be here.

JUVENTUS.
I trust, in me she will think no danger;
For I love well the company of fair women.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Who, you? nay, ye are such a holy man,
That to touch one ye dare not be bold;
I think,[127] you would not kiss a young woman,
If one would give you twenty pound in gold.

JUVENTUS.
Yes, by the mass, that I would;
I could find in my heart to kiss you in your smock.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
My back is broad enough to bear away that mock
For one hath told me many a time,
That you[128] have said you would use no such wanton company as mine.

JUVENTUS.
By dog's[129] precious wounds, that was some whoreson[130] villain;
I will never eat meat that shall do me good,
Till I have cut his flesh, by God's precious blood:
Tell me, I pray you, who it was,
And I will trim the knave, by the blessed mass.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Tush! as for that, do not you pass;
That which I told you was but for love.

HYPOCRISY.
She did nothing else but prove,
Whether a little[131] thing would you move
To be angry and fret;
What, and if one had said so?
Let such trifling matters go,
And be good to men's flesh for all that.

JUVENTUS [_He kisseth_ ABHOMINABLE LIVING.]
To kiss her since she came, I had clean forgot:
You are welcome to my company.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Sir, I thank you most heartily;
By your kindness it doth appear.

HYPOCRISY.
What a hurly-burly is here!
Smick smack, and all this gear!
You will to tick-tack,[132] I fear,
If you[133] had time:
Well, wanton, well;
I-wis, I can tell,
That such smock-smell
Will set your nose out of tune.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
What, man? you need not to fume,
Seeing he is come into my company now;
He is as well welcome as the best of you:
And if it lie in me to do him pleasure,
He shall have it, you may ye sure.

FELLOWSHIP.
Then old acquaintance is clean out of favour:
Lo, Friendship, this gear goeth with a sleight;[134]
He hath driven us twain out of conceit.

HYPOCRISY.
Out of conceit, quod-a? no, no;
I dare well say, she thinketh not so:
How say you, Unknown Honesty?
Do not you love Fellowship and me?

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Yea, by the mass, I love you all three;
But yet indeed, if I should say the truth,
Amongst all other, welcome Master Youth.

JUVENTUS.
Full greatly I do delight to kiss your pleasant mouth.
[_He kisseth_ ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
I am not able your kindness to recompence;
I long to talk with you secretly, therefore let us go hence.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
I agree to that; for I would not for twenty pence,[135]
That it were known where I have been.

HYPOCRISY.
What, and it were known? it is no deadly[136] sin:
As for my part, I do not greatly care,
So that they find not your proper buttocks bare.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Now much fie upon you! how bawdy[137] you are!
I-wis, Friendship, it mought[138] have been spoken at twice:
What think you, for your saying that the people will surmise?

JUVENTUS.
Who dare be so bold us to despise?
And if I may hear a knave speak one word,
I will run thorough his cheeks with my sword.

FELLOWSHIP.
This is an earnest fellow, of God's Word!
See, I pray you, how he is disposed to fight!

JUVENTUS.
Why should I not, and if my cause be right?
What, and if a knave do me beguile,
Shall I stand crouching like an owl?
No, no; then you might count me a very cow;
I know what belongeth to God's law as well as you.

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
Your wit therein greatly I do allow;
For, and if I were a man, as you are,
I would not stick to give a blow,
To teach other knaves to beware,
I beshrew you twice, and if you do spare,
But lay load on the flesh, whatsoever befall,
You have strength enough to do it with all.

FELLOWSHIP.
Let us depart, and if that we shall;
Come on, masters, we twain will go before.

JUVENTUS.
Nay, nay, my friend, stop there;
It is not you, that shall have her away,
She shall go with me, and if she go to-day--

HYPOCRISY.
She shall go with none of you, I dare well say;

ABHOMINABLE LIVING.
To forsake any of your company I would be very loth;
Therefore I will follow you all three.

HYPOCRISY.
Now I beshrew his heart, that to that will not agree;
But yet because the time shall not seem very long,
Ere we depart, let us have a merry song.

_They sing as followeth_:

Why should not youth fulfil his own mind,
As the course of nature doth him bind?
Is not everything ordained to do his kind?
_Report me to you, report me to you_.

Do not the flowers spring fresh and gay,
Pleasant and sweet in the month of[139] May?
And when their time cometh, they fade away.
_Report me to you, report me to you_.

Be not the trees in winter bare?
Like unto their kind, such they are;
And when they spring, their fruits declare.
_Report me to you, report me to you_.

What should youth do with the fruits of age,
But live in pleasure in his[140] passage?
For when age cometh, his lusts will suage.
_Report me to you, report me to you_.

Why should not youth fulfil his own mind,
As the course of nature doth him bind? &c.
[_They go forth_.

_Here entereth_ GOOD COUNSEL.

O merciful Lord, who can cease to lament,
Or keep his heart from continual mourning,
To see how Youth is fallen from thy word and testament,[141]
And wholly inclined to Abhominable Living?
He liveth nothing according to his professing;[142]
But, alas! his life is to thy word['s] abusion,
Except thy great mercy, to his utter confusion.
O, where is now[143] the godly conversation,
Which should be among the professors[144] of thy word!
O, where may a man find now one faithful congregation,[145]
That is not infected with dissension or discord?
Or amongst whom are all vices utterly abhorred![146]
O, where is the brotherly love between man and man!
We may lament the time our vice began.
O, where is the peace and meekness, long suffering and temperance,
Which are the fruits of God's holy spirit?
With whom is the flesh brought under obedience,
Or who readeth the scripture with intent to follow it?
Who useth not now covetousness and deceit?
Who giveth unto the poor that which is due?
I think, in this world few that live now.
O, where is the godly example, that parents should give
Unto their young family by godly and virtuous living?
Alas! how wickedly[147] do they themselves live,
Without any fear of God or his righteous threatening!
They have no respect unto the dreadful reckoning,
Which shall be required of us, when the Lord shall come,
As a rightful judge at the day of doom.
O, what a joyful sight was it for to see,
When Youth began God's word to embrace?
Then he promised Godly Knowledge and me,
That from our instruction he would never turn his face;
But now he walketh, alas! in the ungodly's chase!
Heaping sin upon sin, vice upon vice:
[_Here entereth_ JUVENTUS.
He that liveth most ungodly is counted most wise--

JUVENTUS.
Who is here playing at the dice?
I heard one speak of cinque[148] and sice[149];
His words did me entice
Hither to come.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Ah, Youth, Youth, whither dost thou run?
Greatly I do bewail thy miserable estate;
The terrible plagues, which in God's law are written,
Hang over thy head both early and late:
O fleshly Capernite, stubborn and obstinate,
Thou hadst liever forsake Christ, thy Saviour and King,
Than thy fleshly swinish lusts and abhominable living.

JUVENTUS.
What, old whoreson, art thou a-chiding?
I will play a spurt, why should I not?
I set not[150] a mite by thy checking:
What hast thou to do, and if I lose my coat?
I will trill the bones, while I have one groat;
And, when there is no more ink in the pen,[151]
I will make a shift,[152] as well as other men.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Then I perceive you have forgotten clean
The promise, that you made unto Knowledge and me:
You said such fleshly fruits should not be seen;
But to God's word your life should agree.
Full true be the words of the prophet Hosè,
No verity nor knowledge of God is now in the land,
But abhominable vices hath gotten the upper hand.

JUVENTUS.
Your mind therein I do well understand:
You go about my living to despise,
But you will not see the beams in your own eyes.

GOOD COUNSEL.
The devil hath you deceived, which is the author of lies,
And trapped[153] you in his snare of wicked Hypocrisy;
Therefore all that ever you do devise,
Is to maintain your fleshly liberty.

JUVENTUS.
I marvel, why you do this[154] reprove me;
Wherein do I my life abuse?

GOOD COUNSEL.
Your whole conversation I may well accuse,
As in my conscience just occasion I find;
Therefore be not offended, although I express my mind.

JUVENTUS.
By the mass, if thou tell not truth, I will not be behind
To touch you as well again.

GOOD COUNSEL.
For this thing most chiefly I do complain:[155]
Have you not professed the knowledge of Christ's gospel?
And yet, I think, no more ungodliness doth reign
In any wicked heathen, Turk, or infidel;
Who can devise that sin or evil,
That you practise not from day to day?
Yea, and count it nothing but a jest or a play.
Alas! what wantonness remaineth in your flesh!
How desirous are you to accomplish your own will!
What pleasure and delight have you in wickedness!
How diligent are you your lusts to fulfil!
St Paul saith, that you ought your fleshly lusts to kill:
But unto his teaching your life ye will not frame;
Therefore in vain you bear a Christian name.
Read the Five to the Galatians, and there you shall see,
That the flesh rebelleth against the spirit,
And that your own flesh is your[156] most utter[157] enemy,
If in your soul's health you do delight:
The time were too long now to recite,
What whoredom, uncleanness, and filthy communication
Is dispersed with youth in every congregation.
To speak of pride, envy, and abhominable oaths,
They are the common practices of youth,
To avance your flesh, you cut and jag your clothes,
And yet ye are a great gospeller in the mouth:
What shall I say for this blaspheming[158] the truth?
I will show you what St Paul doth declare
In his Epistle to the Hebrews and the tenth chapter.
For him, saith he, which doth willingly sin or consent,
After he hath received the knowledge of the verity,
Remaineth no more sacrifice, but a fearful looking for judgment,
And a terrible[159] fire, which shall consume the adversary;
And Christ saith that this blasphemy
Shall never be pardoned nor forgiven
In this world, nor in the world to come.

JUVENTUS [_He lieth down_].
Alas, alas! what have I wrought and done!
Here in this place I will fall down desperate;
To ask for mercy now, I know, it is too late.
Alas, alas! that ever I was begat!
I would to God I had never been born!
All faithful men, that behold this[160] wretched state,
May very justly laugh me to scorn;
They may say, my time I have evil-spent and worn,
Thus in my first age to work my own destruction:
In the eternal pains is my part and portion.

GOOD COUNSEL.
Why, Youth, art thou fallen into desperation?
What, man, pluck up thine heart, and rise,
Although thou see nothing now but thy condemnation,
Yet it may please God again to open thy eyes:
Ah, wretched creature, what doest thou surmise?
Thinkest not that God's mercy doth exceed thy sin?
Remember his Merciful Promises, and comfort thyself in him.

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