English 362: Henry Medwall's Fulgens and Lucres
Provided by Ian Lancashire, via the Oxford Text Archive,
and available for use with the kind permission of Alan H. Nelson and Ian Lancashire.
[Reserve: Medwall, Henry. Fulgens and Lucres. In The Plays of Henry Medwall.
Ed. Alan H. Nelson. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 1980.]
[Return to English 362 Home Page]
Here is conteyned a godely interlude of Fulgens cenatoure of Rome, Lucres his
doughter, Gayus Flaminius, and Publius Cornelius, of the Disputacyon of
Noblenes, and is devyded in two partyes to be played at two tymes. Compyled by
mayster Henry Medwall, late chapelayne to the ryght reverent fader in God Johan
Morton, cardynall and archebysshop of Caunterbury.
Intrat A dicen:A A, for Goddis will,
What meane ye, syrs, to stond so still?
Have not ye etyn and your fill
And payd no thinge therfore?
Iwys, syrs, thus dare I say,
He that shall for the shott pay
Vouch saveth that ye largely assay
Suche mete as he hath in store.
I trowe your disshes be not bare,
Nor yet ye do the wyne spare, [1.10]
Therfore be mery as ye fare.
Ye ar welcom eche oon
Unto this house withoute faynynge.
But I mervayle moche of one thinge,
That after this mery drynkynge
And good recreacyon
There is no wordes amonge this presse --
Non sunt loquele neque sermones --
But as it were men in sadnes.
Here ye stonde musynge, [1.20]
Whereaboute I can not tell --
[ ]
Or some els praty damesell
For to daunce and sprynge.
Tell me, what calt, is it not so?
I am sure here shalbe somewhat ado,
And iwis I will know it or I go
Withoute I be dryvyn hens.
Intrat B.B Nay, nay, hardely man, I undertake
No man wyll suche mastryes make.
And it were but for the maner sake, [1.30]
Thou maist tary by licence
Among other men and see the pley --
I warand no man wyll say the nay.
A I thinke it well evyn as ye say
That no man wyll me greve.
But I pray you, tell me that agayn:
Shall here be a play?
BA By my trouth, therof am I glad and fayn.
And ye will me beleve,
Of all the worlde I love suche sport. [1.40]
It dothe me so myche plesure and comfort,
And that causith me ever to resort
Wher suche thing is to do.
I trowe your owyn selfe be oon
Of them that shall play.
B Nay, I am none.
I trowe thou spekyst in derision
To lyke me therto.
A Nay, I mok not, wot ye well,
For I thought verely by your apparell
That ye had bene a player.
B Nay, never a dell. [1.50]
A Than I cry you mercy:
I was to blame. Lo, therfor, I say
Ther is so myche nyce aray
Amonges these galandis now aday
That a man shall not lightly
Know a player from a nother man.
But now to the purpose wher I began:
I see well here shalbe a play than.
B Ye, that ther shall doutles,
And I trow ye shall like it well. [1.60]
A It semeth than that ye can tell
Sumwhat of the mater.
B Ye, I am of counsell--
One tolde me all the processe.
A And I pray you, what shall it be?
B By my fayth, as it was tolde me
More than ones or twyse,
As fare as I can bere it awaye
All the substaunce of theyr play
Shall procede this wyse:
When thempire of Rome was in such floure [1.70]
That all the worlde was subgett to the same,
Than was there an nobill senatour,
And as I remember, Fulgens was his name,
Whiche had a doughter of nobill fame.
And yet, as thauctor sayth in veray dede,
Her nobill vertu dide her fame excede,
All be it there was not one allmost
Thoroughoute all the cyte, yong ne olde,
That of her beaute did not boste.
And over that, her verteuse manyfolde [1.80]
In suche maner wyse were praysid and tolde
That it was thought she lakkede no thing
To a nobill woman that was accordyng.
Grete labour was made her favour to attayne
In the way of mariage, and among all
That made suche labour were specially twayn
Whiche more than other dyd besily on her call,
On the whiche twayn she sett her mynde especiall,
So that she utterly determyned in her hert
The one of them to have, all other sett aparte. [1.90]
One of them was called Publius Cornelius,
Borne of noble blode, it is no nay.
That other was one Gayus Flamy
Borne of a pore stocke, as men doth say
But for all that, many a fayre day
Thorough his grete wisedome and vertueous behavyour
He rulyd the comen wele to his grete honoure.
And how so be it that the vulgare opynion
Hade both these men in lyke favour and reverence,
Supposing they had bene of lyke condycion, [1.100]
Yet this seyd woman of inestimable prudence
Sawe that there was some maner of difference,
For the whiche her answere she differred and spared
Tyll both theyre condycions were openly declared.
And yet to them both this comfort she gave:
He that coude be founde more noble of them twayne,
In all godely maner her harte sholde he have.
Of the which answere they both were glade and fayne,
For ether of them trustede therby to attayne
Theffecte of his desyre. Yet when they had do, [1.110]
One of them must nedis his appetit forgoo.
Hereuppon was areysyd a grete doute and question.
Every man all after as he was affeccionate
Unto the parties seyd his opynion,
But at the laste, in eschewyng of debate,
This matter was brought before the cenate,
They to gyve therin an utter sentence
Whiche of these two men sholde have the preeminence.
And finally they gave sentence and awarde
That Gayus Flamyneus was to be commende [1.120]
For the moie nobill man, havynge no regarde
To his lowe byrthe of the whiche he dyde dyscende,
But onely to his vertue thay dyde therin attende,
Whiche was so grete that of convenience
All the cyte of Rome dyd hym honour and reverence.
A And shall this be the proces of the play?
B Ye, so I understonde be credible informacyon.
A By my fayth, but yf it be evyn as ye say,
I wyll advyse them to change that conclusion.
What? Wyll they afferme that a chorles son [1.130]
Sholde be more noble than a gentilman born?
Nay, beware, for men wyll have therof grete scorn --
It may not be spoken in no maner of case.
B Yes, suche consyderacions may be layde
That every resonable man in this place
Wyll holde hym therin right well apayde --
The matter may be so well convayde.
A Let them convay and cary clene than,
Or els he wyll repent that this play began.
How be it, the matter touchith me never a dell, [1.140]
For I am nether of vertue excellent
Nor yet of gentyl blode. This I know well,
But I speke it onely for this entent:
I wolde not that any man sholde be shent.
And yet there can no man blame us two,
For why in this matter we have nought to do.
B We? No, God wott, no thing at all,
Save that we come to see this play
As farre as we may by the leve of the marshall.
I love to beholde suche myrthes alway, [1.150]
For y have sene byfore this day
Of suche maner thingis in many a gode place
Both gode examples and right honest solace.
This play in like wyse I am sure
Is made for the same entent a[n]d purpose
To do every man both myrth and pleasure.
Wherfor I can not think or suppose
That they wyll ony worde therin disclose
But suche as shall stond with treuth and reason
In godely maner according to the season. [1.160]
A Ye, but trouth may not be sayde alway,
For somtyme it causith gruge and despite
B Ye, goth the worlde so now a day
That a man must say the crow is white?
A Ye, that he must, be God allmyght.
He must both lye and flater now and than
That castith hym to dwell amonge worldly men.
In some courtis such men shall most wyn.
B Ye, but as for the parish where I abide,
Suche flaterye is abhorride as dedly syn. [1.170]
And specially lyars be sett asyde
As sone as they may with the faute be spied,
For every man that favoreth and loveth vertue
Wyll suche maner of folke utterly esscheue,
Wherfor I can think these folke wyll not spare
After playne trouth this matier to procede
As the story seyth. Why shulde they care?
I trow here is no man of the kyn or sede
Of either partie, for why they were bore
In the cytie of Rome as I sayd before. [1.180]
Therfor leve all this doutfull question
And prayse at the parting evyn as ye fynde.
A Yes, be ye sure, whan thei have all done
I wyll not spare to shew you my mynd.
Praise who wyll or dispraise, I will not be behynd.
I wvll gest theron what so ever shal befall
If I can fynd any man to gest withall.
B Pees, no moo wordes, for now they come --
The plears bene evyn here at hand.
A So thei be, so help me God and halydome. [1.190]
I pray you, tell me where I shall stand.
B Mary, stand evyn here by me, I warand.
Geve rome there, syrs, for God avowe.
Thei wold cum in if thei myght for you.
A Ye, but I pray the, what calt, tell me this:
Who is he that now comyth yn?
B Mary, it is Fulgence the senatour.
A Ye, is?
What; The father of the forseide virgyn?
B Ye, forsoth, he shall this matere begyn.
A And wher is feyr doughter Lucrece? [1.200]
B She comyth anon. I say, hold thy pece.
Intrat Fulgens dicens:Fulgens Everlastyng joy with honoure and praise
Be unto our most drad Lord and Savyour,
Whiche doth us help and comfort many ways,
Not lefyng us destitute of his ayde and socour,
But lettith his son shyne on the riche and poore,
And of his grace is ever indifferent
All be yt he diversely commytteth his talent.
To some he lendith the sprete of prophecy,
To some the plenty of tonges eloquence, [1.210]
To some grete wisdome and worldly policy,
To some litterature and speculatyf science,
To some he geveth the grace of preemynence
In honour and degre, and to some abundance
Of tresoure, riches, and grete inheritaunce.
Every man oweth to take gode hede
Of this distribution, for who so doth take
The larger benefite, he hath the more nede
The larger recompense and thank therfor to make.
I speke these wordes onely for myne owne sake [1.220]
And for non other person, for I know well
That I am therin chargid as I shall you tell.
When I consider and call to my remembraunce
The prosperous lyfe that I have allwey
Hyderto endured withoute any grevaunce
Of wor[l]dly adversitie, well may I sey
And thynke that I am bound to yeld and pay
Grete prayse and thankes to the hye Kynge
Of whom procedith and growith cvery gode thing.
And certes, if I wold not praise of boste [1.230]
The benefytis that he hath done unto me,
Yet is it well know of lest and most
Thrughoute all Rome [t]hemperiall cyte
What place in the cenate and honorable degre
I occupye, and how I demean me in the same --
All this can they tell that knowith but my name.
To speke of plenty and grete abundaunce
Of wor[l]dly riches therunto belongyng,
Houses of pleasure and grete inheritaunce,
With riche apparell and every other thing [1.240]
That to a worthy man shold be according,
I am and ever have be in metely gode case,
For the whiche I thank allmighty God of his grace.
Than have I a wyfe of gode condicyon
And right conformable to myn entent
In every thing that is to be done.
And how be it that God hath me not sent
An hayr male, whiche were convenient
My name to continew and it to repeyre,
Yet am I not utterly destitute of an heyre, [1.250]
For I have a doughter in whom I delight
As for the chefe comfort of myn olde age,
And surely my seyd doughter Lucres doth hight
Men seyth she is as lyke me in visage
As though she were evyn myn owne ymage,
For the whiche cause nature doth me force and bynde
The more to favour and love here in my mynde.
But yet the principall and grettist occasion
That makyth me to love her as I do
Is this, whiche I speke not of affection [1.260]
But evyn as the treuth movith me therto:
Nature hath wrought in my Lucres so
That to speke of beaute and clere understanding
I can not thinke in here what shold be lakking.
And besides all that, vet a gretter thing
Whiche is not oft sene in so yong a damesell.
She is so discrete and sad in all demeanyng,
And therto full of honest and verteous counsell
Of here owne mynd, that wonder is to tell
The giftes of nature and of especiall grace [1.270]
[ ]
Am not I gretly bound in this case
To God, as I rehersid you bifore?
I were to voyd of all reson and grace
If I wold not serve and prayse hym therfore
With due love and drede -- he askyth no more.
As far as he will me grace therto send,
The rest of my lif therin will I spend,
Albe yt that I must partely intend
To the promocyon of my doughter Lucres
To some metely mariage, ellis God defend. [1.280]
She is my chief jewell and riches,
My comfort agayn all care and hevynes,
And also she is now of gode and ripe age
To be a mannes fere by wey of mariage.
Wherfor, if I might see or I dye
That she were bestowid sumwhat accordyng,
Then were my mynd dischargid utterly
Of every grete cure to me belongyng.
It was the chief cause of my hider cummyng
To have a communication in this same matere [1.290]
With on Cornelius. Cam ther non suche here?
Intrat Publius Cornelius
dicens:Cornelius Yes, now am I come here at the last.
I have taried long -- I cry you mercy!
Fulgens Nay, no offence. Ther is no waste
Nor losse of tyme yet hardely,
For this is the oure that ye and I
Apoyntid here to mete this other day.
Now shew me your mynd, lete me here what ye say.
Cornetius Than wyll I leve superfluite awey,
For why ye know alredy my minde in substance. [1.300]
Fulgens I wot not whether I do, ye or nay.
Cornelius Why, is it now oute of your remembraunce
That my desire is to honour and advaunce
Your doughter Lucres, if she will agree
That I so pore a man her husbonde shuld be?
Fulgens Ye nede not, syr, to use these wordis to me,
For non in this cyte knowith better than I
Of what grete birth or substaunce ye be.
My doughter Lucres is full unworthy
Of birth and goodis to loke so hye, [1.310]
Savyng that happily her gode condicyon
May her enable to suche a promocyon.
But if this be youre mynde and suche intent,
Why do ye not laboure to her therfore?
For me semyth it were ryght expedient
That we know therin her mynde before
Or ever we shold commune therof any more,
For if she wold to your mynde apply,
No man shalbe so glad therof as I.
Cornelius Suppose ye that I dyde not so begyn [1.320]
To gete fyrste her favoure? Yes, truste me well.
Fulgens And what comfort wolde she gyve you therin?
Cornelius By my feyth, no grete comfort to tell
Save that she abideth to have youre counsell.
For as she seyth, she will no thing
In suche mater to do withoute your counsell[yng],
Nor other wyse than ye shalbe contente.
And theruppon it was my mynde and desire
To speke with you of her for the same intent
Your gode will in this behalfe to requyre, [1.330]
For I am so brent in loves fyre
That no thing may my payne aslake
Withoute that ye wyll my cure undertake.
Fulgens Syr, I shall do you the comfort that I can
As far as she wil be advised by me.
How be it, certeynly I am not the man
That wyll take from her the liberte
Of her owne choice -- that may not be.
But when I speke with her, I shall her advyse
To love you before other in all godely wyse. [1.340]
Cornelius I thanke you, syr, with all myn harte,
And I pray you do it withoute delay.
Fulgens As sone as I shall fro you departe
I wyll her mynde therin assay,
For I shall think that every howre is twayne
Till I may speke with you agayne.
[Exeat Fulgens.]Cornelius Now a wise felow that had sumwhat a brayne,
And of suche thingis had experience,
Such one wolde I with me retayne
To gyve me counseile and assistence. [1.350]
For I will spare no cost or expence
Nor yet refuse ony laboure or payne
The love of fayre Lucres therby to attayne.
So many gode felowes as byn in this hall,
And is ther non, syrs, among you all
That wyll enterprise this gere?
Some of you can do it if ye lust.
But if ye wyl not, than I must
Go seche a man elliswhere.
Et exeat. Deinde loquitur B:B Now have I spied a mete office for me, [1.360]
For I wyl be of counsell and I may
With yonder man.
A Pece, let be.
Be God, thou wyll distroy all the play.
B Distroy the play, quod a? Nay, nay,
The play began never till now.
I wyll be doyng, I make God avow,
For there is not in this hondred myle
A feter bawde than I am one.
A And what shall I do in the meane while?
B Mary, thou shalt com in anone [1.370]
With a nother pageant
ABA What? I never uside suche thing before.
B But folow my counsell, and do no more.
Loke that thou abide here still,
And I shall undertake for to fulfyll
All his mynde withouten delay.
And whether I do so, ye or nay,
At the lest, well dare I undertake
The mariage utterly to mare or to make.
If he and I make any bargeyn [1.380]
So that I must gyve hym attendaunce,
When thou seest me com in ageyn,
Stond evyn still and kepe thy contenaunce,
For when Gayus Flamyneus comyth in
Than must thou thy pageaunt begyn.
A Shall ony profyt grow therby?
B Hold thy pece. Speke not so hye,
Leste any man of this company
Know oure purpose openly
And breke all oure daunce. [1.390]
For I assure the feithfully,
If thou quyte the as well as I,
This gere shall us both avaunce.
Exeat.A Nay then, let me alone hardely!
Yf ony advauntage honge therby
I can my selfe thereto apply
By helpe of gode counsell
This felowe and I be maysterles
And lyve moste parte in ydelnes,
Therefore some maner of besenes [1.400]
Wolde become us both well.
At the leste wyse, it is mery beynge
With men in tyme of woynge,
For all that whyle they do no thynge
But daunce and make revell,
Synge and laugh with greate shoutynge,
Fyll in wyne with revell routynge.
I trowe it be a joyfull thinge
Amonge suche folke to dwell.
Intrat Fulgens, Lueres, et
Ancilla, et dicat.-Fulgens Doughter Lucres, ye knowe well ynough
[1.410]
What study and care I have for youre promocyon
And what fatherly love I bere to you,
So that I thynke in myne opynyon
It were tyme loste and wastfull occupacyon
This matter to reherse or tell you ony more,
Syth ye it best knowe, as I sayde before.
But the specyall cause that I speke fore
Is touchynge youre mariage As ye knowe well,
Many folke there be that desyreth sore [1.420]
And laboureth in that behalve with you to mell.
Ye knowe what is for you, ye nede no counsell.
Howe so be it, yf ye lyste my counseyle to requyre,
I shall be glad to satysfye therein youre desyre.
Lucres Trought it is, fader, that I am bounde
As moche unto you as ony chylde may be
Unto the fader lyvynge on the grounde,
And where it pleaseth you to gyve unto me
Myne owne fre choyse and my lyberte,
It is the thynge that pleaseth me well
Sith I shall have therein youre counsell. [1.430]
And nowe accordynge to this same purpose,
What thynke ye best for me to do?
Ye knowe ryghte well, as I suppose,
That many folke doth me greatly woo,
Amonge the whiche there be specyally twoo
In whome, as I trowe and so do ye,
The choyce of this matter must fynally be --
In that poynt your mynde and myne dothe agre.
But yet, ryght now er I came here,
For Publius Cornelius ye advysed me, [1.440]
As touchinge ye wolde have me only reste there.
Yf that be youre mynde I shall gladly forbere
All other, and only to hym assente
To have me in wedlocke at his commaundemente.
Fulgens Naye, doughter Lucres, not so I mente,
For though I dyde somwhat to hym enclyne,
Yet for all that it is not myne entente
That ye shulde so thereupon utterly diffyne,
But loke whom ye wyll on Godys blessing and myne
For truste ye me verely, it is all one to me [1.450]
Whether Gayus Flamyneus wedde you or els he.
Lucres Than syth I have so greate lyberte
And so gode choyce, I were unfortunable
And also to unwyse yf I wolde not see
That I had hym whiche is moste honorable
Wherfore may it lyke you to be agreable
That I may have respyte to make inquisycyon
Whiche of this two men is better of condicyon.
Fulgens I holde me content, that shall be well done.
lt may be respyted for a day or twayne, [1.460]
But in the meane tyme use this provysyon:
Se that ye indyfferently them both entertayne
Tyll that youre mynde be sett at a certayne
Where ye shall rest now. Can ye do so?
Lucres At the leste, my gode wyll shall I put thereto
Fulgens Than syth I have bysynes at whome for to do,
I wyll go thetherwarde as fast as I may.
Lucres Is it youre pleasure that I shall with you go?
Fulgens Nay, I had lever that ye went your way
Aboute this matter.
Et exeat.Lucres Well, God be with you than!
[1.470]
I shall do therein the best that I can.
Et facta aliqua Pausatione
dicat Lucres:Lucres I wyll not dysclaunder nor blame no man,
But neverthelesse, by that I here saye,
Fore maydens be dissayved now and than.
So greate dyssemblynge now a daye
There is convayed under wordes gaye,
That if...
Ancilla Peace, lady, ye must forbere!
Se ye not who cometh here?
LucresAncilla It is Gayus Flamyneus, parde, [1.480]
He that wolde your husbonde be.
Lucres Ey, gode Lorde, how wyste he
For to fynde me here?
Entrat Gayus Flaminius.Gayus Yes, gode lady, where so ever ye go,
He that lysteth to do his dylygence
In suche manere wyse as I have do,
At the laste he may come to youre presence.
For who so ever oweth obedyence
Unto love, he hath greate nede
To attendaunce if he wyll spede. [1.490]
Lucres Svr, ye be welcome. What is your mvnde?
Gayus Why, fayre Lucres, is that your gyse,
To be so straunge and so unkynde
To hym that owith you lovyng servyce?
I trow I have tolde you twyse or thrise
That myn desyre is to mary with you.
Have ye not herde this matter or now?
Lucres Yes, in veray trouth, I have herde you say
Att dyverse tymes that ye bare me affeccvon-
To suche an intent I say not nay. [1.500]
Gayus What nede ye than to aske the question
What I wolde with you at this season?
Me semyth ye sholde therin doubt no more
Sith ye know well myn erande before.
Iwys, your strangnes greveth me sore,
But not withstonding, now wyll I sece,
And at this tyme I wyll chide no more
Lest I geve you cause of hevynes.
I cam hyder onely for youre sake, doubtles,
To glade you and please you in all that I can, [1.510]
And not for to chyde with you as I began.
For thynke it in your mynde, I am the man
That wolde you please in all that I rnay,
And to that purpose I wyll do what I can
Though ye forbyde it and say therin nay --
In that poynt onely I wyll you disobay
My hart shall ye have in all godely wise
Whether ye me take or utterly dispise.
And to say that I will folow the gise
Of wanton lovers now aday, [1.520]
Whiche doth many flatering wordis devise
With gyftis of ringis and broches gay
Theyr lemmans hartis for to betray,
Ye must have me therin excusid,
For it is the thing that I never usid.
Therfore I will be short and playne,
And I pray you hartely, feyre Lucres,
That ye wyll be so to me agayne.
Ye know well I have made labour and besynes
And also desyrid you by wordis expresse [1.530]
That ye wold vouche save in your harte
To be my wife till deth us departe.
Lo, this is the mater that I come fore-
To know therin your mynde and plesoure,
Whether ye sett by me ony store
To theffect of my seyd desire.
And nothing ellis I wyll require
But that I may have a playne ye or nay,
Whereto I may trust withoute delay.
Lucres Me thinketh that by that that ye say, [1.540]
Ye force not what myne answere be.
Gayus A, wyll ye take it that way?
My lady, I ment not so parde.
Thaffirmatyfe were most lefe to me,
For as ye your self knowith best,
That was and is my principall request.
But ye may say I am a homely gest
On a gentil[wo]man so hastely to call.
Lucres Nay, nay, syr, that guyse is best
Ye can not displeyse me with all, [1.550]
And accordyng to your desire I shall
Evyn as sone as I godely may
Answere you therin withoute delay.
How be it, it can not be done strait way
If I myght gett a realme therby.
Fyrst wyll I my faders mynde assay
Whether he wyll therunto applye.
For if he like you as well as I,
Your mynde in this behalf shalbe sone easid
If my seyd fader can be content and pleysid. [1.560]
Gayus Gramercy, myne owne swete Lucres.
Of you desire can I no more at all,
Save onely that ye do your besynes
Upon youre fader besily to call,
So that what so ever shal befall,
Within few days I may verily know
To what effect this mater shal grow.
Lucres Ye shall know by tomorow nyght
What my fader wyll sey therto
Gayus Than shall ye make myne harte full light
[1.570]
lf it pleyse you so to do.
Lucres Yes, doubt ye not it shal be so,
And for that cause I wyll even now departe.
Gayus Now fare well than, myne owne swete harte.
Et exeat Lucres [et
Ancilla]. Deinde A
accedens ad Gayum
Flaminium dicat ei sicA Syr, ye seme a man of grete honoure,
And that moveth me to be so bolde-
I rede you, adventure not over moche laboure
Upon this woman, leste ye take colde.
I tell you, the mater is bought and solde!
Withoute ye take the better hede, [1.580]
For all these feyre wordes ye shall not spede
Guyus Thynkest thou so in very dede?
A Ye, so helpe me God, and I shall tell you why:
Syr, ryght now, this way as I yede,
This gentylwoman cam even by,
And a fresshe galant in her company.
As God wolde, nere them I stalked
And herde every worde that they talked.
Gayus But spake they ony worde of me?
A Nay, nay, ye were no thinge in her thoughte
[1.590]
They were as besy as they myghte be
Aboute suche a matter as ye have wroughte.
And by God that me dere boughte,
Loke what answer that ye now have,
Even the same wordes to hym she gave.
Iwys, syr, I am but a pore knave,
But yet I wolde take on me a greate payne
Youre honeste in this matter to save,
Though it be unto me no profyte nor gayne.
But therefore I speke and have dysdayne [1.600]
To se in a woman suche dyssemblaunce
Towarde a gentylman of youre substaunce
Gayus Why, hast thou of me ony acquentaunce?
A Ye, syr, and some tyme ye knewe me,
Though it be now oute of youre remembraunce.
Guyus By my fayth it may well be,
But never the lesse I thanke the.
Me semeth thou woldest that all were well
Betwyxte me and yonder fayre damesell
A Ye, by God, I wolde fyghte in the quarell
[1.610]
Rather than ye sholde lese youre ente[n]te.
Gayus I praye the felowe, where doste thou dwell?
A By my fayth, I am now at myn owne commaundement--
I lacke a mayster, and that I me repente.
To serve you and please I wolde be fayne
Yf it myght lyke you me to retayne.
And ol one thynge I wyll, a certayn
I doubte not I shall do you better stede
Towarde this maryage than some other twayne,
And yf I do not, let me be dede [1.620]
Gayus Well, than wyll I do by thy rede,
And in my servyce thou shalt be
Yf thou canst fynde me any surete.
A Yes, I can have sureties plente
For my trouth within this place.
Here is a gentilman that wolde truste me
[Points to B.]
For as moche gode as he hase.
Gayus Ye, and that is but litle percase.
A By my fayth, go where he shall,
It is as honest a man as ony in the reall. [1.630]
I have no more acqueyntaunce within this hall
If I wolde ony frendis assay.
[B comes foward.]
By God, here is one best of all-
I trow he wyll not say
For he hath knowen me many a day.
Syr, wyll not ye for my trouth undertake?
B Yes, for God, els I wolde I were bake.
Syr, my maister, wyll ye beleve me?
I dare trust hym for all that I can make,
Yf ye fynde me sufficient surete. [1.640]
As for his trouth, doubt not ye.
I never coude by hym any thing espie
But that he was as true a man as I.
He and I dwelled many a feyre day
In one scole, and yet I wot well
From thens he bare never away
The worth of an halfe peny that I can tell--
Therfore he is able with you to dwell!
As for his trought, that dare I well saye,
Hardely truste hym therein ye maye. [1.650]
Gayus Upon youre worde I shall assaye,
And, syr, after thi gode deservynge,
So shall I thy wagys pay
But now to remembre one thinge
Me thought thou saydist at the begynnynge
That Lucres favoreth better than me
A nother lover. What man is he?
A Cornelius I wene his name sholde be.
Gayus A, then, I knowe him well, by the rode.
There is not within all this cyte [1.660]
A man borne of a better blode.
But yet Lucres hath a wytt so gode
That as I thynke she wyll before see
Whether his condicyons therto agree,
And if they do not, fare well he.
But therin I have nought ado
He shall not be dispraysid for me
Withoute that I be compellid therto
I can not let hym for to woo
A woman beyng at her owne liberte, [1.670]
For why it is as fre for hym as for me.
I wyll forbere never the more
Tyll I knowe what shall be the ende.
Go thy waye unto Lucres therfore
And hertly me unto her recommende,
Prayng her that she wyll me sende
A redy answere of that thing
That she promised me at her departing.
A Mary, I shall, without any tarying
I knowe myne erand well inow: [1.680]
Ye shdll se me apoynte a metynge
Where she agayne shall speke wyth you.
Gayus Than shall I thy wyt alowe
Yf thou can brynge that aboute!
A Yes, that I shall do, have ye no doubte
Et exeat Gayus Flaminius,
et dicat B.B Now by my trought, I wolde not have thoughte
That thou haddest bene halfe so wyse,
For thou hast this matter featly wrought
And convayed it poynt devyse
To brynge thy selfe to suche a servyce -- [1.690]
I se well thou hast some wytt in thy hede.
A Ye, a lytell. But hast thou spede?
B Even lyke wyse, have thou no drede,
I have goten a maister for my prowe --
I never thryvede as I shall do now.
AB I shall tell the how:
It is no maystry to thryve at all
Under a man that is so liberall.
Ther is now late unto hym fall
So grete goodis by inheritaunce [1.700]
That he wote never what to do with all,
But lassheth it forth daily escaunce
That he had no dayly remembraunce
Of tyme to come, nor makyth no store,
For he carith not whiche ende goth before.
And by oure Lady, I commende hym the more.
Why sholde he those goodis spare,
Sith he laborede never therfore?
Nay, and every man sholde care
For goodis, and specially suche as are [1.710]
Of gentil blode, it were grete syn,
For all liberalite in them sholde begyn.
Many a pore man therby doth wyn
The chef substauns of his lyving.
My maister were worthy to be a kyng
For liberall expensis in all his deling
I trow thou shalt se hym com yn
Lyke a rutter somwhat according
In all apparell to hym belongyng.
How moche payeth he, as ye suppose, [1.720]
For the makyng of a peyre of his hose?
A Mary, twelve pence were a feyre thing.
B Ye by the rode, twenty tymes tolde,
That is evyn twenty shelyngis for the makyng.
A It can not be so withoute a man wolde
Make them all with sylke and golde.
B Nay, by Jys, non erthly thing
But evyn the bare cloth and the lynynge
Save onely that ther is in cuttinge
A new maner of fascyon now a day: [1.730]
Because they sholde be somwhat straunge,
They moste be strypide all this way
With small slypes of coloures gay,
A codpece before allmost thus large,
And therin restith the gretist charge!
To speke of gowns and that gode chaunge,
Of them he hath store and plenty,
And that the fascyons be new and straunge,
For non of them passith the mydde thy.
And yet he puttyth in a gown communely -- [1.740]
How many brode yardis, as ye gesse?
ABA By my trouth, that is lyke a lye.
B But it is as true as ye stond there,
And I shall tell you a reson why
All that doth that fascyon were,
They have whingis behynd redy to flye,
And a sleve that wolde cover all the body
Than forty playtis, as I think in my mynde,
They have before, and as many behynde. [1.750]
A Well as for gentilmen, it is full kynde
theyr plesyrs that may well paye
B Ye, but than this grugeth my mynde-
A gentylman shall not were it a dave,
But every man wyll hym self araye
Of the same fascyon even by and by
On the morow after.
A Nay, that I defy
But then I marvell gretly why
You are not garnysshyd after that gyse.
B There is never a knave in the house save I
[1.760]
But his gowne is made in the same wyse,
And for bycause I am new come to servyce,
I must for a whyle be content
To were stylle myn olde garment
A Ye, but abyde To what intent
ayster take in honde
To make hym so moche costely rayment?
B Mary, that is esy to understonde
All is done for Lucres sake --
To wedde her he doth his rekenynge make. [1.770]
A I put case that she do hym forsake
So that she be my maysters wyf?
B By my fayth, then I say it wyll make
Many a man to lose his lyf,
For therof wyll ryse a gret stryf!
A Mary, I pray God send us pes.
B Be my fayth, it wyll be no lesse
Yf my master have not Lucres.
A I can no more, God sped the ryght
Lo, thes folke wyll stryve and fyght [1.780]
For this womans sake,
And whan thay have done ther uttyrmest,
I wene veryly he shall sped best
That must her forsake.
He is well at ease that hath a wyf,
Yet he is better that hath none, be my lyf.
But he that hath a good wyf and wyll forsake her,
I pray God the devyll take her.
B Now in gode fayth thou art a made knave--
I se well thou hast wedyd a shrew. [1.790]
A The devyll I have.
Nay, I have marryed two or thre
Syth the tyme that I her lost.
B And kepist thou them all styll with the?
A Nay, that wolde not quyte the cost
To say the trouth, thay fond me most.
B Than thay have some maner gettynge
By some occupacione, have thay?
A Syr, thay have a prety waye
The chef meane of ther levynge [1.800]
Is lechery -- lech crafte I wolde say --
Wherein thay labore nyght and day
And ease many a man in some case
BA Att the Commen Place --
There thou mayst them all fynde.
Goddis mercy, where is my mynde?
By God, I shall be shent.
I shold have gone to Lucres
Abowte my maysters besynes -- [1.810]
Thetherwarde I was bent.
B By my fayth, my mayster is there
All the whyle that thou arte here,
As I veryly suppose.
A I shrow thy face, by Saynt Mary
With thy chaterynge thou doyst me tary
Evyn for the same purpose.
B I say, whan thou hast with Lucres spoken,
I pray the, wyll thou delyver me a token
In myne name to her mayde? [1.820]
A Nay, ye muste be ware of that gere,
For I have bene afore you there.
B Why, hast thou hyr assayed?
A Ye, ye, that matyr ys sped full.
I may have her and she wull --
That comfort she me gave.
B And hast thou no noder comfort att all?
I truste to God than yet I shall
All this matyr save.
How be it, I wyll not the matter begyn [1.830]
Withoute I were sure she were a virgyn.
A By my trought, this comfort shall I putt the in --
I cam never on her backe in the way of synne.
Avoyde the place A.B Than all is well and fyne
Yf the matter be in that case.
I trust that within a lytyll space
That wenche shall be myne.
I tell you it is a trull of trust
All to quenche a mannes thrust
Bettyr then ony wyne! [1.840]
It is a lytyll praty moucet,
And her voyce is as doucett
And as swete as resty porke.
Her face is some what browne and yelow,
But for all that she hath no felow
In syngynge hens to Yorke.
But the worst that grevyth me,
She hath no layser nor lybarte
For an howre or twayne
To be owte of her maystres syght. [1.850]
I wachyde for her this odyr nyght,
But all was in vayne.
How be it, I thinke that at the laste
Come in the maydyn.
I shall come within two stonys caste
Of her--I aske no more.
And yf I do so, then my mate
Shall have no lust therin to prate
As he dyde before.
Cockis body, here she is.
Now wellcome by hevyn blys, [1.860]
The last that was in my thought.
Ancilla Tusshe, I pray you, let me go
I have somewhat els to do,
For this howre I have soughte
A man that I sholde speke with all
Fro my maystres.
What do you hym call?
Ancilla Mayster Gayus or his man.
B Am not I he that ye wolde have?
Ancilla No, no, I wolde have an other knave.
B Why, am I a knave than? [1.870]
Ancilla Nay, I sayd not so perde.
But where trow ye these folkis be?
I can not veryly say.
His man went evyn now frome me
And I marvell gretly that ye
Met hym not by the way,
For he is gone to speke with Lucres
From his maystyr.
Ancilla What, with my maystres?
Nay.
Ye, so I harde hym say. [1.880]
Ancilla Goddis mercy, and I was sent
Evyn hedyr for the same intent
To brynge an answere
Of the erande that he is gone fore,
Wherefore now ther is no more
But I must go seche hym there.
B Nay, tary here a whyle gentyll Jone,
For he wyll come hedyr anone.
AncillaB Mary, to laugh and talke with me [1.890]
Ancilla Nay, loke where suche gyglottis be,
Fur I am none of them, I warne the,
That use so to do
B I mene no thinge but good and honest
And for your wele, and you lyst
To assent therunto.
Ancilla For my wele, quod a? How may that be?
That is a thinge that I can not se.
B Mary, this, lo, is myne entent.
I mene, yf ye wolde be content [1.900]
Or ony wyse agree
For to be my sacrament of penaunce --
Ey, God gyve it a very vengeaunce. --
Of wedlocke I wolde have sayde.
Ancilla Tush, by Seynt Jame, ye do but mocke
To speke to me of ony wedlocke,
And I so yonge a mayde.
BAncilla Ye, ellis I were to blame.
BAncillaB A, that is a thinge. [1.910]
Here ye not, syrs, what she sayth?
So resonable a cause thereto she layth.
Ancilla A straw for your mockynge
Have ye none to mocke but me?
B Mocke? Nay, so mote I the,
I mene evyne gode ernest.
Geve me your honde and you shall se
What I wyll promes you.
Ancilla That way were not best for my prow!
Wold ye hondefast me forth with all? [1.920]
Nay, be the roode, fyrst ye shall
Chepe or ever you by!
We must fyrst of the price agre,
For who some ever shall have me,
I promes you fayt[h]fully,
He shall me fyrst assure
Of twenty pound londe in joyncture.
B Why, are ye so costely?
Nay, nay, then ye be not for me
As prety a woman as ye be [1.930]
I can some tyme by
For moche les wagis and hyre
As for the season that I desyre
To have hyr in company.
Therefore, yf ye can fynde in youre harte
To leve all sucche joynter aparte
And take me as I am,
I shall do you as greate a pleasure
I love you oute of mesure,
Els I were to blame. [1.940]
Ancilla Ye, but oure housholde shall be full small
But yf we have somewhat els with all
Oure charges for to bere.
B Ye, God sende us mery wether.
I may not wed and thryve all together --
I loke not for that gere.
I shall tell you a marvelous case.
I knewe twayne marryed in a place
Dwellyng together in one house,
And I am sure they were not worth a louse [1.950]
At the begynnynge.
And or ever the yere were do,
They were worth an hondred or two
Ancilla That was a marvelous thynge
But yet I can tell the a gretter marvayle,
And I knewe the persons ryght well:
Syr, I knewe two certayne,
That when they were wedded, they had in store
Scarce halfe a bed and no more
That was worth an hawe, [1.960]
And within a yere or twayne
They had so greate encrease and gayne
That at the last they were fayne
To shove theyre hedes in the strawe!
B Tusshe, ye do but mocke and r
And I promesse you withouten fayle
Yf ye lyste to have me,
I woot where is an hundred pound in store
And I ow never a grot therfore.
Ancilla All that may be -- [1.970]
I beleve hyt evyn as ye say.
But ye tary me here all day,
I pray you let me goo.
And for my mariage, that is a thing
In the whyche I purpose to geve a sparyng
For a yere or two.
B A yere or two, quod a? Nay, God forbede.
Iwis, hyt had be tyme fore you to wedde
Seven or eight yere agoo.
And ye wyst how mery a lyfe [1.980]
Hyt is to be a wedded wyf,
Ye wold chaunge that mynde.
Ancilla Ye, so hyt is, as I understonde,
If a woman have a gode husbonde --
But that ys herd to fynde
Many a man blamyth his wyf parde,
And she is more to blame than he.
B As true as the gospell now say ye,
But now tell me one thing.
Shall I have none other answere but this [1.990]
Of my desyre?
Ancilla No syr, iwys,
Not at this metyng.
B Wyll ye now nede be agoo than?
Take your leve honestly
Et conabitur eam osculari.Ancilla Se the man!
Let me alone, with sorowe.
B Mary, so be hyt. But one worde
I wyll kys the or thou goo.
Ancilla The devyllis torde.
The man is madde I trowe!
B So madde I am that nedis I must [1.1000]
As in this poynt have my lust
How so ever I doo.
Ancilla Parde, ye may do me that request,
For why it is but good and honest.
Et osculabitur. Intrat A.A Now a felychip, I the beseche,
Set even suche a patche one my breche.
BAncilla Goddis mercy, this is he
That I have sought so.
AAncilla Ye, that have I do. [1.1010]
This gentylman can wytnes bere
That all this owre I have stonde here
Sechyng even for you
A Have ye two be togeder so longe?
AncillaA Mary, then all is wrong
I fere me so now.
B Nay, nay, here be to many wytnes
For to make ony syche besynes
As thou wenest, hardely
Ancilla Why, what is the mannes thought? [1.1020]
Suppose ye that I wolde be nowght
Yf no man were by?
[A] Nay, for God, y ment not so,
But I wolde no man sholde have to do
With you but onely I.
Ancilla Have to do, quod a? What call ye that?
Hyt sowndyth to a thing I wote ner what!
[A] Ey, Godes mercy
I se well a man must be warre
How he spekyth ther as ye ar-- [1.1030]
Ye take it so straungely!
Nay, I mene nothyng but well,
For by my wyll no man shall dele
With you in way of maryage
But onely I -- this wyse I ment.
Ancilla Ye, but though it were youre entent,
Yet ye do but rage
To use suche wordes unto me,
For I am yet at my lyberte.
Ye, that I know well [1.1040]
But never the lesse, sythen I beganne
To love you longe before this man,
I have veray greate mervell
That ever ye wolde his mynde fulfyll
To stonde and talke with hym styll
So long as ye have do.
B Before me, quod a? Nay, I make avowe,
I mevyde this matter long byfore you:
How sey ye therto?
Ancilla I wyll no thinge in the matter say [1.1050]
Lest I cause you to make a fray,
For thereof I wolde be lothe.
A By cokkis body, butt who so ever it be
That weddythe her bysydes me,
I shall make hym wrothe
Ye, but he that is so hasty at every worde,
For a medsyn must ete his wyves torde.
Ancilla Holde your tongis there I say,
For and ye make this warke for me,
Ye shall bothe dyspoyntyd be [1.1060]
As fare as I may.
A By my trouthe, but marke me well-
Yf ever thou with this man dwell
As a woman with here make,
Thou shalt fynde hym the most froward man
That ever thou sawiste sythe the worlde bygan
For I dare undertake
That forty tymes on a day
Withoute ony cause he wyll the afray
And bete the bake and syde [1.1070]
Ancilla He shall not nede so to do,
For he shall have forty causes and forty too
Yf I with hym abyde.
A Mary, that ys a remedy accordynge.
But I can tell the an other thynge,
And it is no lye:
Thow maist well be hys weddyd wyf,
But he wyll never love the in his lyf!
AncillaAAncilla Mary, I wyll love hym as lytyll agayne.
[1.1080]
For every shrewed turne he shall have twayne
And he were my brother.
B Iwys, Jone, he spekythe but of males
There ys no man hens to Cales,
Who so ever be the tother,
That can hym selfe better applye
To please a woman better then I
Ancilla Ye, so I harde you say.
But yet, be ye never so wrothe,
There ys never one of you bothe, [1.1090]
For all youre wordes gay,
That shalbe assured of me
Tyll I may fyrst here and se
What ye bothe can do
And he that can do most maystry,
Be it in cokery or in pastry,
In fettis of warre or dedys of chevalry,
With hym wyll I go!
A By my trowthe, that lykythe me well.
Ther is no maystry that a man can tell [1.1100]
But I am mete thereto,
Wherefor that wagere I dare well undertake.
Lett me se, wylt thou go coyt for thy ladis sake,
Or what thyng shall we do?
B Nay, yf thou wylt her with maystry wynne,
With boyes game thou mayst not begyn --
That is not her intent.
A What is best that we do than?
BA Ye, that I can,
As well as ony man in Kent. [1.1110]
B What maner of song shall it be?
A What so ever thou wylt chose the,
I holde me well content.
And yf I mete the not at the close,
Hardely let me the wager lose
By her owne jugement.
Go to now, wyll ye set in?
B Nay, be the rode, ye shall begyn.
A By Seynt Jame, I assent.
Abyde, Jone: ye can gode skyll, [1.1120]
And if ye wolde the song fulfyll
With a thyrd parte,
It wolde do ryght well, in my mynde.
Ancilla Synge on, hardely, and I wyll not be behynde,
I pray the with all my hert.
Et tunc cantabunt.B I am so whorse, it wyll not be
A Horse, quod a? Nay, so mot I the,
That was not the thynge
And a man sholde the trowth saye
Ye lost a crochet or two by the waye, [1.1130]
To myne understondynge.
B Why, was I a mynyme before?
A Ye be the rode, that ye were and more.
B Then were ye a mynyme behynde
Let me se, yet syng agayne,
And marke whyche of us twayne
Plesyth best your mynde.
Ancilla Nay, nay, ye shall this matter try
By some other maner of mastry
Than by your syngynge. [1.1140]
B Let hym assay what mastry he wull.
A Mary, and my bely were not so full
I wolde wrestell with hym a fayre pull --
That were a game accordynge
For suche valyaunt men as we be.
B I shrew thyn hert and thou spare me
Et deinde luctabuntur.
[A is thrown.]Ancilla Nay, by my fayth, that was no fall.
B A, than I se well ye be parcyall,
Whan ye juge so.
Well, I shall do more for your love! [1.1150]
Evyn here I cast to hym my glove
Or ever I hens goo,
On the condycion that in the playne fylde
I shall mete hym with spere and shelde
My lyf theron to jeoparde.
Let me se and he dare take hyt
Tunc projiciet cirothecamA Yes hardely, I wyll not forsake hyt.
I am not suche a coward
But I dare mete the at all assays --
Whan shall hyt be do?
B Evyn streyght ways [1.1160]
Withoute furthere delay,
And I shrewe his hert that feris
Eyther with cronall or sharpe speris
This bargyn to assay.
A And I beshrewe hym for me.
But abyde, now let me se,
Where shall I have a hors?
B Nay, we shall nede no horse ne mule,
But let us just at farte pryke in cule.
A Be Seynt Jame, no forse, [1.1170]
Evyn so be it. But where is oure gere?
B By my fayth, all thing is redy [here]
That belongethe therto.
Com forthe, ye flowre of the frying pane,
Helpe ye to aray us as well as ye can.
And how so ever ye do,
Se that ye juge indifferently
Whiche of us twayne hathe the mastry.
Ancilla Yes, hardely, that I shall --
I shall juge after my mynde. [1.1180]
But see ye hold fast behynd
Lest ye troble us in all.
B Tushe, that is the lest care of fiftene.
And yf I do not, on my game be yt sene!
Go to, bynd me fyrst, hardely.
So, lo, now, geve me my spere,
And put me a staffe thorow here --
Than am I all redy.
A Abyde, who shall helpe to harnys me?
Ancilla That shall I do, so mott I the, [1.1190]
With a ryght gode wyll.
A Soft and fayre. Myne arme is sore,
Ye may not bynd me strayt ther fore.
Ancilla Nay, no more I wyll --
I wyll not hurte the for twenty pounde.
Come of now, syt downe on the grounde
Evyn upon thy tayle.
A Ey, gode Lorde, whan wyll ye have do?
Ancilla Now all is redy hardely, go to
Bydde hym bayle, bayle. [1.1200]
A Fall to prayer, syrs, it is nede,
As many of you as wolde me Gode spede,
For this gere stondyth me uppon.
B Ye, and that shall thou fynde or we departe,
And yf thou spaie me I shrow thy harte
Let me se, com on.
Et Projectus dicat A.A Out, out, alas for payne.
Jet me have a pryst or I be slayne
My syn to dysclose.
B And bycause he sayth so, it is nede, [1.1210]
For he is not in clene lyfe in dede.
I fele it at my nose--
Fo. Fo. etc.
Now ye ar myne, lady
AncillaBAncilla For I am taken up before.
B Mary, I beshrew your hart therefore.
It shold better content me
That ye had be taken up behynde.
Ancilla Nay, nay, ye understond not my mynde
ln that poynt
B It may well be,
But tell me, how ment ye then? [1.1220]
Ancilla Mary, I am sure to an other man
Whose wyfe I intende to be.
B Nay, I trow, by cockis passyon,
Ye wyll not mocke us of that fascyon --
Ye may not, for very shame.
Ancilla Shame or not, so shall it be,
And bycause that fore the love of me
Ye two have made this game,
It shall not be done all in vayne,
For I wyll rewarde you bothe twayne, [1.1230]
And ellis I were to blame.
Somewhat thereby ye must nedis wyn,
And therfore to everyche of you wyll I spyn
A new peyre of breches!
Take the that fore thy dole
And bycause he is blacke in the hole,
He shall have as moche.
Et utroque flagellato
recedit Ancilla.A Oute, alas! What woman was this?
BA The devyll it is!
I pray God a vengeance take her. [1.1240]
How saist thou, shall she be thy wyfe?
B Nay, I had lever she had etyn my knyfe.
I utterly forsake her.
Intrat Gaius.Gayus How, syrs, who hath arayde you thys?
A Fals thevys, maister, iwys,
And all for your quarell.
Gayus What? And this other man too?
A Ye, and ye wolde oure hondes undo,
The matter whe shall tell.
Gayus Yes, mary, wyll I. Now tell on [1.1250]
Who hathe you these wrongis done?
Mary, that I shall.
Cornelyus servantis, whiche is your enmy,
Espyed me goyng toward Lucres place,
[ ]
That I coude brynge the matter to passe
Of that gentyl[wo]man, as your desyre was.
They leyd awayte for me in the way,
And so they lefte me in this araye.
Gayus Ye, but haste thou ony dedely wounde? --
That is the thinge that feryth my mynde. [1.1260]
A I faythe, I was lefte for dede on the grounde,
And I have a grete garce here byhynde
Out of the whiche ther commythe suche a wynde
That f ye holde a candyll therto
Hyt wyll blowe it oute -- that wyll hyt do.
Gayus Se to hyt be tyme, by myne advyse,
Lest the wounde fewster within.
A Then have I nede of a gode surgyn,
For hyt is so depe within the skyn
That ye may put youre nose therin [1.1270]
Evyn up to the harde eyes.
Here is a man that quyt hym as well
For my defence as ever I see
He toke suche parte that in the quarell
His arme was strykyne of by the harde kne,
And yet he slew of them two or thre.
Gayus Be they slayne? Nay, God forbyde.
A Yes, so helpe me God, I warande them dede.
How be it I stonde in grete drede
That yf ever he come in theyr way [1.1280]
They wyll kyt of his arme or his hede,
For so I herde them all thre say.
Gayus Whiche? Thay that were slayne?
A Ye, by this day.
What nedyth me therfore to lye?
He herd it hym selfe as well as I
Gayus Well then, ye lye both two
[Exeat B.]
But now tell me, what hast thou do
As touchynge my commaundement
That I badde the do to Lucres?
Spakyst thou with her?
A Ye, syr, dowtles, [1.1290]
And this is her intent:
Sche commaundyth hyr to you by the same tokyn
That with hyr father she hath spokyn
Accordynge to your requeste,
And so she wyllythe you to be of gode chere,
Desyrynge you this nyght to appere,
Or tomorow at the furthest,
And she wyll mete you here in this place
To gyve you a fynall answare in this case
Whereto ye shall trust. [1.1300]
Gayus That is the thing that I desyre.
But sayd she so?
A Ye, be thys fyre,
I tell you verey juste,
In so moche that she bad me say
And warne you that ye shulde purvay
For your owne besenes,
For than it shall determyde be
Whether Publyus Cornelyus or ye
Shall have the preemynence
Gayus All that purpose lykythe me well, [1.1310]
But who shall be here more, canst thou tell?
A Mary, here shall be Fulgens
And Publius Cornelius hym selfe also,
With dyverse other many moo
Besyde this honorable audyence.
Wherfore yf ye wyll youre honour save
And your intent in this matter have,
It is best that ye go hens
For to study and call to mynde
Suche argumentis as ye can best fynde [1.1320]
And make your selfe all prest.
Gayus Thy counsell is gode -- be it so,
And evyn thereafter wyll I do,
For I holde it best.
Et exeat Gaius et A.
Intrat B.B Goddes body, syr[s], this was a fytt.
I beshrew the horys hart yett
When I thinke theron,
And yet the strokys be not so sore
But the shame grevyth me more,
Sith that it was done [1.1330]
Before so many as here be present.
But and I myght take her,
By my trowth I shall make her
This dede to repent.
[Intrat A.]A Yet thou were as gode holde thy pease,
For ther is no remedy doutles --
herfore lett itt go.
It is to us bothe grete foly and shame
This matter ony more to reherse or name.
B Well than, be it so. [1.1340]
And yet, because she hathe made me smart
I trust onys to ryde in her carte
Be it shame or no.
I can not suffre it paciently
To be rebuked openly
And to be mockyd also.
An other thing grevythe me werst of all:
I shal be shent, that I shall,
Of my mayster too
Because I have ben so long away [1.1350]
Oute of his presence.
A Nay, nay,
I have harde so muche syth I went hens
That he had lityll mynd to thyn offens.
BA For as I brought my mayster on hys way
I harde one of Lucres men say
That thy mayster hathe ben
All this houre at her place,
And that he his answere hase,
This wyse as I mene: [1.1360]
She hathe appoynted hym to be here
Sone, in the evynyng aboute suppere,
An[d] than he shall have a fynall answere
What she entendith to do.
And so than we shal know here intent,
For as I understond she wyll be content
To have one of them too
But furst she wyll nedis know the certayn
Whether is the most noble of them twayne --
This she sayeth alway. [1.1370]
B Why, that is easy to understonde
Yf she be so wyse as men bere in honde
A Ye, so I hard you say.
Let me se now, what is your oppynion
Whether of them is most noble of condycion?
B That can I tell hardely
He that hathe moste nobles in store,
Hym call I the most noble ever more,
For he is most sett by.
And I am sure Cornelyus is able [1.1380]
With his owne goodis to bye a rable
Of suche as Gayus is
And over that, yf noblenes of kynn
May this womans favour wynn,
I am sure he can not mys.
A Ye, but come hether sone to the ynde of this plave
And thou shalt se wherto all that wyll wey --
It shall be for thy lernynge.
B Ye, cum agayne who wyll for me,
For I wyll not be here, so mot I the! [1.1390]
It is a gentylmanly thinge
That I shulde awayt and com agayne
For other mennys causes and take suche payne!
I wyll not do it, I make God avowe.
Why myght not this matter be endyd nowe?
A Mary, I shall tell the why:
Lucres and her father may not attende
At this seson to make an ende --
So I hard them say.
And also it is a curteyse gyse [1.1400]
For to respyte the matter this wyse
That the partyes may
In the meane tyme advyse them well,
For eyther of them bothe must tell
And shew the best he can
To force the goodnes of his owne condycion
Bothe by example and gode reason.
I wold not for a swan
That thou sholdest be hens at that season,
For thou shalt here a reyal disputacyon [1.1410]
Bitwext them or thay have do.
An other thing must be considred with all:
These folke that sitt here in the halle
May not attende theretoo
Whe may not with oure long play
Lett them fro theyre dyner all day --
Thay have not fully dyned
For and this play where ones overe past,
Some of them wolde falle to fedyng as fast
As thay had bene almost pyned. [1.1420]
But no forse, hardely, and they do.
Ussher, gete them goode wyne therto,
Fyll them of the best.
Let it be do or ye wyll be shent,
For it is the wyll and commaundement
Of the master of the fest.
And therfore we shall the matter forbere
And make a poynt evyn here
Lest we excede a mesure,
And we shall do oure labour and trewe entent [1.1430]
For to play the remenant
At my lordis pleasure.
Finis prime partis.[The Second Part]
Intrat A dicens.:A Muche gode do it you everycheone --
Ye wyll not beleve how fast I have gone
For fere that I sholde come to late.
No forse, I have lost but a lytyll swete
That I have taken upon this hete
My colde corage to abate.
But now to the matter that I cam fore:
Ye know the cause therof before --
Your wittis be not so short.
Perde, my felowys and I were here [2.10]
Today whan ye where at dyner,
And shewed you a lytyll disport
Of one Fulgens and his doughter Lucres,
And of two men that made grett besynes
Her husbonde for to be.
She answered to them bothe than:
Loke whiche was the more noble man,
To hym she wolde agre
This was the substance of the play
That was shewed here today, [2.20]
All be it that there was
Dyvers toyes mengled yn the same
To styre folke to myrthe and game
And to do them solace,
The whiche tryfyllis be impertinent
To the matter principall,
But never the lesse they be expedient
For to satisfye and content
Many a man with all.
For some there be that lokis and gapys [2.30]
Only for suche tryfles and japys,
And some there be amonge
That forceth lytyll of suche madnes,
But delytyth them in matter of sadnes
Be it never so longe.
And every man must have hys mynde,
Ellis thay will many fautys fynde
And say the play was nought.
But no force, I car not,
Let them say and spare not, [2.40]
For God knoweth my thought.
It is the mynde and intent
Of me and my company to content
The leste that stondyth here,
And so I trust ye wyll it alowe.
Ey, Godis mercy, where am I now?
It were almys to wrynge me by the eare
Bycause I make suche degression
From the matter that I began
Whan I entred the halle [2.50]
For had I made a gode contynuaunce,
I sholde have put you in remembraunce
And to your myndis call
How Lucres wyll come hyder agayne,
And her sayde lovers bothe twayne,
To dyffyne thys question:
Whether of them ys the more noble man.
For theron all this matter began
It is the chefe foundacyon
Of all thys proces both all and some, [2.60]
And yf thes players were ons come,
Of this matter will they speke.
I mervell gretely in my mynde
That thay tary so long behynde
Theyre howre for to breke.
But what, syrs I pray you everychone
Have pacyens, for thay come anone.
I am sure they wyll not fayle
But thay wyll mete in this place
As theyre promys and apoyntment wase, [2.70]
And ellis I have merveyle.
Jet me se, what is now acloke?
[Knocking at the door ]
A, there commyth one--I here hym knoke.
He knokythe as he were wood.
One of you go loke who it is.
[Intrat B ]B Nay, nay, all the meyny of them iwis
Can not so moche gode.
A man may rappe tyll his naylis ake
Or ony of them wyll the labour take
To gyve hym an answere. [2.80]
A I have grete marvell on the
That ever thou wylt take upon the
To chyde ony man here.
No man is so moche to blame as thow
For longe taryinge.
B Ye, God avow,
Wyll ye play me that?
Mary, that shall be amended anone:
I am late comen and I wyll sone be gone,
Ellis I shrew my catt.
Kockis body, syr, it is a fayre resone. [2.90]
I am com hedyr att this season
Only at thy byddynge,
And now thou makyst to me a quarell
As though all the matter were in parell
By my longe taryynge
Now God be with you, so mote I the,
Ye shall play the knave alone for me.
[B offers to leave.]A What? I am afrayde,
Iwis, ye are but lewyde.
Turne agayne, all beshrewyde -- [2.100]
Now are you fayre prayde!
B Why than, is your angyr all do?
AB So is myne too--
I have done clene.
But now how goyth this matter forth
Of this mariage?
A By Saynt Jame, ryght nought worth.
I wot nere what thay meane,
For I can none other wise thinke [2.110]
But that some of them begyn to shrinke
Bycause of ther longe tariage.
B Shrynke now, quod a? Mary, that were mervele.
But one thinge of surete I can the tell
As touchynge this mariage:
Cornelius my tnayster apoyntyth hym therupone,
And dowtles he wyll be here anone,
In payne of forty pens,
In so muche that he hath devysyde
Certayne straungers fresshly disgisyd [2.120]
Att his owne exspens
For to be here this nyght also.
A Straungers, quod a? What to do?
B Mary, for to glade with all
This gentylwoman at her hedyr comynge.
A A, then I se well we shall have a mummynge!
B Ye, surely, that we shall.
And therfor never thinke it in thy mynde
That my mayster wyll be behynde
Nor slacke at this bargyn. [2.130]
Mary, here he commyth, I have hym aspyde.
No more wordis, stonde thou asyde,
For it is he playne.
[A goes out. Cornelius
enters in the costume of
a gallant.]Cornelius My frynde, where abowt goist thou all day?
B Mary syr, I came heder to asay
Whedyr these folke had ben here.
And yet thay be not come,
So helpe me God and holydome --
Of that I have moche marvaile,
That thay tary so.
Cornelius Mary, go thi way
And wit where thay wyll or no! [2.140]
B Ye, God avow, shall I so.
CorneliusB Yet in that poynt, as semyth me,
Ye do not accordynge to your degre.
CorneliusB Mary, it wolde becom them well inow
To be here afore and to wayte upon you,
And not you to tary
For theyr laysyr and abyde them here
As it were one that were ledde by the eare -- [2.150]
For that I defy
By this mene you sholde be theyr druge,
I tell you trought, I.
And yet the worst that greveth me
Is that your adversary sholde in you se
So notable a foly --
Therfore wit[h]draw you for a seasone.
Cornelius By Seynt Johan, thou sayst but reasone.
B Ye, do so hardely,
And whan the tyme drawith upon [2.160]
That thay be com everychone
And all thinge redy,
Than shall I come streyght away
For to seche you withoute delay.
Cornelius Be it so, hardely.
But one thinge whyle I thinke therone,
Remember this when I am gone.
Yef hit happon so
That Lucres come in fyrst alone,
Go in hand with her anone, [2.170]
How so ever thou do,
For to fele her mynde toward me,
And by all meanis possyble to be,
Induce her therunto.
B Than some token you must gyve me,
For ellis she wyll not beleve me
That I cam from you.
Cornelius Mary, that is evyn wysely spoken.
Commaunde me to her by the same token --
She knowyth it well inow -- [2.180]
That as she and I walkyde onis togedyr
In her garden hedyr and thedyr,
There happonde a straunge case.
For at the last we dyd se
A byrd sittynge on a holow tre --
An ashe I trow it was.
Anone she prayde me for to assay
Yf I coude start the byrde away
B And dyde ye so? Alas, alas.
Cornelius Why the devyll sayst thou so? [2.190]
B By cokkis bonis, for it was a kocko.
And men say amonge,
He that throwyth stone or stycke
At suche a byrde, he is lycke
To synge that byrdes songe.
Cornelius What the devyll recke I therfore?
Here what I say to the ever more,
And marke thine erand well:
Syr, I had no stone to throw with all,
And therfore she toke me her musc ball, [2.200]
And thus it befell:
I kyst it as strayght as ony pole,
So that it lyghtyde evyn in the hole
Of the holow ashe.
Now, canst thou remember all this?
B By God, I wolde be loth to do amys,
For some tyme I am full rashe
Ye say that ye kyst it evyn in the hole
Of the holow ashe as strayte as a pole --
Sayde ye not so? [2.210]
CorneliusB Well then, let me alone.
As for this erande, it shall be done
As sone as ye be go.
Cornelius Fare well then, I leve the here,
And remembyr well all this gere
How so ever thou do.
Et exeat Cornelius.B Yes hardely, this erande shall be spoken.
But how say you, syrs, by this tokene?
Is it not a quaynt thinge?
I went he hade bene a sad man, [2.220]
But I se well he is a made man
In this message doynge.
But what? Chose he for me,
I am but as a messanger perde --
The blame shall not be myne but his,
For I wyll his token reporte
Whether she take it in ernest or sporte --
I wyll not thcrof mys.
Be she wroth or well apayde,
I wyll tell her evyn as he sayde. [2.230]
Intrat Lucres.
God avow, here she is.
It is tyme for me to be wyse.
Now welcome lady, floure of prise:
I have sought you twyse or thryse
Wythin this houre iwys.
Lucres Me syr? Have ye sought me?
B Ye, that I have by God that bowght me.
LucresB Mary, for I have thingis a few
The which I must to you shew [2.240]
By my maysters commaundement.
Publius Cornelius is hys name,
Your veray lover, in payne of shame,
And yf ye love hym not ye be to blame.
For this dare I say,
And on a boke make it gode:
He lovyd you better than his one hart blode.
Lucres Hys harde bloode? Nay, nay,
Half that love wolde serve for me.
B Yet sithe he dyde you fyrst se [2.250]
In the place where he dwellis,
He had lovyd you so in hys hart
That he settyth not by hym self a fart,
Nor by noo man ellis.
And bycause ye shulde gyve credence
Unto my sayng in hys absence
And trust to that I say,
He tolde me tokyns two or thre
Whiche I know well as he tolde me.
Lucres Tokyns? What be thay? [2.260]
B Let me se -- now I had nede to be wyse,
For one of his tokyns is very nyse
As ever I harde tell
He prayd you for to beleve me
By the same tokyn that ye and he
Walkyd togeder by a holow tre
LucresB A, than I am yet in the ryght way.
But I have som other thyng to say
Towchyng my credence [2.270]
Whiche as I thynke were best to be spared,
For happely ye wold not have it declared
Byfore all this audience.
Lucres Nay, nay, hardely, spare not-
As for my dedis, I care not
Yf all the worlde it harde.
B Mary, than shall I procede.
He shewde me also in very dede
How ther satt a byrde,
And than ye delyveryd hym your muskball [2.280]
For to throw at the byrd with all,
And than as he sayd, ye dyd no wors
But evyn fayr kyst hym on the noke of the ars.
Lucres Nay, ther thow lyest falsely, by my fay!
B Trouth, it was on the hole of thars I shulde say --
I wyst well it was one of the too,
The noke or the hole.
LucresB By my fayth, ye kyst hym or he kyst you
On the hole of thars, chose you now --
This he tolde me sure. [2.290]
How be it, I speke it not in reprove,
For it was done but for gode love
And for no synfull pleasure.
Lucres May, nay, man, thow art farr amys!
I know what thyn erande is,
Though thow be neclygent.
Of thy foly thou mayst well abasshe,
For thou shuldis have sayde the holow asshe:
That hole thy mayster ment.
B By God avow, I trow it was. [2.300]
I crye you mercy, I have done you trespas.
But I pray you take it in pacyence,
For I mystoke it by necligence.
A myscheef com theron
He myght have sent you this gere in a letter.
But I shall go lerne myn erande better,
And cum ayen anon.
Et exeat.Lucres Ye, so do hardely.
Now forsoth, this was a lewed message
As ever I harde sith I was bore [2.310]
And yf his mayster have therof knowlege
He wyll be angry with hym therfore.
How be it, I will speke therof no more,
For hyt hath ben my condiscyon alwey
No man to hender but to helpe where I may.
Intrat A.A Feyr maysters, lyketh it you to know
That my mayster commaunde me to you.
LucresA Nay, commaundeth you to hym!
Lucres Wele amendyd, by Saynt Sym. [2.320]
A Commaundeth he to you, I wolde say,
Or ellis you to he-- now chose ye may
Whether lyketh you better!
And here he sendyth you a letter.
Godis mercy, I had it ryght now!
Syrs, is there none there among you
That toke up suche a wrytyng?
I pray you, syrs, let me have it agayne!
Lucres Ye ar a gode messanger for certeyne.
But I pray you, syr, of one thyng: [2.330]
Who is your mayster? -- tell me that.
A Maister what call ye hym. Parde, ye wott
Whome I mene well and fyne.
Lucres Yet I know not, so mot I go
A What? Yes, parde, he that wolde have you so.
Lucres I suppose there be many of tho
Yf I wolde enclyne!
But yet know I not who ye mene.
I holde best that ye go ageyene
To lerne your maysters name. [2.340]
A By my fayth, and I holde it best.
Ye may say I am a homely gest
In ernest and in game.
Lucres Abyde, I shall go to you nerehonde:
What ys your owne name, I wolde understonde?
Tell me that or I go.
I trow thou canst not well tell.
A By my fayth, not verely well,
Bycause ye say so.
Et scalpens caput post
modicum intevallum dicat:
By this lyght, I have forgoten! [2.350]
How be it, by that tyme I have spoken
With som of my company,
I shall be acerteyned of this gere.
But shall I fynde you agayne here?
Lucres Ye, that thow shalt, happely.
Et exeat A. [Et intrat
Cornelius.]Cornelius Now fayr Lucres, accordyng to thappoyntement
That ye made with me here this day,
Bycause ye shall not fynde me there neclygent,
Here I am come your wyll to obey,
And redy am I for my selfe to sey [2.360]
That, as towchyng the degre of noble condycion,
Betwyxt me and Gayus there may be no comparison.
And that shall I shew you by apparent reason
Yf it shall lyke you that I now begynne.
Lucres Nay, ye shall spare it for a lytyll season
Tyl suche tyme that Gayus your adversary corne in,
For I wyll gyve you therin none audience
Tyll ye be both toge[d]er in presence.
And in ony wyse, kepe well your patience
Lyke as I have bound you both to the peace [2.370]
I forbyde you utterly all maner of violence
Durynge this matter, and also that ye seace
Of all suche wordis as may gyve occasion
Of brallynge or other ongodely condycion.
Cornelius There shal be in me no suche abusyon
In worde nor dede, I you promyse.
[Intrat B ]
But now let me se what occupation
Of what maner of passe tyme wyll ye devyse
Whyle that these folke dothe tary this wyse?
Wyll ye see a bace daunce after the gyse [2.380]
Of Spayne whyle ye have no thynge to do?
All thynge have I purvaide that belongyth therto.
Lucres Syr, I shall gyve you the lokynge on.
Cornelius Wyll ye do so? I aske no more
Go sone and bidde them come thens anone,
And cause the mynystrellis to come in beffore.
[B fetches the minstrels.]B Mary, as foi one of them, his lippe is sore --
I trow he may not pype, he is so syke.
Spele up tamboryne, ik bide owe frelike
[The dancers come in ] Et
deinde corisabuntLucres Forsothe, this was a godely recreacyon.
[2.390]
But I pray you, of what maner nation
Be these godely creatours?
Were they of Englonde or of Wales?
B Nay, they be wylde Irissh Portyngales
That dyde all these pleasures.
How be it, it was for my maysters sake,
And he wyll deserve it, I undertake,
On the largest wyse.
Cornelius Go thy selfe -- why stondis thou so? --
And make them chere. Let it be do [2.400]
The best thou canst devyse.
B Yes, they shall have chere hevyn hye.
But one thing I promyse you faithfully --
They get no drynke therto.
Exeat [with dancers and
minstrels. Gayus comes in.]
Dicut Lucres.Lucres Lo, here thys man ys come now --
Now may ye in your matter procede
Ye remembre both what I sayde to you
Touchynge myne answere -- I trow it is no nede
Ony more to reherse it
Cornelius No, in veray dede,
For moche rehersall wolde let the spede [2.410]
Of all this matter -- it nedyth no more
Let us roundely to the matter we come for.
Lucres Ye, that I pray you as hartly as I can.
But fyrst me semyth it were expedient
That ye both name some indifferent man
For to gyve betwyxt you the forseyde jugement.
Cornelius Nay, as for that, by myne assent,
No man shall have that office but ye.
Gayus And I holde me well content that it so be
Lucres Ye, but not wythstondyng that ye therto agre
[2.420]
That I sholde this question of nobles diffine,
It is a grete matter whiche, as semyth me,
Pertayneth to a philosopher or ellis a devyne.
How be it, sith the choyse of this matter is myne,
I can be content, under certayne protestacyon,
Whan that I have harde you, to say myne opinion.
Lo, this wyse I mene and thus I do intende:
That what so ever sentence I gyve betwyxt you two
After myne owne fantasie, it shall not extende
To ony other person. I wyll that it be so, [2.430]
For why no man ellis hath theryn ado
It may not be notyde for a generall precedent,
All be it that for your partis ye do therto assent.
Gayus As touchyng that poynt we holde us well content --
Your sentence shall touche no man but us twayne.
And sith ye shall gyve it by our owne agrement,
None other man ought to have thereat disdayne.
Wherfor all thys dout ye may well refrayne,
And in that matter principall this tyme wolde be spent.
CorneliusGayus I holde me well content.
[2.440]
Cornelius Syth ye have promysed, fayre Lucres, heretofore
That to the more noble man ye wyll enclyne,
Vary not fro that ~orde and I aske no more,
For than shall the victory of this cause be myne,
As it shalbe easy to jugge and diffyne.
For every creature that ony reason hase
Me semyth I durst make hym self jugge in this case,
Save that I fere me the beaute of your face
Sholde therin blynde hym so that he ne myght
Egally disserne the wronge fro the right. [2.450]
And if he were half so wyse a man in dede
As he reputeth hym self for to be,
Upon your saide answere he sholde not nede
To gaynesay in this matter or travers with me.
My noblenes is knowen thorow all the cyte --
He knoweth hym selfe the noblenes of my kyn --
And at that one poynt my proces I wyll begyne.
Amonge all thistoryes of Romaynes that ye rede,
Where fynde ye ony blode of so gret noblenes
As hath ben the Cornelys wherof I am brede? [2.460]
And if so be that I wolde therin holde my pease,
Yet all your cornecles beryth gode witnes
That my progenytours and auncetours have be
The chefe ayde and diffence of this noble cyte
How ofte have myne auncetours in tymes of necessite
Delyverd this cyte from dedely parell
As well by theyr manhode as by theyr police?
What jeopardi and paine they have suffred in the quarell
Thempire to encrece and for the comune wele
It nedith not the specialties to reherse or name [2.470]
Sith every trew Romaine knoweth the same.
In every mannys howse that histories be rife
And wrytten in bookis, as in some placis be
The gestis of Arthur, or of Alexandyrs life,
In the whiche stories ye may evidently se
And rede how Cartage, that royall cyte,
By Cipion of Affrick, my grete graunte-sire,
Subduede was and also ascribede to his empire.
And many other cyties that dyde conspire
Ayenst the noble senatoure makynge resistence, [2.480]
As often as necessite did it require
They were reducyd unto due obedience
Eyther by the policy or by the violence
Of my sayde aunceters: thistories be playne
And witnesse that I speke not these wordis in vayne
My blode hath ever takyn suche payne
To salve garde the comune wele fro ruyn and decay,
That by one advyse the Cenat dyde ordeyne
Them to be namyd the faders of the contray,
And so were myne auctours reputed alway, [2.490]
For in every nede they dyde upon them call
For helpe as the chylde doth on the fader naturall.
How be it, to praye them it was no nede at all,
For of their owne myndis they were redy alway.
In tokyn of the same, for a memoriall
Of theyr desertis the cytie dyde edifye
Triumphall arches, wheruppon ye may
To my grete honour se at this day
Thymages of myn auncetours evyn by and by
Bycause that theyr noblenes sholde never dye. [2.500]
In token also that they were worthy
Grete honour and prayse of all the contray,
It is commaunded and used generally
That every cytezen that passith that way
By the sayde images, he must obey
And to that fygures make a due reverence,
And ellis to the lawes he dothe grete offence.
Sith it is so than that of convenience
Suche honoure and homage must nedis be do
To these dede ymagis, than muche more reverence [2.510]
To me sholde be gevyn -- I trow ye thinke so --,
For I am theyr very ymage and relyque to
Of theyr flesch and blode, and veray inherytoure
As well of theyr godes as of theyr sayde honoure.
To me they have left many a castell and toure
Whiche in theyr triumphes thay rightfully wan.
To me they have also left all theyr tresoure
In suche abundaunce that I trow no man
Within all Rome, sith it fyrst began,
Had half the store as I understonde [2.520]
That I have evyn now at ons in my honde.
Lo, in these thyngis my noblenes doth stonde,
Whiche in myne oppynyon suffiseth for this intent
And I trow there is no man throwgh all this londe
Of Italy, but if he were here present
He wolde to my sayng in this matter assent
And gyve unto me the honoure and preeminence
Rather than make agayne me resistence.
I marvayle gretly what shulde thy mynde insence
To thinke that thy tytle therin sholde be gode. [2.530]
Parde, thow canst not say for thy deffence
That ever there was gentilman of thy kyn or blode
And if there were oone, it wolde be understode
Without it be thy self, whiche now of late
Among noble gentylmen playest check mate
Lucres No more therof, I pray you Suche wordis I hate,
And I dyde forbid you them at the begynnyng
To eschue thoccasyon of stryfe and debate.
Gayus Nay, let hym alone -- he spekyth after his lernyng
For I shall answer hym to every thyng [2.540]
Whan he hath all said, if ye woll here me,
As I thinke ye wyll of your equyte
Cornelius Abide, I must make an ende fyrst, parde.
To you, swete Lucres, I wolde have said beffore
That yf ye wyll to my desyre in this matter agre,
Doubtles ye shall blesse the tyme that ever ye were bore,
For riches shall ye have at your will ever more
Without care or study of laboriouse besynes,
And spend all your dayes in ease and plesaunt idelnesse.
About your owne apparell ye can do non excesse [2.550]
In my company that sholde displese my mynd
With me shall ye do non other maner of besynes
But hunt for your solace at the hart and hynde,
And some tyme where we convenient game fynde
Oure hawkis shal be redy to shew you a flight
Whiche shal be right plesaunt and chereful to your sight.
And yf so be that in huntyng ye have no delyght,
Than may ye daunce a whyle for your disport.
Ye shall have at your pleasure both day and night
All maner of mynstralsy to do you comfort [2.560]
Do what thyng ye wyll, I have to support
Our chargis, and over that I may susteyne
At myne owne fyndyng an hundred or twayne.
And as for hym, I am certayn
Hys auncetours were of full poore degre,
All be it that now withyn a yere or twayne,
Bycause that he wold a gentilman be,
He hath hym goten both office and fee,
Whiche after the rate of hys wrechyd sparyng
Suffiseth scarsely for hys bare lyvynge. [2.570]
Wherfore swete Lucres, it were not accordyng
For your grete beaute with hym to dwell,
For there sholde ye have a threde bare lyvynge
With wrechyd scarcenes, and I have herde tell
That maydens of your age love not ryght well
Suche maner of husbondis, without it be thay
That forceth lytyll to cast them self away.
I mene specyally for suche of theru as ruay
Spede better if they wyll, as ye be yn the case.
And therfore Lucres, what so ever he wyll say [2.580]
Hys title agaynst you to force and embrace,
Ye shall do your owen selfe to grete a trespas
Yf ye folow hys part and enclyne therto.
Now say what ye wyll, syr, for I have all doo.
Gayus With ryght gode will I shall go to,
So that ye will here me with as grete pacience
As I have harde you -- reason wolde soo.
And what so ever I shall speke in this audience,
Eyther of myn owne meritis or of hys insolence,
Yet fyrst unto you all, syrs, I make this request: [2.590]
That it wolde lyke you to construe it to the best.
For lothe wolde I be as ony creature
To boste of myne owne dedis -- it was never my gyse.
On that other syde, loth I am to make ony reportur
Of this mans foly or hym to dispice.
But never the lesse this matter towchith me in suche wise
That what so ever ye thinke in me, I must procede
Unto the veray trouth therof as the matter is in dede.
To make a grete rehersall of that ye have saide
The tyme will not suffre, but never the lesse [2.600]
Two thingis for your self in substaunce ye have layd
Whiche as ye suppose maketh for your nobles,
Upon the whiche thingis dependith all your processe:
Fyrst, of your auncetours ye allege the noble gestis,
Secondly, the substaunce that ye have of theyr bequestis.
In the whiche thingis onely, by your owne confession,
Standeth all your noblenes -- this sayd ye beffore.
Whereunto this I say under the correction
Of Lucres oure jugge here, that ye ar never the more
Worthy in myne oppynion to be callyd noble therfore, [2.610]
And withoute ye have better causes to shew than these,
Of reson ye must the victory of this matter lese.
To the fyrst parte as touching your auncetours dedis,
Some of them were noble lyke as ye declare --
Thestoris bereth witnes, I must graunt them nedis.
But yet for all that, some of them ware
Of contrary di[s]posycion like as ye are,
For they dyde no proffite -- no more do ye --
To the comon wele of this noble cytie.
Yf ye wyll the title of noblenes wynne, [2.620]
Shew what have ye done your self therfore.
Some of your owne meritis let se bryng in,
Yf ever ye dyde ony syth ye were bore.
But surely ye have no suche thyng in store
Of your owne meritis wherby of right
Ye shulde appere noble to ony mannys sight.
But neverthelesse I wyll you not blame
Thowgh ye speke not of your owne dedis at all.
And to say the trowght, ye may not for shame:
Your lyfe is so voluptuouse and so bestiall [2.630]
In folowynge of every lust sensuall
That I marvaille no thynge in my mynde
Yf ye leve your owne dedis behynde.
He wenyth that by hys proude contenaunce
Of worde and dede, with nyse aray,
Hys grete othys, and open mayntenaunce
Of theftis and murdres every day,
Also hys ryotouse disportis and play,
Hys sloth, his cowardy, and other excesse,
Hys mynde disposed to all unclennesse -- [2.640]
By these thyngis oonly he shall have noblenesse.
Nay, the title of noblenes wyll not ensue
A man that is all gevyn to suche insolence,
But it groweth of longe continued vertu,
As I trust, lady, that youre indifference
Can well diffyne by your sentence.
Hys auncetours were not of suche condicion,
But all contrary to hys disposicyon.
And therfore they were noble withouten faile,
And dyde grete honoure to all the contrey. [2.650]
But what can theyr sayde noblenes advayle
To hym that takyth a contrary way? --
Of whome men spekith every day
So grete dishonoure, that it is marvel
The contrey suffereth hym therin to dwelle.
And where he to-wyteth me of pore kyn,
He doth me therin a wrongfull offence.
For no man shall thankis or praysyng wyn
By the gyftis that he hath of natures influence.
Lyke wyse I thinke by a contrary sense [2.660]
That if a man be borne blynde or lame,
Not he hym selfe but nature therin is to blame.
Therfor he doth not me therin repreve.
And as for that poynt, this I wott welle,
That both he and I cam of Adam and Eve.
There is no difference that I can tell
Whiche makith oon man an other to excell
So moche as doth vertue and godely maner,
And therin I may well with hym compare
How be it, I speke it not for myne one prayse, [2.670]
But certeynly this hath ever be my condicion:
I have borne unto God all my daies
His laude and prayse with my due devocion,
And next that I bere allwayes
To all my neyghbours charitable affeccyon.
Incontynency and onclennes I have had in abhominacion,
Lovyng to my frende and faythfull with all,
And ever I have withstonde my lustis sensuall.
One tyme with study my tyme I spende
To eschew idelnes, the causer of syn. [2.680]
An other tyme my contrey manly I deffend,
And for the victoryes that I have done therin,
Ye have sene your selfe, syr, that I have come in
To this noble cytee twyse or thryse
Crownyd with lawryel as it is the gyse.
By these wayes, lo, I do aryse
Unto grete honoure fro low degre,
And yf myn heires will do likewyse
Thay shal be brought to nobles by me.
But Cornely, it semyth by the [2.690]
That the nobles of thyn auncetours everycheon
Shall utterly starve and die in the alone.
And where he to-witeth me on that other syde
Of small possession and grete scarcenes,
For all that, lady, if ye will with me abidde
I shall assure you of moderate richesse,
And that sufficient for us both doutles.
Ye shall have also a man accordyng
To youre owne condicions in every thing
Now Lucres, I have shewyd unto you a parte [2.700]
Of my title that I clayme you by,
Besechynge you therfore with all my hart
To considre us both twayne indifferently,
Whiche of us twayne ye will rather alow
More worthy for nobles to marry with you
Lucres Syrs, I have hard you both at large.
Cornelius Nay, abide Lucres, I pray you hertly
Sithe he leyeth many thynges to my charge,
Suffre that I may therunto repply.
Lucres Iwis, replication shall not be necessary
[2.710]
Withoute that ye have some other thing in store
To shew for your self than ye dyde beffore.
Cornelius Why lady, what thing will ye desyre more
Than I have shewyd to make for noblenes?
Lucres Yes, som thyng ther ys that makyth therfore
Better than ye have shewid in your processe
But now let me se what man of witnes
Or what other proves will ye forth bryng
By the whiche eyther of you may justifie his sayng?
Gayus As for my parte, I wyll stonde gladly [2.720]
To the commune voyce of all the contrey.
LucresCornelius Ye certaynly,
I shall in no wyse your worde dissobey.
Lucres Than wyll I betwyxt you both take this way:
I shall go enquyre as faste as I may
What the commune fame wyll theryn reporte,
And whan I have therof a due evidence,
Than shall I agayne to you resorte
To shew you thopynyon of my sentence
Whome I wyll jugge to have the preemynence. [2.730]
Cornelius Nay, fayre Lucres, I you requyre-
Let me not now depart in vayne
Not knowyng theffect of my desyre.
Lucres Syr, allthough it be to you a payne,
Yet must ye do so evyn both twayne.
Eche of you depart hens to hys owne place,
And take no more labour or payne in this case.
For as towchyng theffect of my sentence,
I shall go write it by gode advysement
Sone after that I am departed fro hens. [2.740]
And than to eyther of you both shalbe sent
A copy of the same, to this intent:
That of none other person it shall be sayn
Sith it concerneth but onely unto you twayne.
Gayus This is a gode waye as in my mynde.
Ar not ye, syr, content in lyke wyse?
Cornelius I wot nere, yet I wyll prayse as I fynde
And as I have cause -- that is evyr my gyse
Gayus Well Lucres, will ye commaunde me ony servyce?
[2.750]
Lucres No servyce at all, syr. Why say ye so?
Our Lorde spede you both where so ever ye goo.
Et exeant Publius
Cornel[i]us et Gaius
Flaminius [et A].
Now som mayde, happely, and she were in my case,
Wolde not take that way that I do intend,
For I am fully determyned with Godis grace
So that to Gaius I wyll condyscend,
For in this case I do hym commend
As the more noble man, sith he thys wyse
By meane of hys vertue to honoure doth aryse.
And for all that, I wyll not dispise
The blode of Cornelius -- I pray you thinke not so! [2.760]
God forbede that ye sholde note me that wyse,
For truely I shall honoure them where so ever I go,
And all other that be of lyke blode also.
But unto the blode I wyll have lytyl respect
Where the condicyons be synfull and abject.
I pray you all, syrs, as meny as be here:
Take not my wordis by a sinistre way.
[Intrat B.]B Yes, by my trouth, I shall witnes bere,
Where so ever I be com a nother day,
How suche a gentylwoman did opynly say [2.770]
That by a chorles son she wolde set more
Than she wolde do by a gentylman bore.
Lucres Nay, syr, than ye report me amys
B I pray you tell me, how sayd ye than?
Lucres For God syr, the substaunce of my wordis was this:
I say evyn as I saide whan I began,
That for vertue excellent I will honoure a man
Rather than for hys blode, if it so fall
That gentil condicyons agre not with all.
B Than I put case that a gentilman bore [2.780]
Have godely maners to his birth accordyng.
Lucres I say, of hym is to be set gret store:
Suche one is worthy more lawde and praysyng
Than many of them that hath their begynnyng
Of low kynred, ellis God forbede. --
I wyll not afferme the contrary for my hede,
For in that case ther may be no comparyson!
But never the lesse I said this before,
That a man of excellent vertuouse condicions,
Allthough he be of a pore stoke bore, [2.790]
Yet I wyll honour and commende hym more
Than one that is descendide of ryght noble kyn
And therfore I have determyned utterly
That Gaius Flaminius shall have his intent
To hym onely I shall my self apply
To use me in wedloke at his commaundement,
So that to Cornelyus I wyll never assent
Allthough he had as grete possession
As ony one man in Cristen region. [2.800]
I shall in no wyse favour or love hys condicyon,
How be it that his blode requyreth due reverence,
And that shall I gyve hym with all submyssion --
But yet shall he never have the preemynence
To speke of very nobles by my sentence.
Ye be hys servaunt syr--go your way
And report to your mayster evyn as I say.
[Exeat Lucres.]B Shall I do that erand? Nay, let be.
By the rode, ye shall do it your selfe for me.
I promyse you faythfully, [2.810]
I wolde my mayster had be in Scotland
Whan he dyd put this matter in her hand
To stond to her jugement.
But forasmoche as it is so
That this wrong to hym is doo
By a woman, he must let it goo
And holde hym content.
But he is of suche disposycion
That whan he hereth of this conclusion
He wylbe starke madd -- [2.820]
Ye by my trowth, as made as an hare!
It shall make hym so full of care
That he wyll with hym self fare
Evyn as it were a lade!
And so wold not I, so mote I thee.
For this matter, and I were as he,
It shulde never anger me,
But this wold I do
I wolde let her go in the mare name.
[Intrat A.]A What now, syrs, how goth the game? [2.830]
What, is this woman go?
BA And what way hathe she takyn?
B By my fayth, my mayster is forsakyn,
And nedis she wyll agre
Unto thy mayster -- thus she saieth,
And many causes therfore she leyeth
Why it shulde so be.
A I marvayle gretely wherof that grue.
B By my fayth, she saide -- I tell the true --
That she wolde nedis have hym for his vertue [2.840]
And for none other thynge.
A Vertue? What the devyll is that?
And I can tell, I shrew my catt,
To myne understondynge
B By my fayth, no more can I.
But this she said here opynly --
All these folke can tell.
A How say ye, gode women? Is it your gyse
To chose all your husbondis that wyse?
By my trought, than I marvaile! [2.850]
B Nay, this is the fere, so mot I goo.
T[h]at men chise not theyr wyffis so
In placis where I have be.
For wiffis may well complayne and grone,
Albe it that cause have they none
That I can here or se
But of weddyd men there be ryght fewe
That welle not say the best is a shrew --
Therin they all agree
I warne you weddyd men everichone [2.860]
That other remede have ye none
So moche for your ease,
And ye wold study tyll tomoro
But let them evyn alone -- with sorow!
Whan they do you displease.
A Tusshe, here is no man that settyth a blank
By thy consell or konneth the thank--
Speke therof no more
They know that remedy better than thow
But what shall we twayne do now? [2.870]
I care most therfore --
Me thinketh that matter wolde be wist
B Mary, we may goo hens whan we lyst --
No man saith us nay.
A Why than, is the play all do?
B Ye, by my feyth, and we were ons go
It were do streght wey.
A And I wolde have thought in vere dede
That this matter sholde have procede
To som other conclusion [2.880]
B Ye, thou art a maister mery man. --
Thou shall be wyse I wot nere whan.
Is not the question
Of noblenes now fully defynde
As it may be so by a womans mynde?
What woldyst thow have more?
Thow toldest me that other day
That all the substaunce of this play
Was done specially therfor
Not onely to make folke myrth and game, [2.890]
But that suche as be gentilmen of name
May be somwhat movyd
By this example for to eschew
The wey of vyce and favour vertue;
For syn is to be reprovyd
More in them, for the degre,
Than in other parsons such as be
Of pour kyn and birth.
This was the cause principall,
And also for to do with all [2.900]
This company some myrth.
And though the matter that we have playde
Be not percase so wele conveyde
And with so gret reason
As thistory it self requyreth,
Yet the auctour therof desyrith
That for this season
At the lest ye will take it in pacience.
And yf ther be ony offence
(Show us wherein or we go hence) [2.910]
Done in the same,
It is onely for lacke of connynge,
And not he but his wit runnynge
Is thereof to blame.
And glade wolde he be and ryght fayne
That some man of stabyll brayne
Wolde take on hym the labour and payne
This mater to amende --
And so he wyllyd me for to say
And that done, of all this play [2.920]
Shortely here we make an end.
EMPRYNTED AT LONDON BY JOHAN RASTELL
DWELLYNGE ON THE SOUTH SYDE OF PAULYS
CHYRCHE BYSYDE PAULYS CHEYNE.
© Alan H. Nelson, 1996;
portions © Ian Lancashire, R.G. Siemens, 1996.
Last updated 15 September 1996.
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