University of Virginia Library

Actus secundi

scena prima.

Respublica.
Respublica.
Lorde what yearethlye thinge is permanent or stable,
or what is all this worlde but a lumpe mutable?
who woulde have thowght that I from so florent estate
coulde have been browght so base as I am made of Late?
But as the waving seas, doe flowe and ebbe by course,
So all thinges els doe chaunge to better and to wurse.
Greate Cyties and their fame in tyme dooe fade and passe
Nowe is a Champion fielde where noble Troie was.
where is the greate Empire of the Medes and persans?
where bee tholde conquestes of the puissaunt Grecians?
where Babilon? where Athennes? where Corinth so wyde?
are thei not consumed with all their pompe and pryde?
what is the cause heareof mannes wytte cannot discusse
but of Long contynuaunce the thing is founde thus.
yet by all experience thus muche is well seen
That in Comon weales while goode governors have been
All thing hath prospered, and where suche men dooe lacke
Comon weales decaye, and all thinges do goe backe.
what mervaile then yf I wanting a perfecte staigh
From mooste flourishing welth bee falen in decaye?
But lyke as by default quicke ruine dothe befalle
So maie good governemente att ons recover all.

Intrat Avar. cogitabundus et ludibundus.

scena Secunda.

Avaricia: Respublica.
Avar.
Alas my swete bages howe lanke and emptye ye bee?
but in faithe and trawth sirs the fawlte ys not in mee.

Respubl.
well my helpe and Comforte oh lorde must come from thee.

Avar.
And my swete purses heare I praie youe all see see,
how the litle foole[s] gaspe and gape for grumble sede.

Resp.
Iff ytt be thie will lorde send some redresse with spede.

Avar.
But in faithe goode swete fooles yt shall cost me a fall,
but I will shortelye fyll youe; and stoppe your mouthes all.

Resp.
Oh, that ytt were my happe, on frendelye frendes to light—

Avar.
Hahe? who is that same; that speaketh yonder in sight?
Who ist? Respublica? yea by the marye masse.

Respub.
Than might I bee againe, aswell as ere I was.

Avar.
{H}ide, vp th{es}e pipes, nowe I praie god she bee blynde,
I am haulf a fraide leste she have an yei be hynde.
we must nowe chaunge our Coppie: oh lorde whowe I fraie,
lest she sawe my toyes and harde whatt I dyd saie.

Respub.
Is there no good manne that on me wyll have mercye?

Avar.
Remembre nowe my name ys maister policie.
all thing I tell yowe muste nowe goe by policie.

Resp.
Herke; me thinke I heare the name of polycye.

Avar.
Hooe calleth Conscience? heare am I polycie.

Resp.
I praie youe come to me if youe bee policie.

Avar.
yea forsouth, yea forsouthe, my name ys polycye.

Resp.
I am sore decaied throughe defalte of polycye.

Avar.
yea, moost noble Respublica, I knowe that well,
And doe more lament yt, then enie tong can tell.
For an if goode policie had had youe in hande,
ye had nowe been the wealthiest in anye lande.
but good policie hath long been putte to exile.

Resp.
yea god wotte ye have been bard from me agreate while.

Avar.
yea, I have been putte backe, as one cleane of shaken,
And what can a man doe, tyll he be forthe taken?

Resp.
well I fele the lacke of your helping hande by the Roode.

Avar.
Alacke noble ladye I woulde I coulde doo youe goode.

Respub.
yes policie ye might amende all if youe luste.

Avar.
yea feithe, I durste put miself to youe of truste
but there be enoughe that for youe coulde shifte make.

Respublica.
yet none like to yowe, if yowe woulde yt vnder take,
and I will put miselfe whollye into your handes,
Metall, graine, cataill, treasure, goodes and landes.

Avar.
well I will take some paine but this to youe be knowen,
I will doe ytt, not for your sake, but for myne owne.

Respub.
Howe saie ye that policie?

Avar.
this to yowe bee knowen,
I will doe all for your sake, and not for myne owen.

Resp.
I thanke youe policie.

Avar.
naie I thanke youe ladye
And I trust ere long to ease all [y]oure maladie.
will ye putte yourselfe nowe wholye into my handes?

Resp.
ordre me as youe wyll.

Avar.
Treasure goodes and landes?

Resp.
yea everye whitte.

Avar.
well, I thanke youe ons againe.
But nowe that youe maie thinke/ my dealing trewe and plaine,
And because one cannot doe so well as {m}annye,
ye muste associate me with mo compaignie
And first by my will ye shall sette vp honestie.

Resp.
Marye, with all my veraie harte: but where is he?

Avar.
veray hard to fynde: but I thinke I coulde fett hym.

Resp.
Call him straight waies hither, see that nothing lett hym.

Avar.
It were best if I shall goe fett men for the nones
to make but one viage, and bring them all att ones.

Resp.
whome more then hym?

Avar.
ye muste stablishe Authoritie.

Resp.
that muste needes bee doen.

Avar.
and eke Reformacion.
wee fowre will rewle thinges of an other facion.

Resp.
Polycye I praie youe goe fette all these straight waye.

Avar.
yes, for this your present case maie byde no delaye,
I will goe and come wyth all Festinacion.

exeat.
Resp.
I like well this trade of Administracion
policie for to devise for my Comoditie
no personne to be advaunced but honestye,
then Reformacion good holsome lawes to make
And Auctorytie see the same effecte maie take
what comon weale shall then bee so happie as I?
For this (I perceive) is the drifte of policie.
Intrat Avarice ad ducens Insol. oppr. et adulac.
And beholde where he is retourned againe seens,
Hee shewith himselfe aman of muche diligence.

scena tertia.

Adulacion. Avaryce. Respublica. Insolence. Oppression.
Adul.
I will doe hir double servis to another.

Avar.
ye double knave youe, will ye never be other?

Adula.
she shall have triple service of me honestye.

Avar.
ye quadrible knave will ye ner vse modestie?
Thowe dronken whoresone, doest thoue not see nor perceive
where Respublica standes readie vs to receyve?

Respub.
what talke have theye yonder emong them selves togither?

Adul.
I have spied hir nowe. shall I first to hir thither?

Avar.
Softe lett me present yowe.

Resp.
I weene thei bee in feare.
polycye approche, and bring my goode frendes nere.

Avar.
Come on my deare frendes and execute with good wyll,
suche offyce as eche of youe shall be putt vntyll.
Dame Respublica yt ys that for youe hathe sent.
Come on Frendes I will youe vnto her greace present.

Inso., Oppr.
{To} serve h{i}r we are preast with harte and whole entent.

Avar.
Madame I have brought youe these men for whom I went.

Respub.
Policie I thanke youe/ ye have made spiede spede,
therefore ye be double welcome/ and welcome frendes in dede.

Avar.
Madame your grace to serve we all are fullye bente.

Adul.
And Madame ye shall fynde me double diligente.

Resp.
That is spoken of a goode harte: but who bee ye?

Adula.
Forsouth madame my name ys maister Honestie.

Resp.
honestye? well saide.

Avar.
Madame this is honestie.

Adula.
yea forsouth an please your grace I am honestee.

Avar.
Madame he is for youe: on my woorde regarde hym.

Resp.
yes and with large preferment I will rewarde hym.

Adul.
I thanke your grace. And I will for youe take suche paine
that ere I deserve one/ ye shall geve me twayne.

Avar.
Honestie your tong tript.

Resp.
howe saide ye, take such paine—?

Adul.
That ere ye geve me one I will deserve twaine.
By your lycence madame to take awaie this mote.

Avar.
Naie honestie will not see a wemme on your Cote.
Nowe vnto youe I commende Reformacion.

Resp.
Of hym is no small nede nowe in this nacion.

Oppr.
well nowe that ye bydde me abuses to redresse
I doubte not all enormitis so to represse,
As shall redowne to your wealth and honour att length.

Respub.
There to shall Authoritee ayde youe with his strength.

Avar.
yea, for Authoritee to governe ys mooste fytte.

Insole.
yf ye dame Republica doe me so admytte
I doubte not to hamper the prowdeste of them all.

Resp.
And emong youe destroye, Avarice—

Adul.
hem.

Insol. et oppr.
we shall.

Resp.
Vanquishe Oppression and Adulacion,
For those three have nighe wrought my desolacion.

Avar.
hem, sirs, hem there, kepe your gownes close afore I saie
have ye forgotten nowe what I tolde youe one daye?
There is an other too/ that wolde bee chaced hens.

Respubl.
who is that?

Avar.
Lucifers sonne called Insolence.

Resp.
ye saie truth and manye naughtie ones moo then he.

Insol. et oppr.
If ye dare truste vs—

Insol.
all—

Oppr.
all shall reformed bee.

Resp.
I thanke youe/ and I truste youe for my maintenaunce
Too bee administer for your goode governaunce.

Insol.
Than withowte feare or care ye maie yourselfe repose.

Oppr.
And lett vs alone withall suche mattiers as those.

Resp.
Than I leave yowe heare on our affaires to consoulte.
exeat Resp.

Insol.
whan youe please in godes name.

Oppr.
we muste bothe sifte and boulte.

Adul.
She is gonne.

Avar.
well then sirs lett vs make no delaye
But abowte our markett departe eche manne his waye.

Adul.
Naie first lett vs sing a song to lighten our hartes.

Avar.
Than are ye like for me/ to sing but of three partes.
Canne Avarice harte bee sett on a merie pynne
And see no gaine no profitte att all coming in?

Insol.
We shall have enoughe to drive awaie all sorowe.

Avar.
Than sing wee on bowne viage, and Saincte George the borowe.

Cantent, Bring ye to me and I to ye, et cetera et sic exeant.