University of Virginia Library

The vi scena

Enter Idlenis
This is aworld to se how fortune chaungeth
this shalbe his luck wc h like me runeth
& raingeth
for the honour of artrebradle
this age wold make me swere madly
giue me one peny or a halfepeny
for a poore man that hath had
great losse by sea
& is in great misery
god saue my good master & my good dame
& all the householder
I pray you bestowe yor almes of a poore man
nye starued wt h colde
now I am a bould begger
I tell you the stowtest of all my kin
for if nobody will come out
I will be so bolde to goe in
byrlady here is nobody wt hin
but the cat by the fier side
I must neades go in what so euer
come of it I cannot abide
He goeth on and bringeth out the porridge pot a bout his nect
A sirra my masters how saist thou hodge
what art thou hungrie wilt thou
eat my podge
now I prouide for a deare yeare
this wilbe good in lent
well faire a good messe of pottage
when the herringes [is] be spent
a begger quoth you this geare beginnes
to fadge
If euer I be a gentellman
the pottage bot shalbe my badge
now I am in that takin I dare
now showe my hed
& albe cossoning of wit
I am faine to beg my bred
well my masters fare you well
I may perhaps haue a Chek
if the good wyfe come forth
& take the pottage pot a boute my neck