University of Virginia Library

Actus tercij

scena prima.

Respublica.
Respub.
The goode hope that my mysters have putt me in
to recover rewine that in me dothe beginne,
hathe so recomforted my spirites and myne harte
that I feale muche easemente of my greate greefe and smarte.
nowe I doe lesse woonder that lost men life to save,
Ferre from lande dooe laboure againste the roring wave
for hope I see, hathe mightie Operacion
Againste the mortall sting of drouping desperacion.
nowe if I might but heare what policie hathe wrought
or some one good thing that my frendes to passe had browght
I woulde putt no doubtes but all thing shoulde soone bee well.
Loe where Cometh honestie: he wyll the truthe tell.

Scena secunda.

Adulacyon. Respublyca.
Adul.
Three Hundred pounde by yeare and agoode manour place.
well, yt ys metely well in so shorte tyme and space.
More will come right shortelye this geare dothe gailie walke.
Bones, heare is Respublica, what vse I suche ta[l]ke?
I seeke ladie Respublica.

Resp.
loe I am here
And welcome honestie. what doe my frendes mooste deare?

Adul.
Certes, madame we reste nor daie nor night nor howre
{to p}ractise and travaile for your welth and honoure.
But/ O/ lorde what a prudente man ys policie
what a depe heade he hathe to devise and to spie.

Resp.
he is fyne in dede.

Adul.
Also Reformacion.
howe earenest he is in his Opperacyon.

Resp.
I thinke of hym no lesse.

Adul.
nowe than Authoritee
The stowtest in his offyce that ever I dyd see.
I will no farther prayse them madame/ for doubtelesse
theye ferre sormounte all praise that my tong can expresse.
yee maie blesse the tyme ye mette with suche as thei bee
And I doe my poore parte/

Resp.
I doubte not honestee,
And condinge Rewarde shall ye all have for your paine.

Adul.
I have scarce an howse wherein myselfe to mayntayne.

Respub.
Honestie, shall not lacke.

Adul.
I doe not crave nor care.
we shall take but scraps and refuse, that ye maie spare.
we willnot encroche the peoples Comoditie
we shall take onelie that maie come with honestie.

Respub.
Christes blessing have ye. but loe yonder cometh people.

Adul.
I had thought as soone to have mette here paules steeple.

scena tertia.

People. Adulacion. Respublica.
People.
whares Rice puddingcake? I praie god she bee in heale.

Adul.
who? Rice puddingcake?

peopl.
yea alese dicts comonweale.

Adul.
I knowe hir not.

peopl.
masse youe liest valeslye in your harte.
She is this waie. che wart afalse harlot youe arte.

Adul.
I knowe Respublica.

peopl.
yea marie whare is shee?

Adul.
She is buisie nowe/

peopl.
masse ere iche goe chill hir zee,
for this waie she came.

Respub.
lett my people come to mee.

Adulac.
god forbydde els. Come on people is this same shee?

Peopl.
yea malkin ist.

Resp.
People what wolde youe with me nowe?

Peopl.
Marye mustres madame my ladie, howe doe youe?

Respub.
Even so so people. I thanke youe withall my Harte,
And I hope for better.

Peopl.
Than lett poore volke ha zome parte
vor we Ignoram people whom itche doe perzente
wer ner zo I polde, zo wrong, and zo I torment.
Lorde Ihese Christe whan he was I pounst and I pilate
was ner zo I trounst as we have been of years late.

Adul.
how so? who hathe wrought to youe suche extremytee?

peopl.
Naie to tell how zo, passeth our captyvytee.

Respub.
It passeth anie mans Imaginacion.

people.
youe zai zouth, yt passeth anie mans madge mason
vor we þynke ye love vs as well as ere ye dyd.

Respub.
My love towardes youe my people cannot be hydde.

people.
And we þinke ye woulde faine wee poore volke did well.

Respub.
And better then ere ye dyd/ if howe, I coulde tell.

people.
And we þinke ye woulde we zelie poore volke sholde thrive.

Respub.
yea doubtles as anye lyke creature alive.

Adul.
What nede ye of hir goode will towardes yowe to doubte?

people.
peace thoue with zorowe and let me tell my tall owte.

Respub.
Saie on my good people/ let me heare all your mynde.

people.
Bum vei we ignoram people beeth not zo blinde
but we passeive, ther falleth of corne and cattall
wull, shepe/ woode, leade, tynne, Iron and other metall,
And of all þinges, enoughe vor goode and badde
and as commediens vor vs, as er we hadde.
and yet the price of everye thing is zo dere
as thoughe the grounde dyd bring vorth no suche thing no where.

Respb.
In dede I have enoughe if yt be well ordered,
but fewe folke the better yf I bee misordered.

People.
Nai now youe zai zouth/ een þieke same waie goeth the hare.
Ill ordring tis, hath made bothe youe and wee threde bare.

Adulacion.
what naughtie folkes were thei? can yowe their names reade?

People.
yea that Iscan awhole messe of om for a neade.
There is vorste and vormooste Flatteree ill a þee
A slypper suger mowthed howrecop, as can bee
he fliereth on youe/ and beareth vs faire in hande
And therewhile robbeth bothe youe and we of oure lande.
Than cometh the sowre roughe crabbed childe Oppression
he tumbleth whom a lust oute of possession.
Than ys there the thirde, Iscannot membre his name.
what call ye þiekesame felowes? god geve them a shame,
that beeth styll clymbing vp a lofte for premydence
And cannot be content with theire state?

Adul.
Insolence?

people.
yea þicke same is he, zorylesse.

Resp.
Naie Insolence.

people.
well, hele roile all the roste alone cha harde yt zaide
orels make the best of them agaste and afraide.
And zuche goode men as coulde and woulde ordre youe well
he is so copped he nil not suffre to mell.
If theye nylnot be rolde then hence oute of favoure
{yea} and perhaps corrupte om zore vor their Laboure.
yet he and thother twaine weorke all after the vice
of cha for yet tone name tother is Covetise.
þieke hongri howrecop hathe suche a policate wytte,
That he teacheth them to rake and scrape vp eche whytt.
And zo these vowre, (but it shall never come owt for me)
volke thinke will never cease to spoile bothe youe and we.
vor sometime thei face vs/ and call vs peason knaves
And zwareth goddes bones thei will make vs all slaves.
Tharevore chwas besiraunce your ladidome to zee,
and to geve youe warning.

Resp.
heare ye this Honestye?

people.
well and god emend all and abee zo good a clerke—

Resp.
heare ye this honestie?

people.
though tynkers sholde lacke worke.

Resp.
I am putte in comforte all shall shortelye emende.

Adul.
itt ys in goode waie alreadye/ els godde defende.

Respub.
loe people hearest thowe this? bee of good cheare.

peop.
yea, iche heare his vaire wordes: but what beeth we the neare?

Respub.
People vnderstande ye that this ys Honestee.

peopl.
whare a bee trowe? masse cha zeen zome as zmothe as hee
have be trial bee vound valse flatterers to bee.

Respub.
I take this man for no suche: this ys Honestee.

people.
A gaye smoult smirking howrecop tis zo mot I þee.

Respub.
well credite my wordes people/ this ys honestee.

People.
whan Isfinde ytt, chil beleve yt.

Resp.
tys honestie.

people.
Iscrye hym mercye than.

Resp.
he and Authorytee,
Ioignyng with policie and Reformacyon
Travaile to restore tholde welth to this nacion.

people.
whoughe than chil warte all within twoo years as plentye,
as twas eny tyme within these yeres twyse twentye.
but how maye we knowe, and see that this thyng ys trewe?

Adulacion.
ye shall prove att length by theffecte that shall ensue.

peop.
Nai and we shall alwaie bee served but with shales,
than chil beleve een still/ that vaire woordes beeth but tales.

Adul.
The thing alreadie to suche forwardnes ys browght
that muche to your benefytte ys alreadie wrowght.

peop.
yea? what any goode acte have ye alreadye doone?

Adul.
It ys but yong daies yet, thinges are but nowe beegone.
the frewte of our dooinges cannot so soone appeare.
but people ye shall feele ytt within seve{n} y{eare.}
ye knowe it is no smale weorke from so greate decaie—

Respub.
People, he saith truthe.

Adul.
to sett all in good staighe
therefore bee ye quiet, and hope for a goode ende.

people.
yes chil tarie laisure/ and take what god shall send.

Respub.
Than people let vs twaine/ departe in quietnesse,
For this talking here/ maye hinder theire buisinesse.

exeant.
peopl.
Come on I chil waite avore youe, and bee your manne.

exeant.
Adul.
And I will to my fealows as faste as I canne.
Bee thei gone? fare well theye/ god sende them bothe the pippe.
but in feith people I will have youe on the hyppe.
I wilbe even with youe for your brode carping.
Ah, ye peasaunte wretche, on vs fowre to bee harping.
And yet muste we our mattiers handle descretelye,
orels I feare yt will ende not veraye swetelye.
but nowe I wolde Avarice orels Insolence,
or Oppression were heare rather then six pence.
And loe where Avarice comth a woulff in the tale,
(as the proverbe saithe) what dothe he after hym hale?

scena quarta.

Avarice. Adulacion.
Avar.
Come on swete bags of golde/ come on with a good will
I on youe soo tendre; and ye soo frowarde styll?
Come forewarde I praie youe swete bags; ah, will ye soo?
Come or I muste drawe youe whether ye will or noo.
I knowe your desire ye woulde faine bee in my chest.
when the bealie is full the bones woulde bee att reast.
bee contente awhile I will couche youe all vp soone
where ye shalnot bee spied neither of Sonne nor Mone.
what nowe brother honestie? what prye ye this waie?
is there eni thing here that ys yours, can ye saie?
looke of from my baggs, yt ys a pretye matier,
ye can see no grene cheese/ but your teethe wyll watier/

Adul.
In nomine patris, hast thowe gotte all this syens?

Avar.
whi, thinkest thowe I have sett ydle sens I went hens?
Naie I have filled my lytle purses too eche one.

Adul.
hast thow so in dede? thowe arte a felowe alone.

Avar.
with olde Aungelots and Edwardes I thinke I have.
Come forthe. how saie ye sir? pepe out ye litle knave.
howe thinke youe by this bunting? is he full or no?
And his felowes all dothe not theire skinne stretche for wo?
Now theise litell buttons no bygger then twoo nuttes
have theye not plaied gluttons, and filled well theire guttes?

Adul.
But looke who cometh yonder puffing and tuffing.

Avar.
Come the devill yf hym luste staring and snuffing.

scena quinta.

Oppression. Avarice. Adulacion.
Oppr.
In all my whole life was I never werier.

Avar.
Come nere on goddes halfe the mo knaves the merier.
where have ye lost your breath? in some cofer dyvinge?

Opp.
Shouldring emonges them for a peice of a lyvinge.

Adulacion.
And what are yowe nowe in any goode hope to thryve?

Oppr.
Feithe if I luste I maie were myters fowre or fyve
I have so manye haulfe bisshoprikes at the leaste.

Adul.
by tharmes of Callis/ than am I a verye beaste.

Avar.
why what hast thowe gotten to thie share in this space?

Adul.
three hundred pound by the yeare and one manior place.

Avar.
Ah the passhen of god/ three hundred pownd and no more?

Adul.
Is not that faire for hym that had nothing before?

Avar.
what, three hundred pound by years? call the honestee?
Call thee a knave thowe shamest our fraternitee.
three hundred pounde? if some man had been in thie rome
A thowsaunde pounde a yeare/ ere this tyme might have come.
three hunderd pounde a yeare? againste our next metinge,
geate more/ or I shall geve [thee] a homlye greetinge.

Adul.
he here hathe flytched the bisshoprikes alreadie.

Avar.
yea, I can him thanke he hathe been somewhatt spedie.

Oppr.
But yet have I left many a goode gobbet looce.
Chaunge thoue for the reast/ geve a fether for agooce.

Adula.
Didst thowe with anie one of them make suche exchaunge?

Oppr.
yea I almoste leaft them never a ferme nor graunge.
I tolde them Respublica at their wealth dyd grutche
and the fyfte pennie thaye had was for them to muche.
So Authoritee and I, did with theim soo choppe
that we lefte the best of them a threde bare bisshop:
to some we left one howse, to some we left none,
The beste had but his see place, that he might kepe home.
we enfourmed them/ and we defourmed theym,
we confourmed them, and we refourmed theym.

Adul.
And what gave ye theim in your permutacions?

Oppr.
Bare parsonages of appropriacions,
bowght from Respublica and firste emprowed,
than at the higheste extente to bisshops allowed,
leate owte to theire handes for fowrescore and ny{netee}n yeare.

Avar.
Loe cosyn honestee loe, doo ye heare this geare?
Faith youer masship will thrive att the latter lammas.

Adul.
I nowe graunte myselfe to have been a verye asse,
but all ys not yet gonne/ in cace I have goode lucke.

Oppr.
No there is yet enoughe left, for a better plucke
For some of them were aged and yet wouldnot dye,
and some woulde in no wyse to owre desyres applye.
But we have Roddes in pysse for them everye chone,
that they shalbe flyced yf we reigne, one by one.

Avar.
And howe dyd all frame with our mounsire Authorytee?

Oppr.
Att length he wonne the full superiorytee.

Adul.
But the rude grosse people at hym repyneth sore,
and againste vs all fowre with a wyde throte dothe he rore.
But softe, peace, me thinketh I here hym hem and hake.
If we mete here all fowre we shall some ordre take.

scena sexta.

Insolence. Adulacion. Oppression. Avarice.
Insolence.
what, myne olde frendes all three? by my truthe sirs well founde.

Adul. et oppr.
feith syr, mooste hartelye welcome into this grownde.

Insol.
Bones, what have we here?

Avar.
a hah.

Insol.
bags of money, I trowe?

Avar.
Have we? naie I have, but none for youe that I knowe.
loe sir, thus might an honeste man come to his harmes.
I will lye downe on them/ and kepe theym in myne armes.

Insol.
Haste thowe gotte all this? I miselfe have not so muche.

Avar.
Than have ye whole townes and castells: I have none suche
yet wyll ye not denie I iudge in my fansie,
that ye gotte theym by the drifte of me Policie.

Insol.
I confesse that.

Oppr.
all my landes are scarce so muche woorth.

Avar.
Thei were lesse when I policie firste sett yowe foorth.

Adul.
he hathe purses with golde, woulde I had so manie.

Avar.
It were pittie that suche a gooce shoulde have enie.
youre good masship appoincted me to crumes and scraps
but Policie wyll lyve by his neighbours perhaps.
But thus I see youe woulde polle me an ye wiste howe
therefore I will goe hoorde yt, I make god a vowe
I will make yt sure vnder nyne doores and nyne lockes
{And} who but looketh that waie, shall syt in niene stockes.

Insolence.
Naie, fyrste declare to vs howe thowe didst all this geate.

Avar.
For your learning I will youe a spectacle sette
but fyrst gette ye from me, and stande a goode waie hence,
This shallnot lye within your reache by youre lycence.
Naie yet farther lest ye take my baggs for bluddinges
for suche hongrye doggs will slabbe vp sluttishe puddinges.

Adul.
Is yt well nowe?

Avar.
yea, nowe hardelie stand there styll,
And the Names of my baggs to youe declare I will.
Firste and foremoste this bagg is my veraie cleare gaine
of leasses encroched and foorthwith solde againe
This bag is myne intresse, of thys yeares vserie
And this is of mattiers bolstred vpp with periurie
This is bribes above my stipende in offecis
This fifth I have by selling of benefices
This ys my rentes that my clerkes yearelye render me
to bee and contynue in offyce vnder me.
This same I got by sectourshipp of my Mother,
A vengeaunce on hir old witche for suche an other.
This bag have I kepte of other sectourships whole,
whiche the madde knaves woulde have scattred by penie dole.
This is of Churche goodes scraped vpp withoute alawe,
For which was as quicke scambling as ever I sawe,
of their plate, their iewels, and copes, we made them lowtes,
Stopping peoples barking with lynnen rags and clowtes,
Thei had thalter clothes thalbes and amices
with the sindons in which wer wrapte the chalices.
This nyneth hath beguiled the king of his custome,
This tenth of selling counterfaicte wares hath come.
Now this eleventh is of tallowe, Butter, Cheese,
Corne, Raweclothes, leather by stelth sent beyonde seaes
This twelfth is of grayne, bell meatall, tynne and lead,
Conveighd owte by crekes whan Respublica was in bed
This thirteenth I filled throughe facing owte of dawes
bothe from landes and goodes by pretence of the lawes.
Thus these thirteen smale Iobbes are myne by policie
All men must shifte for a poore Lyving honestlye.
If er I bestowe them, yt shalbee the nexte lent
to the prioure of prickingham and his covent.

Adul.
well nowe we maie come nere maie we not if we lust?

Avar.
ye are nere enoughe: oute of my reache I dare youe trust.

Adul.
well, nowe lett vs sing yf ytt please Authoritee
to refreshe oure spirites yt ys restorytee.

Insol.
I recke not for Compaignie sake to sing once {more.}

Avar.
I have lesse minde to sing nowe then I had before.
than had I no luste to sing because I was bare,
And nowe howe to kepe that I have gotte I doe care.

Oppr.
Solace we muste nedes have whan that we are werie.

Adul.
It prolongeth the life of manne to bee merye.

Avar.
An if ye sing so muche honestie withoute faile
Thriste and youe at length I feare will make a battaile
But goe too, sing on, yf there be no remedie.
An ye looke at my bags ye marre my melodie.

Cantent, Hey noney nony houghe for money et cetera.
Oppr.
Now, abought profitte devide we ourselves abrode.

Avar.
yea, and heare ye maisters? while tyme is, laie on lode
Consider ye have but a tyme of hey making,
And harvest is not mued withowte peines taking.
Nowe, tyme willnot tarye and therefore take good hede
despache while tyme serveth and all your matie[r]s spede.
Tyme hath no reine nor bridle/ but renneth a pace.

Insol.
Marke policies woordes/ sirs, excellent in our cace.

Avar.
And tyme hathe this one vngracious propertee,
to blab at length and open all that he doothe see.
Than a daughter eke he hath called veritee,
As vnhappie a longtounged girle as can bee.
she bringeth all to light, some she bring[eth] to shame,
she careth not a grote what manne hathe thanke or blame.
yf men be praise worthie she dothe so declare them
And if otherwyse in faithe she dothe not spare them.

Oppress.
we will feather oure nestes ere tyme maye vs espie
or veritee have powre our doinges to descrye.

Avar.
Remembre this verse, Vt sint omnia salva,
Fronte capillata, post hec occasio calva.

oppr.
Make me vnderstande that fyne rag of rhetorike.

Avar.
Loe here a fyne felowe to have a bisshopricke
a verse of latynne he cannot vnderstande,
yet dareth he presume boldelye to take in hande,
Into a deanerie or Archdeaconrye to choppe,
And to have the liveloode awaie from a bisshopp.

oppr.
{To me shewe} thie verse and leave thys perswasion.

Avar.
Forsouthe sir yt was of the goddesse occasyon.
She weareth a greate long tuffet of heare beefore
and behinde hathe not one heare/ neither lesse nor more
whereby is taught youe that when Occasyon ys
ye muste take yt be tyme/ or of your purpose mysse.

Adul.
Than while Occasion doeth nowe serve soo well,
I praie youe geve eare to one thing that I must tell.

Inso. et oppr.
what ys that?

Adul.
Mounsire yf ye heare people mumbling
ye muste storme, and sharpelye take hym vp for stumbling.
ye woulde not thinke what he said alitle while sens
of vs, to Respublica/ in myne owne presence.

Inso.
whan I mete theym nexte/ I shall tell them bothe my mynde.

Avar.
And policie to helpe youe/ wyll not be behinde.

Adul.
Ientle Respublica was soone pacified,
But people was sturdie and woulde not be qualified.

Avar.
Alas good poore selie sowle beare heare faire in hand
And ye maie wynne hyr/ as youe lust to vse hyr land.

Oppr.
But of goddesse occasion one lytle more.

Avar.
Marye sir/ even as I woulde have said before,
she standeth with winged feete on a rolling whele
to take flyght or anie grasse, maie growe on hir hele,
And even while we stand Iangling in this presence,
I dare saie she is flowen twise twentie score myle hence.

Oppr.
yea? cockes bones/ than Adew.

Insol.
farewell/

Adul.
and I am gone.

exeant currentes.
Avar.
Feithe and have after, as faste as I can, anon.
Now my goddamighties as I dyd hither tugg youe
So will I on my backe to your lodging lugg youe
And sure yf ye can be quiet there, and lye styll
I will shortelye bring youe, moo felowes so I wyll.
I have a good benefyce of an hunderd markes
yt is smale policie to give suche to greate clerkes
they will take no benefice but thei muste have all,
A bare clerke canne bee content with a lyving smale.
Therefore sir Iohn lacke latten my frende shall have myne
And of hym maie I ferme yt for eyght powndes or nyne
The reste maie I reserve to myselfe for myne owne share
For wee are good feeders of the poore so wee are,
And we patrones are bounde to see (I dooe youe tell)
The churche patrimonie to bee bestowyd well.
other od corners besydes these I have mannye,
which withall goodspeede shall encrease your co{mpaignie.}
Come on nowe therefore: In feith I doo greate wronge
to promise youe lodging, and kepe youe thens so long.

exeat.