 | Iacob and Esau |  |
Scæna quarta.
Esau, and Ragau.Esau.
He commeth forth wiping his mouth.
Ah sir, when one is hungry, good meat is much worth.
And well fare a good brother yet in time of neede,
The worlde is now metely well amended in deede.
By my truth if I had bidden from meate any longer,
I thinke my very mawe would haue frette asonder.
Ragau.
Surely then the world had had a great losse of you.
For where should we haue had your felow in your place?
Esau.
What shold I haue done with my birthright in this case.
Ragau.
Kept it still, and ye had not bene a very asse.
Esau.
But the best pottage it was yet that euer was.
It were sinne not to sell ones soule for such geare.
Ragau.
Ye haue done no lesse in my conscience I feare.
Esau.
Who is this that standeth clattering at my backe?
Ragau.
A poore man of yours sir, that doth his dinner lacke.
Esau.
Dinner whoreson knaue? dinner at this time a day?
Nothing with thee, but dinner and mounching alway.
Why thou whoreson villain slaue, who is hungry now?
Ragau.
In dede syr (as seemeth by your wordes) not you.
Esau.
A man were better fyll the bellies of some twelfe,
Than to fill the gutte of one such whoreson elfe,
That doth none other good but eate and drink and slepe.
Ragau.
He shall do some thing els whom ye shall haue to kepe.
Esau.
And that maketh thee so slouthfull and so lyther,
I dare saie he was sixe houres comming hither,
When I sent him to make prouision afore,
Not passing a myle hence or very litle more.
And yet being so farre past the houre of dining,
See and the knaue be not for his dinner whining.
Fast a while, fast with a mischiefe greedy slaue,
Must I prouide meate for euery glutton knaue?
Ragau.
I may fast for any meate that of you I haue.
Esau.
Or deserue thy dinner before thou do it craue.
Ragau.
If I haue not deserued it at this season,
I shall neuer deserue it in mine owne reason.
Ye promised I should eate tyll I cried hoe.
Esau.
Yea that was if we toke either hare, tegge, or Doe.
Ragau.
But when your selfe were hungry, ye said I wot what.
Esau.
What thou villaine slaue, tellest thou me now of that?
Ragau.
Then, helpe, runne apace, Ragau my good seruant.
Yea then was then, now is it otherwise: auaunt.
Haue I nothing to do but prouide meate for you?
Ragau.
Ye might haue geuē me som part when ye had ynough.
Esau.
What, of the red rice pottage with Iacob I had?
Why, the crow would not geue it hir bird, thou art mad
Is that meate for you? nay it would make you to ranke.
Nay soft brother mine, I must kepe you more lanke.
It hath made me euen since so lusty and freshe,
As though I had eaten all delicates of fleshe.
I fele no maner faintnesse wherof to complaine.
Ragau.
Yet to morow ye must be as hungry againe,
Then must ye and will ye wishe againe for good chere:
And repent you that euerye bought this so dere.
Esau.
Repent me? wherefore, then the Lorde geue me sorow,
If it were to do, I would do it to morow.
For thou foolish knaue, what hath Iacob of me bought?
Ragau.
But a matter of a strawe, and a thing of nought.
Esau.
My birthright and whole title of mine eldership.
Mary sir I pray God much good do it his maship,
If I die to morow, what good would it do me?
If he die to morow, what benefite hath he?
And for a thing hanging on suche casualtie:
Better a mease of pottage than nothing pardy.
If my father liue long, when should I it enioye?
If my father die soone, then is it but a toye.
For if the time were come, thinkest thou that Iacob,
Should finde Esau such a loute or such a lob,
To suffer him to enioy my birthright in rest?
Nay, I wil fyrst tosse him and trounce him of the beste,
I thinke to finde it a matter of conscience,
And Iacob first to haue a fart syr reuerence.
When my father Isaac shall the matter know:
He will not let Iacob haue my birthright I trow.
Or if he should kepe it as his owne, I pray you,
Might not I liue without it and doo wel ynow?
How liue yonger brethren then, I beseche you tell?
Once, if any thing be by the sword to be got:
This falchion and I will haue part to our lot.
But now come on, go we abroade a while and walke,
Let my birthright go, and of other matters talke.
Ragau.
Who? I walke? nay I trow not, til I haue better dinde.
It is more time to seeke where I may some meate finde.
Esau.
What saist thou drawlatch? come forth with a mischeef.
Wilt thou not go with me? on forward whoreson theef.
Shall it be as pleaseth you, or as pleaseth me?
Ragau.
Nay as pleaseth you syr, me thinke it must be.
Esau.
And where be my dogs? and my hound? be they all wel?
Ragau.
Better than your man, for they be in their kenell.
Esau.
Then go see all be well in my parte of the tent.
Ragau.
With a right good will syr, I go incontinent.
Esau.
And I will to my fielde the which I clensed last,
To see what hope there is, that it will yelde fruite faste.
| Iacob and Esau | |