University of Virginia Library

Actus tertius

scena prima

Codrus.

Ca.
Harke how like a calfe thers one speakes what foule haue we ther
Ile know what that wisard a gods name intendes

Co.
Voole I was the wisest that my mother had & we were nintene
I haue bin lected for my scretion five tymes constable

Ca.
Yff yow had bene but once more tow fooles toth tyth there had binn
a good liter mary, and men to serve a prince well able

Co.
What William what William giue me that hand of youres I say.
why tell me William how hast thou done this seven yeare

Ca.
Its a good while agoe Codrus since we tow eat a bottell of hay
but tell me olde sincaunter what quick cattell hast thou heare

Co.
Cha brought a couple of baskettes in my capenes to my aude mas[ter]
against Christmas now to make merye with his frendes

[Ca.]
Thy witte runnes before thy tounge thou conceaved Custe[r]
thou list olde minsimust they are a couple of hens

**
[Its] a good stumble near horst I ame sure then they w[ere gel].
**[ur]st pose oth bible booke Alison gropte vor th [stones]

**
**** [hor]sonne koxcome didst near see [hens felt]
[OMITTED] [as true as a] [OMITTED]

Co.
Nay but heares to William wout doe one thinge for me and thaw **
wout tell my master heres ty gof Custer would speake wt h him vayn
and thou will william thoust be a good boy & ile ge the a new nothi[ng]
Ile ge the a fine thinge that cam from London for your paine

Ca.
Giue me thy basket ile liver them like a tall fellow my selfe
and desire him to come to the here in this station

Co.

Intrat Philogonus.
Ca.
Here he comes custar holde ta deliver them wt h thie owne handes
heile giue the somewhat and thou makst cursy downe toth grounde

Co.
De good deene master cha brought yow twe whochittalls in my maunde
doe yow not heare of no bodye that my zondid sowe hath vou[nde]

Phi.
God haue mercy Custar ile make the one day a mens
what be they I pray the are they a couple of capens

Co.
Bum vay I said so & mast William makes me beleive they be hens
gods dinty chil be plaine to yow I tooke them ene as it happens

Phi.
Take them thou will and carye them forthwith toth cooke
and bidd him fatt them well against I make a feast

Ca.
They were capens till I chaungde them he that list may go looke
a shillinge by this match I haue gott at the least

Co.
Howe ist with yow master me thinke yow looke zadde
what I woude haue yow vse mirth and reioynce your hart nowe
youd be sorye in deede if my cagin yow hadd
my bulchinge tournde vp his heiles at Martimas and now I lost my [sowe]

Phi.
Thats a great losse for a poore man but mine is much more
woude I hadd lost all that ere I hadd condicion I hadd founde one

Co.
To lose all by S George master that woude go sore
belakins no sir one might showe the gouse an all were gone

Phi.
God helpe me Custar I knowe not well what I speake I am so troubled in my mind
my sonne my sonnes so vngratious I knowe not what to say

Co.
Why ist not possible some pollicye to fynde
I would not blin an I were in your coat till I had tried erye way

Phi.
I haue tried erie way with him hies quite past grace
woude I coude trie some way now to bringe my selfe consolation

Co.
Ile bringe yow some I or else Ile giue yow my cowe wt h wh[ite] ****
I can do it and that wightly I speake wthout semblation

Phi.
Canst thou do it Custar now I would to god thou could ******
in that condition I gaue the the price of tenn swy[n].

Co.
Yf I doe it not let me never hereafter come in y[ou] *******
by godes zacriment if I do it not Ile be bound *******

Phi.
Lett me heare then Custar what comfort cans[t] ***
Doubt [no]t of my promise thou knowst me of ***

[Co.]
An yow knewe as much as I knowe Ime sure youde both laughe and sing[e]
youde be in iocundare cum amicis an yow had all toulde

Phi.
Why what is it Codrus I pray the tell me without delay
beside that i giue the ile be thy frende all the dayes of thy life

Co.
Yf I say I can tell I can tell in deede, what day is to day.
how longe ist since the death of my mistrisse your wife

Phi.
Is this the comforte Ist haue by thy takle thou makst me in a greater quad[ary]
this thy remembraunce of hir Custar is a corsy to my harte

Co.
A god rest hir soule, god haue mercy of hir soule and S Mary
is there a quamminge come over your stomacke I wannt yow youst bearte

Phi.
Thy foolish wordes haue made me more heavy then ever I weare
tell me to what ende of my wife thou madste mencion

Co.
I wottle well inoughe, howe she servde yow did your never heare
thoughe I be a foole i my tauke chaue alwais some tention

Phi.
Why howe did she serve me declare it me plaine
praye the tell me quickly wthout tractinge of tyme

Co.
Ile goe fetch our Alison & come straight way againe
she ha witt inoughe to tell yow hir capidossitye is better then mine

Phi.
Alas good silly soule has tould me a tale here oth mann ith moone
some matter he taukes of if I knewe what he mente

Co.
Mosse Ile tell yow thoughe I lacke retorumes, & sheist mend it soone
why moster mine did never heare yet whether your sonne was sente

Phi.
Sente. why whether shoulde he be sente ne never wente abroade
I wene thou art tipse didst not come from thallhouse alate

Co.
Yeaye faith he has benne far then ere yow haue on Taleon grounde he near trode
and for biblinge I woud yow shoulde knowe I do it foully hate

Phi.
Be not angrie Codrus thou hast brought me truly in a great suspence
I pray the speake so at one worde as I may vnderstande

Co.
Ile speake plaine English nowe heis gone a thousand mile hence
and yowle not trust me call Alison and heare the matter scande

Phi.
That is vnpossible to be vnlesse thou taukst of an other
thou makst me wthout doubt wonderfully to mase

Co.
Why gods denty moster I ment all this while the tother
doe yow thinke that such loudlye Custer Codrus coulde face

Phi.
What other meanest thou, I had never moe sonnes then one
I am at my wittes end wt h thy talke by gods mother

Co.
Why an youle not beleive me Ile goe fetch our Alison
yow shall see and she doth not tell yow that my yonge master has a bro[ther]

Phi.
Ther never was poore mariner amids ye surginge seas
catchinge a glimeringe of a port wherunto he would saile
so much distract twixt hope of health & feare his life to lease
as I even nowe wt h hope do hange and eke wt h feare doe faile

Co.
Alison what Alison what meanst woman sites all day bith fire
come thou makst good hast thus thou woudst serue me an I lay a *****
gods my armes Alison shouldst tricke the wt h thy best tyre
thou lookst as thoughe thou hadst bene in some heape of ashes la[ying]

***
*hy whats the matter that thou woudst haue me so fine *****
***u wert wontt to l[i]ke me well inough[e in my] ********

Co.
For that sowe thats gone Ile helpe the to ten if the fair be no******
come thou must goe to my moster he sendes for the by cocke

Ali.
What didst tell him of the matter we taukt on last weke
how many miles he were hence & that he were his eldest sonne

Co.
I clard it as well as I coude and he woude nedes haue me the goe & se[eke]
prove it trwe and weist haue sowes inoughe Alison come let vs run[ne]
Loe here she is now Sr simple thoughe she be for the faut of a better
sheis not bookish but sheil place hir wordes as scretly as some of [those] that be

Phi.
Thats no matter a rush Codrus an she know near a letter
if she can make manifest this thy talke thats inoughe for me

Ali.
I am gladd to see your worships wershipfull Mrshipp in good heale
what is the cause savinge your reverence that for me yow doe send
if it be for your owne commoditie or for the common weale
I will tell you wt h all my hart as god shall me mutteraunce lend

Co.
Nay sheis aligant in deed shewdd chaunt this extrūpery a hole day
I had rather then the best shepe I had my tounge were but halfe so nemble

Phi.
Thy husband here tauntes of my wife and of a sonne I haue gon a great wa[y]
speake in this case what thou knowest & do not dissemble

Ali.
My swete mistrisse now our swete Lady of Walsingā be wt h hir swetly swe[t] soule
I haue bid many a prayer for hir both early and late

Co.
Faith and so haue I, thers near a day but I haue hir in my bede role
I say a deprofundus for hir erie night accordinge toth olde rate

Phi.
Pray for hir no more but rather giue god praise
your praiers are but superstitious & she I hopes at rest
yow loue hir it semes so did I, & shall doe all my daies
but now to praye for our selves here while we liue I count it best.

Co.
Low yow Alison wer Moster is oth new larninge did not I tell yow before
Codrus youle not be ruled yow, ye nere larnde that of me

Phi.
Some other tyme of thes matters yow may debate more
whether thy talke tends Alison let me now see

Ali.
Custar did yow tell my Mr any thinge before I cam hether
speake if yow haue when yow made an ende Ile beginn

Co.
as well as my mother witt would serue me I toulde him all ye circūlanse togeth[er]
I did it prattely well but Ile haue the dote vine vine.

Ali.
A Master it was as loue childe as ever woman boure
it went to my hart when I sawe it sente quite away

Phi.
Why whether was it sente Alison my childe was ever wt hin dore
your talke doth so astonish me I can not tell what to say

Ali.
Goodly lorde are yow so ingrū did yow near heare of Polona lande
and did yow never knowe your wifes brother that there doth dwell

Phi.
Yes mary that I doe all this I doe well vnderstande
but what meanst of that country & of my brother me to tell

Ali.
What mean I mary thether your sonne and heire was s***

Phi.
What my sonne?

Ali.
Yea your sonne I tell yow I am in no drunken f**

Phi.
Sais thou that my sonne and heire to woman to ************

[Ali.]
I said it I.

***
** [that] saying thoue m[a]kst me [almost] out of [m]****

Co.
How say yow now Mr doe not our Alison and I agree in one tale Jump[e]
ye may see we are as trwe as steile we both ons loore to lye

Ali.
Care not Mr yest not nede for this exstorie to be in a dumpe
this a trwe as the Gospell thers moe can tell as well as I.

Phi.
Thou saist its trwe but how cant be trwe I had never moe wives the[n one]
& she after Misogonus was borne wt hin a weke tooke hir death

Ali.
I tauk not of Sogonus I, I tauk of your tother sonne
what a blindation are yow in why my mistris had two babes at a bi[rth]

Phi.
O mercifull Lorde god if I may craut wthout offence
graūt that thes tydinges may be trwe wc h I heare

Co.
Gods blessinge of thy swete harte Alison now Ile say thart a good [wench]
Ile bestowe a peny in aperne stringes one the next market for th[is] geare

Ali.
Thoughe I sait & shoulde not sait I was hir midwife I
I can shewe yow good tokens & arglementes that this is so

Co.
Bith same token that he had two thums one one foote, tut she stode by
pounder matter well if she should not knowt, who showlde knowe?

Ali.
What dost takh tale out of my mouth shat tell then for Alisone
and thout neds hat takt thy selfe & say no more but tell trewe.

Co.
Gods blothernales dame wher had we yow are yow nowe in your Crileson
And thou saist I lye thou liest as thou bakst so shat brewe

Ali.
Ey list thou me coukoully knave Ile hae the in my memorandum
I may chaunch make the ly ith dust er longe for thy lyinge

Co.
Thart a crowetrodden houre Ile not suffer the an thou wert my grandū
and thast not for this tauk ner trust me ill kivinge

Ali.
Thretens me old?

Co.
hold thy tounge bomination Gome

Ali.
Nay Ile descry the toth officials as I am trewe maid thou nauti packe

Co.
Scry me toth filsheals nay then haue at the tome boy tome
thou a maid thart a Jadge befor I knewe the thou wert an old ridden Jacke

Phi.
Nay good neighboures no more of this rule but toth matter retourne
leaue me not now ith breares yow haue told me thus much of my sonne

Co.
By this light that shines Mr all ye faut yow may seis in hure
I wode ner haue had foule worde & she had not begun̄

Ali.
And I had gonne forwarde in my tale & thou hadst not egde me like a foulle.

Co.
I nether egd e the nor collupte the, yf I had edge ye thou mightes yet chese

Ali.
Ile tell one Mr if ye can make him kepe in his fooles boulte

Phi.
Be quiet awhile Codrus Ile bestowe one yow both a good liberall feies

Ali.
Where left I last at Polonia or at my mistrisse deliveraunce

Phi.
At this pardy thou talkest of too children she had at one birth

Ali.
Till I can proue this trewe an yow will lay me faste in durau[nce]

Co.
Howe by this Mr doe yow not nowe ginn to feale some comfort & mirth

Phi.
Whether it be for mirth or for sorrowe Ime even redye to wepe
my minde doth nowe languish in such a wonderfull perplexitye

*

Phi.
O god wc h in mercies art infinite & also most iust
can thes newes be trwe wc h of this woman I heare toulde
thou never failest them I knowe that in the put their truste
wc h makes me in gevinge credance to hir somewhat more boulde.

Co.
I did but Jibe Alison I loue ye well inoughe wench for all that
for the good disorder yt yu kepes ith thy tale I must neds giue ye a busse

Ali.
Away horeson I must aunswere my master nowe hers no tyme to chat
when we are alone ith seller soone we may one another cusse.

Phi.
What profe can yow bringe of this matter, yow were not eye wittnesses b[oth]
this thy tale beside thy selfe dost thou knowe any that will iustifye

Ali.
By this fier that bournez thats gods aungell I sweare a great oth
Its as trwe as I am trwe in me yow shall nere find dishonestye
There was not many present in deede when this fate were done
my mistrisse only of his sendinge away me privie did make
but that she had another and that he were hir eldest sonne
too of my gossips knoweth also wc h to be trwe their oth will take.

Phi.
Its twenty yeare since this was done why kepst it so longe closse
an this so wonderfull a thinge be trwe why didst not tell me of this

Ali.
Ide not toulde yow now but that my husband begonne I do it now perforce
she swore me so sore and yow knowe what a great thinge an oth is

Phi.
But who be thy other gossips that can testifye the same
I would gladly heare of as many as coulde wittnesse this tale

Co.
Cocke Caros wife and Isbell Busby I can tell yow their name
thoughe wear poore yet wear trwe & trusty its no tale of Jacke a male.

Ali.
an youle haue the truth tried sende to your brother out of hande
That the best & ye surest way that I can devise

Co.
Bith mouse foote do so Mr fetch him to his owne notturall lande
let him be no longer yondsay Mr an yow be wise

Phi.
Ile followe your counsaile by Jhesu Liturgus shall goe forewarde to morrow[e]
I hope if the winde serue him wt hin this moneth heile come againe

Co.
I trust now sir youle let me haufe a score of your sowes borrowe
lady blest this was all longe of me chope youle consider my paine

Phi.
Put no doubte Codrus thouste haue sowes I promisse the plentye
an if my sonne come in saftye thoust near pay me peny rent

Co.
By S Bridgit Alison baken & pourke flesh is dentye
say yow me so Mr by my trullit weile then haue one merye[m]***

Phi.
Hers somewhat oneward depart whome for this tyme *****
an looke yow be ready to bare wittnes if nede shall re*****

Co.
Masse Alison for my masters sake at Plonia weile ***
but lets home now and haue a pott oth best wt h a toust ********

[Phi.]

exit.

scena secūnda

Ca.

Mi.
Did no man mete will sommer here this way alate
I haue longed to tauke wt h the counterfett foole this sennitt

Ca.
Will sommer nay nor will winter nether tell ye Ile none of that
yeist call me by my christen name or Ile not aunswer by S Bennitt.

Mi.
What art thou so neare Cacurgus I had thought thou hadst not harde
what newes canst thou tell me of now my old childe.

Ca.
Heavy newes for yow I can tell yow of a cowlinge carde
it will make yow plucke in your hornes an yow were near so wilde

Mi.
Plucke in my hornes sais thou he pluckes in my hornes has good lucke
I over came my father man here wt h all his fronte

Ca.
I faith I knowe a thinge will coule yow & ye weare near such a wild bucke
ites no matter for your father yow must bide yet a worse brunte

Mi.
Thers near a golia in this shire that shall scare me
my harte is even bige inoughe man to fight wt h a score

Ca.
Ther will be in this shire shortly that will go near to mare yow
and yow take not hede I tell yow ile tourne yow out a dore

Mi.
He that can doe that Cacurgus is not in Italia
but tell me who thou meanest wt hout more a dow.

Ca.
He that will doe that Misogonus is in Apolonia
thers one I tell yow that will quickly yow cowe

[Mi.]
And if he were a giaunt coulde scarsly bringe me vnder
but name him that for him my selfe I may prepare

**
** if leaue such wardes its but a folly thus to thunder
[Yo]ur brother your brother your fathers sonne & heire

**
***s thou me of a brother thou knowst I haue none
***[n]y come and say heis my brother Ile cutes weason

**
****** knowe yes y[ou knowe y]our selfe yow h[ave one]
******* [ye can else the land is surely hesown]

Mi.
go go go go gogees what treacherye haue we here
what villan was he that tolde my father of this

Ca.
He that tolde him and it had pleased god I would he had layde oth beare
an old crabtre fast carle because a sowe he did misse

Mi.
I haue harde a whisperinge of such a thinge I must neds confesse
what thinkst thou I hope its but a tale of a tubb

Ca.
whether he be aliue or no I know not ye had one ites questionles
Yf he be Liturgus bringes him as sure as a clubb

Mi.
What is Liturgus gone for him, Soule what shall I then do
Ile colefeke him my selfe forte come onte what will

Ca.
Why knew yow not that; he went forward a fortnit a go
ites not best for yow to fight lest ye one another kill

Mi.
What shoulde I doe then Cacurgus what remedy is left
my hart woulde even burste for anger, if I should so be servid

Ca.
I woude worke some wilde if I caud cath the olde mithers eft
if I take him right heist ha that he hath deserved

Mi.
But what shall I be better canst thou him defeet
helpe me now Cacurgus & while thou livest thoust never lacke

Ca.
What if the deds of his landes I gett away wt h a fleete
yow nede not care a pinn if yow hate in white & blacke

Mi.
Fy their vnder a dosinn lockes thou canst never them gett
trye some other way rather if thou hast opportunitye

Ca.
Get yow hense & lett me alone I will play some fett
I will worke him some displeasure be boulde & that spedye

Mi.
I will repare to hir then a while from whence I came
and come see the againe wt hin lesse then an houre

Ca.
Yf that old neet should scape scotfree for this it were a shame
Ile dust him fort one day if ere it lye in my power.

Scena tertia

Intrant Isbell Busby et Madge
Is.
Come gossupe lets hies betyme lest all the Sowes be gone
why should not we hav some as well as that chatteringe Jay
yf we shoude not all the backhouse would be to lile for hir alone
we can say as much ith this claration as she can say

Ma.
Gogle gogle Gossupe Bub bub busbey Ide go full fayne
and make a sposation as well as I coude
but here in my cho cho chops I haue such a payne
that I can not conclare it thoughe I woud

Is.
I haue tongue inoughe fors both Madge I lacke but a good felt
for to tell him howt was I can serve the tourne
pray the do so much as lend me but ene thy red capp and thy belt
ist near looke him ith face else my parrell is so worne

Ma.
Saunt mary man man man madeline Tib myne is but wold
but if thou coudst helpe me away wt h my tothe ake
Ile gith the I Tib tib tib there tis houlde,
cause I woud my selfe a speakclation make

[Is.]
Some phisicarye ile seke but Ile haue some remedye.
Ile bestowe a peny for castinge thy pisse.

**
[Na]y it shall near be ca ca cast thoughe I near spea******
*****ra rather my selfe be spechlesse

[Is.]
There be some good men an one coud light one them
wc h woude do ut for godsake wthout prying in a pisspott

Ma.
Yf I coude gett such a one I were a happy wo wo woman
I coude once a said our lad yes saw saw sawter by rote

Ca.

Is. et.
what a wise man tis, what a learnd, what a fa* travild man tis.

Is.
O Leard Leard wone woude take him for a foole by his gowne & his capp
and he is to fuls a profundiditis as any is ith whole woaude

Ma.
Won woud thinke as so pra pra practisd a came from go go god a mightens lap[p]
wannt him as bene at Cambridge good laude good laude

Is.

Ca.

Is.
A taukes so father millerlye twode do the good at hart rout
come Tib I see by him heis a wise man in deede

Ma.
Ile be your bedewomane Mr Doctor and youle dout
ze ze ze zech ye yf ye can dout wt h spede

Ca.
Yf I can saistowe why of my cūinge dost thou doubt
Ile tell the all thou hast done sinse day thou wast borne
and even at this present what thou now gost about
Yf nede be I can prophesy what thou shalt do to morne

Is.
What we intend now Sr by your skill are yow wottinge
weile say year an excessd docterable man if that yow can rede

Ca.

[Is.]
Nay good Mr leaue your magication crafte
ites as trwe I knowe as it had comed out of gods owne mouth

Ma.
I gi gi giue defiaunce to yow so so so so saft saft
Ide rather youde tell me some drinke for my toth

Ca.
Dost thou beleiue that I can heale the now speake
Yf thou dost thy payne wthin three houres I will qualifye

Ma.
I am sure yf you list yow can mende my tothake
and I que que quest yow to do it & not dalifye.

Ca.
Open thy mouth then let me fele wt h my instrument
what is the cause that workes the this payne

Ma.
Youle ga ga gage me by gods testament
your mo mo moukeforke doth make me so gayne

Ca.
I haue cured a thousand of thes in my dayes
this I can cure wt h the value of farthinge
know yow not an herbe cald envy that growes bith high ways
and hipocrase that growes in ery garden

Ma.
I knowe them well I vse them ery day in my porrige
go go gossupe Busbey this fellowe hits naile oth head

Is.
And wert not good also to take a litle burrige
she might fare well so and crume them wt h breade.

Ca.
Fy no take them I tell yow wt h tow drames of lecherye
on drame of venus here Infidelitye & stone rewe

Is.
Do yow not meane that hearb wc h we cuntrie folkes call siphory
I near went to leachcraft but I knowe that to be trwe

Ca.
That same that same mixt all thes wt h an ownce of poperye
then boyle them in maidens water wt h a fire of haste

Is.
Thats a wede I thinke we lay people call popye
Ist not that yow meane wc h the good corne doth wast

Ca.
That tat tat tat by my faith thou hast good skill
Vse them but one night and thoust mend then a pase.
and herafter I will warraunt the thoust never fele ill
so bet thou near vsest aqua vitæ and herb a grase

Ma.
Yeaue in wenye likt me whole we your tauke whole yow take for your paines
my thinke I speake a great deale be be be better then I did

Ca.
sister I doe not respect my markett or any gaines
but onely the cōmoditie of them that be afflicted

Ma.
Now god & our blessed Ladye reward yow for your good Phisication
Ile pray for yow trwly & bitterly fort once a day

Ca.
Yf thou best askt as I know thou shalt by pronosticatione
whether he had tow sonnes or no looke thou saist nay.

[Ma.]
Nay as sure as that good face of yours I do beholde.
I nait and nait againe & a fousand tymes nayt
*[n]d before I sait Ile both raile and scole
****[y] well restrayne me but I will near sait.

**
********ye do a godles & vncharitable worke
********[w] well for this tyme I must depart

**
********** [c]lose it ant were toth great turke

**
***********[m]e to Madge art thou better then [thou wart]