University of Virginia Library

Actus quarti

scena prima.

Respublica.
Respub.
O, lorde what maie yt meane to bee thus borne in hand
And yet none emendement to fele nor vnderstand?
people dothe dailie and hourelye to me resorte,
Chalenging my promise of relief and comforte.
I reporte to hym, as my rewlers doe to mee,
people still affirmeth that they devourers bee.
The more I doo hym chere/ the more he dothe dispaire,
I saie his wealth doeth mende, he saithe it dooeth appaire.
what shoulde I iudge of this? maie yet bee credible,
or by anie reason maye yt be possible,
that suche fowre as those in whome I have putt my truste
shewing suche face of frendship, shoulde bee men vniuste?
I will knowe if people feele yet anye redresse,
of his former sors and of hys rufull distresse.
we shall meete soone, I doubte not, and talke to gether.
Intrat people.
And loe as I woulde wishe, he approcheth hether.

scena secunda.

Respublica. People.
Respub.
well mette people, what place goe ye nowe vntoo?

Peopl.
I cham at the ferthest to zee how yowe doo.
we twayne must eft whiles come fisike either other,
vor wee beethe your children, and youe beethe our mother.

Respublica.
And howe doo youe mend now in your thrifte and your purse?

people.
As zoure ale in sommer, that is still wurse and wurse.

Respub.
People, what sholde I saie?

peopl.
nai masse Iscannot tell
but we ignorams all woulde faine ye shoulde doe well.
and how fele youe yourselfe? better then ye dyd, trowe?

Respub.
Till god send better happe rather decaie then growe.
this bringeth me in a conceipte of zelousye.
Rather than muche good, woulde I speake with policie.

peopl.
was not he drownde trowe last yeare, whan conscience was?

Respub.
I see hym yonder appere: this cometh well to passe.

Peopl.
Is thissame he?

Resp.
yea.

peopl.
an iche heard not you zo zai
Choulde zware a had bee deade, orels cleane renne awaye.

scena tertia.

{Avarice.} Respublica. People.
Avar.
O mooste noble ladie, that I have not of late,
Made to youe relacion how ye stande in state,
hath not been of negligence nor to weo[r]ke by stelthe
but of my depe studies devising for your wealthe.

Respub.
To heare the truthe thereof, I wisshed youe to see.

People.
Dooeth youe studd your braines mace Ientman, praie youe tell me
for our ladie Rice puddingcakes comoditee?

Avar.
I devyse what I canne for the prospiritee
of thys Ladie Respu[b]lica/ and hyr people.

Peopl.
That lye, ere this is flowen as ferre hens as polle steple.
Ispraie god ye studde not, as cha hard of zome elfes,
that studdie for the comon profytte of theire owne selfes.

Avar.
To studie for bothe your welthes I am a debter.

peopl.
vaye than as goode ner a whitt as ner the better.

Avar.
I doo nothing but coumpace therefore withowte doubte.

peopl.
I vey then the vet to ferre a coumpace abowte.
vor zome good might ha bee doone in all this season.

Avar.
So there is, if to perceve ytt, ye had reason.

Respub.
Truelie I fele miselfe hitherto wurse and wurse.

people.
And Isvele the same bothe in my grownde and my purse.
vive or zixe yeare ago chad vowre kine to my paile
and att this prezent houre cham scarce woorthe a good cowe taile
and that tyme chad a widge, and hir vole/ and tenne shepe
Nowe Iscan geate nothing my zelfe and my wife to kepe.
Than an chad I bee with the kinges masse counstable,
Choulde zette myselfe voorth pertelye, and zo chwas hable.
Now vor lacke of a sallet whan my lyege hath neade
cham vaine to take an hatte of godsgood on my heade.
And vor god my dame, this ys but small amendement.
Iscomporte me to youe: how thinketh youre iudgement?
Coumpacing ka? Ientman, call ye thissame coumpacing?
And/ whom shall we twaine thanke, youe, for this coumpacinge?

Avar.
No sir.

peop.
Nowe by the compace that god coumpaced—

Respub.
Blame have thei of god and man, that this hath coumpaced.

Peopl.
Asmall coumpace more nowe maie zoone coumpace by throod
To make fowertie thowsaunde volkes heare growe throughe their hood.

Avar.
That is their owen faulte, not the faulte of policie.

Respub.
God above he knowith whose faulte it is and n{ot I.}

Peopl.
but didnot yche daylie geve youe warning?

Resp.
doubtelesse.

peopl.
And dydnot iche plaine me to youe?

Resp.
I graunte no lesse.

peopl.
And whan ich made my mone/ what woulde [ye] to me tell?

Respub.
as my hope was, that att length althing shoulde bee well.

peopl.
Coumpacing ka?

Resp.
people I put truste in other.

peopl.
valse bezeivers of zemlitee by godds mother.

Avar.
well suffer me then for my declaracion
to fett Authoritee and Reformacion
that ye maie bothe heare and charge them as well as me.

Respub.
with all my harte goode policie, let ytt so bee.
I praie youe call theim hither, if thei maie bee gotte.

people.
Anche heare om, Iscan tell where thei saie true or not.

scena quarta.

Avarice. Insolence. Respublica. Oppression. People.
Avar.
The fowlest open mowthed whretch that eare ye harde.

Insol.
Couldest thowe by no meanes make the peasaunte afearde?

Avar.
No, but anon I trowe we shall his masship trym
Conveighe hir awaie/ and than all wee three chide hym.
But whiste and come apace.

Respub.
I here policies voyce.

Avar.
That I mette youe so well, I doe muche reioyce.
Ladye Respublica woulde youe come hir before.

Insolence.
Madame god ye save.

Oppr.
and preserve for evermore.

Resp.
This is happie, happe. ye come soosoone tigither.

Avar.
As I went, I mette them bothe twaine hasting hether.

Resp.
Never in better tyme.

Insol.
Madame what is your will?

Oppress.
Is there eni thing, that youe woulde saie vs vntill?

Respub.
People cryeth owte and I am muche agrieved
that we fele oure selves in nothing yet relived.

Oppr.
No? that is not true. Mannie declare I canne—

Respub.
Even in briefe woordes/ I praie youe doe yt than.

peopl.
Praie youe lett me spose with thissame new come gentman.

Insol.
No sir.

Peopl.
masse but chil speake anche can spie my tyme whan.

Oppr.
Firste youre priestes and bisshops have not as thei have had.

Resp.
{whan they} had their lyvinges men were bothe fedde and cladde.

Oppress.
yea, but they ought not by scripture to be calde lordes.

Respub.
That thei rewle the churche with scripture well accordes.

oppr.
Thei were prowde and covetous/ and tooke muche vppon theim.

people.
but they were not covetous that tooke all from theym.

oppr.
The coigne eke is chaunged.

pepl.
yea from zillver to drosse,
(twas tolde vs) vor the beste: but poore wee bare the losse.
whan chad with zwette of browes got vp a fewe smale crumes
att paiing of my debtes ich coulde not make my sommes.
my landlorde vor my corne/ paide me zuche sommes and zuche
whan he should hate vor rent, yt was but haulfe zo muche.
zix pence in eche shilling was I strike quite awaie
zo vor one piece iche tooke, chawas vaine to paie him twaie.
one woulde thinke twer brasse, and zorowe have I els,
But ichwin mooste parte ont was made of our olde bells.

Insol.
yet if ye marke ytt well, for one peice ye have three,
whiche for your people is no smale Commoditie.

Peop.
well I nill medle in thissame matier no more,
but Isrecke not an twer ziluer as twas avor.

Oppr.
People, ye shall att lengthe finde ytt all for the best.

People.
Cha harde our parrishe clarke saye, diuum este, Iusllum weste.

Respub.
vndoubtedly I fele many thinges are amisse.

People.
Yea Iscan tell moo thinges yet, an me luste by Iisse.
thei have all the woodes throughout the realme destroyed,
which might have served long yeares beeing well emploied.
and than the greate cobbes have zo take the reste to hire
that poore volke cannot gett a sticke to make a fire.
Than their great grazing hath made fleshe so dere I wotte
that poore volke att shambles cannot bestowe their grotte.

Resp.
I lamente yt people. Alac, what maie I doe?
I miselfe I feare shall come to ruine toe.
Policie, what coumforte? whan will youe ease my smarte?

Avar.
ye are as safe even nowe, but for your false harte,
As any ladie of your name in Christendome.

Peopl.
If iche had zo zaide, chad lied by my holidome.

Resp.
ye heare what people saith which feleth as I doe.

Avar.
But rude peples wordes will ye geve credyte vnto?
will ye iudge yourselfe after his foolishe ian{gling?}
ye wer well enoughe tyll he begonne his wrangling.

Insol.
will ye beleve people that hath no manier of skill
to iudge or to descerne what thing is good or yll?
he is so headstrong he muste bee bridled with Lawes.

Peopl.
Thoughe zome bee starke bedlems, yet wise volkes beeth no dawes.

Insol.
we have ofte founde people/ mooste disobedient,
to orders mooste requisyte and expedient.
who suche a mainteynour of wrong opinions
As people in all Countries and dominions?
ye oughte therefore to rebuke hym att all houres
for discouraginge anie ministers of yours.

oppr.
ye muste tarrye tyme ere we can your pourpose serve.

peopl.
ye and than while the grasse shall growe, the horse shall sterve.

Insol.
Doe ye not see this by all experience plaine
that men from deseases recover[ed] againe,
doe after sycknes paste/ remaine a long tyme weake?

Respub.
People, herke, Authoritee dooth good reason speake.

Insol.
So ye, thoughe Oppressed with Longe aduersitee,
yet doubtenot are towarde wealth and prospiritee.

Respub.
Loe people, to hope a while longer shall bee best.

peopl.
well, then cham perswaged to doo att your enquest.

Insol.
Madame mistruste not vs your painfull ministers.

Avar.
Never had Ladie more watchefull officers.

Oppr.
For my parte I will sware the gosspell booke vppon
That if the Lawes I have made shoulde everye one
Redowne to myne owne singuler comodytee,
theye coulde not be frendelier framed then thei bee.

Insol.
Therefore repose yourselfe madame a while and winke
ye are in better case towarde then youe can thinke.

Avar.
we shall heare remaine, and geve people good counsaile
quiet for to be tyll policie maie prevaile.

Resp.
he will doe well with your goode informacions.

Peopl.
yea, vei, chil volowe their goode exaltacions.

Respub.
Than I leave youe all heare to god. I will departe.
exeat Resp.

people.
Now howe, destructions to membre in my harte.

Avar.
destructions? ye miser.

Insol.
ye peasaunt.

Oppr.
ye lowte.

Insol.
{Canne ye na}ught els doe but rage, and rave, and crye owt?

Oppr.
And cannot tell on whome?

Avar.
no more then can adawe.

Oppr.
Crow against your betters.

Insol.
and murmoure against the lawe.
leate me heare thee prate as thow haste doone hearetofore.

Avar.
Or trouble ladie Respublica anie more.

Oppr.
Thow canst not see thow wretch/ canst thow? whan thow arte well.

Avar.
Ist parte of thie plaie with suche highe matiers to mell?

Insol.
Doethe yt become the to barke/ with suche awide throte?

Avar.
And to have an ore in everye bodies bote?

Insol.
If thowe dooe so againe, yt shall with the bee wurse.

Oppr.
we shall wring and pinche the/bothe by bealie and purse.

Insol.
I wolde aduise youe frende to grunte and grone no more.

Oppr.
Doe the like againe and thoue shalte rue yt ful sore.

Avar.
It were best for youe freend all mourmouringe to cease.

people.
bum vei than chil een goo home, and vaire holde mi peace.

Insol.
Dooe soo by my reade/ and fall to honest laboure.

Avar.
hens home and bee quiete, and thow shalte fynde favour.

people.
Then chil byd youe vare well.

Oppr.
no woordes but hens a pace.
this was doone as shoulde bee.

Avar.
this was doone in right place.

people.
but howe, one worde erche goe/ yele geve volkes leave to thinke?

Oppr.
No marie will we not, nor to looke but winke.

people.
yes by gisse but chil loe, naie hoe thare, þought is free,
and a catt þey zaith maie looke on a king pardee.

exeat.
Inso.
Nowe where doo wee bee come? I home. exeat.


oppr.
And I abrode. exeat.


Avar.
And I must see what feete abought my doore have trodde.

exeat.