University of Virginia Library

scaena 2

enter Mr Simple, Mr Hodgefeild; & page.
Mr Simp.
save you good cozen Hodgefeild; what still sad man?
why such a one at last will prove a madman
oh you have lost most pretious sport. old sack
not mulld, nor butterd, nor burn't lusty sacke
not maligo, madaera, or canary,
xexiz, or spanish sack: but sack the beare
alias beare sackerson, beare paramount,
that properly is called ursa major;
hath overthrowne the tribe of butchers doggs,
and frighted all the latter daies of July
& some of August, that they noe more
Will be accompted dog daies, synce the losse
this grievious losse, hath beene performed on the
whole nations of doggs, by sackerson.

Hod.
and was there much good sport Sir.

Symp.
o most admirable!
the North beare, I meane the constellation
that's calld the beare mistaken, neere made
such admirable sport.

Hod.
I understand you not, you are soe learned
in your discourse of new arctophylax

Sym.
Indeed the paraphrase is mysterious.
and therefore plainely to the matter, once
on a good time (for soe all tales begin)
there liv'd an ignorant empirique, which professd
to cure men troubled with a Lunacy,
or for to quiet, crased phrenetique braines.
This sottish empirique with more ostentation,
by much, then true ability; had gotten
into his charge a young Astronomer
that was gone mad, with oremuch starregazinge;
and when the student would by chance begin
discourse of divers constellations,
then would the silly grosse empirique sot
command his cerberus, or his servant Jailour
to set upon him with a holly wand,
or Tough bulls-pissel: & to strap him soundly,
persuading the poore fellow, that he rav'd.

Hodg.
o monstrous Ignorance! did he this in earnest?

Simp.
in earnest? yea Sir. how could it be otherwise,
he was a cole-carrier 'fore he practiced phisique,
& colediggers scarce study ere the names
of any starres.—

Hodg.
Ime of your mind for that.—

Simple.
but to my bere. it happened on a night,
that my young mad Astronomer, went forth
went forth
Despite of the buls-pissle, & the wand,
for to observe the starres: & seeing then
by chance the ancestour of sackerson,
(or the north beare a starre or constellation,
soe nam'd by Astronomers:) forthwith told
the standers by, with fingers full uprear'd
unto the starre, that it was calld the beare.
Noe sooner were these flying words let loose
upon the wing: but presently the torne
& furious Jailour, with his wand & pissle,
was on his Jacket thicker then the haile,
supposing that the student was mistaken,
to think there was a beare in heven.—

Hodg.
o heathenish, brutish, & infernall ignorance!
as grosse as coles, come out off Sunderland!
thickner then darkenesse! but are any
not altogether sottish, yet soe mad
to put their friends, under the pisselman?
that scarse know's chalke from cheese.—

Simp.
ey: theres the mistery. yet this slubberdegullion
is held a man of very secret Knowledge
& I believe, that his Knowledge may bee
accompted secret. for it much converseth
in secret waies: as of their coledust, &
the linings of close stooles.—

Hodge.
foh! I smel him hither! prythee do not
stirre any more this Kennell.

Simp.
how ist with your mistresse? have you any
hopes of her yet consent.

Hod.
I am arrivd (good cuz) beyond the cape
of bono speranza; or good hope: and am almost
almost,
in full possession.

Simp.
I rejoice deare (coz)
in your atchievements; surely Claribell
is all perfection.—

Hodg.
She is very quintessence & elixar
of all perfection: Nature her selfe's ambitious
to preserve Claribell for to steale a copy
from her compleat existence, when she strives
to make the world admire her workmanship.

Simp.
she is indeed the summ of beauty; and
the essence of all virtue.

Hod.
enough, good coz. let us retire, & spend
the rest of this faire day, unto the end.