University of Virginia Library

Sce. 2.

Enter Roscius a Player.
Rosc.
Why tis well.

Flow.
Pray sir what serve they for?

Rosc.
We use them in our Play.

Bird.
Are you a Player?

Rosc.
I am Sir, what of that?

Bird.
And is it lawfull?
Good sister lets convert him, will you use
So fond a calling?

Flow.
And so impious?

Bird.
So irreligious?

Flow.
So unwarrantable?

Bird.
Only to gain by vice?

Flow.
To live by sinne?

Rosc.
My spleene is up: And live not you by sinne?
Take away vanity and you both may break.
What serves your lawfull trade of selling pins,
But to joynt gew-gawes, and to knit together
Gorgets, strips, neck-cloths, laces, ribbands, ruffs,
And many other such like toyes as these,
To make the Baby Pride a pretty Puppet?
And you sweet Featherman, whose ware though light
Oreweighs your Conscience, what serves your Trade
But to plume folly, to give Pride her wings,
To deck vain-glory? spoiling the Peacocks tayle
T'adorne an Idiots Coxcombe! O dull ignorance!
How ill 'tis understood what we doe meane
For good and honest! They abuse our Scene,
And say we live by vice: Indeed tis true
As the Physitians by diseases doe,
Only to cure them: They doe live we see
Like Cookes by pamp'ring prodigality,
Which are our fond accusers. On the stage
We set an Vsurer to tell this age
How ugly looks his soule: A prodigall
Is taught by us how farre from liberall
His folly bears him: Boldly I dare say
There has been more by us in some one Play
Laugh't into wit and vertue, then hath been
By twenty tedious Lectures drawn from sinne
And foppish humours; Hence the cause doth rise
Men are not wonn by th'eares so well as eyes.
First see what we present.

Flow.
The sight is able
To unsanctify our eyes, and make 'em Carnall.

Rosc.
Will you condemne without examination?

Bird.
No Sister, let us call up all our zeale,
And try the strength of this temptation:
Satan shall see we dare defie his Engines.

Flow.
I am content.

Rosc.
Then take your places here, I will come to you
And moralize the plot.

Flow.
That moralizing
I doe approve, it may be for instruction.