 | Liberalitie and Prodigalitie |  |
[[ACT I.]]
SCENE I.
Enter Vanitie solus, all in feathers.In words, to make description of my name,
My nature or conditions, were but vaine,
Sith this attire so plainely shewes the same,
As shewed cannot be in words more plaine.
For lo, thus round about in feathers dight,
Doth plainely figure mine inconstancie,
As feathers, light of minde, of wit as light,
Subiected still to mutabilitie.
And for to paint me forth more properly,
Behold each feather decked gorgeously,
With colours strange in such varietie,
As plainely pictures perfect Vanitie.
And so I am to put you out of doubt,
Euen Vanitie wholly, within, without,
In head, in heart, in all parts round about:
But whence I come, and why I hither come,
And vpon whom I dayly do attend,
In briefe, to shew you in a little summe,
My speciall meaning is, and so an end.
I came from Fortune, my most soueraigne dame,
Amongst whose chiefest seruants I am one,
Fortune that earthly goddesse great of name,
She minding in this place forthwith t'appeare,
In her most gorgeous pompe, and Princely port,
Sends me to see all things in Presence here,
Prepar'd and furnisht in the brauest sort.
Here will she mount this stately sumptuous throne,
As she is wont to heare each mans desire:
And who so winnes her fauour by his mone,
May haue of her, the thing he doth require.
And yet another Dame there is, her enemie,
'Twixt whom remaines continuall emulation;
Vertue, who, in respect of Fortunes soueraignety,
Is held, God wot, of simple reputation:
Yet hither comes (poore soule) in her degree,
This other seate halfe forced to supplie:
But 'twixt their states, what difference will be,
Your selues shall iudge, and witnesse when you see:
Therefore I must goe decke vp handsomly,
What best beseemes Dame Fortunes dignitie.
Exit.
SCENE II.
Enter Prodigalitie, Postilion, Hoste.Prod.
Postilion, stay, thou drugst on like an Asse.
Lo, here's an Inne, which I cannot well passe:
Here will we bayte, and rest our selues a while.
Post.
Why sir, you haue to goe but sixe small mile.
The way is faire, the moone shines very bright,
Best now goe on, and then rest for all night.
Prod.
Tush, Postil, faire or foule, or farre or neere,
My wearie bones must needes be rested here.
Post.
Tis but a paltry Inne, there's no good cheare:
Yet shall you pay for all things passing deare.
Prod.
I care not for all that: I loue mine ease.
Well, Sir, a Gods name then, doe what you please:
Prod.
Knock then at the gate.
Post.
Ho, who's at home? rip, rap.
hostler, chamberlaine, tapster.
Ho, take in Gentlemen. rip, rap.
knaue, slaue, host, hostis, ho.
What, is there none that answeres? Tout a la mort?
Sir, you must make entrance at some other port:
For heres no passage.
Prod.
No? let mee come, Ile knock a little harder.
Here must I inne, for sure I will no farder:
rip, rap, rap, rap.
Ho, who dwelles here?
rip, rap, rap.
Ile call on the women another
while. Ho Butter-wench, Dairy-mayd, Nurse, Laundresse, Cook,
host, hostis, any body, ho?
Host.
Whostere?
Prod.
Vp, sir, with a horse night-cap: what, are ye all in a drunken
dreame? can ye not heare?
Post.
Not a word more: hee is fast asleepe againe, I feare: what ho?
Host.
How now?
Prod.
How now? now the deuill take thee. Can calling, nor knocking,
nor nothing awake thee?
Host.
Now sir, what lacke ye?
Prod.
Lodging.
Host.
What are you?
Post.
Gentlemen: seest thou not?
Host.
Whence come ye?
Prod.
What skils that? open the gate.
Host.
Nay, soft a while, I am not wont so late
To take in ghests; I like ye not: away.
Prod.
Nay, stay awhile, mine host, I pray thee stay,
Open the gate, I pray thee heartily,
And what we take, we will pay thee royally.
Host.
And would ye haue lodging then?
Prod.
Yea rather then my life.
Host.
Then stay a while, ile first goe aske my wife.
Prod.
Nay, nay, send her rather to me:
If she be a pretty wench, we shall soone agree.
Post.
Now a bots on him and his wife both for me.
Then you would haue lodging, belike sir?
Prod.
Yea, I pray thee come quickly.
Host.
What's your name, and please you?
Prod.
Prodigalitie.
Host.
And will you indeed spend lustily?
Prod.
Yea that I will.
Host.
And take that ye finde, patiently?
Prod.
What els?
Host.
And pay what I aske, willingly?
Prod.
Yea, all reckonings, vnreasonably.
Host.
Well, goe to, for this once I am content to receyue
ye: come on, sir, I dare say, you are almost wearie.
Prod.
Thou maist sweare it.
SCENE III.
Enter Vertue and Equity.Vertue.
Oh most vnhappie state, of rechlesse humane kinde!
Oh dangerous race of man, vnwitty, fond, and blinde!
Oh wretched worldlings, subiect to all misery,
When fortune is the proppe of your prosperitie!
Can you so soone forget, that you haue learn'd of yore,
The graue diuine precepts, the sacred wholsome lore,
That wise Philosophers, with painefull industry
Had written and pronounst, for mans felicitie?
Whilome hath bin taught that fortunes hold is tickle,
She beares a double face, disguised, false, and fickle,
Full fraughted with all sleights, she playeth on the pack,
On whom she smileth most, she turneth most to wracke.
The time hath bin, when vertue had the soueraignety
Of greatest price, and plaste in chiefest dignity:
But topsie-turuy now, the world is turn'd about:
Proud Fortune is preferd, poore Vertue cleane thrust out:
Mans sence so dulled is, so all things come to passe,
Equity.
Madam, haue patience, dame Vertue must sustaine,
Vntill the heauenly powers doe otherwise ordaine.
Ver.
Equity, for my part, I enuy not her state,
Nor yet mislike the meannesse of my simple rate.
But what the heauens assigne, that doe I still thinke best:
My fame was neuer yet, by Fortunes frowne opprest:
Here therefore will I rest, in this my homely bowre,
With patience to abide the stormes of euery showre.
Exit.
SCENE IIII.
Enter Tenacity and Vanity.Ten.
By gogs bores, these old stumps are starke tyred.
Chaue here round about for life conquired,
Where any posting nags were to be hired,
And can get none, would they were all vyred.
Cham come too late for money, I hold a penny,
Sutors to Vortune there are so many;
And all for money, chill gage a round summe:
Money's gone before Tenacity come:
Then am I drest euen to my vtter shame:
A foole returnd, like as a foole I came.
Cham sure chaue come, vorty miles and twenty,
With all these bags you see, and wallets empty:
But when chaue sude to Vortune vine and deynty,
Ich hope to vill them vp with money plenty:
But here is one of whom ich will conquire,
Whilk way che might attaine to my desire.
God speed, my zonne.
Van.
What, father Croust, whither post you so fast?
Ten.
Nay, bur lady zonne, ich can make no haste:
Vor che may say to thee, cham tyred cleane.
Van.
More shame for you, to keepe your asse so leane:
But whither goe you now?
Ten.
To a goodly Lady, whom they call her, Vortune.
And wherefore?
Ten.
For mony, zonne, but iche veare che come too late.
Van.
Indeed it seemeth by thy beggers state,
Thou hast need of mony, but let me heare,
How or by whome think'st thou to get this geare?
Ten.
Chilspeake her vaire, chill make lowe cursie.
Van.
That's somewhat, but how wilt thou come at her:
Ten.
Bur Lady, zonne, zest true, there lies the matter.
Chil make some friend.
Van.
Whome?
Ten.
Some man of hers that neere her doth attend.
Van.
Who is that?
Ten.
Ich know not, chud that vnqueere of thee:
And therefore if thou knowest, tell it me.
Van.
What, in such haste forsooth, so suddenly,
And so good cheape, without reward or fee?
Ten.
Poore men, deare zonne, must craue of courtesie:
Get I once mony, thou shalt rewarded be.
Van.
Goe to then, ile tell thee: his name is Vanitie.
Ten.
And where is a?
Van.
No more adoe, aske but for Vanitie,
Reward him well, hee'le helpe thee to mony.
Ten.
But where?
Va.
Why here in this place: this is Lady Fortunes palace.
Ten.
Is this? Ah goodly Lord, how gay it is!
Now hope I sure of mony not to misse.
So law, my zonne, ich will goe rest my selfe a while,
And come againe.
Van.
Do so. Now sure this Coystrell makes me smile,
To see his greedy gaping thus for gayne,
First hardly got, then kept with harder payne,
As you e're long by proofe shall see full plaine.
Exit.
Ten.
This mine old Inne, here chill knock. Holla ho.
Host.
What Royster haue we there that rappeth so?
Post.
How now, sirra, what lacke you?
Ten.
Lodging.
Lodging? there is none: all is full.
Ten.
How so?
Post.
Tane vp by Gentlemen long ago.
Ten.
Let me yet haue some roome for mine asse.
Post.
Asinus super asinum, volitate ad furcas.
Host.
Who is that thou pratest there-withall?
Post.
Looke forth and see, a lubber, fat, great, and tall,
Vpon a tyred asse, bare, short, and small.
Host.
O ho, 'tis Tenacity my old acquaintance,
And to my wife of neere alliance.
Father Tenacity!
Ten.
Mine Host, God speed: how do you? Take in, Ostler.
Ostler.
Anon, sir.
Host.
Chamberlaine, waite vpon my kindred here.
Chamberl.
Well, sir.
SCENE V.
Enter Money and Vanity.The Song.
Money.
As light as a fly,
In pleasant iollitie:
With mirth and melodie,
Sing money, money, money.
Money, the minion, the spring of all ioy,
Money, the medicine that heales each annoy,
Money, the Iewell that man keepes in store,
Money, the Idoll that women adore.
That money am I, the fountaine of blisse,
Whereof who so tasteth, doth neuer amisse.
Money, money, money:
Sing money, money, money.
What, Money, sing you so lustily?
Mon.
I haue none other cause: who would not sing merily,
Being as I am, in such felicity,
The God of this world, so mightie of power,
As makes men, and marres men, and al in an houre?
Yea where I am, is all prosperitie,
And where I want, is nought but miserie.
Van.
Money saith reason, for so doth it fare,
Money makes masteries, old prouerbs declare.
But, Money, Of Fortune our soueraigne dame,
What newes?
Mon.
Marry sir, of purpose I hither came,
To let thee know she will forth-with be here:
And loe, alreadie see she doth appeare.
Van.
Tis true; now must I shew my diligence.
Downe Ladies, stowpe, do your reuerence.
SCENE VI.
Enter Fortune in her Chariot drawne with Kings.The Song.
Reuerence , due reuerence, faire dames do reuerence,
Vnto this Goddesse great do humble reuerence:
Do humble reuerence.
Fortune of worldly state the gouernesse,
Fortune of mans delight the Mistresse,
Fortune of earthly blisse the patronesse,
Fortune the spring of ioy and happinesse:
Lo, this is she, with twinkling of her eie,
That misers can aduance to dignity,
And Princes turne to misers miserie.
Reuerence, due reuerence.
Report hath spread, that Vertue here in place
Arriued is, her silly court to hold:
And therefore I am come with faster pace,
T'encounter her, whose countenance is so bold.
I doubt not, but by this my pompous shew,
By vestures wrought with gold so gorgeously,
By reuerence done to me of high and lowe,
By all these ornaments of brauerie,
By this my trayne that now attends me so,
By Kings that hale my Chariot to and fro,
Fortune is knowne the Queene of al renowne,
That makes, that marres, sets vp, and throwes adowne.
Well is it knowne, what contrary effects,
Twixt Fortune and dame Vertue hath beene wrought:
How still I her contemne, she me reiects;
I her despise, she setteth me at nought:
So as great warres are growne for soueraignty,
And strife as great, twixt vs for victorie.
Now is the time of triall to be had,
The place appoynted, eke in present here:
So as the trueth to all sorts, good and bad,
More cleere then light, shall presently appeare.
It shall be seene, what Fortunes power can doe,
When Vertue shall be forst to yeeld thereto.
It shall be seene when Vertue cannot bide,
But shrinke for shame, her silly face to hide.
Then Fortune shall aduaunce her selfe before
All harmes to helpe, all losses to restore.
But why do I my selfe thus long restrayne,
From executing this I do entend?
Time posts away, and words they be but vaine,
For deedes (indeed) our quarrell now must end.
Therefore in place I will no longer stay,
But to my stately throne my selfe conuay.
Reuerence, due reuerence, &c.
| Liberalitie and Prodigalitie | |