 | Iacob and Esau |  |
Scæna secunda
Hanan. Zethar. two of Isaacs neighbors.Hanan.
Ah syr, I see I am an early man thys morne,
I am once more begylde with Esau his horne.
But there is no suche stirrer as Esau is:
He is vp day by day before the Crowe pis:
Then maketh he with his Horne such tootyng and blowing
And with his wyde throate such shouting and hallowing,
That no neighbour shall in his Tent take any rest,
So that he maketh vs whether we will or no,
Better husbandes than we woulde be, abroade to go,
Eche of vs about our businesse and our warke.
But whome doe I see yonder commyng in the darke?
It is my neyghbor Zethar, I perceyue hym nowe.
Zethar.
What neighbour Hanan, well met, good morow to you.
I see well nowe I am not beguiled alone:
But what boote to lye still? for rest we can take none.
That I meruayle much of olde father Isaac,
Beyng so godly a man, why he is so slacke
To bryng hys sonne Esau to a better stay.
Hanan.
What shoulde he do in the matter I you pray?
Zethar.
Oh it is no small charge to fathers afore God,
So to traine their children in youth vnder the rod,
That when they come to age they may vertue ensue,
Wicked prankes abhorre, and all leudnesse eschue.
And me thinketh Isaac, being a man (as he is)
A chosen man of God, shoulde not be slacke in this.
Hanan.
Alack good man, what should he do more than he hath don?
I dare say no father hath better taught his sonne,
Nor no two haue giuen better example of life
Unto their children, than bothe he and his wife:
As by their yonger sonne Iacob it doth appeare.
He lyueth no looce life, he doth God loue and feare.
He keepeth here in the Tentes lyke a quiete man:
He geueth not hymselfe to wildnesse any whan.
But Esau euermore from his yong childehoode
Hath ben lyke to proue yll, and neuer to be good.
Yong it pricketh (folkes do say) that wyll be a thorne,
Esau hath ben nought euer since he was borne.
And wherof commeth this, of Education?
Nay it is of his owne yll inclination.
They were brought vp bothe vnder one tuition,
But they be not bothe of one disposition.
Zethar.
In fayth I warrant him haue but shreude thriuing.
Hanan.
Neither see I any hope that he will amende.
Zethar.
Then let hym euen looke to come to an yll ende.
For youth that will folow none but theyr owne bridle,
That leadeth a dissolute lyfe and an ydle,
Youth that refuseth holsome documentes,
Or to take example of theyr godly parentes,
Youth that is retchelesse, and taketh no regarde,
What become of them selfe, nor which ende goe forwarde,
It is great meruaile and a speciall grace,
If euer they come to goodnesse all theyr life space.
But why doe we consume this whole mornyng in talke,
Of one that hath no recke ne care what way he walke,
We had bene as good to haue kept our bedde still.
Hanan.
Oh it is our parte to lamente them that doe yll.
Lyke as very Nature, a godly heart dothe moue
Others good proceedings to tender and to loue:
So suche as in no wise to goodnesse will be brought:
What good mā but wil mourn, since god vs al hath wrought
But ye haue some busynesse, and so haue I.
Zethar.
And we haue ben long, farewell neighbour heartily.
| Iacob and Esau | |