University of Virginia Library

Scena 2a.

[Chaire]
Enter An abbot wth his Covent off ffryars, amongst them Fryar Ihon, and ffryar Ritchard.
Abbatt,
As I have heare priority off place.
boathe by our patrons ffavour and your voyce,
so giue mee leave to arbitrate amongst you
wthout respect off person,

ff: Ihon
wee acknwledge you
our princ and cheiffe,

ff Richard:
and to your ffatherly
and grave advyse hmbly submitt our selves

Abbott.
Knwe then in this small covent wch Consysts.
only off 12 in nober ffryars I meane.
and vs the abbat: I have ffownde amongst you
many and grosse abuses: yet ffor the prsent
I will Insist on ffewe. quarrells, debates.
whisperinge supplantinges. private callmnyes:
these ought not bee in such a brother hoodd
off these ffryar Ihon and you ffryar Richard are
accusd to bee mst guilty ever Iarringe,
and opposite to peace.

ff Ihon
The ffawlts in him,

ff Rich:
as in all other thinges so even in this
hee still is apt to wronge mee

ff [Abbot] Iohn
hee that ffyrst giues th'occation ffyrst Complaines
It ever was his ffashion,

ff Rich:
never myne
I appeale to the whole covent

Abbot
mallyce rooted
I ffinde is woondrous hard to bee supprest.
but knwe where consell and advise prevayle not
the ffayrest meanes that I can woork your peace
I'l take vpon mee my authority,
and where I ffinde in you the least contempt
I shall severely punishe,

ff Ihon
I submitt

ffry Rich:
I yeild my selff to your grave ffather hoodd

Abbott
Consider soonnes. this cloysterd place off ours.
Is but newe reard the ffownder hee still lyves
[a noble] a souldier once, and eminent in the ffeild
and after many battayles nwe retyrd
in peace to lyve [contemplatiue] a lyff Contemplati«u»
mongst many other charitable deedes.
vnto religion hee hathe vowed this howse
next to his owne ffayre mantion, that adioynes
and parted only by a slender wall:
who knwes but that hee neighboring vs so neare,
and havinge doone this vnto pious ends
may carry over vs and our beehaviours.
an austere ey off Censure

ff Ihon
ffitt there ffore
wee should bee in our actions Cautelous.

ffryar: Rich:
and careffull least wee may Incurr displeasure.
off such a noble patron

Abbot.
well observd.
his bewtious Lady

ff Ihon
a sweete soule in deede,

ff Richard.
on whome ffryar Ihon casts many a Leering ey
I have observd that too,

Abbot.
boath ffor her outward ffeature
and ffor her inward graces exellent
beyond compare, shee lyke-wyse is to vs.
a woorthy beneffactor:

ff Rich.
tis conffest:

ff Ihon,
would I might com to bee her' conffessor
It is a ffyre sweete Lady

[ff Rich]
[howe the Lecher,]
[hugges at the very name.]

Abbot
morninge and eveninge,
they dayly com to mattens. and to evensonge
such and so greate is theire devotion
that iff not crasd or ffaylinge in theire healthe,
they do not misse vs any hower off prayer
and there-ffor it beehooves vs all in generall,
to sett a careffull watche vpon our deedes.
least wee that are proffest religious.
bee in the least deffectiue:

ff Ritchard.
noate ffryare Ihon
howe hee makes anticke-ffaces and in skorne
off this your reverent counsell,

ff Ihon,
I alas:
a weakenes ffrom my childhood I conffesse
I ever had: and canott helpe it nwe,
to have a trobled contenance, I make mouthes:
this. (most observed ffather) but approoves
my Inocens and his envye, markt you that
ffryar Richard bent his ffyst and threatned mee.
I call all these to witnesse,

ff Ritch
no such thinge,
I have a Crampe oft takes mee in this hand
and makes mee weare clutcht ffingers. and that passiō
nwe came vpon mee, but ffor meanacinge him
it ever was ffarr ffrom mee. this but showes
his owld inveterate mallyce. wch in charity
I wishe might heare lye buried: (Syrrah anon
Il have you by the eares.)

ff Ihon,
doo iff thou darest:
we'll tugge it out by' the teeth:

ff Ritchard:
meete me inth orchard
Iust after even songe,

ff Ihon
I will make short prayers
bycause I'l keepe appointment.

Abbott
I am plyne
and breiffe wth all, eather beetwixt you too
make ffrendly reconsilement. and in 'presence.
off this your brotherhood (ffor what is ffryar,
but ffrater and thats brother, or my selff
out off my power will putt you to a penance
shall make you in one weeke ffyve' ffasting-dayes

ff Ihon
oh terrible,

Abbott
or iff that will not tame you,
I will complayne to'th ffownder, off your loosenes
your riotts and disorders: and petition,
that you as sowers off seditions heare[s]
and sole disturbers off our comon peace,
maye bee excluded this society
banisht as Comon barreters and shutt out.
to [common] publick shame and beggerye,

ff Richard.
horrible.

ff Ihon
ffyrst then to showe my submisse willingnes
and fforwardnes wth all;: wth as mch charity
as any new refformed man maye doo,
I wth a [hart and] zeale & hart new reconcild.
thus humbly begge his love. (y'are a rogue', Ritchard,

ff Richard,
to meete his [love,] trewe.
and most vnffeigned affection heare in fface,
and viewe off this our holly brotherhoode,
as iff in open coort, wth this imbrace,
I heare conffine all hatred. Ihon y'are a Iackstue
I meane a sawcye Iacke.

ff ** Ihon
the orchard

ff Richard.
theare

Abbot
why this is as it shoold bee' and beecoms.
a trew religious order, such as are sequestred
and vowed vnto a strickt monasticke lyffe,
ought to putt off these grosse and prophane sines,
most ffrequent amongst Laye-men, vnity,
due confformation and ffraternall love,
Devotion hott zeale and obediens these,
are vertues that beecom a cloyster best.
nwe letts retyre vnto our Orisons.
and prye ffor our good ffownders: may they still
growe to [theire] our wishe and thryve to theire owne will

[[OMITTED]anet]
ff Ihon:
more then I woold to have my wishe on thee
Ritchard, though I have, a good stomacke' toot,
ey and to bast thee sowndly I woold nwe
To have my will on her, tis a sweete Creature.
our patron owld shee younge, som hope in that,
beesydes shee's woondrous kind and affable,
and when wee duck or congee smiles as iff
shee tooke som pleasure in our shaven crownes.
I am the ffyrst that every morninge when
shee passes through the cloyster to her prayers,
Attend her wth good morrowe, pray ffor her' health
ffor her content and pleasure such as canott bee
hop't or expected ffrom her husbands age
and these my ffrendly wishes shee returnes
not only in kind languadge but sweete smiles.
the least off wch breede som Incoradgement.
I will Iff shee persist to proove thus kind
Iff not to speake my thoughts, to wryte my mynd

[cleare]