University of Virginia Library

SCEN. 2.

Comunis, Sensus, Memory, Phantastes, Heuresis, Anamnestes take their places on the bench, as before, Auditus on the stage, a page before him bearing his target, the field sable, an heart or, next him Tragedus appareled in black veluet, faire buskins, a fauchion &c. then Comædus in a light colloured greene taffata robe, silke stockings, pumps, gloues. &c.
Commvnis Sensvs, Memory, Phantastes, Hevresis, Anamnestes. &c.
Com.

They had some reason that held the soule a harmony,
for it is greatly delighted with musicque, howe fast wee weare
tyed by the eares to the consort of voices powder; but all is
but a little pleasure, what profitable obiects hath he?

Pha.

Your eares will teach you presently, for nowe hee is
comming, that fellowe in the bayes mee thinkes I should haue
known him; ô tis Comedus, tis so, but he is become now a daies
some thing humerous, and too too, Satyricall, vp and downe,
like his great grand-father Aristophanes.

An.
These two my Lord Comædus and Tragedus,
My fellowes both, both, twins, but so vnlike,
As birth to death, wedding to funerall:
For this that rears him selfe in buskins quainte,
Is pleasant at the first, proud in the midst:
Stately in all, and bitter death at end.
That in the pumpes doth frowne at first acquaintance:
Troble the midst, but in the end concludes,
Cloasing vp all with a sweete catastrophe?
This graue and sad disdaine with brinish teares,
That light and quick with wrinckled laughter painted;
This deales with Nobles, Kings, and Emperours:
Full of great feares, great Hopes, great enterprises,
This other trades with men of meane condition:
His proiects small, small Hopes and dangers little,
This gorgeous broidered with rich sentences:
That faire and purfled round with merriments:
Both vice detect, and vertue beautifie:
By being deaths mirrour, and lifes looking glasse.

Com.
Salutem iam primum a principio propitiam.
Mihi atque Vobis spectatores nuntio.

Pha.

Pish, pish this is a speech with no action, lets here Terence,
quid igitur faciam, &c.

Com.

Quid igitur faciam? non eam ne nunc quidam cum accusor
vltro?

Pha.

Phy, phy, phy, no more action, lend me your baies, doe
it thus. Quid igitur, &c. (he acts it after the old kinde of Pantomimick
action.)

Com. Sen.

I shold iudge this action Phantastes most absurd, vnles
we should come to a Commedy, as gentlewomen to the comencement,
only to see men speake.

Pha.

In my imagination it's excellent, for in this kinde the
hand (you knowe) is harbinger to the tongue and prouides the
words a lodging in the eares of the Auditors.

Com. Sen.

Auditus it is nowe time you make vs acquainted
with the quallity of the house you keepe in, for our better healpe
in iudgement.

Avd.
Vpon the sides of faire mount Cephalon,
Haue I two houses passing humaine skill:
Of finest matter by dame nature wrought,
Whose learned fingers haue adorn'd the same
With gorgeous porches of so strange a forme,
That they command the passingers to stay:
The dores whereof in hospitallity,
Nor day, nor night, are shut, but open wide,
Gently inuite all commers; wherevpon,
They are named the open eares of Cephalon.
But least some boulder sound should boldy rush,
And breake the nise composture of the worke,
The skilfull builder wisely hath inrangd,
An entry from each port with curious twines,
And crookt Meanders, like the laborinth,
That Dedalus fram'd to inclose the Minotaure;
At end whereof is placed a costly portall:
Resembling much the figure of a drumme,
Granting slow entrance to a priuate closet:
Where daily with a mallet in my hand,
I set and frame all words and sounds that come,
Vpon an Anuile and so make them fit:
For the perewinckling poore; that winding leades,
From my close chamber to your Lordships cell.
Thither do I chiefe Iustice of all accents,
Psyches next porter, Microcosmes front:
Learnings ritch treasure, bring discipline,
Reasons discourse, knowledge of foraigne states,
Lowd fame of great Heroes vertuous deeds:
The marrowe of graue speeches and the flowers:
Of quickest Wits, neat Iests, and pure Conceits,
And often times to ease the heauy burthen,
Of gouernment, your Lordships shoulder beare,
I thither do conduce the pleasing Nuptialls:
Of sweetest instruments with heauenly noise.
If then Auditus, haue deseru'd the best:
Let him be dignified before the rest.

Com. Sen.

Auditus I am almost a Skepticke in this matter,
scarce knowing which way the ballance of the cause will decline,
when I haue heard the rest, I will dispatch iudgement, meane
while you may depart.

Auditus leads his showe about the stage, and then goes out.