An excellent new Commedie, Intituled : The Conflict of Conscience Contayninge, A most lamentable example, of the dolefull desperation of a miserable worldlinge, termed, by the name of Philologvs, who forsooke the trueth of Gods Gospel, for feare of the losse of lyfe, & wordly goods |
The Prologue. |
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 | An excellent new Commedie, Intituled : The Conflict of Conscience |  |
The Prologue.
When whirling windes which blowe with blustring blast,
Shall cease their course, and not the Ayre mooue,
But still vnstirred it doth stand, it chaunceth at the last,
To be infect, the trueth hereof euen day by day we prooue,
For deepe within the Caues of earth, of force it doth behoue,
Sith that no windes do come thereto, the Ayre out to beate,
By standing stil the closed ayre, doth breede infections great.
Shall cease their course, and not the Ayre mooue,
But still vnstirred it doth stand, it chaunceth at the last,
To be infect, the trueth hereof euen day by day we prooue,
For deepe within the Caues of earth, of force it doth behoue,
Sith that no windes do come thereto, the Ayre out to beate,
By standing stil the closed ayre, doth breede infections great.
The streame or flood, which runneth vp and downe,
Is far more sweete, then is the standing brooke.
If long vnworne, you leaue a Cloake or Gowne,
Moathes will it marre, vnlesse you thereto looke:
Againe, if that vppon a shelfe, you place, or set a booke,
And suffer it there still to stand, the wormes will soone it eate:
A Knife likewise, in sheath layde vp, the rust will marre and freat.
Is far more sweete, then is the standing brooke.
If long vnworne, you leaue a Cloake or Gowne,
Moathes will it marre, vnlesse you thereto looke:
Againe, if that vppon a shelfe, you place, or set a booke,
And suffer it there still to stand, the wormes will soone it eate:
A Knife likewise, in sheath layde vp, the rust will marre and freat.
The good road horsse, if still at racke he stand,
To resty Iade will soone transformed be,
If long vntild, you leaue a fertile lande,
From strecke, and weede, no place wilbe left free:
By these examples, and such like, approoue then well may wee,
That idlenes more euills doth bring, into the minde of man,
Then labour great in longer tyme, againe expell out can.
To resty Iade will soone transformed be,
If long vntild, you leaue a fertile lande,
From strecke, and weede, no place wilbe left free:
By these examples, and such like, approoue then well may wee,
That idlenes more euills doth bring, into the minde of man,
Then labour great in longer tyme, againe expell out can.
Which thing our Author marking well, when weried was his minde,
From reading graue and auncient workes, yet loth his time to loose,
Bethought himselfe, to ease his heart, some recreance to fynde
And as he mused in his minde, immediately arose,
A straunge example done of late, which might as he suppose,
Stirre vp their mindes to godlines, which shoulde it see or heare,
And therefore humbly doth you pray, to geue attentiue eare.
From reading graue and auncient workes, yet loth his time to loose,
Bethought himselfe, to ease his heart, some recreance to fynde
And as he mused in his minde, immediately arose,
A straunge example done of late, which might as he suppose,
Stirre vp their mindes to godlines, which shoulde it see or heare,
And therefore humbly doth you pray, to geue attentiue eare.
The argument or ground wheron our Author chefely stayed,
Is (sure) a Hystory straunge and true, to many men well knowne,
Of one through loue of worldly wealth, and feare of death dismaide,
Because he would his lyfe and goods, haue kept still as his owne,
From state of grace wherein he stoode, was almost ouerthrowne:
So that he had no power at all, in heart firme fayth to haue,
Tyll at the last, God chaungd his mynde his mercies for to craue.
Is (sure) a Hystory straunge and true, to many men well knowne,
Of one through loue of worldly wealth, and feare of death dismaide,
Because he would his lyfe and goods, haue kept still as his owne,
From state of grace wherein he stoode, was almost ouerthrowne:
So that he had no power at all, in heart firme fayth to haue,
Tyll at the last, God chaungd his mynde his mercies for to craue.
And here, our Author, thought it meete, the true name to omit,
And at this time, imagine him PHILOLOGVS to be,
First, for because a Comedie, will hardly him permit,
The vices of one priuate man, to touch particulerly,
Againe, nowe shall it stirre them more, who shall it heare or see,
For if this worldling had ben namde, we wold straight deeme in minde,
That all by him then spoken were, our selues we would not finde.
And at this time, imagine him PHILOLOGVS to be,
First, for because a Comedie, will hardly him permit,
The vices of one priuate man, to touch particulerly,
Againe, nowe shall it stirre them more, who shall it heare or see,
For if this worldling had ben namde, we wold straight deeme in minde,
That all by him then spoken were, our selues we would not finde.
But syth PHILOLOGVS is nought else, but one that loues to talke,
And common of the worde of God, but hath no further care,
According as it teacheth them, in Gods feare for to walke,
If that we practise this in deede, PHILOLOGI we are,
And so by his deserued fault, we may in time beware,
Nowe, if as Author first it meant, you heare it with this gayne,
In good behalfe he will esteeme, that he bestowed his payne.
And common of the worde of God, but hath no further care,
According as it teacheth them, in Gods feare for to walke,
If that we practise this in deede, PHILOLOGI we are,
And so by his deserued fault, we may in time beware,
Nowe, if as Author first it meant, you heare it with this gayne,
In good behalfe he will esteeme, that he bestowed his payne.
And for because we see by proofe, that men do soone forget,
Those thinges for which to call them by, no name at all they knowe,
Our Author for to helpe short wittes, did thinke it very meete,
Some name for this his Comedy, in preface for to showe,
Nowe names to natures must agree, as euery man do knowe,
A fitter name he could in mynde, no where excogitate,
Then, THE CONFLICT OF CONSCIENCE, the same to nominate.
Those thinges for which to call them by, no name at all they knowe,
Our Author for to helpe short wittes, did thinke it very meete,
Some name for this his Comedy, in preface for to showe,
Nowe names to natures must agree, as euery man do knowe,
A fitter name he could in mynde, no where excogitate,
Then, THE CONFLICT OF CONSCIENCE, the same to nominate.
A cruell Conflict certainly, where Conscience takes the foyle,
And is constrained by the flesh, to yelde to deadly sinne,
Whereby the grace and loue of God, from him, his sinne doeth spoyle,
Then (wretch accurst) small power hath, repentance to beginne,
This Hystorie here, example showes, of one fast wrapt therein,
As in discourse before your eyes, shall plainely prooued be,
Yet (at the last) God him restoarde, euen of his mercie free.
And is constrained by the flesh, to yelde to deadly sinne,
Whereby the grace and loue of God, from him, his sinne doeth spoyle,
Then (wretch accurst) small power hath, repentance to beginne,
This Hystorie here, example showes, of one fast wrapt therein,
As in discourse before your eyes, shall plainely prooued be,
Yet (at the last) God him restoarde, euen of his mercie free.
And though the Historie of itselfe, be too too dolorus,
And would constraine a man with teares of blood, his cheekes to wett,
Yet to refresh the myndes of them that be the Auditors,
Our Author intermixed hath, in places fitt and meete,
Some honest mirth, yet alwaies ware, DECORVM, to exceede:
But list, I heare the players prest, in presence foorth to come,
I therefore cease, and take my leaue, my Message I haue done.
Exit.And would constraine a man with teares of blood, his cheekes to wett,
Yet to refresh the myndes of them that be the Auditors,
Our Author intermixed hath, in places fitt and meete,
Some honest mirth, yet alwaies ware, DECORVM, to exceede:
But list, I heare the players prest, in presence foorth to come,
I therefore cease, and take my leaue, my Message I haue done.
FINIS.
| An excellent new Commedie, Intituled : The Conflict of Conscience | |