University of Virginia Library

The second scene

Enter Idlenes [&] the vice

A sirra my masters how fare you at this blessed day
what I wen all this company are come to se a play
what lokest the goodfellow didest the nere
se man before
here is a gasing I am the best man in
the compony when there is no more
as for my properties I am sure you
knowe them of old
I can Eate tell I sweate & worke
tell I am a cold
I am allwayes troubled wt h the litherlurdēn
I loue so to liger
I am so lasy the mosse groweth an
inch thick on the top of my finger
But if you list to knowe my name
I wis I am to well knowen to so
me men
my name is Idlenes the flower
of the frying pan
my mother had ij whelpes at one litter
both borne in lent
so we ware both put into a Mussellbote
& came saling in a sowees yeare ouer sea
into kent
my brother ercsomnies & I catch the doge
being disposed to make mery
we gott vs both doune to harlowe bery
but what is that to the purpose
perhapes you wold knowe
giue me leaue but alittell & I will
you showe
my name is Idelnees as I tould you before
& my mother Ignorance sent me hether
I pray the sirra what more
marry my masteres she sent me the
counterfait crainke for to play
& to leade witt Seuerities sone owt
of the waye
he should mock a marrige wt h wisdome
in all hast as thay talke
but stay thare a while soft fier makees swet malt
I must befirme to bring him out of his
broune stodie on this fashin
I will turne my name from Idlenes
to honest recreation
and then I willl bring him to be mistris
wantonnes[s] man
and afaith then he is in for a berd get
out how he can
but soft yet my masteres who is with in
open the dore & pull out the pine

Wantones
entreth and sayeth
what dol I say open the dore who
is in the streate
what m̄ Idlenes lay a straw vnder
yor feete
I pray you and one may aske you
what wind brought you hether

[Idelnes]
A littell wind I warrent you [I am]
[OMITTED]lite a[OMITTED]er
But harke the

wantonis
what it is not so will he come indeade

Idelnes
Nay if I say the word thou mayest beleue
as thy creed
but when he comes you must be curtious
I tell you
and you shall find him as gentell as a
faulcon
euery fooles fellowe
what me thinkes you are wt h Child

wantonnes
Nay my belly doth swell wt h Eating
of egges

Idlenes
Nay by S Anne I am a fraid it is a
timpany wt h two leggees
Away get the in

Exit
Enter wit
My ffather he hath chargded me
the thing to take in hand
wc h seames to me to be so hard
it cannot well be scand/
for I haue toyled in my booke
where wisdome much is praysed
But she is so hard to find that I am nothing eased
I wold I had bin set to blowe
or to some other trade
& then I might some leasure find
& better shift haue made
but nowe I swinke & sweate in vaine
my labour hath no End
& moping in my study still
my youthfull yeares I spend
wold god that I might hap to hit
vpon some good resort
some pleasant pastime forto find
& vse some better sporte

Idlenes
Mary no better: I am euen as fitt
for that purpose as a rope for a theefe
and you will be lusty cry hay amongst
knaues I am the cheefe

witt
What good fellow art thou what is
thy name

Idlenes
In faith I am Ipse he euen the
very same
aman of greate estimation in mine
owne cuntry
I was neuer staind but once
faling out of my mothers plumtre

wit
Thou art a mery fellowe & wise
& if thou kepe thy selfe warme

Idlenes
In faith I haue a mother wit
but I think no harme

Wit
I pray the what is thy name
to me it declare

Idlenes
nay I am no nigard of my name
for that I will not spare
ha by the masse I could haue told
you euen now
what a short brained villian am I
I am as wise as my mothers sowe
I pray you sur what is my name
cannot you tell
is there any here that knowes where
my godfather doth dwell
gentellmen if you will tarry while I
goe luck
I am sure my name is in the Churc«h» booke

Wit
I prethy come of & tell me thy name wt h redyni«s»

Idlenes
faith if you will neades knowe my name is Idelnes

wit
Mary fie one the knaue I nead not
thy compony

Idlenes
what because I spoke in iest will you take
it so angerly
for my name is honest recreation
I let you well to witt
there is not in all the world
acompanion for you more fitt

wit
And if thy name be honest recreation
thou art as welcome as any in this
laund

Idlenes
yea mary is it

wit
why then giue me thy hand

Idlenes
In faith I thaink you you are come
of a gentell birth
and therefore I will bring you acquainted
wt h a gentellwoman called modest mirth

Wit
yea mary wt h all my hart & god haue mercy to

Idlenes
why then come a way come lett vs goe
how god be heare

wantonis
what master honest recreation I pray
you Drawe neare

Idlenes
Nay I pray you come hether come I
pray ye

wantonis
I come

Idlenes
Nay but in any wise hide yor belly

wantonis
It is achilde of yor getting

Idlenes
I it hath fatheres at large but here
comes m̄ witt that is like to bere
all the charge
gentellman here is the gentellwoman
kisse her I say I am a horson els
If I had knowe you wold not
a kist her
I wold haue kist her my selfe

Wit
Gentellwoman this shalbe to desier you
of more acquaintance

Wantonnos
Sir a ought i may pleasuer you i will giue
a tendenid to haue naney suters my
lot dooth be fall but yet me think
i lyk you best of all

idlenes
yea she might haue had maney
men of knauery and of stellth

Wontanes
what saist thou

idlnes
mary you might haue had many men
of brauery and wellth but yet
me thinkes ther canot be a mach mor fit
then be twen mistres modst mirth
and you master wite

Wontanes
that is well sayed

Idlnes
yea and that will be a redy carage
to the [OMITTED] rop

wontanes
what sayest thou

[idlenes] Idelnis
that will be a spety marige i hope

wontones
by my trothe I am so wery imoust needs sit down
my logges will not houlld mee

witt
Thin will I sit Downe by you if I may
be so bould

Idlenis
heare is loue sir reuerence this geare is
euen fitt
oh here is a hed hath a counting house
full of witt

Wit
I am sure you are cuninge in musick
and therefore if you please sing vs a
songe

wantinis
That will I if it were for yor ease
Here shall wantonis sing this song to the tune of attend the goe playe the and hauing sung him a sleepe vpon her lappe let him snort then let her set a fooles bable on his hed and colling his face: and Idlenis shall steale a way his purse from him and goe his wayes/
The song///

Enter good nurture speaking this
I meruell whete my schollard wit
is now of late become
I feare least wt h il compony
he happen for to rune
for I good nurture commonly
among all men am counted
but witt by this his straing so
I feare hath me renounced
Seueritie his father sure
is graue & wise wt h all
but yet his motheres pampring
will bring his sonne to thrall
Here he stayeth stumbling at wit as he lyeth a sleep
why how now how what wight is this
on home we now haue hit
softe let me se this same is he
ye truly this is wit[[illeg.]]
Here he awaketh him
what wit I say arise for shame
o god where hast thou bin
the company made the a foole
that thou of late wast in

here he riseth rubbing his eyes and saying
o arrant strumpet that she waes that raid
me in this case

good nurture
Nay rather thou art much to blame
to be wt h such in place
Here he washeth his face and taketh of the bable
Come on I say amend this geere
beware of all temptation
yor wearinis for to refrish
take honest recreation

He deliuereth him honest recreation
wit
I thaink you m̄ nurture much for
this yor gentelnies
& will doe yor commandimentes
hence forth with willingnis

good nurture
god grant you may & sirra you awaight
vpon him still

Exit
witt
I thaink you sir wt h all my hart
for this yor greate good will
one Iourni more I meane to make
I think I was a curst
god grant the second time may be
more happy then the first/

Thay both goe out