 | The Marriage between Wit and Wisdom |  |
The second act
the iiij scena
Enter Idlenis halting wth a stilt and shall cary a cloth vpon a stafe like a rat catcher & say/haue you any Rats or mise pole Cats or
weasels
or is there any old sowes sick of the measels
I can destroy fulmers & catch moles
I haue ratsbaine maidens
to spoil all the vermine that run in yor hole[OMITTED]
aratcatcher quoth you/
this is astrainge occupation
but euery where for Idlenis
thay make proclymation
thay say he shalbe hanged for cousining of wit
but there is atowne cald hopshort
thay haue me not yet
39
like a ratcatcher tell serch be gone
Here he espieth search coming in and goeth vp & doune saying haue you any rates & mise as in the first fiue lines/
search
here is a moyling they would haue a man
doe more then he is able
one were better to be hanged
then to be a constable
I haue searched for a knaue called Idlenis
but I cannot find him for all my businis
the knaue the saye haue cousind wit
& shord him on the shelf
Idlenis
/ yea if you take not heade
he will goe nie to cousin yor selfe
search
/ what dost the knowe him good fellow
I pray the now tell
Idlenis
/ doe I knowe why I tell the
I haue Ratesbane to sell
search
/ Ratesbaine tut a pointe
dost thou know Idlenis tell me
Idlenis
/ why I tell the I knowe him
aswell as he knowes me
I ween he be atalle man
& I trowe he stutes
40
a pound of Rats baine in his gutes
search
/ yea but wheare is he canst thou tell
Idlnis
/ No faith not well
search
/ yea but my thinkes thou art lame
Idlenis
/ yea you may see such luck
haue thay wc h vse game
I haue bin at St quintins
where I was twise kild
I haue bin at Musselborow
at the Scottish feeld
I haue bin in the land of greene ginger
& many a wheare
where I haue bin shot through
both the buttockes
& an Hargubushere
but now I am old
& haue nought my selfe to defend
& am faine to be a Ratcatcher
to mine end
Heere shall search take out apeece of paper and looke on it
search
what shall I giue the
to crie a proclimation
Idlenis
/ for halfe a score potes of beare
I will crie it after the best fashion
41
Search
/ Come gett vp heare you must say
as I say
Idlenis
/ How & you say I am a knaue
then must I needes say nay
Search
/ first crie oyes a good while
Idlenis
/ very well/
He cries to long
Search
/ Inought inought what hast
thou neuer done
Idlenis
/what didst not the bed me crie long
I haue not scarse begune
Search
/ Goe to crie shorter wt h a vengance
Idlenis
/ Oyes oyes oyes oyes/
very often
Search
/ what I think thou art mad
Idlenis
/ why would you not haue me doe
as you bad
Search
/ why canst thou keepe no meane
Idlenis
/ Oyes/
Here he shall crie well
Search
/ That is very well said
42
/ That is very well said
Search
/ what I wine thou bist drunck to day
Idlenis
/ why did you not bid me say as you did say
Search
/ Come say one the kinges most royall maiestie
Idlenis
/ Iohn king gaue a Royall to lye wt h Margery
Search
/ why what said I/
Idlenis
/ why so
Search
/ I say the kinges most Royall magistie
Idlenis
/ The kinges most Royall magistie
Search
/ dooth charge you all his true people
Idlenis
/ what it is not so/
Search
/ what
Idlenis
/ why you say there was abarge
flew ouer a steeple
Search
/ I say doth charge all his true people
Idlenis
/ O doth Charge all his true people
that is a nother matter
Search
/ That they watch els where
& see in the towne
Idlenis
/ That euery patch that a man weares
on his knee shall cost a crowne
43
/ why what meanes that
I spake no such word
that thay watch els where
and se in each towne
Idlenis
/ That they watch / ces
Search
/ If that Idlenis by any meance
thay can find
Idlenis
/ No. mary you say not true
Search
/ what is that
Idlenis
/ It is not for Idlenis that men
sowe beanes in the wind
Search
/ If that Idlenis by any meance
thay can find /
pul him downe
Idlenis
/ If that Idlenis ces
Search
/ Come downe wt h a pestilence
amorin rid the
Idlenis
/ here is good thainkes my masteres
come giue me my fee
Search
/ Come giue me vjxpence
& I will giue the viij pence
Now shall search rune a way wth his mony and he shall cast a way his stilt and run after him/
44
The fifte Scena
Enter fancieLike as the rowling stone we se
doth neuer gather mosse
& gold wt h other metels mixt
must neades be full of drose
so likwise I wc h commonly
dame fancy haue to name
amongest the wise am hated much
& suffer mickle blame
because that wauing heare and there
I neuer stidfast stand
whereby the depth of learninges lore
I cannot vnderstand
but wit perhaps will me in brace
as I will vse the matter
for whie I meane to counterfait
& smothly for to flatter
And say I am a messinger
from lady wisdome sent
to se if that wilbe ameane
to bring him to my bent
but se where he doth come
Enter wit
Wit
/ Like as the silly Mariner
amidest the wauig sea
Doth Clime the top of mightie mast
full oft both night & day
but yet at last when happily
he come from ship to shore
he seakes to saile a gaine as fresh
as erst he did before
45
the bruntes wc h I haue done
am euen as fresh to venter now
as when I first begune
a nue aduenture this I seek
not hauing rune my race
but who is this whome I behold
for to appeere in place
fancy
/ God saue you gentell m̄ wit
and send you good successe
wit
/ faire daime I thaink you hartly
& wish in you no lesse
what may one be bolde to Aske
yor name wt h out offence /
fancy
/ yea sir wt h good will that you may
& eke my whole pretence
my name is fancy and the cause
of this my coming now
from lady wisdome is to showe
a message vnto you
wit
/ Then are ye welcome vnto me
for lady wisdomes sake
fancy
/ here is the letter wc h she bad
me vnto you to take
Here he receueth the letter and readeth it to him selfe
wit
/ my ladyes will herein is this
that you should goe wt h me
46
as here she doth decree
fancy
/ Euen so good sir euen when you will
I doe the same a lowe:
goe you before in at the dore
& I will follow you
Here wit going in one shall pull him by the arme wherevpon he shall cry on this manner
vit
/ Alas I am betrayed
this sight makes me agast
fancy
/ Nay nay no force sir
I charge you him fast
now wit if that thou list
to match thy selfe wt h me
thou shalt be free as ere thou wast
& now released be
wit
/ Alas I am not so
Dame wisdome hath my hart
fancy
/ Then shalt thou lye there still
I wis vntell thou fealst the smart
Exeunt
The vi scena
Enter IdlenisThis is aworld to se how fortune chaungeth
this shalbe his luck wc h like me runeth
47
for the honour of artrebradle
this age wold make me swere madly
giue me one peny or a halfepeny
for a poore man that hath had
great losse by sea
& is in great misery
god saue my good master & my good dame
& all the householder
I pray you bestowe yor almes of a poore man
nye starued wt h colde
now I am a bould begger
I tell you the stowtest of all my kin
for if nobody will come out
I will be so bolde to goe in
byrlady here is nobody wt hin
but the cat by the fier side
I must neades go in what so euer
come of it I cannot abide
He goeth on and bringeth out the porridge pot a bout his nect
A sirra my masters how saist thou hodge
what art thou hungrie wilt thou
eat my podge
now I prouide for a deare yeare
this wilbe good in lent
well faire a good messe of pottage
when the herringes [is] be spent
a begger quoth you this geare beginnes
to fadge
48
the pottage bot shalbe my badge
now I am in that takin I dare
now showe my hed
& albe cossoning of wit
I am faine to beg my bred
well my masters fare you well
I may perhaps haue a Chek
if the good wyfe come forth
& take the pottage pot a boute my neck
The vij scena
Enter doll and lobDoll
/ O the passion of god so I shalbe swinged
so my bones shalbe bangd
the poredge pot is stolne what lob I say
come a way & be hangd
what lob I say come a way wt h a foule euill
Lob
/ what a lobbing makest thou
wt h a twenty deuill
Doll
/ Thou hast keept a goodly coile
thou whorsone hobling Iohn
thou keepst a tumbling of me
in the barne tell the poredge pot is gon
lob
/ Nay thou tumblest doune thy selfe
& was almost beare
nay I will tell my dame
how thou wolest neades feale my weare
Doll
/ Thou lyest whorsonne thou wilt
be cudgeld so thou wilt
49
/ nay good doll say the the porridge
were all spilt/
Heer entreth mother bee wth a stick in her hand
Mother bee
/ what where be these whorecops
I promis you you keepe a goodly coyle
I serue the hoges I seeke the heenes nest
I moile & toyle
Thainkes be to god gentle woman
betwixt Iack & Ione
when I come in to breakfast
all the potage is gone
I pray ye mistris where is the potage
pot is that hid a way
Doll
/ whilest lob was kissing me in the barne
a knaue stole it a way
Mother be
/ yea godes bores one can scarse go to pissing
but my man & my maid
doe straight fall to kissing
Here she beateth them vp and downe the stage.
are yeu billing what my man lob
is be come a iolly ruffler
you are billing you I must be faine
to be a snuffler
lob
O dame dame if you will beate me no more
I will tell you a tale
50
one called you whore
Mother be
/ a whorsonne thou callest me
whore by craft
thou art a kentish man I trow
lob
/ why doll will not mend my breech
how wold you haue me goe
Doll
/ he lyes dame he lyes he teares it
nether wt h plowing nor carting
for it is not so sone mended
but he teares it out wt h farting
Enter Inquisition bringing in Idlenis wth the potage pot about his neck
Mother be
/ soft who haue we heare
I am as glad
as one wold giue me a croune
what haue I spied byr lady my
porredge pot is come to towne
Inquisition
/ what is this yor pottage pot
doe you know it if you se it
Mother be
/ whether it be mine or no
he had it from my fier side
he cannot deny it
Exit mother be
lob
/ O dame dame so I will girk him if
I had my whip
sirra dol we will accuse him of fellowship
51
/ Lett me alone & I will tell you
who stole yor egges
and likwise who stole yor
coke wt h the yellow legges
Induisition
/ well we will haue him to a Iustice
dispach come a waye
Lob
/ yea & lett him be whipte
vp & downe the towne
next markit day
goe out all
The viij Scena
Enter good nurtureTo them whose shoulders doe supporte
the charge of tender youth
one greefe fales on an otheres neck
& youth will haue his rueth
since first I gaue to nurture wit
full many cares hath past
but when he had slaind Ircksomnis
I thought me safe at last
but now I se the very end
of that my late distresse
is abegining vnto greefe
wc h wilbe nothing lesse
for when I thought that wit of late
to wisdomes house had gone
he came not there but god knowes where
this retchlesse witt is run
ne knowe I where to seeke him now
whereby I learne wt h paine
52
but may returne a gaine
Here wit cryeth out in prison and sayeth this
The silly bird once caught in net
if she ascape aliue
will come no more so ny the snare
her fredome to depriue
but rather she will leaue her haunt
the wc h the vsed before
but I alas when steede is stolne
doo shut the stable dore
for being often caught before
yet could I not refraine/
more foolish then the witlis birde
I came to hand a gaine
alas the chaines oppresse me sore
wherewt h I now am lad
but yet the paine doth pich me more
wherein my hart is clad
o mightie Ioue now grant
that some good man may passe this place
by whose good helpe I might be brougth
out of this wofull case
good nurture
what noyse is this what petious plaint
are sounding in my eare
my hart doth giue me it is wit
the wc h I now do heare
I will drawe nere & see
He commith nere the prison
what wight art thou
53
& thus doost pine in paine
Wit
/ My name is witt
my greefe is greate
how should I then refrane
good Nurture
what wit how camest thou heare
o god what chaunce is this
wit
/ Dame fancy brought me in this case
I know I did amis
good Nurture
/ what fancy where is she
oh that I once might catch her
wit
/ wold god you could or els some one
that able weare to matche[r] her
but she no soner heard yor voyce
there standing at the dore
then she wt h all her folkes hath fled
& will be seene no more
but I poore sowle ly here in chaines
Here entreth and releaseth him good Nurture
once more I haue releast the of thy paines
wit
/ yor most vnworthy schollard
giues to you immortall thainkes
54
/ I pray you now take better heed
you play no more such pranckes
pluck vp yor sperites yor marige day
is come euen at [now at] hand
to morow wisdome shall you wed
[I shall contented be] I let you vnderstand
wit
/ right so as you think good
I shall contented be
good nurture
/ then let vs goe for to prepare
come one I say wt h me
/ Exeunt
Enter Idlenis like a preest
A sirra my masteres there is much adoe
when fortune is lowring
o the passion of god I haue escaped ascouring
here hath bin heaue & shoue
this geere is not fit
in faith I haue lye in the lurch
for coussing of witt
now shall he be maried in all the haste
when wit & wisdome is ioyned to gether
then I am reiected
well it I can shift els where
so long as I am not detected
detected I cannot welbe
I am of that condition
that I cane turne into all
coullers like the commillion
althought some doe refuse me
55
lubber will not refraine me
& when men hath done wt h me
women will retaine me
Idlenies the say tis the mother of wise
through Idlenis fell the troynes
& the greekes wan the price
Idlenis breedeth euell thoughts
where of come il deedes
Idlenis is a cockadill & greate mischefe breedes
I giue my selfe agood reporte
my mashters you may think the best
he that loueth me shall haue smale
ioy of [the best] his rest
king amasis made alawe
& bownd his subiectes to it fast
to giue an a count whereupon
they liued the yeare last past
& if any liued Idlely
wt h out any regard
the punishment was greuious
thay did him award
but now I can escape from all such perrill
& play the perueier
here in earth for the deuell
well my masters I must be gone
this marige to se
thay that list not to work
let them follow me
Exit
The x [Scnn] Scena
Enter Seueritie and witSeueritie
/ well now sonne witt
the proofe is plaine
56
but the brightnies of the sone
at last might put them back
the wind did neuer blowe so much
where wt h the barke was tore
but that the wether was so calme
to bring the ship to shore
the dainger now is past
adresse thy selfe wt h speede
to meete wt h wisdome thy deere wyfe
as we before decreede
wit
/ It shalbe done as dutie binds
& as I bounden stand
but se good father now behold
dame wisdome is at hand
Entur good nurture & wisdome and wisdome and wit singeth this song
/ wisdome /
My Ioye hath ouergrowen my greefe
my care is past
for fortune hath bin [bine] my relefe
now at last
tantara tara tantara
my husband is at hand
his comly grace appeeres in place
as I doe vnderstand
wit
/ My lady thrise welcome to me
mine onely ioy
57
wt h out annoy
tantara tara tantara
welcome my worthy wyfe
thou art my parte thine is my hart
my blessed lim of life
wisdome
/ As dutie doth bind according to kind
I thainke ye much
thy wife forthe will spend her life
she will not gruch
tantara tara tantare
the summe of all my blisse
the welcomest wight my cheefe delight
that shalbe & that is
wit
/ Let me thy comly corpes inbrace
dere wisdome now
wisdome
/ good wit I alwaies loued the place
to be wt h you
tantara [tara] tara tantara
thou hast my hart in hold
wit
/ Ne doe I faine but tell the plane
I am thy owne be bold
/ here Indeth the song /
good nurture
/ well now I am right glad
to se you both well met
Seueritie
/ and so am I wt h all my hart
that thay so sure are set
58
/ we thaink ye both right humbily
wit
/ & wish to mary speedyly
wisdome
/ ffor why allthough the turtle long
ware parted from her mate
wit
/ now good bethainked thay are met
in good & happy state
the lord be thainked for his grace
wch gaue the vnto me
then welcome nothing in heuen or earth
more welcommer can be
wisdome
/ and you to me dere wit
seueritie
/ come now the time requires
that we departe away
to celebrate the nuptiales
with[is] Ioy this wedding day
wit
/ goe you before my father deare
& y [OMITTED] good master straight
& then both I & wisdome to
wpon you will awaite
goe forth all
| The Marriage between Wit and Wisdom | |