University of Virginia Library

Actus Quintus

Scena Prima.

Enter the Abbot of Chester read«i[OMITTED]g» a letter, & one of [OMITTED]
Abbot.
My honest freend, this letter from thy Lord,
shewes that the mariages, so long deferd,
betweene the Ladyes and their seuerall suters:
must now at length be finished this day.
And at this Abbey is the place appoynted.
ffurther he sayth, that all the Abbey gates,
not only must be fast, but strongly mand,
with his owne guard appoynted for the purpose,
that none may issue foorth, or enter in,
but such as first must by him selfe be seene.
what? is there daunger of preuention?
or that resistaunce will be offered?

Seruaunt.
daunger there is, but what, in sooth I knowe not,
Lord Abbot, I haue performde my charge to you,
I must goe warne his guarde in readines,
and then returne to certefye my Lord.

Abbot.
Assure his honor, what he hath referd,
vnto my trustie care and secrecie
in euery poynt shall answere his content.
Our Lord forbid, but he should heere cōmaund,
that is our patrone, and so good an Earle.

Seruaunt.
his honor will be thankfull for this kindnes,
which Ile not fayle at full to let him knowe.
exit Seruaunt.

Abbot
ffarewell my freend, Ile bout my busines strayte,
and gaynst his cōming giue my due attendaunce.
exit Abbot.

Enter Iohn a Kent, denvyle, Griffin and Powesse.
S. Griffin.
would any man but you haue beene so fond,
to yeeld the Ladyes, when we might haue kept them?
poore soules, with what vnwillingnes they went,
pray God this rashnes all we not repent.

P[OMITTED]wesse.
what though that once ye proou'de too hard for him?
still are ye certaine of the lyke successe?
Remember how he crost vs at first,
once warnde, dooth make a man to dread the wurst.

denvyle.+
I will suspend my iudgement in this case,
and rather hope, then feare what may befall.
Once this I knowe, it will goe wundrous hard,
Ere Iohn a Kent be in his purpose bard.

Iohn.
ffeare you, hope you, for my parte, Ile doo neither,
but track his steppes that treades the way before,
to doo the thing he can vndoo no more.
These weddings then must be at Chester Abbey,
the Gates wherof moste strongly will be mand,
Entraunce there is allowed [to] at none but one,
And Iohn a Cumber there must be the Porter,
Tis very lyke then, none of you get in.
And yet in faith it would be very prettie,
to prooue his eye sight, whether he doo knowe,
the men that should be let in, yea or no.
would not you laugh to see him let you in,
and keep them out that [m[OMITTED]st] should his wager winne?

S. Griffin
Oh that were excellent, might it be so,
and if thou list, doubtlesse it shall be so.

Iohn.
Lord Powesse, what think you?

Powesse.
Euen as Prince Griffin, so sweet Iohn say[OMITTED]
thou art the man mayst make vs liue or dy[OMITTED]

denvyle.+
If it should fall out so successefully,
besyde the endlesse that thou shalt winne[OMITTED]
p[OMITTED]ud Iohn a Cumbers foyle will be the«**»
[OMITTED]«****»shall b«****»,
[OMITTED] Iohn a Cumber euen him selfe say no.
«B»ut how can we disguyse our selues so soone,
[OMITTED] euery poynt lyke Mooreton and Earle Pembrook?
«f[OMITTED]» otherwise of force we must be knowen?

[OMITTED]
Tu«sh» weele no shapes, nor none of these disguysings,
they «h[OMITTED]t»ofore seru'de bothe his turne and myne,
As no[OMITTED] ye are, so shall ye passe the gate.
And for the blame shall not relye alone,
on poore Iohn Cumber, when the faulte is spyed,
albeit his skill will be the lesse therby:
The Prince Llwellen, and the Earle of Chester,
shall bothe be by, and graunt as much as he.
Nay more, them selues shall bring ye to the Chappell,
and at their handes shall you receiue your Brydes.
If this I doo not ere two houres be spent,
Neuer let me be calld more Iohn a Kent.

Powesse.
[Ah peerelesse Iohn, wt h looue, with life and landes,]
[will we requyte this kindnes at thy hands.]

/embracing.
S. Griffin
[And sing sweet Sonnets in thy endlesse prayse,]
[while our fayre looues and we enioy our dayes]

Iohn.
[Let vs away, it is vppon their cōming.]
[ffor they think long vntill the deed be doone,]
[wherby Iohn hopes his credit will be wun.]

exeunt.
Enter Llwellen, Chester, Countesse, Sydanen, Marian, Oswen, Amery, Iohn a Cumber, and Abbot.
Chester.
ffeare not my Lord, my selfe haue beene about,
and seene the gates mand as they ought to be,
with spyes besyde that shall regard the walles.
And with the Abbot haue I tane this order,
Only this gate shall serue for enteraunce.

Llwellen.+
But by your leaue my Lord, we will entreat,
that Iohn a Cumber, till it be dispatchte,
will sit as porter, then we may be sure,
that practise Iohn a Kent what ere he dare,
while he is there the lesse neede be our care.

Cumber.
Alas my Lordes, I see what he intends,
to come in person like this reuerend Abbot,
therby to get in Griffin and Lord Powesse.
but therin Ile preuent him, feare ye not.
ffather take you the Ladyes to your charge,
and wt h the Countesse lead them to the Chappell
you twayne will stay vntill the Brydegroomes come.
then afterward let all the charge be mine.

Countesse.
[Come loouely Niece and Marian, wend with me,]
[this day will end the greefes wherin you be.]

Sydanen
[But may it prooue as poore Sidanen wish,]
[else her hart cares will farre surmount her blisse.]

Marian
[Now Iohn a Kent if euer thou shewedst skill,
doo it at this instant, and our ioyes fulfill.]

exeunt Coun. Syd. Ma. Ab.
Llwellen.+
I wunder that these Lordes doo stay so long,
so soone as we they sayd they would be heere.

Enter Iohn a Kent a loof of, Griffin and Lord Powesse.
Iohn.
Goe on and feare not, now Iohn we shall see,
if ye can help your eyes infirmitie.

Chester
O heere they be, fye Lordes why stay ye so?
the other would haue made more haste I knowe.

Cumber.
Be thou their guyde, goe, quickly make an end,
and then let Iohn a Kent my skill cōmend.

exeunt.
[OMITTED]
O rare Magitian that hast not the power,
to beat asyde a sillie dazeling mist,
which a mere abce scholler in the arte,
can doo it with the least facillitie.
But I will ease him when the other come,
«T»o see how then he will bestirre him selfe.
[OMITTED] Enter Moorton and Pembrooke «**sti*l»
[OMITTED] doe «my» Lord that there «****»

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]«**************»[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]d me wh[OMITTED]«**»e r[OMITTED]
I had not parted wt h them but [OMITTED]
By thy leaue Iohn, say, are the[OMITTED]

Cu«m»ber.
Alas, alas, hath cunning Iohn[OMITTED]
no wiser way then this to f«**»
Goe aske of him whether the [OMITTED]
and he will say they are wed[OMITTED]

Moorton.
wedded? to whom? I hope [OMITTED]

Cumber.
To them whose counterfeite[OMITTED]
to noble Earle Pembrook [OMITTED]

Pemb.
Are not we they? what? a[OMITTED]

Cumber.
how ere I am, no passage w[OMITTED]
for you or him, although he d[OMITTED]

Iohn.
why Gentlemen, can ye thi[OMITTED]
Is this the man whose kno«w»[OMITTED]
to face ye downe ye be no[OMITTED]

Enter Chester. Llw[OMITTED]
Cumber
why how now Lordes, wh[OMITTED]

Llwellen.
At that which now is to[OMITTED]
Prince Griffin and[OMITTED]
vnto our daughter[OMITTED]
we tooke them f[OMITTED]

Chester.
heere you (my Lor[OMITTED]
while you h«o»
you come to[OMITTED]

Moorton.
Oswen, sp[OMITTED]

Oswen.
Iest tho[OMITTED]
Earle [OMITTED]
you m[OMITTED]
for «*»[OMITTED]

«E[OMITTED]»
Amery
[OMITTED]


[OMITTED]«**** * ***y********»
[OMITTED]«ha»d beene to haue wrongde them.


[OMITTED]doo the lyke confesse,
[OMITTED]«**»d Sydanen nere the lesse.


[OMITTED]lds as toward me you meant,
[OMITTED] «t»hanke thee Iohn a Kent.


[OMITTED]«*» must yeeld her « **** t»oo
[OMITTED]«*» you had so much to doo.


[OMITTED]«**» make ye waste the time in vayne,
[OMITTED]«**»e as [these times] this day requires,
[OMITTED]«**»er, be not thou displeasde,
[OMITTED]least these amourous cares hath easde.


[OMITTED] «t»o be disgraste by thee,
[OMITTED]r bothe of mine and me.


[OMITTED]des, and euer more heerafter
[OMITTED]vow continuall looue.
[OMITTED] «f»ortune was not euill,
[OMITTED]ouermatchte the deuill.

exeunt.