 | John a Kent & John a Cumber |  |
2
Act«u[OMITTED]»
Scena i[OMITTED]
Enter Sir Griffin Meriddock of So[OMITTED]wales, & Ieffrey[OMITTED]ow[OMITTED]S. Griffin.
Powesse, in vayne perswadste thou patience,
In vayne thou dream'ste of lykely remedies,
In vayne thou«[OMITTED]e»lst of this or that conceit.
winde breath«e[OMITTED]»woordes, are vayner then the winde,
Only our we[OMITTED]pons must effect our weale.
Powesse
As hitherto my Lord I haue entreatred,
So for a whyle, I pray ye be aduisde.
S. Griffin.
Aduisde? why what aduise can Powesse yeeld?
Is not Sidanen with the Earles consent,
and Prince Llwellens graunt, affyed to Moorton?
Powesse.
yea, so Pembrooke hath their graunt for Marian: But.
S. Griffin.
But what? Euen while we thus stand wasting idle woordes,
Pembrook and Moorton shall possesse our looues.
Our looues exclaime against our cowardise,
Our cowardise to our eternal shame,
In England wales & Scotland shall be sung,
by euery iygging mate, our foes among.
Powesse.
Nor English, welshe or Scottish shall reprooue,
Lord Ieffrey Powesse with base cowardise.
As much (Prince Griffin) as the proudest dare
dares Powesse for his Marians libertie.
yet not with rashnes or vnbrideled heat,
discretion must be vsde, the cause is great.
S. Griffin.
Great cause indeed, when fayre Sidanens eyes,
dimde with the sourse of her continuall teares,
mixing those teares amongst the mournefull ynck,
That writ the cause of her lament and mine,
seemes in this paper weeping to intreat:
And then no meruayle though the cause be great
he shewes[OMITTED] letter[OMITTED]
Powesse.
But greater cause, our countreyes cause I meane,
If we should manage «a»rmes, as you still vrge,
And so by force, from noble Chesters Courte,
agaynst his will, fetche our well-willing looues;
3
that durst inuade his townes in time of peace.
S. Griffin.
To see how Powesse casts beyond the Moone,
As if the King would deale in these affayres.
Or if he did, ist like his Maiestie,
would suffer fathers by compelling awe:
to force their children from their soules affect?
Powesse.
But if his highnesse subiects should be slayne,
as in rough rescue it must needes fall out,
he will not haue the meanest guiltlesse dye:
but blood for blood shall duely be repayde.
S. Griffin.
Then Powesse, least such daunger should betyde:
you are content the Ladyes shall be lost?
Powesse.
Not so Prince Griffin, then I would haue stayd,
and not haue come so neere to Chesters Courte.
S. Griffin.
Bir Lady Sir, and we are much the neere.
we two belyke, by your complotting wit,
shall front the Earle of Chester in his Courte,
And spight of Chesters strong inhabitants,
Thorow west chester, meekely in our handes,
lead my Sidanen and your Marian,
while bothe our Riualles, and their following trayne,
Sheeplyke stand shiuering at our wrathfull lookes.
Beshrewe me, but ye haue a passing head,
All natrall are your reasons, full of sence.
Powesse.
If we obtayne them, youle leaue iesting t«h»en
S. Griffin.
yea that I will. But can ye tell me whe[OMITTED]?
Enter Sr. Gosselin denvyle, Sr. Euan Griff[OMITTED], and I«ō[OMITTED]»
Gosselen
what «**************»
4
«[OMITTED]t»rust will purge your melancholly.
[OMITTED]
welcom[OMITTED] Gentlemen, you seeme no lesse,
be not offended at my salutations,
that bid ye stand, before I say God speed.
ffor in playne tearmes, speed what your speed may be,
Such coyne you haue, bothe must and shall with me.
S. Griffin.
How now Lord Ieffrey? what companion haue we heere?
he seemes some theefe.
Iohn.
No theefe Sir, but an honest bon companion.
Nere drawe your weapons, rather trust your feete,
And yet ye cannot hence, but at my pleasure.
what needes all this? yeeld, if I bid ye yeeld.
Powesse.
Thou shouldst be Iohn a Kent, thou art so peremptorie,
for Iohn a Kent is a bolde merry knaue.
Iohn
Tis happie then he is no very knaue.
I am the man, what say ye to Iohn a Kent?
Powesse
I am Ieffrey Lord Powesse, thy maisters freend,
And this Sr. Griffin Meriddock, Prince of Southwales.
Iohn.
why then I knowe ye bothe, and welcome bothe,
Mr. these are the guests you looke for, whom had I not well gest at,
they had for welcome got a cudgelling.
Gosselen.
welcome my Lord, and welcome noble Prince.
Powesse.
Thankes good Sr. Gosselen denvyle, and Sr. Euan Griffin,
I trust the men you promisde me are readie.
Gosselen.
ffor my parte, seuen score bowemen, wight and tall,
haue I lodgde in the woode, nere to the riuer of dee.
Euan.
And I threescore as strong, with hookes and billes,
that to three hundred will not turne their backs.
Powesse.
But can ye tell vs any newes from Chester?
Iohn.
Colde newes for you my Lordes, there is at Chester,
The Earle of Pembrooke, and the Scottish Moorton,
the one shall haue Llwellens fayre Sidanen,
the other Marian, good olde Chesters daughter.
and bothe these weddings finished to morrowe.
[OMITTED] Griffin.
No more of that my freend, thou sleyst me wt h these newe[OMITTED].
hearst thou this Powesse? this did I foredoome:
5
[OMITTED]Gosselen
Content ye good my Lord, no whit too late,
heere is a lad on whom we doo relye,
for slye conueyaunce of the Ladyes hither,
full of conceit he is, and deeply seene,
«i»n secret artes, to woork for your auayle.
[OMITTED]. Griffin.
Canst thou my freend, from foorth the vaultes beneathe,
call vp the ghostes of those long since deceast?
Or from the vpper region of the ayre:
fetche swift wingde spirits to effect thy will?
Iohn.
Can you my Lord, and you, and you, and you,
goe to the venson, for your suppers drest:
and afterward goe lay ye downe to rest?
Powesse
how then sweet Iohn? all this thou knowest we can,
and what thou canst we haue no doubt at all:
but what thou wilt, that gladly would we learne.
Iohn.
I will to morrow bring you Marian,
and you Prince Griffin your beloou'de Sidanen.
will this content ye?
S. Griffin
As all the world cannot content me more.
Iohn.
why then I pray ye be content to goe,
And frollick cheerely, for it shall be so
Gosselen.
I warrant ye my Lords, come let vs in.
exeunt.
I[OMITTED]hn.
So, they must banquet, I vnto my busines.
But let me muse a little on this looue,
full of many feares, so sundry ioyes,
now hence, now hither diuersly distract,
«[OMITTED]************************»
6
rather minde thou the pleasing ioyes[OMITTED]e.
And since so good a subiect they present,
vppon these loouers practise thou thy wit.
help, hinder, giue, take back, turne, ouerturne,
deceiue, bestowe, breed pleasure, discontent.
yet comickly conclude, like Iohn a Kent.
exit.
Enter at one doore Ranulphe Earle of Chester, Oswen his son«n» young Amery Lord Mortaigue, wt h them the Countesse, her daught[OMITTED] Marian, and fayre Sidanen. At another doore enter the Earles [OMITTED] Pembrooke, Moorton and their trayne.
Moorton.
All health be to the noble Earle of Chester,
his Countesse and these honorable Ladyes,
whom one by one I humbly gratulate,
wishing to them their happy hartes content.
Pemb.
The Lyke dooth Pembrook to this goodly trayne.
Chester.
Earle Moorton, and my noble Lord of Pembrooke,
whose presence bringes contentment to my soule
and adds true honor to your noble names:
for hauing kept your vowes inuiolate,
how you are welcome, woordes shall not explaine,
but such as best beseemes your entertaine.
[your father Madame, will be heere this night,]
[Or early in the morning, well I wot,]
[ffor such prouision hath he sent before,]
[as shewes him selfe will not be farre behinde.]
And sith it is our auncient Englishe guyse,
the Bridegroomes should vppon the wedding day,
come from some distant place to fetche their Brydes,
my house at [S[illeg.]ey] Plessye is for you preparde.
Thence to the Castell shall [ye] you walke along
And at St Iohns shall be sollemnized,
the nuptialles of your honors, and these virgens.
ffor to that Churche, Edgar, once Englands King,
was by eight Kinges, conquerd by him in warres:
rowed royally on St. Iohn Baptist day.
In memory of which pompe, the Earles our auncestours,
haue to that Churche beene noble benefactours.
Moorton
Eight Kings rowe one? that was great pompe indeed.
7
One of them was of Scotland, as I read,
the Irishe, and the dane two more besyde,
and fiue of Brittayne, all subdued by him.
To see that Church will greatly ioy my minde,
because I there a greater ioy shall fynde.
Moorton.
why lookes Sidanen sad? why sighes she so?
Sidanen
Pardon my Lord, such thinges you may not knowe.
Moorton
She not mislykes her choyse I hope of me.
Sidanen
No God forbid. although you are not he.
/asyde.
Moorton.
why then looke cheerly, as Sidanen should,
Sidanen.
I doo my Lord. And better if I could.
asyde.
Pemb.
Madame, the Scottish Lord hath got a gracious looke,
but Pembrooke is not halfe so happy yet.
Oswen.
Sister, you wrong the noble Earle with frownes
Amery
My Lord content ye, women fayne dislyke,
where their affections beare the higest regard.
Marian
You are too young my Lord, to iudge so soundly,
Amery
I finde it writ by them that iudgde profoundly
Marian
Bookes may beguyle ye.
Oswen.
My Lord, that cut came roundly.
Pemb.
Your sadnes tell, if I may knowe the cause,
Marian.
Me thinkes my Lord the custome is too hard,
when loouers meet, so suddenly to parte,
Pemb.
To morrowes ioy will end that bitter smart,
Marian
To see ye no more, how would it ease my hart?
/asyde
Chester
well noble Lordes, for this time break we of,
Sonne and Lord Amery, you will be their guyde.
Oswen.
yea my good Lord, then goe we Gentlemen.
exeunt. Countesse Sida & «Ma»,
8
[OMITTED]d Cossen, now we are alone,
Let [OMITTED]treat to knowe the secret cause,
that mooues these passions more then ouerpensiue,
which were not wunt in you to woorke such chaunge.
If in my power to councell, or preuent,
there rest a meane, let me but knowe your mindes,
and what I may shall surely be effected,
to either of your longing harts, content.
Sydanan.
Madame, your tender care and kinde affect,
assures Sidanen of your honors faith.
In breefe my noble Aunte, this is the cause,
why poore Sydanen is disconsolate,
That she must leaue her countrey and her kinne,
and passe to Scotland with the Earle of Moorton.
Countesse
Cossen, his kindnesse soone will calme this greefe,
and therfore cast these cares behinde thy back.
But what olde man is this comes toward vs?
Enter Iohn a Kent like an aged Hermit
Iohn.
Ladyes, if crooked age, and homely weedes,
breed not contempt, vouchsafe I humbly pray,
your charitable comfort to sustayne,
a little longer these spent withred limbes,
that numbde through chilnesse of my frost-bit blood,
which six score winters hath resisted stormes,
and iust so many times the summers heate.
Now quaking lyke the winde-blowen bough for strength,
witnesse that all thinges yeeld to time at length.
Countesse.
how much I greeue that these thy siluer hayres,
should in extreamest age feele taste of want,
And this thy furrowed face, with teares distaynd,
shall well appeare: ffor thou shalt in wt h vs.
These feeble limbes with age so ouerworne,
shall fynde repose, and not be left forlorne.
Marian.
ffather, receiue this little gifte of me.
giue him somewha«t»
Sydanen.
And heere olde man, take this to comfort thee.
Iohn.
As [may] many blessings light vppon you three,
as cares and crosses haue befalne to me.
9
some ill is toward these twayne this present night.
Sydanen
what sayst thou father? art thou a man of skill?
Iohn.
Lady, in youth I studyed hidden artes,
and proffited in Chiromancye much,
«I»f sight be not obscurde through natures weaknesse,
I can, for once I could discourse by fauour,
and rules of palmistrie ensuing chaunces.
Marian
Good ffather tell my fortune if thou canst.
Sydanen
Nay mine I pray thee first, I askte thee first.
Iohn.
Striue not fayre Ladyes, shewe me bothe your handes
for your complexions seeme to be alyke.
Nay let me see, bothe your affections are alyke.
he sees their handes
Blush not, but tell me, are ye not bothe betrothde,
to two great Lordes, without your parents knowledge?
Countesse
They are betrothde indeed, but with their parents knowledge,
and bothe to morrow must be maryed.
Iohn.
Now God forbid, woes me to thinke theron.
Countesse.
why father? I pray thee speake
Iohn.
Good Madame pardon me, let me be gon,
and leaue the God of heauen to woorke his will
/he offers to depart
Sydanen
Nay stay good father, I pray thee tell the wurst.
Marian
My hart dooth throb, sweet father then resolue vs.
Iohn
Sith you compell me Ladyes, I will speak,
and what I say, beleeue it on your liues.
If ere the Sun to morrowe cheere the earth,
10
your lilly handes, and list the holy voyce,
which will resolue ye of your looues sweet choyse:
I may not say what shall ye bothe betyde,
but harder fortune nere befell fayre Bryde.
Countesse.
Alas the spring is three myles hence at least
and now thou seest the night approcheth on
Iohn.
Let not the distaunce hinder them to goe,
least they and you wishe that ye had doone so.
Countesse.
ffather, I haue some reason to beleeue thee,
by what I must keep secret to my selfe,
And but my Lord condemnes these auncient rules,
religiously obserued in these partes:
I would craue leaue for them to trauell thither,
for many haue misdoone that did it not.
Sydanen
rather then hard mishap should vs befall,
twere good we were acquainted therwithall.
Marian.
Good mother, this fayre euening let vs goe,
weele come agayne before my father knowe.
Countesse
well, goe ye shall, and I along with ye,
had we some trusty freend to be our guyde.
Iohn
Ladyes, although my limbes be not so strong,
my bones neere marrowlesse, bloodlesse my veynes:
yet vse hath made me perfect in the way.
And if your honors deigne so olde a guyde:
So speed my soule as shall to you betyde.
Countesse.
None better. But what houre of night is best?
Iohn.
when twise two houres the daughters of the night,
haue driuen their Eban chariot thorow the ayre,
and with their duskie winges breathde calmie rest,
vppon the eyeliddes of eche liuing thing:
The siluer shyning horned lamp dooth rise,
by whose cleere light we may discerne the pathe,
wherin though lamely now I seeme to plod
yet will I guyde ye safely to the spring.
And for your cōming at the back gate wayte,
11
Cou[OMITTED]tesse.
well father, we will come, vppon mine honor.
Sydanen.
The houre is one at midnight, fayle vs not.
exeunt.
Iohn
ffayle ye? infaith that were a sillie iest,
Our sporte would fayle, if I should fayle mine houre
But husht, heere comes my hotspurre, & Lord Powesse
he pulles [OMITTED] his beard [OMITTED]
Enter Sr. Griffin, and Lord Powesse.
S. Griffin.
See Powesse, heers Iohn a Kent, dect in a Pilgrimes weede
Powesse.
why how now Iohn? turnd greene to ffryers gray?
Iohn
what madnes makes ye come so farre this way?
The town's beset, our purpose is descryde
and now I see your cōming made all spyde.
S. Griffin
help vs to scape vnto thy maisters caue.
yet ere we goe, tell me, sawest thou Sydanen
Iohn.
I sawe her: but you shall neuer see her more.
S. Griffin.
why so sweet Iohn? what? is Sydanen dead?
Iohn
No.
S. Griffin
Is she fled?
Iohn
No.
S. Griffin
Is Moorton and Sydanen maryed?
Iohn.
Neither.
S. Griffin.
wherefore then shall not I agayne beholde her?
Iohn.
Because your honor is too full of heate,
and by your rashnes will discouer all,
wherfore shift as ye can, for I will leaue ye.
Powesse.
Nay I pray thee Iohn, tell vs the trueth of all.
Iohn.
The troth is, if ye meane to meete the Ladyes
12
And as I shall appoynt, so followe my directions.
S. Griffin
But will they come?
Iohn
They will, if you will goe.
S. Griffin.
But how?
Iohn.
why on their feet, I knowe no other way.
S. Griffin.
But when?
Iohn.
Nay then we shall be troubled, when? how? where?
Powesse.
I pray thee tell vs Iohn without delay.
Iohn.
Content ye Lordes, Ile tell ye on the way, come let vs goe.
Sr. Griffin
Iohn, Ile renowne thee, if it fall out so.
exeunt.
Enter Turnop wt h his crewe of Clownes, & a Minstrell.
Turnop.
Nay neuer talke of it, Hugh the Sexten stutters, let him read
the first lyne, or see if he can say the speeche, that dawes our
Churchwarden made in prayse of his Mill horsse.
Hugh
It makes no matter, I think my selfe the wisest because I am
Sexten, and being Sexten, I will say the speeche I made
my selfe.
Tom tabrer
heare ye Hugh, be not so forward, take a little vise of your minstrell.
Omnes.
And well sayd Thomas Tabrer, you haue scression, speak on.
Tom.
One of the wisest of vs must speak, and either [he] it must be Hugh or
Turnop. Now, Hugh is Sexten, an office of retoritie I tell ye.
Turnop.
yea, thats when he is in the Belfrie, not else.
Omnes.
Hugh Hugh, Hugh shall speak the speache to the Lordes.
Tom.
But Turnop beeing my Lordes man, his hogheard, his familiaritie
seruaunt, he in my minde is not only fit, but also accessary
for the ration making, then Turnop say I.
Omnes.
Turnop, Turnop, weele haue none but Turnop.
Turnop.
well, for your wisedomes, in chusing me, I rest quoniam dig
nitatis vestrum primarion, as the Poet Pediculus sayth, at
the next vestrie, bound to deferre ye to seuerall locall places.
Spurling.
how now Hugh? are ye put downe infaith?
Hugh.
Thats because he has a little more learning, an«d» has borrowe[OMITTED]
the vshers olde coat to grace him selfe withall
Tom
O, take heed of learning while ye liue, it is a gandly matter.
Turnop.
ffrater meum amantissime Hugo the Belringer, the hebrew[OMITTED]
13
chaunce, perswadeth you to remit, or submit or admit your
selfe, to the crye of your bretheren. How say ye then fellow mates
in armes, in this our showe, who shalbe the speaker?
Omnes.
Turnop Turnop, weele haue none but Turnop.
Turnop.
Then let vs set forward, for now it is vppon the Lordes coming.
Thomas, firk it with your fiddle. Spurling, you play
the Moore, vaunce vp your Tun, and Robert, holde your porrenger
right, least you spill the conceit, for heere they come.
Enter Pembrook, Moorton, Oswen, Amery, to them this crew[OMITTED] marching, one drest lik a Moore, wt h a Tun painted with[OMITTED] yellow oker, another with a Porrenger full of water an[OMITTED] a pen in it, Turnop speaketh the Oration.
Turnop.
Lyke to the Cedar in the loftie Sea,
or milke white mast vppon the humble mount:
So hearing that your honors came this way,
Of our rare wittes we came to giue account.
ffor when as princes passe through pettie townes
they must be welcomd, least they tearme vs clownes.
Our presents precious, first the golden Tunne,
borne by that monstrous Murrian black a Moore,
Mortonus Earlus in thy prayse is doone.
This shining brook hemd in with this fierce shoare
That hath [OMITTED]
14
As for the two last rymes, right woorshipfull, «an»d m[OMITTED]
wise, by the error of the Authour ouerslipped, is th[OMITTED]
mothie Turnop the Oratour newly corrected, to wit[OMITTED]
This princely pen vp prauncing by the sydes,
And so we wishe ye bothe two blessed brydes.
Oswen.
My Lordes, my fathers tennants after their homely guise,
welcome ye with their countrey merriment,
How bad so ere, yet must ye needes accept it.
Pemb.
Else Oswen were we very much to blame,
thankes gentle freendes, heere drinke this for my sake
Moorton.
And this [of] for me, cōmending your great paynes,
which in more liberall sorte we will requite.
Amery
May it please ye Lordes to walk into the Castell
and there at full weele see their other sportes.
Pemb.
with all my hart, goe, we will followe ye.
exeunt Lordes.
Turnop.
Before you goe, in name of all this trayne
Turnop accepts your golde, and thankes you for your payne.
Thomas, lead the vawward with your easement, you with
our hiperbolicall deuises, martche in the middest. And if the[OMITTED]
Lordes will see vs make them merry, ere we will want deuis«e»
weele make them weary, marche on.
exeunt.
| John a Kent & John a Cumber | |