A Comedy or Enterlude intituled, Inough is as good as a feast very fruteful godly and ful of pleasant mirth |
Prologus.
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 | A Comedy or Enterlude intituled, Inough is as good as a feast |  |
Prologus.
I Knowe
that this worshipful Audience,
Is at this time togither congregate:
Of our practise to haue intelligence,
And with the same them selues to recreate.
God graunt vs grace the same wel to publicate.
But for them that haue slept at Parnassus:
This facultie is more meet for them then for vs
Pandite pierides vestro sacra ostia vita.
Is at this time togither congregate:
Of our practise to haue intelligence,
And with the same them selues to recreate.
God graunt vs grace the same wel to publicate.
But for them that haue slept at Parnassus:
This facultie is more meet for them then for vs
Pandite pierides vestro sacra ostia vita.
Open your holy doores O pleasant Muses,
Direct our tungs to speak eloquently:
Uertues to praise and to touch abuses,
Deuiding either of them plain and directly.
That it may appeer to all our Audience euidently.
That this matter which we now go about:
By your inspiration was first found out.
Direct our tungs to speak eloquently:
Uertues to praise and to touch abuses,
Deuiding either of them plain and directly.
That it may appeer to all our Audience euidently.
That this matter which we now go about:
By your inspiration was first found out.
Oh that with some grace you would vs inspire,
And dele with vs as with Orpheus you delt:
Then should all affections haue their desire,
For through his Musick he made stones to melt,
No kinde of pain in Hel then the soules felt.
For he played so pleasantly with his Harp:
That they forgate their paines greeuous and sharp.
And dele with vs as with Orpheus you delt:
Then should all affections haue their desire,
For through his Musick he made stones to melt,
No kinde of pain in Hel then the soules felt.
For he played so pleasantly with his Harp:
That they forgate their paines greeuous and sharp.
Tantalus forgate his hunger and thirst,
Sisiphus left of rolling his Stone:
Ixion tormented among the wurst,
Forgate his wheel that he was hanged on.
The woman Belides left woork anon:
Whose labour was continually to fil a Tun:
Whereout by clefts the licour stil dooth run.
Sisiphus left of rolling his Stone:
Ixion tormented among the wurst,
Forgate his wheel that he was hanged on.
The woman Belides left woork anon:
Whose labour was continually to fil a Tun:
Whereout by clefts the licour stil dooth run.
These fables wherfore doo I call to minde?
Truely because I desire with all my hart:
That our English Meeter may be of such kinde,
Bothe to leaue all greeuousnes and smart.
And also to be pleasant in euery parte.
That those which come for recreation:
May not be void of their expectation.
Truely because I desire with all my hart:
That our English Meeter may be of such kinde,
Bothe to leaue all greeuousnes and smart.
And also to be pleasant in euery parte.
That those which come for recreation:
May not be void of their expectation.
Poets fained Mercurius to haue wings,
bothe on his hed and on his heeles also:
For liuely and swift he was in all things,
Appeering rather to flee then to go:
Of him they fain many goodly things mo.
But for our purpose this shall serue this season:
and why I speak, you shall knowe the reason.
bothe on his hed and on his heeles also:
Appeering rather to flee then to go:
Of him they fain many goodly things mo.
But for our purpose this shall serue this season:
and why I speak, you shall knowe the reason.
Mercurius is the God of eloquence,
By whome I vnderstand the ministers of talke:
Such must haue the wings of intelligence,
In their heds before their tungs to far doo walke.
The daunger of rash speech they must wisely calke.
When, where, and to whome they speak they must note:
Before that any thing passe out of their throte.
By whome I vnderstand the ministers of talke:
Such must haue the wings of intelligence,
In their heds before their tungs to far doo walke.
The daunger of rash speech they must wisely calke.
When, where, and to whome they speak they must note:
Before that any thing passe out of their throte.
As Mercurius hath wings vpon his hed,
So hath he wings on his heeles redy to flye:
When affections standeth in reasons sted,
Reporters of tales vse eft soones to lye,
The heeles affections doo also signifye.
The wings doo alwaies reason comprehend:
Which vnto Uertue ought to condescend.
So hath he wings on his heeles redy to flye:
When affections standeth in reasons sted,
Reporters of tales vse eft soones to lye,
The heeles affections doo also signifye.
The wings doo alwaies reason comprehend:
Which vnto Uertue ought to condescend.
Few woords to wise men are sufficient,
Without a cause I giue not this monition:
Unto good men it is plain and euidient,
That many men haue that lewd condition.
By their euil words to bring good men into suspition.
By their vndiscrete talke they doo much harme:
Because they want reason thir tungs to charme.
Without a cause I giue not this monition:
Unto good men it is plain and euidient,
That many men haue that lewd condition.
By their euil words to bring good men into suspition.
By their vndiscrete talke they doo much harme:
Because they want reason thir tungs to charme.
Let this passe and go we to the Argument,
Which we wil declare in woords generall:
Now such as haue a learned iudgement,
Knowe that among the Poets comicall,
In breef sentence it was vsuall.
To showe the whole contents of the Comedye:
In the argument which did wel verily.
Which we wil declare in woords generall:
Now such as haue a learned iudgement,
Knowe that among the Poets comicall,
In breef sentence it was vsuall.
To showe the whole contents of the Comedye:
In the argument which did wel verily.
But our tungs hath not so comely a grace,
In that point, as hath the Latin and Greek:
We cannot like them our sentences eloquently place,
That our Poets to their Orators may be like
As they knowe wel which for such matters doo seek.
But to doo our best, indeed we wil not neglect:
Trusting that wise men the same wil accept.
In that point, as hath the Latin and Greek:
We cannot like them our sentences eloquently place,
That our Poets to their Orators may be like
As they knowe wel which for such matters doo seek.
Trusting that wise men the same wil accept.
Our title is Inough is as good as a feast,
Which Rethorically we shall amplyfye:
So that it shall appeer bothe to moste and least
That our meaning is but honestie,
Yet now and then we wil dally merily.
So we shall please them that of mirth be desirous:
For we play not to please them that be curious.
Which Rethorically we shall amplyfye:
So that it shall appeer bothe to moste and least
That our meaning is but honestie,
Yet now and then we wil dally merily.
So we shall please them that of mirth be desirous:
For we play not to please them that be curious.
For a Preface I fear I am to long
But I haue said that I wil say now:
The Worldly man is frolike lusty and strong,
Who wil showe his qualities before you,
Stowt he is and in any wise wil not bow.
Beholde yonder he commeth into this place:
Therfore thus I finish our simple Preface.
But I haue said that I wil say now:
The Worldly man is frolike lusty and strong,
Who wil showe his qualities before you,
Stowt he is and in any wise wil not bow.
Beholde yonder he commeth into this place:
Therfore thus I finish our simple Preface.
Finis.
| A Comedy or Enterlude intituled, Inough is as good as a feast | |