A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vi Part 3

Now murthering Mars retrograde in Libra, With amiable tryne apply to my beam; And splendent Sol the ruler of the day, After his eclipse to Jupiter will lean: The G.o.ddess of pleasure (dame Venus, I mean) To me her poor servant seem friendly to be: So also doth Luna, otherwise called Phoebe.

But now I speak mischievously, I would say, in a mystery; Wherefore, to interpret it, I hold it best done, For here be a good sort, I believe, in this company, That know not my meaning, as this man for one.

What! blush not at it; you are not alone: Here is another that know not my mind, Nor he in my words great favour can find.

The planet Mercurius is neither hot nor cold, Neither good, nor yet very bad of his own nature, But doth alter his quality with them, which do hold Any friendly aspect to him: even so I a.s.sure We Mercurialists, I mean hypocrites, cannot long endure In one condition, but do alter our mind To theirs that talk with us, thereby friends.h.i.+p to find.

The little cameleon, by nature, can change Herself to that colour to which she behold: Why should it then to any seem strange, That we do thus alter? why are we controll'd, Sith only the rule of nature we hold?

We seek to please all men, yet most do us hate, And we are rewarded for friends.h.i.+p debate.

Saturnus is envious; how then can he love Adulation or Hypocrisy, to him most contrary?

The Jovists, being good, do look high above, And do not regard the rest of the company.

Now Mars, being retrograde, foretelleth misery To tyrannical practice to happen eftsoon, As shall be apparent before all be done.

Which Tyranny with flattery is easily pacified; Whereas Tom Tell-troth shall feel of his sword; So that with such men is fully verified That old-said saw, and common byword, _Obsequium amicos_--by flatteries friends are prepared, But _veritas odium parit_, as commonly is seen: For speaking the truth many hated have been.

By Sol understand Popish princ.i.p.ality, With whom full highly I am entertained, But being eclipsed shall show forth his quality; Then shall Hypocrisy be utterly disdained, Whose wretched exile, though greatly complained, And wept for of many, shall be without hope, That in such pomp shall ever be Pope.

By Venus the riotous, by Luna the variable, Betwixt whom and Mercury no variance can fall, For they, which in words be most unstable, Would be thought faithful, and the riotous liberal: So that Hypocrisy their doings cloak shall.

But whist! not a word, for yonder come some: While I know what they are, I will be dumb.

[_Step aside_.

ACT II, SCENE 2.

TYRANNY, AVARICE.

[TYRANNY.]

Put me before, for I will s.h.i.+ft for one, [_Push_ AVARICE _backward_.

So long as strength remaineth in this arm: And pluck up thy heart, thou faint-hearted mome: As long as I live thou shalt take no harm.

Such as control us, I will their tongues charm By fire or sword, or other like torment, So that ever they did it, they shall it repent.

Hast thou forgotten what Satan did say, [HYP. Ambo.[29]]

That the k[nave] Hypocrisy our doings should hide, So that under his cloak our parts we should play, And of the rude people should never be spied?

Or if the worst should hap or betide, That I by Tyranny should both you defend Against such as mischief to you should pretend.

AVARICE.

Indeed, such words our Belsire did speak, [HYP. Tut, Father Jotsam!]

Which, being remembered, doth make my heart glad; But yet one thing my courage doth break, And when I think of it, it makes me full sad: I mean the evil luck which Hypocrisy had, When he was expelled out of this land; For then with me the matter evil did stand.

For I by him so shadowed was from light,

[HYP. A little k[nave] to hide so great a lubber.]

That almost no man could me out espy; But he being gone, to every man's sight I was apparent: each man did descry My pilling and polling; so that glad was I From my nature to cease, a thing most marvellous, And live in secret, the time was so dangerous.

[HYP. He feareth nothing: he thinketh the hangman is dead.]

TYRANNY.

Tus.h.!.+ Avarice, thou fearest a thing that is vain, For by me alone both you shall be stayed; And, if thou mark well, thou shalt perceive plain That if I, Tyranny, my part had well played,

[HYP. He can play two parts, the fool and the k[nave].]

And from killing of heretics my hand had not stayed, They had never growen to such a great rout, Neither should have been able to have banish'd him out.

But _sero sapiunt Phryges_; at length I will take heed,

[HYP. A popish policy!]

And with blood enough this evil will prevent; For if I hear of any that in word or in deed-- Yea, if it be possible to know their intent, If I can prove that in thought they it meant

[HYP. Anti-Christian charity.]

To impair our estates--no prayer shall serve, But will pay them their hire, as each one deserve.

AVARICE.

The fish once taken, and 'scaped from bait, Will ever hereafter beware of the hook: Such as use hunting will spy the hare straight, Though other discern her not, yet on her shall look.

Again, the learned can read in a book, Though the unskilful, seeing equal with them, Cannot discern an F from an M.

So those which have tasted the fruit that we bear, And find it so sour, will not us implant.

TYRANNY.

Tus.h.!.+ Avarice, I warrant thee, thou need'st not fear:

[HYP. _Utilitas facit esse Deos_.]

In the clergy, I know, no friends we shall want, Which for hope of gain the truth will recant, And give themselves wholly to set out Hypocrisy, Being egg'd on with Avarice, and defended by Tyranny.

AVARICE.

Well may the clergy on our side hold, For they by us no small gain did reap; But all the temporalty, I dare be bold To venture in wager of gold a good heap, At our preferments will mourn, wail, and weep.

[HYP. This is sharp arguments.]

TYRANNY.

Though indeed no just cause of joy they can find, Yet for fear of my sword they will alter their mind, But I marvel much where Hypocrisy is: Methink it is long since from us he did go.

AVARICE.

I doubt that of his purpose he miss, And therefore hath hanged himself for woe. [HYP. Pray for yourself.]

How say'st thou, Tyranny, dost not think so?

In faith, if I thought that he might be spared,

[HYP. Your kind heart shall cost me a couple of rushes.]

And we have our purpose, beshrew me, if I cared.

TYRANNY.

Saw you ever the like of this doubting dolt?

[HYP. Not I the like of such a cutthroat colt.]

It grieves me to hear how faint-hearted he is. [_Aside_.

A little would cause me to kill thee, thou a.s.s-colt.

See, see, for woe he is like for to p.i.s.s: To give an attempt what a fellow were this?

But this is the good that cometh of Covetousness: He liveth alway in fear to lose his riches.

Again, mark how he regardeth the death of his friend: So he hath his purpose, he cares for no mo: A perfect pattern of a covetous mind, Which neither esteemeth his friend nor his foe, But rather, Avarice, might I have said so, Who, if he were gone, myself could defend, Where thou by his absence wert soon at an end.

[_Exeunt_.