A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vi Part 84

_Enter_ S. PRIDE.

S. PRIDE.

Fuoro Viliagos! fuoro Lutheranos Ingleses! fuoro, sa, sa, sa!

POMP.

Their s.h.i.+elds are ours: they fled away with shame.

But, lordings, whiles the stratagem is fresh, And memory of their misfortune green, Their hearts yet fainting with the novel grief, Let us pursue them flying: if you say it, Haply we may prevent their pa.s.sage yet.

POLICY.

With speed and heed the matter must be done.

PLEASURE.

Therefore you, Policy, shall our leader be.

[_Exeunt omnes_.

_Enter [the] three Ladies and_ NEMO.

NEMO.

The day is ours: fair ladies, let us joy The joyful day that all men may rejoice; Yet only I am thankful for this good, And your good day at hand approacheth fast, Wherein you shall be join'd to three such lords, As all the cities under heaven's bright cope Cannot with all their glory match in worth.

Lucre, Lord Pomp a victor comes to thee: Love, look thou for Lord Policy as well; And Conscience for her well-reformed phere, Pleasure, that only made his choice of her.

Upon that day triumphant shall we feast, Wherein, mesdames, your honours nill be least.

LUCRE.

Against their coming, might my reed be heard[276], Prepare would we garlands of laurel green, To welcome them; more for the common good, Than for affection private that we bear.

LOVE.

To meet them coming will not be amiss; But what know we, how they will take such work?

CONSCIENCE.

Report may be much more than there is cause.

We may them meet and greet with joyful hearts, And make them garlands, when we know their minds.

_Enter the three Lords, with the Spanish s.h.i.+elds, and_ DILIGENCE.

NEMO.

And here they come with new-impressed s.h.i.+elds.-- My lords, well-met, and welcome from your foes.

LUCRE.

Lord Pomp, well-met, and welcome home again.

LOVE.

Lord Policy, well-met, and welcome home again.

CONSCIENCE.

Lord Pleasure, welcome with unfeigned heart.

PLEASURE.

Fair joy and lady, twenty thousand thanks.

POLICY.

Fair Love and lady, twice as many thanks.

POMP.

Fair and beloved Lucre, though I speak last, As kindly I thy welcome do accept, As heart can think, pen write, or tongue can tell.

NEMO.

Now speak, my lords, how have ye sped?

POLICY.

Right well; thanks unto Him that gave the day to us.

The Pride of Spain was cloak'd with majesty, And Shame, his page, nicknamed Modesty: Spanish Ambition Honour would be call'd, And Treachery, his page, term'd Action: Their Tyranny was cleped Government; Terror, his page, was falsely nam'd Regard; But G.o.d above hath given them their reward.

They with dishonour left their s.h.i.+elds behind, The only prizes purchas'd by us now, And those, fair ladies, we present to you.

Love, this is thine, and he that gives it thee.

NEMO.

In lieu whereof your gift and her I give Again to you, that merit more than both.

POLICY.

The greatest gift and good could me befall.

POMP.

Fair Lucre, lo, my present and myself.

LUCRE.

Which I, with Nemo's license, gladly take.

NEMO.

Take her, Lord Pomp; I give her unto thee, Wis.h.i.+ng your good may ten times doubled be.

POMP.

The richest[277] good this world could give to me.

PLEASURE.

Of duty I, my dear, must give thee this: That art my comfort and my earthly bliss.

NEMO.

Now, lords, I hope you are contented all: Pomp with his Lucre, Policy with Love, Pleasure with Conscience: joy fall you from above.

And thus to you my promise is perform'd, And I expect that yours as well be kept, That present preparation may be made To honour those with holy marriage rites, That I, in presence of the world, may give These as my daughters unto you my sons.

POLICY.

By my consent one day shall serve us all, Which shall be kept for ever festival.

POMP.

And on that day, in honour of these dames, These s.h.i.+elds in triumph shall be borne about.

PLEASURE.

With pageants, plays, and what delights may be, To entertain the time and company.