at ease Frée franke and lusty esye to please But when you be clogged and tyed by the toe So faste that you shal not haue power to let goe You will tell me another lesson sone after And cry peccaui too except your lucke be the better Then farewel goodfellowshyp then come at a call Then waite at an inche you idle knaues all Then sparyng and pynchinge and nothing of gift No talke with our maister but al for his thrift Solemne and sower and angry as a waspe Althinges must be kept vnder locke and haspe At that which will make me to fare ful ill All your care shal be to hamper poore wyll VVitte I warrant the for that take thou no thought Thou shalt be made of whosoeuer be set at nought As dere to me as myne owne dere brother Whosoeuer be one thou shalt be an other VVill Yea but your wyfe wyl play the shrew perdy it is she that I feare VVitte Thy message wyll cause her some fauor to beare For my sake and thy sake and for her owne likewyse If thou vse thy selfe discretly in this enterpryse VVill. She hath a father a testy sower old man I doubt lest he and I shall fall out nowe and than VVitte Gyue hym fayre words forbeare him for his age Thou must consider hym to be auncient and sage Shew thy selfe officious and seruisable stil And then shall Reason make very muche of Will. VVill. If your wyfe be euer complayning how then VVitte My wyfe wyll haue nothing to doe wyth my men VVill. If she doe beleue her not in any wyse And when you once perceyue her stomacke to aryse Then cut her short at the first and you shall see A meruaylouse vertue in that medisen to bée Giue her not the bridle for a yeare or twayne And you shal sée her bridle it without a reine Breake her betymes and bring her vnder by force Or elles the graye Mare wil be the better horse VVitte If thou haue done begone and spende no time in vayne VVill. Where shal I fynde you when I come againe VVitte At home VVill. Good enough take your ease let me alone with this Surely a treasure of all treasures it is To serue such a mayster as I hope him to bee And to haue such a seruant as he hath of mee For I am quicke nimbell proper and nise He is ful good gentle sober and wyse He is full loth to thide or to checke And I am as willinge to serue at a becke He orders me well and speakes me so fayre That for his sake no trauayle I must spare But now am I come to the gate of this Ladye I wyll pause a whyle to frame myne errante fynelye And loe wher she commeth yet will I not come nye her But amonge these fellowes wyl I stande to eye her Act. 2. sena 2. Reason Experience Science and VVill. Science My Parentes ye knowe howe many fall in lappes That do ascribe to me the cause of their mishappes Howe many séeke that come to short of their desyre Howe many do attempt that dayly do retire Howe many roue about the marke on euery syde How many thinke to hit when they are much to wyde Howe many runne to farre how many light to lowe Howe fewe to good effecte their trauayle do bestowe And howe all these impute their losses vnto mee Should I haue ioye to thinke of mariage nowe trowe yée What doth the worlde my loue alone say they Is bought so dere that life and goodes for it must paye Stronge youth must spende it selfe and yet when al is done We here of fewe or none that haue this Lady wonne On me they make outcryes and charge me with the bloud Of those that for my sake aduenture life and good This griefe doth wound my hart so the suters more as yet I se no cause nor reason why I shold admyt Reason Ah daughter say not so there is great cause and skill For which you shold mislike to liue vnmaried thus alone What comfort can you haue remayning thus vnknowne How shal the common wealth by you aduaunced be If you abide enclosed here where no man may you sée It is not for your state your selfe to take the payne All straungers that resort to you to entertayne To suffer frée accesse of all that come and goe To be at eche mannes cal to trauayle too and fro What theÌ„ synce god hath plast such treasure in your brest Wherwith so many thousand thinke by you to be refresht Néedes must you haue some one of hyd and secret trust By whom these things may be well ordered and discuste To him you must disclose the depth of all your thought By him as time shall serue all matters must be wrought To hym aboue you must content your selfe to be at call Ye must be his he must be yours he must be al in all Experience My Lord your father telles you truth perdie And that in time your selfe shall fynde and trye Science I could aledge more then as yet I haue sayde But I must yelde and you muste be obayed Fall oute as it will there is no helpe I sée Some one or other in time must mary mée VVill. In time nay out of hand Madame if it please you In fayth I knowe a yonker that will ease you A lyuelye younge gentilman as freshe as any flower That wyll not sticke to marye you within this hower Science Such haste myght hapelye turne to wast to sum But I pray thee my pretye boye whence art thou come VVill. If it pleace youre good Ladyshype to accepte me soo I haue a solemne message to tel or I goe Not anye thynge in secrete your honour to stayne But in the presence and hearinge of you twayne Reason Speake VVill. The Lady of this world which Lady Nature hyght Hath one a peereles sonne in whom she taketh delyght On hym she chargeth mâ—n to be antendant styll Both kynde to her hys name is Witte my name is Will The noble chyld doth feele the force of cupydes flame And sendeth now for ease by counsel of hys dame Hys mother taught hym fyrst to loue whyle he was younge Which loue with age encreaseth sore and waxeth wondrous stronge For verye fame displayes youre bountye more and more And at thys pyntch he burneth so as neuer heretofore Not fanteses force not vayne and Idle toyes of loue Not hope of that whych commenlye doth other suiters moue But fixed fast good wyll that neuer shall relent And vertues force that shines in you bade him geue this attempte He hath no neade of wealth he wooes not for youre good His kynred is such he nede not to seke to match with noble bloud Such store of fryndes that where he lest he may commaunde And none so hardy to presume hys pleasure to withstand Youre self it is your vertue and youre grace You re noble giftes youre endles prayes in euery place You alone I saye the marke that he would hit The
are we VVitte Wellcome Instruction wyth al my hart VVill. What thrée newe seruaunts then farewell my part Instruction I hartely thanke you and loke what I can doe It shal be alwayes redye to pleasure you Reason Consider and talke together with these And you shall fynd in your trauayle great 〈◊〉 Take here of me before I take my leaue This glasse of Christal cleare which I you geaue Accept it and reserue it for my sake most sure Much good to you in time it may procure Beâ—old your selfe therin and view and prye Marke what defectes it wil discouer and discrye And so wyth indgement rype and curiouse eye What is a mysse indeuor to supplye Farewell VVitte Farewell to you right honourable syr And commend me to my loue my hartes desyre Let her thinke on me when she sees me not and wyshe me wel VVill. Farewel mayster Reason thincke vpon vs when you sée vs not And in any wyse let not Wyll be forgot VVitte Synce I must take aduise and counsell of you thrée I must entreat you all to dwell in house wyth me And loke what order you shall prescribe as néedefull To kepe the same you shall fynd me as héedefull Come Instruction Come VVill. Goe Act 4. sena 1 VVitte VVill Instruction Studie Diligence VVill. Tushe tushe Instruction your talke is of no force You tell vs a tale of a rosted horse Whych by hys woundes except we set to it As fast as we make this fellowes wyll vndo it Their talke is nothing but soft and fayre and tary If you folow their counsell you shall neuer mary Instruction To followe our counsayle youre charge and promys was VVitte I would I had neuer knowen you by the masse Muste I looke so longe and spend my lyfe wyth toyle Naye sure I will eyther wynne it or take the foyle Studye The surer is your grounde the better you shall beare it VVill. Ground vs no ground let him winne it and weare it Instruction Good sir be ruled and leaue this peuish elfe VVitte I had euen as leafe ye bad me hange my selfe Leaue him no no I would you all knewe You be but loyterers to him my Will telles me true I conld be coÌ„tent with a weke yea a month or twaine But 3. or 4. yeares mary that were a payne So longe to kepe me and lye like a hogge VVill. A life wythall my hart I would not wyshe a dogge VVitte Wyll a weke serue Studie Noo VVitte A monthe Studie Neytherâ— VVitte Noo Studie Not so Instruction No nor so many moe VVitte Then farewell all for as I hope to thriue I wyll proue him or I sleape if I be aliue And if ye be mine and good fellowes all thrée Goe thyther out of hand and take your chaunce wyth mee Instruction For my part I know I can do you no good VVill. You are a proper man of your handes by the Roode Yet welfare hym that neuer his maister forsaketh VVitte What sayst thou Studie Studie My head aketh VVitte Out vpon the coward speake Diligence Agaynst Instructions mynd I am lothe to go hence Yet I will make one rather then you should lacke VVitte Perhappes we may fynd them at this time in bedde VVill. So much the rather loke you to be sped Care for no more but once to come within her And when you haue done then let another win her VVitte To come within her child what meanst thou by that VVill. One masse for a penye you know what is what VVitte Hard you euer such a counsell of such a Iacke sprot VVill. Why sir do ye thinke to doe any good If ye stande in a corner like Roben hood Nay you must stoute it and face it out with the best Set on a good countenauÌ„ce make the most of the lest Who soeuer skippe in loke to your part And whyle you liue beware of a false hart VVitte Both blame and shame rashe boldnes doth breede VVill. You must aduenture both spare to speake spare to speede What tell you me of shame it is shame to steale a horse VVitte More hast then good speede makes many fare the worse VVill. But he that takes not such time while he maye Shal leape at a whyting when time is a waye VVitte But he that leapes before he loke good sonne Maye leape in the myre and mysse when he hath done Science Me thinke I heare the voyce of Will VVites boye VVitte I sée her come her sorow and my Ioye My salue and yet my sore my comfort and my care The causer of my wound and yet the wil of my welfare O happye wight that haue the saynte of your request O hoples hope that holdeth me froÌ„ the which likes me best Twixte hope and feare I stande to marre or els to make This day to be reliued quit or els my death wouÌ„d to take Reason Here let vs rest a whyle and pause all thrée Experience Daughter sit downe belike this same is hée VVill. Be of good chere sir be ruled by me Women are best pleased tyll they be vsed homely Loke her in the face and tell your tale stoutely VVitte O pearle of passing pryse sent downe from god on hye The swetest beauty to entise that hath bene sene with eyeâ— The wel of wealth to all that no man doth annoye The kaye of Kingedomes the steale of euerlasting ioye The treasure and the store whom al good things began The nurse of Lady wysedoms lore the lincke of maÌ„ maÌ„ What wordes shal me suffice to vtter my desyre What heate of talke shal I deuise for to expresse my fyer I burne and yet I fréese I flame and coole as fast In hope to wyn and for to léese my pensiuenes doth last Why should my dulled spryte apal my courage soo O salue my sore or slée me quite by saying yea or noo You are the marke at whome I shot to hit or misse My life it stayes on you alone to you my sute it is Amitie not much vnmete wyth you some griefe to fynde Dame Natures sonne my name is Witte the fancieth you by kind And here I come this day to wayte and to attende In hope to haue my hoped pray or elles my life to ende Science Good cause there is wherfore I should embrase This louing hart whyche you haue borne to me And glad I am that we be both in place Ech one of vs eche others lookes to sée Your picture and your person doth agree Your princelike port and ecke your noble face Wherin so many sygnes of vertue be That I must néedes be moued in your case Reason Friend Witte are you the man in dede whych you inteÌ„d Can you be well content vntill your life doth ende To ioyne and knit most sure with this my daughter here And vnto her alone your fixed fayth to beare VVitte As I am bente to this so let my suite be sped If I do fayle ten ThousaÌ„de plagues more lighte on my head Experience There are that
be cured well Se here what Phisicke we haue found Thy sorowes to expell ¶ VVitte lyfting himselfe vp sitting on the grounde The way is plaine the marcke is fayre Lodge not thy selfe in deepe despaire VVill. What noise is this that ringeth in my eares Her noyse that greueth my myshap with teares Ah my mishap my desperate mishap In whom ill fortune poureth downe all mishap at a clappe What shall become of me where shal I hyde my head Oh what a death is it to liue for him that would be dead But since it chanceth so what euer wyght thou be That fyndeth me here in heauy plight goe tel her this from mée Causles I perishe here and cause to curse I haue The time that erst I lyued to loue and now must die her slaue The matche was ouer much for me she vnderstoode Alas why hath she this delite to lap in giltles blode How did I giue her cause to shewe me this despyght To matche me wher she wist full wel I should be slaine in fight But go and tell her playne although to late for me Accursed be the time and hower which first I did her sée Accursed be the wyght that wilde me first thereto And cursed be they all at once that had therwith to doe Nowe get the hence in hast and suffer me to die Whom scornfull chaunce lawles loue haue slaine most trayterouslye Recreation O noble Witte the miracle of God and eke of Nature Why cursest thou thy selfe and euery other creature What causeth the thine innocent deare Lady to accuse Who would lament it more then she to here this wofull newes Why wylt thou dye wheras thou mayst be sure of health Wheras thou séeth a playne path waye to worship and to wealth Not euery foyle doth make a fal nor euery soyle doth slaye Comfort thy selfe be sure thy lucke wyll mend from day to daye VVill. This gentil newes of good Will are come to make you sound They know which way to salue your sore and how to cure your wouÌ„d Good sir be ruled by her then aâ—d pluck your spirite to you There is no doubt but you shall find your louing lady true VVitte Ah Wyll art thou aliue that doth my hart some ease The sight of the swete boy my sorowes doth appeace How hast thou scapte what fortune the befell VVill. It was no trusting to my handes my héeles did serue me wel I ran wyth open mouth to crye for helpe amayne And as good fortune would I hit vpon these twayne VVitte I thanke both thee and them what wyll ye haue me do Recreationâ— To ryse and daunce a litle space with vs two VVitte What then Recreation That done repayre agayne to Studie and Instruction Take better hould by their aduise your foe to set vpon VVitte Can any recompence recouer this my fall Recreacion My life to yours it may be mended all VVitte Speake Wyll VVill. I haue no doubt sir it shal be as you would wishe VVitte But yet this repulse of myne they wyll lay in my dishe Recreation No man shall let them know therof vnlesse your selfe do it VVitte On that condicion a gods name fall we to it VVill. Naye stande we to it and let vs fall no more VVitte Will daunsiâ—g serue and I will daunce vntil my bones be sore Pype vs vp a Galiard mynstrel to begynne Let vvill call for daunces one after an other VVill. Come Damsell in good fayth and let me haue you inâ— Let him practise in daunsing al things to make himselfe brethles Recreation Enough at once now léeue and let vs part VVitte This exâ—rcise hath done me good euen to the very hart Let vs be bould with youâ— more acquaintaunce to take And daunce a round yet once more for my sake Enouge is enoughe farewel and at your néede Use my acquaintaunce if it may stande you in stéede Right worthy Damsels both I knowe you seke no gaynes In recompence of this desert your vndeserued paynes But loke what other thinge my seruice maye deuise To shewe my thankefull harte in any enterprise Be ye as bolde therwyth as I am bold on you And thus wyth hartye thankes I take my leaue as nowe Recreation Farewell frend Witte and since you are relieued Thynke not vpon your foyle whereat you were so grieued But take your hart to you and giue attempte once more I warrant you to spéede much better then before Act 4. sena 4. VVitte VVill Idlenes Ignoraunce VVitte One daunce for the and mee my boye come on VVill. Daunce you sir if you please and I wil loke vpon VVitte This geare doth make me sweate and breath a pace Idlenes Sir ease your selse a whyle heare is a restinge place VVitte Home Will and make my bedde for I will take a nappe Ignoraunce Sure and it please youre mastership here in my Dames lap Idlenes syngeth Come come lye doune and thou shalte see Non lyke to mee to entertayne Thye bones and thee opprest wyth payne Come come and â—ase thee in my lappe And yf it pleace thee take a nappe A nappe that shall delight thee soo That fancies all wyll thee forgoe Bye muâ—inge styll what canst thou fynde But wantes of wyll and restles mynde A mynde that marres and mangles all And breadeth iarres to worke thy falle Come gentle Witte thee requyre And thou shalt hytt thy chiefe desyre Thy chiefe desire thy hooped praye Fyrste ease thee here and then away VVitte Falle doune in to her lapp My bones are styff and I am wearyed sore And still me thynck I faynte and feble moore and moore Wake mee agayne in tyme for I haue thinges to doe And as you wyll mee for myne ease I doe assent thereto Idlenes Lul hym Welcome wyth all my harte Syr boye houlde here thys fan And softly coole his face slepe sowndly gentleman Thys chayer is chared well now ignoraunce my sonne Thou seest all this howe fittlye it is done But woâ—ste thou whye Ignoraunce Nay bumfaye mother not I Well I wotte t is agaye whorchit tricke and tryme Choulde reiounce my harte to chaunce cootes with hym Idlenes Doste thou remember how many I haue serued in the like sorte Ignoraunce It doth my hart good to thyncke on this sporte Idlenes Wylte thou see thys proper fellowe serued soe Ignoraunce Choulde geue twaye pence to see it and tway pence moore Idlenes Come of then let me sée thee in thy voublet and thy hose Ignoraunce You shall sée a taule felow mother I suppose Idlenes Helpe of with this sleue softly for feare of waking Wee shal leaue the gentilman in a pretie takinge Giue me thy Cote hold this in thy hand This fellowe would be maried to Science I vnderstaÌ„d But or we leaue himâ— tâ—ll me an other tale Now let vs make him loke some what stale There laye and there bée the prouerbe is verified I am neither idle nor yet wel occupied Ignoraunce Mother must I haue his Cote now mother must Chal be a