shall appease heauens ire Til the cabin of Contēpt be set on fire And wantonnes with lewd desire Be trampled vnder foot as mire The Cobler has no more to say But for the peoples sinnes good princes oft are tane away Du: Well God a mercie fellow go thou in Ex. Raph. Sch: He raues my Lord it s ill aduisd of you To suffer him so neere your princely excellence Du: His presence breeds me no offence A cry within help murther murther Raph comes running out Ennius after him with his dagger drawen after Ennius Zelota the Coblers wife who snatches the dagger from Ennius and runs rauing Ze: What Raph Raph so fine you wil not know your wife What a gilden sword and a siluer knife There there Raph put it vp She stabs Ennius and he fals dead She stands againe sodainly amazde Why so What so Why where am I Raph Faith where ye ha made a fayre peece of worke D Lay holde on them what violence is this To haue one murdred euen before our presence Sch: What cause hadst thou to kill this Gentleman Zel: None in the world I neuer knew him I Raph No faith shee s mad has beene euer since I was a prophet and cause she sawe a dagger without a sheath she euen put it vp in his belly Du: Why what acquaintance hast thou with this womā Raph O Lord sir she has bin acquainted with me a great while with mine eares with euery part of me why t is my wife Sch: The lykelyer may it like your grace of his consent T were good they both did suffer punishment Du: Commit them both but she has long bin mad It may be heauen reserud her to this end Sch: Come sirra you and your wife must goe to ward Till you be tride for cleerenes or consent Raph O sir whether you will I am content God Markedy has serud me pretily Has made my wife mad and sayd shee should not be well Till by her hand a traitor fell And I must euen be hangd for companie Exeunt with the Cobler and his wife some beare out Ennius bodie Du: I doe not gesse the woman guiltie of this crime But the iust heauens in theyr seueritie Haue wrought this wreake for Ennius trecherie Enter Scholler and Messenger Sch: Here is a messenger my gracious Lord That brings ill tidings to your quiet state Du: What are they felow let vs heare thē speak Spare not Mess: The Argiues and the men of Thessaly With mightie powers are come vpon your coast They burne wast spoyle kill murther make no spare Of feeble age or harmlesse infant youth They vow to triumph in Booetia And make your Highnes vassall to their will They threaten mightily their power is mightie The people fall before them as the flowring grasse The mower with his syth cuts in the meade Helpe your poore people and defend your state Else you they it will soone be ruinate Du: I will prouide as farre as heauenly powers And our abilities shall giue consents I le to the temple and powre forth my prayers Meane while let Sateros be called for To muster vp the people with all speed Exit Duke Sch: Now see I that this simple witted man This poore plaine Cobler truly did diuine The Gods when we refuse the common meanes Sent by their oracles and learned priests Raise vp some man contemptible and vile In whom they breath the purenes of theyr spirits And make him bolde to speake and prophesie Enter Sateros the souldier Welcome friend Sateros you are fitly come The Duke intends that you shall leade to field The powers of Boaetia gainst his foes Are you prepard and willingly resolud Sat Why you sir by your pen can do as well I know t is nothing but Facsimile Sch: Souldier stand not on that discharge your duetie The countrie needs our seruice and our counsell I le doo my best and do you your indeuor For publike quiet and Booetias honor Sat Well I forget your scornes giuen me in peace And rate all enuie at an humble price I le doe my dutie doe not you neglect Armes will not Art Art should not armes reiect Sch: A blessed concord I will to the Duke And leaue thee Sateros to thy glorious warre Enter hastely the Countrie Gentleman Count: O sir I haue bin seeking ye all day And greatly do I praise my fortune thus to meete yee Sat In good time sir be briefe I pray Count You do remember me I hope Sat: Not verie well I promise ye Count: Lord sir and you bee aduisde I was one of them that reasoned before contempt when you defended war another arte one the court and I the countrie Sat: I remember in deede such a reasoning before that vile monster Contempt but you I haue forgot Count: O Lord sir yes by that token we went afterward to the Ordinarie Sat: True true now I call ye minde by this token I was not able to reache commons and so was cashierd out of your companie Count: T was against my will Ifaith ye sawe I was another mans guest Sat: It s no great matter But what 's your busines wyth me now that you seeke for me so hastily Count: Marie sir there is warres toward do ye not heare on it Sat: That 's to too sure Count: And I feare by reason of my wealth I shall bee chosen for a Captaine ouer some Companies Sat: And what of that Count: Why I haue no skill and therefore woulde hyre you to serue in my place I le please ye well Sat. The Duke wantes men sir and therefore must yee serue your selfe though not as a captaine yet in a place fitting your person You offer me moneie why man I le deale kindly with ye ye shal haue some of me bere take it be not nice In the Dukes name I charge ye with horse and furniture to be readie to morrow by breake of day for the busines askes speed Count: But I hope ye will not deale so with me Sat: But I am sure I will therefore dispatch on perill of your life Count: Why what alife is this that such as I must serue A shame on warres for me that ere they were Exit Enter Raph and other prisoners with weapons Sat: Why now fellowes what are you Raph What souldier do not you know me Sat: Yes Raph but what are these Raph Faith certaine pu-fellowes of mine that haue bin mued vp now the exclamation goes we shal haue wars we are all set at libertie and sent to you to be traild vp Sat: Why wert in prison Raph I faith I prophesied so long that I had like to haue bin hangd My wife kild the courtier man that would haue kild me the Duke to but I le be a prophet no longer that 's flatte after I haue done beeing a souldier I le to cobling againe Sat. So doest thou well But fellowe tell mee why wert thou in Pris. Faith sir for nothing but riding another mans
now thou dost but prune thy wings and make thy fethers gay A dunghill Cocke that croes by night shall slilie thee betray And tread thy Hen and for a time shall carrie her away And she by him shall hatch a Chicke this Countrey to decay And for this pretie Pullets name thou shalt the better learne When thou shalt onelie letters fiue within one name discerne Three vowels and two consonants vvhich vovvels if thou scan Doth sound that vvhich to euerie pace conducteth euerie man Then call to minde this Prophecie for that 's the bastards name Then rouse thy selfe then reach thy sword and win thy wonted fame Now Raph awake for I haue done the taske for which I came Exit Raph stretches himselfe and wakes Raph Heigh ho wake quoth you I thinke t is time for I haue slept soundly And me thought in my sleep this was God Markedy that had chaunted my wife mad for good cause why Aboue me thought I saw God Shebiter that marlously did frowne VVith a dart of fier in his hand readie to throw it downe Below me thought there were false knaues walking like honest men verie craftely And few or none could be plainly seene to thriue in the world by honestie Me thought I saw one that was wondrous fat Picke two mens purses while they were striuing for a gnat And some that dwelt in streetes were large and faire Kept backe shops to vtter their baddest ware VVhat meddle I with trades Men masters and maids Yea and wiues too and all are too too bad Be iudgd by my wife that was neuer well till she ran mad But O the Baker how he plaid false with the ballance And ran away from the takers tallants The Bruer was as bad the Butcher as ill For it s their tricke to blow vp leane meate with a quill And with the stroke a Butcher gaue an oxe that lowd bellowing did make I lost sight of all the other trickes and so sodainly did wake But now must Raph trudge about his prophetation Faith ye shall heare me troll it out after my fashion Exit Enter Sateros a souldier and Contempt naming himselfe Content Sat: Thus haue I serued in my Princes warres Against the Persian and the Asian Powers The cole-blacke Moore that reuels in the Straights Haue I repelled with my losse of blood My scarres are witnes of my hard escapes My wrinckles in my face made old by care VVhen yet my yeres are in their chiefest prime Are glasses of my griefe lights of my languor That liue disgracde and haue deserued honor Cont: I am the admiredst in Boeotia By honoring me thou shalt obtaine preferment Sat: Vnto the Gods and Prince doo souldiers honor And wert thou one of these I would adore thee Cont: I am of power more than all the Gods To sit and rule the harts of all degrees They haue in me content as thou shalt see A present instance in these entring men Enter Emnius a Courtier with him a Scholler and a Countrey Gentleman Contr Haile to Contents diuinest exelence Schol: Content our sweetest good we doo salute thee Cour: Though last I am not least in duteous kindnes To thee Content although thou be no God Yet greater in account than all of them Schol: But if ye knew his name wer Olygoros which signifieth Contempt you would not mistake him and name him Content Cont: O Mas scholler be patient for though you like not my name you loue my nature and therefore Gentlemen forward with the discourse intended at our last meeting and in that conference this Gentleman a souldier I presume will make one Cour: Being a soldier his companie is fit for anie honest gentleman and therefore welcome into our companie Sat: I thanke you sir may say to you with some surplusage my wood they bring me home my hay and corne in haruest their cattell seruants sonnes and selues are at my commaund Schol: O iure quaque iniuria Raph Nay and you speake Latin reach me my laste Harke ye mas Scholler harke ye The time shall come not long before the doome That in despite of Roome Lat in shall lacke And Greeke shall beg with a wallet at his backe For all are not sober that goes in blacke Goe too scholler there 's a learning for your knacke Contr At my list can I rack their rents set them to fines bind them to forfets force them to what I please If I build they bee my labourers if bargaine on them I build and for my good looke they are content to endure any trauell Raph But for all this ill and wrong Marke the Coblers song The hie hill and the deepe ditch VVhich ye digd to make your selues rich The chimnies so manie and almes not anie The widowes wofull cries And babes in streete that lies The bitter sweate and paine That tenants poore sustaine Will turne to your bane I tell ye plaine When burning fire shall raine And fill with botch and blaine The sinew and each vaine Then these poore that crie Being lifted vp on hie VVhen you are all forlorne Shall laugh you lowd to scorne Then where will be the schollers allegories VVhere the Lawier with his dilatories VVhere the Courtier with his brauerie And the money monging mate with all his knauerie Bethinke me can I no where els But in hell where Diues dwels But I see ye care not yet And thinke these words for me vnfit And gesse I speake for lacke of wit Stand aside stand aside for I am disposed to spit Cont: Be quiet Cobler le ts heare the Scholler speake Raph I giue him retoritie to it Schol: VVhat the Courtier dreamingly possesses the Countrey Gentleman with cursses and the Souldiour with cares I quietly enioy without controll In my studie I contemplate what can be done in batels with my pen hurt more than thousands doo with pikes I strike him that sees me not Raph I thought you were a proper man of your hands to come behinde one Schol: I see the height of heauen Raph But thou makest no hast thither Schol: I view the depth of hell Raph Is there anie roome in hell for curst wiues and Coblers shops Scholler Content is my landlorde peace and quiet are my companions I am not with the Courtier bound to daunce attendance nor with the Countriman binde I others to attende on mee I possesse pleasure more than mortall and my contemplation is onely of the life immortall Courtier But you would bee glad to creepe in credit in the Court Scholler and not be curious of the meanes for all your coynesse Scholl: I will not acquaint you sir with my intent for they are fooles that in secret affaires are too familiar know this that I intend to awaite occasion Soldier Faith Master Scholler yet it stands not with your protestation Countrie Gentleman Nor with you Soldier to be thus blunt after your rude fashion Soul: Alas sir you must needes be exelent for Piers Plaine your poore tenants pray for ye their
wealth was scarce the worth Of the fine linnin vsed in that month And shall not Venus be as kindelie vsde Con: It must be as we may I le goe prouided And spie my time slylie to steale thee hence Exit Venus Awaie for Mars is come Enter Mars Welcome God Mars where hath my loue bin all this while Mars Walking about th garden time for to beguile VVheras between nisenes your maide newfangle your man I heard such sport as for your part would you had bin there than Quoth nicenes to new fangle thou art such a Iacke That thou deuisest fortie fashions for my Ladies backe And thou quoth he art so possest with euerie fantike toy That following of my Ladies humor thou dost make hir coy For once a day for fashion sake my Lady must be sicke No meat but mutton or at most the pinion of a chicke To day hir owne haire best becomes which yellow is as gold A perriwigs better for to morrow blacker to behold To day in pumps and cheuerill gloues to walke she wil be bold To morrow cuffes and countenance for feare of catching cold Now is shee barefast to be seene straight on hir muffler goes Now is shee hufft vp to the crowne straight nulled to the nose These seuen yeares trust me better sport I heard not to my mind The Dialogue done then downe came I my Lady Loue to finde Venus And thou hast found hir all alone half sickly by ill hap Sit for a while Mars and lay thy head vpon my lap I see my folks behinde my backe haue much good talke of mee Mars And so they haue Venus They are too Idle soft Mars doe you see Mars I see some sawcie mates presse in Nowe sirs what would you haue Sat Be not offended sir we seeke God Mars Mars VVhy and Mars haue you found sir what 's your will with him Raph Are you he I cry you mercie I promise you I tooke you for a morris dauncer you are so trim Mars VVhat sayes the villaine Sa: If thou be Mars the cause which makes me doubt is that I see thy bodie lapt in soft silke which was wont to bee clad in hard steele and thy head so childishlie laid on a womans lap Pardon I humbly beseech thee the plainnes of thy poore seruant and vouchsafe to read my poore petition He deliuers the petition Mars takes and reads it meane vvhile Venus speakes Venus Rough shaped souldier enemie to loue VVhy dost thou thirst so much for bloody warre wherein the strong man by a stronger queld Or reacht far off by dastard darters arme Breathes forth his spirite with a booteles cry Leauing behinde his earths anatomie By warre the Infant trampled vnder steeds Holds to his mother out his feeble hand And she is rauisht while hir yongling bleeds Yet to abide deaths stroake doth quaking stand The twice forst virgin like the wounded lambe Deiected at the mercie of the woolfe Holds vp hir throat in vaine to bloody men That will not kill hir while hir beautie stayeth But stab her when her teares her faire decayeth Away thou bloody man vex not my Lord By warre true loue is hindred and vndone And Ladies laps left emptie of their loues whose heads did beautifie their tender knees Raph You need not plaine your laps full inough Sould: Faire Venus be propitious I will fight To maintaine true loue and defend the right Venus On that condition souldier I am won Receaue this fauour Mars let it be done Mars Sateros I haue receiued thy supplication and sorrow I cannot as I would giue thee immediat comfort If I should oppose my selfe against the Gods they would soone set fire on my seat Sixe double vs there are three at libertie three imprisoned and one their keeper at libertie wilines wrong and wantonnes in prison are warre wreake and woe their keeper is wonder who once giuing way to libertie for those he holds shall set thee and thy fellowes on worke in meane time goe thou to the Duke of Booetia commend vs to him when he can he will imploy thee I am sure let that be thy answere for this time and so good Sateros be contented Sat: I humbly take my leaue adored Mars Proue a good night Rauen Venus I intreat Venus Farewell pore souldier weare that for my sake Sa: Of both your Godheads dutious leaue I take Venus And when goe you sir Rahh: VVho I Good Lord there hangs a matter by Mars why what are you get gone or I will send thee gone Raph I pray you beare a while gentle master mine And you shall heare my in speech I warrant Venus Goe too sir foole le ts heare what you can say Raph And shall I warrant yee to your cost my Lady do-little Mars though thou be a Cocke of the game that wontst to croe by day And with thy sharpned spurres the crauen Cockes didst kill and slay Sith now thou dost but prune thy wings and make thy fethers gay A dunghill Cocke that croes by night shall slilie thee betray And tread thy Hen and for a time shall carrie her away And she by him shall hatch a Chicke this Countrey to decay And for this pretie Pullets name thou shalt the better learne When thou shalt onelie letters find within one name discerne Three vowels and two consonants vvhich vovvels if thou scan Doth sound that vvhich to euerie place conducteth euerie man Then call to minde this Prophecie for that 's the bastards name Then rouse thy selfe then reach thy sword and win thy wonted fame Now haue I done the taske for which I came And so farewell fine Master and nice Dame Exit Mars rises in a rage Venus offers to staie him Mars A dunghill cocke to tread my hen Breake forth yee hangrie powers And fill the world with bloodshed and with rage Venus My Lord my Loue Mars Venus I am abusde Venus VVhy will yee trust a foole when he shall speake And take his words to be as Oracles Mars But hee hath tucht me neere and I le reuenge Venus Aye mee Reuenge true Louers wrongs immortall powers And nere let Lady trust a souldier Make as if shee swounds Mars VVhy faintst thou Venus why art thou distrest Looke vp my loue speake Venus speake to me Venus Nay let me die sith Mars hath wronged me Mars Thou hast not wrongd me Mars beleeues it not Venus Yes yes base Coblers vtter Oracles And al are sooth fast words against pore Loue Mars I will beleeue no words they are all false Onely my Venus is as bright as heauen And firmer than the poles that hold vp heauen Venus Now comes your loue too late first haue you slaine Her whome your honny words cannot recure againe Mars I will doe pennance on my knees to thee And beg a kisse that haue bin so vnkinde Venus And know you not vnkindnes kills a woman Mars I know it doth sweet forgiue my fault Venus I will forgiue ye now ye beg so hard But trust me next