Humfrie God bwy Gentlemen for none here hath occasion to vse Honesty Kni. Yes Honesty thou shalt be my brothers guest and mine Hon. Mary and I thank you to for now the world may say That Honesty dines with Hospitality to day Exeunt Enter Osrick and Alfrida and to them Ethenwald Osr. DAughter see that you entertaine the Earle As best beseemes his state and thy degree He comes to see whether Fame haue worthily Bene niggard in commending thee or no So shall thy vertues be admired at the court And thou be praised for kind and debonair For curtesie contents a Courtier oft When nothing els seemes pleasant in his eies Alfr. Father you shall perceiue that Alfrida Will doe her best in honouring of your age To entertaine the Earle of Cornwell so That he shall think him highlie fauoured Throw louing speech and curteous entertain Os. How fares my L. of Cornwel what displeased Or troubled with a mood that 's male content Eth. Not male content and yet I am not well For I am troubled with a painfull rume That when I would be mery troubles me And commonlie it holds me in my eies With such extreames that I can scantly see Osr. How long haue you bene troubled with the pain Or is it a pain that you haue vsuall Or is it some water that by taking cold Is falne into your eies and troubles you Eth I cannot tel but sure it paines me much Nor did it euer trouble me till nowe For till I came to lodge within your house My eies were cleare and I neuer felt the paine Os. I am sory that my house shuld cause your grief Daughter if you haue any skil at all I pray you vse your cunning with the Earle And see if you can ease him of his paine Alf. Father such skill as I receiued of late By reading many pretie pend receites Both for the ache of head and paine of eyes I wil if so it please the Earle to accept it Indeuour what I may to comfort him My Lord I haue waters of approoued worth And such as are not common to be found Any of which if it please your honour vse them I am in hope will help you to your sight Eth. No matchlesse Alfrida they will doe me no good For I am troubled only when I looke Alfrida On what my Lord or whome Ethen. I cannot tell Alf. Why let me see your eies my Lord looke vpon me Eth. Then t wil be worse Alf. What if you looke on me then I le be gone Eth. Nay stay sweet loue stay beauteous Alfrida And giue the Earle of Cornwel leaue to speake Know Alfrida thy beautie hath subdued And captiuate the Earle of Cornwels heart Briefly I loue thee seeme I neere so bold So rude and rashlie to prefer my sute And if your father giue but his consent Eased be that paine that troubles Ethenwald And this considered Osricke shall prooue My father and his daughter be my loue Speake Osrick shall I haue her I or no Os. My Lord with al my hart you haue my consent If so my daughter please to condiscend Ethen. But what saith Alfrida Alf. I say my Lord that seing my father grants I will not gainsay what his age thinks meet I do appoint my selfe my Lord at your dispose Eth. Wel Osrick nowe you see your daughter 's mine But tel me when shall be the wedding day Osr. On Monday next till then you are my guest Ethen. Well Osricke when our nuptiall rites are past I must to Court of businesse to the King Alfr. Let that be as you please my Lord But stay not long for I shall hardlie brooke your absence then Eth. Feare not Alfrida I will not stay there long But come let vs in Father pray lead the way Exeunt Enter the King and Dunston King TEl me Dunston what thinkest thou of the fauors of Kings Dun. I think of kings fauors as of a Marigold flower That as long as the Sun shineth openeth her leaues And with the least cloud closeth againe Or lyke the Uiolets in America that in sommer yeeld an odifferous smell And in winter a most infectious sauour For at euery ful sea they flourish or at euery dead ope they vade The fish Palerna being perfect white in the calme Yet turneth blacke with euery storme Or lyke the trees in the deserts of Africa That flourish but while the southwest wind bloweth Euen so my Lord is the fauours of kings to them they fauour For as their fauours giue lyfe so their frownes yeeld death King Wel said Dunston but what merits he that dissembles with his Soueraigne Dunston In my opinion my Lord he merits death King Then assure thy selfe if Ethenwald dissemble he shall die but who comes here Perin what newes that thou commest in such hast and what is he that beares thee company Per. It is my gratious Lord and honest man And one it seemes that loues you Maiestie For as your Grace gaue me in charge I went about into the countrey to see what summes of money I could make Among the cheefest of the communaltie And mongst the richest Knights that I could fynd They would lend your Grace at most but twenty pound And euery Squire would lend you Grace but ten Then came I mongst the rest to this plaine man And asked him what he would lend the king He aunswered sir you see I am but poore Not halfe so wealthy as a Knight or Squire And yet in signe of dutie to his Grace I wil lende his Maiestie two hundred pound King Thanks honest fellow for thy loue to vs And if I may but pleasure thee in ought Command me to the vttermost I may England hath too few men of thy good mind Enter Honestie and Piers plowman Honesty what newes where hast thou bene so long Honest. A my Lord I haue bene searching for a priuie knaue One my Lord that feeds vpon the poore commons And makes poore Piers ploughman weare a thread bare coate It is a farmer my Lord which buyes vp all the corn in the market and sends it away beyond seas thereby feeds the enemie Kin. Alas poore piers plowman what ailest thou why doest thou weep peace man if any haue offended thee Thou shalt be made amends vnto the most piers plow I beseech your Grace to pitie my distresse There is an vnknowne theefe that robs the common wealth And makes me and my poore wife and children beg for maintenance The tyme hath bene my Lord in diebus illis That the Plowmans coat was of good homespun russet cloth Whereof neither I nor my seruants had no want Though now both they and I want And all by this vnknown Farmer For there cannot be an aker of ground to be sold But he will find money to buy it nay my Lord he hath money to buy whole Lordships and yet but a Farmer I haue kept a poore house where I dwel this four score yeare Yet was I neuer driuen to
want till now I beseech your Grace as you haue still bene iust To seek redresse for this oppression I beseech your Grace reade my humble petition Kin. Let me see the humble petition of poor piers plowman Alasse poore piers I haue heard my father say That piers plowman was one of the best members in a commō wealth For his table was neuer emptie of bread beefe and beere As a help to all distressed traueilers but where thou tellest mee I harbour him and he is dailie vnder my elbow I assure thee t is more than I know for I harbour none but this which is my honest friend Hon. Is this your honest friend the deuill a is my Lord This is he if you doubt my word to be true call in Clarke of the Assyses now shall your Grace see How Honesty can shake out a knaue in this company Enter Clarke of the Assyse Sirra tell me who hath most poore men in suit at this Syses Clark That hath Walter would haue more He hath one poore man in suit for certaine Barlie And another for that his horse was taken in his corne Honest. But what inditemennts are against him read them Read the Inditement Clark First he hath conueyed corne out of the land to feede the Enemie Next hee hath turned poore Piers Plowman out of dores by his great raising of rents Next he is knowne to bee a common disturber of men of their quiet by seruing Writs on them and bringing them to London to their vtter vndoing Also he keeps corne in his barne and suffers his brethren and neighbours to lie and want and thereby makes the market so deare that the poore can buy no corne Kin. Ynough now fie vpon thee thou monster of nature To seeke the vtter vndoing of manie to inrich thy selfe Honesty take him and vse him as thou wilt Honesty Come sir I thinke I found out your knauerie Away sir and beare your fellow companie Exeunt omnes but the King and Dunston Enter Ethenwald Eth. Health and good hap befall your Maiestie Kin. Ethenwald welcome how fares our beautious loue Be breefe man what will she loue or no Eth. Then as your Grace did giue to me in charge I haue dischargde my dutie euery way And communed with the maid you so commend For when the Sun rich Father of the day eie of the world King of the spangled vale Had run the circuit of the Horizon And that Artofelex the nights bright star Had brought fair Luna from the purpled mayne Where she was dallying with her wanton loue To lend her light to wearie traueilers Then t was my chance to arriue at Osricks house But being late I could not then vnfolde The message that your Grace had giuen in charge But in the morne Aurora did appeare At sight of whom the Welkin straight did cleare Then was the spangled vale of heauen drawne in And phoebus rose lyke heauens imperiall King And ere the Sun was mounted fiue degrees The maid came downe and gaue me the good day King But being come what said she then How lykest thou her what is she fair or no Eth. My Lord she is colloured lyke the Scythia Maide That challenged Lucio at the Olympian games Well bodied but her face was something blacke Lyke those that follow houshold businesse Her eies wer hollow sunke into her head Which makes her haue a clowdie countenance She hath a pretie tongue I must confesse And yet my Lord she is nothing eloquent King Why then my Lord there 's nothing good in her Eth. Yes my Lord she is fit to serue an Earle or so But far vnfit for Edgar Englands King King So then she is fit for Ethenwald our Cornish Earle But far vnfit for Edgar Englands king Well Ethenwald I found your policie But tell me ifaith doest thou loue the maide Speake truelie man dissemble not Ethen. I doe my gratious Lord and therewithall Intreate your Maiestie to pardon me King Ethenwald I am content to pardon thee And will be with thee my selfe ere long To doe thee honour in thy mariage And therefore Ethenwald thou maist depart And leaue vs til we visite thee at home Eth. My gratious Lord I humbly take my leaue Dunst. If is please your Grace pardon me and giue me leaue I would gladlie bring my Nephew on the way Ki. With all my heart Dunston but stay not long Eth. I humbly take my leaue of your Maiesty Exeunt Dunst. and Ethenwald Kin. Farewel Ethenwald but Perin tell me now What doest thou thinke of Alfrida Is she so foule as Ethenwald reports her Beleeue me then she had bene vnfit for me per. My gratious Lord Ethenwald hath dissembled with your Maiesty For Alfrida is fair and vertuous For last night being in priuate conference He tould me he had deuised a mean To collour with the King by forged excuse No no quoth he my Alfrida is faire As is the radiant North star Christaline That guides the wet and wearie Traueller Soust with the surge of Neptunes watery main And thus my Lord he fell to praising her And from his pocket straight he drew this counterfeit And said t was made by beauteous Alfrida King A face more faire than is the Suns bright beames Or snow white Alpes beneath faire Cynthea Who would refuse with Hercules to spin When such faire faces bears vs companie Faire Pollyxena neuer was so faire Nor she that was proud loue to Troylus Great Alexanders loue Queen of Amazons Was not so faire as is faire Alfrida But perin be thou secrete to the King And I will sound these subtill practizes And Ethenwald be sure I will quittance thee And teach thee how to dallie with thy King But perin le ts to Court vntill to morne And then wee le take horse and away Exeunt Enter mad men of Goteham to wit a Miller a Cobler and a Smith Miller Now let vs conssult among our selues How to misbehaue our selues to the Kings worship Iesus blesse him and when he comes to deliuer him this petition I think the Smith were best to do it for hee s a wise man Cobler Naighbor he shall not doe it as long as Iefferay the Translater is Maior of the towne Smith And why I pray because I would haue put you from the Mace Miller No not for that but because he is no good fellow Nor he will not spend his pot for companie Smith Why sir there was a god of our occupation and I charge you by vertue of his godhed to let me deliuer the petitiō Cob. But soft you your God was a Cuckold and his Godhead was the horne and that 's the Armes of the Godhead you call vpon Go you are put down with your occupation and now I wil not grace you so much as to deliuer the petition for you Smith What dispraise our trade Cob. Nay neighbour be not angrie for I le stand to nothing onlie but this Smith But what beare witnesse a giues me the But and
A most pleasant and merie nevv Comedie Intituled A Knacke to knowe a Knaue Newlie set foorth as it hath sundrie tymes bene played by ED. ALLEN and his Companie VVith KEMPS applauded Merrimentes of the men of Goteham in receiuing the King into Goteham Imprinted at London by Richard Iones dwelling at the signe of the Rose and Crowne nere Holborne bridge 1594 A merie Knacke to knowe a Knaue Enter King Edgar bishop Dunston and Perin a courtier King DVnston how highlie are we bound to praise The Eternall God that still prouides for vs And giues vs leaue to rule in this our land Lyke wise Vaspasian Romes rich Emperour Suppressing sinue that daylie raignes in vs First murther we rewarde with present death And those that doe commit fellonious crimes Our lawes of England doe awarde them death And hee that doeth dispoyle a Uirgins chastitie Must lykewise suffer death by lawes decree And that decree is irreuocable Then as I am Gods Uicegerent here on earth By Gods appointment heere to raigne and rule So must I seeke to cut abuses downe That lyke to Hydras heades daylie growes vp one in anothers place And therein makes the land infectious Which if with good regard we looke not to We shall lyke Sodom feele that fierie doome That God in Iustice did inflict on them Dunston Your Graces care herein I much cummend And England hath iust cause to praise the Lorde That sent so good a King to gouerne them Your lyfe may be a Lanterne to the state By perfect signe of humilitie Howe blest had Sodome bene in sight of God If they had had so kinde a Gouernour They had then vndoubtedlie escapt that doome That God in iustice did inflict on them Then England kneele vpon thy hartie knee And praise that God that so prouides for thee And vertuous Prince thou Salomon of our age Whose yeares I hope shall double Nestors raigne And bring a thousand profits to the land My selfe dread Prince in token of my loue And dutifull obedience to your Grace Will studie daylie as my dutie willes To roote sinnes from the flourishing common wealth That Fame in euery angle of the world May sound due praise of Englands vetuous King King Dunston liue thou and counsell still the king To maintaine Iustice were it on himself Rather than soothing him in his abuse To see subuersion of his common wealth I tell thee Dunston thou hast pleased the King And prooued thy selfe a vertuous counsellour Thy counsell is to me as North stars light That guides the Sayler to his wished port For by that starre he is so comforted That he sailes daungerlesse on daungerous seas And in his deepest sadnes comforts him So Dunstons knowledge is that starre of ioy That will with helpe conduct me to my happinesse Honesty And yet thou art not happy Edgar Because that sinnes lyke swarmes remaine in thee King Why t is impossible for I haue studied still To root abuses from the common wealth That may infect the king or communaltie Therefore base Peasant wilfull as thou art I tell thee troth thou hast displeasd the King Honesty Nay the King hath displeased himselfe In trusting euery one that speaks him faire For through faire words Kings manie tymes are faine To countenance Knaues by their authoritie I will not say your Grace doeth so Perin No sir you were not best Honest. Why if I should I might make good my word And fynd a Knaue I feare before I part King Why what art thou Honesty Mary I goe plaine and my name is Honesty A friend to your Grace but a foe to Flatterers And one that hath a Knacke to know a Knaue Perin As how sir by art or by some foolish gift God hath giuen you You are some Uissitian or skild in Uisognomy or in palmestry For I am sure you can neuer do it by Astronomie Because there are no starres to knowe a knaue Hon. True but many an honest man knowes a knaue to his cost And is neither Uisitiā Uisognomer palmester nor astronomer But a plaine man of the country lyke me That knowes a knaue if he doe but see his cap Per. That wer pretie I faith to see Honesty know a knaue by his cap T is more than I can do with al the skil I haue But tel me I pray thee how I should know a knaue Hon. I beleeue you wel for offenders neuer bewray their offences Til the Law fynd them and punish them But you would faine tell how to know a knaue Then thus the first man you meet in the morning If he salute you drawe neere him And smell to his hat and after smell to your owne And my cap to a noble if his smel lyke yours he is a knaue I thinke I spoke with you now Perin Base Uillain were it not that the Kinges presence doth priuilege thy presūptiō I wold teach you to iest with your fellows Ki. Forbear honesty thou art a good plain fellow And I cōmend thy wit that hast such waies to know a knaue Hon. Honesty is plaine my Lord but no good fellow For good fellowes be purse-takers now a daies And there be so manie of such good fellowes That Honesty may walke the streetes without company Not that there wants company but honest company I mean And yet Honesty can clap a knaue on the shoulder for al his brauerie Perin Why base companion meane you me Honesty Not base sir because I was truelie begotten For Honesty may be suspected but neuer detected But you think I had a bayliefe to my father as you had And that my mother could returne a writ of error As yours did when such a Gallant as you were gotten King Beleeue me Perin he hath toucht you now And I perceiue though Honesty be simple Yet manie tymes he speakes trueth Honesty True if it please your Grace for honest men wil not lie But if your Grace vouchsafe to giue me leaue You shall see me finde more knaues than one If my cunning faile me not or els say Honesty had no honesty Ki. But tel me Dunston how thinkest thou of this motion Were it not good thinkest thou we gaue him leaue To stifle such Catterpillers as corrupt the common welth For manie tymes such simple men as he Bewray much matter in simplicitie Then tell me Dunston what thinkest thou of his motion Dunst. If it please your Grace to thinke it good Dunston will say as once Hefestion did When Alexander wan rich Macedone That what so ere the King himselfe thought meete He would in dutifull obedience yeeld vnto And so saith Dunston to your Maiestie For many times such simple men bring that to passe That wiser heads cannot attaine vnto For doubtlesse he hath some deuice in hand Whereby to fynde such subtle knauerie King Well Dunston then as thou hast counseld me I will for once make proofe of Honesty sirra come hither In hope you wil as your profession is In honest sort to fynde deceiuers out And fynding them to
he that hath many children Shall neuer be without some myrth Nor die without some sorrowe for if they Be vertuous he shall haue cause to reioyce But if vitious stubburne or disobedient Euer to liue in continuall sadnesse I am sorie Philarchus that my fauours haue made thee insolent Wel I wil see now if my frownes wil make thee penitent Now Father see how Nature gins to worke And how salt teares lyke drops of peely dew Fals from his eies as sorrowing his amisse Phil. Most gratious Prince vouchsafe to heare me speake I cannot but confesse most gratious Soueraigne That I haue erd in being obstinate in wilful disobedience to my syre Wherin I haue wrongd nature and your Maiesty But I am not the first whom ouersight Hath made forgetfull of a Fathers loue But Fathers loue shall neuer be forgot If he but daine to pardon my amisse But if your wrath will no waies be appeased Rip vp this breast where is inclosde that heart That bleeds with griefe to thinke on my amisse Ah Father pardon sweet Father pardon me Fath. No gracelesse Impe degenerate and vnkinde Thou art no sonne of mine but Tygers whelp That hast bene fostred by some Lyons pap But as the tallest Ash is cut down because it yeelds no fruit And an vnprofitable cow yeelding no milke is slaughtred And the idle Drone gathering no honie is contemned So vngrateful children that will yeeld no naturall obedience Must be cut off as vnfit to beare the name Christians Whose liues digresse both from reason and humanitie But as thou hast dealt vnnaturallie with me So I resolue to pull my heart from thee Therefore dread Prince vouchsafe to pitie me An grant I may haue Iustice on my sonne King Dunston how counsailest thou the King in this I promise thee I am sorie for the Youth Because in heart I euer wisht him well Dunst. My gratious Lord if I might counsell you I would counsell you to iudge as be deserues He that disdaines his Father in his want And wilfullie will disobey his Syre Deserues my Lord by Gods and Natures lawes To be rewarded with extreamest illes Then as your Grace hath stablisht lawes for gouernment So let Offenders feele the penalties King I Dunston now thou speakest as fits a counsellor But not as friend to him whom Edgar loues Father what wouldest thou haue me doe in this Thou seest thy sonne is sory for his fault And I am sure thou would not wish his death Because a fathers care commands the contrarie Then gentle Father let me plead for him And be his pledge for shunning wilfull illes Fath. Will Edgar now be found a partiall Iudge In pleading pardon for a gracelesse childe Is it not true that one cole of fyre will burne many houses And one small bracke in finest cloath that is Will both disgrace and blemish the whole peece So wilfull children spotted with one ill Are apt to fall to twentie thousand more And therefore mightie Soueraigne leaue to speake And passe iust sentence on Philarchus lyfe Philarch. My life dear father that sentence wer too hard Let me be banisht from my countries bounds And liue as exilde in some wildernes Bard from societie and sight of men Or let me hazard fortune on the seas In setting me aboord some helmlesse ship That either I may split vpon so me rocke Or els be swallowed in the purple Maine Rather than die in presence of my King Or bring that sorrow to your aged yeares If this suffise not then let me be armde And left alone among thousand foes And if my weapon cannot set me free Let them be means to take my lyfe from me King Father what say you to Philarchus now Are you content to pardon his amisse Dunston I promise thee it greeues me much To heare what piteous moane Philarchus makes 〈…〉 And his humilitie argues him penitent But Father for I will not be the Iudge To doome Philarchus either lyfe or death Here take my robes and iudge him as thou wilt Fath. Then vertuous Prince seeing you will haue it so Although the place be farre vnfit for me I am content your Grace shall haue your mind Thus lyke an Asse attyred in costlie robes Or lyke a ring thrust in a foule Sowes snowt So doe these robes and scepter fit mine age But for I am Iudge Philarchus stand thou foorth And know as ther is nothing so good but it hath some inconuenience So there is no man whatsoeuer without some fault Yet this is no argument to maintaine thy wilfull disobedience As the Rose hath his prickle the finest Ueluet his bracke The fayrest flower his bran so the best wit his wanton will But Philarchus thou hast bene more than wanton Because thou hast disobeyed the lawes both of God and nature The teares that thou hast shed might warrant me That thou art penitent for thy amisse Besides my sonne a fathers naturall care Doth chalenge pardon for thy first amisse King Father well said I see thou pitiest him Fath. Nay stay my Lord this did I speak as father to Philarchus But now my Lord I must speake as a Iudge And now Philarchus marke what I set downe Because thou hast bene disobedient And wronged thy aged father wilfullie And giuen a blow to him that nourisht thee And thereby hast incurd thy mothers curses And in that curse to feele the wrath of God And so be hated on the earth mongst men And for I will be found no partiall Iudge Because I sit as Gods Utzegerent now Here I doe banish thee from Englands bounds And neuer to Kin. There stay now let me speake the rest Philarchus thou hast heard thy fathers doome Aud what thy disobedience mooued him to Yet for thou wast once bedfellow to the king And that I loued thee as my second selfe Thou shalt go liue in France in Flanders Scotland or els where And haue annual pension sent to thee There maist thou liue in good and honest sort Untill thou be recalled by the King Phil. Thanks gratious King for this great fauour showne And may I neuer liue if I forget Your Graces kind and vnexspected loue In fauouring him whom all the world forsooke For which my Orisons shall still be spent Heauens may protect your princelie Maiestie And louing Father here vpon my knee Sory for my amisse I take my leaue Both of your selfe my King and countrimen England farewell more dearer vnto me Than pen can write or hart can think of thee Exit King Farewell Philarchus and father come to court And for Philarchus sake thou shalt not want Fath. Thanks vertuous king I humblie take my leaue Exit King Dunston I promise thee I was lyke to weepe To heare what piteous mone Philarchus made Dunston Here your Grace hath shewed your selfe to be Edgar so famed for loue and vertuous gouernment And I pray God your Grace may liue to be Long Englands king to raigne with veritie Exeunt Enter Honestie Conicatcher Broker a
past he saw the mony tendered I must passe sentence then against you needs But wil you sweare on the bible this is true Coni. I sir and to that intent I came hether For I wil neuer refuse to swear a truth while I liue Dunston Yet ere thou speake vouchsafe to heare me speake Full three score Winters Gentle sir I haue past And age hath brought gray haires vpon my head Looke but vpon my face and thou shalt see The perfect patterne of humilitie Thou man of worth or citizen what ere thou be Weigh but my charge and then thou wilt not swear I haue fiue sonnes al pretie tender babes That liue vpon the farme that he would haue Twelue hundred sheep do feed vpon the plaines That year lie bring a great increase to me Besides a hundred Oxen fatly fed That euerie Winter feed within my stalles And twentie poore men liuing neere my house I daylie feed and all vpon my Farme Go but among my neighbours where I dwell And heare what good report they giue of me The poore man neuer yet went from my dore But to my power I did releeue his want I was no Farmer that inricht my selfe By raysing markets and oppressing poore But I haue sold my corne full manie tymes At better rate than I could wel affoord And all to help my needie brethren Then ere thou swearst cal al these things to mind And thou wilt weep and leaue to sweare vntrueths Confusion to thy bodie and thy soule Perin Wel if thou be wel aduised take thy oath But yet remember before whome thou swearest The God of trueth and perfect equitie Which will reuenge wrong to the innocent with thousand plagues and tortors worse than death Con. By the holy contents of this Byble And by that iust God before whome I stand I saw this man King Peace shamelesse villain execrable wretch Monster of nature degenerate miscreant Who euer knew or heard so vile an oath Uildly pronounc'd by such a damned slaue Haue I such monstrous vipers in my land That with their verie breaths infect the aire Say Dunston hast thou euer heard the lyke Dunst. My Liege such lothsome weeds must needs infect the corne Such Cankers perish both the root and branch Unlesse they be soone spied and weeded out Kin. I le be the husbandman to mowe such Tares Here Honesty let him be manacled And scar his forehead that he may be knowne As Cain for murder he for periurie Conicat. I beseech your Grace be good to me Hon. I you shal haue a cold yron clapt in your forehead A hot one I would say you are a slaue indeede Conicatcher Good Honesty Hone. Good villaine there 's no help for you Exeunt Enter Ethenwald alone Eth. My fancies thoughts lyke the labouring Spyder That spreads her nets to entrap the sillie Flie Or lyke the restlesse billowes of the seas That euer alter by the fleeting ayre Still houering past their woonted passions Makes me amazed in these extremities The King commands me on his embassage To Osricks daughter beauteous Alfrida The height and pride of all this bounding ill To poste amaine plead loue in his behalfe To court for him and woo and wed the maid But haue you neuer heard that theame Deceit in loue is but a merriment To such as seeke a riuall to preuent Whether distraught romes my vnruly thoughts It is the King I cosen of his choise And he nil brook Earl Ethenwald should prooue False to his Prince especially in loue Thē thus it shal be I le tel the king the maid is fair Of nut browne cullour comelie and fair spoken Worthie companion to an Earle or so But not a Bride for Edgar Englands King This will alay the strong effects in loue Fame wrought in Edgars mind of Alfrida Well I le to court and dalie with the King And worke some means to draw his mynde from loue Enter a Knight Squire and Farmer Knight NEighbour Walter I cannot but admire to see How housekeeping is decayed within this thirtie yeare But where the fault is God knowes I knowe not My father in his lyfe time gaue hospitality to all strangers and Distressed traueillers his table was neuer emptie of bread beefe And beere he was woont to keep a hundred tall men in his hall He was a feaster of all commers in generall And yet was he neuer in want of money I thinke God did blesse him with increase for his bountiful mind Farm Truly sir I am sorrie you ar fallen into decay In that you want to maintaine houshould charge And whereof comes this want I will tell you sir T is only throw your great housekeeping Be ruled by me and doe as I aduise you You must learne to leaue so great a traine of men And keepe no more than needs of force you must And those you keepe let them be simple men For they will be content with simple fare Keepe but a boy or two within your house To run of errants and to wait on you And for your kitchin keep a woman cooke One that will serue for thirtie shillings a yeare And by that means you saue two liueries And if ye will keep retainers towards you Let them be Farmers or rich husbandmen For you shal find great profit sir in keeping them For if you stand in need of corne or hay Send but to them and you may haue it strait And if you kill a Beefe let it be so leane The Butcher nor the Grasyer will not buy it Your drinke is too strong and tastes too much of malt Tush single beere is better far both for your profit and your seruants health And at a Christmasse time feast none at al But such as yeeld you some commoditie I meane such as will send you now and then Fat Geese and Capons to keep house withall To these and none els would I haue you liberall Knight Why neighbor my goods are lent me to no other end But to releeue my needie brethren but God I hope hath in store for me Far. I trust you to that you may hap die a begger Squ. Why sir if he should not trust in God in whom should he trust for God is the giuer of all good whatsoeuer Far. True and yet t is good for a man to trust to himselfe now and then for if you be downe and bid God help you vp and do not help your self you may fortune lie and perish and therefore serue God on Sundaies as you are appointed and thereby hope to be saued for by your almes deeds you cannot for if you giue to the poore there be manie wil say he thinks to bee saued by his almes deedes and thus you shal be ill thought on for your good wil and therfore learn to prouide for your self let God prouide for the pore Knig. I tel you neighbor my great grandfather all my predecessors haue bene held in good regard for their good housekeeping and God willing their good names shal
neuer take an exigent in me for I wil God willing keepe such hospitalitie to my death as my state can maintaine and I will rather sell my land to maintain hous-keeping then keeping my land make sale of my good name for housekeeping but stay who comes here Enter two poore old men and a Bayliefe One old man God saue you sir I pray be good to me for c ham a poore man and I cannot tell what you will doe for you say my horse hath broken into your corn or your corne into my horse But indeed my neighbor saw your boy driue my horse into a field But I le stand to nothing nowe I am warnd with a peece of paper and a litle waxe to prepare or proceed to London And there I am inuented I cannot tell for what The Bailiefe here hath arested me ere I was weary against my will he said it was vpon your suit yet he laid his hands on me Nay more on my shoulder Another old And sir and it may please you I borrowed certen corn and I brought you your corne again and yet you rest me Far. True sir but then was corne sold for foure shillings a bushell and now t is sold for two Kni. I sir but he borrowed corne and promised to pay you corn againe and you can haue but so much as you lent For if he should pay you at the rate you demande You wold haue for the twentie bushels you lent fourtie Which were neither right nor conscience Far. O sir I pray let me alone with my conscience You would haue me giue al I haue away to the poore want as you do I pray let me alone to deale for my selfe heare you haue you rested them Bail I haue sir as you commanded me Far. Then to prison with them til they haue paid such dammages as the law shal award them One poor Hear you sir if you shuld bid your boy break downe a gap and driue in my horse t were litle better than plaine knauerie for my horse is as honest a horse as any is in this towne Another Wel neighbor we wil haue the horse examined before an officer and my boy Iack shal write what the horse speaks and if the horse say a was driuen in against his wil Then you may haue the law of him neighbor For all the horses in the parish wil be sworne for his horse But I le stand to nothing Far. Wel to prison with thē til they haue paid your due away with them One poor Nay I pray be more miserable to me and I wil giue you fourtie shillings when I haue it Far. By the Mas the knaue hath a pretie cottage I le see and I can get that sirra you haue an old cottage If you will make me that ouer by deed of gift I am content to draw my action Another p. My house why t is my goods my wyfe my land My horse my asse or any thing that his his no you Caterpiller I will neuer make away my house I wil die first Squi. But tel me sir howe much wold you haue of them for their trespasse Far. Mary for fourtie shillings and yet I befriend them Why sir I hope you will not pay it for them Kni. But I wil sirra Bailie I will answere the poore mens debts and come home to me for thy fee anon go old men Get you home and praise God One poor Mary Iesus blesse you naibor how many such good Knightes haue you now a dayes Anoth. Too few neighbor the more is the pitie Exeunt But come le ts away Knight But who comes her Enter Perin and Honesty Per. God saue you gentlemen the king greets you and at this time Hauing some occasion to vse mony hath sent to know What you that be Knightes and Squires wil lend his Grace And you maister Farmer be brief sir for I cannot stay Kni. Sir though hous-keeping be some hindrance to my willing mind by reason it robs me of that which shuld bewray my louing mind both to my prince country money I meane which at this time I stand in some want of yet of that smal store that I haue am willing to impart the lending of the king xx. pound and more I assure you I am not able Perin Very wel and what say you maister Squire Squire I say that my reuenewes are but small yet I will lend his Maiestie ten pound Per. Very wel but what saith the Farmer What can he spare the King Far. Marry sir I am a poore Farmer yet I can affoord To lend the King a hundred or two of pounds And heare you sir if you prefer a suit I haue to the King I will giue you fourtie Angels for your paines Besides I will giue you the keeping of a dozen iades And now and then meat for you and your horse If you come to my house and lie a whole yeare Per. Why that 's well said and I commend thy honest mind Would all men wer of thy mind I warrant thee thou art an honest man one that loues the king But tel me what wouldst thou haue me doe Far. Nothing but procure me the Kings letter to conuey corn beyond seas for in England it is so good cheap that a man can make no liuing by selling thereof therfore if the King wil grant me his letter I will at any time lend him fiue or sixe hundred and perhaps neuer ask it again and I wil not forget your paines Per. Sir feare not I wil do it for you I warrant you For I tel you I can do much with the King Hon. I beleeue you wil do more than you wil be commended for The Courtier resembleth the Iay that decketh her self with the feathers of other birds to make her self glorious So the Courtier must be braue tho he be hangd at the gallous Far. Wel sir wil it please you to come and dine with me Per. I thanke you sir hartily Far. But what 's he there in your company Perin A plaine fellow and his name is Honesty Far. O let him go where he will for he shal not dine with me Hon. See how the Farmer feares my name What wold he doe if he knew my nature But hear you maister Courtier shall I dine with you I promise you sir I am very hungrie Per. Trulie Honesty if I were furnisht with money I would not stick to giue thee thy dinner But now thou seest I am but a guest my selfe Far. Truly honest fellow if I were certaine of my cheere I wold bid thee to dinner but know not my prouisiō I promise thee Kni. Heare you sir will it please you to take part of a peece of beefe with me you shal be welcome Perin I thank you sir but I must dine with my honest friend here els I would not refuse your gentle offer Exeunt Hon. See how he can vse my name and not me But I perceiue I may goe dine with Duke