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
giue vs notice straight That we may punish them for their amisse We giue thee leane to work what means thou maist So it be not preiudice to the state nor vs Honesty My gratious Lord if Honestie offend In anie thing that he hath promised And doe not as your Grace hath giuen in charge Stifle such Caterpillers as corrupt the state Let Honestie receiue such punishment As he deserues that leazes to the king King Honesty it is ynough but tel me now what moued thee first To vndertake this taske to visit vs speak truth desemble not Honest. If I shuld tel your Grace t wold make you laugh To heare how Honesty was entertainde Poore lame and blinde when I came once ashore Lord how they came in flocks to visit me The shepheard with his hooke and Thrasher with his flaile The very pedler with his dog and the tinker with his male Then comes a souldier counterfeit with him was his Iug And Wil the whipper of the dogs had got a bounsing trug And coging Dick was in the crue that swore he cam frō Frāce He swore that in the Kings defence he lost his arm by chance And yet in conscience if I were put to sweare I would be bound to lay a pound the knaue was neuer there And hapning mongst this companie by chance one day I had no sooner namde my name but they ran all away But now I will to my taske and leaue your Grace And so I take my conge of your Maiestie King Honestie farewel and looke vnto your charge Perin My gratious Lord if I might not offend I would intreat a fauour at your hand T is so I heard of late my gratious Lord That my kinde father lay at poynt of death And if my Lord I should not visite him The world I feare would fynd great fault with me King Nay Perin if your businesse bee of waight We are content to giue you leaue to goe Prouided this that you returne againe When you haue seene your Father and your friends Perin My gratious Lord I will not stay there long Only but see my father and returne againe Till when my gratious Lord I take my leaue Kin. Perin farewel and tel me Dunston now we are alone What doest thou thinke of beauteous Alfrida For she is reported to be be passing faire They say she hath a white pit in hir chin That makes her looke lyke to the Queene of loue When she was dalying with Endymion Beleeue me Dunston if she be so faire She will serue our turne to make a Concubine Me thinks t is good some tyme to haue a loue To sport withall and passe away the tyme Dun. I my good Lord Dunston could wel allow of it If so your Grace would marrie Alfrida King What wouldst thou haue me marie her I neuer saw Then men would say I doted on a wench But Dunston I haue found a policie Which must indeed be followed to the full Enter Ethenwald Earle Ethenwald welcome I thought to send for you You must goe doe a message for vs now T is nothing but to woo a Wench which you can doe You must not woo her for your selfe but me Tell her I sit and pine lyke Tantalus And if you can straine foorth a teare for me Tell her she shall be honoured in my Loue And beare a childe that one day may be King Bid her not stand on tearmes but send me word Whether she be resolued to loue me yea or no If she say no tell her I can enforce her Loue Or t is no matter though you leaue that out And tell her this we heare she is as wyse As eloquent and ful of Oratory as Thaly was daughter of Iupiter Whose speaches were so pleasing mong the Greeks That she was tearmde a second Socrates For some report women loue to be praised Then in my cause I pray thee loue thou Alfrida Ethen. My gratious Lord and Ethenwald shall not faile To shew his humble dutie to your Maiestie I will my Lord woe her in your behalfe Plead loue for you and straine a sigh to show your passions I will say she is fayrer than the Dolphins eie At whome amazde the night stars stand and gaze Then will I praise her chin and cheeke and prety hand Long made lyke Venus when she vsde the harp When Mars was reueling in loues high house Besides my Lord I will say she hath a pace Much like to Iuno in Idea vale When Argus watcht the Heifer on the mount These words my Lord will make her loue I am sure If these will not my Lord I haue better far King Nay this is well now Ethenwald be gone For I shall long to heare of thy returne Eth. My gratious Lord I humbly take my leaue Exit King Ethenwald farewel Dunston how likest thou this What haue I done well in sending Ethenwald But in good tyme how if he lyke the mayde Beleeue me Dunston then my game is mard Dunst. I doe not thinke my gratious Lord My Nephew Ethenwald beares that bad mind For hetherto he hath bene tearmed iust And kept your Grace his gratious fauourer Ki. True Dunston yet haue I read that Loue Hath made the sonne receiue the father oft But Dunston leauing this come le ts to court Dunston I will attend vpon your Maiesty Exeunt Enter Baylief of Hexam and his foure sonnes to wit a Courtier a Priest a Conicatcher and a Farmer Bayly MY sonnes you see how age decaies my state And that my lyfe lyke snow before the sun Gins to dissolue into that substance nowe From whose inclosure grew my syre of lyfe The earth I meane sweet mother of vs all Whom death authorised by heauens high power Shall bring at last from whence at first I came Yet ere I yeeld my selfe to death my sonnes Giue eare and heare what rules I set you downe And first to thee my sonne that liuest by wit I know thou hast so many honest sleights To shift and cosen smoothly on thy wit To cog and lie and braue it with the best That t were but labour lost to counsell thee And therfore to the next Walter that seemes in shew a husbandman My sonne when that thy master trusts thee most And thinks thou dealest as truelie as himselfe Be thou the first to worke deceit to him So by that means thou maist inrich thy selfe And liue at pleasure when thy maister 's dead And when to market thou art sent with woll Put sand amongst it and t will make it weigh The waight twise double that it did before The ouerplus is thine into thy purse But now my sonne that keeps the Court Be thou a means to set the Peeres at strife And curri fauour for the commons loue If any but in conference name the King Informe his Maiestie they enuie him And if the king but moue or speake to thee Kneele on both knees and say God saue your Maiestie If any man be fauoured by the King Speake
nothing with thee I am sure Con. Tush tel me what it is I le doe it I warrant thee Honest. Nothing but this to sweare vpon a booke That thou sawest a Gentleman pay a Farmer Foure hundred pound as the last payment of a Farme That the said Gentleman bought of him Con. Tush if this be all let me alone I will doe it Why t is nothing for me to sweare For I am forsworne already but when is the day Honest. Why to morrow Conic, But where shall I meet you Honesty Why vpon the exchange at eight a clocke Con. I will not misse til that time fare well Exit Hon. Farewel nay you will scant farewel By that tyme I haue done but I must about my busines To fynd some knacke to know this knaue at large Enter Ethenwald Ethen. THe night drawes on Phoebus is declining towards the West Now shepheards bear their flocks vnto the folds And wintred Dren fodered in their stalles Now leaue to feede and gin to take their rest Blacke duskie cloudes inuyron round the globe And heauen is couered with a Sable robe Now am I come to doe the kings command To court a Wench win her for the King But if I lyke her well I say no more T is good to haue a hatch before the dore But first I will moue her Father to prefer The earnest suit I haue in canuasing So may I see the Maid woo wed I and bed her to Who is here what ho Enter Osricke Os. Earl Ethenwald welcome how fares our friends at court What cause constrains your Honor that thus late You visite vs that dreame not of your comming Ethenwald My Lord I am come vnlooked for very true So is my cumming yet conceald from you Osr. Your Honor shall repose you here to night And earlie as you please begin your taske Tyme serues not now come Ethenwald As welcome as the King himselfe to me Eth. Now Ethenwald if Fortune fauour thee Thou maist prooue happie loue to Alfrida Exeunt Enter Honestie and the King disguised Hon. This is the place and this the appointed tyme I know hee l keep his word for he thinks me his friend King But tell me Honestie am I not well disguised Can any man discerne me by my lookes to be the King Take heed of that for then our game is mard And hast thou promised him what reward he shall haue Hon. Tush fear not you for you neuer knew honest man dissemble with his friend Though many friends dissemble with honest men But my Lord the cards be shufled and here comes a knaue Enter Conicatcher Conic. T is strange to see how men of our knowledge liue And how we are hated of the baser sort Because forsooth we liue vpon our wit But let the baser sort thinke as they will For he may best he termed a Gentleman That when all fayles can liue vpon his wit And if all fayles then haue I got a wench That cuts and deales to maintaine my expence Now I vse her as men vse sweetest flowers That while they are sweet and pleasant to the eie I doe regard them for their pleasant smell But when their cullour fades and sent decaies I cast them off for men to trample on But to the purpose here is the Gentleman My honest friend did lately tell me of Sir though I had another businesse of import That might haue hindred me for comming here Yet in regard I am loth to breake my word I haue set my other businesse cleane apart Because you should not iudge amisse of me Honest. I find you kind Sir and your self shal see How I will labour to requite your curtesie This is the honest man I told you of One that will doe you pleasure in the cause So be it you will content him for his paines King Els God forbid and good sir thus it is I bought a farme of one that dwels here by And for an earnest gaue an hundred pound The rest was to be paid as sixe weekes past Now sir I would haue you as witnesse That at my house you saw me pay three hundred pound And for your paines I will giue you a hundred pound Besides I will stand your friend in what I may You heare the cause what will your conscience serue you to do it Conic. How say you sir my conscience then you touch me I tell you sir my conscience wil serue me to doe more than this Why I haue bene a poste knight in Westminster this xii. year And sworne to that which no one els would venture on Why I haue sworne against mine owne father for mony I haue sworne right or wrong any wayes for money whē I haue receiued mony before witnes I swore to the cōtrary And do you misdoubt me in so sleight a matter as this When I haue sworne against father mother and all my kin Honest. I told you sir how resolute you should find him He doeth it without feare I warrant you I think that in London you could not haue found a man so fit for your purpose I knew his father sir a man of honest reputation And one whose lyfe was witnesse to the lyfe he led He was a Bailiefe sir though I say 't but no Bayliefe that vsde deceit He had too good a conscience for that King Al the better for that for it should seem by his behaueor That he hath had good bringing vp Conicate. Indeed my father in his lyfe time was a man Giuen to the feare of God and to vse much deuotion Hon. I but he gaue nothing for Gods sake except it were hard words or blowes and they had bene better kept that giuen But husht here comes the Iudge Enter Perin a Iudge and Dunston a Farmer King Heare you sir if you be in readines here is the Iudge Conic. I sir fear not I warrant you is that your aduersary What an old crust it is Honest. I think the villaine hath a face hardened with steel He could neuer be so impudent els Dunston It it please your Worship this is the man That wrongfully would haue my farme from me Facing me downe that he hath paid me that Which he neuer offred nor I neuer receiued And this day he hath promised to make proofe That he hath paid me ful foure hundred pound King And so I can and here 's my witnes to it That saw me when I paid the money Dunston Why I am sure he wil not say it I neuer saw the man in all my lyfe Conic. No sir but I saw you and was a witnes When this Gentlemā paid you three hundred pound As the last paiment for the farme he bought Perin But where was the money tendered Con. At the Gentlemans house Per. You see father this marchant wil be witnes That he saw so much money tendred And you receiued it being full satisfyed As the last payment for the farme he bought And if this marchant take his oath against you That seuen daies
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
I am not willing to shoot Cobler I will talke with you nay my bellowes my coletrough and my water shall enter armes with you for our trade O neighbour I can not beare it nor I wil not beare it Mil. Heare you neighbour I pray conswade your self and be not wilful let the Cobler deliuer it you shal see him mar all Smith At your request I will commit my selfe to you And lay my selfe open to you lyke an Oyster Mil. I le tell him what you say Heare you naighbor we haue conssulted to let you deliuer the petition doe it wisely for the credite of the towne Cob. Let me alone for the Kings Carminger was here He sayes the King will be here anon Smith But heark by the Mas he comes Enter the King Dunston and Perin King How now Perin who haue we here Cob. We the townes men of Goteham Hearing your Grace would come this way Did thinke it good for you to stay But hear you neighbours bid somebody ring the bels And we are come to you alone to deliuer our petition Kin. What is it Perin I pray thee reade per. Nothing but to haue a license to brew strong Ale thrise a week and he that comes to Goteham and will not spende a penie on a pot of Ale if he be a drie that he may fast Kin. Well sirs we grant your petition Cob. We humblie thanke your royall Maiesty King Come Dunston le ts away Exeunt omnes Enter Ethenwald alone Eth. Ethenwald be aduised the King hath sent to thee Nay more he means to come and visite thee But why I there 's the question Why t is for this to see if he can fynd A front whereon to graft a paire of hornes But in plain tearms he comes to Cuckold me And for he means to doe it without suspect He sends me word he means to visite me The King is amorous and my wyfe is kinde So kind I feare that she wil quickly yeeld To any motion that the king shal make Especially if the motion be of loue For Pliny writes women are made lyke waxe Apt to receiue any impression Whose mindes are lyke the Ianamyâ—â— That eates yet cries and neuer is satisfied Well be as it is for I le be sure of this It shall be no waies preiudice to me For I will set a skreene before the fyre And so preuent what otherwyse would ensue T were good I questioned with my father first To heare how he affected towards the King What ho Enter Osrick and Alfrida Osr. Ethenwald my sonne what newes Ethen. Why aske you I am sure you haue heard the newes Osr. Not yer I promyse you my Lord Ethen. Why then t is thus the King doth meane to come and visit you Osr. And welcome shal his Maiesty be to me That in the wane of my decreasing yeares Uouchsafes this honour to Earle Osricks house Ethen. So then you meane to entertaine him well Osr. What els my Sonne Eth. Nay as you will but heare you wyfe what do you think in this that Edgar means to come and be your guest Alfr. I thinke my Lord he shall be welcom then And I hope that you will entertaine him so That he may know how Osrick honours him And I will be attyred in cloth of Bis Beset with Orient pearle fetcht from rich Indian And all my chamber shall be richly With Aras hanging fetcht from Alexandria Then will I haue rich Counterpoints and muske Calamon and Casia sweet smelling Amber Greece That he may say Venus is come from heauen And left the Gods to marie Ethenwald Eth. Zwouns they are both agreed to cuckold me But heare you wyfe while I am master of the Bark I meane to keepe the helmster in my hand My meaning is you shall be rulde by me In being disguised till the King be gone And thus it shall be for I will haue it so The King hath neuer seene thee I am sure Nor shall he see thee now if I can chuse For thou shalt be attyrde in some base weedes And Kate the kitchin maid shall put on thine For being richly tyred as she shall be She will serue the turne to keep him companie Osr. Why men that beare of this will make a scorne of you Eth. And he that lies with this wil make a horne for me It is ynough it must be so Alf. Me thinks t were better otherwaies Exit Alfrida Ethenw. I think not so will you be gone Father let me alone I le breake her of her will We that are maried to yong wiues you see Must haue a speciall care vnto their honestie For should we suffer them to haue their will They are apt you know to fall to any ill But here comes the King Enter the King Dunston and Perin to Ethenwald Ki. Earle Osricke you must needs hold vs excused Though boldly thus vnbid we visite you But knowe the cause that mooued vs leaue our Court Was to doe honour to Earle Ethenwald And see his louelie Bride faire Alfrida Osrick. My gratious Lord as welcome shall you be To me my Daughter and my sonne in Law As Titus was vnto the Roman Senators When he had made a conquest on the Goths That in requitall of his seruice done Did offer him the imperiall Diademe As they in Titus we in your Grace still fynd The perfect figure of a Princelie mind King Thankes Osrick but I thinke I am not welcome Because I cannot see faire Alfrida Osricke I will not stay nor eat with thee Till I haue seene the Earle of Cornwels wife Ethen. If it please your Maiestie to stay with vs My wyfe shal wayt as handmaid on your Maiestie And in her dutie shew her husbands loue And in good tyme my Lord see where she comes Enter the kitchin maid in Alfridas apparel Alfrida you must leaue your kitchin tricks And vse no words but princelie Maiestie Maid Now Iesus blesse your honourable Grace Come I pray sit down you are welcome by my troth As God saue me here 's neuer a napkin fie fie Come on I pray eat some plums they be sugar Here 's good drinke by Ladie why do you not eate Ki. May pray thee eat Alfrida it is ynough for me to see thee eat Maid I thank you hartily by my troth here 's neuer a cushen By my troth I le knock you anon go to Per. My Lord this is not Alfrida this is the kitchin maid Kin. Peace Perin I haue found their subtiltie Ethenwald I pray thee let me see thy kitchin Maid Me thinks it is a pretie homely Wench I promise thee Ethenwald I like her well Eth. My Lord she is a homelie kitchin maid And one whose bringing vp hath bene but rude And far vnfit for Edgars companie But if your Grace want merrie companie I will send for Ladies wise and curteous To be associates with your Maiestie Or if you Grace will haue Musitians sent for I will fetch your Grace the best in all this land Kin.
thou him faire although in heart thou enuie him But who is next Priest That am I father that vse the word of God And liue only by the heauenly Manna Bayl. Who the Priest Giue eare my sonne I haue a lesson yet in store for thee Thou must my son make shew of holinesse And blinde the world with thy hipocrisie And sometime giue a pennie to the poore But let it be in the Church or market place That men may praise thy liberalitie Speak against vsurie yet forsake no pawnes So thou maist gaine three shillings in the pound Warne thou the world from sin and vile excesse And now and then speak against drunkennes So by this means thou shall be tearmed wise And with thy purenes blind the peoples eies But now my sonnes discourse to me in briefe How you haue liued and how you meane to die Conicatcher Then father thus liue I that vse me wit Unto my selfe I loue still to be wise For when I am driuen to shift for meat or coine Or gay apparell to maintaine me braue Then doe I flaunt it out about the change As if I were some landed Gentleman And falling in with some rich merchant there I take commodities for sixe months day The bill being made I must set to my hand Then if I pay not they may burne the band Farm Then father hark how I haue profited Walter your son that keeps the countrie I haue raised the markets and opprest the poore And made a thousand goe from dore to dore And why did I think you vse this extremitie Because I would haue corne ynough to feed the enemie Father you know we haue but a while to liue Then while we liue let each man shift for one For he that can not make shift in the world They say hee s vnworthy to liue in it And he that liues must still increase his store For he that hath most wealth of all desireth more Perin Brethren you haue spoken wel I must needs say But now giue eare to me to me that keeps the court Father I liue as Aristipus did vse my wits to flatter with the king If any in priuate conference name the king I straight informe his Grace they enuie him Did Sinon liue with all his subtiltie He could not tell a flattering tale more cunninglie Some tyme I moue the King to be effeminate And spend his tyme with some coy Curtizan Thus with the King I currie fauour still Though with my heart I wish him any ill And sometime I can counterfeit his hand and seale And borrow money of the communalty And thus I liue and flaunt it with the best And dice and carde inferiour vnto none And none dares speake against me in the court Because they know the King doth fauour me Priest And I among my brethren and my friends Doe still instruct them with my doctrine And Yea and nay goes through the world with vs Fie not an oath we sweare for twentie pound Brethren say we take heed by Adams fal For by his sinnes we are condemned all Thus preach we still vnto out brethren Though in our heart we neuer meane the thing Thus doe we blind the world with holinesse And so by that are tearmed pure Precisians Bayl. Full well and wisely haue you said my sonnes And I commend you for your forward mindes That in your liues bewray whose sonnes ye are Here haue I bene a Bayliefe three score yeares And vsde exaction on the dwellers by For if a man were brought before my face For cosenage theft or liuing on his wit For counterfeiting any hand or seale The matter heard the witnesse brought to me I tooke a bribe and set the prisoners free So by such dealings I haue got the wealth Which I would haue disburst among you al With this prouiso that you all shall liue And lead such liues as I haue set you downe Carue to your selues and care not what they say That bid you feare the fearfull Iudgment day Liue to your selues while you haue tyme to liue Get what you can but see ye nothing giue But hearke my sonnes me thinks I heare a noyse And gastlie visions makes me timerous Ah see my sonnes where death pall Death appeares To summon me before a fearfull Iudge Me thinks reuenge stands with an yron whip And cries repent or I will punish thee My heart is hardened I cannot repent Ah hark me thinkes the Iudge doth giue my doome And I am damned to euer burning fyre Soule be thou safe and bodie flie to hell He dyeth Enter Deuil and carie him away Conic. Brother why do you not read to my father Priest Trulie my booke of exhortation is at my place of Exercise and without it I can doe nothing Gods peace bee with him Exeunt Enter the King Philarchus his father Dunston and Attendants King FAther say on for now my leisure serues And Edgar giues thee leaue to tell thy minde For I perceiue thine eies are full of teares Which showes that manie inward passions troubles thee If anie here haue wronged thine aged yeares In keeping that from thee that is thy due Name but the man and as I am Englands King Thou shalt haue all the fauour I can shew Father Then vertuous Prince myrrour of curtesie Whose Iudgements and whose lawes for gouernment And punishing of euerie foule abuse Is like the iudgement of great Alexander Third of that name whom some tearmed the Seuere Or lyke Vaspasian Romes vertuous gouernour Who for a blowe his sonne did giue a Swaine Did straight commaund that he should loose his hand Then vertuous Edgar be Vaspasian once In giuing sentence on a gracelesse childe Know vertuous Prince that in my pride of yeares When lustfull pleasure prickt my wanton minde Euen in the April of my flourishing time I was betroth'd and wedded to a wyfe By whome too soone I had that vnkind boy Whose disobedience to his aged Syre The Lord will plague with torments worse than death This disobedient child nay base Abstranogant Whome I with care did nourish to this state Puft with a pride that vpstart Courtiers vse And seeing that I was brought to pouertie He did refuse to know me for his Syre And when I challenged him by Natures lawes To yeeld obedience to his Fathers age He told me straight he took it in great scorne To be begot by one so base as I My age that ill could brook his sharpe replie Did with this wand my Lord reach him a blow But he contrary lawes of God and men Did strike me such a blowe in vild disdaine That with the stroke I fel to earth againe Kin. Unkind Philarchus how hast thou misdon In wilful disobedience to thy Syre Art thou growne proud because I fauoured thee Why I can quicklie make thee bare againe And then I think being in thy former state Thou wilt remember who thy father was And gentle Sophocles in good tyme I recount Thy ancient saying not so old as true For saith
me speake In that the lawe of kindred prickes me on And though I speake contrarie to your mind Yet doe I build on hope you will pardon me Were I as eloquent as Demosthenes Or lyke Isocrates were giuen to Oratorie Your Grace no doubt wil think the time well spent And I should gaine me commendations But for my note is tuned contrary I must intreat your Grace to pardon me if I do iar in my deliuerie King Why Dunston thou hast found vs gratious still Nor will we pull our setled loue from thee Untill we find thy dealings contrarie But if thy parlie be for Ethenwald That base dissembler with his soueraigne T were better leaue to speake in his excuse Than by excusing him game our ill will For I am minded like the Salamander stone That fir'd with anger wil not in hast be quencht Though wax be soft apt to receiue any impression Yet will hard mettell take no forme except you melt the same So meane mens minds may moue as they think good But Kings iust doomes are irreuocable Dunst. T is not ynough where lust doth moue the offence Kin. Why Counsellers may not with Kings dispence Dun. A Counseller may speake if he see his prince offend King And for his Counsell rue it in the end But Dunston leaue you vrge vs ouer far We pardon what is past but speake no more Dunst. May pardon me for I wil speak my mind Your Grace may call to mind proud Marius fall That through his wilfull mind lost lyfe and empire And Nimrod that built huge Babylon And thought to make a toure to check the cloudes Was soone dismaid by unknowne languages For no one knew what any other spake Which made him to confesse though t were too late Hee had made offence in tempting of the Lord Remember Dauid Salomon and the rest Nor had proud Holofernes lost his head Had he not bene a foule Adulterer Kin. Dunston forbeare and let this answer thee Thou art too presumptuous in reproouing me For I haue sworne as trulie as I liue That I will neuer pardon Ethenwald Dun. Did you but see the man I am assurde You would not choose but pardon Ethenwald per. Why Dunston you haue seene as wel as I That Ethenwald hath dissembled with the King My gratious Lord first cut that Traitor downe And then will others feare the lyke amysse Dun. I tell thee perin were the Earle in place Thou wouldst eat these words vttred in his disgrace Veni Asmoroth in good time see where he comes Here enter Alfrida disguised with the Deuil Kin. But tel me Dunston is this Alfrida Dun. It is my gratious Lord this is Ethēwald That layes his breast wide open to your Grace If so it please your Grace to pardon him King Yes Dunston I am well content to pardon him Ethenwald stand vp and rise vp Alfrida For Edgar now giues pardon to you both Dun. Asmoroth away My gratious Lord Dunston wil not forget This vnknowne fauour showne Earle Ethenwald For which account my Nephew and my self Do yeeld both lyfes and goods at your dispose King Thanks Dunston for thy honorable loue And thou deseru'st to be a Counsellour For he deserues not other to commaund That hath no power to maister his desire For Locrin being the eldest sonne of Brute Did dote so far vpon an Almaine maid And was so rauisht with her pleasing sight That full seuen yeares he kept her vnder earth Euen in the lyfe time of faire Guendolin Which made the Cornish men to rise in Armes And neuer left till Locrin was slaine And now though late at last I call to minde What wretched ends fell to Adulterers Dun. And if your Grace cal Abrams tale to mind When that Egyptian Pharo craued his wife You will no doubt forgiue my Nephewes guilt Who by the mery iest he shewed your Grace Did saue your Honour and her chastitie King We take it so and for amends Ethenwald giue me thy hande and we are friends And loue thy wyfe and liue together long For Edgar hath forgot all former wrong Eth. Thanks gratious King and here vpon my knee I rest to be disposed as you please Kin. Ynough Ethenwald but who comes here Enter Honesty Hon. Why I think I haue taken in hand an endles taske To smell a Knaue t is more than a Dog can doe I haue disguised my self of purpose to finde A couple of Knaues which are yet behind The next Knaue is a Priest calde Iohn the precise That with counterfeit holinesse blinds the peoples eyes This is one of them that wil say it is a shame For men to swear and blaspheme Gods holie name Yet if a make a good Sermon but once in a yeare A will be fourtie tymes in a Tauerne making good cheere Yet in the Church he will read with such sobrietie That you would thinke him verie precise and of great honesty Kin. What Honesty hast thou dispatcht and found these priuie knaues Exit Hon. I shal doe anon I haue them in sent but I wil be gone Enter priest pr. Good Lord I praise God I am come from our mornings exercise Where I haue profited my selfe and eified my brethren In shewing the way to saluation by my doctrine And now I am going to the Court to prefer my petition I would giue a hundred pound it were graunted T is a thing of nothing but here comes one of the Court Enter Honestie God saue you brother in Christ are you towards the King Honest. I mary am I what then why doest thou aske priest Nothing sir but I would desire you to stand my friend To get me the Kings hand and seale to this letter I would not vse it sir to hinder any man for a thousand pound For indeed I am a Cleargie man by my profession T is nothing sir but as you see to haue the Kings seale T carie Tin Lead Wool and broad Clothes beyond seas For you know sir euery man wil mak the most he can of his own And for my part I vse it but for a present necessitie If you will vndertake to doe it I le giue you a hundred pound Honesty I thanke you sir but I am affraide the King will hardlie grant it why t is an vndoing to the common wealth But trulie I will mooue the King to hang you Priest yfaith May it please you Grace to grant me my petition For I offer it your Grace in pure deuotion King O monstrous Dunston didst thou euer heare the like Now fie vpon thee base villaine lay hands on him Hon. On me nay on him Priest I gaue your petition to the King And I wil speake to him you may be but hanged For if you should liue till the King granted your petition The verie Rauens would picke out thine eyes liuing And therefore t were better you were hanged to saue the birds a labour King Now Honesty hast thou done is here all Honesty O no my Lord for there
are so many behind That I am affraide my worke will neuer haue an end But I see by the Priests lookes he lackes company Stay a while my Lord I le fetch another presently Kin. Fie Gracelesse man hast thou no feare of God To withold thee from these lawlesse motions Why thou shouldst be as Messenger of God And hate deceit and wicked auarice But thou art one of those whome God doth hate And thy vilde deedes will witnesse gainst thy soule And make the most abominable in his sight That made thee wretch but to a better end Then thus to wrong his sacred Deitie Now fie vpon thee monster of a man That for to gaine thy selfe a priuate gaine Wouldst seeke the vndooing of a common wealth And though thou bid ten thousand torments here They cannot quit thee where thou shalt appeare Honest. A Prize though it be long I haue found him at last But I could not bring him with me And therefore I pind a paper on his shoulder Meaning thereby to marke him for the gailous But husht here he comes Enter Perin King What Perin I cannot think that Perin wil be false to me Hon. Why no for he is false to himself look in his pocket see This is but a false writ that he hath vsed Unknowne to your Maiestie and leuied great summes of money And bribed vpon your poore Commons extreamlie How say you my Lord is this true or no King Honesty thou sayest true why impious wretch Ingratefull wretch that thou art to iniure him that alwaies held thee deere Beleeue me Dunston I durst wel haue sworn That Perin had not hatcht so base a thought Hon. I but your Grace sees you are deceiued But will your Grace grant me one boone King What 's that Honesty Hon. That I may haue the punishing of them Whom I haue so laboured to fynde King With all my hart Honesty vse them as thou wilt Hon. I thank your Grace go fetch the other two Now to you Cutbert Cutpurse the Conicatcher Thy iudgment is to stand at the Market crosse And haue thy cursed tongue pind to thy breast And there to staud for men to woonder at Til Owles and night-Rauens picke out thy cursed eies Conicatch. Good Honestie be more mercifull Hon. You know my mind O Walter that wold haue more And you shall haue iudgement I meane which is To be caried into a corne field and ther haue your legs and hands cut off because you loued corn so wel and there rest til the crowes thereunto pick out thine eies Bnt now to you that wil do nothing except the spirit mooue you You shall for abusing the blessed word of God And mocking the diuine order of Ministery Whereby you haue led the ignorant into errours You I say as you were shamlesse in your shamefull dealing Shal to your shame the vtter shame of al bad minded men That liue as thou hast done Stand in Finsburie fields neere London And there as a dissembling Hypocrit be shot to death priest Good Honesty be more fauourable than so Hon. Trulie no the spirit doth not mooue me therunto But who is next what Perin a Courtier and a Cosoner to I haue a iudgment yet in store for thee And for because I will vse thee fauourablie Yfaith thy iudgment is to be but hanged But where euen at Tyborne in a good two-peny halter And though you could neuer abide the seas Yet now against your wil you must bear your saile namely your sheer And in a cart be towde vp Holburne hill Would all men liuing lyke these in this land Might be iudged so at Honesties hand Kin. Well Honestie come follow vs to Court Where thou shalt be rewarded for thy paine Hon. I thank your Grace you that wil damne your selues for lucres sake And make no conscience to deceiue the poore You that be enemies of the common wealth To send corne ouer to inrich the enemie And you that doe abuse the word of God And send ouer woolle and Tin broad cloath and lead And you that counterfeyt Kings priuie seales And thereby rob the willing minded Communaltie I warne you all that vse such subtill villanie Beware least you lyke these be found by Honestie Take heed I say for if I catch you once Your bodies shall be meat for Crowes And the Deuill shall haue your bones And thus though long at last we make an end Desiring you to pardon what 's amisse And way the worke though it be grossy pend Laugh at the faults and weigh it as it is And Honestie wil pray vpon his knee God cut then off that wrong the Prince or Communaltie And may her dayes of blesse neuer haue end Upon whose lyfe so many lyues depend Finis Imprinted at London by Richard Ihones and are to be sould at the signe of the Rose and Crowne nere to S. Andrewes Church in Holborne 1594