slew Sempronio But that assertion Seruio must not serue To proue him guiltie in these reuerend eares 2. Sen. What proofes produceth Seruio to the state To proue Lord Lelio guiltie of the murther When as through Venice nothing was more found Then faithfull friendship plighted twixt them twain Ser That loue which was twixt them before Doth make the murther farre more monstrous But princes in a word behold the man That sawe the murder and can witnes it Examine him and let his proofes preuaile Duke Lords let not Lelios honor bleare your eies Speake sirrha Did Lelio kill Sempronio Shep And shal please your honors grace and worships I for fault of a better shepheard to Lord Seruio heere And vpon a time let me see O t was yesterday when my masters sheep I were at breakfast together I sawe Lelio and Sempronio fighting so long That Lelio thrust his sword into Sempronios belly Whereupon he died and it shall please your worshipfull worships All this wil I be forsworne to with my neighbor Menalchus good man Coridon the rest that followed the crie with Slip my dog others forsoth Duke This homely tale doth sauor of truth Ser Truth soundeth sweetly in a silly tong 1. Sen Craft often lurketh in a shepheards coate Shep Sir you do abuse our profession For Craft goodman Coridons dog Nere wore coate nor breeches I le stand to it For My Lord and father breake contention off The proofes are found then let it not be sayde Your mightines should be miscarried By contradiction of two Senators Duke My sonne my silence tels me many things By it I finde the deapth of each mans drifte And gathering things by certaine circumstance Am better able to discerne the truth Lordes take your places and resolue on this That Lelio by approued truth is found To be the murtherer of Sempronio His lands and goods be siez'd to publike vse We doome him dead Besides whateuer man Can bring his head vnto the Senate house Shall haue a thousand crownes for recompence Paid him forth of our treasurie Further least priuate friends should succor him We do enact that whatsoeuer man Shall dare conceale or hide the murtherer Shall be banisht and his goods confiscat Senators allow you this Ser Iustice this sentence great Venetian Duke 2. Sen Remit thou yet thy sterne austeritie Most mightie prince and be not so seuere Though Lelio by the lawe do merit death There is no lawe that may defraud his wife Or leaue his daughter without maintenance O grant thou this iust fauor mightie Duke That they may keepe possession of his house Although the common-wealth command his goods Duke A lawfull plea which may not be denide Thy suite is granted register it downe Now let our gard beset the citie round Search euerie house to finde out Lelio Meane while graue Senators bethinke your selues Of some strict lawe against our Sessions That may repulse these insolent debates Exeunt omnes Enter Brisheo and Franco Brish Sirrha Franco what sayde olde Seruio to my money Fran Mary sir as soon as his fore eies had ouerlookt it And his fingers trembling had ouertolde it He tooke it vp and verie furiously cast it into hell Brish Into hell knaue what meanst thou by that Fran. Marie sir into his chest I meane the verie bottomlesse pit of vsurie where I am sure God neuer came but the deuil his angels fil it vp to the brim Brish Well sirrha leaue your ieasting and goe will the master of my barke to vnlode the wares and see that at the crane you hoise them vp Fran I will sir Ex. Fran. Enter Lelio Lel Where shall I hide me from too searching eies Oh whether may I go to saue my life Brish Me thinkes I see my Lelio quite dismaid What aileth thee my sonne Lel O staie me not Brishio for thy daughters sake Be not thou the meanes to bring me to my end Brish Be not so foolish to mistrust thy friend Thy troubles taint my weale Lel Father by marriage friend in my misdeed Thus fortune hath deprest my weake estate Sempronio found in Venice for my friend Deare to my soule while he held vertue deare Incenst thy daughter and my wedded wife Who scorning to defame her ancient stocke Disburdned his lewd suit within my eares Heereon in a rage I drew him to the field There he lies slaine I flie to saue my life Now as thou art a father for my sake Pittie thy daughter and my wofull child For by the law I am condemnd to die Farewel the rest who cannot tel if you enquire Brish Stay Lelio stay if for my daughters sake thou slewest thy friend I for thy vertues sake will keepe thee close within my house And ship thee priuily this present night So vnperceiu'd thou shalt escape awaie Lel Hast thou not heard the sentence of the Duke That who so succors me must loose his goods And liue a banisht life Brish Why thinkest thou threates shall make me leaue my friend When is the time for friends to shew themselues But in extremitie I blesse sweet fortune that giues me such meanes To shew how much I fauor true nobilitie Lel What God wil haue folly may not withstand Brish Go in my sonne I wil be day the night the euening the morning to thee my sonne The day to helpe thee flie from foes pursuit The euen to giue thee rest from all thy toile No daie nor night shall I retaine my rest Till Brishio know that thou art safely fled Exe omnes Enter Sempronio disguised with Phillip Semp Here leaue me father walke no further forth Leaue me supposed dead reuiu'd by thee Hide thou my name and couer from the world My fortunes and my birth and all misdeeds Here is that Venice that beheld me fond Here is that Venice that shall beholde me wise Looke how thy science hath disguisde these lookes So hath thy councell reconcilde my heart I hate all worldly pompe I scorne lewd lust This tongue from tempting in dishonest loue Shall labour to releeue the innocent Farewell thou knowest my vow Which I haue sworne to keepe irreuocable Neuer to disclose my name Vntill such time as thou releasest me Phil I wil conceale thy name thy fortune thy birth Thy friends and what thou wilt I will conceale And now redeemed from the iawes of death Loue deeds of vertue worthie Gentleman And euerie daie discouering of thy wound Thinke how thy God hath thus preserued thee Sem Phillip farewell and welcome pouertie From sinfull proud I waxe a cynike pure Die fortune flie deceit florish true repent Sinne folly breeds a good mans discontent Enter Fortunio and Marchetto with the gard For Marchetto if thou louest me grant me this That if thou enter Lelios house thy selfe I may accompanie or tend on thee Mar Your Lordship cannot will or wish the thing Wherein Marchetto will not pleasure you The gard alreadie hath beset the house And I will knocke
the gard Ser T is true my friends I heard the pullie creake The stirring crane did make a mightie noise And by a rope I sawe descending downe The cursed murderer Lord Lelio T is Brishio succors Lelio none else Mar What news my friends what makes Seruio vp Ser Captaine Lorde Lelio hetherto hath kept in Brishios house And this night from his lee is slipt awaie I sawe the ancor fisht the sailes new hoist Aske of this peasant if I tell not true Mar Sirrha didst thou see Lelio Fran I marie did I sir Ser What need we more Fran Marie to know when I sawe him last For the first time I sawe him was at his marriage For Vnbend thy musket souldier in the locke Presse me his thumbes and make the slaue confesse Here pinch him Fran O I confesse Lelio was shipt at our crane this night My master Brishio tooke him in I agreed with the shipmaster made clcane his shooes And so laide him in the rope of our crane And let him downe into the ship And he is gone into the Florentine campe Ma. So now let him loose the truth apparant is Fo Marchetto go prosecute the Senates will Attach Lord Brishio seize vpon his goods Come breake vp the doore Exit omnis manet Sempronio Seruio Sem. Soft gentle friend a word or two with you From whence proceed these troubles that arise Se For yong Sempronios death my honest friend Sem VVhy gentle sir is young Sempronio dead Se VVhy doubts thou that I tell thee I haue sought and found it so Sem. VVhere was he buried Se VVhy Sepheards brought me tidings of his death Some rauenous beast did seize him for his praie Sem And what hast thou lost or gotten by his death Se I haue annuall rents two thousand pounds The worth in plate of twice so many more A few such breakfasts friend would make me rich I le tell thee euerie daie throughout the yere I le loose a kinsman to possesse so much Semp Then not for loue thou bearest Sempronio But for a colour of thy honest minde Thou doest pursue Lord Lelio in this sort Se A foole were I so to accuse my selfe Thinke like a worldly man that so it is And so it is in deed who longeth to be rich Let him forget God but for a dozen yeres He shall be rich well landed stout and braue â—â—m Wipe out that water from thy eies my friend Se. VVhat ayleth me Sem VVhy thou art blind and canst not see Se. Thou wilt not make me mad I le take my spectacles Sem. Tush they auaile thee not for thou art blinde in deede Looke in thy heart and finde an honest thought Then will I saie thy eyes are perfect cleere Looke in thy conscience finde it not corrupt Then thou shalt see without thy spectacles Se. Awaie thou art a knaue I saie tempt me not Sem Yes but thou art an arrant couetous knaue for all mine vnkle Exit Seruio Enter Fortunio and Marchetto with Brishio and his two sonnes Bri T is true my Lord I fauord Lelios flight My loue hath crost the rigor of your lawes Fo Did you foreknow the penaltie my Lord That doomes you banishment and losse of goods Bri All this I knew but none of this I feare True friendship lightneth all these burdenous harme If Lelio be escapt I feare no wants My exile to me is libertie Go fruites of nature I will leaue you heere Go toward children thriue among my friends Glut you with my excesse of Vanities Feed your vncleane desires by spoiling me I wreake them not so Lelio liue to me Not irkesome age not lims with sicknes tir'd Nor you my sonnes nor all my other friends Not fortune nor intreate shall keep me backe Mar Whence growes thy resolution so austere Brish From honestie my friends which gouernes me First Lelio mongst our chiefest citizens Made me his father and his vowed friend Next to defend my daughter from defame He ventured life And shall a little pelfe These two yong boyes make me forget my friend That ventured life and vertue for my sake No I loue my Lelio do what fortune can Sem Why here 's a knacke to know an honest man Keepe him in Venice my Fortunio When he is gone few such will staie behinde For here our wonted faith is turn'd to fraud Our periuries are counted policies Our oaths are gates to catch the simple sort Our curtesie is but nodding of the head Discouering the cap or bending of the knee Swearing I loue your honor good my Lord The best dissembler hath the brauest wit Come let me loue thee for thy Lelios sake And when I meet him next I le tel him more Ex. Sem. Opre Deare father who shall succor vs when you are dead Brish Your diligence which can command the proudest miserie Zeph What if your friends repine and will not giue Brish Your hands my sons must teach you how to liue Courage and industrie can neuer want Vaine idlenesse growes wretched by itselfe But diligence inableth poorest men Well must I to prison Lordes or must I hence Tell me the Senates sentence speedily Fo Hie thee from Venice speedily for if thou stay But two houres space thou art adiudged death Brish Farewell my Lord and farewell gentle friend Adieu my sonnes nay weepe not Commend me to your sister loue her well Defend her honor as you loue your liues Zep Where nature parteth vs there sorrow thriues Exit Brishio Ma Come let vs let the Duke and Senate know The whole successe and fortune we haue had Exit omnis Enter Franco and Gnatto Gnat What Franco wel met whether art thou going Fran Faith my master is gone awaie and I am going a begging Gnat A begging why t is the best occupation thou canst vse A begger hath fiue of the seuen liberall sciences At his fingers ends he hath musike to sing for his dinner he hath logicke to cauel with the constable he hath rhetorike to perswade that hee should not go to the stockes he hath Geometrie to measure out his bed in the plaine field and he hast Astronomie to shew a warme sunne from a colde shade Nay I le proue that a begger deuours the foure morall vertues at one breakfast he 's valiant when he must needs fight he is liberall when he hath anie monie to spend and he is true if there be nothing to steale A begger why t is the ancientest occupation that is it began at Adam wil neuer end til doomes day But sirrha Franco I le tell thee what thou shalt do go professe thine olde occupation againe Fran. What 's that Gnat. O t is the best occupation that is for thee Fran Why what profit can that yeld Gnat. Why by being alwaies dronke thou shalt learne neuer to be sober O the vertue of a dronkard is much he speaks little because he sleeps much he stands not vpon opinion for euerie litle straw throwes him not
determine warre by vs Fo rs I Brishio now we are agreed Bri. Then tell me mightie Duke but dally not Louest thou Orelio as a husband should For. I loue and honour her in word and soule Bri. Then nothing is to deare for her my leech For. I le hazard life and all to doe her good Bri. Performe hir Ioynter then and keepe thy worde For. Then let the Florentine pay me her dowrie Le. Feare not my Lord the Florentines are men that honor right Speake great Italian Duke shall it be bruted in the eares of men That Forsa graunts all dewtie vnto thee And thou denie her right of marriage Me. T is pitty that gold should part two noble minds Here Forsa take my hand this night one tent Shall lodge vs both here a legare shal my mony lie Vntill my treasurer hath brought thy dew For. Then march in peace here endeth all our hate Thus poore mens loue doth great mens harmes debate Exit omnis Enter Zepheron and Orphinio with the Souldiers Zep. This is the place now fellowes stand close a while If any shall attempt to scale these walles Assault him and kill him if you can For death is too good an end for him that fauours dishonestie Or. I heare them comming brother now stand close Enter Fortunio and Marchetto and Sempronio Fo. Now sleepes the Sunne in Thetis lickored lap And watery eyes are pleased with pleasant rest Now playes the siluer Moone vpon the Sea And all the traine of twinckling starres adorne The hollow compasse of our heauens spheare This is the place where I must purchase life or end my dayes Marchetto boldly knocke to see if by permission We may enter in lest rumor will bewraye vs this darksome night Here Marchetto knockes Gnat. within How nowe what scabis at the doore at this time of the night Mo. Sirra tel thy mistresse Fortunio is at hand to speake with her Gna. within Soft sir keepe out I say least I make garters of your guttes foote balles of your faces ho let forth the dogges there Fo. Sirra dispatch and call your Mystresse foorth Or with my Sword I le send thy soule to hell Gnat. Way way you may carry the message thether your selfe for poore mens soules were made for heauen and the rich for hell Enter Annetta and Lucyda Annetta What noyse is this what meaneth you thus to assault a haplesse Ladies house Ma. Annetta my faire loue my hartes sole Queene An. Auaunt dishonest man disturber of the poore I know thy drift I know Fortunio comes To heape dishonor on my haplesse house But you may be gone and get you to your rest For no man entreth these doores this night Mar. Seize I this haggard I le make her stoope Fo Heaue me the doores from of the hinges straight Zep. VVho liftes his handes to force these barred doores Shall buy his rashnes with his dearest blood Fo. VVhat hath she champions to resist vs then Orphi I such as scorne to be disgrac'd by thee Fo. Downe with the slaues fellowes beat them down Giue light Marchet Fortunio is slayne Souldiers goe rayse the watch Semp. The Prince is hurt Zepheronus and Orphinio flye a pace Fo. My sences fayles O helpe me to my bed Sem. Leane on my shoulder and let vs goe Exit Sempronio and Fortunio Enter Marchetto and Seruio Marchet These are the Traitors Seruio laie hands on them Ser. VVhoes this Orphinio and Zepheronus The sonnes of Brishio performers of this deede Ma. Goe Seruio keepe them close tell I enforme the Duke And visit young Fortunio in his bed Exit Marchetto Se. VVhat ho Phillyda my gerle come forth here Enter Phillida Phil. VVhat would my father Se. Go take these prisoners see thou keep them close Locke them in the vpper loft till I returne Orph. Vse vs like gentlemen we craue no more Ser. Vse you like knaues for you deserue no lesse go get you hence Exit omnis manet Seruio So now shall I see the end of Brishioes race Now shal Sempronioes death be well reuenged First will I goe to the Duke and there procure their death And hast againe to see their execution done Exit Enter Phtllida with the keyes Phil. Whether will loue and dewtie lead me now To whom shall I submit in these extreames If to my father then my Lord must die Louely Orphinio and young Zepheronio My cruell father now doth seeke their deathes And now in hast is gone vnto the Duke That both of them this morne may lose their heaads But I le preuent him for here I le set them free And hazard all their perill on my selfe Here open the doore and Enter the two brethren Phi. Orphinio come foorth Or. What seeks thou louely maide amongst wretched men Phil. I seeke for loue saw you not him of late Ophi He neuer keepes where wretched men abide Pdil Yes yes Orphinio down in thy eyes he keepes But now to tell you dangers that are prest And you must seeke preuention out of hand For Corrodino by Marchettoes mouth Hath taken order that to morrow morne Young Zepheronio and you shall lose your heads Zep. O cruell sentence vpon Innocents For what we did was in our sisters cause Orph. How doth Fortunio Phil. Like the dying man but greeue not Orphinio Hardest not thou what loue did promise late Wilt thou protest if I do set thee free And thou returne to Venice safe againe Vouchsafe to take me to thy wedded wife Orp. I vow before the mighty God of heauen To wed and honor none but Phillida Phil. I take thy word and soone shall set thee free Here take my fathers signet Giue it to the Porter of the gates and hee will let you passe and so farewell my sweete Orphinio I cannot stay and in thy Iorney thinke on Phillyda Exit Phillida Or. Danger then must hasten our departure Farewell sweet Phillida Queene of my heart Exit Enter Seruio solus Ser. Welcom sweet morne the meanes of my delight God and my industrie hath wrought thus much In iust reuenge of my Sempronios death First Lelio banisht next Brishio to liue in misery And last his sonnes to day must suffer death Haue I not foure for one Enter the Porter Por. Good morrow and good fortune to my Lord. Ser. How now Porter what newes Por. I bring your honors signet backe againe Which gaue me warrant for two gentlemen To passe the gate watch some two howres since Ser. My signet knaue to passe two gentlemen Alas poore slaue hast thou been ouer watcht For. Why looke on the ring my Lord Ser. Why thou wilt not make me madde I am sure Come let me see the marke is mine I feare me heer 's some villanie What Phillida come forth my heart misgiues I pray thee hold my head Enter Phillida Phil. Father did you call Ser. Thou Challet carrine drab who tooke this signet from my finger speake Ph. You aske me questions past my knowledge Ser.
A PLEASANT CONCEITED COMEdie called A knacke to know an honest Man As it hath beene sundrie times plaied about the Citie of London SIC CREDE LONDON Printed for Cuthbert Burby and are to be solde at his shop by the Royall Exchange 1596 ¶ A pleasant conceited Comoedie called A knacke to know an honest Man Enter Coridon and Antimon and Menalchus three Shepheards Coridon HEre walke Menalchus on this grassie plaine And while the wanton lambes feed on these downes And hide them in the thickets from the Sunne That shine on Venus stately builded towers Discourse to aged Antimon and me The dolefull historie and that drierie tale That earst befell in fatall Arcadie How poore Amintas perisht in his loue Menal You will me cal to memorie sweet friends The countlesse sorrowes which wil fetch forth teares From hardest rockes and moue a marble heart But though my minde in recolecting teares With horror dumbe and eke would choake my tong From telling tragike newes I will begin Enter Lelio and Sempronio to fight Cor. Stay Menalchus and hide thee in these thickets For heere come strangers who with ireful browes Threatens some stormie troubles to succeed Semp. Heere is a place conuenient Lelio Yonder 's a plaine whereon our steeds may graze Here is a groue backt with cressend hils But saue these trees none else behold our fight Lel. Haue I retaind thee caitife in my house And made thee Lord of all my best delights And could thy impious heart so lewdly thinke Dishonor to defile my wedding bed Had Venus no other strumpet to content Sempronios mind but thou must choose my wife To make a stale to thy vnbrideled lust Wretch why doo I thus expostulate Come come I le act reuenge and talke no more Euen for our ancient loue I le giue thee lawe Disroabe thee if thou wilt speake no more For Lelio hath inexorable eares Semp. If words mongst faithfull friends may not be borne Beleeue me Lelio thou deseruest the horne Come sir for kindnes I will let you bloud And seeke to coole your fire of iealousie Heere fight Lel And I le reuenge my mortall iniurie Now is his lustfull insolence Drownd in the sea of bloudie tragedie How now Sempronio Semp Flie Lelio flie thy iealous furie robs thee of a friend I paie thee with my bloud for lewd desire Go hie thee hence preuent pursuit My miseries are done when I am dead Thy miseries are too neere Lel Too late remorse why doest thou follow me Ah sweet Sempronio speake but one word more Semp I speak these few wordes more flie Lelio flie Mongst friends it is too much for one to die Menal Murder my friends pursue the murderer Hast Coridon hie the Antimon Lel Flie Lelio flie and saue thy life Exit Lelio Cor T is Lelio shepheards hast and follow him Anty And Lelios sworde hath slaine Sempronio Pursue you shepheards that lewd murderer Whilest I do beare this bloudie garment hence To Seruio tutor to this noble man And giue him notice of his kinsmans death Downe with the murtherers fellowes kill his horse Exit Enter olde Phillip an hermit Phil What noise is this before my hold of peace A little breach of peace to men of zeale Is held a world of griefe to crosse his minde Behold a young man weltering in his bloud Hie thee olde Phillip shew thy charitie Beare him to thy cell and if thou canst recure his wounds If not goe burie him the badge of contemplations charitie Exit Enter Lelio with his sword drawen hee knockes at his doore Lelio Ho Gnatto open Gnatto within Gnat Open what should I open the cupboord Lel No knaue the doore Cnat No knaue the doore what rascals that O master is it you I crie you mercie Lel Sirra speake where 's your mistres Gnat Matie shee is making wood speake and guts sing Lel Wood speake and guts sing how meanst thou that Gnat Are you such a foole you know not that Why she 's playing on the lute Lel And where is my daughter Lucida Gnat She is killing a pride Lel As how Gnat She is combing of her head she will not haue it frizle Lel Iest not sirra but call them hether quickly Gnat Ho mistres quickly you must come hether quickly or els my master will beat me quickly Enter Annetta and Lucida An How now my Lord Lel Annetta call me wretch Lu Why what is befalne Lel The worst of harmes An Where is Sempronio Lel Ah aske not where he is Thou must be husbandlesse through my misdeeds Thou must be fatherles through my disgrace Farewell I dare not stay to tell my minde I haue no time Annetta to imbrace thee Vnles I hazard lyfe to stay so long Annetta in a word Sempronio's dead His friends pursue me and to saue my life I needs must flie you for your maintenance Must presently the chiefest iewels seize Farewell my sighs and teares must tell the rest An Whether cruell fortune my sweet loue Lel Captiues sweet soules in chaines of misery An Who shal releeue me when my husband 's fled Lel He that releeues poor souls when hope is dead Lu Who shall indow me in my fathers absence Lel True vertue daughter if he be in presence Ah looke on these you care desiring eies These cannot speake for wo clogs vp their tongs Thus silent miserie tells mourning griefe Go to poore soules and hide you from a storme The hands are prest to rob you of your owne Go in poore soules weep lesse indeuor more Hast forceth griefe danger keepes the doore Exeunt Enter Corrodinuo Duke of Venice his sonne Fortunio two senators olde Seruio and the Shepheard Antimon Duke Seruio stand forth if thy important wronges be such Discourse to me and to these aged peeres Thy cause of griefe and what thou doest require Ser. Most mightie Duke most worthie Senatours I come before this sacred iudgement seate Not traind by hate as many worldlings be But these olde yeres inioynd me charitie But vrg'd by wrongs compeld by hainous deeds To quicken iustice in your reuerent eares Call to remembrance Prince and worthie peeres The faithfull seruice for these many yeeres That stout Sempronio did vnto the State In remembrance whereof Olde Seruio humbling him vpon his knees Beseecheth iustice gainst proud Lelio Who cruelly hath slaine in single fight The sole and onely heire of that stout race Duke Seruio come hether and possesse thy place We will consider of thy iniuries Seruio Still let these knees be wedded to the earth Still let these teares run floud-like from mine eies Vntill your grace do execute the wretch That thus hath slaine my deare Sempronio 1. Sen. Thou doest demeane too much intemperance Thou foolish man arise do not stain the badge of age And wisedome by misgouernment Our senators in Venice are well schoold in such haps And can doome of things not by thy teares Or sorrow working wordes But by the truth and estimate of acts Thou sayst that Lelio