Caelia Camilla Amerula Suauia So. LAdies here must we attend the happy return of my father but in the mean season what pastime shal we vse to passe the time I wil agree to any so it be not to talke of loue Sua. Then sleepe is the best exercise Soph. Why Suauia are you so light that you must chat of loue or so heauie that you must needes sleepe Penelope in the absence of her Lord beguyled the daies with spinning Sua. Indeed she spun a fair threed if it were to make a string to the bow wherin she drew herwoers Soph. Why Suauia it was a bow which she knew to be aboue thy strength and therein she shewde her wit Sua. Qui latus arguerit corneus arcus erat it was made of horne madam and therin she shewde her meaning Soph. Why doest thou not think she was chast Sua. Yes of all her woers Soph. To talke with thee is to lose time not well to spend it how say you Amerula what shal we do Am. Tel tales Soph. What say you Caelia Cae Sing Soph. What think you Camilla Cam. Daunce Soph. You see Suauia that there are other things to keep one from idlenes besides loue nay that there is nothing to make idlenes but loue Sua. Well let mee stande by and feede mine owne thoughts with sweetenes whilest they fil your eyes and eares with songs and dauncings Soph. Amerula begin thy tale Am. There dwelt somtimes in Phrygia a Lady very fair but passing froward as much maruelled at for beutie as for peeuishnes misliked Hie she was in the instep but short in the heele strait laced but loose bodied It came to passe that a gentleman as yong in wit as yeres and in yeres a very boy chanced to glaunce his eies on her there were they dazeled on her beautie as larkes that are caught in the Sunne with the glittering of a glasse In her faire lookes were his thoughts intangled like the birdes of Canarie that fal into a silken net Dote he did without measure and die he must without her loue She on the other side as one that knew her good began to look askaunce yet felt the passions of loue eating into her heart though shee dissembled them with her eyes Suau. Ha ha he Soph. Why laughest thou Sua. To see you Madame so tame as to be brought to heare a tale of loue that before were so wylde you would not come to the name and that Amerula could deuise how to spend the time with a tale onely that she might not talke of loue and now to make loue onely her tale Soph. Indeed I was ouershot in iudgement and she in discretion Amerula another tale or none this is too louely Sua. Nay let me heare anie woman tell a tale of x. lines long without it tend to loue I wil be bound neuer to come at the Court And you Caelia that would fain trip on your petitoes can you perswade me to take delight to dance not loue or you that cannot rule your feet can guid your affections hauing the one as vnstaid as the other vnsteadie dauncing is loue sauce therefore I dare be so sawcie as if you loue to daunce to say you daunce for loue But Camilla she will sing whose voice if it should vtter her thoughts would make the tune of a hart out of tune She that hath crochets in her head hath also loue conceipts I dare sweare she harpeth not onely on plaine song before you Sophronia none of them all vse plaine dealing but because they see you so curious they frame themselues counterfet For my selfe as I knowe honest loue to bee a thing inseperable from our sex so doo I thinke it most allowable in the Court vnlesse we would haue all our thoughts made of Church-worke and so carrie a holie face and a hollow hart Sophr. Ladies how like you Suauia in her louing vaine Cael. Wé are content at this time to sooth her in her vanitie Amer. Shee casts all our mindes in the mould of her owne head and yet erreth as farre from our meanings as she doth from her owne modestie Sua. Amerula if you were not bitter your name had been ill bestowed but I think it as lawfull in the Court to bee counted louing and chast as you in the Temple to seeme religious and be spitefull Camill. I meruaile you will reply anie more Amerula her toung is so nimble it will neuer lye still Sua. The liker thy feete Camilla which were taught not to stand still Sophronia So no more Ladies let our comming to sport not tourne to spight Loue thou Suauia if thou thinke it sweete sing thou Caelia for thine owne content tell thou tales and daunce thou Camilla and so euerie one vsing hir own delight shall haue no cause to be discontent But here cōmeth Martius the rest What newes Martius of my Soueraigne and Father Mydas Mart. Madam he no sooner bathed his lims in the riuer but it turnde to a golden stream the sands to fine gold and all to gold that was cast into the water Mydas dismaid at the sodaine alteration assaied againe to touch a stone but he could not alter the nature of the stone Then went we with him to the Temple of Bacchus where we offred a launce wreathed about with yuie Garlands of ripe grapes and skinnes of Wolues and Panthers and a great standing cup of the water which so lately was turnd to golde Bacchus accepted our giftes commaunding Mydas to honour the Gods and also in wishing to bee as wise as he meant to haue made him fortunate Soph. Happie Sophronia that hast liued to heare these newes and happie Mydas if thou liue better to gouern thy fortune But what is become of our king Mell. Mydas ouerioyed with this good fortune determined to vse some solace in the woods where by chaunce we roused a great bore he eager of the sport outrid vs and wee thinking hee had been come to his Pallace some other way came our selues the next way If he be not returned he cannot be long we haue also lost our pages which we thinke are with him Sophro. The Gods shield him from all harmes the woods are full of Tygers and he of courage wilde beasts make no difference between a king a clowne nor hunters in the heat of their pastime feare no more the fiersnes of the boare thā the fearfulnes of the hare But I hope well let vs in to see all well Exeunt Actus 4. Scaena 1. Apollo Pan. Mydas Nymphes Ap. PAn wilt thou contend with Apollo who tunes the heauens and makes them all hang by harmony Orpheus that caused trees to moue with the sweetnes of his harp offreth yerely homage to my lute so doth Arion that brought Dolphins to his sugred notes and Amphion that by musicke reard the walls of Thebes Onely Pan with his harsh whistle which makes beasts shake for feare not men dance for ioy seekes to compare with Apollo
MIDAS PLAIED BEFORE THE QVEENES MAIESTIE VPON TVVELFE DAY AT night By the Children of Paules LONDON Printed by Thomas Scarlet for I. B. and are to be sold in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Bible 1592 THE PROLOGVE IN PAVLES GEntlemen so nice is the world that for apparrel there is no fashion for Musick no instrument for diet no delicate for playes no inuention but breedeth sacietie before noone and contempt before night Come to the Tayler hee is gone to the Paynters to learne howe more cunning may lurke in the fashion then can bee expressed in the making Aske the Musicions they will say their heads ake with deuising notes beyonde Ela Enquire at Ordinaries there must be sallets for the Italian picktooths for the Spaniard pots for the German porridge for the Englishman At our exercises Souldiers call for Tragedies their obiect is bloud Courtiers for Commedies their subiect is loue Countriemen for Pastoralles Shepheards are their Saintes Trafficke and trauell hath wouen the nature of all Nations into ours and made this land like Arras full of deuise which was Broade-cloth full of workemanshippe Time hath confounded our mindes our mindes the matter but all commeth to this passe that what heretofore hath beene serued in seuerall dishes for a feaste is now minced in a charger for a Gallimaufrey If wee present a mingle-mangle our fault is to be excused because the whole worlde is become an Hodge-podge Wee are ielous of your iudgementes because you are wise of our owne performance because we are vnperfect of our Authors deuice because he is idle Onelie this doeth encourage vs that presenting our studies before Gentlemen thogh they receiue an inward mislike wee shall not be hist with an open disgrace Stirps rudis vrtica est stirps generosa rosa. Actus primus Scaena prima Bacchus Mydas Eristus Martius Bacchus MIdas where the Gods bestowe benefits they aske thankes but where they receiue good turns they giue rewards Thou hast filled my belly with meate mine eares with musicke mine eies with wonders Bacchus of all the Gods is the best fellow and Midas amongst men a king of fellows All thy grounds are vineyards thy corne grapes thy chambers sellers thy houshold stuffe standing cuppes and therfore aske any thing it shal be graunted Wouldest thou haue the pipes of thy conducts to run wine the vdders of thy beasts to drop nectar or thy trees to bud ambrosia Desirest thou to be fortunate in thy loue or in thy victories famous or to haue the yeres of thy life as many as the haires on thy head Nothing shal be denied so great is Bacchus so happie is Midas Myd. Bacchus for a king to begge of a God it is no shame but to aske with aduise wisdom geue me leaue to consult least desiring things aboue my reach I bee fiered with Phaeton or against nature be drowned with Icarus so perishing the world shal both laugh and wonder crying Magnis tamen excidit ausis Bac. Consult Bacchus will consent Mid. Now my Lords let me heare your opinions what wish may make Mydas most happie and his Subiects best content Erist. Were I a king I would wish to possesse my mistresse for what sweetnes can there be found in life but loue whose wounds the more mortall they are to the heart the more immortal they make the possessors and who knoweth not that the possessing of that must bee most pretious the pursuing whereof is so pleasing Mar. Loue is a pastime for children breeding nothing but follie and nourishing nothing but idlenes I would wish to be monarch of the world conquering kingdomes like villages and being greatest on the earth be commaunder of the whole earth for what is there that more tickles the mind of a king then a hope to bee the only king wringing out of euery countrie tribute and in his owne to sit in triumph Those that call conquerors ambitious are like those that teache thrift couetousnes clenlines pride honestie precisenes Commaund the world Midas a greater thing you cannot desire a lesse you should not Myd. What say you Mellacrites Mel. Nothing but that these two haue said nothing I would wish that eueriething I touched might turne to gold this is the sinewes of warre and the sweetnesse of peace Is it not gold that maketh the chastest to yeeld to lust the honestest to lewdnes the wisest to follie the faithfullest to deceit and the most holy in heart to be most hollow of hart In this word Gold are all the powers of the gods the desires of men the woonders of the worlde the miracles of nature the losenes of fortune and triumphs of time By gold may you shake the courts of other Princes and haue your own setled one spade of gold vndermines faster then an hundred mattocks of steele Would one be thought religious deuout Quantum quisque sua nummorum seruat in arca tantum habet fidei Religions ballance are golden bags Desire you vertue querenda pecunia primum est virtus post nummos the first staire of vertue is money Doeth anie thirst after gentrie and wish to be esteemed beautiful genus formam regina pecunia donat king Coin hath a mint to stamp gentlemen and art to make amiablenes I denie not but loue is sweet and the marrowe of a mans minde that to conquere kings is the quintessence of the thoughts of kings why ţhen follow both Aurea sunt vera nunc saecula plurimus auro venit honos auro conciliatur amor it is a world for gold honor and loue are both taken vp on interest Doth Midas determine to tempt the mindes of true Subiectes to drawe them from obedience to trecherie from their allegiance and othes to treason and periurie quid non mortalia pectora cogit aurisacra fames what holes doth not gold bore in mens hearts Such vertue is there in golde that being bred in the barrennest ground and troden vnder foote it mounteth to sit on Princes heads Wish gold Midas or wish not to be Midas In the councel of the gods was not Anubis with his long nose of gold preferred before Neptunes whose stature was but brasse And Aesculapius more honored for his golden beard then Apollo for his sweet harmonie Erist. To haue gold and not loue which cannot be purchast by gold is to be a slaue to gold Mar. To possesse mountains of gold and a mistresse more precious then gold and not to commaunde the world is to make Mydas new prentise to a mint and Iorneiman to a woman Mel. To enioy a faire Ladie in loue and wante faire gold to geue to haue thousands of people to fight and no peny to paye wil make ones mistresse wilde and his soldiers tame Iupiter was a god but he knew gold was a greater and flewe into those grates with his golden winges where he coulde not enter with his Swannes wings What staide Atlantas course with Hippomanes an apple of gold what made the three
pull ouer so fowle a skinne Pi. These boyes be droonk I would not be in your takings Li. I thinke so for we take nothing in our hands but weapons it is for thee to vse needles and pinnes a sampler not a buckler Pi. Nay then wee shall neuer haue done I meane I would not be so courst as you shal be Pet. Worse and worse Wee are no chase prettie mops for Deere we are not neither red nor fallowe because we are Batchelers and haue not cornu copia we want heads Hares we cannot be because they are male one yere and the next female we change not our sex Badgers we are not for our legs are one as long as another and who wil take vs to be Foxes that stand so nere a goose and bite not Pi. Fooles you are and therefore good game for wise men to hunt but for knaues I leaue you for honest wenches to talke of Li. Nay stay sweet Pipenetta we are but disposed to be merrie Pi. I maruel how old you wil be before you be disposed to be honest But this is the matter my master is gone abroad and wants his page to wayt on him my mistresse would rise and lacks your worshippe to fetch her haire Pet. Why is it not on her head Pi. Me thinks it should but I meane the haire that she must weare to day Li. Why doth she weare any but her owne Pi. In faith sir no I am sure it is her owne when shee paies for it But do you heare the strange newes at the Court Pet. No except this be it to haue ones haire lie all night out of the house from ones head Pi. Tush euerie thing that Mydas toucheth is gold Pet. The deuil it is Pi. Indeed gold is the deuil Li. Thou art deceiued wench angels are gold But is it true Pi. True Why the meat that he tutcheth turneth to gold so doth the drinke so doth his raiment Pet. I would he would geue me a good boxe on the eare that I might haue a golden cheeke Li. How happie shal we be if hee woulde but stroke our heads that we might haue golden haires But let vs all in least he lose the vertue of the gift before wee taste the benefit Pi. If he take a cudgel and that turn to gold yet beating you with it you shal only feele the weight of gold Pet. What difference to be beaten with gold and to be beaten gold Pi. As much as to say drinke before you goe and goe before you drinke Li. Come let vs goe least we drinke of a drie cuppe for our long tarrying Exeunt Actus 2. Scae. 1. Eristus Caelia Sophronia Mellacrites Martius Erist. FAire Caelia thou seest of gold there is sacietie of loue there cannot Cael. If thou shouldst wish that whatsoeuer thou thoughtest might be loue as Mydas what euer he toucht might be gold it may be loue would bee as lothsome to thine eares as gold is to his eyes and make thy heart pinch with melancholie as his guts doe with famine Erist. No sweet Caelia in loue there is varietie Cae. Indeed men varie in their loue Erist. They varie their loue yet change it not Cae. Loue and change are at variance therefore if they varie they must change Erist. Men change the manner of their loue not the humor the meanes how to obteine not the mistresse they honor So did Iupiter that could not intreat Danae by golden words possesse his loue by a golden shoure not altering his affection but vsing art Cae. The same Iupiter was an Aegle a Swan a Bull and for euerie Saint a new shape as men haue for euery mistres a new shadow If you take example of the gods who more wanton more wauering if of your selues being but men who wil think you more constant then gods Eristus if gold could haue allured mine eies thou knowest Mydas that commaundeth all thinges to bee gold had conquered if threats might haue feared my heart Mydas being a king might haue commaunded my affections if loue golde or authoritie might haue inchaunted me Mydas had obteyned by loue golde and authoritie Quorum si singula nostram flectere non poterant potuissent omnia mentem Erist. Ah Caelia if kinges saye they loue and yet dissemble who dare say that they dissemble and not loue They commaunde the affections of others yeeld and their owne to be beleeued My teares which haue made furrowes in my cheekes and in mine eyes fountaines my sighes which haue made of my heart a furnace and kindled in my head flames my body that melteth by peecemeale and my mind that pineth at an instant may witnesse that my loue is both vnspotted vnspeakeable Quorum si singula duram flectere non poterant deberent omnia mentem But soft here commeth the Princesse with the rest of the Lords Ent. Soph. Sophro. Mellacrites I cannot tell whether I should more mislike thy councell or Mydas consent but the couetous humor of you both I contemne and wonder at being vnfit for a king whose honor should consiste in liberalitie not greedines and vnworthy the calling of Mellacrites whose fame should rise by the Souldiers god Mars not by the merchants god Gold Mel. Madam things past cannot be recalled but repented and therefore are rather to be pittied than punished It now behoueth vs how to redresse the miserable estate of our king not to dispute of the occasion Your highnes sees and without griefe you cannot see that his meat turneth to massie gold in his mouth and his wine slideth downe his throte like liquide golde if he touch his roabes they are turned to gold and what is not that toucheth him but becommeth golde Erist. I Mellacrites if thy tongue had been turned to gold before thou gauest our king such councel Mydas heart had been ful of ease and thy mouth of gold Mar. If my aduise had taken place Mydas that now sitteth ouer head and eares in crownes had worn vpon his head many kings crownes and been conquerour of the world that now is commaunder of drosse That greedines of Mellacrites whose heart-stringes are made of Plutus purse-stringes hath made Mydas a lumpe of earth that should be a god on earth and thy effeminate minde Eristus whose eyes are stitcht on Caelias face and thoughts guyde to her beautie hath bredde in all the court such a tender wantonnes that nothing is thoght of but loue a passion proceeding of beastly lust and coloured with a courtlie name of loue Thus whilest we follow the nature of things we forget the names Since this vnsatiable thirst of gold and vntemperat humor of lust crept into the kings court Souldiers haue begged almes of Artificers and with their helmet on their head been glad to follow a Louer with a gloue in his hatte which so much abateth the courage of true Captaines that they must account it more honorable in the court to be a cowarde so rich and amorus than in a campe to be valiant if poore and
to be a Dutches but sure I am thy face serues thee wel for a witch what 's the matter Pipe The matter marry t is proclaymde that who soeuer can tell the cause and the reeds song shal either haue Sophronia to wife or if she refuse it a Dukedome for his wisdome Besides whosoeuer saith that Mydas hath asses eares shal lose theirs Li. I le be a Duke I finde honor to bud in my head and mee thinkes euerie ioynt of mine armes from the shoulder to the little finger saies send for the Herauld Mine armes are all armarie gules sables azure or vert pur post pare c. Pet. And my heart is like a harth where Cupid is making a fire for Sophronia shal be my wife me thinks Venus and Nature stande with each of them a paire of bellowes the one cooling my lowe birth the other kindling my loftie affections Pipe Apollo wil help me because I can sing Li. Mercurie me because I can lie Pet. All the Gods me because I can lie sing sweare and loue But soft here comes Motto now shal we haue a fit time to be reuenged if by deuise we can make him say Mydas hath asses eares Enter Motto Ly. Let vs not seeme to bee angrie about the Inuentorie and you shall see my wit to bee the hangman for his tongue Pip. Why fooles hath a Barbar a tongue Pet. Wee le make him haue a tongue that his teeth that looke lyke a combe shall bee the cizzars to cut it off Pip. I pray let mee haue the odde endes I feare nothing so much as to be tongue tawde Ly. Thou shalt haue all the shauings and then a womans tongue ympt with a Barbars will prooue a razor or a raser Pet. How now Motto what all a mort Mot. I am as melancholy as a cat Ly. Melancholy marie gup is melancholy a word for a barbars mouth thou shouldst say heauie dull and doltish melancholy is the creast of Courtiers armes and now euerie base companion beeing in his muble fubles sayes he is melancholy Petul. Motto thou shouldst say thou art lumpish If thou encroach vpon our courtly tearmes wee le troūce thee belike if thou shouldst spit often thou wouldst call it the rewme Motto in men of reputation credit it is the rewme in such mechanicall mushrumpes it is a catarre a pose the water euill You were best weare a veluet patch on your temples too Mot. What a world it is to see egges forwarder than cocks these infants are as cunning in diseases as I that haue runne them ouer all backward and forward I tell you boyes it is melancholy that now troubleth me Dell. My master could tickle you with diseases and that olde ones that haue continued in his Auncestors boanes these three hundred yeres He is the last of the familie that is left vneaten Mot. What meanst thou Dello Pet. He meanes you are the last of the stocke aliue the rest the wormes haue eaten Dell. A pox of those sawcie wormes that eate men before they be dead Pet. But tell vs Motto why art thou sad Mot. Because al the Court is sad Ly. Why are they sad in Court Mot. Because the King hath a paine in his eares Pet. Belike it is the wennes Mot. It may be for his eares are swolne verie big Pet. Ten to one Motto knowes of the asses eares Ly. If he know it we shall for it is as hard for a barbar to keepe a secrete in his mouth as a burning coale in his hand Thou shalt see mee wring it out by wit Motto t was told me that the King will discharge you of your office because you cut his eare when you last trimd him Mot. T is a lye and yet if I had he might wel spare an inch or two Pet. It will out I feele him comming Del. Master take heed you will blab alanone these wags are craftie Mot. Let me alone Ly. Why Motto what difference between the kings eares and thine Mot. Asmuch as betweene an asses eares and mine Pet. O Motto is modest to mitigate the matter hee calls his owne eares asses eares Mot. Nay I meane the Kings are asses eares Ly. Treason treason Del. I told you master you haue made a faire hand for now you haue made your lips cizars to cut off your eares Mot. Perij vnles you pitie me Motto is in a pit Pe. Nay Motto treson is a worse pain than toothach Ly. Now Motto thou knowest thine eares are ours to commaund Mot. Your seruants or handmaides Pet. Then will I lead my maide by the hand He pulls him by the eares Mot. Out villen thou wringst too hard Del. Not so hard as he bit me Mot. Thou seest boy we are both mortall I enioye mine eares but durante placito nor thou thy finger but fauente dento Pet. Yea Motto hast thou Latin Mot. Alas he that hath drawen so manie teeth and neuer askt Latin for a tooth is ill brought vp Ly. Well Motto let vs haue the beard without couin fraud or delay at one entier paiment thou shalt scape a paiment Mot. I protest by cizars brush and combe bason ball and apron by razor eare-pike and rubbing cloathes and all the tria sequuntur triaes in our secret occupation for you knowe it is no blabbing arte that you shall haue the beard in manner and forme following Not onely the golden beard and euerie haire though it be not haire but a dozen of beards to stuffe two dozen of cushions Ly. Then they be big ones Del. They be halfe a yeard broad and a nayle three quarters long and a foote thicke so sir shall you finde them stufte enough and soft enough All my mistres lynes that she dryes her cloathes on are made only of Mustachio stuffe And if I durst tell the truth as lustie as I am heere I lye vppon a bed of beards a bots of their bristles and they that owe them they are harder than flockes Pet. A fine discourse well Motto we giue thee mercie but we will not loose the beard Remember nowe our inventorie Item wee will not let thee goe out of our hands till we haue the beard in our hands Mott. Then followe Exeunt Actus 5. Scaen. 3. Mydas Sophronia Mellicrates Martius Myd. THis is Delphos Sacred Apollo whose Oracles be all diuine though doubtfull aunswere poore Mydas and pitie him Soph. I maruell there is no answere Myd. Fond Mydas how canst thou aske pitie of him whom thou hast so much abusde or why doost thou abuse the world both to seeme ignorant in not acknowledging an offence and impudent so openly to craue pardon Apollo will not aunswere but Mydas must not cease Apollo diuine Apollo Mydas hath asses eares yet let pitie sinke into thine eares and tell when he shall be free from this shame or what may mittigate his sinne Mar. Tush Apollo is tuning his pipes or at barly-breake with Daphne or assaying on some Shepheardes coate or taking measure of a serpents skinne Were I