Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A04636
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The alchemist. VVritten by Ben. Ionson
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Jonson, Ben, 1573?-1637.
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1612
(1612)
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STC 14755; ESTC S109357
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59,534
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100
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THE ALCHEMIST VVritten by BEN. IONSON Neque me vt miretur turba laboro Contentus paucis lectoribus LONDON Printed by Thomas Snodham for Walter Burre and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth at the West-end of Paules 1612. To the Lady most aequall with vertue and her Blood The Grace and Glory of women MARY LA WROTH Madame IN the Age of Sacrifices the truth of Religion was not in the greatnes and fat of the Offrings but in the deuotion and zeale of the Sacrificers Else what could a handful of Gummes haue done in the sight of a Hecatombe Or how yet might a gratefull minde be furnish'd against the iniquitie of Fortune except when she fail'd it it had power to impart it selfe A way found out to ouercome euen those whom Fortune hath enabled to returne most since they yet leaue themseluesmore In this assurance am I planted and stand with those affections at this Altar as shall no more auoide the light and witnesse then they doe the conscience of your vertue If whatâ— offer beare an acceptable odour hold the first strength It is your valew thatremembers where when and to whom it was kindled Otherwise in these times there comes rarely forth that thing so full of authoritie oâ— example but by daylinesse and custome growes lesse and looses But this safe in your iudgement which is a SIDNEYS is forbidden to speake more least it talke or looke like one of the ambitious Faces of the time who the more they paint are the lesse themselues Your La true honorer Ben. Ionson TO THE READER IF thou beest more thou art an Vnderstander and then Itrust thee If thou art one that tak'st vp and but a Pretender beware at what hands thou receiu'st thy commoditie for thou wert neuer more fair in theway to be coâ—ned then in this Age in Poetry especially in Playes wherein now the Concupiscence of â—ges and Daunces so raigneth as to runne away from Nature and be afraid of her is the onely point of art that tickles the Spectators But how out of purpose and place doe I name Art when the Professors are growne so obstinate contemners of it and presumers on their owne Naturalls as they are deriders of all diligence that way and by simple mocking at the termes when they vnderstand not the things thinke to get of wittily with their Ignorance Nay they are esteem'd the more learned and sufficient for this by the Multitude through their excellent vice of iudgement For they commend Writers as they doe Fencers or Wrastlers who if they come in robustuously and put for it with a great deale of violence are receiu'd for the brauer fellowes when many times their owne rudenesse is the cause of their disgrace and a little touch of their Aduersary giues all that boisterous force the foyle I deny not but that these men who alwaies seeke to doe more then inough may some time happen on some thing that is good and great but very seldome And when it comes it doth not recompenâ— the rest of their ill It sticks out perhaps and is more eminent because all is sordide and vile about it as lights are more discern'd in a thick darknesse then a faint shadow I speake not this out of a hope to doe good on any man against his will for I know if it were put to the question of theirs and mine the worse would finde more suffrages because the most fauour common errors But I giue thee this warning that there is a great difference betweene those that to gain the opinion of Copie vtter all they can how cuer vnfitly and those that vse election and a meane For it is onely the disease of the vnskilfull to thinke rude things greater then polish'd or scatter'd more numerous then compos'd To my friend Mr. Ben Ionson vpon his Alchemist A Master read in flatteries great skill Could not passe truth though he would force his will By praising this too much to get more praise In his Art then you out of yours doe raise Nor can full truth be vttered of your worth Vnlesse you your owne praises doe set forth None else can write so skilfully to shew Your praise Ages shall pay yet still must owe. All I dare say is you haue written well In what exceeding height I dare not tell George Lucy The Persons of the Comoedie SVBTLE The Alchemist FACE The House-keeper DOL Common Their Colleague DAPPER A Clearke DRVGGER A Tabacco-man LOVE-Wit Master of the House EPICVRE MAMMON A Knight SVRLY A Gamster TRIBVLATION A Pastorof Amstredam ANANIAS A Deacon there KASTRIL The Angry Boy Da PLIANT His sister A Widdow Neighbours Officers Mutes THE ARGVMENT T he Sicknesse hot A Master quit for feare H is House in Towne and left one Seruant there E ase him corrupted and gaue meanes to know A Cheater and his Punque who now brought low L eauing their narrow practise were become C os'ners at large and onely wanting some H ouse to set vp with him they here contract E ach for a share and all begin to act M uch company they draw and much abuse I n casting Figures telling Fortunes Newes S elling of Flyes flat Bawdry with the Stone T ill It and They and All in fume are gone THE PROLOGVE FOrtune that fauours Fooles these two short howers We wish away both for your sakes and ours Iudging Spectators and desire in place To th' Author iustice to our selues but grase Our Scene is LONDON 'cause we would make knowne No Countries mirth is better then our owne No Clime breedes better matter for your Whore Baud Squire Impostor many Persons more Whose manners now call'd Humors feede the Stage And which haue still beene Subiect to the rage Or spleene of Comick writers Though this Pen Did neuer ayme to grieue but better Men How e'er the Age he liues in doth endure The vices that she breedes aboue their cure But when the wholsome remedies are sweet And in their working Game and Profit meete He hopes to finde no spirit so much diseas'd But will with such fayre Correctiues be pleas'd For here he doth not feare who can apply If there be any that will sit so nigh Vnto the streame to looke what it doth runne They shall finde things they 'ld thinke or wish were done They are so naturall follies But so showne As euen the Doers may see and yet not owne THE ALCHEMIST ACT. 1. SCENE 1. FACE SVBTLE DOL Common BEleeu 't I will SVB. Thy worst I fart at thee DOL. Ha'you your wits Why Gentlemen for loue FAC. Sirah I 'll strip you SVB. What to do licke figs Out at my FAC. Rogue Rogue out of all your sleights DOL. Nay look ye Soueraigne General are you Madmen SVB. O let the wild sheepe loose I le gumme your silkes With good strong water an'you come DOL. Will you haue The neighbours heare you Will you betray all Hearke I heare some body FAC. Srah. SVB. I shall marre All that the Taylor has made if