paines he has taken Enter Nurse Nur. Master now out vpo ns well aday we are al vndone Gripe Vndone what sodaine accident hath chanc't Speake what 's the matter Nurse Alas that euer I was borne My Mistresse and Mr. Churms are run away together Gripe T is not possible nere tell me I dare trust Master Churms with a greater matter then that Nurse Faith you must trust him whether you will or no for hee s gone Enter Will Cricket VVill M. Gripe I was comming to desire that I might haue your absence at my wedding for I heare say you are very liberall growen alate For I spake with three or foure of your debters this morning that ought you hundred pounds a piece And they tolde me that you sent M. Churmes to them and tooke of some ten pounds And of some twentie and deliuered them their bondes And bad them pay the rest when they were able Gripe I am vndon I am robd my daughter my mony Which way are they gone VVill Faith Sir it s all to nothing but your daughter and M. Churms are gone both one way Marrie your mony flies some one waies and some another And therefore t is but a folly to make hue and crie after it Gripe Follow them make hue and cry after them My daughter my mony all 's gone what shall I doe Will Faith if you will be rul'd by me I le tell you what you shall doe Marke what I say for I le teach you the way to come to heauen if you stumble not Giue all you haue to the poore But one single penny and with that penny buy you a good strong halter And when you ha done so come to mee and I le tell you what you shall do with it Gripe Bring me my daughter that Churms that villane I le teare him with my teeth Nurse Master nay pray you do not run mad I le tell you good newes My young Master Fortunatus is come home and see where he comes Enter Fortunatus Gripe If thou hadst sayd Lelia it had beene something Fort. Thus Fortunatus greetes his Father And craues his blessing on his bended knee Gripe I heer 's my sonne but Lelia shee le not come Good Fortunatus rise wilt thou shed teares And help thy father mone If so say I if not good sonne be gone Fort. What moues my father to these strange fits Will Faith Sir hee s almost mad I thinke he cannot tell you And therefore I presuming Sir that my wit is something better than his at this time do you marke Sir Out of the profound circumambulation of my supernaturall wit Sir do you vnderstand Will tel you the whole superfluity of the matter Sir Your sister Lelia Sir you know is a woman As another woman is Sir Fort. Well and what of that Will Nay nothing Sir but shee fell in loue with one Sophos a very proper wise young man Sir Now Sir your Father would not let hir haue him Sir But would haue married hir to one Sir That would haue fed hir with nothing but barly bag puddings and fat bacon Now Sir to tell you the truth The foole ye know has fortune to land But M. Lelias mouth doth not hang for that kind of dyet Fort. And how then VVill Marrie then there was a certaine craking cogging pettifogging buttermilke slaue Sir one Churms Sir that is the very quintessence of all the knaues in the bunch And if the best man of all his kin had been but so good as a yeoman mans sonne He should haue been a markt knaue by letters patents And hee Sir comes me sneaking and cosens them both of their wench and is run away with hir And Sir belike hee has cosend your father heere of a great deale of his mony too Nurse Sir your father did trust him but too much But I alwaies thought he would prooue a crafty knaue Gripe My trusts betrai'd my ioyes exil'd Griefe kils his heart my hopes beguil'd Fort. Where golden gaine doth bleare a fathers eyes That pretious pearle fetcht from Pernassus mount Is counted refuse worse then Bullen brasse Both ioyes and hope hang of a silly twine That still is subiect vnto flitting time That tournes ioy into griefe and hope to sad despaire And ends his dayes in wretched worldly care Were I the richest Monarch vnder heauen And had one daughter thrice as faire As was the Grecian Menelaus wife Ere I would match hir to an vntaught swaine Though one whose wealth exceeded Croesus store Hir selfe should choose and I applaud hir choise Of one more poore then euer Sophos was Were his deserts but equall vnto his If I might speake without offence You were to blame to hinder Lelias choice As she in Natures graces doth excell So doth Minerua grace him full as well Nurse Now by cocke and pie you neuer spoke a truer word in your life hee s a very kind gentleman For last time he was at our house he gaue me three pence Will O nobly spoken God send Pegge to prooue as wise a woman as hir Mother and then we shall be sure to haue wise children Nay if he be so liberall olde Gransire you shall giue him the good-will of your daughter Gripe She is not mine I haue no daughter now That I should say I had thence comes my griefe My care of Lelia past a fathers loue My loue of Lelia makes my losse the more My losse of Lelia drowns my heart in woe My hearts woe makes this life a liuing death Care Loue Losse Hearts-woe liuing death Ioyne all in one to stop this vitall breath Curst be the time I gap't for golden gaine I curse the time I crost hir in hir choice Hir choyce was virtuous but my wil was base I sought to grace hir from the Indian Mines But she sought honour from the starrie Mount What franticke fit possest my foolish braine What furious fancie fired so my heart To hate faire Virtue and to scorne desert Fortunatus Then father giue desert his due Let Natures graces and faire virtues giftes One sympathie and happy consort make Twixt Sophos and my sister Lelias loue Conioyne their hands whose hearts haue long beene one And so conclude a happy vnion Gripe Now t is too late What Fates decree can neuer be recall'd Hir lucklesse loue is fall'n to Churms his lot And he vsurps faire Lelias nuptiall bed Fortunatus That cannot be feare of pursuit must needes prolong his nuptiall rights But if you giue your full consent That Sophos may enioy his long wisht loue And haue faire Lelia to his louely bride I le follow Churmes what ere betide I le be as swifte as is the light foote Roe And ouertake him ere his iournies end And bring faire Lelia backe vnto my friend Gripe I heer 's my hand I do consent And thinke hir happie in hir happie choice Yet halfe foreiudge my hopes will be deceiu'd But Fortunatus I must needes commend Thy constant mind thou bear'st vnto thy friend The after
much as call my daughter hither I wil make her sure here to Peter Ploddall and I le desire you to be a witnesse Churms With all my heart Sir Exit Churms Gripe Before God neighbour this same Master Churms is a very good Lawer for I le warrant you cannot speake any thing but he has law for it ad vnguem Ploddall Marrie eene the more ioy on him And hee s one that I am very much beholding to But here comes your daughter Enter Churms Lelia and Nurse Lelia Father did you send for me Gripe I wench I did come hither Lelia giue mee thy hand Mr. Churms I pray you beare witnesse I here giue Lelia to P. Ploddall She pluckes away hir hand How now Nurse Shee le none she thankes you Sir Gripe Will she not why how now I say What you pewling peeuish thing you vntoward baggage Will you not be rul'd by your Father Haue I tane care to bring you vp to this And will you do as you list Away I say hang starue begge be gone packe I say out of my sight Thou nere getst penny-worth of my goods for this Thinke on t I do not vse to iest Exeunt Lelia and Nurse Be gon I say I will not heare thee speake Churms I pray you Sir patient your selfe shee s young Gripe I hold my life this beggerly Scholler hankers about hir still makes hir so vntoward But I le home I le set hir a harder taske I le keep hir in and look to hir a little better then I ha done I le make hir haue little mind of gadding I warrant hir Come Neighbour send your sonne to my house for hee s welcome thither and shall be welcome and I le make Lelia bid him welcome too ere I ha done with hir Come Peter follow vs Exeunt all but Churmes Churms Why this is excellent better and better still This is beyond expectation Why now this geare begins to worke But beshrew my heart I was afraide that Lelia would haue yeelded whē I saw hir father take hir by the hand cal me for a witnesse my heart began to quake But to say the truth shee had little reason to take a Cullian lugloafe milkesop stave When she may haue a Lawyer a Gentleman that stands vpon his reputation in the Country One whose diminutiue defecte of Law may compare with his little Learning Well I see that Churmes must be the man must carrie Lelia when all 's done Enter Robin Goodfellow Robin How now Master Churmes what newes abroad Me thinke you looke very spruce y are very frolicke now a late Churms What fellow Robin how goes the squares with you Y are waxen very proude alate you will not know your olde friends Robin Faith I eene came to seeke you to bestow a quart of wine of you Churms That 's strange you were nere wont to be so liberall Robin Tush man one good turne askes another cleare gaines man cleare gaines Peter Ploddall shall pay for all I haue guld him once And I le come ouer him againe and againe I warrant ye Churms Faith Lelia has een giuen him the doff off here and has made hir father almost starke mad Robin O all the better then I shall bee sure of more of his custome But what successe haue you in your suit with hir Churms Faith all hitherto goes well I haue made the motion to hir But as yet we are growne to no conclusion But I am in very good hope Robin But doe you thinke you shall get hir fathers good will Churmes Tut if I get the wench I care not for that That will come afterward And I le be sure of something in the meane time For I haue outlaw'd a great number of his debtors And I le gather vp what money I can amongst them And Gripe shall nere know of it neither Robin I and of those that are scarse able to pay Take the one halfe and forgiue them the other rather then sit out at all Churmes Tush let me alone for that But sirra I haue brought the Scholler into a fooles Paradise Why he has made me his spokesman to M. Lelia And Gods my Iudge I nere so much as name him to hir Robin O by th Mas well remembred I le tell you what I meane to doe I le attire my selfe fit for the same purpose Like to some hellish Hag or damned fiend And meete with Sophos wandring in the woods O I shall fray him terribly Churms I would thou couldst scarre him out of his wits Then should I ha the wench cocke sure I doubt no body but him Robin Well le ts go drinke together And then I le go put on my diuelish roabes I meane my Christmas Calues skin sute And then walke to the woodes O I le terrifie him I warrantye Enter Sophos solus Sophos Will heauens still smile at Sophos miseries And giue no end to my vncessant mones These Cipresse shades are witnesse of my woes The senselesse trees do grieue at my laments The leauie branches drop sweete Myrrhas teares For loue did scorne me in my mothers wombe And sullen Saturne pregnant at my birth With all the fatall starres conspir'd in one To frame a haplesse constellation Presaging Sophos lucklesse destinie Here here doth Sophos turne Ixions restlesse wheele And here lies wrapt in labyrinths of loue Of his sweete Lelias loue whose sole Idea still Prolongs the haplesse date of Sophos hopelesse life Ah said I life a life farre worse then death Then death I then ten thousand deaths I daily die in that I liue loues thrall They die thrise happie that once die for all Here will I stay my weary wandring steps And lay me downe vpon this solid earth He lies downe The mother of despaire and balefull thoughts I this befits my melancholy moodes Now now me thinkes I heare the prettie birds With warbling tunes record faire Lelias name Whose absence makes warme bloud drop from my heart And forceth watrie teares from these my weeping eyes Me thinkes I heare the siluer sounding streames With gentle murmur summon me to sleepe Singing a sweete melodious lullabie Here will I take a nap and drowne my haplesse hopes In the Ocean seas of Neuer like to speed He fals in a slumber and Musicke soundes Enter Syluanus Syluanus Thus hath Syluanus left his leauie bowers Drawne by the sound of Ecchoes sad reports That with shrill notes and high resounding voice Doth pearce the very Cauerns of the earth And rings through hils and dales the sad laments Of virtues losse and Sophos mournefull plaints Now Morpheus rowse thee from thy sable den Charme all his senses with a slumbering trance Whil'st old Syluanus send a louely traine Of Satyrs Driades and watrie Nymphes Out of their bowers to tune their siluer strings And with sweete sounding musicke sing Some pleasing Madrigalles and Rowndelayes To comfort Sophos in his deepe distresse Exit Syluanus Enter the Nymphes and Satyres singing THE SONGE 1 SAtyres sing let sorrow keepe hir
Yet Fortune fauours fooles Nurse By that conclusion you should not be wife Lelia Foule Fortune sometime smiles on vertue faire Sophos T is then to shew her mutabilitie But since amidst ten thousand frowning threats Of fickle fortunes thrice vnconstant wheele She daines to show one little pleasing smile Le ts do our best false Fortune to beguile And take aduantage of her euer changing moodes See see how Tellus spangled mantle smiles And birds do chant their rurall sugred notes As rauisht with our meetings sweet delights Since then ther fits for loue both time and place Let loue and liking hand in hand embrace Nurse Sir the next way to win her loue is to linger her leysure I measure my mistresse by my louely selfe make a promise to a man and keep it I haue but one fault I neere made promise in my life but I sticke to it tooth and naile I le pay it home yfaith If I promise my loue a kisse I le giue him two marrie at first I will make nice and crie fie fie and that will make him come againe and againe I le make him breake his winde with come againes Sophos But what saies Lelia to her Sophos loue Lelia Ah Sophos that fond blind boy That wrings these passions from my Sophos hart Hath likewise wounded Lelia with his dart And force perforce I yeeld the fortresse vp Here Sophos take thy Lelias hand And with this hand receiue a loyall hart High Ioue that ruleth heauens bright Canopie Grant to our loue a wisht felicitie Sophos As ioyes the wearie Pilgrim by the way When Phebus waues vnto the westerne deepe To sommon him to his desired rest Or as the poore distressed Mariner Long tost by shipwracke on the foming waues At length beholds the long wisht hauen Although from farre his heart doth dance for ioy So Loues consent at length my mind hath eas'd My troubled thoughts by sweet content are pleas'd Lelia My father recks not vertue But vowes to wed me to a man of wealth And sweares his gold shall counterpoyse his worth But Lelia scorn's proud Mammon's golden mines And better likes of learnings sacred lore Then of fond Fortunes glistering mockeries But Sophos trie thy wits and vse thy vtmost skill To please my father and compasse his good will Sophos To what faire Lelia wills doth Sophos yeeld content Yet that 's the troublous gulfe my silly ship must passe But were that venture harder to atchieue Then that of Iason for the golden fleece I would effect it for sweet Lelias sake Or leaue my selfe as witnesse of my thoughts Nurse How say you by that mistresse hee l doe any thing for your sake Lelia Thankes gentle loue But least my father should suspect Whose iealous head with more than Argus eyes Doth measure euery gesture that I vse I le in and leaue you here alone Adieu sweet friend vntill we meet againe Come Nurse follow me Exeunt Lelia and Nurse Sophos Farewell my loue faire fortune be thy guide Now Sophos now bethinke thy selfe How thou maist win her fathers will to knit this happie knot Alas thy state is poore thy friends are few And feare forbids to tell my fates to friend Well I le trie my Fortunes And finde out some conuenient time When as her fathers leysure best shal serue To conferre with him about faire Lelias loue Exit Sophos Enter Gripe olde Ploddall Churms and Will Cricket Gripe Neighbour Ploddall and Master Churms y are welcome to my house What newes in the Countrie neighbour you are a good husband you ha done sowing barley I am sure Ploddall Yes sir an t please you a fornight since Gripe Master Churms what saies my debters can you get any money of them yet Churms Not yet sir I doubt they are scarce able to pay You must eene forbeare them a while they le exclaime on you else Gripe Let them exclaime and hang and starue and beg let me ha my monie Ploddall Here 's this good fellow too Master Churms I must eene put him and his father ouer into your hands they le pay me no Rent Will Cric. This good fellow quotha I scorne that base broking brabbling brauling bastardly bottlenos'd beetlebrow'd bean-bellied name Why Robin Goodfellow is this same cogging pettifogging crackeropes Calue-skin companion Put me and my father ouer to him olde Siluer top and you had not put me before my father I would ha Ploddall What woulst ha done Will I would haue had a snatch at you that I would Churms What art a dogge Will No if I had beene a dog I would ha snapt of your nose ere this and so I should haue cosend the D◠of a Marriebone Gripe Come come let me end this controuersie Prithee go thy waies in bid the boy bring a cup of Sacke here for my friends Will Would you haue a sacke Sir Gripe A way foole a cup of Sacke to drinke Will O I had thought you would haue had a sacke to haue put this lawcracking cogfoystin in stead of a paire of stockes Gripe Away foole get thee in I say Will Into the buttrie you meane Gripe I prithee doe Will I le make your hogshead of Sack rue that word Exit Will Cricket Gripe Neighbour Ploddall I sent a Letter to you by Master Churms how like you of the motion Ploddall Marrie I like wel of the motion my sonne I tel you is eene all the stay I haue and all my care is to haue him take one that hath something for as the world goes now if they haue nothing they may begge But I doubt hee s too simple for your daughter For I haue brought him vp hardly with brown bread fat bacon puddinges and souce and barlady wee thinke it good fare too Gripe Tush man I care not for that you ha no more children you le make him your heire and giue him your lands will you not Ploddall Yes hee s eene all I haue I haue no body else to bestow it vpon Gripe You say well Enter Wil. Cricket and a Boy with Wine and a napkin Wil. Nay here you drinke afore you bargaine Gr. Mas an t is a good motion oy fill some wine He fills thē wine giues them the napkin Here Neighbour and M. Churms I drink to you Both We thanke you Sir Wil. Lawer wipe cleane do you remember Churms Remember why Wil. Why since you know when Churms Since when Wil. Why since you were bumbasted that your lubberly legges would not carrie your lob cocke bodie When you made an infusion of your stinking excrements in your stalking implements O you were plaguy frayd and fowly raide Gripe Prithee peace Will Neighbour Ploddall what say you to this match shall it go forward Ploddall Sir that must be as our children like For my sonne I thinke I can rule him Marrie I doubt your daughter will hardly like of him for God wot hee s very simple Gripe My daughters mine to command haue I not brought her vp to
this She shal haue him I le rule the roste for that I le giue her pounds and crownes gold and siluer I le way her downe in pure angell gold Say man i st a match Ploddall Faith I agree Churms But Sir if you giue your daughter so large a dowrie you le haue some part of his land conueied to her by iointure Gripe Yes marrie that I will And wee le desire your helpe for conueiance Ploddall I good Master Churms and you shall be very well contented for your paines Will I marrie that 's it he lookt for all this while Churms Sir I will do the best I can Will But Landlord I can tell you newes yfaith There is one Sophos a braue genman hee le wipe your sonne Peters nose of Mistresse Lelia I can tell you he loues her well Gripe Nay I trow Will Yes I know for I am sure I saw them close together at Pupnoddie in her Closet Gripe But I am sure she loues not him Will Nay I dare take it on my death she loues him For hee s a scholler and ware schollers they haue tricks for loue yfaith for with a little Logicke pitome colloquium thei le make a wench do any thing Landlord pray ye be not angrie with me for speaking my conscience In good faith your sonne Peters a verie Clowne to him Why hee s as fine a man as a wench can see in a sommers day Gripe Well that shall not serue his tourne I le crosse him I warrant ye I am glad I know it I haue suspected it a great while Sophos why what 's Sophos a base fellow Indeed he has a good wit and can speake well Hee s a scholler forsooth one that has more wit then mony And I like not that he may beg for all that Schollers why what are schollers without money Ploddall Faith eene like puddings without suet Gripe Come Neighbour send your sonne to my house For he shall be welcome to me And my daughter shall intertaine him kindly What I can and will rule Lelia Come le ts in I le discharge Sophos from my house presently Exeunt Gripe and Ploddall and Churms Will A horne plague of this money For it causes many hornes to bud And for money many men are hornd For when maids are forc't to loue where they like not It makes them lye where they should not I le be hangd if ere mistresse Lelia will ha Peter Ploddall I sweare by this button cap do you marke And by the round sound and profound contents do you vnderstand Of this costly Codpeece being a good properman as yee see that I could get her as soone as he my selfe And if I had not a moneths mind in another place I would haue a fling at her that 's flat But I must set a good holiday face on t And go a wooeing to prittie Pegge well I le too her yfaith While t is in my mind But stay I le see how I can woo before I goe they say Vse makes perfectnesse Looke you now suppose this were Pegge Now I set my cap oth to side on this fashion do ye see then say I Sweet hony bonny suger candie Pegge Whose face more faire then Brocke my fathers Cow Whose eyes do shine like bacon rine Whose lips are blew of azure hew Whose crooked nose downe to her chin doth bow For you know I must begin to commend her beautie And then I will tell her plainely that I am in loue with her ouer my high shooes and then I will tell her that I do nothing of nights but sleepe and thinke on her and specially of mornings And that does make my stomacke so rise that I le be sworn I can turne me three or foure bowles of porredge ouer in a morning afore breakefast Enter Robin-Goodfellow Robin Goodfellow How now sirra what make you here with all that timber in your necke Will Timber Sounds I thinke he be a witch How knew he this were Timber Mas I le speake him faire and get out on s companie for I am afraid on him Robin Speake man what art afraid what makest here Will A poore fellow Sir ha bin drinking two or three pots of ale at an alehouse and ha lost my way Sir Robin O nay then I see thou art a good fellow Seest thou not Master Churms the Lawer to day Will No Sir would you speake with him Robin I marrie would I Will If I see him I le tell him you would speake with him Robin Nay prithee stay who wilt thou tell him would speake with him Will Marrie you Sir Robin I who am I Will Faith Sir I know not Robin If thou seest him tell him Robin Goodfellow wold speake with him Will O I will Sir Exit Wil. Cr. Robin Mas the fellow was afraid I play the Bugbeare wheresoere I come And make them al afraid But here comes Master Churms Enter Churms Churms Fellow Robin God saue you I haue beene seeking for you in euerie Ale-house in the Towne Robin What Master Churms What 's the best newes abroad t is long since I see you Churms Faith little newes but yet I am glad I haue met with you I haue a matter to impart to you wherein you may stand me in some stead and make a good benefit to yourselfe if we can deale cunningly t will be worth a double fee to you by the Lord Robin A double fee speake man what i st If it be to betray mine owne father I le do ot for halfe a fee And for cunning let me alone Churms Why then this it is Here is Master Gripe hard by a Clyent of mine a man of mightie wealth who has but one daughter her Dowrie is her waight in gold Now Sir this old penny father would marry her to one Peter Ploddall rich Ploddalls sonne and heire Whom though his father meanes to leaue verie rich Yet hee s a verie Idiot and Browne bread Clowne And one I know the wench does deadly hate And though their friends haue giuen their full consent And both agreed on this vnequall match Yet I know that Lelia wil neuer marrie him But there 's another riuall in hir loue one Sophos And hee s a Scholler One whom I thinke faire Lelia dearely loues But hir Father hates him as he hates a toad For hee s in want and Gripe gapes after golde And still relies vpon the olde sayd Saw Si nihil attuleris c. Robin And wherein can I doe you good in this Churms Marrie thus Sir I am of late growne passing familiar with M. Gripe And for Ploddall he takes me for his second selfe Now Sir I le fit my selfe to the olde crummy Churls humors and make them belieue I le perswade Lelia to marry Peter Ploddall and so get free accesse to the wench at my pleasure Now oth other side I le fall in with the Scholler and him I le handle cunningly too I le tell him that Lelia has acquainted me with hir
rocks and watry Neptunes bounds And wafted safe from Mars his bloudie fields Where trumpets sound Tantara to the fight And here arriu'd for to repose my selfe Vpon the borders of my natiue soyle Now Fortunatus bend thy happie course Vnto thy fathers house to greet thy dearest friends And if that still thy aged sire suruiue Thy presence wil reuiue his drouping sprites And cause his withered cheekes bee sprent with youthfull bloud Where death of late was portraid to the quicke But soft who comes here Stand aside Enter Robin Goodfellow Robin I wonder I heare not of Master Churms I would faine know how he speedes And what successe he has in Lelias loue Well if he cousen the Scholler of her T would make my worship laugh And if he haue her hee may say god a mercy Robin Goodfellow O ware a good head as long as you liue Why Master Gripe he casts beyond the moone And Churms is the only man he puts in trust with his daughter and I le warrant the old Churle would take it vpon his saluation that he wil perswade her to marry Peter Ploddall But I le make a foole of Peter Ploddall I le looke him i th face and picke his purse Whil'st Churms cosen him of his wench And my old gandsir Holdfast of his daughter And if he can do so I le teach him a tricke to cosen him of his gold too Now for Sophos let him weare the willow garland And play the melancholie Malecontent And plucke his hat downe in his sullen eyes And thinke on Lelia in these desert groues T is ynough for him to haue her in his thoughts Although he nere imbrace her in his armes But now there 's a fine deuise comes in my head To scarre the Scholler You shall see I le make fine sport with him They say that euery day he keepes his walke Amongst these woods and melancholy shades And on the barke of euerie senselesse tree In graues the tenour of his haples hope Now when hee s at Venus altar at his Orisons I le put me on my great carnation nose And wrap me in a rowsing Calueskin suite And come like some Hob goblin or some diuell Ascended from the griefly pit of hell And like a Scarbabe make him take his legges I le play the diuel I warrant ye Exit Robin Goodf Fortunatus And if you do by this hand I le play the coniurer Blush Fortunatus at thy base conceit To stand aloofe like one that 's in a trance And with thine eyes behold that miscreant Impe Whose tongue more venome then the serpents sting Before thy face thus taunt thy dearest friends I thine owne father with reproachful tearmes Thy Sister Lelia shee is bought and sold And learned Sophos thy thrice vowed friend Is made a stale by this base cursed Crew And damned den of vagrant run agates But here in sight of sacred heauens I sweare By all the sorrowes of the Stygian soules By Mars his bloudie blade and faire Bellonas bowers I vow these eyes shal nere behold my fathers face These feete shal neuer passe these desert plaines But Pilgrim like I le wander in these woods Vntill I find out Sophos secret walkes And sound the depth of all their plotted drifts Nor will I cease vntill these hands reuenge Th' iniurious wrong that 's offred to my friend Vpon the workers of this stratageme Exit Enter Pegge Sola Pegge Yfaith yfaith I canot tell what to doe I loue and I loue and I cannot tell whoe Out vpon this loue For wat you what I haue suitors comes huddle twoes vpon twoes and threes vpon threes and what thinke you troubles me I must chat and kisse with all commers or else noe bargaine Enter Wil Cricket and kisses hir Will A bargain yfaith ha my sweet honnie sops how doost thou Pegge Well I thanke you William now I see y are a man of your word Will A man of my word quotha why I nere broke promise in my life that I kept Pegge No William I know you did not But I had thought you had forgotten me Will Dost heare Pegge if ere I forget thee I pray God I may neuer remember thee Pegge Peace here comes my Granam Midnight Enter Mother Midnight Mother M. What Pegge what ho what Pegge I say what Pegge my wench Why where art thou trowe Pegge Here Granam at your elbow Moth. M. What mak'st here this twatter light I thinke th art in a dreame I thinke the foole haunts thee Will Sounds foole in your face foole O monstrous intitulation Foole O disgrace to my person sounds foole not me for I cannot brooke such a colde rasher I can tell you giue me but such an other word and I le be thy tooth-drawer een of thy butter tooth thou toothlesse trot thou Moth. M. Nay William pray ye be not angry you must beare with olde folkes They be olde and teastie hot and hastie set not your wit against mine William For I thought you no harme by my troth VVill Well your good words haue something laide my coller But Granam shall I be so bolde to come to your house now and then to keep Pegge company Moth. M. I and beshrowe thy good heart and thou doost not Come and wee le haue a piece of a barley bagpudding or something And thou shalt be very heartily welcome that thou shalt And Pegge shall bid thee welcome too pray ye maide bid him welcome and make much on him for by my vay hee s a good proper springold Pegge Granam if you did but see him dance t woulde doe your heart good Lord t would make any bodie loue him to see how finely hee le foote it Moth. M. VVilliam prithee goe home to my house with vs and taste a cup of our beere and learne to knowe the way againe another time VVill Come on Granam I le man you home yfaith Come Pegge Exeunt Enter Gripe olde Ploddall and his sonne Peter and Churmes the Lawyer Ploddal Come hither Peter hold vp your head where 's your cap and leg sir boy ha Peter By your leaue master Gripe Gripe Welcome Peter giue me thy hand th art welcome Barlady this a good proper tall fellow Neighbour call you him a boy Ploddall A good prittie squat square springold Sir Gripe Peter you ha seene my daughter I am sure how do you like hir What sayes she to you Peter Faith I like hir well and I haue broken my mind to hir and she would say neither I nor no But thanke God Sir we parted good friends For she let me kisse hir hand and bad Farewel Peter And therfore I thinke I am like enough to speed how think you Master Churms Churms Marry I thinke so too For shee did show no token of any dislike of your motion did she Peter No not a whit Sir Churms Why then I warrant ye For we hold in our Law that Idem est non apparere non esse Gripe Maister Churms I pray you do so
has beene about to show his little wit in the second part of his paultrie poetrie but if I begin with wooing I le ende with wedding And therefore good Clearke let me haue it done with all speede for I promise you I am verie sharpe set Cleark Faith you may be askt i th Church on Sunday at morning prayer but Sir Iohn cannot tend to do it at Euening prayer For there comes a Company of Players tuth Towne on Sunday i th after noone and Sir Iohn is so good a fellow that I know hee le scarce leaue their companie to say Euening prayer For though I say it hee s a verie paineful man and takes so great delight in that facultie that hee le take as great paine about building of a Stage or so as the basest fellow among them Will Nay if he haue so lawfull an excuse I am content to deferre it one day the longer And Landlord I hope you and your sonne Peter wil make bold with vs and trouble vs Ploddall Nay William we would be loath to trouble you but you shal haue our companie there Will Faith you shal be very heartily welcome and wee wil haue good merry rogues there that wil make you laugh till you burst Peter Why William what company doe you meane to haue Will Marrie first and for most there wil bee an honest Dutch Cobbler that wil sing I wil noe meare to Burgaine goe the best that euer you heard Ploddall What must a Cobbler be your chiefe guest Why hee s a basefellow Will A basefellow you may be asham'd to say so For hee s an honest fellow and a goodfellow And he begins to carrie the verie badge of good fellowship vpon his nose that I do not doubt but in time he wil prooue as good a Copper companion as Robin Goodfellowe himselfe I and hee s a tall fellow and a man of his hands too For I le tel you what tie him tuth Bull-Ring and for a bag-pudding a Custard a Cheescake a hogges cheeke or a Calues head turne any man i th towne to him and if he do not prooue himselfe as tall a man as he let blind Hugh bewitch him and tourne his bodie into a barrel of strong Ale and let his nose be the Spigat his mouth the Fosset and his tongue a Plugge for the bunge hole And then there wil be Robin Goodfellow as good a drunken rogue as liues and Tom Shoomaker and I hope you wil not deny that hee s an honest man for hee was Constable oth Towne And a number of other honest rascals which though they are growne bankroutes and liue by the reuersion of other mens tables Yet thankes bee to God they haue a penny amongst at all times at their neede Ploddall Nay if Robin Goodfellow be there you shall be sure to haue our company For hee s one that we heare very well of And my sonne here has some occasion to vse him And therefore if we may know when t is wee le make bolde to trouble you Will Yes I le send you word Ploddall Why then farewell till wee heare from you Exeunt Ploddall and his sonne Wil. Wel Cleark you le see this matter brauely performed let it be done as it should be Clearke I le warrant ye feare it not Will Why then go you to Sir Ihon and I le to my wench and bid hir giue hir Maidenhead warning to prepare itself for the destruction of it is at hand Exeunt Enter Lelia Sola Lelia How loue and fortune both with eger moode Like greedy hounds do hunt my tired hart Rows'd forth the thickets of my wonted ioyes And Cupid windes his shrill note bugle horne For ioy my silly hart so neere is spent Desire that eager Curre pursues the chace And Fortune rides amaine vnto the fall Now sorrow sings and mourning beares a part Playing harsh descant on my yeelding heart Enter Nurse Nurse what newes Nurse Faith a whole sackefull of newes You loue Sophos and Sophos loues you And Peter Ploddall loues you and you loue not him And you loue not Master Churmes and he loues you And so heer 's loue and no loue And I loue and I loue not And I cannot tell what But of all and of all Master Churmes must bee the man you must loue Lelia Nay first I le mount me on the winged wind And fly for succour to the farthest Inde Must I loue Master Churmes Nurse Faith you must and you must not Lelia As how I pray thee Nurse Marry I haue commendations to you Lelia From whom Nurse From your brother Fortunatus Lelia My brother Fortunatus Nurse No from Sophos Lelia From my Loue Nurse No from neither Lelia From neither Nurse Yes from both Lelia Prithee leaue thy foolery and let me knowe thy newes Nurse Your brother Fortunatus and your loue to morrow night will meet you by the forrest side There to conferre about I knowe not what But t is like that Sophos will make you of his priuy councell before you come againe Lelia Is Fortunatus then retourned from the warres Nurse He is with Sophos euery day But in any case you must not let your Father know For he hath sworne he will not be discried Vntill he haue effected your desires For he swaggers and sweares out of all crie That he will venture all Both fame and bloud and limme and life But Lelia shall be Sophos wedded wife Lelia Alas Nurse my fathers iealous braine Doth scarce allow me once a month to goe Beyond the compasse of his watchfull eyes Nor once affords me any conference With any man except with Mr. Churms Whose craftie braine beguiles my father so That he reposeth trust in none but him And though he seekes for fauour at my hands He takes his marke amisse and shootes awrie For I had rather see the diuel himselfe Then Churms the Lawyer Therefore how I should meete them by the forrest side I cannot possibly deuise Nurse And Master Churms must be the man must work the meanes You must this night send for him Make him beleeue you loue him mightily Tell him you haue a secret friend dwels farre away beyond the Forrest To whom if he can secretly conuay you from your father Tel him you wil loue him better then euer God loued him And when you come to the place appointed Let them alone to discharge the knaue of clubs And that you must not faile Here receiue this ring which Fortunatus sent you for â—â—oken That this is the plot that you must prosecute And this from Sophos as his true loues pledge Lelia This ring my brother sent I know right well But this my true loue pledge I more esteeme Then all the golden mines the solide earth containes And see in happy time here comes M. Churms Enter Chur. Now loue and fortune both conspire And sort their driftes to compasse my desire M. Churms y are well met I am glad to see you Churms And I as glad to see faire Lelia
As euer Paris was to see his deare For whom so many Troianes bloud was spilt Nor thinke I would do lesse then spend my dearest bloud To gaine faire Lelias loue although by losse of life Nurse Faith mistresse he speakes like a gentleman Let me perswade you Be not hard hearted Sophos why what 's hee If hee had lou'd you but halfe so well he would ha come through stone walles but he would haue come to you ere this Lelia I must confesse I once lou'd Sophos well But now I cannot loue him whom all the world knowes to be a dissembler Churmes Ere I would wrong my loue with one dayes absence I would passe the boyling Hellespont As once Leander did for Heroes loue Or vndertake a greater taske then that Ere I would be disloyall to my Loue And if that Lelia giue hir free consent That both our loues may sympathize in one My hand my heart my loue my life and all Shall euer tend on Lelias faire command Lelia Mr. Churms mee thinkes t is strange you should make such a motion Say I should yeeld and grant you loue When most you did expect a sunneshine day My fathers will would mar your hop't for hay And when you thought to reap the fruits of loue His hard constraint would blast it in the bloom For he so dotes on Peter Ploddals pelfe That none but he forsooth must be the man And I will rather match my selfe Vnto a groome of Plutoes griesly denne Then vnto such a silly golden asse Churms Brauely resolued yfaith Lelia But to be short I haue a secret friend that dwels from hence Some two dayes iourney that 's the most And if you can as wel I know you may conuay me thither secretly For company I desire no other then your owne Here take my hand That once perform'd my heart is next Churmes If on th' aduenture all the dangers lay That Europe or the westerne world affords Were it to combate Cerberus himselfe Or scale the brasen walles of Plutoes court When as there is so faire a prize propos'd If I shrinke backe or leaue it vnperform'd Let the World canonize me for a Coward Appoint the time and leaue the rest to me Lelia When nights blacke mantle ouerspreads the sky And dayes bright lampe is drenched in the west To morrow night I thinke the fittest time That silent shade may giue our safe conuoy Vnto our wished hopes vnseene of liuing eye Churms And at that time I will not faile In that or ought may make for our auaile Nurse But what if Sophos should meet you by the forrest side And in counter you with his single rapier Churms Sophos a hop of my thumbe a wretch a wretch Shoulde Sophos meete vs there accompanied with some Champion With whome t were any credit to encounter Were he as stout as Hercules himselfe Then would I buckle with them hand to hand And bandy blowes as thicke as hailestones fall And carrie Lelia away in spite of all their force What loue will make Cowards fight Much more a man of my resolution Lelia And on your resolution I le depend Vntill to morrow at th' appointed time when I looke for you till when I le leaue you and go make preparation for our iourney Exeunt Lelia and Nurse Churms Farewell faire loue vntill we meet againe Why so did I not tel you she would be glad to run away with mee at length Why this falles out een as a man would say Thus I would haue it But now I must go cast about for some money too Let mee see I haue outlaw'd three or foure of Gripes debters And I haue the bonds in mine owne hands The summe that is due to him is some two or three hundred pounds Well I le to them if I can get but one halfe I le deliuer them their bonds and leaue the other halfe to their owne consciences and so I shall be sure to get mony to beare charges When all failes wel fare a good wit But soft no more of that Here comes Mr. Gripe Enter Gripe Gripe What Mr. Churms what alone how fares your body Churms Faith Sir reasonable well I am eene walking here to take the fresh ayre Gripe T is very holesome this faire weather But M. Churms how like you my daughter Can you doe any good on hir wil she be rul'd yet How stands she affected to P. Ploddall Churms O very well Sir I have made hir very conformable O let me alone to perswade a woman I hope you shall see hir married within this weeke at most I meane to my selfe He speakes to himselfe Gripe Master Churmes I am so exceedingly beholding to you I cannot tell how I shall requite your kindnesse But i th mean time heer 's a brace of angels for you to drink for your paines This newes has eene lightned my heart O Sir my neighbour Ploddall is very wealthie Come M. Churms you shall go home with me Wee le haue good chear be merry for this to night yfaith Churms Wel let them laugh that winne Exeunt Enter Pegge and hir Granam Pegge Granam giue me but two crownes of red golde And I le giue you two pence of white siluer If Robin the diuel be not a water witch Moth. M. Marrie Iesus blesse vs why prithee Pegge Marrie I le tel you why Vpon the morrow after the blessed newe yeare I came trip trip trip ouer the Market hil Holding vp my petticote to the calues of my legs To show my fine coloured stockins And how finely I coulde foote it in a paire of newe corkt shooes I had bought And there I spyed this Mounsier Muffe lie gaping vp into the skies To know how many Maides would be with childe in the towne all the yeare after O t is a base vexation slaue How the country talkes of the large ribd varlet Mother M. Marry out vpon him what a Friday fac't slaue it is I thinke in my conscience his face neuer keepes Holiday Pegge Why his face can neuer be at quiet He has such a cholerick nose I durst has worne by my maiden-head God forgiue me that I should take such an oath That if William had had such a nose I would neuer ha lov'd him Enter Will Cricket Will What a talking is here of noses and faces Come Pegge wee are towarde marriage let vs talke of that may doe vs good Granam what wil you giue vs toward howse-keeping Moth. M. Why William we are talking of Rob Goodfellow What thinke you of him Will Marrie I say he lookes like a tankerd bearer That dwels in Petticoate lane at the signe of the Mearemaide And I sweare by the bloud of my codpiece An I were a woman I would lug off his laue eares Or run him to death with a spit and for his face I thinke t is pittie there is not a lawe made That it should be fellonie to name it in any other places then in baudie houses But Granam what wil you giue vs Moth. M.
Marrie I wil giue Pegge a pot and a pan Two platters a dish and a spoone a dogge and a cat I trow shee le prooue a good huswife And loue hir husband well too Will If she loue me I le loue hir yfaith my sweet honny combe I le loue thee A per se A We must be askt in Church next Sunday and wee l be married presently Pegge Yfaith William wee le haue a merry day on t Mother M. That wee will yfaith Pegge wee le haue a whole noise of fiddlers there Come Pegge le ts hie vs home wee le make a bag-pudding to supper And William shall go and sup with vs Will Come on yfaith Exeunt Enter Fortunatus and Sophos Fort. Why how now Sophos al a mort stil languishing in loue Wil not the presense of thy friend preuaile Nor hope expell these sullen fits Cannot mirth wring if but a forged smile From those sad drouping lookes of thine Relye on hope whose hap wil lead thee right To her whom thou dost call thy hearts delight Looke cheerely man the time is neere at hand That Hymen mounted on a snow white coach Shal tend on Sophos and his louely bride Sophos T is impossible her Father man her father Hee s al for Peter Ploddall Fortunatus Should I but see that Ploddall offer loue This sword should pearce the pesants breast And chase his soule from his accursed corps By an vnwonted way vnto the griesly lake But now the appointed time is neere That Churms should come with his supposed loue Then sit we down vnder these leauie shades They sit down And waight the time of Lelias wisht approach Sophos I here I le waight for Lelias wisht approach More wisht to me then is a calme at seas To shipwrackt soules when great God Neptune frownes Though sad despaire hath almost drown'd my hopes Yet would I passe the burning vaults of Orke As erst did Hercules to fetch his loue If I might meete my loue vpon the strond Enter Robin Goodfellow And but enioy her loue one minute of an hour But stay what man or diuell or hellish fiend comes here Transformed in this ougly vncouth shape Fortunatus O peace a while you shal see good sport anone Robin Now I am cloathed in this hellish shape If I could meete with Sophos in these woods O he would take me for the Diuell himselfe I should ha good laughing beside the fortie shillings Peter Ploddall has giuen mee and if I get noe more I am sure of that But soft now I must trie my cunning for here he sits The high commander of the damned soules Great Dis the Duke of Diuels and Prince of Limbo Lake High Regent of Acheron Styx and Phlegeton By strict command from Pluto Hels great Monarch And faire Proserpina the Queene of Hell By full consent of all the damned Hagges And all the fiends that keepe the Stygian plaines Hath sent me here from depth of vnder ground To sommon thee to appeare at Plutoes Court Fortunatus A man or Diuell or what so ere thou art I le trie if blowes will driue thee downe to hell Belike thou art the Diuels Paritor The basest officer that liues in Hell For such thy words imports thee for to be T is pittie you should come so farre without a fee And because I know mony goes lowe with Sophos I le pay you your fees Hee beates him take that that and that Robin O good Sir I beseech you I le do any thing Fortunatus Then downe to Hell for sure thou art a Diuell Robin O hold your hands I am not a Diuell by my troth Fortunatus Sounds dost thou crosse mee I say thou art a Diuell Beate him againe Robin O Lord sir saue my life and I le say as you say or any thing else you le ha me doe Fortunatus Then stand vp and make a preachment of thy Pedigree and how at first thou learnd'st this diuelish trade vp I say Beate him Stands vpon a stoole Robin O I wil Sit Although in some places I beare the title of a scuruy gentleman By birth I am a boate writes son of Hull My father got me of a refus'd hagge Vnder the olde ruines of Boobies barne Who as she liu'd at length she likewise died And for her good deedes went vnto the Diuell But Hell not wont to harbour such a guest Her fellow fiends do daiely make complaint Vnto grim Pluto and his louely Queene Of her vnruly missebehauiour Intreating that a pasport might be drawne For her to wander till the day of doome On earth againe to vex the mindes of men And swore she was the fittest fiend in Hell To driue men to desperation To this intent her pasport straight was drawne And in a whirle wind forth of Hell she came Ore hills she hurles and scowres along the plaines The trees flew vp by th rootes the earth did quake for feare The houses tumble downe she playes the Diuell and all At length not finding any one so fit To effect her diuelish damned charge as I She comes to me as to her onely childe And me her instrument on earth she made And by that meanes I learnd this diuellish trade Sophos O monstrous villane Fortunatus But tell me what 's thy course of life how thou shiftest for maintenance in the world Robin Faith Sir I am in a manner a promoter Or more fitly term'd a promoting knaue I creepe into the presence of great men And vnder colour of their friendships Effect such wonders in the world That babes wil curse me that are yet vnborne Of the best men I raise a common fame And honest women rob of their good name Thus dayly tumbling-in comes all my thrift That I get best is got but by a shift But the chiefe course of all my life Is to set discord betwixt man and wife Fortunatus Out vpon thee Canniball He beate them Dost thou thinke thou shalt euer come to heauen Robin I little hope for heauen or heauenly blisse But if in hell doth any place remaine Of more esteeme then is another roome I hope as guerdon for my iust desert To haue it for my detestable acts Fort. Wert not thy tongue condemnes thy guiltie soule I could not thinke that on this liuing earth Did breath a villane so audacious Go get thee gone and come not in my walke Beate him For if thou dost thou comest vnto thy woe Rob. The diuel himself was neuer coniur'd so Exit Rob. Sophos Sure hee s no man but an incarnate diuel Whose ougly shape bewrayes his monstrous mind Fortunatus And if he be a diuel I am sure hee s gone But Churms the Lawyer wil be here anone And with him comes my sister Lelia T is he I am sure you looke for Sophos Nay she it is that I expect so long Fort. Then sit we down vntil we heare more newes This but a prologue to our play ensewes They sit downe But see where Churms and Lelia comes along Enter Churms and
Lelia walks as stately as the great Baboone Sounds he lookes as though his mother were a midwife Sophos Now gentle Ioue great Monarke of the world Grant good successe vnto my wandring hopes Churms Now Phoebus siluer eye is drencht in westerne deepe And Luna gins to show her splendant raies And al the harmlesse quiresters of wood Do take reprose saue onely Philomele Whose heauie tunes do euermore record With mornefull aies the losses of her loue Thus farre faire loue we passe in secret sort Beyond the compasse of thy fathers bounds Whilst he on down-soft bed securely sleepes And not so much as dreames of our depart The dangers past now thinke on nought but loue I le be thy deare be thou my hearts delight Sophos Nay first I le send thy soule to cole blacke night Churms Thou promis'd loue now seale it with a kisse Fort. Nay soft Sir your mark 's at the fairest For weare her loue and seale it with a kisse Vpon the burnisht splendor of this blade Or it shal rip the intrailes of thy pesant hart Sophos Nay let me do it that 's my part Churms You wrong me much to rob me of my loue Sophos Auant base braggard Lelias mine Churms She lately promis'd loue to me Fortunatus Peace Night-Rauen peace I le ende this controuersie Come Lelia stand betweene them both As equall Iudge to ende this strife Say which of these shal haue thee to his wife I can deuise no better way then this Now choose thy loue and greete him with a kisse Lelia My choice is made and here it is she kisses Sophos Sophos See here the mirrour of true constancie Whose stedfast loue deserues a Princes worth Lelia Master Churms are you not well I must confesse I would haue chosen you But that I nere beheld your legs till now Trust me I neuer lookt so low before Churms I know you vse to looke aloft Lelia Yet not so high as your crowne Churms What if you had Lelia Faith I should ha spied but a Calues head Churms Sounds cosend of the wench and scoft at too T is intolerable and shal I loose her thus Ho wt mads me that I brought not my sworde and buckles with me Fort. What are you in your sword buckler tearms I le put you out of that humor There Lelia sends you that by me Beates him And that to recompence your loues desire And that as payment for your wel earn'd hire Go get thee gon and boast of Lelias loue Churms Where ere I goe I le leaue with her my curse And raile on you with speeches vilde Fortunatus A craftie knaue was neuer so beguil'd Now Sophos hopes haue had their luckie haps And he enioyes the presence of his loue My vow 's perform'd and I am full reueng'd Vpon this Hell-bred brace of cursed Imps Now rests nought but my fathers free consent To knit the knot that time can nere vntwist And that as this I likewise wil performe No sooner shal Auroraes pearled deaw Orespread the mantled earth with siluer drops And Phoebus blesse the Orient with a blush To chace blacke night to her deformed Cell But I le repaire vnto my fathers house And neuer cease with my inticing words To worke his wil to knit this Gordian knot Till when I le leaue you to your amorous chatte Deare friend a dieu faire sister too farewel Betake your selues vnto some secret place Vntil you heare from me how things fall out Exit Fortunatus Sophos We both do wish a fortunate goodnight Lelia And pray the Gods to guide thy steps aright Sophos Now come faire Lelia le ts betake our selues Vnto a little Hermitage hereby And there to liue obscured from the world Till fates and Fortune call vs thence away To see the sunshine of our Nuptiall day See how the twinkling Starres do hide their borrowed shin As halfe asham'd their luster so is stain'd By Lelias beautious eyes that shine more bright Then twinkling Starres do in a winters night In such a night did Paris win his loue Lelia In such a night Aenaeas prou'd vnkind Sophos In such a night did Troilus court his deare Lelia In such a night faire Phyllis was betraid Sophos I le proue as true as euer Troylus was Lelia And I as constant as Penelope Sophos Then let vs solace and in loues delight And sweet imbracings spend the liue-long night And whilst loue mounts her on her wanton wings Let Descant run on Musicks siluer strings Exeunt A SONG 1 OLde Tithon must forsake his deare The Larke doth chante her chearefull lay Aurora smiles with merry cheere To welcome in a happy day 2 The beasts do skippe The sweete birds sing The wood Nymphs dance The Ecchoes ring 3 The hollow caues with ioy resounds And pleasure euery where abounds The Graces linking hand in hand In loue haue knit a glorious band Enter Robin Goodfellow olde Ploddall and his sonne Peter Ploddall Heare you Master Goodfellow how haue you sped Peter Ha you plaid the Diuel brauely and scard the scholler out on s wits Robin A pox of the Scholler Ploddall Nay harke you I sent you vortie shillings and you shal haue the cheese I promis'd you too Robin A plague of the vortie shillings and the Cheese too Peter Heare you wil you giue me the powder you told me of Robin How you vex me powder quotha Sounds I ha been powderd Ploddall Son I doubt thee wil proue a craftie knaue and cosen vs of our money Wee le go to Master Iustice and complaine on him and get him whipt out o th Countrie for a Connicatcher Peter I or haue his eares naild to the Pillorie Comes le ts goe Exeunt Ploddall and his sonne Enter Churms Churms Fellow Robin what newes howe goes the world Robin Faith the world goes I cannot tell how How speed you with your wench Churms I would the wench were at the Diuel A plague vpon t I neuer say my prayers and that makes me haue such ill lucke Robin I think the scholler be haunted with some Demidiuel Churms Why didst thou fray him Robin Fray him a vengeance on t all our shifting knauerie 's knowne We are counted very vagrants Sounds I am afraid of euerie officer for whipping Churms We are horribly haunted our behauiour is so beastly that we are growen loathsome our craft gets vs nought but knocks Robin What course shal we take now Churms Faith I cannot tell le ts eene run our Countrie for here 's no staying for vs Robin Faith agreed le ts go into some place where wee are not knowne and there set vp the art of knauerie with the second edition Exeunt Enter Gripe Solus Gripe Euery one tels me I looke better then I was wont My hearts lightened my spirits are reuiued Why me thinkes I am eene young againe It ioyes my heart that this same peeuish girle my daughter wil be rul'd at the last yet But I shall neuer be able to make Mr. Churmes amends for the great
ages wondring at the same Shall sait's a deede deseruing lasting fame Fort. Then rest you here til I returne againe I le go to Sophos ere I goe along And bring him here to keepe you company Perhaps he hath some skill in hidden arts Of Planets course or secret magicke spells To know where Lelia and that Foxe lies hid Whose craft so cunningly conuaid hir hence Exit Fortu. Gripe I here I le rest an houre or twaine Till Fortunatus doe returne againe Will Faith Sir this same Churms is a very scuruy Lawer For once I put a case to him and me thought his law was not worth a pudding Gripe Why what was your case Will Marry Sir my case was a gooses case For my dog wirried my neighbours sow and the sow died Nurse And hee sued you vpon wilfull murther VVil No but he went to law with me and would make me either pay for his sow or hang my dogge Now Sir to this same Retourner I went Nurse To beg a pardon for your dogge VVill No but to haue some of his wit for my mony I gaue him his fee and promised him a goose beside for his counsaile Now Sir his counsaile was to denie all was askt me And to craue a longer time to answere Though I knew the case was plaine So Sir I take his counsaile and alwaies when he sende to me for his goose I denie it and craue a longer time to answere Nurse And so the case was yours the goose was his And so it came to be a gooses case VVill True but now we are talking of geese See where Pegge and my Granam Midnight comes Enter M. Midnight and Pegge Moth. M. Come Pegge bestirre your stumpes make thy selfe smugge wench thou must be married to morrow Le ts goe seeke out thy sweete heart To prepare all things in readinesse Pegge Why Granam looke where he is VVill Ha my sweet Tralilly I thought thou couldst spie me amongst a hundred honest men A man may see that loue will creepe where it cannot goe Ha my sweet and too sweet shall I say the tother sweet Pegge I say it and spare not VVill Nay I will not say it I will sing it Thou art mine owne sweete heart From thee I le neuer depart Thou art my Ciperlillie And I thy Trangdidowne dilly And sing hey ding a ding ding And do the tother thing And when t is done not misse To giue my wench a kisse And then dance canst thou not hit it Ho braue VVilliam Cricket How like you this Granam Mother M. Marrie gods bennison light oth thy good hart for t Ha that I were young againe Yfaith I was an olde doer at these loue songs when I was a girle Nurse Now by the Marry thou hast got the merriest woer in all Womanshire Pegge Faith I am none of those that loue nothing but Tum dum diddle If he had not beene a merrie shauer I would neuer haue had him Wil. But come my wimble lasse let al these matters passe And in a bouncing brauation le ts talke of our copulation What good cheere shal we haue to morrow Old Grandsir Thickskin you that sit there as melancholy as a mantletree what will you giue vs towarde this merrie meeting Gripe Marry because you told me a merrie gooses case I le bestow a fat goose on ye and God giue you luck Mother M. Marry wel said old master eene God giue them ioy indeed for by my vay they are a good sweete yong couple Will Granam stand out o th way for here come gentlefolke wil run ore ye else Enter Fortuna Soph. Lelia Nurse Master here comes your sonne againe Gripe Is Fortunatus there Welcome Fortunatus where 's Sophos Fortunatus Here Sophos is as much ore-worne with loue As you with griefe for losse of Lelia Sophos And ten times more if it be possible The loue of Lelia is to me more deare Then is a kingdome or the richest crowne That ere adornd the temples of a king Gripe Then welcome Sophos thrice more welcome now Then any man on earth to me or mine It is not now with me as late it was I lowrd at learning and at vertue spurnd But now my heart and mind and all is tournd Were Lelia here I soone would knit the knot Twixt her and thee that time could nere vntie Till fatall sisters victorie had wonne And that your glasse of life were quite outrun Will Sounds I thinke he be spur-blind Why Lelia stands hard by him Lelia And Lelia here falles prostrate on her knee And craues a pardon for her late offence Gripe What Lelia my daughter stand vp wench Why now my ioy is full My heart is lightned of all sad annoy Now farewell griefe and welcome home my ioy Here Sophos take thy Lelias hand Great God of heauen your hearts combine In virtues lore to raise a happie line Sophos Now Phaeton hath checkt his fierie steeds And quencht his burning beames that late were wont To melt my waxen winges when as I soard aloft And louely Venus smiles with faire aspect Vpon the Spring time of our sacred loue Thou great commander of the circled Orbs Grant that this league of lasting amitie May lye recorded by Eternitie Lelia Then wisht content knit vp our Nuptiall right And future ioyes our former griefes requite Will Nay an you be good at that I le tel you what wee le doe 〈…〉 I must be married to morrow and if you will wee le goe all tuth Church together and so saue Sir Iohn a labour All Agreed Fortunatus Then march along and le ts be gon To solemnize two marriages in one Exeunt Omnes FINIS THE EPILOGVE GEntles all compast in this circled rounde Whose kind aspects do patronize our sports To you I le bend as low as to the earth In all the humble complements of curtesie But if there be as t is no doubt there is In all this round some Cinique censurers Whose onely skill consists in finding faults That haue like Midas mightie Asses eares Quicke iudgements that will strike at euerie stale And perhaps such as can make a large discourse Out of Scoggins iests or the hundred merrie tales Marrie if you go any further t is beyond their reading To these I say I scorne to lend a looke And bid them vanish vapours and so let them passe But to the other sort that heare with loue and iudge with fauour To them we leaue to censure of our play And if they like our playes Catastrophe Then let them grace it with a Plaudite Exit FINIS