A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ii Part 26

Yea, creep into your breast, will ye have it so?

JUDGE. Away with them both, lead them away At his death tell me what he doth say, For then belike he will not lie.

INIQUITY, I care not for you both, no, not a fly!

[_They lead them out_.

JUDGE. If no man have here more matter to say, I must go hence some other way.

[_He goeth out_.

_Enter_ WORLDLY SHAME.

WORLDLY SHAME. Ha, ha! though I come in rudely, be not aghast, I must work a feat in all the haste; I have caught two birds, I will set for the dame, If I catch her in my clutch, I will her tame.

Of all this while know ye not my name?

I am right wors.h.i.+pful master Worldly Shame; The matter that I come now about Is even this, I put you out of doubt--

There is one[243] Xantippe, a curst shrew, I think all the world doth her know, Such a jade she is, and so curst a quean, She would out-scold the devil's dame, I ween.

Sirs, this fine woman had babes three, Twain the dearest darlings that might be, Ismael and fair Dalilah these two: With the lout Barnabas I have nothing to do.

All was good, that these tiddlings do might: Swear, lie, steal, scold, or fight: Cards, dice, kiss, clip, and so forth: All this our mammy would take in good worth.

Now, sir, Dalilah my daughter is dead of the pox, And my son hang'th[244] in chains, and waveth his locks.

These news will I tell her, and the matter so frame, That she shall be thine own, master Worldly Shame!

Ha, ha, ha!--

XANTIPPE. Peace, peace, she cometh hereby, I spoke no word of her, no, not I.

WORLDLY SHAME. O Mistress Xantippe, I can tell you news:[245]

The fair wench, your dear daughter Dalilah, Is dead of the pox taken at the stews; And thy son Ismael, that pretty boy, Whom I dare say you loved very well, Is hanged in chains, every[246] man can tell.

Every man saith thy daughter was a strong wh.o.r.e, And thy son a strong thief and a murderer.

It must needs grieve you wonderous, That they died so shamefully both two: Men will taunt you and mock you, for they say now The cause of their death was even very you.

XANTIPPE. I the cause of their death?

[_She would sowne_.[247]

WORLDLY SHAME. Will ye sowne, the devil stop thy breath?

Thou shalt die (I trow) with more shame; I will get me hence out of the way, If the wh.o.r.e should die, men would me blame; That I killed her, knaves should say.

[_Exit_.

XANTIPPE. Alas, alas, and well-away!

I may curse the time that I was born, Never woman had such fortune, I dare say; Alas, two of my children be forlorn.

My fair daughter Dalilah is dead of the pox: My dear son Ismael hanged up in chains.

Alas, the wind waveth his yellow locks,[248]

It slayeth my heart, and breaketh my brains.

Why should G.o.d punish and plague me so sore?

To see my children die so shamefully!

I will never eat bread in this world more, With this knife will I slay myself by and by.

[_She would stick herself with a knife_.

_Enter_ BARNABAS.

BARNABAS. Beware what ye do; fye, mother, fye!

Will ye spill yourself for your own offence, And seem for ever to exclude G.o.d's mercy?

G.o.d doth punish you for your negligence: Wherefore take his correction with patience, And thank him heartily, that of his goodness He bringeth you in knowledge of your trespa.s.s.

For when my brother and sister were of young age, You saw they were given to idleness and play, Would apply no learning, but live in outrage.

And men complained on them every day.

Ye winked at their faults, and tiddled them alway; By maintenance they grew to mischief and ill, So at last G.o.d's justice did[249] them both spill.

In that G.o.d preserved me, small thank to you: If G.o.d had not given me special grace, To avoid evil and do good, this is true, I had lived and died in as wretched case, As they did, for I had both suffrance and s.p.a.ce; But it is an old proverb, you have heard it, I think: That G.o.d will have see, shall not wink.

Yet in this we may all take comfort: They took great repentance, I heard say, And as for my sister, I am able to report, She lamented for her sins to her dying day: To repent and believe I exhorted her alway; Before her death she believed, that G.o.d of his mercy, For Christ's sake would save her eternally.

If you do even so, ye need not despair, For G.o.d will freely remit your sins all, Christ hath paid the ransom, why should ye fear?

To believe this and do well, to G.o.d for grace call.

All worldly cares let pa.s.s and fall, And thus comfort my father I pray you heartily, [_Xantippe goeth out_.

I have a little to say, I will come by and by.

Right gentle audience, by this interlude ye may see, How dangerous it is for the frailty of youth, Without good governance, to live at liberty, Such chances as these oft happen of truth: Many miscarry, it is the more ruth, By negligence of their elders and not taking pain, In time good learning and qualities to attain.

Therefore exhort[250] I all parents to be diligent In bringing up their children aye[251] to be circ.u.mspect; Lest they fall to evil, be not negligent; But chastise them, before they be sore infect: Accept their well-doing, in ill them reject.

A young plant ye may plant and bow as ye will; Where it groweth strong, there will it abide still.

Even so by children: in their tender age Ye may work them, like wax, to your own intent; But if ye suffer them long to live in outrage, They will be st.u.r.dy and stiff, and will not relent.

O ye children, let your time be well-spent, Apply your learning, and your elders obey; It will be your profit another day.

Now, for the Queen's royal majesty let us pray, [_He kneeleth down_.

That G.o.d (in whose hands is the heart of all queens), May endue her highness with G.o.dly puissance alway: That her grace may long reign and prosper in all things, In G.o.d's word and justice may give light to all queens.

Let us pray for the honourable council and n.o.bility, That they may always counsel us[252] wisdom with tranquillity, G.o.d save the Queen, the realm, and commonalty!

[_He maketh courtesy and goeth out_.

FINIS.

A SONG.

_It is good to be merry But who can be merry?[253]

He that hath a pure conscience, He may well be merry.[254]

Who hath a pure conscience, tell me?

No man of himself, I ensure thee, Then must it follow of necessity, That no man can be merry.

Purity itself may pureness give; You must ask it of G.o.d in true belief; Then will he give it, and none repreve:[255]

And so we may be merry.