A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vi Part 15

[PHILOLOGUS.]

Come on, my children dear, to me, and let us talk awhile Of worldly goods, which I have got, and of my pleasant state Which fortune hath installed me, who on me cheerly smile, So that unto the top of wheel she doth me elevate.

I have escaped all mishaps of which my Conscience did prate, And where before I ruled was, as is the common sort, Now as a judge within this land I bear a ruler's port.

GISBERTUS.

Indeed, good father, we have cause to praise your gravity, Who did both save yourself from woe, and us from begging state; Where if you had persevered still, as we did fear greatly, Your good from us your children should to legate be confiscate: Our glorious pomps, then, should we have been glad for to abate.

PAPHINITIUS.

But now not only that you had for us, but also have Such offices, whereby more gains you year by year shall save.

PHILOLOGUS.

I was at point once very near to have been quite forlorn, Had not Suggestion of the flesh from folly me reclaimed, And set this gla.s.s of worldly joys my sight and eyes beforn, The sight whereof did cause all things of me to be disdained.

I thought I had felicity when it I had obtained; And to say truth, I do not care what to my soul betide, So long as this prosperity and wealth by me abide.

But let us homeward go again, some pastime there to make: My whole delight in sport and games of pleasure I repose.

[_Enter_ HORROR.]

HORROR.

Nay, stay thy journey here awhile: I do thee prisoner take.

I shall abate thy pleasures soon--yea, too soon, thou wilt suppose.

PHILOLOGUS.

What is thy name? whence comest thou? wherefore? to me disclose--

HORROR.

My name is call'd Confusion and Horror of the mind, And to correct impenitents of G.o.d I am a.s.sign'd, And for because thou dost despise G.o.d's mercy and his grace, And wouldst no admonition take by them that did thee warn, Neither when Conscience counselled thee, thou wouldst his words embrace, Who would have had thee unto G.o.d obedience true to learn; Nor couldst between Suggestion's craft and Conscience' truth discern: Behold, therefore, thou shalt of me another lesson hear, Which (will thou, nill thou,) with torment of Conscience thou shalt bear.

And where thou hast extinguished the Holy Spirit of G.o.d, And made him weary with thy sins, which daily thou hast done, He will no longer in thy soul and spirit make abode, But with the graces, which he gave to thee, now is he gone: So that to G.o.dward by Christ's death rejoicing thou hast none.

The peace of Conscience faded is; instead whereof I bring The spirit of Satan, blasphemy, confusion and cursing.

The gla.s.s likewise of vanities, which is thine only joy, I will transform into the gla.s.s of deadly desperation, By looking in the which thou shalt conceive a great annoy.

Thus have I caught thee in thy pride, and brought thee to d.a.m.nation; So that thou art a pattern true of G.o.d's just indignation: Whereby each man may warned be the like sins to eschew, Lest the same torments they incur, which in thee they shall view.

PHILOLOGUS.

O painful pain of deep disdain, O griping grief of h.e.l.l!

O horror huge, O soul suppress'd, and slain with desperation!

O heap of sins, the sum whereof no man can number well!

O death, O furious flames of h.e.l.l, my just recompensation!

O wretched wight, O creature curs'd, O child of condemnation!

O angry G.o.d and merciless, most fearful to behold!

O Christ, thou art no Lamb to me, but Lion fierce and bold!

GISBERTUS.

Alas, dear father! what doth move and cause you to lament?

PHILOLOGUS.

My sins, alas! which in this gla.s.s appear innumerable, For which I shall no pardon get; for G.o.d is fully bent In fury for to punish me with pains intolerable.

Neither to call to him for grace or pardon am I able.

My sin is unto death; I feel Christ's death doth me no good, Neither for my behoof did Christ shed his most precious blood.

PAPHINITIUS.

Alas, dear father! alas! I say, what sudden change is this?

PHILOLOGUS.

I am condemned into h.e.l.l these torments to sustain.

GISBERTUS.

O, say not so, my father dear; G.o.d's mercy mighty is.

PHILOLOGUS.

The sentence of the righteous Judge cannot be call'd again, Who hath already judged me to everlasting pain.

O that my body buried were, that it at rest might be, Though soul were put in Judas' place, or Cain's extremity.

GISBERTUS.

O brother! haste you to the town, and tell Theologus, What sudden plague and punishment my father hath befell.

PAPHINITIUS.

I run in haste, and will request him for to come with us.

GISBERTUS.

O father! rest yourself in G.o.d, and all thing shall be well.

PHILOLOGUS.

Ah, dreadful name! which when I hear to sigh it me compel.

G.o.d is against me, I perceive; he is none of my G.o.d, Unless in this, that he will beat and plague me with his rod.

And though his mercy doth surpa.s.s the sins of all the world, Yet shall it not once profit me, or pardon mine offence: I am refused utterly, I quite from G.o.d am whurl'd.

My name within the Book of Life had never residence; Christ prayed not, Christ suffered not, my sins to recompense, But only for the Lord's elect, of which sort I am none.

I feel his justice towards me; his mercy all is gone.

And to be short, within short s.p.a.ce my final end shall be: Then shall my soul incur the pains of utter desolation, And I shall be a precedent most horrible to see To G.o.d's elect, that they may see the price of abjuration.

GISBERTUS.

To hear my father's doleful plaints it bringeth perturbation Unto my soul; but yonder comes that good Theologus-- O welcome, sir! and welcome you, good Master Eusebius.

ACT V., SCENE 5.

THEO. PHIL. EUSE. GIS. PAPHI.

[THEOLOGUS.]

G.o.d save you, good Philologus; how do you, by G.o.d's grace?

PHILOLOGUS.

You welcome are, but I, alas! vile wretch, am here evil found.

EUSEBIUS.

What is the chiefest cause, tell us, of this your dolorous case?

PHILOLOGUS.

O, would my soul were sunk in h.e.l.l, so body were in ground: That angry G.o.d now hath his will, who sought me to confound.