A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 29

ENVY: TREMELIO, _a Captain. For one_.

BREMO, _a wild man_. COMEDY, _a boy, an old woman. For one_.

ARIENA, AMADINE'S _maid_. COLLEN, _a Councillor, a Messenger. For one_.

MOUSE, _the Clown. For one_.

MUCEDORUS.

_Enter_ COMEDY _joyfully, with a garland of bays on her head_.

Why so; thus do I hope to please: Music revives, and mirth is tolerable, Comedy, play thy part, and please; Make merry them that come to joy with thee.

Joy, then, good gentles; I hope to make you laugh.

Sound forth Bellona's silver-tuned strings.

Time fits us well, the day and place is ours.

_Enter_ ENVY, _his arms naked, besmeared with blood_.

ENVY. Nay, stay, minion; there lies a block!

What, all on mirth? I'll interrupt your tale, And mix your music with a tragic end.

COMEDY. What monstrous ugly hag is this, That dares control the pleasures of our will?

Vaunt, churlish cur, besmear'd with gory blood, That seem'st to check the blossoms of delight, And stifle the sound of sweet Bellona's breath, Blush, monster, blush, and post away with shame, That seekest disturbance of a G.o.ddess' deeds.

ENVY. Post hence thyself, thou counterchecking trull; I will possess this habit, spite of thee, And gain the glory of thy wished port.

I'll thunder music shall appal the nymphs, And make them s.h.i.+ver their clattering strings: Flying for succour to their Danish caves.

_Sound drums within, and cry, Stab, stab_!

Hearken, thou shalt hear a noise Shall fill the air with a shrilling sound, And thunder music to the G.o.ds above: Mars shall himself breathe down A peerless crown upon brave Envy's head, And raise his chival with a lasting fame.

In this brave music Envy takes delight, Where I may see them wallow in their blood, To spurn at arms and legs quite s.h.i.+vered off, And hear the cry of many thousand slain, How lik'st thou this, my trull? this sport alone for me!

COMEDY. Vaunt, b.l.o.o.d.y cur, nurs'd up with tigers' sap, That so dost seek to quail a woman's mind.

Comedy is mild, gentle, willing for to please, And seeks to gain the love of all estates.

Delighting in mirth, mix'd all with lovely tales, And bringeth things with treble joy to pa.s.s.

Thou b.l.o.o.d.y envious disdainer of men's joys, Whose name is fraught with b.l.o.o.d.y stratagems, Delights in nothing but in spoil and death, Where thou may'st trample in their lukewarm blood, And grasp their hearts within thy cursed paws.

Yet veil thy mind; revenge thou not on me; A silly woman begs it at thy hands.

Give me the leave to utter out my play; Forbear this place; I humbly crave thee, hence!

And mix not death 'mongst pleasing comedies, That treat nought else but pleasure and delight.

If any spark of human rests in thee, Forbear; begone; tender the suit of me.

ENVY. Why, so I will; forbearance shall be such, As treble death shall cross thee with despite, And make thee mourn, where most thou joyest, Turning thy mirth into a deadly dole: Whirling thy pleasures with a peal of death, And drench thy methods in a sea of blood.

This will I do; thus shall I bear with thee; And, more to vex thee with a deeper spite, I will with threats of blood begin thy play: Favouring thee with envy and with hate.

COMEDY. Then, ugly monster, do thy worst; I will defend them in despite of thee: And though thou think'st with tragic fumes To brave my play unto my deep disgrace, I force it not, I scorn what thou canst do; I'll grace it so, thyself shall it confess, From tragic stuff to be a pleasant comedy.

ENVY. Why then, Comedy, send thy actors forth, And I will cross the first steps of their tread, Making them fear the very dart of death.

COMEDY. And I'll defend them, maugre all thy spite.

So, ugly fiend, farewell, till time shall serve, That we may meet to parley for the best.

ENVY. Content, Comedy; I'll go spread my branch And scattered blossoms from mine envious tree, Shall prove two monsters, spoiling of their joys.

[_Exit.

[_Sound.] Enter_ MUCEDORUS _and_ ANSELMO, _his friend_.

MUCEDORUS. Anselmo.

ANSELMO. My lord and friend.

MUCEDORUS. True, my Anselmo, both thy lord and friend, Whose dear affections bosom with my heart, And keep their domination in one orb.

ANSELMO. Whence ne'er disloyalty shall root it forth, But faith plant firmer in your choice respect.

MUCEDORUS. Much blame were mine, if I should other deem, Nor can coy Fortune contrary allow.

But, my Anselmo, loth I am to say, I must estrange that friends.h.i.+p.

Misconstrue not; 'tis from the realm, not thee: Though lands part bodies, hearts keep company.

Thou know'st that I imparted often have Private relations with my royal sire, Had as concerning beauteous Amadine, Rich Arragon's blight jewel, whose face (some say) That blooming lilies never shone so gay, Excelling, not excell'd: yet, lest report Does mangle verity, boasting of what is not, Wing'd with desire, thither I'll straight repair, And be my fortunes, as my thoughts are, fair!

ANSELMO. Will you forsake Valencia, leave the court, Absent you from the eye of sovereignty?

Do not, sweet prince, adventure on that task, Since danger lurks each where; be won from it.

MUCEDORUS. Desist dissuasion, My resolution brooks no battery, Therefore, if thou retain thy wonted form, a.s.sist what I intend.

ANSELMO. Your miss will breed a blemish in the court, And throw a frosty dew upon that beard, Whose front Valencia stoops to.

MUCEDORUS. If thou my welfare tender, then no more; Let love's strong magic charm thy trivial phrase, Wasted as vainly as to gripe the sun.

Augment not then more answers; lock thy lips, Unless thy wisdom suit me with disguise, According to my purpose.

ANSELMO. That action craves no counsel, Since what you rightly are, will more command, Than best usurped shape.

MUCEDORUS. Thou still art opposite in disposition; A more obscure servile habiliment Beseems this enterprise.

ANSELMO. Then like a Florentine or mountebank!

MUCEDORUS. 'Tis much too tedious; I dislike thy judgment, My mind is grafted on an humbler stock.

ANSELMO. Within my closet does there hang a ca.s.sock-- Though base the weed is, 'twas a shepherd's-- Which I presented in Lord Julio's masque.

MUCEDORUS. That, my Anselmo, and none else but that, Mask Mucedorus from the vulgar view.

That habit suits my mind; fetch me that weed.

[_Exit ANSELMO_.

Better than kings have not disdain'd that state, And much inferior, to obtain their mate.

_Re-enter_ ANSELMO _with a shepherd's coat, which he gives to_ MUCEDORUS.

MUCEDORUS. So let our respect command thy secrecy.

At once a brief farewell; Delay to lovers is a second h.e.l.l.