按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
here presently。
MORE。
A long beard for young Wit！ why； man； he may be without a beard
till he come to marriage； for wit goes not all by the hair。 When
comes Wit in？
INCLINATION。
In the second scene； next to the Prologue； my lord。
MORE。
Why； play on till that scene come； and by that time Wit's beard will
be grown； or else the fellow returned with it。 And what part
playest thou？
INCLINATION。
Inclination the Vice； my lord。
MORE。
Gramercies； now I may take the vice if I list： and wherefore hast
thou that bridle in thy hand？
INCLINATION。
I must be bridled anon； my lord。
MORE。
And thou beest not saddled too； it makes no matter； for then Wit's
inclination may gallop so fast； that he will outstrip Wisdom； and
fall to folly。
INCLINATION。
Indeed； so he does to Lady Vanity； but we have no folly in our
play。
MORE。
Then there's no wit in 't； I'll be sworn： folly waits on wit； as the
shadow on the body； and where wit is ripest there folly still is
readiest。 But begin； I prithee： we'll rather allow a beardless Wit
than Wit all beard to have no brain。
INCLINATION。
Nay； he has his apparel on too； my lord； and therefore he is the
readier to enter。
MORE。
Then； good Inclination； begin at a venter。
＇Exit Inclination。＇
My Lord Mayor；
Wit lacks a beard； or else they would begin：
I'd lend him mine； but that it is too thin。
Silence； they come。
＇The trumpet sounds； enter the Prologue。＇
PROLOGUE。
Now； for as much as in these latter days；
Throughout the whole world in every land；
Vice doth increase； and virtue decays；
Iniquity having the upper hand；
We therefore intend； good gentle audience；
A pretty short interlude to play at this present；
Desiring your leave and quiet silence；
To show the same； as is meet and expedient；
It is called The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom；
A matter right pithy and pleasing to hear；
Whereof in brief we will show the whole sum；
But I must be gone； for Wit doth appear。
＇Exit。 Enter Wit ruffling； and Inclination the Vice。＇
WIT。
In an arbor green； asleep whereas I lay；
The birds sang sweetly in the midst of the day；
I dreamed fast of mirth and play；
In youth is pleasure； in youth is pleasure；
Methought I walked still to and fro；
And from her company I could not go；
But when I waked； it was not so；
In youth is pleasure； in youth is pleasure。
Therefore my heart is surely plight；
Of her alone to have a sight；
Which is my joy and heart's delight；
In youth is pleasure； in youth is pleasure。
MORE。
Mark ye； my lord； this is Wit without a beard： what will he be by
that time he comes to the commodity of a beard？
INCLINATION。
Oh； sir； the ground is the better on which she doth go；
For she will make better cheer with a little she can get；
Than many a one can with a great banquet of meat。
WIT。
And is her name Wisdom？
INCLINATION。
I； sir； a wife most fit
For you； my good master； my dainty sweet Wit。
WIT。
To be in her company my heart it is set：
Therefore I prithee to let us begone；
For unto Wisdom Wit hath inclination。
INCLINATION。
Oh； sir； she will come her self even anon；
For I told her before where we would stand。
And then she said she would beck us with her hand。
Back with these boys and saucy great knaves！
＇Flourishing a dagger。＇
What； stand ye here so big in your braves？
My dagger about your coxcombs shall walk；
If I may but so much as hear ye chat or talk。
WIT。
But will she take pains to come for us hither？
INCLINATION。
I warrant ye； therefore you must be familiar with her；
When she commeth in place；
You must her embrace
Somewhat handsomely；
Least she think it danger；
Because you are a stranger；
To come in your company。
WIT。
I warrant thee； Inclination； I will be busy：
Oh； how Wit longs to be in Wisdom's company！
＇Enter Lady Vanity singing； and beckoning with her hand。＇
VANITY。
Come hither； come hither； come hither； come：
Such cheer as I have； thou shalt have some。
MORE。
This is Lady Vanity； I'll hold my life：
Beware； good Wit； you take not her to wife。
INCLINATION。
What； unknown honesty？ a word in your ear。
＇She offers to depart。＇
You shall not be gone as yet； I swear：
Here's none but friends； you need not to fray；
This young gentleman loves ye； therefore you must stay。
WIT。
I trust in me she will think no danger；
For I love well the company of fair women；
And though to you I am a stranger；
Yet Wit may pleasure you now and then。
VANITY。
Who； you？ nay； you are such a holy man；
That to touch on you dare not be bold；
I think you would not kiss a young woman；
If one would give ye twenty pound in gold。
WIT。
Yes； in good sadness； lady； that I would：
I could find in my heart to kiss you in your smock。
VANITY。
My back is broad enough to bear that mock；
For it hath been told me many a time
That you would be seen in no such company as mine。
WIT。
Not Wit in the company of Lady Wisdom？
Oh Jove； for what do I hither come？
INCLINATION。
Sir； she did this nothing else but to prove
Whether a little thing would you move
To be angry and fret：
What； and if one said so？
Let such trifling matters go
And with a kind kiss come out of her debt。
Is Luggins come yet with the beard？
＇Enter another Player。＇
PLAYER。
No； faith； he is not come： alas； what shall we do？
INCLINATION。
Forsooth； we can go no further till our fellow Luggins come； for he
plays Good Council； and now he should enter； to admonish Wit
that this is Lady Vanity； and not Lady Wisdom。
MORE。
Nay； and it be no more but so； ye shall not tarry at a stand for that；
we'll not have our play marred for lack of a little good council： till
your fellow come； I'll give him the best council that I can。Pardon
me； my Lord Mayor； I love to be merry。
Oh。。。Wit； thou art now on the bow hand；
And blindly in thine own opinion dost stand。
I tell thee； this naughty lewd Inclination
Does lead thee amiss in a very strange fashion：
This is not Wisdom； but Lady Vanity；
Therefore list to Good Council； and be ruled by me。
INCLINATION。
In troth； my lord； it is as right to Lugginses part as can be。Speak；
Wit。
MORE。
Nay； we will not have our audience disappointed； if I can help it。
WIT。
Art thou Good Council； and will tell me so？
Wouldst thou have Wit from Lady Wisdom to go？
Thou art some deceiver； I tell thee verily；
In saying that this is Lady Vanity。
MORE。
Wit； judge not things by the outward show；
The eye oft mistakes； right well you do know：
Good Council assures thee upon his honesty；
That this is not Wisdom； but Lady Vanity。
＇Enter Luggins with the beard。＇
INCLINATION。
Oh； my lord； he is come； now we shall go forward。
MORE。
Art thou come？ well； fellow； I have hoped to save thine honesty a
little。 Now； if thou canst give Wit any better council than I have
done； spare not： there I leave him to they mercy。
But by this time； I am sure； our banquet's ready：
My lord and ladies； we will taste that first；
And then they shall begin the play again；
Which through the fellow's absence； and by me；
Instead of helping； hath been hindered。
Prepare against we come。Lights there； I say！
Thus fools oft times do help to mar the play。
＇Exeu