A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 71

But who is this? O, I know him, a scholar of our train, 'Tis Hob-a-Clunch, that comes for money again.

SCENE III.

_Enter to_ VANITY, TENACITY, FORTUNE, _and_ MONEY.

TEN. G.o.d speed, Master Fanity.

VAN. Woc.u.m,[399] Master Tenacity.

TEN. Sur, cham come once again vor money.

VAN. So me thinks.

TEN. Shall be sped now at length, trow ye?

VAN. I cannot tell ye, 'tis hard to say; Peradventure yea, peradventure nay.

TEN. How so, man?

VAN. I fear me you will spend him too fast away.

TEN. Ho, ho, ho, ho! dost thou vear that, friend Fanity?

Shalt not need, man, chill keep him safe, che warrant thee.

O, that chad him in my clutches, shouldst see, I trow, Whether chud keep him vast and safe, or no.

I pray thee, good sweet Master Fanity, Speak one good word for poor Tenacity.

VAN. And dost thou indeed so well love money?

TEN. Do my wife's bees at home, think'st thou, love honey?

VAN. What wouldst thou do with it?

TEN. [_Hesitating_.] Chud, chud, chud, chud--

VAN. _Chud, chud_! what _chud_?

TEN. Chud--do no harm at all.

VAN. No, nor much good, I think, to great nor small.

But well, put case, I procure thee to speed, You will remember your promise that I shall be fee'd.

TEN. G.o.d's vast, man, yea, chill do it, chill do it.

VAN. Stand there a while, and wait.

[_To_ FORTUNE.] Bright G.o.ddess, behold here again Tenacity, That humbly makes his suit to have money.

MON. For Money? ho, there! Money finds himself well: Money now hath no liking from Fortune to dwell.

VAN. _In vanum laboraverunt_, come.

TEN. Now, good soot', honey, vair golden mustress, Let poor Tenacity taste of thy goodness: Thee che honour, thee che serve, thee che reverence, And in thy help che put my whole confidence.

FOR. Money, you must go to him, there is no remedy.

MON. Yea, and be us'd as before with Prodigality!

TEN. Let Prodigality go to the gallows-tree!

Why, man, he and I are clean contrary.

I chill coll thee, chill cuss thee.

MON, So did he.

TEN. Chill save thee, chill spare thee, chill keep thee from wasting.

MON. So did not he.

Go to then, seeing that my mother's will is such, To put it in adventure I may not grutch.

TEN. O my sweeting, my darling, my chewel, my joy, My pleasure, my treasure, mine own pretty boy.

MON. How now? what mean you by this, Tenacity.

TEN. O, forbid me not to kiss my sweet Money.

Varewell, Vortune; and, Vortune, che thank thee alway.

Come on, surrah, chill make you vast, b.u.m vay.

MON. What, with ropes? what needs that?

TEN. Vor vear of robbing by the highway.

_La, mi, fa, sol, fa; sol, mi, fa, re, mi_.

[_Exit_ TENACITY, _and goeth to the inn for his a.s.s_.

SCENE IV.

_Enter_ PRODIGALITY, d.i.c.k DICER, VANITY, _and_ [_to them afterwards_] TOM TOSS.

PROD. O monstrous, vile, filthy luck! see, in the twinkling of an eye, Scarce knowing which way, I have quite lost my Money.

d.i.c.k. Out of all doubt, Prodigality, he is not gone yonder way.

PROD. Then seek some other course, make here no stay.

He must be found out, there is no remedy.

Thou know'st in what pickle we stand without Money.