A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Viii Part 73

_Enter_ VANITY.[402]

VAN. O rotten rope, that thou must be so brittle!

Hadst thou but happened to have held a little, I had taught my princ.o.c.ks against another time So to presume Dame Fortune's bower to climb.

To make such a 'scape, his hap was very good: Well, he 'scaped fair, I swear by the rood: But will you have me say my fantasy, _Quod differtur, non aufertur_; for a.s.suredly The gentleman will never hold himself quiet, Till once more he come to taste of this diet.

Mark the end.

FOR. Vanity! [_From a window_.

VAN. Madam.

FOR. Is this roister gone?

VAN. Yea, madam, he is gone.

FOR. Then get thee anon, And cause my attendants to come away, For here as now I will no longer stay, But prosecute this foe of mine so fast By mischiefs all I may, that at the last He shall arrive unto a wretched end, And with repentance learn how to offend A G.o.ddess of my state and dignity.

VAN. Lady, to do your will I hasten willingly.

[VANITY _exit_.

FORTUNE _comes down_.

FOR. Dame Fortune's power, her most exceeding might, Is known by this as an undoubted thing: Since here most plainly hath appear'd in sight, How all the world doth hang upon her wing, How high and low, of all states and degrees, Do rise and fall again, as she decrees.

Then let not Virtue think it scorn to yield To Fortune, chief of power, chief sovereignty: Sith Fortune here by proof hath won the field, Subdu'd her foes, and got the victory: For as she list to favour, else to frown, She hoisteth up, or headlong hurleth down.

[_Enter_ VANITY _again_.][403]

VAN. Madam, here are your va.s.sals ready prest, To do the thing that Fortune liketh best.

FOR. Well, then, come on to witness this our victory; Depart we hence with sound of fame triumphantly.

[_Cries of Reverence, due reverence_!

ACT V., SCENE I.

_Enter_ PRODIGALITY, MONEY, TOSS, DICER.

PROD. [_to_ MONEY.] Come on, my bulchin;[404] come on, my fat ox:[405]

Come, porkling, come on; come, pretty t.w.a.ttox.[406]

Why, will it not be? yet faster, a cur'sy![407]

This gentleman of late is waxen so pursy, As at every land's-end he seeketh to rest him.

How think ye? hath not Tenacity trimly dress'd him?

MON. Prodigality, if thou lovest me, let us here stay: For sure I can do no more than I may.

I am out of breath, as weary as a dog.

[_He falls down upon his elbow_.

TOSS. A luskish lubber, as fat as a hog!

PROD. Come up, gentle Money; we may not here stay.

MON. I must needs, Prodigality, there is no nay; For if I should stir me one inch from the ground, I think I shall die, sure, or fall in a sound.[408]

PROD. Then must you be drawn.

MON. Drawn or hang'd, all is one: For I cannot stir me; my breath is clean gone.

PROD. How like ye this _grossum corpus_, so mightily grown?

TOSS. I like him the better, that he is your own.

DICER. A more monstrous beast, a beast more unwieldy, Since first I was born, yet[409] never beheld I.

PROD. Indeed, the wh.o.r.eson is waxen somewhat too fat; But we will find medicines to remedy that.

TOSS. Sir, let me but have him a little in cure, To put my poor practice of physic in ure, And I dare warrant ye, with a purgation or twain, I'll quickly rid him out of all this pain.

PROD. I think a glister were better.

DICER. Nay, rather a suppository.

TOSS. Nay, then, what say you to letting of blood?

DICER. I think that some of these should do him good.

Ask the physician.

MON. Prodigality?

PROD. Ho!

MON. I am sick.

PROD. Where, man?

MON. Faith, here, in my belly.

It swells, I a.s.sure ye, out of all measure.

PROD. Take heed it grow not to a timpany.

MON. And if it do, what is the danger then?

PROD. A consumption.

MON. A consumption? marry, G.o.d forbid, man.