Sir Thomas More [17]
their former mates with naught but pride.
But they that cast an eye still whence they came,
Know how they rose, and how to use the same.
LORD MAYOR.
My lord, you set a gloss on London's fame,
And make it happy ever by your name.
Needs must we say, when we remember More,
'Twas he that drove rebellion from our door
With grave discretions mild and gentle breath,
Oh, how our city is by you renowned,
And with your virtues our endeavors crowned!
MORE.
No more, my good Lord Mayor: but thanks to all,
That on so short a summons you would come
To visit him that holds your kindness dear.--
Madame, you are not merry with my Lady Mayoress
And these fair ladies; pray ye, seat them all:--
And here, my lord, let me appoint your place;--
The rest to seat themselves:--nay, I'll weary ye;
You will not long in haste to visit me.
LADY.
Good madame, sit; in sooth, you shall sit here.
LADY MAYORESS.
Good madame, pardon me; it may not be.
LADY.
In troth, I'll have it so: I'll sit here by ye.--
Good ladies, sit.--More stools here, ho!
LADY MAYORESS.
It is your favour, madame, makes me thus
Presume above my merit.
LADY.
When we come to you,
Then shall you rule us as we rule you here.
Now must I tell ye, madame, we have a play,
To welcome ye withal; how good so ere,
That know not I; my lord will have it so.
MORE.
Wife, hope the best; I am sure they'll do their best:
They that would better, comes not at their feast.
My good Lord Cardinal's players, I thank them for it,
Play us a play, to lengthen out your welcome:
They say it is The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom,
A theme of some import, how ere it prove;
But, if art fail, we'll inch it out with love.--
[Enter a Servant.]
What, are they ready?
SERVANT.
My lord, one of the players craves to speak with you.
MORE.
With me! where is he?
[Enter Inclination, the Vice, ready.]
INCLINATION.
Here, my lord.
MORE.
How now! what's the matter?
INCLINATION.
We would desire your honor but to stay a little; one of my fellows
is but run to Oagles for a long beard for young Wit, and he'll be
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
But they that cast an eye still whence they came,
Know how they rose, and how to use the same.
LORD MAYOR.
My lord, you set a gloss on London's fame,
And make it happy ever by your name.
Needs must we say, when we remember More,
'Twas he that drove rebellion from our door
With grave discretions mild and gentle breath,
Oh, how our city is by you renowned,
And with your virtues our endeavors crowned!
MORE.
No more, my good Lord Mayor: but thanks to all,
That on so short a summons you would come
To visit him that holds your kindness dear.--
Madame, you are not merry with my Lady Mayoress
And these fair ladies; pray ye, seat them all:--
And here, my lord, let me appoint your place;--
The rest to seat themselves:--nay, I'll weary ye;
You will not long in haste to visit me.
LADY.
Good madame, sit; in sooth, you shall sit here.
LADY MAYORESS.
Good madame, pardon me; it may not be.
LADY.
In troth, I'll have it so: I'll sit here by ye.--
Good ladies, sit.--More stools here, ho!
LADY MAYORESS.
It is your favour, madame, makes me thus
Presume above my merit.
LADY.
When we come to you,
Then shall you rule us as we rule you here.
Now must I tell ye, madame, we have a play,
To welcome ye withal; how good so ere,
That know not I; my lord will have it so.
MORE.
Wife, hope the best; I am sure they'll do their best:
They that would better, comes not at their feast.
My good Lord Cardinal's players, I thank them for it,
Play us a play, to lengthen out your welcome:
They say it is The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom,
A theme of some import, how ere it prove;
But, if art fail, we'll inch it out with love.--
[Enter a Servant.]
What, are they ready?
SERVANT.
My lord, one of the players craves to speak with you.
MORE.
With me! where is he?
[Enter Inclination, the Vice, ready.]
INCLINATION.
Here, my lord.
MORE.
How now! what's the matter?
INCLINATION.
We would desire your honor but to stay a little; one of my fellows
is but run to Oagles for a long beard for young Wit, and he'll be
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