A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 03
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 03
English drama
INC. And my little finger is spitefully sore;
You will not believe how my heel doth ache.
TREAS. (_to_ VISITATION). Nay, let me alone, your part I will take.
(_To_ LUST) Be of good comfort, while I here remain;
For Pleasure and he shall be parted in twain.
VISIT. It is not meet that he should be participate with Lust,
But rather virtuous, godly and just.
LUST. Remain with me still, Master Pleasure, I say.
PLEAS. Nay, there is no remedy; I must away;
For where God doth punition and pain,
I Pleasure in no case cannot remain.
VISIT. I could in like case separate thy treasure,
But God doth admonish thee by losing thy pleasure.
[_Go out_ VISITATION _and_ PLEASURE.
INC. Farewell, in the devil's name, old lousy lout,
That my master will die I stand in great doubt.
Ho, ho, ho, how is it with you, Master Lust?
LUST. By the flesh of Goliah, yet Treasure is my trust,
Though Pleasure be gone, and I live in pain,
I doubt not but Treasure will fetch him again.
TREAS. Yea, that I will, fear not, and with you remain.
INC. The property of rich men undoubtedly he hath,
Which think with money to pacify God's wrath,
And health at their pleasure to buy and to sell.
How is Master Lust, are you anything well?
LUST. Against this Visitation my heart doth rebel.
Gog's wounds! shall I still in these pangs remain?
TREAS. Fear you not, Master Lust, I will help you again,
Treasure in physic exceedeth Galenus:
Tush! there is no physician but we shall have with us;
To the ease of your body they will you bring,
And therefore I pray you despair in no thing;
Put your trust always in me Lady Treasure,
And I will restore you again unto Pleasure,
For I am the goddess that therein hath power,
Which shall remain perfect unto the last hour.
INC. Yea, yea, Master Lust, be as merry as you may;
Let Treasure be your trust, whosoever say nay.
_Enter_ TIME.
TIME. The ancient Greeks have called me Chronos,
Which in our vulgar tongue signifieth Time;
I am ent'red in presently for a certain purpose--
Even to turn Treasure to rust and to slime,
And Lust, which hath long disdained the Just,
Ensuing his filthy and vile inclination,
Shall immediately be turned to dust,
To the example of all the whole congregation;
For Time bringeth both these matters to pass,
As experience hath taught in every age,
And you shall behold the same in this glass,
As a document both profitable and sage.
Both Lust and Treasure come forth with speed
Into the shop of the most mighty God,
There shall you be beaten to powder indeed,
And for your abusion feel his scourge and rod.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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