A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 08
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 08
English drama
TOSS. Marry, sir, he is going into a strange country
With an old chuff, called Tenacity.
PROD. Tenacity? is that tinker's budget so full of audacity?
TOSS. 'Tis true.
PROD. May we not overtake him?
TOSS. Yes, easily with good horses.
PROD. Let's go then, for God's sake; we'll catch him in a trap.
DICER _and_ TOSS. Go; we will go with you, whatever shall hap.
[_Exeunt_.
SCENE V.
_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 princocks 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 assuredly
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 goddess 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 vassals 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 twattox.[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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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