A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 09
General
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 09
English drama
MENDACIO, _with cushions under his arms,
trips up_ ANAMNESTES' _heels_.
MENDACIO, ANAMNESTES.
ANA. How now?
MEN. Nothing, but lay you upon the cushion, sir, or so.
ANA. Nothing, but lay the cushion upon you, sir.
MEN, What, my little Nam? By this foot, I am sorry I mistook thee.
ANA. What, my little Men? By this hand, it grieves me I took thee so
right. But, sirrah, whither with these cushions?
MEN. To lay them here, that the judges may sit softly, lest my Lady
Lingua's cause go hard with her.
ANA. They should have been wrought with gold; these will do nothing. But
what makes my lady with the judges?
MEN. Pish! know'st not? She sueth for the title of a Sense, as well as
the rest that bear the name of the Pentarchy.
ANA. Will Common Sense and my master leave their affairs to determine
that controversy?
MEN. Then thou hear'st nothing.
ANA. What should I hear?
MEN. All the Senses fell out about a crown fallen from heaven, and
pitched a field for it; but Vicegerent Common Sense, hearing of it, took
upon him to umpire the contention, in which regard he hath appointed
them (their arms dismissed) to appear before him, charging every one to
bring, as it were in a show, their proper objects, that by them he may
determine of their several excellencies.
ANA. When is all this?
MEN. As soon as they can possibly provide.
ANA. But can he tell which deserves best by their objects?
MEN. No, not only; for every Sense must describe his instrument, that
is, his house, where he performs his daily duty, so that by the object
and the instrument my lord can with great ease discern their place and
dignities.
ANA. His lordship's very wise.
MEN. Thou shalt hear all anon. Fine Master Phantastes and thy master
will be here shortly. But how is't, my little rogue? methinks thou
look'st lean upon't!
ANA. Alas! how should I do otherwise, that lie all night with such a
raw-boned skeleton as Memory, and run all day on his errands? The
churl's grown so old and forgetful, that every hour he's calling,
Anamnestes, Remembrance; where art, Anamnestes? Then presently
something's lost. Poor I must run for it, and these words, _Run, boy;
come, sirrah, quick, quick, quick_! are as familiar with him as the
cough, never out on's mouth.
MEN. Alack, alack! poor rogue, I see my fortunes are better. My lady
loves me exceedingly; she's always kissing me, so that I tell thee, Nam,
Mendacio's never from betwixt her lips.
ANA. Nor I out of Memory's mouth,[241] but in a worse sort, always
exercising my stumps, and, which is more, when he favours best, then I
am in the worst taking.
MEN. How so?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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