Representative English Comedies, v. 1. From the beginnings to Shakespeare
General
Representative English Comedies, v. 1. From the beginnings to Shakespeare
English drama (Comedy)
They have, in conclusyon, holly surrendryd A iii
Into our handes, at mych as concernynge
All maner wethers by them engendryd,
The full of theyr powrs, for terme everlastynge,
To set suche order as standyth wyth our pleasynge, 75
Whyche thynge, as of our parte, no parte requyred,
But of all theyr partys ryght humbly desyred,
To take uppon us. Wherto we dyd assente.
And so in all thynges, with one voyce agreable,
We have clerely fynyshed our foresayd parleament, 80
To your great welth, whyche shall be fyrme and stable,
And to our honour farre inestymable;
For syns theyr powers, as ours, addyd to our owne,
Who can, we say, know us as we shulde be knowne?
But now, for fyne,[104] the rest of our entent, 85
Wherfore, as now, we hyther are dyscendyd,
Is onely to satysfye and content
All maner people whyche have been offendyd
By any wether mete to be amendyd,
Uppon whose complayntes, declarynge theyr grefe, 90
We shall shape remedye for theyr relefe.
And to gyve knowledge for theyr hyther resorte
We wolde thys afore proclaymed to be,
To all our people, by some one of thys sorte,[105]
Whome we lyste to choyse here amongest all ye. 95
Wherfore eche man avaunce, and we shal se
Whyche of you is moste mete to be our cryer.
_Here entreth_ MERY-REPORTE.
_Mery-reporte._ Brother,[106] holde up your torche a lytell hyer!
Now, I beseche you, my lorde, loke on me furste.
I truste your lordshyp shall not fynde me the wurste. 100
_Jupyter._ Why! what arte thou that approchyst so ny?
_Mery-reporte._ Forsothe, and please your lordshyppe, it is I.
_Jupyter._ All that we knowe very well, But what I?
_Mery-reporte._ What I? Some saye I am I perse I.[107]
But, what maner I so ever be I, 105
I assure your good lordshyp, I am I.
_Jupyter._ What maner man arte thou, shewe quickely. A iii _b_
_Mery-reporte._ By god, a poore gentylman, dwellyth hereby.
_Jupyter._ A gentylman! Thyselfe bryngeth wytnes naye,
Both in thy lyght behavour and araye. 110
But what arte thou called where thou dost resorte?
_Mery-reporte._ Forsoth, my lorde, mayster Mery-reporte.
_Jupyter._ Thou arte no mete man in our bysynes,
For thyne apparence is of to mych lyghtnes.
_Mery-reporte._ Why, can not your lordshyp lyke my maner 115
Myne apparell, nor my name nother?
_Jupyter._ To nother of all we have devocyon.
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