A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ii Part 22

Therefore happy are they, that can beware Into whose hands they fall by any such chance; Which if they do, they hardly escape care, Trouble, misery, and woeful grievance, And thus I make an end, committing you to his guidance, That made and redeemed us all, and to you that be now here I pray G.o.d grant and send many a good new year!

FINIS.[211]

A PRETTY INTERLUDE CALLED NICE WANTON.

[Of this interlude only two copies have hitherto been discovered, one in the Devonshire collection, the second in the King's Library, British Museum, from the Roxburghe sale. An account of the piece, which has never been reprinted before, is given by Collier ("History of Dramatic Poetry," ii. 381-3). Considering its rarity, early date, and curiosity, it is remarkable that "Nice Wanton" should have escaped Dodsley and his editors.]

A PRETTY INTERLUDE, CALLED NICE WANTON.

Wherein ye may see Three branches of an ill tree: The mother and her children three, Two naught, and one G.o.dly.

Early sharp, that will be thorn, Soon ill, that will be naught: To be naught, better unborn, Better unfed than naughtily taught.

_Ut magnum magnos, pueros puerilia doctus_.

PERSONAGES.

_The Messenger.

Barnabas. Iniquity.

Ismael. Baily errand.

Dalilah. Xantippe.

Eulalia. Worldly Shame.

Daniel the Judge_.

Anno Domini, M.D.LX.

THE PROLOGUE.

THE MESSENGER. The prudent Prince Solomon doth say, He that spareth the rod, the child doth hate, He would youth should be kept in awe alway By correction in time at reasonable rate:

To be taught to fear G.o.d, and their parents obey, To get learning and qualities, thereby to maintain An honest quiet life, correspondent alway To G.o.d's law and the king's, for it is certain,

If children be noseled[212] in idleness and ill, And brought up therein, it is hard to restrain, And draw them from natural wont evil, As here in this interlude ye shall see plain:

By two children brought up wantonly in play, Whom the mother doth excuse, when she should chastise; They delight in dalliance and mischief alway, At last they end their lives in miserable wise.

The mother persuaded by worldly shame, That she was the cause of their wretched life, So pensive, so sorrowful, for their death she became, That in despair she would sle herself with a knife.

Then her son Barnabas (by interpretation The son of comfort), her ill-purpose do[th] stay, By the scriptures he giveth her G.o.dly consolation, And so concludeth; all these parts will we play.

BARNABAS _cometh_.

BARNABAS. My master, in my lesson yesterday, Did recite this text of Ecclesiasticus: Man is p.r.o.ne to evil from his youth, did he say, Which sentence may well be verified in us.

Myself, my brother, and sister Dalilah, Whom our parents to their cost to school do find.

I tarry for them here, time pa.s.seth away, I lose my learning, they ever loiter behind.

If I go before, they do me threat To complain to my mother: she for their sake, Being her tender tidlings,[213] will me beat: Lord, in this perplexity, what way shall I take?

What will become of them? grace G.o.d them send To apply their learning, and their manners amend!

ISMAEL _and_ DALILAH _come in singing_.

_Here we comen, and here we lonen_,[214]

_And here we will abide abide-a_.

BARNABAS. Fye, brother, fye, and specially you, sister Dalilah, Soberness becometh maids alway.

DALILAH. What, ye dolt, ye be ever in one song!

ISMAEL. Yea, sir, it shall cost you blows, ere it be long.

BARNABAS. Be ye not ashamed the truands to play, Losing your time and learning, and that every day?

Learning bringeth knowledge of G.o.d and honest living to get.

DALILAH. Yea, marry, I warrant you, master hoddypeak.

BARNABAS. Learn apace, sister, and after to spin and sew, And other honest housewifely points to know.

ISMAEL. Spin, quod-a? yea, by the ma.s.s, and with your heels up-wind, For a good mouse-hunt is cat after Saint Kind.[215]

BARNABAS. Lewd speaking corrupteth good manners, Saint Paul doth say; Come, let us go, if ye will, to school this day; I shall be shent for tarrying so long, [_Barnabas goeth out_.

ISMAEL. Go, get thee hence, thy mouth full of horse-dung!

Now, pretty sister, what sport shall we devise?

Thus palting[216] to school, I think us unwise: In summer die for thrist,[217] in winter for cold, And still to live in fear of a churl who would?

DALILAH. Not I, by the ma.s.s, I had rather he hanged were, Than I would sit quaking like a mome for fear.

I am sun-burned in summer, in winter the cold Maketh my limbs gross, and my beauty decay; If I should use it, as they would I should, I should never be fair woman, I dare say.

ISMAEL. No, sister, no, but I can tell, Where we shall have good cheer, l.u.s.ty companions two or three, At good wine, ale, and beer.

DALILAH. O good brother, let us go, I will never go more to-to[218] school.

Shall I never know, What pastime meaneth?

Yes, I will not be such a fool.