A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ii Part 67

WIT.

Yes, yes, have ye no doubt, all is and shall be well.

REASON.

What one art thou? thereof how canst thou tell?

WIT.

Reason, most n.o.ble sir, and you, my lady dear: How have you done in all this time, since first I saw you here?

SCIENCE.

The fool is mad, I ween; stand back, and touch me not.

WIT.

You speak not as you think, or have you me forgot?

SCIENCE.

I never saw thee in my life until this time, I wot; Thou art some mad-brain or some fool, or some disguised sot.[422]

WIT.

G.o.d's fish-hooks?[423] and know you not me?

SCIENCE.

I had been well at ease indeed to be acquainted with thee!

WIT.

Hop haliday![424] marry, this is pretty cheer, I have lost myself, I cannot tell where!

An old-said saw it is, and too true, I find, Soon hot, soon cold: out of sight, out of mind.

What, madam, what meaneth this sudden change?

What means this scornful look, this countenance so strange?

Is it[425] your fashion so to use your lovers at the first: Or have all women this delight to scold and to be curs'd?

REASON.

Good fellow, whence art thou? what is thy name?

WIT.

I ween ye are disposed to make at me some game.

I am the son of lady Nature; my name is Wit.

REASON.

Thou shalt say so long enough, ere we believe it.

SCIENCE.

Thou Wit? nay, thou art some mad-brain out of thy wit.

WIT.

Unto yourselves this trial I remit.

Look on me better, and mark my person well.

SCIENCE.

Thy look is like to one, that came out of h.e.l.l.

REASON.

If thou be Wit, let see, what tokens thou canst tell.

How cam'st thou first acquainted here? what said we?

How did we like thy suit, what entertainment made we?

WIT.

What tokens?

SCIENCE.

Yea, what tokens? speak, and let us know.

WIT.

Tokens good store I can rehea.r.s.e a-row: First, as I was advised by my mother Nature, My lackey Will presented you with my picture.

SCIENCE.

Stay there, now look, how these two faces agree!

WIT.

This is the very same that you received from me.

SCIENCE.

From thee? why look, they are no more like, Than chalk to cheese, than black to white.

REASON.

To put thee out of doubt, if thou think we say not true, It were good for thee in a gla.s.s thy face to view.

WIT.

Well-remembered, and a gla.s.s I have indeed, Which gla.s.s you gave me to use at need.

REASON.

Hast thou the gla.s.s, which I to Wit did give?

WIT.

I have it in my purse, and will keep it, while I live.

REASON.

This makes[426] me muse how should he come thereby?

WIT.

Sir, muse no more, for it is even I, To whom you gave the gla.s.s, and here it is.

REASON.

We are content thou try thy case by this.

WIT. [_Looking in the gla.s.s_.

Either my gla.s.s is wonderfully spotted, Or else my face is wonderfully blotted.

This is not my coat; why, where had I this weed?

By the ma.s.s, I look like a very fool indeed.