The commody of the moste vertuous and godlye Susanna neuer before this tyme printed. Compiled by Thomas Garter. Eyght persons may easyly play it. 1. The Prologue and the Saylour for one. 2. Ioachim and Iudex for another, 3. Sathan and Uoluptas another, 4. Sensualitas alone. 5 Susanna alone. 6. Helchia, True Report, Ancilla, another, 7. Ill Reporte the uyce, and Cryer, another. 8. Helchias wyfe, Danyell, Seruus, Serua, for another.

The commody of the moste vertuous and godlye Susanna neuer before this tyme printed. Compiled by Thomas Garter. Eyght persons may easyly play it. 1. The Prologue and the Saylour for one. 2. Ioachim and Iudex for another, 3. Sathan and Uoluptas another, 4. Sensualitas alone. 5 Susanna alone. 6. Helchia, True Report, Ancilla, another, 7. Ill Reporte the uyce, and Cryer, another. 8. Helchias wyfe, Danyell, Seruus, Serua, for another.

Table of contents

Title page

¶The Prologue.

§

§

§

§

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THE COMMODY OF the moste vertuous and Godlye Susanna, neuer before this tyme Printed.

Compiled by Thomas Garter.

¶Eyght persons may easyly play it.

1. The Prologue and the Gaylour for one.

2. Ioachim and Iudex for another,

3. Sathan and Uoluptas another,

4. Sensualitas alone.

5 Susanna alone.

6. Helchia, True Report, Ancilla, another,

7. Ill Reporte the Uyce, and Cryer, another.

8. Helchias wyfe, Danyell, Seruus, Serua, for another.

IMPRINTED AT London, in Fleetestreate, beneath the Conduite, at the Signe of S. Iohn Euangelist, by Hugh Iackson. 1578.

¶The Prologue.

[Page]

[Page]

BOnum opus laudabila, which is as much to say,

Good workes though playne are worthy prayse, and so haue bene alway.

Then though with Bullus Tully style, our Authour doe not frame,

This his fyrst worke which you shall heare, yet do accept the same,

For why the Story being good, the matter also true,

Doth but declare a matter olde, as it were done anew.

And sheweth forth how prone God is, to helpe such as are iust,

And in that God before all men, doe put assured trust,

Of Susans lyfe the story is, what trouble she was in,

How narrowly she scaped death because she would not sinne,

How wonderously she was prouokte, how vertuously she fled,

The strong assaultes of wicked men, that lecherous lustes had led,

To rauish her, and to pollute, her chaste and wyfely view,

This is the somme of all that shall be shewed vnto you,

And though perchaunce some wanton worde, doe passe which may not séeme

Or gestures light not méete for this, your wisedomes may it déeme,

Accoumpt that nought delightes the hart of men on earth,

So much as matters graue and sad, if they be mixt with myrth,

Of both which here I trust you shall, as in a myrrour sée,

And that in such a decent sort as hurtfull shall not be,

And for because ensample good, is méete in these our dayes,

This hath he done to shorten tyme, to God giue all the prayse.

Thus crauing quyet sylence now, my spéeche I meane to spare,

Beholde when Sathan enters place, his mynde he will declare.

§

§

Here goeth out the Prologue, and Sathan entreth in.

Deuill.

¶Among the plagues of thée O God,

Wherewith thou plaguest man,

Plague such as I would haue thée plague,

Or let me if I can.

I wallow now in worldly welth,

And haue the world at will,

Into eche hart I créepe by stealth,

Of blood I haue my fill.

[Page]But yet there is a wight,

In thée O Babilon,

Whose flesh or fleece if I may get,

How well were I begon,

To seeke her out my selfe,

Or to attempt her grace,

I might perchaunce haue had my pray,

So eugly is my face.

Well, well, I haue a crafty chylde,

His name is Ill Reporte,

A blessed Babe that I haue traynde,

To talke in such a sorte.

That were she neuer so iust or true,

Or liuer neuer so chast,

By hooke, or crooke, by trace or pace,

He bringes her home at last.

Here the Deuill sitteth downe in a Chayre, and calleth for Ill Reporte, who entreth in.

¶What Euill Report thou crooked Knaue,

What canst thou not heare thy Dad,

Come with a proper pestilence,

I thinke the théefe be mad.

¶What quoth hée, now by this day,

I thinke thée mad to be,

How say you all, within this Hall,

What Knaue more crookte then he,

Why you shitten slaue, you crookte nose knaue,

What are thy wittes now past,

What mooued thée with Ill Reporte,

To call in such a haste.

¶O Sonne.

¶O Théefe.

¶O Boy.

¶O Knaue.

[Page]Deuill.

¶I haue a Cheare for thée to doe,

Ill Rep.

¶Gogges woundes more Cheares yet.

I must cheare abroade, and you in Cheare must sit,

Deuill.

¶O louing Boy, and dayntie Chylde,

As euer thou didst me good,

Let me now craue thy good aduyce,

To helpe me in this moode,

Thou séest I haue what I desyre,

In all the Countrey here,

Yet is there one in Babilon,

That neuer had no péere,

She serueth God and on him sets,

Her study and her care.

Ill Rep.

¶Gogges woundes thou lyest I trow,

Such giftes be very rare,

Deuill.

¶O Sonne it is true in déede,

I would it were a lye:

I would sing, I would daunce,

Oh I would skip full hye,

Ill Rep.

¶How say you now my maysters all,

Thinke you my Dads not light,

If you marke him, he is indéede,

To dauncing trimly plight,

I dare now sweare a thousande othes,

And eake as many more,

You neuer saw such a one behynde,

As my Dad is before.

But Dad what would you haue me to doe herein.

Deuill.

¶Why Knaue thou wilt not heare me how I begin,

Ill Rep.

¶Why slaue beginnest thou to rayle,

Farewell with a pestilence, I would thou hadst kist my tayle,

Deuill.

¶Why come agayne sonne arte thou growne so shorte,

Ill Rep.

¶Gogges woundes who would be vsed after such a sorte.

Without my helpe thou syttest lyke a Whelpe,

And knowest not what to doe,

And yet lyke a slaue thou callest me slaue, and crooked villayne to,

[Page]¶O Sonne, O Boy, O Lord, O Chylde,

Thou art my ground on thée I doe buylde,

Be not displeased I pray thée with all my harte,

And looke what thou gettest thou shalt haue thy parte,

If thou canst compasse Susanna to ouerthrow,

Thou shalt haue my blessing wheresoeuer I go.

Because I haue trusted thée long tyme before,

I yéelde it to thy pollicy, and I say no more.

But if thou shouldest want any part of my ayde,

I will be at thy hande then be not afrayde,

And let vs sée if God with all his myght,

Can defende this soule from our auncient spyght.

[...].

¶Dad doest thou put the matter to my ordring?

¶Yea Sonne that I do with all my blessing,

Knéele downe and thou shalt haue it in way of good spéede,

And all the Deuils in Hell to helpe thée at thy néede.

The blessing giuen to the Serpent which tempted Eue,

And all manner extremities thée to reléeue.

And that which God gaue for Abels sake to Cayne,

Light vpon thée with might and mayne.

That which Ionas threatned vnto Niniuie,

Light on thée and all thy posteritie.

And I vse to be short, and in few wordes to tell,

God sende thée a thousande plagues more then euer were found in hell,

These and ten thousand when thou art layde in thy bed,

To recompence thy trauayle light vpon thy head.

[...].

¶Who there Dad we haue blessinges ynow,

And ten thousand mo then I giue vnto you,

And when it shall please you, ye may be packing,

For in me I warrant you nought shall be lacking.

[...].

¶Then farewell Boy with a pestilence,

[...].

¶And farewell Dad with a vengeaunce.

Here the Deuill goeth out, and Euill Reporte taryeth still.

[Page]Ill Rep.

¶Am I not a iolly fellow, it is séene by my progeny,

That my auncyent stocke is of great antiquitie,

How olde it is none of you all can tell,

Seuen yeares elder at the least then is th [...] Deuill of Hell,

Euill Reporte mary he is a iolly man, and had in such a pryce,

That no man liueth now adayes, but will him excercyse.

Well the charge I haue, eche one of you doe know,

In accomplishing of the same, my dilligence I will show,

The pollicy of the Deuill, the enuie he doth beare,

The man he séekes to ouerthrow, all such as God doth feare,

Is maruaylous in fayth, thinke you his foresight is not straunge,

Marke well my tale and you shall sée, how his deuyse doth chaunge

There is in all this Babilon, but one that he doth spye,

That feareth God, and eke my Dad in all his workes defye.

Her hath he sought by pryde at fyrst to blynde her youthfull hart,

Tush, tush, she was and is so méeke, he sped not in that part,

Then did he séeke by gluttony to blynde her fancies to,

Her sober diet him deceiued, and did that quyte subdue,

Then knowing that all women are giuen much to enuyed string,

To force her haue an enuious hart, right many cause did bring,

But she like one not of this world, but like a very foole,

Did arme her selfe with pacience, till euery cause did coole,

But here you wiues, I would not wish that you should take her part,

But if your husbandes anger you, beshrew their crooked hart,

Well to my matter yet agayne, he sets his seruaunt sloth,

To follow her with sugred steps, in euery place she goeth.

But busy Susan enuies the Deuill and all he dooth,

As she withstandes sloth and his steps, in despyte of his tooth.

And that you Maydes full well doe know, sloth with his drowsy head,

Is able to doe much with you, when you are layde in bed,

For you had rather serue the Deuill, or what he will deuyse,

Then leaue your bed in winter morne, when hory frostes aryse,

He gaue her Gold then at her will, to make her couetous,

She takes it but for néedefull vse, or else doth it despyse,

And yet with Gold my Dad hath got, a thousand olde mens soules,

As well of them weare bloody gownes, as such as sheare their noules,

[Page]But now my Dad nor all these thinges, are able to preuayle,

With filthy lustes of fleshly men, meaneth her to assayle,

And such they be shall her intise, to doe that pleasaunt deede,

As shall preuayle I tell you true, by force or else by méede,

And when that they haue got their wils, and so haue wrought her shame

My selfe will blow the leaden Trumpe of cruell slaunderous fame,

Lo thus my Dad I please I trow, and thus my nature showe,

Thus shall ech man my power and might in euery corner blow,

And say that though the Deuill himselfe, could not tempt Susans grace

The wit of Mayster Ill Report hath her and it defaste,

Oh goodly wit, oh noble brayne, whence commeth this deuyce.

Herewith commeth in Voluptas, and calleth Sensualitas in this sorte.

¶Come in Mayster Sensualitas I pray thee,

Reche me thy hande and I will helpe thée.

¶By my truth Voluptas I haue néede of thy ayde,

Such is my secrete sorrow, my sences are dismayde.

¶Though you iudge me scant worth to be a proctor,

Marke me well now, and I will play the Doctor.

Amor vincit omnia, I nose cedamas Amori,

Loue ouercommeth euery thing, loue can eche Mount remoue,

The Gods of olde, and euery man are subiect vnto loue▪

¶Marke his tale.

¶Trouble him not.

¶Res est Solicia, Plena ten oris amor,

How say you my maysters this is good clamor▪

Loue hath a pleasure in it selfe, yet loue is full of feare,

Loue helpes and it doth harme a man, loue is not this good geare,

Loue from the Sences of a man can steale away the might,

Loue can make mad the mynde of man, and loue can blynde the sighte,

But is not he a iolly man that loue can so subdue,

As he can lose it when he list, and it agayne renue,

¶My friend God spéede,

p.

¶Soft swift not friendes so soone,

[Page]Volup.

¶Why syr I neuer gaue you cause of offence,

Sensua.

¶Nor to doe it is our pretence,

Ill Rep.

¶You lye lyke crafty knaues boeth,

God spéede so carterly to him ye neuer sée before,

For you and your speede, a stinking turde for you both,

Gogges blood were ye brought vp at the cart,

To breake a mans tale in such sort, now I beshrew your hart,

Volup.

¶Oh blame vs not sir I pray you, your talke I trow was of loue,

And hearing your argumentes your wits did vs moue,

To speake to you bree [...]ely for feeling that payne,

Your Argumentes sayd you could helpe vs agayne.

Ill Rep.

¶And though I can, what is that to thée,

Volup.

¶That you will syr I hope verily.

Ill Rep.

¶Nay soft maysters a whyle, it is a condicion,

That neuer yet was vsed, by expert Phisition,

His Patient or Cure to practise to heale,

Before his disease he know very well,

And therefore I say your secretes discrye,

Or else for your helpe I cannot applye.

Volup.

¶Mary syr loue is my sicknesse.

Ill Rep.

¶And what is the cause of your weakenesse,

Sensua.

¶Loue to good Gentleman.

Ill Rep.

¶And for thy fayre wordes, I will helpe thée if I can,

But those that stande by will thinke it to straunge,

That I vnto health your sicknesse should chaunge.

And busynesse at this time doth call me away,

And therefore farewell till another day.

Here he offreth to run out.

Sensua.

¶Nay good Mayster Doctor let vs haue your helpe.

Ill Rep.

¶ [...]o shall you syr but I must fyrst prouyde,

Such thinges as the cause of your groefes doe desyde.

And synce you will not pack I must be gone,

For my confections I alwayes make alone,

And none of you both to prouyde my trumpery,

[Page]Haue not the wit to offer me money,

And I being shamefaste the same cannot craue,

Loe you will haue helpe, and I nought shall haue.

¶Yes Mayster Doctor here is fyue pound.

He lets his Purse fall.

¶And here is as much sée it falleth to the ground,

Take it vp Mayster Doctor, to prouyde your drugs,

And to buy the same I would you would trudge.

¶At your commaundement syr, fyrst I must stoope for my reward,

And then runne at a beck, no that were to harde.

You know where to haue me, get you hence for a space,

And within a day or two retourne to this place,

And then for your health here shall nothing be lacking,

Tarry no longer, go hence and be packing.

¶Alas Syr will it be two dayes fyrst.

¶Yea.

¶I thinke sure we are both accurst.

¶Yet will we follow your counsayle,

¶And in so doing, you doe but well,

¶God be with you.

¶And with you to.

¶God be with you with all my hart,

¶And with you to, with all my fart.

Here they go out, and Ill Reporte speaketh still.

¶Ah syrra, I thinke this hower well spended,

The lyning of my purse is very well amended.

I might doe little if I could not talke,

Seing how liberally their handes do walke.

Iudge what I will doe for this ten pounde,

Teach them a way themselues to confounde.

For these are the two that Susan shall proue,

By all manner meanes to coole their hose loue,

[Page]And if they obtayne what get they than,

A Tabernacle forsooth with my Dad Sathan.

and if they doe not, but she it discrye,

The rygor of Law shall force them to dye.

Lo thus you doe sée I haue gone the deuice,

That Mistresse Susan shall sore intice.

Sende them good lucke Dad be thou their spéede,

And graunt that with shame they may ende for their méede,

And thus because thinges doe grow fast vpon,

Farewell my maysters I will be gone.

Here goeth out Euill Reporte, and Ioachim entreth.

Ioach.

¶The waighty charge that God hath giuen, to such as doe liue here,

And ioyned are the pore to guyde, doth fret my hart with feare,

The charge we haue to helpe the iust, and vyce to punish to,

O Lorde thou knowest it is to great for mortall men to do.

The Princes thought to liue at ease, the pore man to take payne,

But daungerous is the Princes lyfe, and daungerous once agayne,

O God let it not séeme to thée that I would chaunge my fate,

But if it be thy will good Lorde, rid me from Rulers state.

The two Iudges come in.

Volup.

¶God saue your goodnesse worthy syr, God still augment your dayes,

Sensu.

¶God send you Nestors tyme to raigne, with helpe in all assayes,

Ioach.

¶In froth right [...] pity are you come, I thought your absence long,

For when I am in place alone, my passyons séeme full strong,

I cannot rid out of my brayne the charge of our degrée,

How rightly we should rule the world, which crooked is to sée,

I promise you if I might speake without offence of God,

There is no sharper punishment, then is the Rulers rod.

Yea let vs doe euen what we can to rule ech thing aright,

Thou knowest Lorde the waight is such it passeth much our might.

Sensu.

¶Why Syr me thinkes you doe offend, because you thus repyne,

[Page]Agaynst the doinges of that God, whose workes are all deuyne,

He hath plaste you for chiefest here, and vs to be your ayde,

We may not shrinke lyke fearefull ones, but beare the burthen layde,

We may not thinke the burthen great, nor yet the tyme to long,

That God shall keepe vs in this state, but sée we doe no wrong.

[...] (alas) who liueth now and doth the people guyde,

But that agaynst his will, O Lord, his foote shall sometyme slyde,

The matters are so croockt and vyle, that commeth forth ech day,

As how to ende without some▪ wrong, I know not well the way.

¶A Iudges state is straight indéede, and to be lookte vpon,

But if so straight as you doe feare, then were we wo begon.

But this I thinke if euidence our matters doe desyde,

Our ground is sure, our path is straight, our sentence cannot slyde.

¶Your if doth well, but if your if, do misse in any case,

How should we end our iorney straight, and haue a crooked race.

But replye on wordes with wordes, doth vaynely spende the tyme,

And tyme ill spent you know right well, is eake a greeuous cryme,

What thinges we haue to do you know, what matters to discusse,

The number of them Lorde thou knowest, I thinke to much for vs,

Well it is our charge you know, and therefore doe you two,

Peruse eche playnt with such effect, as Iudges ought to do,

And when you haue with dil [...]igence, done it with good aduyce,

I will you ayde to cut of doubtes, if any doe aryse.

With that Sensuality and Voluptas sitteth downe at a Table turning of bokes, and Ioachim kneeling on his knees sayeth.

¶O God when thou madste man of nought, thou framdste him in suche blisse,

As he should still [...]isy thy grace, and feele no heauinesse.

Unto thy lykenesse him thou madste, among thy workes of wonder,

And s [...]ttest him in Paradice, where is no thyrst [...] hunger.

This ioyfull lyfe did he leade still, till death the Deuill and Hell,

By disobeying of thy doome did spite his state so well,

He fell from that and now is come, into such weakenesse Lord,

As what a loue of him doth come, by thée it is abhorde.

[Page]Therefore good Lorde since thou haste plaste, me for a Ruler here,

Graunt that no word may passe my mouth, without thy loue and feare

Here entreth Susanna and her two maydes.

Susanna.

¶I cannot but must marueyle much, of Ioachim my Lorde,

And why he commeth not home to dyne, according to his worde.

Was it not at [...] a Clock that he sayd he would dyne,

How thinke you both in fayth is it not, a little past that tyme.

Serua.

¶Not much Madam he is not soont to breake his promyse iust,

Ancilla.

¶No, no, Madam, he will ere long be with you, you may trust.

Susanna.

¶What yonder he is me thinkes.

Serua.

¶It is he in very deede.

With that she goeth to him and maketh Curtesy.

Susanna.

¶I will not say vnto you now, what you did cause me thinke,

In déede I will conceale it now, and at the matter winke.

Ioach.

¶What Susan doest thou chyde me now, I will fell thée my mynde,

That women there be none at all, but shrewes they are by kynde,

Susanna.

¶Well, well, to auoyde this controuersye, I will confesse that cryme,

And I pray you hartily to aryse, and let vs home to dyne.

Note that from the entraunce of Susanna, the Iudges eyes shall neuer be of her, till her departure, whispering betweene themselues, as though▪ they talked of her.

Ioach.

¶What is it dinner tyme so soone, me thinkes it scantly noone,

Susanna.

¶Yes good my Lord I pray you now, make ready and go we soone.

With this Ioachim, Susanna and her two Maydes, go to the Table to the two Elders.

Ioach.

¶Loe now my maysters you may sée, the state of marryed men,

My wyfe is come, I must be gone, I must yéelde to her when,

Volup.

¶And reason good forsooth it is, for euery man to doe,

[Page]In some thing as his wyfe shall will, his willing hart vnto.

¶Ye speake it well in very déede, but it were harde to fynde,

If both your wordes and hart did gree in vttering this your mynde,

¶If he speake not his thought Madam, I dare beshrew his harte,

For as he sayd I thinke in déede, and shall doe for my parte.

¶Your conclusyon now I sée, is that I should obay,

[...] wyse in this her small request, well, well, I say not nay,

But Susan come let vs go home, the sooner shall we dyne,

As I doe you, so shall you me, obay another tyme.

¶And reason good in fayth my Lorde, both now and alwayes to,

That I should follow your behestes, as reason wils me do.

¶Well farewell my Maysters till after noone,

I trust you will dyne, and be here agayne soone.

¶I warrant you we will not be long,

¶If we should, we should do you wrong.

Here Ioachim, Susanna, and her two maydes depart, and the Iudges make vp their Bokes and ryse, and Voluptas speaketh.

¶Now Mayster Sensuality I would mayster Doctor were here▪

¶I had rather talke with him, then heare of this geare.

And so shut their Bokes.

¶Oh Venus that hath suffred me, to quench my youthfull fyre,

With loue of those from tyme to time, that I did most desyre.

And Cupid to that neuer earst didst séeke to quench the hart.

Of her to whome thou gauest might to mittigate my smart,

Continue still your friendly guyse, to me your auncient man,

And now with poynt of pearcing dart, doe cause that fayre Susan,

May loue agayne those that loue her, graunt this you Gods to me,

and pull away euen what you will, I craue no more but she.

¶Or if you Gods haue any power, as auncient Poets fayne,

Marke well my words which from the hart procéede I tell you playne.

If any man in all the world haue cause for to replye,

I must confesse and thanke you to, the same is very I,

[Page]I neuer yet did fancy her, I thanke you of your grace,

But you vouchsafte to giue her me, with time as méete as place.

Now those which in felicitie by your good grace haue bene,

That you will here thus cast them of, let not those dayes be séene,

Graunt to vs now that Susan may graunt loue for loue agayne,

Thrise happy then shall be our dayes, we shall be voyde of payne.

Volup.

¶What wight in all this world hath fortune so faunde on,

As she hath done on Ioachims syde, in truth I thinke of none,

A wyfe quoth a: No, no, I think an Aungell sure she be,

Why all this world, nor ten worldes mo, haue any such as she.

The fewter of her formed face, the glistering of her eyne,

Her shoulders that are quadrant to, her nose that is so fyne.

Her chéekes that are so chery red, her lippes so red and thin,

Her smyling cheare which often showes the pittes vpon her chin.

Her brestes that are so round and fayre, her armes that are so long,

Her fyngers straight with vaynes beset, of blew and white among.

Her middle small, her body long, her buttockes broade and round,

Her legges so straight, her foote so small, the like treades not on ground

I thinke that Nature which made her, cannot make like agayne,

Or else that she a Goddesse is, I thinke I tell you playne,

A Iudge quoth a: A Iugler Lorde, I would thou madste of me,

So that I had to Iugle with, such iugling staffe as she.

Sensua.

¶Why Syr are you a Iugler now, I pray you aunswere me,

What is the iugling staffe you craue, if graunted it may be.

Volup.

¶You know your selfe no Nicromancie, but yet of Leg [...]rdimayne,

A cast or two but secretly would right well please vs twayne,

Sensua.

¶By God I would spende my best cote to fish within her poole,

And yet my father in fishers arte was neuer but a foole.

But what for that it forceth not, if we might spie a place,

And time that well may serue the turne, I will put forth the case,

But we are counted Elders here, and doe the people guide,

And that we doe must secrete be, least that we be espide,

For God, or for his threatninges, I passe it not a straw,

But for myne honour in this world, is it I stand in aw.

Volup.

¶You say I doe assu [...]e you, as I my selfe doe thinke,

The time that we haue here to liue, it lasteth but a winke,

[Page]And when that we are dead and gone, then rest we in the ground,

And out of doubt besyde this lyfe, none other life is found,

Therefore I doe assure you, I mente and doe meane still,

By right or wrong, by force or frawde, to lyue and haue my will,

To eate and drinke to quaffe and play, I care not in what sort,

To leade my lyfe full merrily in euery kinde of sporte.

And for to haue the company of such a one as shee,

I will oppresse a thousand fooles to giue her gold and fée.

Marr [...] alwayes in our Garmentes sad and graue we must vs show,

And that shall still our lightnesse hyde, that no man shall it know,

But yet our enterpryse seemeth great, that we doe meane to doe,

For Susan is a secrete Dame, reporte me vnto you.

And eake her credite is so great, that if she doe denye,

The moste and least in all the world, beleeue her by and by.

And therefore let vs séeke and know eche daunger still afore▪

And so our ship shall safely sayle▪ and we may keepe on shore.

And therefore if we could by crafte, some slaunder on her rayse,

It might helpe well our credite when, we seeke our lust to please.

¶I promise thee I must accoumpt, thy wits to be deuyne,

Thy sences are of such effect, how f [...]r do they passe myne.

I know a ma [...]e full meete for this, if I knew his resorte,

A fellow for this to [...] alone, his name is Ill Report

Why see how good our fortune is, see how he commeth yond

And we to see his entraunce now, in Corner here will stand.

The Vice entreth, and looketh not at them.

¶Twixt Douer and Kent,

Except I misu [...]nt,

Is myles fyue and durty,

Twixt London and Powles,

Are coddes headed nowles,

A shamefull company,

Twixt Freshingfield & feuershā,

And Norwich and Ludham,

A myle and a halfe,

Twixt Dunington and Dawbny

If you will beleeue mee,

Is a Cow and a Calfe,

At [...]ramlingtowne Stéeple,

Amongest all the people,

Are Oysters to sell.

At the signe of the Plow,

Is a very fayre Sow,

I know her by the smell.

[Page]

At Baddingham Kay,

A woman harde say,

Lay ships at an Anker:

The best red wyne.

That euer dranke swyne,

at the signe of the Tanker,

On shooters hill,

Is such a Wyndmill.

To grinde Gonpowder withall

as old womens bones,

Are saued for the nones,

To kéepe worke withall.

Who Robin who,

How far wilt thou go,

From Rommey to Rome,

Well it makes no matter,

Who can lye and flatter,

May come agayne soone.

Why what kynde of weather,

Did bring me hither,

Or what make I here:

Examine me well,

For I cannot tell,

Is not this good geare,

Well euen lyke a mome,

I must pack and be gone,

To one place or other,

My Dad is so black,

That what I doe lack,

I aske of my mother.

The Vyce running out, is stayde by Sensualitie, who sayeth.

Sensua.

¶Why friend know you not me?

III Rep.

¶Why man I know not my selfe.

Volup.

¶No, art not thou a Phisition?

III Rep.

¶No by my troth Syrs in no condicion,

Volup.

¶No, I trow we two gaue thee ten pounde,

III Rep.

¶Mary syr and I am glad that such gu [...]s [...]es I haue found,

For the law sayth playnly thus, looke what a man doth giue,

Is irrecompensible sure, so long as God doth liue.

But you shall haue your come agayne so soone as God is dead,

Or else take all my Landes and goods, and also take this head,

Till then my maysters recorde beare, what you doe heare and sée,

These gentlemen doe both confesse, that they did giue it me.

Volup.

¶Why friend shall we lose our Money?

III Rep.

¶Why foole though I know not Phisick I know a connye.

Sensua.

¶Mayster Uoluptas for the Money force not, he is a good fellow,

And will otherwyse deserue it, I doe right well know,

Volup.

¶I will say no more of it, but doe remitte the same,

But I pray thee tell me what is thy name?

[Page]¶Mary Syr a woman.

¶What act thou a man, and haste a womans name?

¶Why syr are you a woman, and haue a man to your Dame.

¶Nay I pray thee iest not but tell me thy name.

¶In fayth syr she can doe you no pleasure, for she goeth with crooches.

¶ [...] go [...]th vpon crooches I pray thee tell,

¶Mary my Dame syr her A [...]se is not well.

For she had a vengeaunce bote payne betwéene her legges,

And her Surgeon hath magmed her with driuing in pegges.

¶Thou art a merry fellow, I aske thée thy name?

¶B [...] my Fathers soule syr I know not the same,

But yet I will talke lyke a mayster of arte,

Though my cheefe erudition hath bene at the Carte,

Twert I [...]fa [...]de Redding any Portsmouth,

You shall fynde my name I tell you forsooth.

¶If thou werte gentle, thou wouldst not sende me so farre,

But f [...]iendly declare and show what you are.

¶Why whether I be friendly or no, in fayth thou arte foolish,

And mad to I thinke, that vnderstandest not English,

Take the fyrst Syllable of these Townes thrée,

A [...]d what my name is thou shalt playnely see.

¶I will rid the stryfe, and tell in playner sorte,

His name as I tolde you, is Ill Reporte,

¶What playne Ill Report, no mayster at all,

in fayth for all your bloody gowne, I will ray you on the scall.

¶Why gentle Mayster Ill Reporte it is a friendly parte,

With playne wordes to salute a friend, proceeding from the harte,

And I dare speake in your behalfe, although you seeme to sweare,

That friendly you do take his wordes, as we doe friendship beare.

¶Geue me thy hande my friend, I sweare by my Dad and Lorde,

Thou art arse honest a man, as is in the vn [...]arshole worlde.

Thou l [...]uest me, and thou louest me, and I loue thée, and I loue thée,

And is not Ill Reporte Voluptuousnesse, and Sensualitie,

A glorious and blessed trinitie, a pestelence on you both,

¶Let vs leaue now mayster Ill Reporte,

¶Why Knaue doste thou check me in such a sorte.

[Page]Sensu.

¶No syr, but we haue waighty masters to discus,

And for your wysedomes sake we account you cheefe of vs,

And because it concerne [...]h womens kynde,

I know you as good as any man may fynde.

Ill Rep.

¶In womens geare I am alone, it is my whole delight,

And I will helpe you in that case, be it wrong or right,

Volup.

¶Well then I will be shorte vnto thée man,

We burne both with lust to Susan.

Ill Rep.

¶And Ue [...]us with Bacchus for wyne, and Ceres for Corne,

Is alwayes colde, and thou burnest after a horne.

Volup.

¶Why syr, why say you so,

Ill Rep.

¶Thyne owne wordes in such sort go.

Didst not thou say to me euen now man,

That thou waste in loue, and could not get thy shoes on.

Volup.

¶No syr, no, I speake of Susanna.

Ill Rep.

¶Who syr, the countrey hath no peare a,

And is not a Neates feather I pray thée a,

Better to pull on thy shoes a,

Then to pull them on with thy fyngers end a.

Volup.

¶We talke of Ioachims wyfe, whose name in Latten is Susan

Ill Rep.

¶Oh oh, Est nomen Mulieris,

And you would haue, tactus ipsius ventris.

You loue well Salmon of the meses,

For a womans belly your dyet doth please,

But if you meane to haue my helpe, to fortefy your forte,

All that I can doe is, to giue her an ill Reporte▪

By which meanes if you proue, and cannot speede,

That she desyres you, the peoples cares I will [...]eede,

Whereby, and by your demure countenaunc [...],

You shall by loue or feare, obtayne your desyred d [...]lyaunce.

Sensua.

¶Oh excellent wit, and friendship irrecompens [...]ble,

We will requyte you with the lyke, i [...] euer we be able.

Ill Rep.

¶By my troth you say very well, for so do the common sorte,

in recompence of a good turne, giue an ill reporte.

Well g [...]t you packing to dinner, and when you fynde her alone,

Spéede your purpose if you may, and let me alone.

For I will cloke your doinges, and hers shall be the blame,

[Page]You shall doe the fault, and she shall haue the shame,

Well once agayne adue.

¶And to be short as much agayne to you.

Here go out the Iudges, and the Vice taryeth still.

¶Must not a common welth,

Be néedes in good health,

That haue such Rulers,

They are syck of the sweat,

And to auoyde their heat,

They must haue coolers,

They must néedes spéede well,

That know I come from hell,

And seeke myne aduyce,

Well doe them not blame,

For to open shame,

I will them intyce.

And so at the last,

I shall bring to passe

My Fathers desyre,

For Susan or the Iudge,

To please his olde grudge,

Shall burne in his fyre,

What seace Knaue seace,

Holde thy tongue and be peace,

What is he comes here,

It is Ioachim alas,

I will be gone by the Masse,

It is he that I feare.

Ioachim entreth, and the Vice runneth out.

¶Seuen tymes is sayd that in one day, the iust man doth offend,

Then seuen tymes seuen doe I alas, good Lorde doe it amend,

And graunt that what I take in hande, or what I shall begin,

May guyded be by thy good grace, and so I shall not sinne.

Well to sée what my mates haue done, to helpe ech pore mans case,

I will absent my selfe a whyle, and get me from this place,

But yet before that I go hence, Lord shield me with thy might,

And graunt me by thy wonted grace, to iudge eche thing aright,

I passe not of this pomped worlde, nor might that is therein,

I séeke good Lorde by thy good grace, in heauen a place to win.

And therefore I assure my self, my hope shall be no lesse,

That if thou guide me with thy grace, I shall obtayne thy blesse.

And so shall all that vertue séekes, and liue here on the ground,

And they that doe the contrary, God will them sure confound.

Well waighty busynesse cals me hence, to God I leaue you all,

[Page]Who graunt vs all to stand vpright, and not in sinne to fall.

Here goeth out Ioachim, and Susannas two mayds enter.

Ancilla.

¶When fyrst I came into the Court, where we doe serue and dwell,

What I did thinke would moue you laugh, if I that tale should tell.

[...]erua.

¶To laugh sometyme is medsonable, therefore thou mayest do well,

Thy merry thought to vtter now, that tyme doth serue to tell.

Ancilla.

¶I heard once in my fathers house, a Gentleman declare,

The worthy customes of the court, and [...]ake the Princely fare,

The gorgeous Garmentes of eche Dame, their tyne and famous lyfe,

The noble workes of amorous Knights, their stoute and louing stryfe,

The pleasure of eche worthy Dame, how they doe hunt and hawke,

And wearyed with eche pastyme thus, the streates how they did walk

The noble maskes that were showed forth in euery winters night,

The Reuels and the reueling cheare, that did eche harte delight,

Musitions how they did deuyse, with songes to please the eare,

And Musickes arte by instrument that gladded hartes to heare,

And sometyme the pore mans chylde, that there is plaste to be,

To honour clymes for vertues sake, and brought to hye degrée,

Tush, then was I on fyre set, till I could get the grace,

Of Fathers and of mothers graunt, to dwell in such a place,

They graunted me, and I was glad, thus came I here to dwell,

But now I thinke both you and I, another tale can tell,

And yet can none of vs denye, but that his wordes were true,

But that pertaynes not to my state, nor yet belonges to you.

For we but wayters are on them, that leade these happy days,

We trudge and trauayle and take payne, they do possesse the prayse,

Thus when I thinke how wyde I shot, when I shot at this marke,

I laugh to sée how ready youth is still to chaunge his worke,

I leapte from ease and quyet state, within my natiue soyle,

And came into a stranger ayre, to trauayle and to toyle.

Serua▪

¶And can you laugh at this conceite, then I will make make you smile

When tyme and place shall serue agayne, for vs to talke a whyle,

But now let vs be packing hence, our Dame may thinke vs long,

She will forsooth giue vs the right, if we giue her the wrong.

[Page]¶Harke Serua, harke, the clock strikes one, tis tyme for vs to go,

It is a poynt of policy, to loue and feare a throw.

They go out, and Sensualitie and Voluptas enter.

¶Heu mihi quod nullis amor est medicabilis herbis,

Wo to me wretch, wo once agayne, wo to this day and hower,

Wherein my heate of ard [...]n [...] loue, will coole with hearbe nor flower,

Wo to the God that sendes the loue, wo to him [...] the Dart,

And can so stryke as will not heale, by hearbe or medicines arte,

Wo to my selfe that fyxt my hart, where I cannot reuoke,

Wo to that blynde boy once agayne, that gaue my hart the stroke.

if I may fynde a tyme and place, to coole this my desyre

I will doe it to spyte the Gods, I care not for their yre.

¶Sensualitas my friend, you know as well as I,

How fyrst we found by secrete meanes Susannas haunt to spye,

Shée goeth ech day when she hath dynde, vnto a certayne spring,

Within here Orcharde her to wash, which is a wholesome thing.

There were we sure at the least, our eyes to fyll and please,

Be quiet then, that may perhaps, our sorrowes partly ease.

¶Ye say full well, and I thinke sure, if we could closely hyde,

Our selues within some couert place, a tyme there might be spyde,

Wherein we might take her alone, and then through loue or might,

We would haue both our pleasure there, to voyd this sorrowfull plight

¶Well let vs go and hyde our selues, within that Orcharde then,

For after dinner she comes there, I know her wonted when,

And Ill Report vs promysed, what so we say or doe,

That he would sense vs of the fault, and blame Susanna to.

¶Haue with you then with all my hart, O Lord that the were there,

Away apace, go on afore, me thinke she commeth here.

Here they go afore into the Orchard, and Susanna and her two maydes come vpon the stage.

¶If any woman in this world, my God may iustly prayse.

It is I good Lorde aboue the rest, that liueth in these days.

[Page]Thou blessest me my Lord my God, and [...]ake my louing Spouse,

My Cattayle in the field abroade, my seruauntes in the house.

My Corne both in the Barne and field, doth yeeld full great increase,

And thus O Lord thy benifytes, towardes vs doth neuer seace.

O Lorde doe graunt that these thy giftes doe not our hartes so syll,

That if thou lay thy hand on vs, we take that part for ill.

But as by this thy prouidence, we liue and take our rest,

We may if any storme doe fall, account it for the be [...]t.

Anci [...]la haue you warnde the Cooke, his busynesse so to ende,

As sl [...]cknesse in the sam [...] his acte, my Lorde doe not offende.

Ancilla.

¶Yea Madam ech thing is pr [...]st, and shall be in good hower,

He is right carefull for his parte, I doe it you assure.

Susanna.

¶And Serua haue you for your part done that I bid you doe,

Serua.

¶Those thinges which you gaue me in charge,

My selfe haue done them to.

Susanna.

¶Well then will I go wash my selfe, to the Orchard let vs go.

Here they goe into the Orcharde.

Me thinkes the wether very warme▪ the season very hote,

And yet there is a thing or two, that both you haue forgot.

Ancilla.

¶What is that Madam?

Susanna.

¶Neyth [...]r of you both I thinke, haue brought me sope and oyle,

To wash the sweate of from my skin, or rid away the soyle.

Well go you both togither hence, I thinke you know wherefore,

And spéede agayne, but here you hoe, make fast the Orchard dore,

Serua.

¶Yee forsooth.

Here they go out and shut the Orchard dore.

Ancilla.

¶Prone with your foote, if that the Dore, as we were had he lockt,

Serua.

¶I warrant him that must come here must stande awhile and knock.

Ancilla.

¶How say you friend and fellow both, did we not go hence well,

Gods blessing haue his honest harte, that fyrst did found that bell.

You s [...]d if you remember well▪ when I did tell my tale,

To recompence the same with like, you sayd you would not fayle.

[Page]¶You say but true▪ and to it then, for losing of the tyme,

My Mother is a Farmers wyfe, her maydes doe serue her swyne,

But here you what, if I agayne were at my countrey home,

I would not leape thus to the court, to sit there lyke a mome.

For pleasure more is in one hower, there with our Gill and Iack,

Then here is in fyue hundred yeres, for nothing there doth lack,

There had I for to run abroade my frée and youthly will,

Here may we not once péepe for feare, our mouthes are shut vp still,

I nothing doubt but when I shall, to mother make my mone,

For lack of talke my tongue and lippes togither will be growne,

Well chaunge I would this my straight life, I tell you for my parte,

And he that brought me to the court beshrew his naked harte.

¶Not long ago I heard one say, I thinke he ment by vs,

A latten sence, and this it was, Nemo sua sorte contentus,

Women are inquisitiue, I asked him what he ment,

He sayd not one in all this world, was with his chaunce content,

¶Well we must now, and therefore peace, and let vs go our way,

For we it is that must accoumpt which way we spend the day.

Here they go out, and the two Iudges that lye hidden talke in this wise.

¶The greatest scourge that may be giuen, to any liuing wight,

I feele it now, alas, alas, that she is in my sight.

Why Cupids flames doe burne my harte, why sée my tormentes here,

And ye [...] to ease my hugy smart, I dare not proue for feare.

Now is the tyme and let it go, we neuer fynde the léeke,

And yet to heale my secrete wo, my hart is now to seeke.

¶Peace friend, consyder well your state, and let your sorrow slake,

For I it is that must and will this matter on me take,

if you do this with languishing our presence here descrye,

Before that we lay handes on her then were we neare the nye.

Peace I say. I say be still, I will to her alone,

And follow you as you sée tyme, as soone as I am gone,

¶I will.

¶Fayre Lady be you not afrayde that you doe sée vs heare,

[Page]We both be come to doe you good, and not to yeeld you feare,

You sée the Orchard dores are fast, the wailes are close and iust,

In all this world none can vs see, we may do what we lust,

I say agayne in all this world▪ none can see what we do,

We burne towarde thee with feruent lust consent vs therefore to,

We are but men, and of that kinde, that thou thy selfe arte made▪

Come lye with vs, we loue thée well, Susan be not afrayde,

For if thou wilt not then we shall, a testimoniall lay,

Against thee of a maruai [...]ous force, and thus both we will say,

A yongman with thée here we found, in very secrete sporte,

Which caused thée away to send thy maydes in such a sorte.

Susanna.

¶Alas me thinkes your thoughtes and wordes togither do not gr [...]e,

You are of age, and know right well, that no such sinne should be,

You know also God doth it curse, and [...]ake our lawe on earth,

Doth recompence such sinners to, with sharpe and cruell death.

And therefore good my friend I say, doe leaue as you begon,

And I will holde me so content, and hyde that you haue done.

Sensu.

¶Nay, nay Madame, we meane not so, we mean [...] to haue our will,

Doe you consent you shal [...] vs fynde both sure and secrete still,

And so we may haue company, no wigh [...] can vs correct,

And this I know assuredly, no man will vs suspect,

This doe, or else I sweare for troth we shall declare at large,

as this my friend hath sayd afore, which were to great a charge,

Therfore consent we might haue done, while we haue vsde this talke

If not doe you assure you, our euidence shall walke.

Susanna.

¶Oh Lord, o [...] God, oh King of blisse, what stormes doe stop my breth,

If I fulfill your fylthy lust, I know it breedes my death,

And if I doe not, then ah, alas, [...]ou trap me in your bandes,

And thus can I pore Innocent, by no meanes scape your handes.

Well better it is without the act, your daunger to fall in.

Then to attempt my Lord my God with this so vyle a sinne.

Se. Vo.

¶Helpe, helpe, helpe.

Here two seruauntes of the house run out, and breake open the Orchard dore, and asketh what is the matter, and then Voluptas speaketh.

[Page]¶What is the matter?

¶It was our chaunce in ending things, which we haue for to ende,

Secretly to common here, where none should here our mynde,

And lying close and secrete still, we shame to much to shew,

But what we saw, we kéepe it close, till Ioachim may it know.

[...].

¶There is but one that liueth for aye, and séeth euery thing,

He knoweth the fruite of euery trée, before the braunche doe spring,

I leaue to him in this my néede, that which I haue to do,

I am but one, thou knowest my God, these wicked men are two.

¶Me thinkes this matter very straunge, and soundes not lyke a truth

My Mistresse vertue all the world haue noted from her youth.

¶Our Mistresse, yea she doth her lyfe, in such sorte still direct,

As fyckle fame at no tyme durst, her honest lyfe suspect,

I tell thée true Seruus my friend, I flatter not for méede,

It shalbe found that they them selues haue wrought this wicked déede

And cause that she would not consent, to serue their fylthy lust,

They haue wrought this to scuse themselues, Seruus thou mayst me trust,

¶Come away, come away, in fayth Madame, you are a secrete whore

Full long haue I mistrusted it, though I tooke you not before.

¶A whore, yea vyle and fylthye whore, fye on it fylthy acte,

I thinke a thousand of her toyes, the vyldest whore doth lack.

Here goe out the two Iudges and Susanna, and sayeth as she goeth.

[...].

¶Why God if I most synfull wight, might reason once with thée,

Canst thou permit and suffer still, these wicked thus to lye?

My sorrowes all and some I sende, them to thy heauenly throne,

Receiue my sobbing teares oh Lord, and ease me that do mone.

They be gone.

[...].

¶Harde you not my fellow deare, I thought her hart had broke,

And eke my soule did sorrow much, to here the wordes she spoke,

But I know this assuredly, that if she guiltlesse bée,

God will defende the innocent, from cruell destinie,

[...].

¶Guiltlesse man, yes assuredly, and marke what I doe tell,

Thou shalt sée them dye shamefully, and she shall doe full well,

Why God himselfe hath spoken this, the fruite showeth euery trée,

[Page]And marke if synce thou kn [...]west her fyrst, where is one such as shée▪

She serueth God deuoutly still, she helpeth eke the pore,

And to ayde them that want reléefe, she goeth from dore to dore,

And now in this her greatest néede, she doth vpon God call,

I promise thée I trust in God, he will not let her fall,

Seruus

¶Oh Lord that neuer didst refuse, a synners iust complaynt,

kneele downe.

With teares I aske reléefe of thee, in this her great constraint,

That if she guiltlesse be good Lorde, as I doe hope full well,

Doe strength her Lorde, and teache her tongue, which way her tale to tell.

Not Lord that thou haste néede of vs, but for to heape thy prayse,

Which thy deserte shall herein get, for now and eake alwayes,

The world shall wonder at thy worke, and alwayes in thée trust,

Because thou doest deliuer her, from those that are vniust.

Tru Rep.

¶Ryse vp Seruus, for I haue heard, eare this some men to say,

The sore that suddayne taken is, doth soonest weare away.

And ofte the paynter in his workes, to shew the fayrer whyte,

Doth set the blackest black of all, agaynst it ouer right.

And I haue heard, and so haue you, our mistresse often say,

Why Lorde doest thou loue me so well, that liue in welth alway,

Graunt to me God once in my lyfe, a little péece of thrall,

But stande by me good Lord I say, let me not synke nor fall.

And this hath God I warrant thée, done for to shew his might,

And though her case doe now séeme crookte, he will set it aright.

You sée that tyme weares fast away, and we haue much to do,

Let vs go home and nothing say, as nought at all we knew.

Ioachim entreth loking about him.

Ioach.

¶Are not the Iudges yet come here, alas what is their care,

They wa [...]gh at all no pore mans case, but plye their daintye fare,

I hearde of late, I trust not true, they care not who doe curse,

Or who doe blesse they force it not, so they may fyll their purse,

Oh Lord thou knowest how thou doest hate, ye wicked bribing wight,

And I know Lord not one at all, can hyde him from thy sight,

And if they be such wicked men, as Fame hath spread for true,

Doe teache them Lord to mend their fault, & frame themselues anew.

Thou gloriest not in sinners seate, which from thy lawes remeue,

[Page]Thou grauntest them tyme of thy grace, for to repent and liue,

I speake but as the common brute, hath fylled euery eare,

I hope my selfe oh Lord my God, they do thée loue and feare,

Well synce they are not come in déede, I will go home agayne,

Where till they come in vewing thinges, my selfe will take some payne

And God preserue and blesse you all, I speake to eche degrée,

And he alwayes remayne with you, and also go with me.

Here goeth out Ioachim, and Helchia and his wyfe enter.

[...].

¶Sorrow oft tymes doth trye a man, it is a manly part,

When sorrowes doe oppresse a man, to shew a manly harte,

Where weeping will not vayle nor helpe, nor curtesy will serue,

What vayieth then a manly hart, his courage to let swerue,

Well wyfe she is our daughter deare, and we her parentes eke,

U [...]rtuous euer me thought the wenche, gentle, wyse, and méeke.

And for our partes thou knowest O Lorde, it was our chiefest awe,

Our Daughter to instruct and teach▪ the trade of Moyses l [...]we,

And therefore Lord if our offence, or else her owne desarte,

Haue bene the cause of this her fall, yet quallify her smarte,

And graunt that with her lyfe, her fame may also dye,

And that we heare no more her fault, this onely bowne aske I.

[...].

¶The losse of goods sometyme doth moue, a man his hart to breake,

But of his childe: Ah, me alas▪ my sobs nill let me speake,

These brests my Spouse, with tender milke, procéeding from my hart

Did giue her suck, did nourish her, alas moste gréeuous smart,

And from my brest vntill you gaue, her to be made a wyfe,

I nourisht her in God his feare, and loued her as my lyfe.

[...].

And sure I am those wicked men that doe accuse her still,

Doe it because that she her selfe, would not obay their will.

Then Lorde of thy hye maiesty, this only bowne aske I,

By guilty meanes thou wilt not let, an innocent to dye.

[...].

¶Peace wyfe, attempt not God, thou knowest all flesh is frayle.

¶I know also where is Gods feare, such lust cannot preuayle.

[...].

¶Peace fye, I know as well as you, that God can well withstande

[Page]All kynde of ill that may befall, but who can scape his hande.

If God to sh [...]w vs what we are, doth suffer vs to fall,

What flesh can that O Lorde withstand, not one amongst vs all,

And yet he shall not thinke by this, that I doe iudge it true,

That this is layde vnto her charge, and both we thus doe rue.

Vxor.

¶True▪ no, no, alas, not true I trust it be,

And yet that she shall dye therefore, both our two eyes shall sée.

Helchia.

¶Fye wyfe how oft ha [...]e thou, thy neighbours gréefe releeued,

And why in this thy owne distresse, are all thy sences méeued,

Doest thou not know our Lorde and God is able to make right,

The weakest parte of simple men, agaynst all Tyrantes spight,

Doest thou not know how God himselfe did Toby alwayes ayde,

And sent him home his sonne agayne, for whome he was dismayde,

And knowest not eake, how that that God, the more to shew his might

When Toby had long tyme bene blynde, he gaue to him his sight,

Remember how the children thrée for seruing God aright,

Were thrust into the burning Ouen, with Terrour and with spight,

And how that he defended them, amidst the flaming fyre,

And made the Prince prayse him by them, and mittigate his yre,

These and a thousand samples mo, Gods goodnesse still doth show,

That God will guiltlesse let her dye, good wyfe doe not thinke so.

Vxor.

¶Gods goodnesse and his power and might, all liuing creatures sée,

And therefore Lorde euen as thou wilt, we leaue it vnto thée,

Helchia.

¶You say right well, and in distresse, friendes comfort euery man,

We will go sée her heauinesse, and ease her if we can.

Here they go out and the Vice entreth and sayeth, in my best peticote▪ &c. with a bell in his hande.

Ill Rep.

¶In my best petticote,

Is there a hole,

My sister burnt it with a cole

A skeane of silke

Will not make it whole,

will ye by any sand mistresse.

Now I desyre

The pox and wylde fyre,

And all the plagues of Hell,

May recompence his méede

That first wrought this déede

To giue me this bell.

Ill Report is a cryer,

Ring Bell.

And a common lyer.

[Page]

As euery Knaue sayth now:

In fayth I was an honest man,

But I cannot tell whan,

Come sporte me to you.

is it not prety geare,

That I must spend and weare,

My Shooes in this sorte,

And trot about the countrey,

Upon my ten toed Palfray▪

It is a prety sporte.

Know you not Ioachims wyfe,

it is a péece with a mischéefe,

She must haue two at ones:

There is neuer a wench here.

But in her best geare,

Would haue flesh without bones

Why, why, do you winke,

Shame to you that shame thinke,

it is but your kynde:

So you may do it couertly,

And cloke it honestly,

You care not where you fynde.

wel I wold maister gailer would come

Then shall all and some,

Know the cause of my comming:

it is as I feare,

For other manner of geare,

Then for masking or mumming.

Then the Gaylor commeth in.

¶What Ill Reporte how do ye?

¶I come to séeke a Knaue I thinke it be ye.

¶What sweare not fellow, it is not an hower ago,

Since we were both Knaues, the people sayeth so.

But what busynesse haste thou to do?

¶Why you shitten Knaue, what is that to you,

¶The cause why I come hither now, is my maisters will to done

And to tell thée that Susanna shall be here araigned soone.

¶And worthy to I make God auow, but what ill luck had I,

That could not get graunt, to hunt in her haunt before that she dye.

Dispatche I pray thée, for yonder I sée, the Iudges are comming,

And therefore take payne, I say once agayne, let vs doe something.

¶We néede not synce we are here redy.

Here entreth Iudex, Sensualitas, Voluptas, and Susanna, and Iudex speaketh.

¶Who liueth in this world, and hath to guide the people to,

Haue worke ynough I warrant you, and more then he can do

[Page]Here haue I now a busynesse, that is of meruaylous waight,

The way to fynde the truth thereof, is also very straight.

But yet in doing of the same, I would we had begone,

The sooner that we do begin, the sooner is it done.

What Bayly haue ye here the crye, that I wilde you to make?

Bayly.

¶Yea my Lorde.

Here the Iudge sitteth downe.

Iudex.

¶Then let the Cryer here an O yes make,

And you your selfe doe to him make the order of the crye,

And let him speake it after you, come of and do you hye.

Bayly.

¶Ill Reporte make an O yes here.

Then Ill Report goeth vp.

Ill Rep.

¶Helpe me vp.

Bayly.

¶O yes.

All manner creatures,

That haue humayne features,

And dwell within this Lande,

Come in and disclose,

What you heare and suppose,

By this woman Susan,

And what you can tell,

Shall now be heard well;

As reason it is,

Your worke shall be good,

In sauing her blood,

If she did not amis,

But if she be guilty,

Then is it necessitie,

That she die for her sinne,

Then what you can say,

Let vs know straight way,

For the Court doth begin.

Ill Report.

¶ O yes.

All maner traytours,

That are yeomen f [...]utours,

That leade Dogges in bande,

Doe stop well your nose,

For feare of the pose,

And giue me your hand.

And if you cannot smell,

Then are you not well,

For reasons by gis:

Will doe you small good,

But chaunge your good blood,

To stinking ywis.

But if you be guiltie,

With order of necessitie,

By shyting so thin:

Then get you away,

And that straight way,

And to clense you begin.

Here shall the Cryer, the Bayly, and the rest go stand before the Iudge and tell him the crie is made.

[Page]¶Cryer call Susanna.

¶Susanna.

¶Here my Lorde.

¶Stand forth and holde vp thy hand,

¶If any here within this court there is that can detect,

This woman guilty of that cryme, whereof she is suspect,

Come forth and say your mindes at large, and all that you know true

For now is time and other time, you haue not that to do,

¶My Lorde Susanna is the wighte, whose fault we must accuse,

And what she is that standeth there, we can do nought but muse.

She is so muffled about the face, we thinke it is not she,

A crafty Dame may compasse so to haue vs go awry.

Voluptas shall seeme to whisper in the others eare.

¶Thou sayest as wel as hart can think, for though we could not touch

Yet pleasing our eyes with this her sight shall serue our lust as much.

¶What peace horeson.

My Lorde vnder correction, I meane to sée her face,

And know if it be she or no, before I speake in place.

¶Discouer her face Bayly.

¶I will my Lorde.

Come on fayre Lady you here your selfe, what I am bid to do.

[...].

¶I pray thee Gayler holde thée still my selfe wil do it to,

O liuing God that all thing séeth, what meanes this crueltie,

Doe not I feele ynough good Lord, but all the world must sée,

I mourne the lesse, O Lord thou knowest an innocent to dye,

But yet my gréefe is to to great▪ to end with infamy.

Yet Lorde I leaue me to thy will, and I wil say no more,

Thou a [...]e my strength in thée I hope, I haue none other power.

¶Now Cryer holde them a Boke.

Lay on you handes and marke well what I shall say,

[...]he euidence that you shall giue agaynst this woman here,

Is for trothes sake, and not for meede, for hatred nor for feare.

Ye shall declare the truth of all, and there from s [...]all not slyde,

Nor any part of it at all from vs you shall not hyde.

[Page]

They kis the Boke.

This is your charge I charge you with, sée thereto you doe looke,

You swere by God who knoweth all, and also by this Booke.

Sensua.

¶As we two in the Orcharde walkte, and none but we alone,

In came this woman with two maydes, but straight she sent them home.

And wayghty charge she gaue them both, we could but muse wherfore

In any case that they should shut, and spar the Orchard dore,

With that a yong man straight slept forth, that hidden secrete lay.

And came to her right shamefullye, and found her Uenus play.

For vs to see the ende of this, in secrete corner stoode,

The open sight of this fowle deede, appalde our auncient bloode.

And when we saw with both our eyes, that they had lyen togither,

Pretending for to take the wretch, our selues we did discouer.

But when we layde our handes of him, we could not hold him still,

His strength was of much fortitude, and ours very ill,

This done, he hyde him to the gate, and so from thence away,

For reason sayth one [...]usty blood, two weake men cannot stay.

Now when this woman thus we tooke, Dame (quoth we) what is he,

That thus your husbandes bed hath fyld, as we with sorrow sée,

But she because that tyme would helpe, to frame a lye full well,

And craftily then could hold her peace, and spared that to tell.

So this the matter is in déede, and both we witnesse be,

And as we meane to aunswere it, we say but what we sée.

Iudex.

¶How say you syr, I charge you now, by the oth that you did take,

Is this conclusyon but the truth, that this your friend doth make.

Volup.

¶True Syr, yea true in deede, I would there were no cause,

For Ioachim her husbandes sake, to punish her with lawes.

Iudex.

¶Susanna now thou seest here the euidence of these men,

Speake for thy selfe it is high tyme, what haste thou to say then,

Wherefore thou oughtest not to dye, for I must sentence giue,

Speake forth or else I know not how, that longer thou shouldste liue.

Susanna.

¶Oh God, oh King, oh mighty one, oh euerliuing Lorde,

What secretes is there thou séest not, what sinne is not abhorde,

Before eche thing doe come to passe, thou knowest what it will be,

Thou knowest good Lorde these wicked men, haue falsly blamed me.

Because I would not to their lust, most shamefully consent,

Agaynst me Lorde thou knowest they doe, this matter thus inuent.

[Page]Behold my God I dye therefore, through mallice of their harte,

Th [...]refore my God receaue my soule, none else can ease my smarte.

¶Susanna holde thée still a whyle, and harken to my talke,

Thy earthly dayes are almost past, now must thou change thy walke

Thou séest here before thy face, how playne thy fault is seene,

For as I doe I must néedes doe, although thou werte a Quéene,

Be thou therefore attentiue to, and harken to thy doome,

Repent the life is gone and past, thinke on the life to come.

Know that there is a God in déede, on whome I heard thée call,

That were thy sinnes ten times as great, he would forgiue them all,

Well hence thou must and to the place, where then shalt end thy life,

Lo, thus I end my sentence now, and thou shalt end thy s [...]ryfe.

Here the Iudge ryseth, and Susanna is led to execution, and God rayseth the spirite of Danyell.

[...].

¶Oh foolish folke of Israell, that know not ill from good,

I am you sée an innocent, and guiltlesse of this blood.

¶I pray thee friend what meane thy wordes, which séeme of such a waight

Disclose the secretes of thy mynde, and tell vs thereof straight,

[...].

¶That I meane speake, I tell you true, shall straight be playnly sayd,

Why? are you fooles O Israell, or are your wits dismayde.

Or haue you not the pollicie, the truth to know and trie,

Why haue you now condemn [...] here, this Israelite to die.

And that which worst is yet of all, and filleth her harte with ruth,

You haue done this (oh foolish men) and haue not knowen the truth.

Go sit in iudgement once agayne, the witnesse they haue borne,

Is false, and yet their grauity, your sences doth subborne.

¶Mary chylde with all my hart, we will retourne vs soone,

And also what thou thinkest meete, it shall straight way be done,

And synce that God by thée hath giuen, a warning to vs all,

Come sit with vs in iudgement seate, least we agayne should fall.

Susanna for ioy shall seeme to sound, the Vice shall call for Vineger and Mustarde to fetche her agayne, the Bayly shall say.

¶Is Mustard good for sick folkes reléefe?

[Page]Ill Rep.

¶Yea Syr, Uineger and Mustarde both is good for béete.

Susanna.

¶Why Lord my God, my King and ioy, what haue I done for thée,

That in the midst of all my woes, thus thou shouldst succour me,

I as touching fylthy flesh, nought but a lump of clay,

Yet thou O Lorde I fynde it still, wilt alway be my stay,

What can I doe for recompence vnto thy heauenly grace,

Nought else good Lorde but prayse thy name whyle I haue liuing space

And I shall be a witnesse still, to those that cleaue to thee,

Thou wilt not suffer them to fall but wilt their ayder bée.

Now Lord while life and dayes shall last, and till my breth be spent,

I will set forth thy gloryous prayse, which is so parmament.

Here they returne all back to iudgement.

Iudex.

¶Danyell I pray thee with all my hart,

Sit downe and in this waighty charge,

Doe helpe to take our part.

Danyell.

¶Cause that sylence be proclaimed.

Iudex.

¶Bayly cause the Cryer to make an O yes.

Here the Cryer goeth vp agayne, and maketh an O yes, Iudex speaketh.

Iudex.

¶How many in this court doth stand, to heare what God hath done,

I charge them in that God his name, their sylence to vse soone,

And Bayly vndoe Susanna, and rid her from her bandes,

And binde those wicked Elders two, both by their séete and handes.

Susanna.

¶See here good people, vnto you all I speake,

How God doth helpe the innocent, and eake their sorrowes breake,

Let myne example comfort you, in all kinde of distresse,

That if you suffer for his sake, he will your ca [...]s [...]case.

And let not feare of any man your constant that [...],

From him that thus most constantly, his [...] doth true,

You sée I am at libertye, that earst hath bene in thrall,

And thus will God deale with all such, as end is mercy call.

Danyell.

¶Where be these wicked people two, that would haue s [...]ed the blood,

[Page]Of guiltlesse Susan, for that she▪ their fylthy lust withstoode.

¶Uoluptas and Sensualitas, holde vp your handes.

¶Here my Lord.

Danyell to the people.

¶Amongest ech thinges that beareth lyfe, there is nothing so excelent

Then man, nor yet there is nothing more pestilent.

God made of man an Innocent, thereby to show his power,

Man made himselfe a wicked wight, as you sée at this hower.

God also did make Maiestrates, the pore to helpe and stay,

Yet some doe vyle examples show, which now doe beare a sway,

I speake it not I will you know, the worst man to offende,

But for that such as guiltie be, their guilt may soone amende.

And you that wicked are in déede, haue you none other trust,

God will confound your acttes and deedes, & turne your selues to dust

And then for your iust deserte, he will place you to dwell,

In Plutoes Pit a fyery Lake, the déepest dyke in Hell.

And therefore I aduertise you, doe learne your selues to know,

And reade Gods bokes where you shall fynde, I nought but truth doe showe

And let these wicked Elders two, be sample to you all,

Uiew well their lofty state of late, and now doe marke their fall.

¶What witnesse shall we haue to trye, that they would do this act,

So closely twixt themselues they haue, this fylthy cryme compact.

¶Cōmaund that these two wicked men may straight be put asunder,

And how they shall accuse themselues, it will make you to wonder.

¶Cryer take asyde Uoluptas, while Sensualitas be examined.

Here he takes asyde Voluptas and sayth.

¶Come on you Knaue, thou bawdy wretch, I hope to haue thy cote,

And for exchaunge thereof thou shalt be strangled in a rope.

Mary syr a bloody gowne vpon my back, will make me looke a hye,

And then that I am Ill Reporte, no worldly man can spye.

¶Well friend I would not haue thée prate, nor place thy words awry

For all the world doth know right well, thou art as ill as I.

[Page]Ill Rep.

¶Gogs woūds knaue thou shittē slaue, hast thou none to check but me

I am an honest man, proue it he that can, I will not be iudged by thee

Volup.

¶No God shall iudge thée.

Ill Rep.

¶What haste thou learned that Lesson now?

Had you learned it sooner, it had bene better for you.

Danyell.

¶What sayest thou now Sensualitas, now that thy mate is gone,

And no man is to helpe thée here, but thou art left alone.

Oh olde and crooked cancred Carle, whose auncient wickednesse,

And rape and rygor thou haste done, now thus det [...]cted is.

What false decrées hast thou decreed, what Innocentes opprest,

What guilty folke haste thou set frée, which good folke doe detest,

Thou haste forgot what God doth say, O wicked thou knowest whan

Thou shalt not hurt the Innocent, nor yet the righteous man.

Well if that thou the truth haste spoke, then tell vnder what tree,

The mutuall talke betweene these two, in Orchard thou didst see?

Sensua.

¶Under a Mulbery trée I saw their conference,

And vnder that trée she committed her offence,

And meaning not for to conceale that faulte, but it to tell,

We marke the order and the trée, we also markt it well.

Danyell.

¶Oh now thou lyest thou wicked man, vnto thy head I speake,

And looke that God his vengeance will with shame vpon thee wreake.

And loe thy sentence he hath heard, and thus he means to doe,

according to thy due desert, to cut thy lyfe in two,

And hearst thou Bayly take thou asyde, this vyle and wicked wight,

And so he commeth not to his mate, nor once within his sight.

Iudex.

¶Now that this man is gone, I beséech you here me speake,

Me thinkes he telleth still the tale, that he at fyrst did breake.

Daynell.

¶Yea one man may still in one tale, in onely order tell,

But yet his Mate will not agrée, doe therefore marke him well.

¶Hoe Cryer bring in Uoluptas there.

Iudex.

¶Anon my Lorde, see how he commeth here.

Ill Rep.

¶Stande forth Uoluptas, and aunswere for thy selfe,

Iudex.

¶Thou must stand forth, and show thée lyke an elfe,

Ill Rep.

¶Oh wicked séede of Canaan, and not of Iuda kynde,

Danyell.

Fayrenesse hath thyne eyes deceaude, and lust hath made thée blynd

With Israels daughters thus you delt, and they for feare consent,

[Page]But Iuda Daughter would not byde, your po [...]es [...]o [...],

Now if such thing thou sawest by her, as thou haste made reporte,

What kynd of tree I pray thée waste, where vnder they did sport.

¶Under a pomgranate tree, she vsed fylthy sporte,

And take her part that taketh it list, it was in shamefull sorte.

[...].

¶Loe now thou lyest naughty man, thy tongue hath thee betrayde,

And calls thy fellowes talke before, your fylthy lust bewrayde,

And now your fylthy lust is spyde, we see it very well,

Oh wicked wight, oh diuelish deede, oh act that soundes to hell.

Gods Aungell standeth with his sworde, euen prest to spill thy blood,

And to dismember both your corpes, which earst was neuer good.

¶Cryer call in the Bayly with Sensualitas.

Now God be praysed, and thankes I giue, to thée oh Danyell,

And for this act I am most bound, Gods glory forth to tell,

He hath saued here the innocent blood, which in him put her trust,

And by the wordes of their owne mouth, hath cast downe the vniust,

Now prayse be to his name therefore, both now and eake alway,

Let all the world that know his might, Amen with vs here say▪

[...].

¶Here my Lord, here is Sensualitas.

¶Set him by Uoluptas.

Shall it please you Danyell now, their Sentence for to giue,

For all the world must néedes confesse, they are not meete to liue.

[...].

¶No Iudex, I haue done Gods will, proceede you in your charge,

And giue them sentence to the death, doe you your selfe discharge.

¶Sensualitas and Uoluptas to, I speake vnto you twayne,

How falsly you accused her, all men doe now see playne.

And God him selfe to saue her blood, hath wonderfully wrought,

And you that sought to spill the same, are also come to nought.

Well God forgiue your wicked déede, and giue your selues to pray,

For of your course of mortall lyfe, this same is the last day.

For hence you shall vnto the place, where such doe vse to dye,

As doe transgresse the Princes lawes, euen forthwith by and by.

And there with stones you shall be st [...]nde▪ while lyfe and [...] doth last

Hoe there away with them I say, let it be done in haste.

[Page] Here goeth out Iudex and Danyell, and Ill Reporte and the Bayly leade the two Iudges to execution.

Ill Rep.

¶Come of with the mischiefe,

Is it now more gréefe,

For you two to dye:

Then other you thought,

Whome you accused for nought,

Mary fye for shame fye.

Be of good cheare,

You shall be past feare,

Within this halfe hower:

Much good do your hartes,

That thus doe take partes,

In euery stower.

They that shall spye,

You Iudges to dye,

For transgressing the law,

Shall say that by might,

In stéede of good right,

You kept men in awe.

Then he brings them to the stake.

Now holde vp your handes,

And receiue your bandes,

Now throw on your stones,

And there is for me,

One as much as thrée,

Shall breake all their bones.

Volup.

¶Soft I pray thée yet a whyle, I pray thée holde thy handes,

And suffer vs to call on God, vpon vs now it standes.

And Lord receiue vs yet at last, that earst did neuer know,

Thy goodnesse nor thy mightie hand, our welth did blynde vs so,

I haue bene giuen in all my time, my flesh to follow still,

Now Lorde forgiue my sences all, I leaue me to thy will.

My sinnes are more then I can tell, my sorrowes passing great,

The shiuering passions of my bones, doth cause my flesh to sweate.

Now Lorde into thy handes I leaue, my sobbing sorrowfull spirite,

Receaue it Lord and from the Fiend defend me with thy mighte.

Sensua.

¶And to me Lord doe not account, the number of my sinnes,

Reiect the same and heare me now, for now my plaint begins.

And though the falshood of the flesh, in welth would let me know,

Yet in this my extremitie, doe thou thy mercie show.

The whole doe néede no medicine, it is bought for thée sicke,

So mercie Lorde doe helpe the froward, and those against the kick.

Not iustice Lord, but mercie we doe craue to ease our bandes.

And by thy mercie both we yéelde our soules into thy handes.

Ill Rep.

¶Are ye readie yet?

Volup.

¶Yea when you will.

[Page] Here they stone them, and the Vyce lets a stone fall on the Baylies foote, and fall togither by the eares, and when the Iudges are deade, the Vyce putteth on one of their Gownes.

¶Now the world is rid of a couple of Knaues we sée,

¶And yet one to much alyue by thée.

¶Nay, nay, my friend and brother,

A Knaue is one, and you [...] another.

I could but maruayle of the wordes they did speake.

Before they did dye, and whence they did breake.

¶Why foole knowest thou not yet, that nature will teach,

Thee when thou goest to hanging how thou shouldste preach.

¶Hanging quoth a, mary I trust or I dye,

To see thy good face hang full hye.

Here entreth Seruus and true Reporte.

¶I promise you I feare me much that Ill Reporte is fled,

If not I haue commissyon, to hang all but his head.

¶Who, who, Diuell who,

How doth the world go,

Must Ill Reporte dye:

No no, I trow,

The world goes not so,

Then all were awry.

For neyther of Prince nor King,

Nor of any other thing,

But my tongue shall walke,

The prowdest of them all,

Shall not giue me such a fall,

Or shall let me to talke.

[...] Rep.

¶Except I be deceaued much, that same is Ill Reporte,

That standes in yonder scarlet gowne, and prates in such a sorte,

Come nea [...] and we will sée in déede, whether it be he or no,

For if it be, I [...]ll thee true, he shall no further go.

For why the Iudge hath giuen in charge, where so we could him spye,

We should for his demerites sake, hang him by and by.

¶It is he in déede I thinke, I will aske him the questyon.

[Page]Seruus.

¶Syr what is your name.

Ill Rep.

¶A Iudge Knaue thou seest, I am the very same.

I am had in great pryce, both in Cittie and in towne,

I am a Magistrate, doest not sée by my gowne.

Tru Rep.

¶By my troth I thinke more grauitie consistes in your co [...]e,

Then abydes in your hart, or goes thorow your throate,

You may be honest and sober, but your countenaunce doth giue,

That you will grow worse and worse, so long as you do liue.

Ill Rep.

¶Gogs wounds knaue, & vyld knaue to, doest thou speake blasphemy

I am as honest a man, as is in all this countrey.

And for the antiquitie of the house I was borne in,

Was a famous house before thou was heard of, or any of thy kin.

And thou doest not well to vse me in this sorte.

Seruus.

¶Why syr is not your name Ill Reporte.

Ill Rep.

¶My name is mayster Ill Reporte in déede,

Seruus.

¶Hearst thou True Report, this is the man we loke for,

True Rep

¶Mary then is it he that I come for.

Ill Rep.

¶My good fellow, why what is thy name,

True Rep

¶True Reporte, I am the very same.

Ill Rep.

¶Gogs wounds, Cosin Hugh Reporte, how the Deuill met we here,

I thinke thou sawest not Willyam Reporte this seuen yeare,

Me thought by thy spéeche, we should be acquaynted,

Though prolixitie of tyme thy Uisage had taynted.

Oh Cosyn Hugh why good Cosin Hugh take it in good part,

That I fawne thus on thée, for I loue thée with all my hart.

True Rep

¶Thou arte a false wretch, and not my Cosin I sweare,

He would haue Ill and true to be Cosyns, is not this good geare,

Ill Rep.

¶Oh Cosin Hugh it gréeues me thou wantest lerning, & art so prety a man

I will tell thée foole, how thy name is Hugh, and myne Wylliam,

Though thou knowest it not thy selfe, I may not much blame thée,

It is so long ago since thou waste in my countrey.

His no Letter, but an asperation,

Which may be left out in many a fashion.

Helin with an H, harke and be attentiue,

Or Elin without an H, is not offensyue.

So whether the H be put in, or the H be left out,

[Page]The worde standes indifferent, this is no doubt,

Now take the H from thy name, then it standes lyke an Ewe,

And some friend hath put in Tr, and so calles thée trew,

As by a familyer example, I know a false knaue or two,

That are Hostlers in Innes, yet men call them trew,

Therefore leaue of Tragayne, fye man for shame,

And be cald Hugh agayne, for that is thy Christen name,

And now to my owne name, first we are children & then grow to men

And Wyll for Wylliam is heard often then,

And Children at fyrst when they learne to prattle,

In stéede of Will, doe ill often tattle,

Thus being yong, and called Ill for Will,

Men for a custome doe call me so still,

And it contentes me well to heare the same,

Because for my purpose it often doth frame,

And I my selfe did neuer séeke it to amend,

Because by good learning I can it defende,

Aphaeresis is a figure which Latinestes vse,

And Apocope another which they will not refuse.

The one from the beginning of a word a sillable may cut,

The other from the end, another may shut.

Now twixt Aphaeresis and Appocope you may sée full playne,

That Ill for Wylliam is vsde without shame,

Loe thus doe you sée that we both haue take maymes,

By figuratiue calling of our Christen names,

But as for that kindreds doe not alwayes agrée,

In their christen names, as euery man doth sée.

But in the syr name consanguinitie doth grow,

And so euery kinseman his kinseman doth know,

As Thomson to Thomson, and so in in lyke sorte,

[...] gentle mayster Wyllyam, thou Hugh Reporte.

¶Such a diffinition heard you neuer I trow,

Syr you can make a Silligismus in Buccardo.

¶I beshrew your hart, you smell of learning,

This Knaue hath bene at Oxforde, I giue you warning,

In Buccardo (quoth you) I sweare by saint Megge.

[Page]Once was I there a yeare fast tyed by the legge,

And at my comming forth I scaped a check,

That had not héeles helped handes, my ar [...] had breke my neck.

True Rep

¶Exore tuo te iudeco, thou hast bene an olde théefe,

Seruus.

¶Now shalt thou be hanged in signe of releefe,

Loe True Reporte for all his great cunning,

Himselfe hath bewrayed his knauery in something.

Tru Rep.

¶Ill Report troth will be troth whosoeuer say no,

And thou must be hanged before thou doe go.

Ill Rep.

¶Nay by the masse then haue I ill luck,

If wordes will not serue I will fight a pluck.

Bayly.

¶Nay then let me come and helpe,

For though my tongue be ill and I cannot vse talking,

Yet I loue to be where fystes are walking.

Here they struggle togither, the Gaylour casts the Rope about Ill Reports neck.

Ill Rep.

¶Why Knaue wilt thou choke me?

Bayly.

¶No not yet syr, but I will by and by.

Ill Rep.

¶Yet for pittie sake, let me fyrst say my Pater noster.

Seruus.

¶Content I fayth, we will beare with him till than.

Ill Rep.

¶Now by my Fathers soule thou art an h [...]nest man,

And since thou doest so gently that tyme to me giue,

I will not say my Pater noster, whyle I haue a day to liue,

And if you shall at any tyme heare that I so do,

Then hang me hardely and draw me to.

True Rep

¶Fye on him Knaue, away with the villayne,

Ill Rep.

¶Sée the Knaue himselfe can now call me Willyam.

I fayth Cosyn True, I shall but prepare your way,

Your selfe will be hanged to another day.

Here they haue him to hanging, the Deuill entreth saying, Oh oh, oh.

Diuell.

¶How long haue I with toyling payne, sought Susans blood to get,

What engines, snares, and other craftes, about that haue I set,

[Page]And yet that God still doth me wrong, he doth my force withstande,

And them that I doe seeke to get, he keepes them in his hande.

He suffers some to leane to me, as they would come alone,

And when I thinke with them to méete, by him my pray is gone,

Oh God wilt thou not yet thy spight leaue of, wilt thou yet still,

Seeme for to offer as thou doest, and yet denye my will.

Well Ill Reporte thou villayne boy, thy bones I meane to gnaw,

Because of that I gaue thée charge, I am no whit in aw.

Why stand I heare and suffer him, all this whyle to take rest,

His soule, his bones, his flesh and all, by me shall be possest.

And what there is in Hell to harme, or punish him withall,

Or what I may deuyse anew, his flesh shall séele it all.

Oh Boy, oh Knaue, oh foolish Sot, shouldst thou be put in trust,

And haste not wit to bring to passe, that thing I after lust.

Well, well thou villayne Boy and wretch, I ioy thy selfe art come,

And what I would haue done to her, thou shalt haue all and some.

From hence therefore euen presently, my iorney I will take,

And hye me fast for tyme it is, to myne infernall lake.

The Deuill goeth forth, and Ioachim, Susanna, Helchia, & his wife enter

¶Whē stormy clouds doth show their force, & boisterous winds work care

Then ech man sayth when these are past, ye wether wil be faire.

And semblably my Lord my God, amidst my heauy cheare,

I hopte at length, as now it doth, my quiet would appeare,

I haue to thanke thy maiesty for euery kinde of gifte,

But chéefely for myne honest wyfe, my harte to thée I lifte.

How didst thou Lorde agaynst her foes her simplenesse defende,

How didst thou cleane deliuer her, euen at her latter ende.

I thanke thée Lord yet once agayne, thou haste deserued so,

That from thy prayse my hart nor lippes shall hence forth neuer go.

¶Nay then am I good Lord moste bound, to yéelde thée harty prayse.

That haste by helping this my chyld, prolonged these my dayes.

Sorry I was to heare her fault, more sorry for her death,

Her fault was none, and she liues still, what ioy lyke this on earth,

To serue thée still as I haue done, it is my whole pretence,

[Page]Thou art my strength, my hope, my ayde, I séeke no other defence.

Vxor.

¶Myne are the ioyes, and yours none, God hath giuen all to me,

For greater ioyes then I doe féele, there surely none can be.

My Daughter was giuen to the death, thou kepst her with thy might,

Thou helpest her for thy mercy sake, because her cause was right,

Thus I confesse and will doe still, whyle lyfe in me doth raigne,

Thou onely God haste strength ynough, to rid ech wight from payne.

Susanna.

¶No, no, good Lord aboue the rest, to prayse thee I am bound,

That me doest helpe myraculously, and eake my foes confound▪

I was but dead, and thou to lyfe, restoredst me silly wight,

What is she then that beareth breth, that more can shew thy might,

And this thyne acte shall so increase, within me euermore,

And from thy lawes I will not slyde, although I dye therefore,

Ioach.

¶Also good Lorde amongst thy giftes, which euery day are seene,

We haue to prayse thy mighty grace, for our most noble Queene.

Defende her Lorde in all affayres, giue passage to thy word.

And cut them short that will her wo, graunt this O liuing Lord.

Helchia.

¶And to her noble counsayle Lord, giue wisedome and good helth,

Graunt that they doe may glory thée, and mende the common welth.

Vxor.

¶And for the commons of this realme, O Lord graunt my request,

But what thou and the Prince doth will, they iudge it for the best.

Susanna.

¶And for this company gathered here, doe I my prayer make,

God graunt them their lyfe in quietnes, and then their soules do take.

They goe out, and the Prologue entreth.

¶Heare haue you heard good Audience, the end of this our worke,

Wherein we trust no cause of gréefe in any poynt doth lurke,

And though we cannot bewtify the same with musickes song,

Beare with our rudenesse in that part, we troubled you not long,

And if our Authour may perceaue you take this in good part,

To doe the lyke you comfort him, agayne with all his hart.

If any thing hath bene amis, informe him if you please,

If euery thing doe lyke you well, to God giue all the prayse,

To whome I leaue you euery one, and eke my selfe withall,

Who graunt vs all eternall lyfe. Amen now say you all.

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

[figure]

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The commody of the moste vertuous and godlye Susanna neuer before this tyme printed. Compiled by Thomas Garter. Eyght persons may easyly play it. 1. The Prologue and the Saylour for one. 2. Ioachim and Iudex for another, 3. Sathan and Uoluptas another, 4. Sensualitas alone. 5 Susanna alone. 6. Helchia, True Report, Ancilla, another, 7. Ill Reporte the uyce, and Cryer, another. 8. Helchias wyfe, Danyell, Seruus, Serua, for another.

Garter, Thomas.

Edition statement

1578

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-07 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01509

ID [STC]

STC 11632.5

ID [STC]

ESTC S120868

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99856061

ID [PROQUEST]

99856061

ID [VID]

21579

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01509)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21579)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 644:12)

Source

— The commody of the moste vertuous and godlye Susanna neuer before this tyme printed. Compiled by Thomas Garter. Eyght persons may easyly play it. 1. The Prologue and the Saylour for one. 2. Ioachim and Iudex for another, 3. Sathan and Uoluptas another, 4. Sensualitas alone. 5 Susanna alone. 6. Helchia, True Report, Ancilla, another, 7. Ill Reporte the uyce, and Cryer, another. 8. Helchias wyfe, Danyell, Seruus, Serua, for another., Garter, Thomas..

Extent

[46] p.

In Fleetestreate, beneath the Conduite, at the signe of S. Iohn Euangelist, by Hugh Iackson,. Imprinted at London :: 1578.. (Running title reads: The commody of Susanna.) (Identified as STC 11632a on UMI microfilm reel 644.) (Signatures: A-F⁴ (-F4, blank?).) (Reproduction of the original in the Folger Shakespeare Library.)

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