A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 460 pages of information about A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8.

A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 460 pages of information about A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8.

VAN.  Do so, you had need so, I may say to you. 
Now, sure, it is a world of worlds to see,
How all the world inclines to Vanity;
Men seek at first—­that is but Vanity,
And lose at last—­that was but Vanity,
And yet continue still to follow Vanity,
As though it were a thing of certainty. 
And I, that bear the name of Vanity,
And see the world’s exceeding Vanity,
In following so the tracks of Vanity,
Do triumph still amid my empery,
And laugh at their simplicity,
That will be so misled by Vanity. 
But who is this?  O, I know him, a scholar of our train,
’Tis Hob-a-Clunch, that comes for money again.

SCENE III.

    Enter to VANITY, TENACITY, FORTUNE, and MONEY.

TEN.  God speed, Master Fanity.

VAN.  Wocum,[399] Master Tenacity.

TEN.  Sur, cham come once again vor money.

VAN.  So me thinks.

TEN.  Shall be sped now at length, trow ye?

VAN.  I cannot tell ye, ’tis hard to say;
Peradventure yea, peradventure nay.

TEN.  How so, man?

VAN.  I fear me you will spend him too fast away.

TEN.  Ho, ho, ho, ho! dost thou vear that, friend Fanity? 
Shalt not need, man, chill keep him safe, che warrant thee. 
O, that chad him in my clutches, shouldst see, I trow,
Whether chud keep him vast and safe, or no. 
I pray thee, good sweet Master Fanity,
Speak one good word for poor Tenacity.

VAN.  And dost thou indeed so well love money?

TEN.  Do my wife’s bees at home, think’st thou, love honey?

VAN.  What wouldst thou do with it?

TEN. [Hesitating.] Chud, chud, chud, chud—­

VAN. Chud, chud! what chud?

TEN.  Chud—­do no harm at all.

VAN.  No, nor much good, I think, to great nor small. 
But well, put case, I procure thee to speed,
You will remember your promise that I shall be fee’d.

TEN.  God’s vast, man, yea, chill do it, chill do it.

VAN.  Stand there a while, and wait.
[To FORTUNE.] Bright goddess, behold here again Tenacity,
That humbly makes his suit to have money.

MON.  For Money? ho, there!  Money finds himself well: 
Money now hath no liking from Fortune to dwell.

VAN. In vanum laboraverunt, come.

TEN.  Now, good soot’, honey, vair golden mustress,
Let poor Tenacity taste of thy goodness: 
Thee che honour, thee che serve, thee che reverence,
And in thy help che put my whole confidence.

FOR.  Money, you must go to him, there is no remedy.

MON.  Yea, and be us’d as before with Prodigality!

TEN.  Let Prodigality go to the gallows-tree! 
Why, man, he and I are clean contrary. 
I chill coll thee, chill cuss thee.

MON, So did he.

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A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 8 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.