In this strong fight, just with the self same weapons
Which I would wear to guard me, and those are
My readings and belief settled by reading,
And this I find:
Quod non sunt facienda male, vt veniant bona.
For good, how great soever, must be done,
No ill how small soever.
PARIDEL
’Tis no evil
To bar out so great ill, with so great good.
ALBANOIS
All good must not be done, but only that Quod benè et legitimè fiery potest.For, sir, I know, that Deus magis amat aduerbia quam nomina.Quia in actionibus magis ei Placent Benè et legitimè quàm bonum.Ita vt nullum bonum Liceat facere, nisi bene et legitime fieri potest.Quod in hoc Casu fieri non potest.
PARIDEL
Yet, with your favour, several learned men
Are clean from your opinion, and do hold
Quòd licet.
ALBANOIS
Those learned men perhaps may hold it fit
That to save many, they to one man’s danger,
Referring all to the depth inscrutable,
May allow of a particular; on no warrant
That they can show me written, but being stirr’d
With a humane compassion to men’s lives.
And less you revelation have divine
That bids you do, do not.Thus you have mine.
OMNES
What so hard at it?
PARIDEL
We have done.The time
Does pull me from your sweet society.
PALMIO
You will to Babylon.
PARIDEL
I cannot tell.
Whether I do or no, you shall have notice
How this great work goes forward.Strengthen me
With all your comforts, and commend my service
To the most glorious throne.If I get o’er,
There lands black vengeance on the Fairy shore.
OMNES
If prayers can do, it shall. [Exeunt.
Act Three, Scene Three
ENTER PLAIN DEALING and TRUTH.
PLAIN DEALING
But how shall I know that art the right Truth?
TRUTH
Because I am not painted.
PLAIN DEALING
Nay, if thou hast no better colour than that, there’s no truth in thee, for I’m sure your fairest wenches are free of the painters.
TRUTH
Besides I am not gorgeous in attire,
But simple, plain, and homely.In mine eyes
Doves sit, not sparrows; on my modest cheeks
No witching smiles do dwell; upon my tongue
No unchaste language lies; my skins not spotted
With foul disease, as is that common harlot,
That baseborn truth that lives in Babylon.
PLAIN DEALING
Why?Is she spotted?
TRUTH
All over with strange ugliness, all over.
PLAIN DEALING
Then she has got the pox, and lying at my host Grymcums, since I left her company.Howsoever it be, thou and I will live honest together on one house, because my court mistress will have it so.I have been a traveller a great while.Plain Dealing hath leapt from country to country, till he had scarce a pair of soles to carry him.
TRUTH
Why?In what countries have you been?
PLAIN DEALING
In more than I had mind to stay in.I have been amongst the Turks too; the Turks made as much of poor Plain Dealing as those whom we call Christians.
TRUTH
What man is that great Turk?I never saw him.
PLAIN DEALING
Nor ever shalt.Why the great Turk is a very little fellow.I have seen a scurvy little bad paltry Christian has been taken for the greatest Turk there.
TRUTH
Where had you been when now you met with me?
PLAIN DEALING
Looking up and down for thyself.And yet I lie too, now I remember, I was in the city.Our mistress would needs have me go thither to see fashions.I could make an excellent tailor for ladies and gentlemen and fools, for I have seen more fashions there than a picture drawer makes scurvy faces, the first two years of his trade.Its the maddest circle to conjure in that ever rais’d spirit.
TRUTH
Tell me, good kinsman, what in the city saw you?
PLAIN DEALING
What did I see?Why I’ll tell thee, cousin, I saw no more conscience in most of your rich men then in tavern faggots, nor no more soberness in poor men than in tavern spigots.I see that citizens’ fine wives undo their husbands, by their pride, within a year after they are married, and within half a year after they be widows, knights undo them.They’ll give a hundred pound to be dubb’d ladies, and to ride in a coach, when they have scarce another hundred pound left to keep the horses.But, cousin Truth, I met in one street a number of men in gowns with papers in their hands.What are all those?
TRUTH
Oh!They are the sons of justice.They are those
That beat the kingdom level, keep it smooth
And without rubs.They are the poor man’s captain,
The rich man’s soldier, and call’d lawyers.
PLAIN DEALING
Lawyers?Dost know any of them?
TRUTH
A few.
PLAIN DEALING
I wondered what they were.I asked one of them if they were going to foot-ball.“Yes,” said he, “Do you not see those country fellows?We are against them.”“And who do you think shall win?” said I.Said he, “The gowns, the gowns.”
Enter TIME.
TIME
Follow me, Truth.Plain Dealing, follow me.[Exit.
PLAIN DEALING
He charges like a constable.Come, we are his watch.Follow me?Is our Time mad?Oh, brave mad Time! [Exeunt.
Act Four, Scene One
Dumb Show.A cave suddenly breaks open, and out of it comes FALSEHOOD, attired as TRUTH is, her face spotted; she sticks up her banner on the top of the cave, then with her foot in several places, strikes the earth, and up riseth CAMPEIUS, a Friar with a box; a gentleman with a drawn sword, another with rich gloves in a box; another with a bridle.TIME, TRUTH with her banner, and PLAIN DEALING enter and stand aloof beholding all.
TIME
See there’s the cave where that hyena lurks
That counterfeits thy voice and calls forth men
To their destruction.
PLAIN DEALING
How full of the smallpox she is!What ails she to stamp thus?Is the whore mad?How now?Yea, do you rise before doomsday!Father Time, what conduit-pipes are these, that breat out of the earth thus?
TIME
The conduit-heads of treason, which convey
Conspiracies, scandals, and civil discord,
Massacres, poisonings, wracks of faith and fealty
Through Fairies’ hearts to turn them into elves.
See, Truth, see son, the snake slips off his skin,
A scholar makes a ruffian.
PLAIN DEALING
Now must that ruffian cuff the scholar, if I were as he.
TIME
And see, that shape which erst show’d reverend,
And wore the outward badge of sanctity,
Is cloth’d in garments of hypocricy.
PLAIN DEALING
See, see, father, he has a jack-in-a-box.What’s that?
TIME
A wild beast, a mad bull, a bull that roars
To fright allegiance from true subjects’ bosoms.
That bull must bellow at the Flamen’s gate.
His gate that tends the flocks of all those sheep
That graze in the fatt’st pasture of the land
Being all enclos’d; that bull will on his back
Bear all.
PLAIN DEALING
Whither?Whither?
TIME
To hell.’Tis said to heaven
&nb
sp; That will but sit him will with hoof or horn
He gore the anointed Fairy.
PLAIN DEALING
Such bulls have I seen sent out of Babylon to run at people.I should once have rid upon one of them, but he that begg’d my office broke his neck by the bargain and sav’d me a labour.What’s he with the sword?A master of the noble science?
TIME
A noble villain.See, he pulls down heaven
With imprecations.If that blade he sheath not
In our sweet mistress’ breast.
PLAIN DEALING
O rogue!What good clothes he wears and yet is a villain!
TIME
Ay, do, clap hand upon’t.That poisoned glove
Shall strike thee dead to death with the strong scent
Of thy discovered treason.
PLAIN DEALING
What’s that horse courser with the bridle?
TIME
A slave, that since he dares not touch her head,
Would work upon her hand.Laugh and conspire;
The higher villains climb, they fall the higher.
PLAIN DEALING
Stay, father.Now the army comes forward, she takes down the flag; belike their play is done.What wills he bear the colours?Thou hast colour enough in thy face already, thou needst no more.Did ye ever see a more lousy band?There’s but two rapiers in the whole regiment.Now they muster, now they double their files.Mark how their hands juggle and lay about.This is the main battle.O, well floursh’d ancient!The day is theirs.See, nowthey sound retreat.Whither march they now? [Exeunt Dumb Show.
TIME
To death; their falls.Thus Time and Truth proclaim:
They shall like leaves drop from the tree of shame.
Let’s follow them.
PLAIN DEALING
To the gallows?Not I.What do we know, but this freckled face quean may be a witch?
TIME
She is so.She’s that damned sorceress
That keeps the enchanted towers of Babylon.
This is the Truth that did bewitch thee once.
PLAIN DEALING
Is this speckled toad she?She was then, in mine eye, the goodliest woman that ever wore fore part of satin.To see what these female creatures are when they deal with two or three nations!How quickly they wear carbuncles and rich stones!Now she is more ugly than a bawd.
TRUTH
She look’d so then.Fairness itself doth clothe her
In men’s eyes, till they see me, and then they loath her.
TIME
Lose no more minutes.Come, let’s follow them.
PLAIN DEALING
With hue and cry, now I know her.This villainous drab is bawd, now I remember, to the Whore of Babylon, and will never leave her till she be carted.Her face is full of those red pimples with drinking aquavite, the common drink of all bawds.Come. [Exeunt.
Act Four, Scene Two
ENTER TITANIA, FIDELI, ELFIRON, FLORIMEL, a Gentleman standing aloof, and ROPUS.
TITANIA
What comes this paper for?
FIDELI
Your hand.
TITANIA
The cause?
FIDELI
The moon that from your beams did borrow light
Hath from her silver bow shot pitchy clouds
T’eclipse your brightness.Heaven took your part,
And her surpris’d.A jury of bright stars
Have her unworthy found to shine again.
Your Fairies therefore on their knees entreat,
She may be pull’d out from the firmament
Where she was plac’d to glitter.
TITANIA
Must we then
Strike those whom we have lov’d?Albeit the children
Whom we have nourish’d at our princely breast
Set daggers to it, we could be content
To chide, not beat them.Might we use our will,
Our hand was made to save, but not to kill.
FORIMELL
You must not, cause he’s noble, spare his blood.
TITANIA
We should not, for he’s noble, that is good.
FIDELI
The fall of one, like multitudes on ice,
Makes all the rest, of footing, be more nice.
But if by vent’ring on that glassy floor
Too far, he sinks, and yet rise with no more harm
Ten thousand to like danger it doth arm.
All mercy in a prince makes vile the state;
All justice make seven cowards desperate.
TITANIA
In neither of these seas spread we our sails,
But are the impartial beam between both scales.
Yet if me needs must bow, we would incline
To that where mercy lies, that scale’s divine.
But so to save were our own breast to wound,
Nay, which is more, our peoples; for their good
We must the surgeon play and let out blood.
Every peer’s birth sticks a new star in heaven,
But falling by Luciferan insolence,
With him a constellation drops from thence.
Give me his axe.[Writes.] How soon the blow is given?
Witness.So little we in blood delight
That doing this work we wish we could not write.
Let’s walk, my lords.Florimell?
FLORIMELL
Madam?
TITANIA
Stay.
Not one arm’d man amongst us?You might now
Be all old-beaten soldiers.Truth, I thank ye;
If I were now a jewel worth the stealing
Two thieves might bind you all.
OMNES
With much ado.
TITANIA
[To Gentleman.] Ay, marry I commend you, gentleman.
Pray, sir, come near.Look you, he’s well-provided
For all rough weathers.Sir, you may be proud
That you can give arms better than these lords.
I thank you yet, that if a storm should fall
We could make you our shelter.A good sword?
This would go through stitch. Had I heart to kill
I’d wish no better weapon, but our days
Of quarrelling are past. Shall we put up, sir?
We ha’ put up wrongs ere now, but this si right.
Nay, we are not falling yet. [Exit Gentleman.
FLORIMELL
It did us good
To see how your majestic presence daunted
The silly gentleman.
TITANIA
The silly gentleman!
FIDELI
He knew not now to stand nor what to speak.
TITANIA
The silly gentleman!Knew you him, lords?
Where is he?
FLORIMELL
Gotten hence, poor wretch, with shame.
TITANIA
That wretch hath sworn to kill me with that sword.
OMNES
How?
FIDELI
The traitor.
FLORIMELL
Lock the court gates.
OMNES
Guard her person.[Exeunt omnes.
TITANIA
You guard it well.Alack!When lovers woo,
An extreme joy and fear them so appal
That over much love shows no love at all.
Zeal sometimes overdoes her part.It’s right.
When the fray’s done, cowards cry “Where’s the fight?”
Enter FLORIMELL.
FLORIMELL
The wolf’s in his own snare.O, damned slave!
I had like to ha’ made his heart my poniard’s grave.
How got you to this knowledge?Blessed heaven!
TITANIA
It came unto me strangely.From a window.
Mine eyes took mark of him.That he would shoot
’Twas told me, and I tried if he durst do’t.
Is Ropus here, our doctor?
RO
PUS
Gracious lady.
TITANIA
You have a lucky hand since you were ours.
It quickens our taste well.Fill us of that
You last did minister.A drought, no more,
And give it fire, even, Doctor, how thou wilt.
ROPUS
I made a new extraction.You shall never
Relish the like.
TITANIA
Why?Should that be my last?
ROPUS
Oh, my dear mistress!
TITANIA
Go, go.I dare swear
Thou lov’st my very heart. [Exit ROPUS.
Enter PARTHENOPHLL.
PARTHENOPHIL
This Scaly serpent
Is thrown, as he deserves, upon the sword
Of justice; and to make these tidings twins,
I bring this happy news:Campeius,
A snake that in my bosom once I warm’d,
The man for whom —
TITANIA
Oh, we remember him.
PARTHENOPHIL
This owl that did not love your sacred light
Stole o’er the seas by darkness, and was held
In Babylon a bird of noble flight;
They turn’d him with talents, and then gave him bells,
And hither charg’d him fly; he did, and soar’d
O’er all your goodliest woods and thickest groves,
Enticing birds that had the skill in song
To learn harsh notes; and those that fail’d in voice,
He taught to peck the tender blossoms off
To spoil the leavy trees, and with sharp bills
To mangle all the golden ears of corn.
But now he’s ta’en.
TITANIA
Good shepherds ought not care
How many foxes fall into the snare.
Enter ELFIRON.
ELFIRON
Your civil doctor, Doctor Paridell,
Casts anchor on your shores again, being frighted
With a good venture, which he says yourself
Must only have the sight of.
TITANIA
Bring him hither.[Exit ELFIRON.
Lord Florimell, pray call Fideli to us. [Exit FORIIMELL.
Re-enter FLORIMELL with FIDELI and ROPUS.
Sure, ’tis too hot.
FIDELI
Oh, rogue!
TITANIA
Set it to cool.
FIDELI
Hell and damnation!Devils!
FLORIMELL
What’s that?
FIDELI
The damned’st treason!Dog, you whoreson dog!
Oh, blessed maid, let not the toad come near her!
What’s this?If’t be his brewing, touch it not,
For ’tis a drench to kill the strongest devil
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 45