WIT. To be in her company my heart it is set: Therefore I prithee to let us begone; For unto Wisdom Wit hath inclination.
INCLINATION. Oh, sir, she will come her self even anon; For I told her before where we would stand. And then she said she would beck us with her hand.-- Back with these boys and saucy great knaves!
[Flourishing a dagger.]
What, stand ye here so big in your braves? My dagger about your coxcombs shall walk, If I may but so much as hear ye chat or talk.
WIT. But will she take pains to come for us hither?
INCLINATION. I warrant ye; therefore you must be familiar with her; When she commeth in place, You must her embrace Somewhat handsomely, Least she think it danger, Because you are a stranger, To come in your company.
WIT. I warrant thee, Inclination, I will be busy: Oh, how Wit longs to be in Wisdom's company!
[Enter Lady Vanity singing, and beckoning with her hand.]
VANITY. Come hither, come hither, come hither, come: Such cheer as I have, thou shalt have some.
MORE. This is Lady Vanity, I'll hold my life:-- Beware, good Wit, you take not her to wife.
INCLINATION. What, unknown honesty? a word in your ear.
[She offers to depart.]
You shall not be gone as yet, I swear: Here's none but friends, you need not to fray; This young gentleman loves ye, therefore you must stay.
WIT. I trust in me she will think no danger, For I love well the company of fair women; And though to you I am a stranger, Yet Wit may pleasure you now and then.
VANITY. Who, you? nay, you are such a holy man, That to touch on you dare not be bold; I think you would not kiss a young woman, If one would give ye twenty pound in gold.
WIT. Yes, in good sadness, lady, that I would: I could find in my heart to kiss you in your smock.
VANITY. My back is broad enough to bear that mock; For it hath been told me many a time That you would be seen in no such company as mine.
WIT. Not Wit in the company of Lady Wisdom? Oh Jove, for what do I hither come?
INCLINATION. Sir, she did this nothing else but to prove Whether a little thing would you move To be angry and fret: What, and if one said so? Let such trifling matters go And with a kind kiss come out of her debt.--
Is Luggins come yet with the beard?
[Enter another Player.]
PLAYER. No, faith, he is not come: alas, what shall we do?
INCLINATION. Forsooth, we can go no further till our fellow Luggins come; for he plays Good Council, and now he should enter, to admonish Wit that this is Lady Vanity, and not Lady Wisdom.
MORE. Nay, and it be no more but so, ye shall not tarry at a stand for that; we'll not have our play marred for lack of a little good council: till your fellow come, I'll give him the best council that I can.--Pardon me, my Lord Mayor; I love to be merry.--
Oh...Wit, thou art now on the bow hand, And blindly in thine own opinion dost stand. I tell thee, this naughty lewd Inclination Does lead thee amiss in a very strange fashion: This is not Wisdom, but Lady Vanity; Therefore list to Good Council, and be ruled by me.
INCLINATION. In troth, my lord, it is as right to Lugginses part as can be.--Speak, Wit.
MORE. Nay, we will not have our audience disappointed, if I can help it.
WIT. Art thou Good Council, and will tell me so? Wouldst thou have Wit from Lady Wisdom to go? Thou art some deceiver, I tell thee verily, In saying that this is Lady Vanity.
MORE. Wit, judge not things by the outward show; The eye oft mistakes, right well you do know: Good Council assures thee upon his honesty, That this is not Wisdom, but Lady Vanity.
[Enter Luggins with the beard.]
INCLINATION. Oh, my lord, he is come; now we shall go forward.
MORE. Art thou come? well, fellow, I have hoped to save thine honesty a little. Now, if thou canst give Wit any better council than I have done, spare not: there I leave him to they mercy. But by this time, I am sure, our banquet's ready: My lord and ladies, we will taste that first, And then they shall begin the play again, Which through the fellow's absence, and by me, Instead of helping, hath been hindered.-- Prepare against we come.--Lights there, I say!-- Thus fools oft times do help to mar the play.