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قراءة كتاب A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 3
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اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 4
prevailed much, even everywhere;
No man deceived his neighbour and eke a thing full rare
It was to find a man you might not trust;
But look what once they promised, they did that well and just.
If neighbours were at variance, they ran not straight to law:
Daysmen[10] took up the matter, and cost them not a straw,
Such delight they had to kill debate and strife;
And surely even in those days was there more godlier life.
Howbeit men of all ages are wonted to dispraise
The wickedness of time that flourished at their days.
As well he may discern, who for that but lightly looks,
In every leaf almost of all their books.
For as for Christ our master, what he thought of Jews,
And after him th' apostles, I think it is no news.
Perv. Doc. Hark, Simplicity, he is some preacher, I will lay my gown;
He mindeth to make a sermon within this town.
He speaketh honestly yet; but surely, if he rail at me,
I may not abide him, by the mass, I promise thee.
New Cus. Paul to the Corinthians plainly doth tell,
That their behaviour pleased him not well.
All our forefathers likewise have been offended
With divers faults at their time, that might have been amended.
The doctors of the church great fault they did find,
In that men lived not after their mind:
First with the rulers as examples of sin,
Then with the people as continuing therein:
So that of them both this one thing they thought,
That the people was not good, but the rulers were nought.
But in comparison of this time of misery,
In those days men lived in perfect felicity.
Saint Paul prophesied that worse times should ensue,
In novissimis venient quidam, saith he, this is true,
Following all mischief, ungodliness and evil,
Leaning to all wickedness and doctrine of the devil;
And spake he not of these days, think you, I pray?
The proof is so plain that no man can denay:
For this is sure, that never in any age before
Naughtiness and sin hath been practised more,
Or half so much, or at all, in respect so I say,
And is now (God amend all) at this present day:
Sin now no sin, faults no faults a whit:
O God, seest thou this, and yet wilt suffer it?
Surely thy mercy is great; but yet our sins, I fear,
Are so great, that of justice with them thou canst not bear.
Adultery no vice, it is a thing so rife,
A stale jest now to lie with another man's wife!
For what is that but dalliance? Covetousness they call
Good husbandry, when one man would fain have all.
And eke alike to that is unmerciful extortion,
A sin in sight of God of great abhomination:
For pride, that is now a grace; for round about
The humble-spirited is termed a fool or a lout.
Whoso will be so drunken, that he scarcely knoweth his way,
O, he is a good fellow, so now-a-days they say.
Gluttony is hospitality, while they meat and drink spill,
Which would relieve diverse whom famine doth kill.
As for all charitable deeds, they be gone, God know'th;
Some pretend lack, but the chief cause is sloth:
A vice most outrageous of all others sure,
Right hateful to God, and contrary to nature.
Scarce blood is punished but even for very shame,
So make they of murther but a trifling game.
O, how many examples of that horrible vice
Do daily among us now spring and arise!
But thanks be to God that such rulers doth send,
Which earnestly study that fault to amend:
As by the sharp punishment of that wicked crime
We may see that committed was but of late time.
God direct their hearts they may always continue
Such just execution on sin to ensue;
So shall be saved the life of many a man,
And God will withdraw his sore plagues from us then.
Theft is but policy, perjury but a face,
Such is now the world, so far men be from grace.
But what shall I say of religion and knowledge
Of God, which hath been indifferent in each age
Before this? howbeit his faults then it had,
And in some points then was culpable and bad.
Surely this one thing I may say aright:
God hath rejected us away from him quite,
And given us up wholly unto our own thought,
Utterly to destroy us, and bring us to nought:
For do they not follow the inventions of men?
Look on the primitive church, and tell me then,
Whether they served God in this same wise,
Or whether they followed any other guise?
For since God's fear decayed, and hypocrisy crept in,
In hope of some gains and lucre to win,
Cruelty bare a stroke, who with fagot and fire
Brought all things to pass that he did desire.
Next avarice spilt all, which, lest it should be spied,
Hypocrisy ensued the matter to hide.
Then brought they in their monsters, their masses, their light,
Their torches at noon to darken our sight:
Their popes and their pardons, their purgatories for souls:
Their smoking of the church and flinging of coals.
Ignorance. Stay yet a while, and let us hear more communication.
Perv. Doc. I cannot, by God's soul, if I might have all this nation.
Shall I suffer a knave thus to rail and prate?
Nay then, I pray God, the devil break my pate!
I will be revenged, ere he depart away—
Ah, sirrah, you have made a fair speak here to-day,
Do you look for any reward for your deed?
It were good to beat thee, till thy head bleed,
Or to scourge thee well-favouredly at a cart's tail,
To teach such an whoreson to blaspheme