SCENE I.--_A Wilderness.

_Enter_ ANDELOCIA _with the wishing hat on, and dragging_ AGRIPYNE _by the hand_.

Agrip. What devil art thou that affright’st me thus, Haling a princess from her father’s court, To spoil her in this savage wilderness?

_Andel._ Indeed the devil and the pick-purse should always fly together, for they are sworn brothers: but Madam Covetousness, I am neither a devil as you call me, nor a jeweller as I call myself; no, nor a juggler,--yet ere you and I part, we’ll have some legerdemain together. Do you know me?

_Agrip._ I am betrayed: this is the Cypriot. Forgive me, ’twas not I that changed thy purse, But Athelstane my father; send me home, And here’s thy purse again: here are thy jewels, And I in satisfaction of all wrongs--

_Andel._ Talk not you of satisfaction, this is some recompense, that I have you. ’Tis not the purse I regard: put it off, and I’ll mince it as small as pie meat. The purse? hang the purse: were that gone, I can make another, and another, and another, ay, and another: ’tis not the purse I care for, but the purser, you, ay you. Is’t not a shame that a king’s daughter, a fair lady, a lady not for lords, but for monarchs, should for gold sell her love, and when she has her own asking, and that there stands nothing between, then to cheat your sweetheart? O fie, fie, a she cony-catcher? You must be dealt fondly with.

_Agrip._ Enjoin what pains thou wilt, and I’ll endure them, So thou wilt send me to my father’s court.

_Andel._ Nay God’s lid, y’are not gone so: set your heart at rest, for I have set up my rest, that except you can run swifter than a hart, home you go not. What pains shall I lay upon you? Let me see: I could serve you now but a slippery touch: I could get a young king or two, or three, of you, and then send you home, and bid their grandsire king nurse them: I could pepper you, but I will not.

_Agrip._ O, do not violate my chastity.

_Andel._ No, why I tell you I am not given to the flesh, though I savour in your nose a little of the devil, I could run away else, and starve you here.

_Agrip._ If I must die, doom me some easier death.

_Andel._ Or transform you, because you love picking, into a squirrel, and make you pick out a poor living here among the nut trees: but I will not neither.

_Agrip._ What will my gentle Andelocia do?

_Andel._ Oh, now you come to your old bias of cogging.[394]

[394] Your old mind (or, more literally, inclination) of cajoling.

_Agrip._ I pray thee, Andelocia, let me go: Send me to England, and by Heaven I swear, Thou from all kings on earth my love shalt bear.

_Andel._ Shall I in faith?

_Agrip._ In faith, in faith thou shalt.

_Andel._ Hear, God a mercy: now thou shalt not go.

_Agrip._ Oh God.

_Andel._ Nay, do you hear, lady? Cry not, y’are best; no nor curse me not. If you think but a crabbed thought of me, the spirit that carried you in mine arms through the air, will tell me all; therefore set your Sunday face upon’t. Since you’ll love me, I’ll love you, I’ll marry you, and lie with you, and beget little jugglers: marry, home you get not. England, you’ll say, is yours: but, Agripyne, love me, and I will make the whole world thine.

_Agrip._ I care not for the world, thou murd’rest me; Between my sorrow, and the scalding sun I faint, and quickly will my life be done, My mouth is like a furnace, and dry heat Drinks up my blood. O God, my heart will burst, I die, unless some moisture quench my thirst.

_Andel._ ’Sheart, now I am worse than ere I was before: For half the world I would not have her die. Here’s neither spring nor ditch, nor rain, nor dew, Nor bread nor drink: my lovely Agripyne, Be comforted, see here are apple trees.

_Agrip._ Climb up for God’s sake, reach me some of them.

_Andel._ Look up, which of these apples likes thee best?

_Agrip._ This hath a withered face, ’tis some sweet fruit. Not that, my sorrows are too sour already.

_Andel._ Come hither, here are apples like gold.

_Agrip._ O, ay, for God’s sake, gather some of these. Ay me, would God I were at home again!

_Andel._ Stand farther, lest I chance to fall on thee. [_Climbs up._

Oh here be rare apples, rare red-cheeked apples, that cry come kiss me: apples, hold your peace, I’ll teach you to cry. [_Eats one._

_Agrip._ O England, shall I ne’er behold thee more?

_Andel._ Agripyne, ’tis a most sugared delicious taste in one’s mouth, but when ’tis down, ’tis as bitter as gall.

_Agrip._ Yet gather some of them. Oh, that a princess Should pine for food: were I at home again, I should disdain to stand thus and complain.

_Andel._ Here’s one apple that grows highest, Agripyne; an’ I could reach that, I’ll come down. [_Fishes with his girdle for it._

_Agrip._ Make haste, for the hot sun doth scald my cheeks.

_Andel._ The sun kiss thee? hold, catch, put on my hat, I will have yonder highest apple, though I die for’t.

_Agrip._ I had not wont be sun-burnt, wretched me. O England, would I were again in thee! [_Exit._

ANDELOCIA _leaps down_.

_Andel._ ’Swounds, Agripyne, stay, Oh I am undone! Sweet Agripyne, if thou hear’st my voice, Take pity of me, and return again. She flies like lightning: Oh she hears me not! I wish myself into a wilderness, And now I shall turn wild: here I shall famish, Here die, here cursing die, here raving die, And thus will wound my breast, and rend mine hair. What hills of flint are grown upon my brows? O me, two forkèd horns, I am turned beast, I have abused two blessings, wealth and knowledge, Wealth in my purse, and knowledge in my hat, By which being borne into the courts of kings, I might have seen the wondrous works of Jove, Acquired experience, learning, wisdom, truth, But I in wildness tottered out my youth, And therefore must turn wild, must be a beast, An ugly beast: my body horns must bear, Because my soul deformity doth wear. Lives none within this wood? If none but I Live here,--thanks Heaven! for here none else shall die. [_Lies down and sleeps under the tree._

_Enter_ FORTUNE, VICE, VIRTUE, _the ~Priest~: and ~Satyrs~ with music, playing before_ FORTUNE.

_Fortune._ See where my new-turned devil has built his hell.

_Vice._ Virtue, who conquers now? the fool is ta’en.

_Virtue._ O sleepy sin.

_Vice._ Sweet tunes, wake him again. [_Music sounds awhile, and then ceases._

_Fortune._ Vice sits too heavy on his drowsy soul, Music’s sweet concord cannot pierce his ear. Sing, and amongst your songs mix bitter scorn.

_Virtue._ Those that tear Virtue, must by Vice be torn.

SONG.

Virtue, stand aside: the fool is caught. Laugh to see him, laugh aloud to wake him; Folly’s nets are wide, and neatly wrought, Mock his horns, and laugh to see Vice take him.

_Chorus._ Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, laugh, laugh in scorn, Who’s the fool? the fool, he wears a horn. [ANDELOCIA _wakens and stands up_.

Virtue, stand aside, mock him, mock him, mock him, Laugh aloud to see him, call him fool. Error gave him suck, now sorrows rock him, Send the riotous beast to madness’ school.

_Chorus._ Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, laugh, laugh in scorn. Who’s the fool? the fool, he wears a horn.

Virtue, stand aside: your school he hates. Laugh aloud to see him, mock, mock, mock him. Vanity and hell keep open gates, He’s in, and a new nurse, Despair, must rock him.

_Chorus._ Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, laugh, laugh in scorn, Fool, fool, fool, fool, fool, wear still the horn.

[VICE _and_ VIRTUE _hold apples out to_ ANDELOCIA, VICE _laughing_, VIRTUE _grieving_.

_Andel._ O me, what hell is this? fiends, tempt me not. Thou glorious devil, hence. O now I see, This fruit is thine, thou hast deformèd me: Idiot, avoid, thy gifts I loathe to taste. Away: since I am entered madness’ school, As good to be a beast, as be a fool. Away, why tempt you me? some powerful grace Come and redeem me from this hideous place.

_Fortune._ To her hath Andelocia all his life Sworn fealty; would’st thou forsake her now?

_Andel._ Whose blessed tongue names Andelocia?

_Fortune._ Hers, who, attended on by destinies, Shortened thy father’s life, and lengthens thine.

_Andel._ O sacred Queen of chance, now shorten mine, Else let thy deity take off this shame.

_Fortune._ Woo her, ’twas she that set it on thy head.

_Andel._ She laughs to see me metamorphosèd. [_Rises._

_Virtue._ Woo me, and I’ll take off this ugly scorn.

_Vice._ Woo me, and I’ll clap on another horn.

_Andel._ I am beset with anguish, shame and death. O bid the Fates work fast, and stop my breath.

_Fortune._ No, Andelocia, thou must live to see Worse torments, for thy follies, light on thee. This golden tree, which did thine eyes entice, Was planted here by Vice: lo, here stands Vice: How often hast thou sued to win her grace?

_Andel._ Till now, I never did behold her face.

_Fortune._ Thou didst behold her at thy father’s death, When thou in scorn didst violate his will; Thou didst behold her, when thy stretched-out arm Catched at the highest bough, the loftiest vice, The fairest apple, but the foulest price; Thou didst behold her, when thy liquorish eye Fed on the beauty of fair Agripyne; Because th’ hadst gold, thou thought’st all women thine. When look’st thou off from her? for they whose souls Still revel in the nights of vanity, On the fair cheeks of Vice still fix their eye. Because her face doth shine, and all her bosom Bears silver moons, thou wast enamoured of her. But hadst thou upward looked, and seen these shames, Or viewed her round about, and in this glass Seen idiots’ faces, heads of devils and hell, And read this “Ha, ha, he,” this merry story, Thou wouldst have loathed her: where, by loving her, Thou bear’st this face, and wear’st this ugly head, And if she once can bring thee to this place, Loud sounds these “Ha, ha, he!” She’ll laugh apace.

_Andel._ O, re-transform me to a glorious shape, And I will learn how I may love to hate her.

_Fortune._ I cannot re-transform thee, woo this woman.

_Andel._ This woman? wretched is my state, when I, To find out wisdom, to a fool must fly.

_Fortune._ Fool, clear thine eyes, this is bright Aretë,[395] This is poor virtue, care not how the world Doth crown her head, the world laughs her to scorn, Yet “SIBI SAPIT,” Virtue knows her worth. Run after her, she’ll give thee these and these, Crowns and bay-garlands, honour’s victories: Serve her, and she will fetch thee pay from Heaven, Or give thee some bright office in the stars.

[395] Virtue. _Greek._

_Andel._ Immortal Aretë, Virtue divine: [_Kneels._ O smile on me, and I will still be thine.

_Virtue._ Smile thou on me, and I will still be thine: Though I am jealous of thy apostasy, I’ll entertain thee: here, come taste this tree, Here’s physic for thy sick deformity.

_Andel._ Tis bitter: this fruit I shall ne’er digest.

_Virtue._ Try once again, the bitterness soon dies.

_Vice._ Mine’s sweet, taste mine.

_Virtue._ But being down ’tis sour, And mine being down has a delicious taste. The path that leads to Virtue’s court is narrow, Thorny and up a hill, a bitter journey, But being gone through, you find all heavenly sweets, The entrance is all flinty, but at th’ end, To towers of pearl and crystal you ascend.

_Andel._ O delicate, O sweet Ambrosian relish, And see, my ugliness drops from my brows, Thanks, beauteous Aretë: O had I now My hat and purse again, how I would shine, And gild my soul with none but thoughts divine.

_Fortune._ That shall be tried, take fruit from both these trees, By help of them, win both thy purse and hat, I will instruct thee how, for on my wings To England shalt thou ride; thy virtuous brother Is, with that Shadow who attends on thee, In London, there I’ll set thee presently. But if thou lose our favours once again, To taste her sweets, those sweets must prove thy bane.

_Virtue._ Vice, who shall now be crowned with victory?

_Vice._ She that triumphs at last, and that must I. [_Exeunt._