“ Ah, meat, thou whoreson, why hast thou not brought me meat?
RAGAN. Would you have me bring you that, I can nowhere get?
ESAU. Come hither, let me tell thee a word in thine ear.
RAGAN. Nay, speak out aloud: I will not come a foot near.
Fall ye to snatching at folks? adieu, I am gone.
ESAU. Nay, for God's love, Ragan, leave me not alone:
I will not eat thee, Ragan, so God me help.
RAGAN. No, I shall desire you to choose some other whelp.
Being in your best lust, I would topple with ye,
And pluck a good crow, ere ye brake your fast with me.
What? are you mankin [261] now? ”

“ Who? this good fellow? what call you his name?
REASON.
Wit, that on wooing to lady Science came.
SHAME.
Come aloft, child, let me see, what friscols you can fet; [432]
REASON.
[If] he hath deserved it, let him be well-bet.
WIT.
O, spare me with the whip, and sle me with thy knife:
Ten thousand times more dear to me were present death than life.
SHAME.
Nay, nay, my friend, thou shalt not die as yet.
REASON.
Remember in what case dame Nature left thee, Wit;
And how thou hast abus'd the same—
Thou hast deceived all our hope, as all the world may see. ”

“ ISAAC. To wife Rebecca.
MIDO. Yonder I do her see.
REBECCA. Lord, thou knowest Jacob to be thy servant true,
And Esau all froward thy ways to ensue.
MIDO. Yonder she is speaking, whatever she doth say:
By holding up her hands, it seemeth she doth pray.
ISAAC. Where be ye, wife Rebecca? where be ye, woman?
REBECCA. Who is that calleth? Isaac, my good man?
ISAAC. Where be ye, wife Rebecca, let me understand?
MIDO. She cometh to you apace.
REBECCA. Here, my lord, at hand.
ISAAC. Saving that whatsoever God doth is all right,
No small grief it were for a man to lack his sight. ”

“ Therefore do by my counsel, I say,
Then to heaven thou shalt have thy way.
YOUTH.
No, sir, I think ye will not fight;
But to take a man's purse in the night
Ye will not say nay;
For such holy caitiffs
Were wont to be thieves,
And such would be hanged as high
As a man may see with his eye:
In faith, this same is true.
CHARITY.
God save every Christian body
From such evil destiny,
And send us of his grace
In heaven to have a place!
YOUTH.
Nay, nay, I warrant thee,
He hath no place for thee;
Weenest thou he will have such fools
To sit on his gay stools?
Nay, I warrant thee, nay! ”

“ BONGRACE.
Why, thou naughty villain, darest thou affirm to me
That which was never seen nor hereafter shall be?
That one man may have two bodies and two faces,
And that one man at one time may be in two places?
Tell me, drankest thou anywhere by the way?
CAREAWAY.
I shrew me, if I drank any more than twice to-day,
Till I met even now with that other I,
And with him I supped and drank truly;
But as for you, if you gave me drink and meat,
As oftentimes as you do me beat,
I were the best-fed page in all this city. ”

“ To bind your hands behind you, even as ye lie.
ESAU. Nay, have mercy on me, and let me not perish.
RAGAN. In faith, nought could I get, wherewith you to cherish.
ESAU. Was there nothing to be had among so many?
RAGAN. I could not find one but Jacob that had any,
And no grant would he make for ought that I could say,
Yet no man alive with fairer words could him pray.
But the best red pottage he hath, that ever was.
ESAU. Go, pray him, I may speak with him once, ere I pass.
RAGAN. That message, by God's grace, shall not long be undone.
ESAU. Hie thee, go apace, and return again soon. ”

“ God send him that life which stands in need:
There be many fathers that children have,
And yet not make the worst of them a slave,
Might not you of yourself be well ashamed.
Which would have your son thither constrained?
FATHER. I would not have thee driven to that succour,
Yet for because the scriptures declare,
That he should not eat, which will not labour,
Some work to do it must be thy care.
SON. Father, it is but a folly with you to strive,
But yet notwithstanding I hope to thrive.
FATHER. That this thine intent may take good success,
I pray God heartily of his goodness. ”

“ ISAAC. I may not do it, wife, I pray you be content:
The title of birthright, that cometh by descent,
Or the place of eldership coming by due course,
I may not change nor shift for better nor for worse.
Nature's law it is, the eldest son to knowledge,
And in no wise to bar him of his heritage:
And ye shall of Esau one day have comfort.
REBECCA. Set a good long day then, or else we shall come short.
ISAAC. I warrant you, he will do well enough at length.
REBECCA. You must needs commend him, being your might and strength.
ISAAC. Well, now go we hence; little Mido, where art thou? ”

“ Sir, I pray you me not spare,
For nothing I do care
That ye can do to me.
RIOT.
No, whoreson? sayest thou so?
Hold him, Pride, and let me go;
I shall set a pair of rings,
That shall set to his shins,
And that even anon.
PRIDE.
Hie thee apace and come again,
And bring with thee a good chain,
And hold him here still.
CHARITY.
Jesus, that was born of Mary mild,
From all evil he us shield,
And send you grace to amend,
Ere our life be at an end;
For I tell you truly,
That ye live full wickedly ”

“ Hurt not me for Mido: speak for me, Ragan.
RAGAN. Sir, spare little Abra, she hath done none evil.
ESAU. A little fiend it is, and will be a right devil,
And she is one of them that love not me a deal.
ABRA. If ye let me go, I will love you very well.
ESAU. And never any more ado against me make?
ABRA. Ragan shall be surety.
RAGAN. Sir, I undertake.
ESAU. Then hence, out of my sight at once, and get thee in.
ABRA. Adieu, I set not a straw by you nor a pin.
ESAU. What sayest thou, thou fib? once ye shall have a rap.
RAGAN. The best end of suretyship is to get a clap. ”

“ That I marvel much of old father Isaac,
Being so godly a man, why he is so slack
To bring his son Esau to a better stay.
HANAN. What should he do in the matter, I you pray?
ZETHAR. O, it is no small charge to fathers, afore God,
So to train their children in youth under the rod
That, when they come to age, they may virtue ensue,
Wicked pranks abhor, and all lewdness eschew,
And me-thinketh Isaac, being a man as he is—
A chosen man of God, should not be slack in this.
HANAN. Alack, good man, what should he do more than he hath done? ”

“ ESAU. No, no, that were in vain, alas, good simple mome:
Nay, he must tarry and suck mother's dug at home:
Jacob must keep home, I trow, under mother's wing;
To be from the tents he loveth not of all thing.
Jacob loveth no hunting in the wild forest:
And would fear, if he should there see any wild beast.
Yea, to see the game run, Jacob would be in fear.
RAGAN. In good sooth, I ween he would think each hare a bear.
ESAU. What, brother mine, what a word call ye that?
RAGAN. Sir, I am scarce waked: I spake, ere I wist what.
ESAU. Come on your ways, my child, take the law of the game. ”

“ MIDO. No, I left Esau about to lick the pot.
RAGAN. Lick, quod thou? now a shame take him that can all lick.
MIDO. The pot shall need no washing, he will it so lick;
And by this he is sitting down to bread and drink.
RAGAN. And shall I have no part with him, dost thou think?
MIDO. No, for he pray'd Jacob, ere he did begin,
To shut the tent fast, that no mo guests come in.
RAGAN. And made he no mention of me his servant?
MIDO. He said thou were a knave, and bad thee hence avaunt:
Go shift, where thou couldest, thou gottest nothing there.
RAGAN. God yield you, Esau, with all my stomach cheer! ”

“ JACOB. Yes, that shalt thou, Mido; right worthy thou art.
ACTUS QUARTI, SCAENA TERTIA. REBECCA. ABRA. REBECCA. I come to see, if Jacob be gone a-field yet;
A little slacking may all our purpose let.
But now that he is gone, he will be here at once,
Therefore I will call my maid Abra for the nonce,
That all thing within may be in a readiness.
Abra, where be ye, Abra?
ABRA. Here within, mistress.
REBECCA. Come forth: when, Abra? what, Abra, I say!
ABRA. Anon.
REBECCA. Must I call so oft? why come ye not by and by? ”

“ But hast thou one blessing and no mo, my father?
Let me also have some blessing, good sweet father.
ISAAC. Well, nature pricketh me some remorse on thee to have.
Behold, thy dwelling-place the earth's fatness shall have,
And the dew of heaven, which down from above shall fall:
And with dint of sword thy living get thou shall,
And to thy brother Jacob thou shalt be servant.
ESAU. O, to my younger brother must I be servant?
O, that ever a man should be so oppressed!
ISAAC. Thine own fault it is, that thou art dispossessed. ”

“ REBECCA. That thou dost thy brother Jacob deadly hate.
ESAU. Hate Jacob? I hate him, and will do, till I die,
For he hath done me both great wrong and villainy;
And that shall he well know, if the Lord give me life.
REBECCA. Fie upon thee, to speak so, like a lewd caitiff!
RAGAN. My master Esau is of nature much hot,
But he will be better than he saith, fear not.
ESAU. My birthright to sell did he not make me consent?
REBECCA. But the same to do wert not thyself content?
There is no man to blame for it but thine own self.
ESAU. Yea, mother, I see that ye hold with that mopish elf. ”

“ WIT.
Heard you ever such a counsel of such a Jack sprat?
WILL.
Why, sir, do ye think to do any good,
If ye stand in a corner like Robin Hood?
Nay, you must stout it, and face it out with the best:
Set on a good countenance, make the most of the least,
Whosoever skip in, look to your part,
And while you live, beware of a false heart.
WIT.
Both blame and shame rash boldness doth breed.
WILL.
You must adventure both: spare to speak, spare to speed.
What tell you me of shame? it is shame to steal a horse.
WIT.
More haste than good speed makes many fare the worse. ”

“ ISAAC. On, lead me forth, Mido, to the bench on this hand,
That I may sit me down, for I cannot long stand.
MIDO. Here, sir, this same way, and ye be at the bench now,
Where ye may sit down in God's name, if please you.
ISAAC. I marvel, where Esau my son doth become,
That he doth now of days visit me so seldom.
But it is oft seen, whom fathers do best favour,
Of them they have least love again for their labour.
I think, since I saw him, it is a whole week.
In faith, little Mido, I would thou wouldest him seek. ”

“ Jacob kisseth Isaac; and then kneeleth down to have his blessing.
That my love towards thee may the more increase.
I bless thee here for ever, my son, in this place,
The Lord my God of might endue thee with his grace.
What sweet flavour my son's raiment doth yield!
Even the fragrant smell that cometh from a field,
Which the Lord hath blessed, and the same Lord bless thee
With the dew of heaven! the Lord thy ground increase,
That the fatness of the earth may never cease!
The Lord send thee abundance of corn and wine,
And prosper continually all thing that is thine! ”

“ In the eternal pains is my part and portion.
GOOD COUNSEL.
Why, Youth, art thou fallen into desperation?
What, man, pluck up thine heart, and rise,
Although thou see nothing now but thy condemnation,
Yet it may please God again to open thy eyes:
Ah, wretched creature, what doest thou surmise?
Thinkest not that God's mercy doth exceed thy sin?
Remember his Merciful Promises, and comfort thyself in him.
JUVENTUS.
O sir, this state is so miserable, the which I lie in,
That my comfort and hope from me is separated:
I would to God I had never been! ”

“ ESAU. Seek no farther, Mido: already here he is.
ISAAC. Methinketh, I have Esau his voice perceived.
ESAU. Ye guess truly, father, ye are not deceived.
MIDO. Here he is come now invisible, by my soul:
For I saw him not, till he spake hard at my poll!
ISAAC. Now, go thou in, Mido, let us two here alone.
MIDO. Sir, if ye command me, full quickly I am gone.
ISAAC. Yet, and if I call thee, see thou be not slack.
MIDO. I come at the first call, good Master Isaac.
ISAAC. Son Esau.
ESAU. Here, father.
ISAAC. Is none here but we?
ESAU. None to harken our talk, father, that I do see. ”

“ And so, when I shall to my father bring this meat,
Perchance he will feel me, before that he will eat.
Old men be mistrustful: he shall the matter take,
That I went about my father a fool to make.
Mother, by such a prank the matter will be worse:
And I instead of blessing shall purchase me his curse.
REBECCA. On me be thy curse, my son, let it light on me:
Only fetch thou the kids hither, as I bid thee,
Do thou thy true devoir, and let God work therein.
JACOB. Upon your word, mother, I will the thing begin,
Send me little Mido to help me bear a kid. ”

“ For, thou foolish knave, what hath Jacob of me bought?
RAGAN. But a matter of a straw and a thing of nought!
ESAU. My birthright and whole title of mine eldership,
Marry, sir, I pray God much good do it his maship,
If I die to-morrow, what good would it do me?
If he die to-morrow, what benefit hath he?
And for a thing hanging on such casuality,
Better a mess of pottage than nothing, pardy!
If my father live long, when should I it enjoy?
If my father die soon, then it is but a toy. ”

“ And soon let us go!
[Exeunt Pride, Youth, Riot, and Lechery.]
CHARITY.
Lo, masters, here you may see beforne,
That the weed overgroweth the corn:
Now may ye see all in this tide,
How vice is taken, and virtue set aside.
Yonder ye may see youth is unstable,
But evermore changeable;
And the nature of men is frail,
That he wotteth not what may avail
Virtue for to make.
O good Lord, it is a pitiful case,
Sith God hath lent man wit and grace
To choose of good and evil,
That man should voluntarily
To such things himself apply,
That his soul should spill. ”

“ Love Jacob better than Esau twentyfold.
None loveth Esau but for his father's sake:
But all good folks are glad Jacob's part to take.
And now by Esau no man will set a pin,
But yonder he cometh now; I will get me in.
ACTUS QUINTI, SCAENA TERTIA. ESAU. ESAU. I trow I have now won my spurs for ever;
For once better venison killed I never,
And though it were somewhat long, ere I could it take,
Yet the goodness thereof doth some recompense make.
My father Isaac shall thereof have such meat,
As in all his life he hath not the better eat. ”

“ Art thou up for all day, man? art thou ready now?
RAGAN. I have been here this half-hour, sir, waiting for you,
ESAU. And is all thing ready, as I bad, to my mind?
RAGAN. Ye have no cause, that I know, any fault to find:
Except that we disease our tent and neighbours all
With rising over early each day, when ye call.
ESAU. Ah, thou drowsy draffsack, wouldest thou rise at noon?
Nay, I trow the sixth hour with thee were over-soon.
RAGAN. Nay, I speak of your neighbours, being men honest,
That labour all the day, and would fain be at rest:
Whom with blowing your horn ye disease all-abouts. ”

“ REBECCA. Both on thy father's blessing and mine, I charge thee,
That thy soul intend never such iniquity;
Beware by the example of Cain, I thee reed,
That thou bring not the Lord's curse upon thy head.
ESAU. And what, should I take all this wrong at Jacob's hand?
REBECCA. Forgive, and the Lord shall prosper thee in the land.
My son Esau, hear me; I am thy mother:
For my sake, let pass this grudge against thy brother.
RAGAN. Sir, your mother's request is but reasonable,
Which for you to grant shall be much commendable. ”

“ Here let us rest awhile, and pause all three:
EXPERIENCE.
Daughter, sit down, belike this same is he.
WILL.
Be of good cheer, sir; be ruled by me.
Women are best pleased, till they be used homely,
Look her in the face, and tell your tale stoutly.
WIT.
O pearl of passing price, sent down from God on high,
The sweetest beauty to entice, that hath been seen with eye:
The well of wealth to all, that no man doth annoy:
The key of kingdoms and the seal of everlasting joy.
The treasure and the store, whom all good things began,
The nurse of lady Wisdom's love, the link of man and man. ”

“ Ah sir, up at last? the devil give thee sorrow!
Now the devil break thy neck (think I by and by) ,
That hast no wit to sleep, nor in thy bed to lie.
Then come on at once; take my quiver and my bow,
Fet Lovel my hound, and my horn to blow.
Then forth go we fasting an hour or two ere day,
Before we may well see either our hands or way,
And there range we the wild forest, no crumb of bread
From morning to stark night coming within our head;
Sometimes Esau's self will faint for drink and meat,
So that he would be glad of a dead horse to eat. ”

“ MIDO. That shall be well done; the weather is very fair.
ISAAC. Praised be the God of my father Abraham,
Who sendeth all thing needful for the use of man,
And most tenderly provideth he for me Isaac,
Better than I can feel or perceive what I lack.
Enter JACOB disguised.
JACOB. Where is my most dear father? as I would have it;
Taking the open air, here I see him sit.
O my most dear father Isaac, well thou be!
ISAAC. Here I am, my sweet son, and who art thou, tell me?
JACOB. Dear father, I am Esau, thine eldest son,
According as thou badest me, so have I done. ”

“ JACOB. But lo, I see my mother stand before the tent.
Enter JACOB and MIDO.
REBECCA. O Lord, methinketh long, son Jacob, since thou went.
JACOB. And methinketh, mother, we have hied us well.
MIDO. I have made many feet to follow, I can tell.
REBECCA. Give me thy kid, my son, and now let me alone,
Bring thou in thine, Mido, and see thou be a stone.
MIDO. A stone? how should that be, mistress? I am a lad,
And a boy alive, as good as e'er ye had:
And now, in bringing home this kid, I have, I trow,
Tried myself a man and a pretty fellow.
REBECCA. I meant thou shouldest nothing say. ”

“ FATHER. Son, it shall not be thus, by my counsel.
SON. I trust ye will not me otherwise compel.
FATHER. If thou were as wise as I have judged thee,
Thou wouldest in this case be ruled by me.
SON. To follow the contrary I cannot be turned;
My heart thereon is stifly fixed.
FATHER. What, I say, about thine own destruction?
SON. No, no, but about mine own salvation:
For if I be helped, I swear by the mass,
It is only marriage that brings it to pass. ”

“ REBECCA. I charge you both that, whatever hath been spoken,
Ye do not to any living body open.
ABRA. For my part it shall to no body uttered be.
MIDO. And slit my tongue, if ever it come out for me:
But if any tell, Abra here will be prattling.
For they say, women will ever be clattering.
ABRA. There is none here that prattleth so much as you.
REBECCA. No mo words, but hence we altogether now. ”

“ Will Jacob come forth to shew comfort unto me?
The whoreson hypocrite will as soon hanged be.
Yet, peace, methinketh Jacob is coming indeed:
And my mind giveth me at his hand I shall speed,
For he is as gentle and loving as can be,
As full of compassion and pity.
But let me see, doth he come? no, I warrant you.
He come, quod I? tush, he come? then hang Esau!
For there is not this day in all the world round
Such another hodypeak wretch to be found,
And Ragan my man, is not that a fine knave?
Have any mo masters such a man as I have? ”