第 10 节
作者:竹水冷      更新:2021-02-19 20:31      字数:9322
  guests。
  MORE。 I prithee; tell me; what plays have ye?
  PLAYER。   Diverse;   my   lord:   The   Cradle   of   Security;   His   nail   o'   the
  head; Impatient Poverty; The play of Four Peas; Dives and Lazarus; Lusty
  Juventus; and The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom。
  MORE。 The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom! that; my lads; I'll none but
  that;   the   theme   is   very   good; And   may   maintain   a   liberal   argument:   To
  marry wit to wisdom; asks some cunning; Many have wit; that may come
  short of wisdom。 We'll see how Master poet plays his part; And whether
  wit   or   wisdom   grace   his   art。   Go;   make   him   drink;   and   all   his   fellows
  too。 How many are ye?
  PLAYER。 Four men and a boy; sir。
  MORE。 But one boy? then I see; There's but few women in the play。
  PLAYER。 Three; my lord; Dame Science; Lady Vanity; And Wisdom
  she herself。
  MORE。 And one boy play them all? by our Lady; he's laden。 Well; my
  good fellow; get ye straight together; And make ye ready with what haste
  ye may。 Proud their supper gainst the play be done; Else shall we stay
  our guests here over long。 Make haste; I pray ye。
  PLAYER。 We will; my lord。
  'Exit Servant and Player。'
  MORE。 Where are the waits? go; big them play; To spend the time a
  while。
  'Enter Lady。'
  How now; madame?
  LADY。 My lord; th' are coming hither。
  MORE。   Th'   are   welcome。   Wife;   I'll   tell   ye   one   thing;   One   sport   is
  somewhat mended; we shall have A play tonight; The Marriage of Wit and
  Wisdom; And acted by my good Lord Cardinal's players; How like ye that;
  wife?
  LADY。 My lord; I like it well。 See; they are coming。
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  SIR THOMAS MORE
  'The   waits   plays;   enter   Lord   Mayor;   so   many Aldermen   as   may;   the
  Lady     Mayoress     in  scarlet;  with   other   Ladies   and   Sir  Thomas      More's
  Daughters; Servants carrying lighted torches by them。'
  MORE。 Once again; welcome;  welcome;  my good Lord Mayor; And
  brethren all; for once I was your brother; And so I am still in heart: it is not
  state   That   can   our   love   from   London   separate。   True;   upstart   fools;   by
  sudden fortune tried; Regard their former mates with naught but pride。 But
  they  that   cast   an   eye   still   whence they  came;   Know   how   they  rose;   and
  how to use the same。
  LORD   MAYOR。   My   lord;   you   set   a   gloss   on   London's   fame;   And
  make it happy ever by your name。 Needs must we say; when we remember
  More; 'Twas he that drove rebellion from our door With grave discretions
  mild and gentle breath; Oh; how our city is by you renowned; And with
  your virtues our endeavors crowned!
  MORE。 No more; my good Lord Mayor: but thanks to all; That on so
  short a summons you would come To visit him that holds your kindness
  dear。 Madame; you are not merry with my Lady Mayoress And these fair
  ladies;   pray   ye;   seat   them  all: And   here;   my   lord;   let   me   appoint   your
  place; The rest to seat themselves:nay; I'll weary ye; You will not long
  in haste to visit me。
  LADY。 Good madame; sit; in sooth; you shall sit here。
  LADY MAYORESS。 Good madame; pardon me; it may not be。
  LADY。 In troth; I'll have it so: I'll sit here by ye。 Good ladies; sit。
  More stools here; ho!
  LADY      MAYORESS。          It  is  your  favour;    madame;     makes    me    thus
  Presume above my merit。
  LADY。 When we come to you; Then shall you rule us as we rule you
  here。 Now must I tell ye; madame; we have a play; To welcome ye withal;
  how good so ere; That know not I; my lord will have it so。
  MORE。 Wife; hope the best; I am sure they'll do their best: They that
  would better; comes not at their feast。 My good Lord Cardinal's players; I
  thank them for it; Play us a play; to lengthen out your welcome: They say
  it is The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom; A theme of some import; how ere it
  prove; But; if art fail; we'll inch it out with love。
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  SIR THOMAS MORE
  'Enter a Servant。'
  What; are they ready?
  SERVANT。 My lord; one of the players craves to speak with you。
  MORE。 With me! where is he?
  'Enter Inclination; the Vice; ready。'
  INCLINATION。 Here; my lord。
  MORE。 How now! what's the matter?
  INCLINATION。 We would desire your honor but to stay a little; one of
  my fellows is but run to Oagles for a long beard for young Wit; and he'll
  be here presently。
  MORE。 A long beard for young Wit! why; man; he may be without a
  beard   till   he   come   to   marriage;   for   wit   goes   not   all   by   the   hair。   When
  comes Wit in?
  INCLINATION。 In the second scene; next to the Prologue; my lord。
  MORE。 Why; play on till that scene come; and by that time Wit's beard
  will be grown; or else the fellow returned with it。 And what part playest
  thou?
  INCLINATION。 Inclination the Vice; my lord。
  MORE。 Gramercies; now I may take the vice if I list: and wherefore
  hast thou that bridle in thy hand?
  INCLINATION。 I must be bridled anon; my lord。
  MORE。 And thou beest not saddled too; it makes no matter; for then
  Wit's inclination may gallop so fast; that he will outstrip Wisdom; and fall
  to folly。
  INCLINATION。   Indeed;  so   he  does   to   Lady Vanity;   but   we have  no
  folly in our play。
  MORE。 Then there's no wit in 't; I'll be sworn: folly waits on wit; as
  the shadow on the body; and where wit is ripest there folly still is readiest。
  But begin; I prithee: we'll rather allow a beardless Wit than Wit all beard
  to have no brain。
  INCLINATION。 Nay; he has his apparel on too; my lord; and therefore
  he is the readier to enter。
  MORE。 Then; good Inclination; begin at a venter。
  'Exit Inclination。'
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  SIR THOMAS MORE
  My Lord Mayor; Wit lacks a beard; or else they would begin: I'd lend
  him mine; but that it is too thin。 Silence; they come。
  'The trumpet sounds; enter the Prologue。'
  PROLOGUE。 Now; for as much as in these latter days; Throughout the
  whole world in every land; Vice doth increase; and virtue decays; Iniquity
  having   the    upper   hand;   We    therefore   intend;   good    gentle   audience;   A
  pretty short interlude to play at this present; Desiring your leave and quiet
  silence;   To   show   the   same;   as   is   meet   and   expedient;   It   is   called   The
  Marriage of Wit and Wisdom; A  matter right pithy and pleasing to hear;
  Whereof in brief we will show the whole sum; But I must be gone; for Wit
  doth appear。
  'Exit。 Enter Wit ruffling; and Inclination the Vice。'
  WIT。 In an arbor green; asleep whereas I lay; The birds sang sweetly in
  the   midst   of   the   day;   I   dreamed   fast   of   mirth   and   play;   In   youth   is
  pleasure;   in   youth   is   pleasure;   Methought   I   walked   still   to   and   fro; And
  from her company I could not go; But when I waked; it was not so; In
  youth is pleasure; in youth is pleasure。 Therefore my heart is surely plight;
  Of   her   alone   to   have   a   sight;   Which   is   my   joy   and   heart's   delight;   In
  youth is pleasure; in youth is pleasure。
  MORE。 Mark ye; my lord; this is Wit without a beard: what will he be
  by that time he comes to the commodity of a beard?
  INCLINATION。 Oh; sir; the ground is the better on which she doth go;
  For she will make better cheer with a little she can get; Than many a one
  can with a great banquet of meat。
  WIT。 And is her name Wisdom?
  INCLINATION。 I; sir; a wife most fit For you; my good master; my
  dainty sweet Wit。
  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
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  SIR THOMAS MORE
  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