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