Mere-craft _giues the
instructions
to him and the re?
Ben Jonson - The Devil's Association
paring o' _Napkins_.
That, that ?
hould haue made 20
Your bellowes goe at the forge, as his at the fornace.
I ha' procur'd it, ha' the Signet for it,
Dealt with the _Linnen-drapers_, on my priuate,
By cause, I fear'd, they were the likelye? t euer
To ? tirre again? t, to cro? ? e it; for 'twill be 25
A mighty ? auer of _Linnen_ through the kingdome
(As that is one o' my grounds, and to ? pare wa? hing)
Now, on you two, had I layd all the profits.
_Guilt-head_ to haue the making of all tho? e
Of gold and ? iluer, for the better per? onages; 30
And you, of tho? e of _Steele_ for the common ? ort.
And both by _Pattent_, I had brought you your ? eales in.
But now you haue preuented me, and I thanke you.
Sledge _is brought about_.
SLE. Sir, I will bayle you, at mine owne ap-perill.
MER. Nay choo? e.
PLV. Do you ? o too, good Father. 35
_And_ Guilt-head _comes_.
GVI. I like the fa? hion o' the proiect, well,
The forkes! It may be a lucky one! and is not
Intricate, as one would ? ay, but fit for
Plaine heads, as ours, to deale in. Do you heare
_Officers_, we di? charge you.
MER. Why this ? hewes 40
A little good nature in you, I confe? ? e,
But do not tempt your friends thus. Little _Guilt-head_,
Adui? e your ? ire, great _Guilt-head_ from the? e cour? es:
And, here, to trouble a great man in reuer? ion,
For a matter o' fifty on a fal? e _Alarme_, 45
Away, it ? hewes not well. Let him get the pieces
And bring 'hem. Yo'll heare more el? e.
PLV. _Father. _
[768] SD. MERE. . . . _them_] _To them. _ Mere-craft &c. 1692
MERE-CRAFT, &c. om. 1716. W
[769] ACT. . . . ] _Enter_ GILTHEAD, PLUTARCHUS, SLEDGE, _and_ Serjeants. G
[770] 2 SN. om. G
[771] 3 SER. ] I _Serj. _ G
[772] 6 y'] you W, G
[773] 10 SN. ] [_Points to Meercraft. _ G
[774] 13 th'] thou W, G
[775] 18 SN. om. G
[776] 23, 4 private Bie, 'cause 1692, 1716 private, Because W, G
[777] 27 to] so 1641
[778] 33, 5 SN. om. G
[779] 37, 8 Not intricate (l. 38) G
[780] 40 you. [_Exeunt Serjeants. _ G
[781] 45 on] in W, G
[782] 47 You'll 1692, 1716 You'll W || _Exeunt Gilt. and Plut.
Enter_ AMBLER, _dragging in_ PUG. G
ACT. V. SCENE. V.
AMBLER. {_To them. _
O Ma? ter _Sledge_, are you here? I ha' been to ? eeke you.
You are the _Con? table_, they ? ay. Here's one
That I do charge with _Felony_, for the ? uite
He weares, Sir.
MER. Who? M. _Fitz-Dottrels_ man?
Ware what you do, M. _Ambler_.
AMB. Sir, the? e clothes 5
I'll ? weare, are mine: and the ? hooes the gentlewomans
I told you of: and ha' him afore a _Iu? tice_, [163]
I will.
PVG. My ma? ter, Sir, will pa? ? e his word for me.
AMB. O, can you ? peake to purpo? e now?
FIT. Not I,
If you be ? uch a one Sir, I will leaue you 10
To your _God fathers_ in Law. Let twelue men worke.
Fitz-dottrel _di? claimes him_.
PVG. Do you heare Sir, pray, in priuate.
FIT. well, what ? ay you?
Briefe, for I haue no time to loo? e.
PVG. Truth is, Sir,
I am the very _Diuell_, and had leaue
To take this body, I am in, to ? erue you; 15
Which was a _Cutpur? es_, and hang'd this Morning.
And it is likewi? e true, I ? tole this ? uite
To cloth me with. But Sir let me not goe
To pri? on for it. I haue hitherto
Lo? t time, done nothing; ? howne, indeed, no part 20
O' my _Diuels_ nature. Now, I will ? o helpe
Your malice, 'gainst the? e parties; ? o aduance
The bu? ine? ? e, that you haue in hand of _witchcraft_,
And your _po? ? e? ? ion_, as my ? elfe were in you.
Teach you ? uch tricks, to make your belly ? well, 25
And your eyes turne, to foame, to ? tare, to gna? h
Your teeth together, and to beate your ? elfe,
Laugh loud, and faine ? ix voices--
FIT. Out you Rogue!
You mo? t infernall counterfeit wretch! Auant!
Do you thinke to gull me with your _AE? ops Fables_? 30
Here take him to you, I ha' no part in him.
PVG. Sir.
FIT. Away, I do di? claime, I will not heare you.
_And ? ends him away. _
MER. What ? aid he to you, Sir?
FIT. Like a lying raskall
Told me he was the _Diuel_.
MER. How! a good ie? t!
FIT. And that he would teach me, ? uch fine _diuels_ tricks 35
For our new re? olution.
EVE. O' pox on him,
'Twas excellent wi? ely done, Sir, not to tru? t him.
Mere-craft _giues the instructions to him and the re? t_.
MER. Why, if he were the Diuel, we ? ha' not need him,
If you'll be rul'd. Goe throw your ? elfe on a bed, Sir,
And faine you ill. Wee'll not be ? eene wi' you, 40
Till after, that you haue a fit: and all
Confirm'd within. Keepe you with the two _Ladies_
And per? wade them. I'll to _Iu? tice Either-? ide_,
And po? ? e? ? e him with all. _Traines_ ? hall ? eeke out _Ingine_,
And they two fill the towne with't, euery cable 45
Is to be veer'd. We mu? t employ out all
Our _emi? ? aries_ now; Sir, I will ? end you
_Bladders_ and _Bellowes_. Sir, be confident,
'Tis no hard thing t'out doe the _Deuill_ in:
A Boy o' thirteene yeere old made him an _A? ? e_ 50
But t'toher day.
FIT. Well, I'll beginne to practice;
And ? cape the imputation of being _Cuckold_,
By mine owne act.
MER. yo' are right.
EVE. Come, you ha' put
Your ? elfe to a ? imple coyle here, and your freinds, [164]
By dealing with new _Agents_, in new plots. 55
MER. No more o' that, ? weet cou? in.
EVE. What had you
To doe with this ? ame _Wittipol_, for a _Lady_?
MER. Que? tion not that: 'tis done.
EVE. You had ? ome ? traine
'Boue E-_la_?
MER. I had indeed.
EVE. And, now, you crack for't.
MER. Do not vpbraid me.
EVE. Come, you mu? t be told on't; 60
You are ? o couetous, ? till, to embrace
More then you can, that you loo? e all.
MER. 'Tis right.
What would you more, then Guilty? Now, your ? uccours.
[783] SD. om. G
[784] 5 _Ambler. Enter_ FITZDOTTREL. G
[785] 11 SN. om. G
[786] 12 private. [_Takes him aside. _ G
[787] 28 loud] round 1716
[788] 32 SN. ] [_Exit Sledge with Pug. _ G
[789] 36 O'] O W O, G
[790] 37 SN. om. G
[791] 42 [_to Everill. _ G
[792] 43 I will G
[793] 45 two] to 1641
[794] 46 imploy 1641
[795] 49 t' ret. G
[796] 51 t'tother 1692 t'other 1716. f.
[797] 53 You're 1716, W right. || [_Exit Fitz. _ G
[798] 61 imbrace 1641
[799] 63 [_Exeunt. _ G
ACT. V. SCENE. VJ.
SHAKLES. PVG. INIQUITY. DIVEL.
Pug _is brought to_ New-gate.
Here you are lodg'd, Sir, you mu? t ? end your garni? h,
If you'll be priuat.
PVG. There it is, Sir, leaue me.
To _New-gate_, brought? How is the name of _Deuill_
Di? credited in me! What a lo? t fiend
Shall I be, on returne? My _Cheife_ will roare 5
In triumph, now, that I haue beene on earth,
A day, and done no noted thing, but brought
That body back here, was hang'd out this morning.
Well! would it once were midnight, that I knew
My vtmo? t. I thinke Time be drunke, and ? leepes; 10
He is ? o ? till, and moues not! I doe glory
Now i' my torment. Neither can I expect it,
I haue it with my fact.
_Enter_ Iniquity _the_ Vice.
INI. _Child_ of hell, be thou merry:
Put a looke on, as round, boy, and red as a cherry.
Ca? t care at thy po? ternes; and firke i' thy fetters, 15
They are ornaments, _Baby_, haue graced thy betters:
Looke vpon me, and hearken. Our _Cheife_ doth ? alute thee,
And lea? t the coldyron ? hould chance to confute thee,
H'hath ? ent thee, _grant-paroll_ by me to ? tay longer
A moneth here on earth, again? t cold _Child_, or honger. 20
PVG. How? longer here a moneth?
ING. Yes, boy, till the _Se? ? ion_,
That ? o thou maye? t haue a triumphall egre? ? ion.
PVG. In a cart, to be hang'd.
ING. No, _Child_, in a Carre,
The charriot of Triumph, which mo? t of them are.
And in the meane time, to be greazy, and bouzy, 25
And na? ty, and filthy, and ragged and louzy,
With dam'n me, renounce me, and all the fine phra? es;
That bring, vnto _Tiborne_, the plentifull gazes.
PVG. He is a _Diuell_! and may be our _Cheife_! [165]
The great Superiour _Diuell_! for his malice: 30
_Arch-diuel_! I acknowledge him. He knew
What I would ? uffer, when he tie'd me vp thus
In a rogues body: and he has (I thanke him)
His tyrannous plea? ure on me, to confine me
To the vnlucky carka? ? e of a _Cutpur? e_, 35
wherein I could do nothing.
_The great_ Deuill _enters, and vpbraids
him with all his dayes worke_.
DIV. Impudent fiend,
Stop thy lewd mouth. Doe? t thou not ? hame and tremble
To lay thine owne dull damn'd defects vpon
An innocent ca? e, there? Why thou heauy ? laue!
The ? pirit, that did po? ? e? ? e that fle? h before 40
Put more true life, in a finger, and a thumbe,
Then thou in the whole Ma? ? e. Yet thou rebell'? t
And murmur'? t? What one profer ha? t thou made,
Wicked inough, this day, that might be call'd
Worthy thine owne, much le? ? e the name that ? ent thee? 45
Fir? t, thou did'? t helpe thy ? elfe into a beating
Promptly, and with't endangered'? t too thy tongue:
A _Diuell_, and could not keepe a body intire
One day! That, for our credit. And to vindicate it,
Hinderd'? t (for ought thou know'? t) a deed of darkne? ? e: 50
Which was an act of that egregious folly,
As no one, to'ard the _Diuel_, could ha' thought on.
This for your acting! but for suffering!
Your bellowes goe at the forge, as his at the fornace.
I ha' procur'd it, ha' the Signet for it,
Dealt with the _Linnen-drapers_, on my priuate,
By cause, I fear'd, they were the likelye? t euer
To ? tirre again? t, to cro? ? e it; for 'twill be 25
A mighty ? auer of _Linnen_ through the kingdome
(As that is one o' my grounds, and to ? pare wa? hing)
Now, on you two, had I layd all the profits.
_Guilt-head_ to haue the making of all tho? e
Of gold and ? iluer, for the better per? onages; 30
And you, of tho? e of _Steele_ for the common ? ort.
And both by _Pattent_, I had brought you your ? eales in.
But now you haue preuented me, and I thanke you.
Sledge _is brought about_.
SLE. Sir, I will bayle you, at mine owne ap-perill.
MER. Nay choo? e.
PLV. Do you ? o too, good Father. 35
_And_ Guilt-head _comes_.
GVI. I like the fa? hion o' the proiect, well,
The forkes! It may be a lucky one! and is not
Intricate, as one would ? ay, but fit for
Plaine heads, as ours, to deale in. Do you heare
_Officers_, we di? charge you.
MER. Why this ? hewes 40
A little good nature in you, I confe? ? e,
But do not tempt your friends thus. Little _Guilt-head_,
Adui? e your ? ire, great _Guilt-head_ from the? e cour? es:
And, here, to trouble a great man in reuer? ion,
For a matter o' fifty on a fal? e _Alarme_, 45
Away, it ? hewes not well. Let him get the pieces
And bring 'hem. Yo'll heare more el? e.
PLV. _Father. _
[768] SD. MERE. . . . _them_] _To them. _ Mere-craft &c. 1692
MERE-CRAFT, &c. om. 1716. W
[769] ACT. . . . ] _Enter_ GILTHEAD, PLUTARCHUS, SLEDGE, _and_ Serjeants. G
[770] 2 SN. om. G
[771] 3 SER. ] I _Serj. _ G
[772] 6 y'] you W, G
[773] 10 SN. ] [_Points to Meercraft. _ G
[774] 13 th'] thou W, G
[775] 18 SN. om. G
[776] 23, 4 private Bie, 'cause 1692, 1716 private, Because W, G
[777] 27 to] so 1641
[778] 33, 5 SN. om. G
[779] 37, 8 Not intricate (l. 38) G
[780] 40 you. [_Exeunt Serjeants. _ G
[781] 45 on] in W, G
[782] 47 You'll 1692, 1716 You'll W || _Exeunt Gilt. and Plut.
Enter_ AMBLER, _dragging in_ PUG. G
ACT. V. SCENE. V.
AMBLER. {_To them. _
O Ma? ter _Sledge_, are you here? I ha' been to ? eeke you.
You are the _Con? table_, they ? ay. Here's one
That I do charge with _Felony_, for the ? uite
He weares, Sir.
MER. Who? M. _Fitz-Dottrels_ man?
Ware what you do, M. _Ambler_.
AMB. Sir, the? e clothes 5
I'll ? weare, are mine: and the ? hooes the gentlewomans
I told you of: and ha' him afore a _Iu? tice_, [163]
I will.
PVG. My ma? ter, Sir, will pa? ? e his word for me.
AMB. O, can you ? peake to purpo? e now?
FIT. Not I,
If you be ? uch a one Sir, I will leaue you 10
To your _God fathers_ in Law. Let twelue men worke.
Fitz-dottrel _di? claimes him_.
PVG. Do you heare Sir, pray, in priuate.
FIT. well, what ? ay you?
Briefe, for I haue no time to loo? e.
PVG. Truth is, Sir,
I am the very _Diuell_, and had leaue
To take this body, I am in, to ? erue you; 15
Which was a _Cutpur? es_, and hang'd this Morning.
And it is likewi? e true, I ? tole this ? uite
To cloth me with. But Sir let me not goe
To pri? on for it. I haue hitherto
Lo? t time, done nothing; ? howne, indeed, no part 20
O' my _Diuels_ nature. Now, I will ? o helpe
Your malice, 'gainst the? e parties; ? o aduance
The bu? ine? ? e, that you haue in hand of _witchcraft_,
And your _po? ? e? ? ion_, as my ? elfe were in you.
Teach you ? uch tricks, to make your belly ? well, 25
And your eyes turne, to foame, to ? tare, to gna? h
Your teeth together, and to beate your ? elfe,
Laugh loud, and faine ? ix voices--
FIT. Out you Rogue!
You mo? t infernall counterfeit wretch! Auant!
Do you thinke to gull me with your _AE? ops Fables_? 30
Here take him to you, I ha' no part in him.
PVG. Sir.
FIT. Away, I do di? claime, I will not heare you.
_And ? ends him away. _
MER. What ? aid he to you, Sir?
FIT. Like a lying raskall
Told me he was the _Diuel_.
MER. How! a good ie? t!
FIT. And that he would teach me, ? uch fine _diuels_ tricks 35
For our new re? olution.
EVE. O' pox on him,
'Twas excellent wi? ely done, Sir, not to tru? t him.
Mere-craft _giues the instructions to him and the re? t_.
MER. Why, if he were the Diuel, we ? ha' not need him,
If you'll be rul'd. Goe throw your ? elfe on a bed, Sir,
And faine you ill. Wee'll not be ? eene wi' you, 40
Till after, that you haue a fit: and all
Confirm'd within. Keepe you with the two _Ladies_
And per? wade them. I'll to _Iu? tice Either-? ide_,
And po? ? e? ? e him with all. _Traines_ ? hall ? eeke out _Ingine_,
And they two fill the towne with't, euery cable 45
Is to be veer'd. We mu? t employ out all
Our _emi? ? aries_ now; Sir, I will ? end you
_Bladders_ and _Bellowes_. Sir, be confident,
'Tis no hard thing t'out doe the _Deuill_ in:
A Boy o' thirteene yeere old made him an _A? ? e_ 50
But t'toher day.
FIT. Well, I'll beginne to practice;
And ? cape the imputation of being _Cuckold_,
By mine owne act.
MER. yo' are right.
EVE. Come, you ha' put
Your ? elfe to a ? imple coyle here, and your freinds, [164]
By dealing with new _Agents_, in new plots. 55
MER. No more o' that, ? weet cou? in.
EVE. What had you
To doe with this ? ame _Wittipol_, for a _Lady_?
MER. Que? tion not that: 'tis done.
EVE. You had ? ome ? traine
'Boue E-_la_?
MER. I had indeed.
EVE. And, now, you crack for't.
MER. Do not vpbraid me.
EVE. Come, you mu? t be told on't; 60
You are ? o couetous, ? till, to embrace
More then you can, that you loo? e all.
MER. 'Tis right.
What would you more, then Guilty? Now, your ? uccours.
[783] SD. om. G
[784] 5 _Ambler. Enter_ FITZDOTTREL. G
[785] 11 SN. om. G
[786] 12 private. [_Takes him aside. _ G
[787] 28 loud] round 1716
[788] 32 SN. ] [_Exit Sledge with Pug. _ G
[789] 36 O'] O W O, G
[790] 37 SN. om. G
[791] 42 [_to Everill. _ G
[792] 43 I will G
[793] 45 two] to 1641
[794] 46 imploy 1641
[795] 49 t' ret. G
[796] 51 t'tother 1692 t'other 1716. f.
[797] 53 You're 1716, W right. || [_Exit Fitz. _ G
[798] 61 imbrace 1641
[799] 63 [_Exeunt. _ G
ACT. V. SCENE. VJ.
SHAKLES. PVG. INIQUITY. DIVEL.
Pug _is brought to_ New-gate.
Here you are lodg'd, Sir, you mu? t ? end your garni? h,
If you'll be priuat.
PVG. There it is, Sir, leaue me.
To _New-gate_, brought? How is the name of _Deuill_
Di? credited in me! What a lo? t fiend
Shall I be, on returne? My _Cheife_ will roare 5
In triumph, now, that I haue beene on earth,
A day, and done no noted thing, but brought
That body back here, was hang'd out this morning.
Well! would it once were midnight, that I knew
My vtmo? t. I thinke Time be drunke, and ? leepes; 10
He is ? o ? till, and moues not! I doe glory
Now i' my torment. Neither can I expect it,
I haue it with my fact.
_Enter_ Iniquity _the_ Vice.
INI. _Child_ of hell, be thou merry:
Put a looke on, as round, boy, and red as a cherry.
Ca? t care at thy po? ternes; and firke i' thy fetters, 15
They are ornaments, _Baby_, haue graced thy betters:
Looke vpon me, and hearken. Our _Cheife_ doth ? alute thee,
And lea? t the coldyron ? hould chance to confute thee,
H'hath ? ent thee, _grant-paroll_ by me to ? tay longer
A moneth here on earth, again? t cold _Child_, or honger. 20
PVG. How? longer here a moneth?
ING. Yes, boy, till the _Se? ? ion_,
That ? o thou maye? t haue a triumphall egre? ? ion.
PVG. In a cart, to be hang'd.
ING. No, _Child_, in a Carre,
The charriot of Triumph, which mo? t of them are.
And in the meane time, to be greazy, and bouzy, 25
And na? ty, and filthy, and ragged and louzy,
With dam'n me, renounce me, and all the fine phra? es;
That bring, vnto _Tiborne_, the plentifull gazes.
PVG. He is a _Diuell_! and may be our _Cheife_! [165]
The great Superiour _Diuell_! for his malice: 30
_Arch-diuel_! I acknowledge him. He knew
What I would ? uffer, when he tie'd me vp thus
In a rogues body: and he has (I thanke him)
His tyrannous plea? ure on me, to confine me
To the vnlucky carka? ? e of a _Cutpur? e_, 35
wherein I could do nothing.
_The great_ Deuill _enters, and vpbraids
him with all his dayes worke_.
DIV. Impudent fiend,
Stop thy lewd mouth. Doe? t thou not ? hame and tremble
To lay thine owne dull damn'd defects vpon
An innocent ca? e, there? Why thou heauy ? laue!
The ? pirit, that did po? ? e? ? e that fle? h before 40
Put more true life, in a finger, and a thumbe,
Then thou in the whole Ma? ? e. Yet thou rebell'? t
And murmur'? t? What one profer ha? t thou made,
Wicked inough, this day, that might be call'd
Worthy thine owne, much le? ? e the name that ? ent thee? 45
Fir? t, thou did'? t helpe thy ? elfe into a beating
Promptly, and with't endangered'? t too thy tongue:
A _Diuell_, and could not keepe a body intire
One day! That, for our credit. And to vindicate it,
Hinderd'? t (for ought thou know'? t) a deed of darkne? ? e: 50
Which was an act of that egregious folly,
As no one, to'ard the _Diuel_, could ha' thought on.
This for your acting! but for suffering!
