Pleasant dialogues and dramma's, selected out of Lucian, Erasmus, Textor, Ovid, &c. With sundry emblems extracted from the most elegant Iacobus Catsius. As also certaine elegies, epitaphs, and epithalamions or nuptiall songs; anagrams and acrosticks; with divers speeches (upon severall occasions) spoken to their most excellent Majesties, King Charles, and Queene Mary. With other fancies translated from Beza, Bucanan, and sundry Italian poets. By Thomas Heywood

CHARON, MENIPPVS, MERCVRY (Book 15)

The Argument.

CHaron the Ferriman exclaimes vpon Menippus, for not paying him his fare, By him being wafted ouer Phlegeton; For which these two at great dissention are. Charon is forc'd to pardon it in the end; For he that nothing hath must nothing spend.

The DIALOGVE.

Char.

PAy me my fare, thou wretch.

Menip.

Nay, scold outright, If thou to heare thy selfe speake tak'st light.

Char.

My due for thy trajection downe here lay.

Menip.

I prethee how can he that hath not, pay?

Char.

Is't possible there any one can be That is not worth a single halfpenny?

Menip.

I know not to whom else thou pratest here, But for myne owne part I have none I sweare.

Char.

I'le bast thee with this ship-rope, if my hire Thou tendrest not.

Menip.

Then shall my staffe aspire

To fly about thine eares.

Char.

So long a cut Must I take paines to waft thee, and thou put To no expence at all?

Menip.

Let Hermes stand ••ngag'd for me, who gave me to thine hand.

Merc.

By Iove, in time I shall be ill bested, ••f I be put to pay fares for the dead.

Char.

He shall not so passe from me,

Men.

For his sake ••ontinue still thy course, and quickly make ••owards the shore; What to thy share can fall ••••om him who (as thou seest) hath nought at all?

Char.

Didst thou not know what thou shouldst bring a∣long?

Menip.

'Tis true I did, but can excuse the wrong; ••ad it not, because I want to give, ••t therefore fit that I should ever live?

Char.

Wilt thou be he then, who alone canst boast •••• have ferried this great river without cost?

Menip.

Not so, ô Charon, wanting to defray, ••hou hast my paines, I pumpt part of the way, ••••en tug'd at th' oare, being that only soule ••ho in thy barge did neither mourne nor houle.

Char.

Tush, these are nothing to my fare that's due, ••y downe my halfpenny, my fare, in view.

Men.

Not having it, best way to end this strife, That thou Charon beare me backe to life.

Char.

For that Gramercy, so I might be sure, ••••om Aeacus a beating to endure. ••his base Ghost would persuade me to the whip.

Men.

Be not so peevish then.

Char.

What's in that scrip ••••ou keepst so close about thee?

Men.

A small cheat, ••ittle pulse for Hecate to eat.

Char,

Tell me, ô Mercury, whence hast thou brought

This Dog to us? a wretch that mindeth nought. What strange things talkt he by the way, I guiding The helme, whilest he was all the while deriding The passengers? what a loud coile he kept, He only singing whilest the other wept?

Merc.

Knowst thou not him? he hath a spirit daring, Hee's bold, free spoken, and for nothing caring: This is Menippus, (Foole.)

Char.

Well, if againe I take him here,—

Men.

Thou threatnest me in vain: This passage, though not for 'twixt shore and shore, Yet once being past, cannot be traveld more.