Bartholmew fayre : a comedie, acted in the yeare, 1614 by the Lady Elizabeths seruants, and then dedicated to King Iames, of most blessed memorie ; The diuell is an asse : a comedie acted in the yeare, 1616, by His Maiesties seruants ; The staple of newes : a comedie acted in the yeare, 1625, by His Maiesties seruants by the author, Beniamin Iohnson.

ACT. I. SCENE. VI.

PVRECRAFT. WIN. IOHN. BVSY. SALOMON.

NOw, the blaze of the beauteous discipline, fright away this euill from our house! how now Win-the-fight, Child: how do you? Sweet child, speake to me.

WIN.

Yes, forsooth.

PVR.

Looke vp, sweet Win-the-fight, and suffer not the enemy to enter you at this doore, remember that your education has bin with the purest, what polluted one was it, that nam'd first the vn∣cleane beast, Pigge, to you, Child?

WIN.

(Vh, vh.)

IOH.

Not I, o' my sincerity, mother: she long'd aboue three houres, ere she would let me know it; who was it Win?

WIN.

A prophane blacke thing with a beard, Iohn.

PVR.

O! resist it, Win-the-fight, it is the Tempter, the wicked Tempter, you may know it by the fleshly motion of Pig, be strong against it, and it's foule temptations, in these assaults, whereby it broacheth flesh and blood, as it were, on the weaker side, and pray against it's carnall prouocations, good child, sweet child, pray.

IOH.

Good mother, I pray you; that she may eate some Pigge, and her belly full, too; and doe not you cast away your owne child, and perhaps one of mine, with your tale of the Tempter: how doe you, Win? Are you not sicke?

WIN.

Yes, a great deale, Iohn, (vh, vh.)

PVR.

What shall we doe? call our zealous brother Busy hither, for his faithfull fortification in this charge of the aduersary; child, my deare childe, you shall eate Pigge, be comforted, my sweet child.

WIN.

I, but i'the Fayre, mother.

PVR.

I meane i'the Fayre, if it can be any way made, or found lawfull; where is our brother Busy? Will hee not come? looke vp, child.

IOH.

Presently, mother, as soone as he has cleans'd his beard. I found him, fast by the teeth, i'the cold Turkey-pye, i'the cupbord, with a great white loafe on his left hand, and a glasse of Malmesey on his right.

PVR.

Slander not the Brethren, wicked one.

IOH.

Here hee is, now, purified, Mother.

PVR.

O brother Busy! your helpe heere to edifie, and raise vs vp in a scruple; my daughter Win-the-fight is visited with a naturall disease of women; call'd, A longing to eate Pigge.

IOH.

I Sir, a Bartholmew-pigge: and in the Fayre.

PVR.

And I would be satisfied from you, Religiously-wise, whether a widdow of the sanctified assembly, or a widdowes daughter, may commit the act, without offence to the weaker sisters.

BVS.

Verily, for the disease of longing, it is a disease, a carnall disease, or appetite, incident to women: and as it is carnall, and incident, it is naturall, very naturall: Now Pigge, it is a meat, and a meat that is nourishing, and may be long'd for, and so conse∣quently eaten; it may be eaten; very exceeding well eaten: but in the Fayre, and as a Bartholmew-pig, it cannot be eaten, for the very calling it a Bartholmew-pigge, and to eat it so, is a spice of Idolatry, and you make the Fayre, no better then one of the high Places. This I take it, is the state of the question. A high place.

IOH.

I, but in state of necessity: Place should giue place, M^r▪ Busy, (I haue a conceit left, yet.)

PVR.

Good Brother, Zeale-of-the-land, thinke to make it as lawfull as you can.

IOH.

Yes Sir, and as soone as you can: for it must be Sir; you see the danger my little wife is in, Sir.

PVR.

Truely, I doe loue my child dearely, and I would not haue her miscarry, or hazard her first fruites, if it might be other∣wise.

BVS.

Surely, it may be otherwise, but it is subiect, to constru∣ction, subiect, and hath a face of offence, with the weake, a great

face, a foule face, but that face may haue a vaile put ouer it, and be shaddowed, as it were, it may be eaten, and in the Fayre, I take it, in a Booth, the tents of the wicked: the place is not much, not very much, we may be religious in midst of the prophane, so it be eaten with a reformed mouth, with sobriety, and humblenesse; not gorg'd in with gluttony, or greedinesse; there's the feare: for, should she goe there, as taking pride in the place, or delight in the vncleane dressing, to feed the vanity of the eye, or the lust of the palat, it were not well, it were not fit, it were abominable, and not good.

IOH.

Nay, I knew that afore, and told her on't, but courage, Win, we'll be humble enough; we'll seeke out the homeliest Booth i'the Fayre, that's certaine, rather then faile, wee'll eate it o' the ground.

PVR.

I, and I'll goe with you my selfe, Win the-fight, and my brother, Zeale-of-the-land, shall goe with vs too, for our better con∣solation.

WIN.

Vh, vh.

IOH.

I, and Salomon too, Win, (the more the merrier) Win, we'll leaue Rabby Busy in a Booth. Salomon, my cloake.

SAL.

Here, Sir.

BVS.

In the way of comfort to the weake, I will goe, and eat. I will eate exceedingly, and prophesie; there may be a good vse made of it, too, now I thinke on't: by the publike eating of Swines flesh, to professe our hate, and loathing of Iudaisme, whereof the brethren stand taxed. I will therefore eate, yea, I will eate excee∣dingly.

IOH.

Good, i'faith, I will eate heartily too, because I will be no Iew, I could neuer away with that stiffenecked generation: and truely, I hope my little one will be like me, that cries for Pigge so, i'the mothers belly.

BVS.

Very likely, exceeding likely, very exceeding likely.