_Per._ This treatyse, deuysyd to make you dysporte, Shewyth nowe adayes howe the worlde comberyd is, To the pythe of the mater who lyst to resorte; To day it is well, to morowe it is all amysse, To day in delyte, to morowe bare of blysse, To day a lorde, to morowe ly in the duste; Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste; To day fayre wether, to morowe a stormy rage, To day hote, to morowe outragyous colde, 2570 To day a yoman, to morowe made of page, To day in surety, to morowe bought and solde, To day maysterfest, to morowe he hath no holde, To day a man, to morowe he lyeth in the duste; Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste.
_Magn._ This mater we haue mouyd, you myrthys to make, Precely purposyd vnder pretence of play, Shewyth wysdome to them that wysdome can take, Howe sodenly worldly welth dothe dekay, How wysdom thorowe wantonnesse vanysshyth away, 2580 How none estate lyuynge of hymselfe can be sure, For the welthe of this worlde can not indure; Of the terestre rechery we fall in the flode, Beten with stormys of many a frowarde blast, Ensordyd with the wawys sauage and wode, Without our shyppe be sure, it is lykely to brast, Yet of magnyfycence oft made is the mast; Thus none estate lyuynge of hym can be sure, For the welthe of this worlde can not indure.
_Red._ Nowe semyth vs syttynge that ye then resorte 2590 Home to your paleys with ioy and ryalte.
_Sad Cyr._ Where euery thyng is ordenyd after your noble porte.
_Per._ There to indeuer with all felycyte.
_Magn._ I am content, my frendys, that it so be.
_Red._ And ye that haue harde this dysporte and game, Jhesus preserue you frome endlesse wo and shame! Amen.
[779] _Magnyfycence, &c._] From the ed. printed by Rastell, n. d.;—in which the above list of characters is placed at the end of the drama.
[780] _Lyberte_] Enters, probably, towards the end of the preceding speech.
[784] _the dogge_] Qy. “thé, dogge?” but see notes.
[785] _after none_] Here Felycyte goes out.
[786] _sensim retrocedat; at_] Ed. “sensū _retrocedat_ ad.”
[788] _By your soth_] Ed. prefixes “_Fansy_” to these words, and omits the prefix to the next speech.
[789] _intrat_] Qy. “intret?”—This stage-direction is not quite correct, for _Count._ _Count._ enters as _Fansy_ is going off, and detains him till v. 406.