_Angel._ Art thou so angry, Jonas? tell me why.
_Jonas._ Jehovah, I with burning heat am plung'd, And shadow'd only by a silly vine; Behold, a serpent hath devourèd it: And lo, the sun, incens'd by eastern wind, Afflicts me with canicular aspéct. Would God that I might die! for, well I wot, 'Twere better I were dead then rest alive.
_Angel._ Jonas, art thou so angry for the vine?
_Jonas._ Yea, I am angry to the death, my God.
_Angel._ Thou hast compassion, Jonas, on a vine, On which thou never labour didst bestow; Thou never gav'st it life or power to grow, But suddenly it sprung, and suddenly died: And should not I have great compassion On Nineveh, the city of the world, Wherein there are a hundred thousand souls, And twenty thousand infants that ne wot[123] The right hand from the left, beside much cattle? O Jonas, look into their temples now, And see the true contrition of their king, The subjects' tears, the sinners' true remorse! Then from the Lord proclaim a mercy-day, For he is pitiful as he is just.[124]
_Jonas._ I go, my God, to finish thy command. [_Exit_ Angel. O, who can tell the wonders of my God, Or talk his praises with a fervent tongue? He bringeth down to hell, and lifts to heaven; He draws the yoke of bondage from the just, And looks upon the heathen with piteous eyes: To him all praise and honour be ascrib'd. O, who can tell the wonders of my God? He makes the infant to proclaim his truth, The ass to speak to save the prophet's life, The earth and sea to yield increase for man. Who can describe the compass of his power, Or testify in terms his endless might? My ravish'd sprite, O, whither dost thou wend? Go and proclaim the mercy of my God; Relieve the careful-hearted Ninevites; And, as thou wert the messenger of death, Go bring glad tidings of recover'd grace. [_Exit._
_Enter_ ADAM, _with a bottle of beer in one slop,_[125] _and a great piece of beef in another._
_Adam._ Well, Goodman Jonas, I would you had never come from Jewry to this country; you have made me look like a lean rib of roast beef, or like the picture of Lent painted upon a red-herring's cob.[126] Alas, masters, we are commanded by the proclamation to fast and pray! by my troth, I could prettily so-so away with[127] praying; but for fasting, why, 'tis so contrary to my nature, that I had rather suffer a short hanging than a long fasting. Mark me, the words be these, "Thou shalt take no manner of food for so many days." I had as lief he should have said, "Thou shalt hang thyself for so many days." And yet, in faith, I need not find fault with the proclamation, for I have a buttery and a pantry and a kitchen about me; for proof, _ecce signum!_ this right slop is my pantry, behold a manchet[128] [_Draws it out_]; this place is my kitchen, for, lo, a piece of beef [_Draws it out_],--O, let me repeat that sweet word again! "for, lo, a piece of beef." This is my buttery, for, see, see, my friends, to my great joy, a bottle of beer [_Draws it out_]. Thus, alas, I make shift to wear out this fasting; I drive away the time. But there go searchers about to seek if any man breaks the king's command. O, here they be; in with your victuals, Adam. [_Puts them back into his slops._