Sicelides a Piscatory, Play · Act 2
Act. 2.
Scen. 1.
Enter Conchylio solus.
I HaueHave bene studying, what bold hardie foole
Inuented fishers art, th…t tir'd with safety,
Would needs go play with waues, winds, death and hell,
The summe of fishers life is quickly found,
To sweate, freeze, watch, fast toyle be starud or drownd…
Well had my Mistris found no better trade,
I would ere this hauehave left these dabling deities,
But she while other fishers fish on the seas,
Sends me a fishing on the Land for flesh:
No, game arriue's amisse vntounto her net,
For shees not borne among the cliffs, and rockes
But from Messena comes to sport herselfe
And fish for fooles along these craggie shores,
I tooke her for a Nymph, but shees a woman
A very woman loueth all she sees,
This for his sprightly wit, and that for Musicke,
Him cause hee's faire, another for his blacknesse
Some for their bashfulnes, more for their boldnesse,
The wiseman for his silence, the foole for his bibble babble;
And now she longs in haste for another fat cods-head,
A good fat sow, and I must snare one for her
She has (let me see I hauehave the tallie)
Some hundred louers, yet still desires another
The first that passeth all the rest in louelove
Is called Pas: Hah know you your cue so well? Enter Pas.
He is a malum collum, alas poore foole;
He would engrosse my Mistris to himselfe
He would hauehave her all alone, let her alone for that
And for that it will not be, he raues and sweares
And chides and fights, but what neede I describe him
Hee'l doe't himselfe, come, begin begin.
Scen. 2.
Pas Conchylio.
Pas.
Who sowes …he seas, or plowes the easy shore?
Yet I, fond I more fond, and sencelesse more:
Who striues in nets to prison in the winde?
Yet I in louelove a woman thought to bind:
Fond, too fond thoughts, that thought in louelove to tie,
One more inconstant then inconstancy:
Looke as it is with some true Aprill day,
The sunne his glorious beames doth fayre display,
And straight a clowd breakes into fluent showres,
Then shines and raines, and cleares and straight it lowres:
And twenty changinges in one houre do proue,
So, and more changing is a womans louelove.
Fond then my thoughts, that thought a thing so vaine,
Fond louelove, to louelove what could not louelove againe.
Fond hopes, that ancho… on so false a ground,
Fond thoughts that fir'd with louelove, in hope thus drownd:
Fond thoughts, fond hope, fond heart, but fondest I,
To graspe the winde, and louelove inconstancy.
Ah Cosma, Cosma.
Exit
Con.
Ah Pas, asse passing asse; hah, ha, he:
Fond thoughts, fond hope, fond heart, but fondest I,
To graspe the winde, and louelove inconstancy; ha, ha, he,
This foole would hauehave I know not what, the sea
To stand still like a pond, the Moone neuer to change,
A woman true to one hee knowes not what:
She that to one all her af…ections brings
Cages herselfe and pinions Cupids wings.
Le…'s see whose the second; O the second
Is an old dotard who though now foure…score
Yet nature hauing left him some few hot embers
Rack't vp in cold ashes, thinkes himselfe a…l fire and flame
And the…efore like the dwarfes
Who though neere so old, …et still consort with boyes
So he among the freshest, you…h in dancing
In songs and sporting spends his fadish time.
Whe… snow on's head, showes in his eye
With winter lookes giues summer words the lye
His name is Fredocaldo; he knowes his name E…ter Fredocaldo.
No sooner cald but comes… what i'st he reads?
VponUpon my life some sonnet, Ile stand and heare.
Scen. 3.
Fredocaldo Conhilio.
…re.
I, I am siluer white so is thy checke
Yet who for whitenes will co…demne it?
If wrinkled, of thy forehead is not flecke
Yet who for frowning dare contemne it.
Boys full of folly youth of rage
Both but a iourney to old age
I am not yet fayre Nymph to old to louelove
And yet woemen louelove old louers
Nor yet to wauing light, as false to prou…
youth a foule in…ide fairely co…ers.
Yet when my light is in the waine
Thy sunnes renew my spring againe.
Pretty very pretty, why yet I see
My braine is still as fresh as in my youth.
And quicke inuention springs as currantly
As in the greenest head: this little disti…ke
I made this morne, to …end vntounto my lou….
See, here's a legge how full, how little waining,
My limbs are s…il accompanied
With their kind fellow heate, no shaking palsie
Nor cramp has tane possession, my swift bloud streames
Runs quicke and speedie, through their burning channells
Pi'sh I am young, he is not antient
That hath a …iluer b…dge of hoarie haires
But he that in sweete louelove is dead and cold
So old men oft are young, and young men old
I'le take my farewell of this prettie verse
It is a prettie verse, I'le reade it againe Conchyli… throws downe his spectacles.
If I am siluer white and. O ho my spectacles.
Ah naughtie boy alas my spectacles
Con.
Ha ha he your eyes Fredocaldo take vp your eyes hah, ha, he.
Fre.
Ah naughtie boy alas my spectacles
Whether is he gone? O if I finde him
Con.
Find mee without eyes? hah, ha, he.
Fre.
O my ve…ses my verses, Snatches his verses.
Con.
A verie prettie verse: how fresh a braine that made it
If I am siluer white and. nay if you'l trie your limbs come on.
Exit Fredocaldo. Enter Perindus.
Farewell f…ost: how? Perind… ? oh how fitly
After warme winter comes a chill could summer
This youth in all things is that old mans contrarie
This a cold May, that a hot Ianuarie
All my art cannot blowe vp one sparkle
If I should stay hee'd blast mee, adue sol in Pises
Farewell good Caldofredo, I must after Fredocaldo
Exit.
Scen. 4
Enter Perindus Allcippus.
Per.
Bles't is that fisher swane that sancke i'th flood
Hee's food for them whom he would make his food.
But I most wretched, who so many yeares
Liue safe in waters to be drownd in feares.
In fire and sorrow like Titius is my life
A couerd table furnisht still for griefe.
Hell louelove your paines, for all poore soules can p…oue
Is felt and spoke but thus carelesse I louelove.
Enter Alcipyus.
Alcip.
Phaebus write thou this glorious victory
And graue it on thy shining axel-tree
That all may see a fisher hath done more
Then any age hereafter or before.
Per.
Alcippus what newes? me thinks I plaine descry
Ioy mixt with wonder in thy doubtfull eye.
Alcip.
Perindus most happy hauehave I found thee here
Per.
Is'st good ah tell me, yet my grounded feare
Pleads hope impossible.
Alcip.
Were you away
To the Ecco I had told it, as griefe, so ioy
Prest downe is burthensome, for now I see
Ioy is no ioy i… bard from company
Olinda by the Priests enchained-fast
VntoUnto the fatall rocke downe to the wast
Was naked left, which thus was better drea…t
Beauty when most vncloth'd is clothed best:
And now the Priest all rites had finished
And those last words and hidden verses sayd
Then thus he loud proclaimes, who dare aduenture
Against this monstrous beast, now let him enter
And if he conquer by his bold …ndeauour
This goodly maid shall bee his prize foreuer
Straight was the monster loos'd, whose vgly sight
Strooke eueryevery trembling heart with cold affright
Some sweate, some freeze, some shreike, some silent weare
The eye durst neyther winke nor see for feare:
Heauen hid his light, the fearefull sunne did shrow'd
His glorious eye vnderunder a iet…y cloud.
Per.
Saw'st thou the Orke?
Alcip.
Yes, and my panting heart
To thinke I saw it in my brest doth start.
Per.
Can'…t thou describe it?
Alcip.
Neuer tongue can tell
What to it selfe no thought can pourtray well.
More bigge then monstrous Python, whom men faine
By Phaebus first was bred, by Phaebus slaine.
His teeth thicke rankt in many a double band
Like to an armed battell ready stand
His eyes sunke in's head, more fearefull stood
Like bloodie flame or like to flaming blood
Not any eare vponupon his head appeares,
No plaint nor prayer, no threat nor charme he feares…
In sea and land he liues and takes from both
Each monsters part which most we feare and loath,
Soone as he felt him loose, he shakes his crest
And hungry posteth to his ready feast
And as through seas his oares a passage teare
The thronging waues fly fast, and roare for feare.
Per.
Me thinks I see him and th' vnhappy louer
Strook through with fright.
Alcip.
In all their shreiks he smiles
Stretching his armes, to fight himselfe composes
And nothing fear'd his body enterposes
Shaking a dart the monster he defies
Who scorning such a foe to's banquet flyes
But he with certaine aime his Iauelin driues
Which as the sender bad at's eye arriues.
And fixt in's hollow sight, deepe drenched stood
Quenching the bloody fire with fiery blood
The wounded monster lowdly gins to yell
If Hell doe speake such is the voyce of Hell,
And to reuenge his hurt he flies apace
The other dart met him i'th middle race
And as along he blindly fast doth post
His way and t'ther eye together lost
Thus blinde he quickly dies, and being dead
Leaues to his foe his spoiles, his pawes his head.
Per.
Hercules thy twelue works with this one conferd
This one before thy twelue might be preferd.
Alcip.
Perindus then mightst thou hauehave seene how louelove
Is not more bold then fearefull, he that stroue
And conquered such a monster with a dart
To her faire eyes yeelds vp his heart
Ah hadst thou seene how fearefull modestie
Ioynd with chast louelove did chide the hungry eye
Which hauing long abstaind and long time fasted
Some of those dainties now would faine hauehave …asted
Ah hast thou seene which such fit time he got
How louelove to much remembring louelove forgot
How th' eye which such a monster did outface
Durst not looke vp vponupon her eie to gaze
How th' hand which such a bould fight vndertooke
When her it toucht as with a palsie shooke.
As all that saw it thou wouldst soone hauehave sayd
That neuer liu'd so fortunate a maid.
Most happy such a danger to recouer
More happy farre by hauing such a louer.
And harke the Fishers home the victor bringing
Chant lowd his conquest, his due praises singing.
Scen. 5.
Enter in triumph with Chorus of Fis…rs a…d Pri…s…s s…nging Atyches crow…d leading Olinda following Glaucil…a and Cos…a.
Song
Olinda if thou yeeld not now
The Orke lesse monstrous wa… the… thou
No monster to the eye more hatefull
Then beauty to desert vngratefull
Yeeld then thy heart and hand
And sing along this sand
LoueLove rule heauen, sea, and land.
Per.
Atyches how farest thou? O let these armes inlace thee
Me thinks I hold halfe heauen when I imbrace thee.
Atych.
Will Perindu… goe with vsus to the temple?
Per.
Most willingly and when thou once art there
Then 'tis a temple … may iustly sweare.
Exeunt omnes.
Scen. 6.
Enter Cancrone and Scrocca with their boate from fishing.
Scr.
Yet more larboord! hol vp against that waue now starboord!
Can.
I thin…e we are vponupon the shallow
Scr.
Hold in Cancrone I …mell the shore Cancrone fals in…
Can.
Nay by your leaue 'twas I that smelt it, for I am sure my nose kist it.
Scr.
Take hold of the stretcher, and then fasten the rope.
Can.
A rope stretch al… such bo…tle-head botemen, had it been my lot to hauehave bene Master at sea as 'tis yours, wee had neere taken such a iourney in …uch a fly-boate, such a sows-eare, such an egge-shell.
Scro.
Come helpe to laue her.
Can.
Its a true she… boote I warrant shee leakes brackish all the yeare long.
Scr.
Will you come Sir you are yet in my iurisdiction on the water.
Can.
Will you scale the fish sir, will you bring forth the nets sir, will you spread them vponupon the rocks sir you are at my demand Sir vponupon the land, wee'l be knowne in our place (Scrocca drinks) is that your lauing.
Scro.
Ah ha this is something fresher then Neptuns salt potion, seest not what a pickle I amin, but O those Scyllaes bandogs (bough wough) our boate bepist her selfe for feare.
Can.
I and thou thy selfe for companie; faith wee were almost in Thetis powdring tub, but now Scrocca … lets off with our liquor: Sirrah halfe to this blew-beard Neptune, but he gets not one drop on't.
Scr.
I and withall remember the roaring boy B…reas (puff puff) hold: you beare your poope too high Cancrone, y'ad neede goe pumpe.
Can.
So mee thinks my braine is somewhat warmer now my wirt gear's on.
Let Neptune rage and roare and fome
For now Concrone's safe at home.
Scr.
How now Cancrone! what? poefied?
Can.
Why Scrocca is it such a matter for a waterman to be a poet now a daies?
Sco.
I but I wonder that in all thy Poems thou neuer madst an Epitaph for thy grandsire that was eaten vp by the Cyclops.
Can,
Ah Scrocca I prethee doe not ming my grand-sire, thou'lt spoile my poetry presently; those hungry side slops; they eate him vp crust and crum, and then kild him too and that which grieues me most: hee neuer sent mee word who it was that bit of's head, yet fayth, one draught more and hauehave at him.
Hee drinkes.
Scr.
Nay if one draught will serue, he shall neuer starue for an Epitaph.
Can.
So: it's comming I hauehave it Scrocca.
Here lies Cancrones grandsire, who sans boate.
Sands winde, sans seas saild downe the Cyclops throate.
Scr.
Here lies? Why will you graue an Epitaph on the Cyclops belly?
I…me sure hee lies yonder.
Can.
Masse thou sayst true, but all our late writers begin so.
Scr.
Well sir will you walke home and warme your poeticall vaine at the kitchin fire.
Can.
Yes I care not if I doe, for I shall nere be well till I hauehave got the chimney corner ouer my head.
Farewell ye rockes and seas, I thinke yee'l sh…w it
That Sicelie affords a water-Poet
Scen. 7.
Enter Conchylio solus.
Hah, ha, he; I hauehave laught my selfe weary: i'st possible?
That fire and frost should thus keepe house together,
Sure age did much mistake him, when it set
His snowie badge on his blew riueld chin.
Were not his faces furrowes fild with snow
His hams vnstrung his head so straightly bound
His eyes so rainy, and his skinne so drie
He were a pretty youth.
Scen. 8.
Enter Cancrone and Scrocca.
Con.
What old acqaintance? lie by Mistris a little
I'le fish a while, I may chaunce to catch
A Cods-head; Ile stand and heare them.
Sor.
Did not I tell you we were wrong? sir.
Can.
Me thought, we were at land vile soone.
Sor.
I prethee on which hand was the cape of Peloro,
When wee left Syllaes bandogs.
Can.
That did belong to thy water o…fice to marke,
But sure it stood straight before a little o'th' on side,
Right vponupon the left, and then it left, the right,
And turned west by East, and then stood still North, North, By South.
Con.
Well bould woodcocke
Wi…hout a bias.
Scr.
Come looke about you to your land office.
I'le hold a ped of oysters the rocke stands on yonder side;
Looke this way: I prethee is not this Circe's …ocke,
Can.
I like thy reasons wondrous well it is her rocke and her distaffe too.
Con.
I'…e spin… some thred out of this distaffe.
Scr.
Then I sweare by Circes iugling box wee come in o' th' wrong side.
Can
Looke into my poll, canst thou not perceiue by the colour of my braines that I hauehave vnlac't her knaue…y? thou knowst Ci…ces is a plaguie wi…ch.
Scr.
I she did translate a good father of mine into an hogge.
Can.
She with her …hisking white wand, has giuen this rocke a box ō the ear…, & set it one the other side of the country
Scr.
I care not where Circes dwells, but I am sure we dwell on this side, and wee hauehave pusht in the cleane contrary way, and wat you what, wee hauehave leapt through Hell-mouth: O strange how— he falls downe and cries.
Can.
O the Orke the huge huntie, puntie.
Scr.
Vp cancrone I tell thee wee hauehave scap't him.
Can.
I tell thee Sirocca wee hauehave not scap't him, he has eate vsus vp
Con.
These fi…hers are new returnd from fishing, and know not that Atyches has slaine the Orke, I'le Orke them.
Can.
Ah Sirocca I would this O…rke were in Neptunes bellie, that will suffer such a worme to liue in his dominions, I am a very macherell if the very name be not worse to mee then, three nights cold fishing.
S…r.
Mee thinks I am colder too then I was before.
Con.
Let mee strike then before the iron be key cold
What hardie fishers dare approch this shore
Vntrod by men this twenty years and mo…e.
Can.
Good now Conchyli… doe not the Norke
S…r.
Wee did eate the go…den apples; wee.
Can.
What old Cancr…ne? I am …orrie for your chance The best that I aduise you is …hat you r…turne round about the Cape presently before the O…ke smell you (if he were within twelue score he might wind them) foh.
Can.
Nay I shall be deuourd.
Con.
P…ucke out a good heart man.
Can.
If I could doe so I might saue the Orke a labour, that Will be done to my hand I know I shall be deuourd.
Con.
Why man.
Can.
Why my grandsire was deflourd, and they say deflouring goes in a blood.
Co….
If I ridde you both of this feare will you worship m…e.
Can.
O wo…shipfull water-wight.
Scr.
O Neptunes father.
Can.
O Glaucus Mother.
Con.
Why then thus; my deities oracle giues you answer thus
When 2 famous fishers fall vponupon this sand
Let them for feare of m…ghtie Orke, leaue seas saile home by land
I hauehave not pincht …hem for measure
I hauehave giuen them Oracle vp to …he elbowes.
Ca….
Saile ther's your office Scrocca, you must goe:
Scr.
By land, there's your office goe you.
Con.
What can you not expound.
Dragge vp your bote and home-ward cr…e this shore
Can.
W…e are all made, I vnde…stood you sir, but I did not know your meaning.
Scr.
Pull you the b…te at nose …'le lift at the arse.
Can.
Manners lacke this is a land voyage, I am master.
Con.
Hoh; roh; droh;, Horka, Corka, Suga ponto; the monster coms downe vnderunder the boate turne it ouer Ile helpe: they couer themselues ouer with their beates for feare of the Orke & creept ouer the stage.
Retire thou sacred monster (cre…pe on)
These sweet soules a…e no f…d fo… thee (on on)
'Tis time these soules were spent they begin
To stink, retire thou great god Neptunes sc…urg…
Retire I say while this twinne tortoise passes
And dare not on…e to touch these fi…h flesh asses.
Hah, ha, he, farewell good tortoise, what good foutch? Haddocke …are and C…d? you shall walke with me Ile be your O…ke: yet ile carry the Cod to my mistris Cosma. I know she loues it well: let Conchilio be turn'd into an Oyster if hee would not play the O…ke eueryevery day for such sport, it shall go hard but …le with my friend …ancr…ne yet once againe.
Exit.
CHORVS.
Happy happie Fishers swaine
If that yee knew your happines
Your sport tasts sweeter by your pai…es,
Sure hope your labour relishes
Your net your liuing, when you eate
Labour finds appetite and meat.
When the seas and tempest roare
You eyther sleepe or pipe or play
And dance along the golden shore
Thus you spend the night an… day
Shrill windes a pipe, hoarse seas a taber
To fit your sports or ease your labour.
First ah first the holy Muse
Rap't my soules most happy eyes
Who in those holy groues d…e vse
A…d learne those sacred misteries
The yeares and months, old age and birth
The palsies of the trembling earth.
The flowing of the sea and Moone
And ebbe of both, …nd how the tides
Sinke in themselues and backward run.
How palled Cynthia closely slides
Stealing her brother from our sight
So robs herselfe and him of light.
But if cold natures frozen parts
My dull slow heart and cloudie brain…
Cannot reach those heauenly nets
Next happie is the fishers paine
Whose louelove roofes peace doe safely …ide
And shut out fortune, want and pride.
There shall I quiet fearelesse raigne
My boyes my subiects taught submission
About my court my sonnes my traine
Nets my pu…naiors of prouision,
The steere my septer, pip… musition
Labour my Phisicke, no Phisitian.
So shall I laugh the angry seas and skie
Thus singing may I li…e, and singing di….