The Knight of the Burning Pestle/Prologue

From all that's neere the Court, from all that's great
Within the compaffe of the Citty-wals,
We now haue brought our Sceane.

Cit. Hold your peace good-man boy.

Pro. What do you meane sir?

Cit. That you haue no good meaning: This seuen yeares there hath beene playes at this house, I haue obserued it, you haue still girds at Citizens; and now you call your play, The London Marchant. Downe with your Title boy, downe with your Title.

Pro. Are you a member of the noble Citty?

Cit. I am.

Pro. And a Free-man?

Cit. Yea, and a Grocer.

Pro. So Grocer, then by your sweet fauour, we intend no abuse to the Citty.

Cit. No sir, yes sir, if you were not resolu’d to play the Iacks, what need you study for new subiects, purposely to abuse your betters? why could not you be contented, as well as others, with the legend of Whittington, or the life & death of sir Thomas Gresham? with the building of the Royall Ex​change? or the story of Queene Elener, with the rearing of London bridge vpon wool-sackes?

Prol. You seeme to bee an vnderstanding man: what would you haue vs do sir?

Cit. Why present something notably in honour of the Commons of the Citty.

Pro. Why what doe you say to the life and death of fat Drake, or the repairing of Fleet-priuies?

Cit. I do not like that, but I will haue a Citizen, and hee shall be of my owne trade.

Pro. Oh you should haue told vs your minde a moneth since, our play is ready to begin now.

Cit. ’Tis all one for that, I will haue a Grocer, and he shall do admirable things.

Pro. What will you haue him do?

Cit. Marry I will haue him—

Wife. Husband, husband. Wife below.

Rafe. Peace mistresse. Rafe below.

Wife. Hold thy peace Rafe, I know what I do I warrant tee. Husband, husband.

Cit. What sayst thou cunny?

Wife. Let him kill a Lyon with a pestle husband, let him kill a Lyon with a pestle.

Cit. So he shall, Il’e haue him kill a Lyon with a pestle.

Wife. Husband, shall I come vp husband?

Cit. I cunny. Rafe helpe your mistresse this way: pray gentlemen make her a little roome, I pray you sir lend me your hand to helpe vp my wife: I thanke you sir. So.

Wife. By your leaue Gentlemen all, Im’e somthing troublesome, Im’e a strãger here, I was nere at one of these playes as they say, before; but I should haue seene Iane Shore once, and my husband hath promised me any time this Tweluemoneth to carry me to the Bold Beauchams, but in truth he did not, I pray you beare with me.

Cit. Boy, let my wife and I haue a cupple stooles, and then begin, and let the Grocer do rare things.

Prol. But sir, we haue neuer a boy to play him, euery ​one hath a part already.

Wife. Husband, husband, for Gods sake let Rafe play him, beshrew mee if I do not thinke hee will goe beyond them all.

Cit. Well remembred wife, come vp Rafe: Il’e tell you Gentlemen, let them but lend him a suit of reparrell, and necessaries, and by Gad, if any of them all blow winde in the taile on him, Il’e be hang'd.

Wife. I pray you youth let him haue a suit of reparrell, Il’e be sworne Gentlemen, my husband tels you true, hee will act you sometimes at our house, that all the neighbours cry out on him: hee will fetch you vp a couraging part so in the garret, that we are all as feard I warrant you, that wee quake againe: wee’l feare our chlidren with him if they bee neuer so vn-ruly, do but cry, Rafe comes, Rafe comes to them, and they’l be as quyet as Lambes. Hold vp thy head Rafe, shew the Gentlemen what thou canst doe, speake a huffing part, I warrant you the Gentlemen will accept of it.

Cit. Do Rafe, do.

Rafe. By heauen me thinkes it were an easic leap
To plucke bright honour from the pale-fac’d Moone,
Or diue into the bottome of the sea,
Where neuer fathame line touch’t any ground,
And plucke vp drowned honor from the lake of hell.

Cit. How say you Gentlemen, is it not as I told you?

Wife. Nay Gentlemen, hee hath playd before, my husband sayes, Musidorus before the Wardens of our Company.

Cit. I, and hee should haue playd Ieronimo with a Shooemaker for a wager.

Pro. He shall haue a suite of apparrell if he will go in.

Cit. In Rafe, in Rafe, and set out the Grocery in their kinde, if thou lou’st me.

Wife. I warrant our Rafe will looke finely when hee’s drest.

Pro. But what will you haue it cal’d?

Cit. The Grocers honour.

Pro. Me thinks The Knight of the burning Pestle were better.

​Wif. Il’e be sworn husband, thats as good a name as can be.

Cit. Let it be so, begin, begin, my wife and I wil sit downe.

Pro. I pray you do.

Cit. What stately mucsike haue you? you haue shawmes.

Pro. Shawnes? no.

Cit. No? Im’e a thiefe if my minde did not giue me so. Rafe playes a stately part, and he must needs haue shawnes: Il’e be at the charge of them my selfe, rather then wee’l be without them. Pro. So you are like to be.

Cit. Why and so I will be: ther’s two shillings, let’s haue the waits of South-warke, they are as rare fellowes as any are in England; and that will fetch them all or’e the water with a vengeance, as if they were mad.

Pro. you shall haue them: will you sit downe then?

Cit. I, come wife.

Wife. Sit you merry all Gentlemen, Im’e bold to sit amongst you for my case.

Pro. From all that’s neere the Court, from all that’s great.
Within the compasse of the Citty-walles,
We now haue brought our Sceane: flye farre from hence
All priuate taxes, immodest phrases,
What ere may but shew like vicious:
For wicked mirth neuer true pleasure brings,
But honest minds are pleas’d with honest things.
Thus much for that we do: but for Rafes part
You must answere for your selfe.

Cit. Take you no care for Rafe, hee’l discharge himselfe I warrant you.

Wife. I faith Gentlemen Il’e giue my word for Rafe.