IGNORANCE.
You shall see a tall fellow, mother, I suppose.
IDLENESS.
Help off with this sleeve softly for fear of waking,
We shall leave the gentleman in a pretty taking.
Give me thy coat, hold this in thy hand:
This fellow would be married to Science, I understand.
But, ere we leave him, tell me another tale!
Now let us make him look somewhat stale.
There lie, and there be: the proverb is verified,
I am neither idle, nor yet well-occupied.
IGNORANCE.
Mother, must I have his coat? now, mother, I must.
Chalt be a lively lad with hey tisty-tust.
IDLENESS.
Sleep sound, and have no care to occupy thy head,
As near unto thy body now, as if thou had'st been dead.
For Idleness hath won, and wholly thee possess'd,
And utterly disabled thee from having thy request.
Come on with me, my son, let us go couch again,
And let this lusty ruffling Wit here like a fool remain.
[Exeunt.
ACT V., SCAENA 1.
WIT, SCIENCE, REASON.
WIT.
Up and to go, why sleep I here so sound?
How falls it out that I am left upon the naked ground?
God grant that all be well, whilst I lay dreaming here:
Me-thinks all is not as it was, nor as I would it were.
And yet I wot not why, but so my fancies gives me,
That some one thing or other in my tire[421] that grieves me,
They are but fancies, let them go: to Science now will I;
My suit and business yet once again to labour and apply.
[Enter Science and Reason.
SCIENCE.
What is become, trow ye, of Wit, our spouse that would be?