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Title: "The Pilgrimage to Parnassus," and "The Return from Parnassus;" two comedies.
Date: 1598-1601
Repository: Bodleian Library, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
Call number and opening: Rawl. D. 398, item 72, fols. 214v, 215r, 216v
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[folio 214 verso]
ragged companions I reward the poore ergoes moste boun=
tifullie, and send them away, I am verie latelie registred
in the roules of fame, in an Epigram made by a Cam=
bridge man our weauer fellow I parraut him, els
could he never haue had such a quick sight into my
ventures, howsoeuer I merit his praise: if I meet with him
I will vouchsafe to giue him condigne thankes.
Ingen. Great reason the Muses shoulde flutter about youre
immortall heade since your bodye is nothinge but a faire
Inne of fairer guestes that dwell therin, but you haue
digrest from your Mris, for whose sake you & I began
this parley
Gullio. Marrie well remembred, Ile repeat vnto you an enthu=
siasticall oration, wherwith my new Mistress ears were
verie lately made happie. the carriage of my body by
the reporte of my mistriss was excellent . I stood stroking
vp my haire, which became me very admirably, saue alow
cong.y at the beginninge of each period made euery
sentence end sweetly with an othe . It is part of an
Oratoure to persvade, & I know not how better , than
to conclude with such earnest protestations. suppose also
that thou wert my Mris as somtime woodde statues repre=
sent the goddesses, thus I woulde looke amorously, thus
I would pace, thus I woulde salute Her.
Ingen. It will be my lucke to dye noe other death, than by
hearinge of his follies, I feare this speach thats a comminge
will breede a deadly disease in my ears .
Gullio. Pardon faire Lady, thoughe sicke thoughted Gullio maks
a maine vnto thee, & like a bould faced sutore gins to woo
thee.
Ingen. we shall haue nothinge but pure Shakspeare, and shreds of
poetrie that he hath gathered at the theators.
Gullio. Pardon mee moy mittressa, as I am a gentleman the moone
in comparison of thy bright hue a meere slutt, Anthonies
Cleopatra a blacke browde milkmaide, Hellen a dowdie
Ingen: Marke Romeo, and Iuliet. o monstrous theft I thinke he
will runn throughe a whole booke of Samuell Daniells
Gullio Thrise fairer than my selfe, thus I began
the gods faire riches sweete aboue compare
staine to all Nimphes, ore louely the a man
More white and red than doues and roses are
Nature that made thee with herselfe had strife
faith that the worlde hath ending with thy life.
Ingen: Sweete Mr Shakspeare.
Gullio As I am a scholler these arms of mine are long and
strong withall.
Thus elms by vines are compast ere they falle.
Ingen: faith gentleman youre reading is wonderfull in our English
poettes.
Gullio. Sweet Mistress I vouchsafe to take some of there wordes and
applie them to mine owne matters by a scholasticall
imitation, Report thou vpon thy credit is not my vayne
in courtinge gallant, & honorable?
Ingen: Admirable sanes compare, neuer was soe mellifluous a witt
ioynet to so pure a phrase, such comly gesture, suche
gentleman like behauiour.
Gullio But stay ites verie true, good wittes haue badd memories
I had almoste forgotten the cheife pointe I cald thee out
for new years day approcheth, and wheras other gallantes
bestowe Jewells vpon there mistrisses (as I haue done
whilome) I now count it base. to do as the common people
doe, I will bestow vpon them the precious stons of my
witt a diamonde of invention, that shall be aboue all
value, & esteeme, therfore sithens I am employed in some
weightie affayrs of the courte I will haue thee Ingenioso
to make them, and when thou hast done, I will peruse
pollish, and correcte them /
my
[folio 215 recto]
Ing My pen is youre bounden vassall to commande but what
vayne woulde it please you to haue them in
Gullio Not in a varie veine (pretlie y faith) make mee them
in two or three diuers vaynes in Chaucers, Gowers
and Spencers, and Mr Shakspeares, Marry I thinke
I shall entertaine those verses which run like these
Even as the sunn with purple coloured face
had tane his laste leaue on the weeping morne .etc.
O sweet Mr Shakspeare, Ile haue his picture in my
study at the courte.
Ingen: Take heede my maisters hele kill you with tediousness
ere I can ridd him of the stage.
Gullio Come let vs in Ile eate a bit of phesante & drincke
a cupp of wine in my cellar, & straight to the courte
Ile goe a count els and twoo Lordes expect mee
to day at dinner they are my very honorable
Enter Leonard frendes I muste not disapointe them.
and Consiliodorus
Leonard Mr Cousiliodorus are you with in? god be here.
Consil: What Leonarde, fill vs a cupp of beare for Leonard
what good news Leonarde?
Leonarde Oh I haue had great affliction since I sawe you
laste.Tib is fallen sore sicke of the Glanders,
and dun poore iade, I thinke he hath eaten a feather
but I haue letters for youe, and as manie commen=
dacions as there are greene grass betwixt you
and them, I told them of their hauioure I
warrant youe. I tolde them howe costlie there
nutreringe was, and they might by this time
if they had bene good boyes haue learned all
there bookes I chid them ronndlie without bawking
foor blowing at Tabecca, I toulde them plainely
it was nothing but a docke leafe, stept in a cham=
ber pott . and by cocke Mr. Consiliodorus I did
such good vpon them , that I thinke by this time
they are gone into the cuntrie to teache I
warrant Mr Philomusus will proue a greate clarke
he is such a readye man of his tongue, yet I
thinke Mr. Studioso is as well booklearned as he is
Consili: I pray thee Leonarde goe in, and eate a bit of meate
Ile followe thee straighte.
Leonard God thanke youe Mr wee that are stirringe be=
times haue good stomackes, but Ile firste leade
my horses to the hay racke, they poore Iades are as
shallowe as a cloakbagg.
Consiliod: Hencforthe let none be sent by carefull syres
nor sonns no kinred to Parnassus hill
Since waywarde fortune thus rewardes our coste
with discontent, theire paines with pouertie
Mechanicke artes may smile, there followers laughe
but liberall artes Bewaile there destinie
since noe Mocenas in this niggard age
Guerdons they sonns of Muses, and of skill
My ioyless minde foretells this sad event
That learning needs muste leaue this duller clime
to be possest by rude simplicitie.
[folio 216 verso]
leaue, but litell learninge behinde mee vpon the eathe
well those verses haue purchast my implacable anger lett
mee heare youre other vayns.
Ingen: Sir the worde as Chaucer vseth it, hark noe vnhonest
meaninge in it, for it signifieth a ieste.
Gullio Hush Chaucer is a foole, and you are another for defendinge
of him.
Ingen: Then you shall heare Specers veyne.
A gentle pen rides prickinge on the plaine
this paper plaine to resalute my loue
Gullio Stay man, why thou haste a very lecherous witt, what
wordes are these ? though thou comes somwhat neare
witt to sett it downe soe plainlye, youe schollers
are simple felowes, men that never came where Ladies
growe, I that haue spente my life amonge them
knowes best what becometh my pen, and their Ladi=
shipps ears, let mee heare Mr Shakspears veyne .
Ingen: Faire Venus queene of beutie, and of loue
thy red doth stayne the blushinge of the morne
thy snowie neck shameth the milke white doue
thy presence doth this naked worlde adorne
Gazinge on thee all other nymphes I scorne
when ere thou dyest slowe shine that satterday
Beutie and grace muste sleepe with thee for aye.
Gullio Noe more I am one that can iudge accordinge to the proverbe
bonem ex vnguibus, ey marry Sir these haue some
life in them, let this dunissied world esteeme of Spencer
and Chaucer, Ile worshipp sweet Mr Shakspeare, and to
honoure him will lay his Venus, and Adonis vnder my
pillowe as wee reade of one (I do not well remember his
name) but I am sure he was a kinge, slept with Homer
vnder his beds heade well Ile bestowe a frenche
crowne in the fair writinge of them out and then
Ile instructe thee about the deliuery of them, meane
while, Ile haue thee make an elegant description of
my Mistress, liken the worste part of her to Cynthhia
make also a familiar Dialogue betwixt her, and my
selfe, Ile now in, and correct these verses.
Ingen: Why who coulde endure this post put into a sattin sute
this haberdasher of lyes, this Bracchidochio, this Ladye
munger, this meere rapier, and dagger, this cringer,
this foretopp, but a man there ordaynd to miserie
well madame pecunia, onc more for thy sake will
I waite on this truncke, and with soothinge him vpp
in time will leaue him a greater foole than I
founde him. exit
Enter warden
Mass maisters the case is alterd with mee since I
was here laste, they call mee noe more plaine Will
nor William, nor goodman Percevall, but Mr war=
den at euerye worde, well if yee please mee well
you may happ make the bells speake somtime for
Enter Philo: this. but stay I seeke our Sexton, and yonder he
is. Now good Sexton, I am as tirde as anye of my
pluge iades with enquiringe you. you shoulde haue
pearde for Mr Maior his maistershipp, for wott
you what. the parish haue put vp a subligation
against you, & say you are the moste vnnegligent
Sexton that euer came these 40 years, and vpwardes
for
Sources
Chambers, E. K. William Shakespeare: A Study of Facts and Problems, Volume II (Oxford: Clarendon, 1930), 199-200.
William Dunn Macray, ed, The pilgrimage to Parnassus with...1597-1601 (Oxford: Clarendon, 1898).
Last updated February 8, 2020