A Select Collection of Old English Plays, vol 1 | Page 5

also, if ye list, ye may
bring in a Disguising.
Here follow divers matters which be in this interlude contained.
Of the situation of the four elements, that is to say, the earth, the water,
the air, and fire, and of their qualities and properties, and of the
generation and corruption of things made of the commixtion of them.
Of certain conclusions proving that the earth must needs be round, and
that it hangeth in the midst of the firmament, and that it is in
circumference above 21,000 miles.
Of certain conclusions proving that the sea lieth round upon the earth.
Of certain points of cosmography, as how and where the sea covereth
the earth, and of divers strange regions and lands, and which way they
lie; and of the new-found lands, and the manner of the people.
Of the generation and cause of stone and metal, and of plants and herbs.
Of the generation and cause of well-springs and rivers; and of the cause
of hot fumes that come out of the earth; and of the cause of the baths of
water in the earth, which be perpetually hot.
Of the cause of the ebb and flood of the sea.

Of the cause of rain, snow, and hail.
Of the cause of the winds and thunder.
Of the cause of the lightning, of blazing stars, and flames flying in the
air.

THE MESSENGER.
Th' abundant grace of the power divine, Which doth illumine the world
environ, Preserve this audience, and cause them to incline To charity,
this is my petition; For by your patience and supportation A little
interlude, late made and prepared, Before your presence here shall be
declared, Which of a few conclusions is contrived, And points of
philosophy natural. But though the matter be not so well declared, As a
great clerk could do, nor so substantial, Yet the author hereof requireth
you all, Though he be ignorant, and can little skill, To regard his only
intent and good-will; Which in his mind hath ofttimes pondered, What
number of books in our tongue maternal Of toys and trifles be made
and imprinted, And few of them of matter substantial; For though many
make books, yet unneth ye shall In our English tongue find any works
Of cunning, that is regarded by clerks. The Greeks, the Romans, with
many other mo, In their mother tongue wrote warks excellent. Then if
clerks in this realm would take pain so, Considering that our tongue is
now sufficient To expound any hard sentence evident, They might, if
they would, in our English tongue Write works of gravity sometime
among; For divers pregnant wits be in this land, As well of noble men
as of mean estate, Which nothing but English can understand. Then if
cunning Latin books were translate Into English, well correct and
approbate, All subtle science in English might be learned, As well as
other people in their own tongues did. But now so it is, that in our
English tongue Many one there is, that can but read and write, For his
pleasure will oft presume among New books to compile and ballads to
indite, Some of love or other matter not worth a mite; Some to obtain
favour will flatter and glose, Some write curious terms nothing to
purpose. Thus every man after his fantasy Will write his conceit, be it

never so rude, Be it virtuous, vicious, wisdom or folly; Wherefore to
my purpose thus I conclude, Why should not then the author of this
interlude Utter his own fantasy and conceit also, As well as divers other
nowadays do? For wisdom and folly is as it is taken, For that the one
calleth wisdom, another calleth folly, Yet among most folk that man is
holden Most wise, which to be rich studieth only; But he that for a
commonwealth busily Studieth and laboureth, and liveth by God's law,
Except he wax rich, men count him but a daw![10] So he that is rich is
ever honoured, Although he have got it never so falsely. The poor,
being never so wise, is reproved. This is the opinion most commonly
Thoroughout the world, and yet no reason why; Therefore in my mind,
when that all such daws Have babbled what they can, no force of two
straws! For every man in reason thus ought to do, To labour for his
own necessary living, And then for the wealth of his neighbour also;
But what devilish mind have they which, musing And labouring all
their lives, do no other thing But bring riches to their own possession,
Nothing regarding their neighbour's destruction; Yet all the riches in
the world that is Riseth of the ground by God's sending, And by the
labour of poor men's hands; And though