MORE A long beard for young Wit? Why, man, he may be without a beard till he come to marriage, for wit goes not all by the hair. When comes Wit in?

PLAYER of INCLINATION In the second scene, next to the Prologue, my lord.

MORE Why, play on till that scene come, and by that time Wit’s beard will be grown, or else the fellow returned with it. And what part play’st thou?

PLAYER of INCLINATION Inclination, the Vice, my lord.

MORE Gramercies, now I may take the Vice if I list. And wherefore hast thou that bridle in thy hand?

PLAYER of INCLINATION I must be bridled anon, my lord.

MORE An thou beest not saddled too it makes no matter, for then Wit’s Inclination may gallop so fast that he will outstrip wisdom and fall to folly.

PLAYER of INCLINATION Indeed, so he does, to Lady Vanity; but we have no Folly in our play.

MORE Then there’s no wit in’t, I’ll be sworn. Folly waits on wit as the shadow on the body, and where wit is ripest, there folly still is readiest. But begin, I prithee. We’ll rather allow a beardless Wit than Wit, all beard, to have no brain.

PLAYER of INCLINATION Nay, he has his apparel on too, my lord, and therefore he is the readier to enter.

MORE

Then, good Inclination, begin at a venture.

Exit ⌈Player of Inclination⌉

My Lord Mayor, Wit lacks a beard, or else they would

begin.

I’d lend him mine, but that it is too thin.

Silence, they come.

The trumpet sounds. Enter the Prologue

PROLOGUE

Now for as much as in these latter days

Throughout the whole world in every land

Vice doth increase and virtue decays,

Iniquity having the upper hand,

We therefore intend, good gentle audience,

A pretty, short interlude to play at this present,

Desiring your leave and quiet silence

To show the same as is meet and expedient.

It is called The Marriage of Wit and Wisdom,

A matter right pithy and pleasing to hear,

Whereof in brief we will show the whole sum.

But I must be gone, for Wit doth appear. Exit

Enter Wit, ruffling, and Inclination, the Vice

WIT [sings]

In an arbour green, asleep whereas I lay—

The birds sang sweetly in the midst of the day—

I dreamèd fast of mirth and play.

In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Methought I walked still to and fro,

And from her company I could not go;

But when I waked it was not so. iso

In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

Therefor my heart is surely plight

Of her alone to have a sight

Which is my joy and heart’s delight.

In youth is pleasure, in youth is pleasure.

MORE ⌈to Lord Mayor⌉ Mark ye, my lord, this is Wit without a beard. What will he be by that time he comes to the commodity of a beard?

INCLINATION [to Wit]

O sir, the ground is the better on which she doth go,

For she will make better cheer with a little she can get

Than many a one can with a great banquet of meat.

WIT

And is her name Wisdom?

INCLINATION

Ay, sir, a wife most fit

For you, my good master, my dainty sweet Wit.

WIT

To be in her company my heart it is set.

Therefore I prithee to let us be gone,

For unto Wisdom Wit hath inclination.

INCLINATION

O sir, she will come herself even anon,

For I told her before where we would stand,

And then she said she would beck us with her hand.

(Flourishing his dagger)

Back with those boys and saucy great knaves.

What, stand ye here so big in your braves?

My dagger about your coxcombs shall walk

If I may but so much as hear ye chat or talk.

WIT

But will she take pains to come for us hither?

INCLINATION

I warrant ye, therefore you must be familiar with her.

When she cometh in place

You must her embrace

Somewhat handsomely,

Lest she think it danger

Because you are a stranger

To come in your company.

WIT

I warrant thee, Inclination, I will be busy.

O, how Wit longs to be in Wisdom’s company!

Enter Lady Vanity, singing and beckoning with her hand

VANITY

Come hither, come hither, come hither, come.

Such cheer as I have, thou shalt have some.

MORE

This is Lady Vanity, I’ll hold my life.

Beware, good Wit, you take not her to wife.

INCLINATION [to Lady Vanity]

What, Unknown Honesty, a word in your ear.

[Lady Vanity] offers to depart

You shall not be gone as yet, I swear.

Here’s none but your friends; you need not to fray.

This young gentleman loves ye, therefore you must stay.

WIT

I trust in me she will think no danger;

For I love well the company of fair women—

And, though to you I am a stranger,

Yet Wit may pleasure you now and then.

VANITY

Who, you? Nay, you are such a holy man

That to touch one you dare not be bold.

I think you would not kiss a young woman

If one would give ye twenty pound in gold.

WIT

Yes, in good sadness, lady, that I would.

I could find in my heart to kiss you in your smock.

VANITY

My back is broad enough to bear that mock;

For it hath been told me many a time

That you would be seen in no such company as mine.

WIT

Not Wit in the company of Lady Wisdom?

O Jove, for what do I hither come?

INCLINATION

Sir, she did this nothing else but to prove

Whether a little thing would you move

To be angry and fret.

What an if one said so?

Let such trifling matters go,

And with a kind kiss come out of her debt.

Enter another Player

PLAYER of INCLINATION Is Luggins come yet with the beard?

OTHER PLAYER No, faith, he is not come. Alas, what shall we do?

PLAYER of INCLINATION [to More] Forsooth, we can go no further till our fellow Luggins come, for he plays Good Counsel, and now he should enter to admonish Wit that this is Lady Vanity and not Lady Wisdom.