The Complete Apocryphal Works of William Shakespeare - All 17 Rare Plays in One Edition. William Shakespeare

       Thou canst not hellhound cross my star to night,

       Nor blind that glory, where I wish delight.

       ENVY.

       I can, I will.

       COMEDY.

       Nefarious Hag, begin,

       And let us tug, till one the mastery win.

       ENVY.

       Comedy, thou art a shallow Goose;

       I’ll overthrow thee in thine own intent,

       And make thy fall my Comic merriment.

       COMEDY.

       Thy policy wants gravity; thou art

       Too weak. Speak, Fiend, as how?

       ENVY.

       Why, thus:

       From my foul Study will I hoist a Wretch,

       A lean and hungry Meager Cannibal,

       Whose jaws swell to his eyes with chawing Malice:

       And him I’ll make a Poet.

       COMEDY.

       What’s that to th’ purpose?

       ENVY.

       This scrambling Raven, with his needy Beard,

       Will I whet on to write a Comedy,

       Wherein shall be compos’d dark sentences,

       Pleasing to factious brains:

       And every other where place me a Jest,

       Whose high abuse shall more torment than blows:

       Then I my self (quicker than Lightning)

       Will fly me to a puissant magistrate,

       And weighting with a Trencher at his back,

       In midst of jollity, rehearse those gauls,

       (With some additions)

       So lately vented in your Theater.

       He, upon this, cannot but make complaint,

       To your great danger, or at least restraint.

       COMEDY.

       Ha, ha, ha! I laugh to hear thy folly;

       This is a trap for Boys, not Men, nor such,

       Especially desertful in their doings,

       Whose stay’d discretion rules their purposes.

       I and my faction do eschew those vices.

       But see, O see! the weary Sun for rest

       Hath lain his golden compass to the West,

       Where he perpetual bide and ever shine,

       As David’s offspring, in his happy Clime.

       Stoop, Envy, stoop, bow to the Earth with me,

       Let’s beg our Pardons on our bended knee.

       [They kneel.]

       ENVY.

       My Power has lost her Might; Envy’s date’s expired.

       Yon splendant Majesty hath felled my sting,

       And I amazed am.

       [Fall down and quake.]

       COMEDY.

       Glorious and wise Arch-Caesar on this earth,

       At whose appearance, Envy’s stroken dumb,

       And all bad things cease operation:

       Vouchsafe to pardon our unwilling error,

       So late presented to your Gracious view,

       And we’ll endeavour with excess of pain,

       To please your senses in a choicer strain.

       Thus we commit you to the arms of Night,

       Whose spangled carcass would, for your delight,

       Strive to excell the Day; be blessed, then:

       Who other wishes, let him never speak.

       ENVY.

       Amen.

       To Fame and Honour we commend your rest;

       Live still more happy, every hour more blest.