The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare, 1596-98)

Setting: Italy.

Act One
Scene 1: Venetian street. Accompanied by his friends Salarino and Salanio, Antonio reflects on not knowing the cause of his sadness. His friends suggest that he is distracted by the thoughts of his ships at sea and will not be easy until they have arrived in port, but he denies this – so Salarino suggests that he is in love. Antonio denies this too. Antonio’s cousin Bassanio enters with Lorenzo and Gratiano, and so Salarino and Salanio leave them to cheer Antonio up. Lorenzo and Gratiano agree to meet Bassanio at dinner later, and leave, although not before commenting on how gloomy Antonio looks. Alone, Bassanio confesses his money woes to Antonio, and goes on to tell him about his love for the beautiful Portia, who lives in Belmont and is courted by many men. Antonio can offer him no more money, but sends him to Belmont and tells him to use him as a guarantor to get money.
Scene 2: Portia’s house, Belmont. Portia explains to her maid Nerissa that she is tired of life, but Nerissa points out her many fortunes. Portia is frustrated because her late father’s will stipulates that she may only marry a man who chooses correctly from three chests of gold, silver, and lead. She is not delighted by the prospect of any of her suitors: a Neopolitan prince obsessed with horses; a county Palatine who is very severe; a French lord who is very boastful; Baron Faulconbridge who is nice but speaks none of the same languages as Portia; a Scottish lord who spends all his time fighting the English baron; and a young German man who is an unpleasant drunkard. Nerissa reassures her that none of these men want any part of the contest, much to Portia’s relief – but that means that she must remain unmarried. Nerissa reminds her of Bassiano, and Portia admits that she was fond of him. They are interrupted by a servant, who comes with news that four strangers wish to take their leave of Portia, and a fifth comes with news that a Moroccan prince will be there that evening. Portia is unenthusiastic but resigned.
Scene 3: A public place in Venice. Bassanio has asked Shylock to lend him three thousand ducats for three months, using Antonio as his guarantor. Shylock ponders the offer, then accepts, but wants to meet with Antonio first. Bassanio invites him to eat with them but Shylock scornfully declines: “Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into: I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.” Antonio enters and Shylock reflects on how he hates him for being a Christian and for his freedom with lending money, thus driving down the usury rates. Antonio and Shylock agree on the terms of the loan, but due to the past slights that Shylock has received from Antonio, he has a strange stipulation: if Antonio fails to pay, he will permit Shylock to take a pound of his flesh from anywhere on his body. Antonio agrees, confident that he will have ready money soon. They agree to meet at the notary’s to sign the bond and Shylock leaves. Bassanio expresses his concern but Antonio reassures him: his ships come in a day before the debt is sue to be repaid.

Act Two
Scene 1: Portia’s house. The Prince of the Morocco enters with his train and meets Portia, Nerissa, and her attendants. He tells her to overlook his appearance and pleads his bravery; she points out that her marriage is subject to the outcome of her father’s test, but says that if it were entirely up to her, he stands as good a chance as any of her suitors. He thanks her, and they agree that he will take the test after dinner.
Scene 2: Venetian street. Launcelot Gobbo, Shylock’s servant, wonders whether he should leave his master’s service. His old blind father enters and, not recognising him, asks him the way to Shylock’s house. Launcelot decides to play a trick on him and gives him obscure instructions. When Old Gobbo asks if he has seen his son, Launcelot says that he is dead. Old Gobbo is distraught so Launcelot ends the charade; his father is loathe to believe him at first, as Launcelot has changed so much. Bassanio enters with Leonardo and his followers, and Launcelot and Old Gobbo scramble to talk to him. Launcelot eventually declares that he wishes to leave Shylock’s service and become Bassanio’s servant instead, and Bassanio accepts him.
Scene 3: Shylock’s house. Shylock’s daughter Jessica is bidding Launcelot farewell with some regret, as he was the only person who livened up the house. He leaves and, alone, Jessica reflects on her love for Lorenzo and her intention to marry him and become a Christian.
Scene 4: Venetian street. Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Salerio enter, with plans to disguise themselves at Lorenzo’s lodgings, but they are interrupted by Launcelot who is carrying a letter. It is a love-letter from Jessica to Lorenzo; Lorenzo bids Launcelot to tell Jessica that he will rescue her. In her letter, Lorenzo then reveals to Gratiano, Jessica has promised to rob her father of all his things so that she can elope with Lorenzo.
Scene 5: Outside Shylock’s house. Shylock is preparing to leave to dine with Bassanio. He gives Jessica his keys, but is stopped by a feeling of foreboding: he has dreamt of money-bags. Launcelot tells him that there will be masques, which horrifies Shylock, who tells Jessica to ensure that the house is locked up. He sends Launcelot off ahead of him – although Launcelot manages to pass on Lorenzo’s message to Jessica – and after bidding his daughter farewell, leaves to join Bassanio.
Scene 6: Outside Shylock’s house. Gratiana and Salarino enter, masked. They are waiting for Lorenzo, who is slow in coming. He arrives at last and Jessica appears above, wearing boy’s clothes. She tosses down a basket of treasure to him, and then joins them below. The couple leave with Salarino, but Gratiano runs into Antonio, who bids him stay at home; the weather has become too bad for a masque.
Scene 7: Portia’s house, Belmont. Portia invites the Moroccan prince to choose from the three caskets. He reads the inscriptions and attempts to puzzle out the correct answer and eventually chooses the golden casket. He has chosen incorrectly! He accepts the judgement with some regret and leaves; privately, Portia expresses her pleasure that he picked the wrong casket.
Scene 8: Venetian street. Salarino and Salanio meet to discuss the scandal: Shylock has discovered that Jessica has escaped with Lorenzo and all of his money. He is now wandering the streets, chased by schoolboys and crying: “My daughter! – O my ducats! – O my daughter! / Fled with a Christian? – O my christian ducats! – / Justice! the law! my ducats! and my daughter!” Salarino and Salerio are amused by what has happened, but reflect that Antonio had better ensure that he keep his bargain with Shylock, who will be feeling especially vengeful now. This reminds Salarino that he has heard a rumour that a Venetian ship has sunk; Salerio advises him to tell Antonio, in case it is his. They leave to break the news to him.
Scene 9: Portia’s house, Belmont. Nerissa enters in a hurry to prepare the room for the Prince of Aragon, who follows close behind with Portia. Portia shows the prince the caskets and tells him the rules. Like the Moroccan prince before him, this new suitor attempts to work out which is the correct casket. He chooses the silver one – and is wrong. He leaves in a huff, and Portia is happy once more. Before she can draw the curtain on the caskets, however, a servant enters with news that a young Venetian is at her gate. Portia agrees to see him, and Nerissa expresses her hope that it is Bassanio’s servant.

Act Three
Scene 1: Venetian street. Salarino and Salerio have confirmed the bad news: it is Antonio’s ship which has sunk. Before they can leave, however, Shylock enters. Shylock is still preoccupied with his daughter’s betrayal; he accuses the two men of knowing about it ahead of time, which they readily admit. Salarino then nervously asks him if he has heard of Antonio having any losses and Shylock says he has. He curses Antonio as another bad bet and Salarino presses him further: will he insist on taking Antonio’s flesh? Shylock will: “He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s his reason? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? revenge; If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.” A servant enters to summon Salarino and Salerio to Antonio’s house; then Shylock’s friend Tubal arrives. He has been searching for Jessica and Lorenzo but can only say that they are in Genoa. Shylock is incensed: “The curse never fell upon our nation till now; I never felt it till now:- two thousand ducats in that; and other precious precious jewels.- I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! ‘would she were hears’d at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin.” Tubal intersperses his news of Jessica’s reckless spending in Genoa with the information about Antonio’s lost fortune, and Shylock vows to have his revenge.
Scene 2: Portia’s house, Belmont. It is Bassanio’s turn to choose from the caskets, but Portia encourages him to take his time in choosing – she enjoys his company, and if he chooses wrong, he will have to leave. Bassanio, however, wants to choose quickly as he is feeling tortured by the uncertainty. Portia accepts this, but commands her musicians to play for him while he chooses. A song plays and Bassanio ponders the deceptiveness of outward appearances. He is drawn to the lead casket, and opens it – revealing Portia’s portrait! He has chosen correctly and gives Portia a kiss. They declare their love for one another, and their happiness. Nerissa and Gratiano wish them joy – and announce their own intention to be married. The celebration is interrupted by the entrance of Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salerio, who have brought a letter to Bassanio from Antonio. They offer up the news that Antonio is not doing well, and the letter explains all. Bassanio tells the group that all of Antonio’s ventures have failed. Salerio adds that Shylock is now insisting on payment – or rather, flesh. Jessica confirms that it is the flesh that her father most wants. Portia immediately insists on paying the full amount, and more if necessary, telling Bassiano that they will marry at once and then he can sail to Venice with the money and then bring Antonio back with him. Bassanio reads Antonio’s letter aloud, and Portia bids him be on his way.
Scene 3: Venetian street. Shylock is taunting Antonio, who is pleading for clemency – but Shylock already has a gaoler. Shylock leaves and Salanio tries to comfort Antonio, telling him that the Duke will never uphold the punishment. Antonio is pessimistic, however: the Duke will never do anything to bend justice, therefore he is resigned to his fate. He allows the gaoler to take him away. The date is set for the pound of flesh to be taken the following day.
Scene 4: Portia’s house, Belmont. Lorenzo compliments Portia on her generosity and goodness, but Portia says that any friend of Bassanio’s is her own friend. She then gives Lorenzo the management of her own household: she and Nerissa are going to a monastery until Bassanio arrives home. They agree, and leave. Portia then summons her servant and gives him a letter to take to her cousin Dr Bellario in Padua. Alone with Nerissa, she then suggests they disguise themselves as boys; Nerissa is unsure, but the two exit to prepare for their journey.
Scene 5: A garden, Belmont. Launcelot and Jessica joke with one another about Jews and Christians. Launcelot enters to join the fun, and leads Jessica off to dinner.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare, 1595)

Setting: Athens, ancient times.

Act One
Scene 1: Theseus’ palace. Theseus and Hippolyta happily discuss their upcoming wedding. Theseus tells his Master of Revels, Philostrate, to rile up the public to make merry for the celebration. He tells his fiancee: “Hippolyta, I woo’d thee with my sword, / And won thy love, doing thee injuries; / But I will wed thee in another key, / With pomp with triumph and with revelling.” Egeus enters with Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and a complaint: he has arranged a marriage between his daughter Hermia and Demetrius, but Hermia has been wooed by Lysander and now refuses to marry anyone else. Although Hermia insists that her love for Lysander is real, Theseus gravely informs her that if she does not follow her father’s will, she will be sent to a nunnery. Hermia stubbornly accepts this, and Theseus tells her that she has until his own wedding day and she must then choose between death, marriage to Demetrius, and the nunnery. Lysander likewise refuses to give Hermia up, and tells Egeus that Demetrius has seduced Helena. Theseus sweeps out to discuss marriage business and most of the others follow, leaving Lysander and Hermia alone. They complain about their plight, but Lysander has a plan: he has a widowed aunt who lives far from the reaches of Athens. If Hermia will agree to meet him in the woods the following night, they can go to his aunt’s house and be married there. Hermia happily agrees, but they are interrupted by the entrance of Helena, who is distraught that Demetrius does not love her and only has eyes for Hermia. Hermia comforts her by telling her all about her and Lysander’s plan. They leave Helena alone, who is still upset – until she has the idea to win favour with Demetrius by telling him about Hermia’s intended flight.
Scene 2: Cottage. The actors have gathered to receive their parts for their play, Pyramus and Thisby. Bottom the weaver has been cast as the tragical lover Pyramus, but he would much rather play a warrior, and is keen to also play the parts of Thisby and the lion. They discuss costuming (Bottom wants to wear an extravagant fake beard), and then Peter Quince, the director, hands out the parts and suggests that they all meet to rehearse in the woods the following night.

Act Two
Scene 1: Woodland. Puck and a Fairy meet and describe their adventures. Puck says that his master, King Oberon, wants Queen Titania’s changeling child (a young Indian prince) for himself, but she refuses to give him up. As a result, the royal couple are arguing. He then discusses all the pranks that he is known to play.
Scene 2: Woodland. Oberon and Titania meet and argue, she refusing to give up her prince. She sweeps off and Oberon calls Puck to him, He tells him about a certain flower that can induce a love-spell, and tells Puck to fetch it for him. Puck leaves, promising to return soon, and Oberon reflects on his plan to make Titania fall in love with the first thing she sees so that he can take the prince from her. Demetrius and Helena enter, and he becomes invisible to watch them. Demetrius is on the trail of Hermia and Lysander and is trying to shake off Helena. She refuses to leave him, telling him that even as he is cruel to her, she loves him. They wander off and Puck returns. Oberon tells Puck to put the juice of the flower in Titania’s eyes while she sleeps, and to do the same with the Athenian youth he has just encountered.
Scene 3: Woodland. Titania’s fairies sing her to sleep. Oberon enters and squeezes the juice from the flower into her eyes and tells her to wake only when a foul beast is near. Lysander and Hermia enter, tired from their night of travelling. They lie down to sleep a little way from one another, for modesty’s sake. Puck enters and assumes that Lysander and Hermia are the couple he has been looking for, so he squeezes the flower’s juice into Lysander’s eyes and leaves. Demetrius and Helena then enter, running, but she cannot keep up with him and so collapses on the ground while he runs off. She laments her fate, but then sees Lysander asleep and wakes him. He sits up – and falls madly in love with her! She assumes that he is making fun of her and leaves; he follows close behind, speaking of his newfound hatred of Hermia. Hermia then awakes from a bad dream. She realises that Lysander is gone and hurries off to look for him.

Act Three
Scene 1: Woodland. The actors gather near to where Titania sleeps. Bottom has many complaints about the play; he is concerned that the ladies will be scared if Pyramus is seen to kill himself, and if they see the lion. These problems are resolved, but new ones appear: how to stage the moonlight and the wall? They decide to use natural moonlight and that they will have a man act the part of the wall. The rehearsal can now begin, but Puck enters and decides to have some fun. After Bottom has made his first speech, he leads him out and replaces his head with that of an ass. He then leads him back to the other actors, who flee in terror. Bottom is deeply insulted and wanders around, singing, and wakes Titania – who is enthralled by him: “What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?” She praises his beauty and wit, demands that he stay with her in the woods, and orders her fairies to treat him well. He introduces himself to them and is led away to Titania’s bower.
Scene 2: Woodland. Oberon asks Puck if Titania has awoken yet, and Puck tells him all about Titania’s passion for Bottom. Oberon is very pleased, and Puck goes on to tell him that he managed to drug the Athenian as well. Demetrius and Hermia enter, her accusing him of murdering Lysander. Demetrius is cagey at first, but then admits that he is no murderer and Lysander is still alive, as far as he knows. She leaves and he lies down to go to sleep, while Oberon realises that Puck has drugged the wrong man and demands that the fairy go and fetch Helena. Puck leaves while Oberon casts a spell to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena when he wakes up, and Puck soon returns with Helena and Lysander following behind. Their arguing awakens Demetrius, who promptly falls in love with Helena. Unfortunately, she believes that he is just conspiring with Lysander to make fun of her. Demetrius and Lysander argue with each other over who deserves Helena, and then Hermia enters. She is startled to find Lysander’s hatred of her, and Helena bitterly accuses her of being in on the joke as well. Demetrius and Lysander continue arguing and eventually agree to fight one another, “to try whose right / Or thine or mine is most in Helena.” Helena also leaves, disgusted with them all, and Hermia pursues her. Oberon angrily blames Puck for this outcome; Puck claims that it is not his fault but admits that he is enjoying the confusion he has caused. Oberon tells him to confuse Demetrius and Lysander in the woods so that they cannot find one another to fight, and once they sleep, to put a potion into Lysander’s eye to set him right. When the lovers awaken, they will think all this has been a dream, and will return to Athens to be married. Oberon, meanwhile, will go to ask Titania to give him her Indian prince, and then break her love-spell. Puck agree but reminds Oberon that this all must be done quickly: it is nearly dawn. Oberon leaves and Lysander enters, searching for Demetrius. Puck imitates Demetrius’s voice to taunt him and Lysander follows him out; Demetrius then enters and Puck pretends to be Lysander. Lysander enters once more, tired, confused, and angry, and so he lies down to sleep. Puck and Demetrius enter; Demetrius is also exhausted and also decides to sleep. Finally, Helena and Hermia enter one after the other and lie down to sleep as well. Puck squeezes the flower juice on Lysander’s eyes and bids him fall in love with Hermia once more.

Act Four
Scene 1: Woodland. Titania bids Bottom sit with her on a bed of flowers. Bottom orders the fairies to fetch him various things and then he and Titania snuggle down to sleep next to one another. Oberon and Puck enter, Oberon admitting that he has begun to feel sorry for her. She has willingly given him the prince, so he now tells Puck to remove the donkey’s head from Puck and send him back to Athens. Oberon himself cures Titania and awakens her. She sees him and is in love once more, telling him that she dreamt that she was in love with an ass. Oberon shows her the sleeping Bottom and she is disgusted. Oberon tells Puck to right Bottom and calls for music. He leads Titania away. Theseus, Hippolyta, and Egeus enter. They encounter the four Athenian lovers and assume they have risen early to observe the May-day rituals. Theseus bids huntsmen wake them with their horns. They wake and Lysander confesses that he and Hermia were fleeing Athens to marry. Egeus is furious and demands that Demetrius join him in pursuing justice – but Demetrius announces that he now loves Helena and considers himslf engaged to her. Theseus announces that he is overruling Egeus’s will and wants the young lovers to marry at the same time as his marriage to Hippolyta. He, Hippolyta, and Egeus leave. Confused, the lovers follow behind. Bottom then wakes up and believes all that has happened to him to be a dream. He leaves, planning to have Quince write him a ballad for the play all about his dreamland adventures.
Scene 2: Quince’s house. Quince asks the other actors if they have heard from Bottom. They haven’t, and the play may have to be cancelled if he is not found as no one else has the skill to play Pyramus. Snug enters with news that more people are to be married. Bottom then arrives; his fellow actors are overjoyed but he insists on hurrying on with the preparations for the play.

Act Five
Scene 1: Theseus’s palace. Theseus, Hippolyta,and Philostrate enter with lords and Attendants. Theseus and Hippolyta puzzle over the story that the young lovers have told them: Theseus doesn’t believe a word of it but Hippolyta doesn’t understand how they could have all told the same story. The other four then enter and Theseus calls for some entertainment. Philostrate shows him the programme – and Theseus rejects everything except for Quince’s play. Philostrate warns him against it, but Theseus is intrigued, especially after he hears that it was prepared especially for the occasion, and insists on seeing it, “For never any thing can be amiss / When simpleness and duty tender it.” The play begins and the audience makes fun of it. Eventually, Theseus cuts off the ending and sends everyone to bed.
Scene 2. Puck enters and reflects upon nighttime being fairy time. Oberon, Titania, and their train enter and sing and dance a blessing upon the three mortal couples.

The Old Wives’ Tale (Peele, 1595)

Scene 1: Woodlands. Anticke, Frolicke, and Fantasticke are lost, but Anticke tells the others not to panic. They hear a dog and realise that they must be near a village. Clunch the Smith enters with a lantern and demands to know what they’re doing in the area. They explain that they are lost, and he offers them hospitality in his cottage and introduces them to his dog, Ball. They enter the cottage and are greeted by Madge, an old woman, who gives them cheese and pudding. The guests are not interested in food, however, and only want to talk, and they sing for their hosts. They then ask Madge to tell them a story. She agrees, but as Clunch is to go to bed (as he wakes up early), she says that one of them must go and lie with him. Anticke goes, and the others huddle round to listen to her story. She first insists that they must make noises at regular intervals so that she knows that they are still awake. She begins her story, of a king’s daughter, Delya, who is stolen away by a conjurer in the form of a bear and her two brothers who go out to seek her. Two men enter and begin to act out her story. Having arrived in Albion and unsure of where to go, the brothers encounter an old man gathering sticks straw from the ground. They give him some money and tell him about their sister, and he tells them to be brave and blow out every flame. He claims to be the white bear of England’s wood: originally from Thessaly, Sacrapant the sorcerer turned him into a bear by night and an old man by day because he coveted his betrothed wife, Venelia. Likewise, Venelia has been sent mad, and runs through the woods all day. His neighbour is Lampriscus, who enters to give him a pot of honey and ask for help with a problem. He has buried two wives; the first gave him a daughter who is a great burden to him, being poor and proud, while the second gave him a daughter who is really ugly and is impossible to marry off. The old man tells him to send them to the well to find their fortunes. Madge, Frolicke, and Fantasticke watch as harvest-men sing and then Huanebango enters with his sword and Booby the clown. Huanebango tells Booby to forget about rescuing Delya: only he is brave enough to do so. Booby refuses and the two men argue, Huanebango making sure to emphasise that he comes from good stock. They come across the old man, who gives them some advice – but Huanebango refuses to give him any alms and rides off. Booby sympathises with the old man, gives him some cake, and follows after his rival. Sacrapant enters, in a bad mood: he is not happy with Delya. Delya enters with a pot, telling him that she has been gathering roots for his supper. She asks for the best English meat, French wine, and a Spanish knave, and Sacrapant summons a friar who carries meat and wine. After these japes, he sends Delya away just before her two brothers enter. They call out to her and she answers – but then Sacrapant brings forth thunder and lightning and the brothers fall down. Two furies take them away to a cell, and Sacrapant reflects on how he has given Delya a potion that has made her forget herself. He goes on to show off a light in a glass that is the source of all his power, and can only be destroyed by one who is neither wife, widow, nor maid. He exits and Eumenides the wandering knight enters, accompanied by the old man. Eumenides is desperate to know when he will see Delya, and the old man tells him to govern his wit and pay more than he can. The old man leaves, then Wiggen, Corobus, a Church-warden, and a Sexton enter, arguing: Wiggen and Corobus want the parish to bury their friend Jack, but he was a useless drunken fool. Eumenides awakens and tries to resolve the argument, which he does by offering to pay for the burial himself, even though he can’t afford it. Madge, Frolicke, and Fantasticke watch the harvest-men singing again. Huanebango enters with Corebus the clown. Huanebango is struck down by a flame of fire, and then Sacrapant enters and makes Corebus blind. The two would-be heroes leave and Delya enters. Sacrapant renames her Berecynthia and has her stand over her two brothers and make them dig for gold. When they see her, they try to embrace her but she doesn’t recognise them because of Sacrapant’s spell. They dig until they come across Sacrapant’s glass of light, which Delya snatches away from them. Sacrapant praises her for her work. They all leave and Lampriscus’s cursed daughter Zantyppa approaches the well, asking for a good husband or none. She is followed by her ugly sister Celanta, who asks for the same; Zantyppa watches and breaks her pitcher against her sister’s. They briefly leave to fetch new pitchers, and the furies lay Huanebango down by the well. Zantyppa returns first, sees Huanebango, and is convinced that she will easily get a husband. She scorns her father’s advice to control her tongue, as “a woman without a tongue, is as a souldier without his weapon.” She asks the well for a husband again, and a head speaks from within. It tells her to brush its hair but she is disgusted and breaks her pitcher upon it. This brings forth thunder and lightning which wakes Huanebango. He is deaf and speaks gibberish, but manages to come to some sense. Zantyppa thinks she may like the prospect of a foolish husband and the two agree to a match and leave. Eumenides enters and bemoans his fate, but encounters Jack, who offers to be his servant. Eumenides is unsure – he can barely afford to keep himself, let alone a servant – but then Jack reveals that he knows a lot about him, and Eumenides eventually agrees to take him as his co-partner. Jack goes on ahead into inn and leads out a host who brings some good meat and some fiddlers to play – but Eumenides will not eat as he has no money. Jack bids him look in his purse, and it is filled with money! Eumenides gladly pays and then Jack leads him off to see Sacrapant. Celanta enters leading Corebus in. They have decided to marry and she assures him that she is good-looking. At the well, the head bids her comb its hair; unlike her sister, she acquiesces, and finds that she has combed a lot of gold into her lap. The couple go off happily. Eumenides and Jack return, and Jack stops up Eumenides’s ears so that he cannot be enchanted by Sacrapant. When Sacrapant enters, he finds that his spells don’t work and he believes he has been betrayed. Invisible, Jack steals Sacrapant’s wreath from his head and his sword from his hand. Sacrapant dies! Jack pulls the wool out of Eumenides’s ears and gives him Sacrapant’s sword to dig until he finds the glass of light. Only by breaking this may Sacrapant’s spells be broken, and Jack gives Eumenides a horn to blow to summon the one who is not wife, widow, or maid. Venalia enters, still mad, and breaks the glass. The spells are broken and Eumenides finds Delya asleep behind a curtain. He awakens her and declares his love. They agree to marry and then Jack enters with Sacrapant’s head in his hands but Eumenides doesn’t recogise it. Jack explains that Sacrapant stole the likeness of the old man, who was forced to take on Sacrapant’s own aged looks. Eumenides blows his horn again and Delya’s brothers enter with Venalia and Erestus, the once-old man. The brothers give their blessing to the marriage – but Jack reminds Eumenides that he promised to give him half of everything he had, so he must use his sword to split Delya in half. Eumenides tries to reason but decides that he can’t go back on a promise to a friend. The brothers protest but Eumenides is firm. Just in time, Jack stops him from killing Delya: he was only testing his constancy. With that, he leaps down into the ground. The characters are satisfied. Madge announces that she has reached the end of her story; it is now morning and she offers her guests some bread and cheese.

Notes
Likely written between 1588 and 1594. Parodies contemporary romances.

Friar Bacon and and Friar Bungay (Greene, 1588-92)

Setting: England, reign of Henry III.
Scene 1: Court. Despite recently going hunting, Prince Edward is depressed, a fact that his friends have noticed: “Alate we ran the deer, and through the lawndes / Stript with our nags the lofty frolic bucks / That scudded fore the teasers like the wind: / Near was the deer of merry Fressingfield / So lustily pulled down by jolly mates, / Nor shared the farmers such fat venison, / So frankly dealt, this hundred years before; / Nor have I seen my lord more frolic in the chase; / And now – changed to a melancholy dump?” Edward is in love with an innkeeper’s daughter, Margaret of Fressingfield. Ralph Simnell, the fool, concocts a scheme to help him to seduce her: they will go to Oxford to see Friar Bacon, who will use magic arts to enable Edward to seduce Margaret. “[I]t must be necromantic spells / And charms of art that must enchain her love.” Margaret, along with everyone else in Oxford, does not realise that Edward is a prince. Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, is commissioned to talk to Margaret and discover if she loves him; Ralph meanwhile will disguise himself as Edward and remain at Court.
Scene 2: Oxford. Friar Bacon boasts of his magical skill to the academics who have come in search of him. He conjures up the hostess from the Bell at Henley-upon-Thames and a devil, in order to show his power; the hostess describes how one of the academics, Burden, visits her nightly. The academics are in awe. Bacon also has a magical Brazen Head that he has spent seven years perfecting, which he plans to use to encircle all of Britain with a protective wall of brass.
Scene 3: Fressingfield. Lacy has infiltrated the company of Margaret and her country friends. He mentions Edward to her; she is coy but has actually fallen in love with Lacy.
Scene 4: Court. Henry III meets with the Emperor of Germany and the King of Castile to arrange a marriage between Elinor of Castile and Edward. His welcome is cordial: “Great men of Europe, monarchs of the west, / Ring’d with the walls of old Oceanus, / Whose lofty surge is like the battlements / That compassed high-built Babel in with towers, / Welcome, my lords, welcome brave western kings / To England’s shore, whose promontory cleeves / Show Albion is another little world.” They all decide to ride to Oxford to meet Edward, so that the guests may see the university.
Scene 5: Oxford. Edward and his friends are disguised and encounter Bacon, who is disparaging and beating his scholar Miles. Bacon insults the other men, who find themselves magically unable to draw their swords in retaliation. Bacon reveals that he knows everything and Edward begs him to help. Bacon offers to take him into his study and show him a magic mirror.
Scene 6: Bacon’s study. Bacon and Edward watch Margaret with Friar Bungay, who informs her of Edward and Lacy’s plan. They then see Lacy, who reflects on his attraction to Margaret and his loyalty to Edward, before deciding to marry Margaret secretly before she can be debauched. He begins to profess his love for her, but is interrupted by Bungay, who slyly informs him that Lacy’s presence is known in town. Margaret interrupts, telling Lacy that she knows his true identity. They agree to marry then and there; Edward, still watching, is enraged. He commands Bacon to stop the wedding; Bacon complies and Bungay is muted and then carried off by a devil.
Scene 7: Regent House. The three scholars discuss the royal visit to Oxford and plan to stage some plays as entertainment. The Emperor is bringing a famous German scholar, Vandermast, and they decide that they must convince Bacon to debate him so that England is not disgraced. The constable then enters with Ralph and the other courtiers, who have been arrested for brawling in a pub. Ralph continues the facade that he is Edward but the scholars aren’t convinced and sentence them to prison. The courtiers reveal their true identities and the scholars permit them to go free.
Scene 8: Fressingfield. Edward confronts Lacy and Margaret, threatening to kill his former friend. Margaret promises that if he does, she will kill herself. The two suggest that Edward simply kill them both, and this spurs Edward to realise his wrong and bless their marriage. Edward and Lacy resolve to go to Oxford to hear the debate between Bacon and Vandermast, but promise to return to Margaret.
Scene 9: Oxford. Emperor: “Trust me, Plantagenet, these Oxford schools / Are richly seated near the river side; / The mountains full of fat and fallow deer, / The battling pastures lain with kine and flocks, / The town gorgeous with high-built colleges, / And scholars seemly in the grave attire, / Learning in searching principles of art.” Bungay begins a debate with Vandermast about English versus German learning, and conjures up a “tree leav’d with refined gold, / Whereon the fearful dragon held his seat, / That watch’d the garden call’d Hesperides, / Subdued and won by conquering Hercules.” In response, Vandermast conjures up Hercules, who begins destroying the tree. Bungay is crushed but Bacon then enters, who prevents Hercules from further destruction, and whisks Vandermast and Hercules back the Hapsburg – much to Henry’s delight. He then excuses himself. Edward enters with his friends, and is struck by Elinor’s beauty. A match is contemplated between them, and their fathers express their pleasure. Bacon and Miles offer up some pottage to their guests, who scorn it.
Scene 10: Fressingfield. Two of the country squires make offers to the innkeeper for Margaret’s hand, but he tells them that Margaret must choose. She manages to delay making a decision, promising that she will choose one of them in ten days’ time. They are content and leave; meanwhile, Margaret receives a letter from Lacy, telling her that he is going to marry one of Elinor’s ladies-in-waiting and giving her a hundred pounds. Margaret vows to confine herself to a nunnery.
Scene 11: Bacon’s study. Bacon is exhausted and commands Bacon to watch over the Brazen Head. The Head speaks “Time is,” “Time was,” and “Time is past,” and is destroyed by a hand wielding a hammer. Bacon awakens and is distraught at the Head’s destruction, for it means the loss of his own powers.
Scene 11: Oxford. Ralph fools that he will marry Elinor. Lacy tells everyone of Margaret’s beauty and Henry is interested, telling him to send for her from Fressingfield to allow them to marry.
Scene 12: Bacon’s study. Bacon is in a deep depression because his Brazen Head is broken. Two young scholars come knocking to ask if they can use Bacon’s magical mirror to see how their fathers fare. Bacon agrees, and it turns out that their fathers are the two squires who are rivals for Margaret. The squires stab one another to death, and, watching grief-struck, the scholars do likewise. Bacon is appalled by what has happened, and smashes the mirror, expressing his regret for ever meddling in magic. He vows to spend the rest of his life in devotion to God.
Scene 13: Fressingfield. Margaret’s father begs his daughter, already wearing nun’s apparel, not to join a nunnery. Lacy enters and is amazed to see her, and explains that he was simply testing her fidelity, but is now ready to marry her. Margaret explains that she has already made her vow, which cannot be taken back. Lacy’s friends remind her that life at court might offer more pleasure than years in a nunnery. Margaret yields and they all go off to celebrate with a breakfast of meat, cheese, and wine.
Scene 14: Oxford(?) Bacon has persuaded a devil to hunt down Miles in revenge for breaking the Brazen Head. He is no longer interested in magic, explaining: “Bacon must be damned / For using devils to countervail his God. / Yet, Bacon, cheer thee; drown not in despair, / Sins have their salves. Repentance can do much. / Think Mercy sits where Justice holds her seat, / And from those wounds those bloody Jews did pierce, / Which by thy magic oft did bleed afresh, / From thence to thee the dew of mercy drops / To wash the wrath of high Jehovah’s ire, / And make thee as a new-born babe from sin. / Bungay, I’ll spend the remnant of my life / In pure devotion, praying to my God / That he would save what Bacon vainly lost.” The devil tells Miles all about the pleasures of a tavern-like Hell, and Miles agrees to get on his back and ascend with him.
Scene 15: Court(?) Newly married, Edward swears loyalty to the Emperor and to Castile, and Margaret and Elinor express their happiness. Bacon gives out a prophecy in praise of Elizabeth I – “From forth the royal garden of a king / Shall flourish out so rich and fair a bud,” – and the wedding party leave for a feast.

Notes
Originally acted by Queen Elizabeth’s Men at Court (1588-92) and by Lord Strange’s Men at the Rose (1592). Dick Tarlton – Miles? Source: The Famous History of Friar Bacon (Anon., 1555?). Friar Bacon based on Roger Bacon; Friar Bungay on Thomas Bungay. Magic possibly inspired by Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus.