Enter Margaret in nun's apparel, [the] Keeper, her Father, 1896and their Friend. Margaret, be not so headstrong in these vows.
13.21898Oh, bury not such beauty in a cell
13.31899That England hath held famous for the hue!
13.41900Thy father's hair, like to the silver blooms
13.51901That beautify the shrubs of Africa,
13.61902Shall fall before the dated time of death,
13.71903Thus to forego his lovely Margaret.
Ah, father, when the harmony of heaven
13.91905Soundeth the measures of a lively faith,
13.101906The vain illusions of this flattering world
13.111907Seem odious to the thoughts of Margaret.
13.121908I loved once. Lord Lacy was my love,
13.131909And now I hate myself for that I loved,
13.141910And doted more on him than on my God.
13.151911For this I scourge myself with sharp repents.
13.161912But now the touch of such aspiring sins
13.171913Tells me all love is lust but love of heavens,
13.181914That beauty used for love is vanity.
13.191915The world contains naught but alluring baits,
13.201916Pride, flattery, and inconstant thoughts.
13.211917To shun the pricks of death I leave the world,
13.221918And vow to meditate on heavenly bliss,
13.241920Holy and pure in conscience and in deed,
13.251921And for to wish all maids to learn of me
13.261922To seek heaven's joy before earth's vanity.
And will you then, Margaret, be shorn a nun, and so
1924leave us all?
Now, farewell world, the engine of all woe;
13.291926Farewell to friends! And father! Welcome, Christ.
13.301927Adieu to d ainty robes! This base attire
13.321929Than all the show of rich habiliments.
13.331930Love, oh love, and with fond love, farewell!
13.341931Sweet Lacy, whom I loved once so dear,
13.351932Ever be well, but never in my thoughts
13.361933Lest I offend to think on Lacy's love.
13.371934But even to that, as to the rest, farewell!
13.37.11935Enter Lacy, Warren, [and] Ermsby, booted and spurred. Come on, my wags, we're near the Keeper's lodge.
13.391937Here have I oft walked in the watery meads,
13.401938And chatted with my lovely Margaret.
Sirrah Ned, is not this the Keeper?
'Tis the same.
The old lecher hath gotten holy mutton to him.
1942A nun, my lord!
Keeper, how farest thou? Holla, man, what cheer?
13.451944How doth Peggy, thy daughter and my love?
Ah, good my lord. Oh, woe is me for Peg!
13.471946See where she stands, clad in her nun's attire,
13.481947Ready for to be shorn in Framlingham.
13.491948She leaves the world because she left your love.
13.501949Oh, good my lord, persuade her if you can!
Why, how now, Margaret; what, a malcontent?
13.521951A nun? What holy father taught you this,
13.531952To task yourself to such a tedious life
13.551954To smother up such beauty in a cell.
Lord Lacy, thinking of thy former miss,
13.571956How fond the prime of wanton years were spent
13.581957In love. Oh, fie upon that fond conceit
13.591958Whose hap and essence hangeth in the eye!
13.601959I leave both love and love's content at once,
13.611960Betaking me to Him that is true love,
13.621961And leaving all the world for love of Him.
Whence, Peggy, comes this metamorphosis?
13.641963What, shorn a nun? And I have from the court
13.651964Posted with coursers to convey thee hence
13.661965To Windsor where our marriage shall be kept.
13.671966Thy wedding robes are in the tailor's hands.
13.681967Come, Peggy, leave these peremptory vows.
Did not my lord resign his interest
13.701969And make divorce 'twixt Margaret and him?
'Twas but to try sweet Peggy's constancy.
13.721971But will fair Margaret leave her love and lord?
Is not heaven's joy before earth's fading bliss,
13.741973And life above sweeter than life in love?
Why then Margaret will be shorn a nun?
Margaret hath made a vow which may not be revoked.
We cannot stay, my lord, an if she be so strict.
13.781977Our leisure grants us not to woo afresh.
Choose you, fair damsel. Yet the choice is yours:
13.801979Either a solemn nunnery or the court,
13.811980God or Lord Lacy. Which contents you best?
13.821981To be a nun, or else Lord Lacy's wife?
A good motion.-- Peggy, your answer must be short.
The flesh is frail. My lord doth know it well
13.851984That when he comes with his enchanting face,
13.861985Whate'er betide I cannot say him nay.
13.871986[Removing her nun's apparel.] Off goes the habit of a maiden's heart,
13.881987And seeing Fortune will, fair Framlingham
13.891988And all the show of holy nuns, farewell!
Peggy, thy lord, thy love, thy husband!
13.921991Trust me, by truth of knighthood, that the king
13.931992Stays for to marry matchless Eleanor
13.941993Until I bring thee richly to the court,
13.951994That one day may both marry her and thee.--
13.961995How say'st thou, Keeper? Art thou glad of this?
As if the English king had given
13.981997The park and deer of Fressingfield to me.
I pray thee, my lord of Sussex, why art thou in a brown
1999study?
To see the nature of women, that be they never so
2001near God, yet they love to die in a man's arms.
What have you fit for breakfast? We have hied and
2003posted all this night to Fressingfield.
Butter and cheese and humbles of a deer,
13.1032005Such as poor keepers have within their lodge.
And not a bottle of wine?
We'll find one for my lord.
Come, Sussex, let's in. We shall have more, for she speaks
2009least to hold her promise sure.