Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

HIRELING

in Enough Is as Good as a Feast — Wager, William

Metadata

PlayEnough Is as Good as a Feast
AuthorWager, William
Year (catalogued)1570
First performance1560
Decade1570s
GenreMoral
Play typeInterlude
Speech prefix(es)Enter Hireling. | Hireling. | Hireling
Words534
Characters2561
Typicality0.41 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA14627
BritDrama no.468
ClusterCluster 0 — Clowns, beggars & street sellers

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Now a pestilence take him, vile cankard Churl: He is neither good to man, women, boy nor girl. Is this the heavenly man? a shame take him else: Body of me, in all wickedness he now excelles. And if a thing come in his head be it good or ill: Without all wit or reason, do it he will. But so covetous, Lord I think if he might choose: The dropping of his nole he would not lose. Every week truly, nay then every day: He must have accou ̄ to how many Eggs his hens lay Why? there was never seen such a miser as he: That the plague cut the throat of him for me. I have wrought for him this half year by the week: And now my work is done my money is to seek. If I and all mine should starve for money: Of him I dare say I should not get one penny. A shame take him, how well the Scripture of him is waid: Which says sleep not till the Hireling thou hast paid. What Servant, thou lookest as though thou were starved. His master? why? he is no better then a thief: For so that he may have it, he cares not who suffer grief. But lightly those that come to authority after that rate: Do end their lives in some miserable and unhappy state. Good gentlema ̄ , God save your life I pray to our lord: May I be so bold to speak with you (gentleman) one word: Nay by my truth Sir, I drink none other drink to day: But a little Fleet milk mingled with whay. For so God help me if for drink or meat I should die: I have not one farthing, any therewith to buy. And by my truth Sir, this is my suit at this time: I served your master in making Brick and lime. Half a year together not missing one day: And by my truth all my wages is yet for to pay. And if it please you herein to show me some pleasure: The same to my power with Like I will measure. No by my truth Sir, for I have no lands: Nor nothing to live upon, but only my hands. I beseech you be good to me. Yes Sir, you are master Steward I trow. Your master hath a great sort of receivers in deed: But not one to pay the Hireling his true meed. If it please you Sir, help me to my money if you may: No more shall it prevail him the Scripture says in deed: To ask mercy of the Lord when he stands in needs. Exeunt You are happy Sir, in your hands you have the laws. But by gisse if I had any thing that would do you pleasure: You should have it when you would and not tarry my leisure. Well I believe verily that the prayers of the poor & his cry: Shall ascend into the ears of the Lord God on hie. And he will plague all those that righteousness withstand: And as the Prophet says, root their posterity out of y e land.

Plot summary

Plot — Enough Is as Good as a Feast
Remembering his father’s bankruptcy, the Worldly Man hoards treasure for the future, seeing such behaviour as provident thrift, whereas the Heavenly Man relies on God to look after him and regards wealth as a distraction from spiritual things. He and Contentation persuade the Worldly Man to change to a godly lifestyle, but the vices, using innocuous aliases to inveigle their way into his confidence, cause him to backslide into covetous materialism. He becomes a miser and maltreats his tenants, servants, and hirelings: he raises rents, fails to pay the wages he owes, and seizes property adjacent to his own. After a bad dream about God’s punishment, he falls ill and dies. Satan carries him to hell on his back, advising the audience to live their lives in the same way. The virtues advise the contrary.