once, you shall quickely ha'te,
Which if your grace will grace with your attention,
You shall soone sounde the depth of our invention."

[Then follows the mock play in seven Acts.]

"Nothing, throughout the whole yeare, was better liked and more
pleasant than this shewe, in so much that, although it were more
privately done before our selves onely or some few friends, yet the
report of it went about all the towne, till it came to the
Vice-chauncellours and L. Clifford's eares, who were very desyrous to
see it acted againe, and so it was as heereafter shal bee specifyed.

"The next day beeing Munday the 11 of January the terme should have
begun in the house, but because of the extreame cold and froast which
had now continued full six weekes and better without any intermission,
as also by reason the hall was still pestered with the stage and
scaffolds which were suffered to stand still in expectation of the
Comedy, therefore it was agreed by the President and the officers that
the terme should bee prorogued for 7 dayes longer in which time it was
agreed the Comedy should bee publickely acted on Friday, the 15th day
of January.

"But heere the President and some of the Seniors in abundance of care
were affrayd to put any thing againe to the publicke view of the
University, because their last paines at _The Complaint of Time_ had
so ill thriving. Besides the season was so severe and tempestuous with
wind and snow, which had continued some dayes without ceasing, and the
complaint of the poore was so grievious for want of wood and meate,
which by this time were growne very scant and deere, that they urged
it was a time rather to lament and weepe than make sports in,
whereupon a streight inhibition was sent out from the officers, that
no man should thinke of playing that night or any time after, till the
weather should breake up and bee more temperate, for they thought it
no way fitt publickly to revell at a time of such generall wo and
calamity.

"But yet because all thinges were in a readinesse and the expectation
of the whole towne was set uppon that night, the younger men of the
Colledge went forward with their buisnes, intending to take no notice
of what the officers had aggreed uppon, wherefore some of the officers
were fayne to come in person to forbid the worke-men, and to undo some
things which were already done, to the great griefe and discouragement
of all the youth, who, though the weather was extrea