The people haue eares which be marueilous great of a span long, which they draw out in length by deuises when they be yong.

I see your sorrowes flowe up to the brim, And overflowe your cheekes with brinish teares, But though this sight bring surfet to the eye, Delight your eares with pleasing harmonie, That eares may counterchecke your eyes, and say, Why shed you teares, this deede is but a playe?

Slave, downe and clap thy eare to the caves mouth

He would drowne the Stage with teares, And cleaue the generall eare with horrid speech: Make mad the guilty, and apale the free, Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed, The very faculty of Eyes and Eares.

First, I was minded for a while to haue intermitted the vttering of my writings; leaste by ouer-much cloying their noble eares, I should gather a contempt of myself, or else seeme rather for game and commoditie to doe it, for some sweetnesse that I haue already tasted.

Nor shall you doe mine eare that violence, [Sidenote: my eare]

The trembling streames which wont in chanels cleare 25 To romble gently downe with murmur soft, And were by them right tunefull taught to beare A bases part amongst their consorts oft; Now forst to overflowe with brackish teares, With troublous noyse did dull their daintie eares.

They to the vulgar sort now pipe and sing, And make them merrie with their fooleries; 320 They cherelie chaunt, and rymes at randon fling, The fruitfull spawne of their ranke fantasies; They feede the eares of fooles with flattery, And good men blame, and losels* magnify.

Her ancient monuments of mightie peeres, And old heröes, which their world did daunt With their great deedes and fild their childrens eares?

August, September, and October, with that permission which the Lord hath allowed the poorer sorte to gather the eares of corne, they do much harme.

Vertuous Alberto and Rinaldo, Had I given eare to them and to my sonne, My joyes had flourished, that now are done.

And wants not Buzzers to infect his eare

Spies amongst the people, who shall lay their eares To every mouth and steale to you their whisperings.

Sit downe a-while, And let vs once againe assaile your eares, That are so fortified against our Story, What we two Nights haue seene.

And till ayde com I'l laye myne eare and listen To heare what further coyle is kept within: All's silent on the sudden.

'Tis bad I tell, but good that I can tell it Therefore your Maiestie will pardon me If I offend your eares to save your life.

Thus they doe make them when they be litle, for then they open the eare, and hang a piece of gold or lead thereat, and within the opening, in the whole they put a certaine leafe that they haue for that purpose, which maketh the hole so great.

What Timon but would let compassion creepe Into his breast, and pierce his frosen eares?

[Sidenote: it, pours] in the Kings eares, and Exits.

Now your wisdomes, Ladies, Your learning also, Sir, your learned prating You that dare prick your eares up at great Princes And doble charge your tongue with new opinions, What can you doe?

If you instruct a nearer way, 'tis in Your will to save your eare the trouble of My pleading, Madam, if with one soft breath You say I'me entertain'd; but for one smile That speakes consent you'le make my life your servant.

You dare not heare this; You have sold your eares to slavery; begon and flatter.

[Sidenote: to heare a] Fellow, teare a Passion to tatters, to [Sidenote: totters,] verie ragges, to split the eares of the Groundlings: [Sidenote: spleet] who (for the most part) are capeable of nothing, but inexplicable dumbe shewes, and noise: I could haue such a Fellow whipt for o're-doing

Oh, sir, Dangerously; he has purg'd his stomack, but the ill spiritts Are flowne into his head and spoild his eares.

Mistris, your reward hath stopt my eares and entic'de my legs to be walking.