English Literature

Bartholomew Fair is a play written by Ben Johnson on 1614. It is a satirical play that targets puritans. In the play, one of the many characters that have dubious personality and motives is the Rabbi Zeal-of-the-Land Busy.
 
Busy is a fake Rabbi. He claims to uphold godliness and rants ceaselessly against idolatry and, particularly, the Bartholomew Fair yet he cannot seem to show evidences to support them. He agrees to escort Purecrafts daughter, Win Little-wit, and her husband to the Fair, not because of his compassion to the girl, but because of his secret desire to attend the big event. Busy has been longing to be at the fair, but his being a Puritan is stopping him he is afraid that he may be accused of diverging from the principles of their sect. Win is a great excuse to grant, clandestinely, his desire. Worse, he does this on the pretence that his presence gives godliness to his group. In Act 3, scene 6, he claims that everything is included in his warnings except pig. Of course, busy makes it up since this declaration is nowhere to be found in the Holy Bible. He excludes the animal in his blasphemous abhorrence because of his gluttonous appetite, and pig meat is one dish he always loves to have in his menu. His hypocrisy is displayed as he greedily consumes a large quantity of pork, and washes it up with a pail of alcoholic beverage.

Busy goes a little too far in his hypocrisy as he pulls down the booths and stalls in the Fair, destroying the merchandise. Haggis and Bristle, the watchmen, have enough of him and arrest him. Instead of being remorseful, Busy declares his unwavering stand on his cause and even the shackles cannot stop him from voicing out his convictions. The people, including the watchmen, scorn him and laugh at him. No one minds his ceaseless ranting. For them, his words are nothing but a mere irritation to their ears. Above all, his speeches do nothing to save him from the offense he commits instead, he is locked up in the stocks.