| sig: [A1] | |
| ¶A dyalogue bitwene the playntife and the Defendaunt. Compyled by Wylliam_Caluerley/ whyles he was prisoner in the towre of London. | |
| sig: [A1v] | |
| sig: A2 | |
|
¶To the kynges highnesse. |
|
| O Exellent prince of my lyfe chefe patron | |
| Medicyn to sycke men in their gret distresse | |
| To all nedy: both shelde and protection | |
| Refuge to wretches their dommage to redresse | |
| 5 | Men that ar halfe deed/ restoring to quickenesse |
| Sith your grace of god was chosen to be so good | |
| O exellent prince forgyue my offencesse | |
| In th'onour of god that bought you with his blode | |
| ¶Blacke is my wede/ of complaynte and mourning | |
| 10 | As a man cast from all felycite |
| Lyke one of a funerall/ bedewed with wepynge | |
| Clad in the mantell of frowarde aduersyte | |
| Trymblyng and quakinge/ of my lyfe no surete | |
| But if I drinke of your most mercyfull flode | |
| 15 | Than shall I neuer offende/ by your soueraynte |
| But saue that which god bought with his preciouse blode | |
| ¶O myrrour of lyght/ suffre nat to perisshe | |
| Thy poore subiecte: but to his prayer enclyne | |
| Whiche herafter thy lawes shall cherisshe | |
| 20 | And kepe them as most holly and diuyne |
| Sith your grace hath ben treacle and chef medicyn | |
| To other offendours which in myschef stode | |
| Pardon me Salomon/ I wyll obey thy doctryne | |
| And saue that which god bout with his precious blod | |
| sig: [A2v] | |
| 25 | ¶And for my parte/ of one hert abidyng |
| Uoyde of chaunge/ and all mutabilyte | |
| I do present this boke/ with hande shakyng | |
| Of hole affection/ knelyng on my kne | |
| Desyring the lorde/ whiche is persons thre | |
| 30 | By whose magnifycence we receyue all fode |
| That by your grace I may haue lybertye | |
| And saue that which god bout with his preci[ous] blode precious] preci. 1535 | |
| ¶For all my purpose combyned in-to one | |
| Of whiche this boke shall make mencioun | |
| 35 | Is to voyde yll wede/ and to take the good corne |
| As reason hath taught me by discretioune | |
| Puttyng no trust in the whele of fortune | |
| But in this dialogue comprehend that persons good | |
| By grace and vertu may here contune contune: var. of continue | |
| 40 | And saue that which god bought with his precious blode |
| ¶Go forth lytle boke for fere tremblynge | |
| Pray the prince to haue on the pytie | |
| Uoyde of all picture/ or of any connynge | |
| To compyle a[n]y curyouse ditie | |
| 45 | Causynge thy prince to take on the mercy |
| Pray god graunt his grace that died on the rode | |
| To preserue his hye noblenes and magnanimite | |
| And to be partaker of Christes precious blode. | |
|
¶Thus endeth the supplication/ and here foloweth the Dialogue betwene the Playntyf and defendant. |
|
 The Playntyfe
|
|
| sig: A3 | |
| AS I sat musyng/ callyng to remembraunce | |
| And consydered in myn owne fantasy | |
| The vnsure trust of worldly varyaunce | |
| Of men and women/ the chaunge and the folly | |
| 5 | Thought in my mynde to compyle some ditye |
| Lyke one troubled in herte with heuynesse | |
| No socour fyndinge/ me for to redresse. | |
| ¶Blamyng fortune/ why she stode nat certayne | |
| But with her double whele brought men in doute | |
| 10 | Causynge me for to suffre moche payne |
| Reportynge howe she had cast me out | |
| From her fauour/ as she tourned about | |
| Taking a wronge turne/ where I thought me sure | |
| By her double meanes/ and my harde auenture | |
| 15 | ¶Sayenge lady: thou settest by me no pryce |
| For by thy froward and furiouse vyolence | |
| Thou hast tourned thy whele/ and visage of malyce | |
| Bringynge me clene from all credence | |
| Hauynge nothynge to make resystence | |
| 20 | Thus by the fortune/ and thy mutabilyte the: =thee |
| Sole a[b]iecte/ and cast in-to pouerte abiecte] adiecte 1535 | |
| ¶What haue I offended thou art so contrarious | |
| Whiche hath caused me in mischefe to fall | |
| Thus to be tourmented in thy syege perilouse | |
| 25 | My swete sugre is tempered with gall |
| Wherfore to the/ I reply my hurtes all | |
| But this as I wrote/ I herde a voyce crye | |
| Peace I saye/ thou begynnest for to lye | |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| sig: [A3v] | |
| SOthly I parceyue well thy condicion | |
| 30 | Thou dost as vnthriftes/ almost euery-chone |
| Wyll them excuse/ without exception | |
| And blame fortune/ as their chef fone | |
| Sayenge/ it is in her power alone | |
| The to rule/ as a lady of desteny | |
| 35 | Whiche is a secte of playne Idolatry |
| ¶Nature hath taught the/ that wronge is to excuse | |
| Under a curtayne/ your falshed to hyde | |
| Lytell good corne amonges your chaf to vse | |
| On your fautes you lyst nat to abyde | |
| 40 | The gaule touched/ all that you set a ####ab#### syde |
| Sowynge roses fresshe/ the nettles you let passe | |
| Under fortune to couer your trespasse | |
| ¶And if you maye tell your owne tale | |
| Howe that all came by fortunes whele | |
| 45 | Lockinge your falsnesse faste in a male |
| Shewynge of your vyces but a small percele | |
| As brickle glasse/ sheweth brighter than stele | |
| Though vpon fortune you wolde set your pretence | |
| He is a fole that gyueth to you credence | |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| 50 | THus was I pensyf/ the water from my eye |
| For fere spronge forth/ and made pale my visage | |
| Sore a ####ab#### basshed I beynge solytary | |
| Shulde here a voyce/ and se no ymage | |
| It parted atwayne/ both colour and courage | |
| 55 | But by the voyce/ I thought by nature |
| That it shulde be some mortall creature. | |
| sig: [A4] | |
| ¶I sat full styll and marked what it sayde | |
| Ferefull of chere/ sad in countenaunce | |
| Thinkinge to answere/ sone at abrayde | |
| 60 | And to that sayenge gaue dilygent attendaunce |
| Thus than I sayde with good remembraunce | |
| If thou wylt argue/ agaynst fortunes strength | |
| It wyl be sene vpon the at the length | |
| ¶Fortune hath lyfte many men alofte | |
| 65 | To hye astate and worldely dignyte |
| A nother sorte she hath gryped full vnsofte | |
| And cast them downe in-to great aduersyte | |
| By other proued/ nowe verifyed in me | |
| Which is cast downe into stronge prison | |
| 70 | There to abyde of the lawe correction |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| GOod reason that/ for lawes first was founde | |
| In sondry wyse and busy occupacyon | |
| Uertu to cherisshe/ vyces to confounde | |
| Men chosen/ of power and good entencyon | |
| 75 | Which of offendours shulde se done executyon |
| So that the vertuouse shulde be reserued | |
| And haue promosyons/ such as they deserued. | |
| ¶Dedalus was the fyrst that prisons wrought | |
| Full of ingyns/ called Laborinthus | |
| 80 | All offenders thyder to be brought |
| A croked place/ to gete forthe daungerous | |
| For suche as to good lawes were contrarious | |
| And Tarquinus/ as I written fynde | |
| Founde fyrst shaccles men for to bynde | |
| sig: [A4v] | |
| 85 | ¶These were ordayned vertue to preferre |
| And to maintayne trewe labour and busynesse | |
| Besydes that/ to punisshe such as shulde erre | |
| Whiche haue no ioye but vpon Idlenesse | |
| And for other in their labours retchelesse | |
| 90 | Purposynge to punisshe Sardanapall |
| Whiche of mischeues/ may be reconed principall | |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| OF Sardanapall I neuer had acqueyntesse | |
| I euer loued to a ####ab#### voide his company | |
| Knowynge him to be vicyouse Idlenesse | |
| 95 | Which is distruction/ to all maner of degre |
| Therfore thou offendest to atwyte me | |
| With him whom I neuer yet loued | |
| Not yet them/ which him in houshold cherisshed | |
| ¶And where thou sayst that prisons ordeyned be | |
| 100 | Offendours to chastyce/ to mayntayne the right |
| For the welfare of euery comynaltye | |
| To preferre vertue to his clere lyght | |
| That to denaye it were nat in my myght | |
| But one thynge wolde I demaunde of the | |
| 105 | Whether suche robbe nat a hole comynaltye |
| ¶That hath shepe in pastures goynge | |
| Whiche grounde before this hath ben put to tyllage | |
| Hauyng thousandes/ his poore neybour lackinge | |
| He and his shepherdes alone in a vyllage | |
| 110 | Thus getteth his goodes/ by extortion and pyllage |
| If a man parte of his goodes withdrawe | |
| Shal he make answere therfore by goddes lawe | |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| sig: B[1] | |
| NAy nat so I say/ it is all otherwyse | |
| I may nat suffre you to go there amonge | |
| 115 | Lest that you wolde perilouse thynges deuyse |
| Under a colour/ to occupie you with wrong | |
| What shuld I lenger drawe the mater a ####ab#### long | |
| Of goddes lawes thou art nat executor | |
| Nor of thy souerayns/ no good reformator. | |
| 120 | ¶God gaue a lawe/ and with this a precept |
| That no man shuld his neyghbours good desyre | |
| Thou hast nat the offyce them to corecte | |
| But with god thou ronnest in great Ire. | |
| But what thou meanest/ now sone I can conspire | |
| 125 | Thou thynkest to make a cloke for the rayne. |
| It wyll nat be/ for it is all in vayne. | |
| ¶Of suche conspiracy began fyrst robbers | |
| Theues by hye-wayes/ extorcion with violence | |
| Murder/ sla[u]ghter/ and couert brybers | |
| 130 | Discension/ grudgyng/ and disobedience |
| Now of thy tale to touche thy pretence | |
| It is nat fortune that causeth their yll chaunce | |
| But them-selues for lacke of good gouernaunce. them-selues] them/ selues 1535 | |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| ¶Nat fortune? yes/ and that shall well be sene | |
| 135 | For by her euer/ men do possesse treasures |
| Fallen hath to ruyn both kinge and quene | |
| And raysed agayne by her onely socours | |
| Exalted she hath/ many great conquerours | |
| And to suche as she wolde nat se | |
| 140 | Hath cast them downe in great aduersyte |
| sig: [B1v] | |
| ¶Loke who she enbraseth and holdeth in her chaine | |
| Worldely people/ and their goodes transitory | |
| And ryche marchauntes vnder her demeane | |
| To knighthod she gyueth conquest and victory | |
| 145 | She gyueth to other worldely prosperyte |
| Loke who her fauour hath recured | |
| In this lyfe/ of welth they be assured. | |
| ¶These bysshops which be of lowe birth borne | |
| And spirituall prelates in Rome towne | |
| 150 | She hath them exalted other beforne |
| But nowe a lyttell she hath brought them downe | |
| Thus whan she lyst her-selfe to frowne | |
| She spareth niether manhod nor kynred | |
| For of all persons she wyll be dred | |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| 155 | SUche be wretches/ and to god vnkynde |
| That putteth them vnder her subiection | |
| From goddes preceptes makyng them-selfe blynde | |
| Submittynge them to fortune/ aboue good reason | |
| And as touching the prelates that ar brought downe | |
| 160 | Fortune pulled them nat from that place |
| It is the scorge of god/ for that they lacked grace. | |
| ¶The fall of one/ shulde be a clere lyght | |
| To teache the other what they shulde eschewe | |
| It is god that punissheth with his myght | |
| 165 | And tryeth out the false from the trewe |
| Who that is here punisshed for his offence dewe | |
| Happy may be/ if he say with good entent | |
| Welcom from god/ the scourge of chastysement | |
| sig: B2 | |
| ¶O what vnkinde people shuld them betake | |
| 170 | And put their wylles vnto fortunes cure |
| Of god aboue the power to forsake | |
| And with fortune all-thinge wyll assure | |
| Thinking alwaye by her to endure | |
| Lyke as she were of desteny a goddesse | |
| 175 | That could bringe man to welth or wretchednesse |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| THy wordes stronge I may nat wel debar | |
| Thy name I desyre before that I do spek | |
| I thinke thou hast ben some man of war | |
| Thy wynde causeth my herte to breke | |
| 180 | Out from my eyen the water doth out leke |
| Thinkinge I haue begonne/ agaynst one to reply | |
| Which by his strength wyll haue the mastry | |
| ¶For lyke as ro[u]nde droppes of the south rayne | |
| Which that discende/ and fall from a ####ab#### lofte | |
| 185 | On stones harde/ at the eye as it is sayne |
| Peerseth the hardnesse/ with their fallynge ofte | |
| Albeit in toucheng/ the water is but softe | |
| The persyng causeth by force no puisaunce | |
| But by fallyng/ the longe contynuaunce | |
| 190 | ¶So semblab[l]y of right I dare reherce semblably] semblaby 1535 |
| Thy wordes marked with full and good entent | |
| A hole in-to my herte doth perce | |
| For I fere lest that I might be shent | |
| And by my excusyng ronne in a contempt | |
| 195 | More worthy for that to be punissheable |
| Than by the faute I shulde haue ben culpable | |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| sig: [B2v] | |
| IN warres trewly there haue I ben ofte | |
| But my nature is alwaye to make pease | |
| Without me most thinges do proue nought | |
| 200 | Howe-so-euer it be/ by hardnesse or ease |
| Loke who that loueth me nat to please | |
| Here he can nat longe be in tune | |
| Although he thinke to mary with fortune | |
| ¶I haue me so vsed/ that thorow my noblenes | |
| 205 | Clerkes in lerninge/ which clerely can concerne |
| Doughter of god/ lady/ and princes | |
| Reason they call me/ good folke to gouerne | |
| Atwene good and euyll/ iustly to decerne | |
| I haue departed playnly to conclude | |
| 210 | The lyfe of man/ from the lyfe of beestes rude. |
| ¶With me I conserue/ both vertue and mesure | |
| Consyderinge thinges/ what shal be ####ab#### fall | |
| Taking no enterprice: but with me descrecion sure | |
| And vpon prudence/ founde my workes all | |
| 215 | Than to counsell/ Attemperaunce I do call |
| Warely prouydinge/ in my-selfe within | |
| The ende of thinges/ before that I begynne. | |
|
¶Playntyffe. |
|
| HElas/ helas/ to write in wordes fewe | |
| Lenger to lyue/ I haue no fantasye | |
| 220 | For where shulde I my face out-shewe |
| Syth agaynste reason/ I haue helde champerty | |
| Nowe dare I appere in-to no company | |
| For to my body/ deth I haue prouyded | |
| Leuing reason and vertu/ which shuld me haue gided | |
| sig: B3 | |
| 225 | ¶Nowe this mater troubleth my memory |
| Better to dye than to lyue in shame | |
| For my offences thus stande I in ieoperdy | |
| Fro my mortall body/ gone is my name | |
| Youth and fraylnesse was moche to blame | |
| 230 | Wherfore better it were from this lyfe disceuer |
| Than with slaunderouse fame/ for to lyue euer. | |
| ¶Some tonges there be venemouse of nature | |
| Whan they perceyue a man from state meued | |
| With their wylles do their busy cure | |
| 235 | By yll reporte/ to make men more greued |
| There is no poyson so well expert and preued | |
| Therfore now hert/ why brekest thou nat asonder | |
| Of this worlde to rydde the from this wonder. | |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| NAt so/ for I can breke a castell down | |
| 240 | And bylde it after more fresshe to the syght |
| Exyle a man from dyuers region | |
| And him reuoke whan I lyst by ryght | |
| Thus may I do by my power and myght | |
| So that thou wylt obeye to me reason | |
| 245 | I shall the teche/ this trouble to ouercom |
| ¶A thefe may robbe a man of his richesse | |
| And by some meane make restitution | |
| Another may by myght oppresse | |
| The pore man from his possession | |
| 250 | Yet after to him make satisfaction |
| Be it with lyfe or elles with deth. | |
| Cor contritum et humiliatum deus non dispiciet. | |
| sig: [B3v] | |
| ¶The lorde for a tyme may the chastyce | |
| And of offenders sende the to the place | |
| 255 | Whan he and I together do deuyse |
| That with repentance/ thou art fall in grace | |
| Than sone after we shall deuyse a place | |
| Takinge the vnto our great mercy | |
| Thinkyng by correction/ gone is thy folly. | |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| 260 | IF thou canst this matter thus recure |
| I shall the promyse all the dayes of my lyfe | |
| To be vnder thy protection and lure | |
| Obedyent at all/ as a louynge wyfe | |
| Euer with vyce to holde warre and stryfe | |
| 265 | For bi him I am brought in wretchednes and nede |
| Forsaken of good men/ frendship/ and kinrede | |
| ¶Take here my faith in pledge or hostage | |
| To fulfyll it with sure condicyon | |
| Credence you must my speche or langage | |
| 270 | For what helpeth an oblygacion |
| To him/ which hath nought in possessyon | |
| If I shulde breke/ spare nat to ordayne | |
| For my wretchednes most cruell payne. | |
| ¶And I shall first for my offences all | |
| 275 | Be sory in hert/ willynge to amende |
| And after that to write in generall | |
| An example to other which shulde intende | |
| Herafter/ in suche a cause to offende | |
| If my souerayne sende nat Atropose with hast | |
| 280 | Me to a ####ab#### rest with his dedly mase. |
|
¶Defendant |
|
| sig: [B4] | |
| FEare nat that/ for the stronge lyoun | |
| To prostrate peple/ of kynde is merciable | |
| Unto suche as fall before him downe | |
| No beest in mercy to him comperable | |
| 285 | His royall puysance can nat be vengeable |
| Who falleth down/ and for mercy doth call | |
| He doth defende them from wolues and tygers all | |
| ¶This royall lyon/ of valyaunt gentry | |
| A ####ab#### monge other beestes of force incomperable | |
| 290 | Preueth nat his power nor regally |
| Agaynst beestes which be nat defensable | |
| Nor agaynst wretches in cause semblable | |
| But for their offences taketh mercye in morgage | |
| Forgiuynge offences/ leauyng their outrage | |
| 295 | ¶Therfore to wryte/ loke thou procede |
| And condempne againste me thy fyrst argument | |
| Excepte that grace aboue fortune excede | |
| And with him vertue/ both of one assent | |
| Nothinge may last/ nor be permanent | |
| 300 | But at the ende such guerdon they shall haue |
| As the iust matter of right shulde therfore craue matter: marter? | |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| NOwe first Helas/ who shalbe my muse | |
| Or to whom shall I for helpe call | |
| Caliope/ my callynge wyll refuse | |
| 305 | And on Pernaso hir worthy systers all |
| They wyll their spices tempre with no gall | |
| For their swetnesse/ and lusty fresshe syngynge | |
| Full farre discordeth from matter complaynyng | |
| sig: [B4v] | |
| ¶Thus I nowe beginning/ derked with ignorance | |
| 310 | My wyt is dull this thynge to discerne |
| Quenched ar the torches of parceueraunce | |
| Clene extincte the lyght of my lanterne | |
| Lackynge lernynge my style to gouerne | |
| Drede and vnconnynge maketh a batayle | |
| 315 | With dulnesse of wyt/ to hynder my trauayle |
| ¶Supporte haue I none my dulnes to guyde | |
| Pouerte hath written my name in his boke | |
| Dispere standeth also by my syde | |
| Which paleth my chere/ and astonyeth my loke | |
| 320 | Thus I hotte/ drye/ and wery/ fyndeth no bote |
| Howe I shulde to reason my promyse fulfyll | |
| Standyng waueringe betwene good and yll | |
|
¶Deffendant |
|
| DIspayre/ I say nay/ that is contrary | |
| It is Idlenesse here in thys present lyfe | |
| 325 | Which hath drawen many from their lybrary |
| And wyll nat suffre them to be contemplatyfe | |
| For her condicion is to holde stryfe | |
| With euery vertuouse occupacion | |
| Which men shulde voyde/ by wysedom and reason | |
| 330 | ¶Remembre thy busynesse/ loke thou take hede |
| Procede with thy worke thou hast take in hande | |
| Grace shall crosse thy sayle with good spede | |
| And kepe thy shyp from neglygences sande | |
| Good_counsell shall brynge thy shyp to lande | |
| 335 | And hope shall brynge vnto the socour |
| Trustyng some man shall acquyte thy labour | |
| sig: [B5] | |
| ¶I meane as thus/ the shyppe of thy traueyle | |
| Which hath passed the great dangerouse seuen | |
| Cast nat anker/ tyll thou hast good riuale | |
| 340 | Let no tempest/ thunder/ nor leuyn |
| Nor no wyndes of the cloudy heuyn | |
| Cause idlenesse to lay thy pyllow/ euen nor morow | |
| Uoyde her/ and let her go with sorowe | |
|
¶Playntyffe |
|
| THis writyng my letter/ I wrapped all in drede This: =Thus | |
| 345 | In my right hande/ my penne beginneth to quake |
| And for fere/ my hert is lyke to blede | |
| Yet must I forth/ and this vndertake | |
| For to Reason promyse dyd I make | |
| The teres distillynge fro myne eyes brinke | |
| 350 | At this begynnyng I tempre with my inke |
| But hope and trust putteth away dispayre | |
| In-to my mynde/ of newe I gan redresse | |
| To make the wether bright and fayre | |
| Reasons promyse/ with his bountuous largenesse | |
| 355 | Brought in-to my herte so moche gladnesse |
| That without any maner of delay | |
| As is this tenour/ this fyrst I gan say. | |
| CReatures all/ in your fyrst prouydence | |
| Be right well ware/ any-thyng to attame | |
| 360 | Whiche vnto god shulde be offence |
| For if ye do the ende of it is shame | |
| And in this worlde appalled is your name | |
| But you repente/ god of his iustyce | |
| Your vicious lyueng vnwarely wyll chastyce | |
| sig: [B5v] | |
| 365 | ¶Except you folowe vertue with dilygence |
| Forsaking vice/ the mother of Idlenesse | |
| Your ende you may se/ by other experience | |
| Which is nought/ but misery and wretchednesse | |
| Forsake wronge/ and folowe rightwisenesse | |
| 370 | Or elles of one thinge be you sure |
| God wyll nat suffre you longe to endure | |
| ¶Unto false prophetes gyue no credence | |
| Folowyng mans lerninge/ and their tradicion | |
| But to goddes preceptes with all reuerence | |
| 375 | Put thy mynde and hole entencyon |
| Forsake nat god for all their punission | |
| For they be wolues wrapped in a lammes-skinne | |
| Honey without/ and poyson within | |
| ¶The wyly wolues that casteth to deuour | |
| 380 | The sely lammes/ which can no defence |
| Nor no helpe/ them for to socoure | |
| So feble they ar to make resystence | |
| Whiche denyeth trewth/ by false apparence | |
| What wonder is it/ the fraude nat conceyued | |
| 385 | Though such lammes vnwarely be deceyued |
| ¶Lammes they ar in shewyng/ shadowed with mekenesse | |
| Cruell as tygers/ who doth them offence | |
| Of great holynes pretendynge a lykenesse | |
| But wo (alas) what harme doth apparence | |
| 390 | What domage doth countrefayt innocence |
| Under a mantell of false simplicite | |
| Uery hipocrites full of crueltie | |
| sig: [B6] | |
| ¶Remembre Rome/ cal now vnto thy mynde | |
| The dayes ar passed of thy felicyte | |
| 395 | Thy great conquestes are lefte behynde |
| To lyght is come all thy iniquite | |
| Thy decrees sent forth in-to euery countre | |
| Suche as agreed nat with Christes scripture | |
| Ar clene extyncke/ no lenger may endure | |
| 400 | ¶From Th'eest to the Weest thy lybertes dyd attayn |
| Aboue all power most excellent and royall | |
| But now truth brought out/ so euident and plain | |
| Hath hyndred sore thy seate imperiall | |
| In peoples hertes to remayne perpetuall | |
| 405 | Your hye prydes are now defaced |
| Your bulles and pardons/ almoste out-raced. | |
| ¶Kynges and princes were to the try[b]utary trybutary] tryputary 1535 | |
| Of all welth/ so gret was your flode | |
| Untyll from god/ so fare you dyd vary | |
| 410 | That all creatures/ knowynge yl from good |
| Perceyued you bare two faces in one hood | |
| Than by good reason sone they prouyded | |
| From your burdens/ for to be deuyded | |
| ¶O Rome/ Rome/ loke all thy olde abusion | |
| 415 | Of thy Ceremonies/ and false disgysynge |
| Laye them asyde/ and now in conclusion | |
| Cry god mercy/ thy trespas repentyng | |
| Trust he wyll nat at length refuse thy askyng | |
| The to receyue to worke in his vyne | |
| 420 | And to haue as moche/ as he that cam at prime. |
| sig: [B6v] | |
| Unto the kyng with faythfull obeysaunce | |
| Towardes his grace/ shewe thy humilyte | |
| Agaynst him nor his/ holde no varyaunce | |
| But fyght for him/ in euery countre | |
| 425 | Desyre to se him in ioye and felycite |
| Kepe his preceptes/ as thy lorde and souerayne | |
| Euer as pleasure/ thinking them no payne. | |
| ¶Thy obeysaunce playnly/ at a worde | |
| By god thou arte commaunded to owe in souerente | |
| 430 | Unto thy kynge/ thy gouernour and thy lorde |
| In payne of dedly synne/ so he commaundeth the | |
| Both to him/ and to such as he a ####ab#### gre | |
| Of his people to take the gouernaunce | |
| Them to folowe with their good ordinaunce | |
| 435 | ¶Consyder thou/ it is a hertely reioysinge |
| To serue a prince/ that well doth aduertyse | |
| Of his seruantes the faithfull iust meanynge | |
| And wyll consyder to gwerdon their seruyce | |
| Which at a nede wyll them nat despyce | |
| 440 | But from all danger that shulde them noye or greue |
| Be euer redy to helpe them and releue. | |
| ¶As in this lande/ I dare affirme a thyng | |
| Henry the eight/ full myghty of puisaunce | |
| Of England and Fraunce/ our most noble king | |
| 445 | Defensor of the faith/ hauing Irelande in gouernance |
| To al his subiectes/ greatest ioye and pleasance | |
| By whose noble polycie/ and also disc[r]ecyon discrecyon] discecyon 1535 | |
| Conserued is this most noble regyon | |
| sig: C[1] | |
| ¶Duringe his tyme/ longe by his prudence | |
| 450 | Pease and quiete/ he sustayneth by right |
| That natwithstanding his noble prouydence | |
| In this worlde lyueth nat a better knight | |
| Eyed as Argus/ with reason and foresyth foresyth: =foresight | |
| And in good lerninge/ I dare of him tell | |
| 455 | Of his predecessours/ the most he doth excell |
| ¶This with his prudence/ and his manhede | |
| Trewth he sustayneth/ fauour settyng a ####ab#### syde | |
| To Christes scripture/ a mayntenour with dede | |
| That in this lande/ false prophetes dare nat byde | |
| 460 | A very supporter/ vpholder/ and also guyde |
| Of Christes churche defence/ and noble champion | |
| To chastyce all tho/ that be Christes fone | |
| ¶Obseruinge alwayes/ the testament of Iesu | |
| Studyenge euer to haue the trewe intellygence | |
| 465 | Gyuenge his subiectes the lyght of vertue |
| Ipocrisy excluding vnder false apparence | |
| Thus of the trewth he hath experience | |
| Knowing him-selfe/ in many sondry wyse | |
| Where they trespace/ their errour to chastyce | |
| 470 | ¶Reuolue how our souerayne/ a mirrour of lit |
| Transcendeth all other/ by vertuouse exellence | |
| Eschewinge all visyons/ sekinge the right | |
| By his noble descrecyon/ and naturall prouydence | |
| Temperinge his nature/ by mercy and clemence | |
| 475 | Kepynge dangers from his subiectes in all-thinge |
| As appertayneth to a most noble kynge | |
| sig: [C1v] | |
| ¶Thinges longe passed/ he kepeth in remembrance | |
| Conseruing all thinges/ with honour in presence | |
| For thinges to come/ maketh good ordinaunce | |
| 480 | Folowing the traces of vertuouse contynence |
| Agaynst fayned myracles makynge resistence | |
| By the great vertue/ and magnanimyte | |
| Whiche is apropred to his roiall maiestie | |
| ¶Also his manhode/ sheweth him lyke a kyng | |
| 485 | From other princes by maner of apparence |
| Of goodly stature as euer was raignyng | |
| Spoken longe and farre of men/ from his presence | |
| I knowe nat whether with dew reuerence | |
| The region shuld be happyer/ that hath such a gouernour | |
| 490 | Or els by god chosyn/ his grace to that honor |
| ¶About him he hath for our great auayle | |
| Dayly and hourly in his presence | |
| Prudent and valyaunt to be of his counsayle | |
| Suche of this worlde as hath most experience | |
| 495 | Betwene good and euyll knowyng the difference |
| Tha[n] giuyng Res-publica/ to vs his subiectes Than] Tha 1535 | |
| With reuerent fere and loue/ obeyng his preceptes. | |
| ¶What hert so indurate/ shuld nat loue such one | |
| Which so nobly conserueth his royall dygnite | |
| 500 | Although he were made of the Adamant stone |
| Yet wolde it gyue/ for he with prosperyte | |
| Is nat gladder/ nor for no aduersyte | |
| Changeth no countinance/ his courage to renew | |
| Both to god and man/ yeldyng that is dewe. | |
| sig: C2 | |
| 505 | ¶Thus a man that perfyte is and stable |
| As scripture with good reason doth preue | |
| Nothing there is so fayre nor agreable | |
| Than fynally this viciouse lyfe to leaue | |
| On very god rightfully to be ####ab#### leue | |
| 510 | Him to loue and worship aboue all-thynge |
| And next to him/ thy most redouted kynge | |
| ¶Olde examples of men that hath fall | |
| If they with grace brought them to mynde | |
| Myght be a myrrour to creatures all | |
| 515 | Howe they in vertue shal remedies fynde |
| To eschew vyces/ of suche as were made blynde | |
| Fro sodayne fallynge them-selues to preserue | |
| Longe to contune/ and thanke of god deserue | |
| ¶But suche as lyst nat corrected to be | |
| 520 | By example of other for vicyouse gouernaunce |
| Other of him shall the correction se | |
| Bicause they shulde mende their misgouernance | |
| Say nat that it is by fortunes variaunce | |
| Colourynge such gyltes/ which they do vse | |
| 525 | Their demerytes by collour so to excuse |
| ¶Who foloweth vertu longest shall perceuer | |
| Be it in riches or elles in pouerty | |
| Lyght of trouth/ his clerenes kepynge euer | |
| Against the assautes of longe prosperite | |
| 530 | Make youth and vertu togyther to agre |
| For whan a man from vertu doth declyne | |
| Harde it is/ if he make a good fyne | |
| sig: [C2v] | |
| ¶Uertue conserueth all men in their glory | |
| And here confirmeth their habitations | |
| 535 | Where vyces putteth their price out of memory |
| For their trespases/ and also transgressyons | |
| Than are they taken and cast in prisons | |
| Sone after/ for their great punicyon | |
| Brought to their ende/ by iust executyon | |
| 540 | ¶Lokinge about them/ there shall they se |
| Their frendes/ and other for dolour sobbynge | |
| With their handes wringyng thy sore aduersyte | |
| Some wondering/ some be ####ab#### dewed with wepyng | |
| Of strangers a noyce/ and a hidyouse cryenge | |
| 545 | Thus is their ende/ with shamfull rumure |
| Where vertue lacketh/ nothing maye endure | |
| ¶Loke/ who in this worlde doth most desyre | |
| By wronge tytle/ his state to magnify | |
| By an etyke of couetouse/ hotter than fyre etyke: =hectic | |
| 550 | Other mennes goodes/ as his owne to occupy |
| As I haue red/ and sene with myne eye | |
| Though it hath lasted for a small tyme | |
| The ende of it hath turned to ruyne | |
| ¶Marke in your mynde/ who-euer hath vsed | |
| 555 | To oppresse trewth: by power and tyranny |
| And rightwysenesse/ by wyll hath refused | |
| Supportynge him-selfe/ by extortion and robbery | |
| Auoydyng reason/ folowinge sensualyte | |
| Coniecter euer/ if their fyne and prefe | |
| 560 | Were nat alwaye/ to dye at a mischefe |
| sig: C3 | |
| ¶To this I knowe/ no man can make descorde | |
| For well it is proued/ all such wyll come to nout | |
| Thousandes of examples I coulde bring to recorde | |
| And mo I knowe/ if they were out sought | |
| 565 | It shall nat nede/ for all men in their thought |
| Knoweth ill gotten/ worse euer spent | |
| Yet for their extortion/ they shall be shent | |
| ¶Besydes that/ such as loueth idelnesse | |
| Owinge to god/ neither loue nor drede | |
| 570 | Couetouse people/ that men doth oppresse |
| And such as wyll do nothinge/ but for mede | |
| As desemblers cladde in double wede | |
| Who sercheth well/ nought is the ende | |
| Yet god suffreth longe/ to haue them to amende | |
| 575 | ¶From yll counsayle/ fast loke thou flee |
| For that hath brought many to mischaunce | |
| Shedynge honey first/ stingyng after as the be | |
| Though the honey be swete/ the stinge is greuance | |
| So shall be the ende/ who foloweth the chaunce | |
| 580 | That he shall curse the tyme/ and also repent |
| That euer with their hony/ he toke any talent | |
| ¶Suche maye be called/ the deuyls taberers | |
| With froward soundes/ the eares to fulfyll | |
| Or of Cures the perilous buttelers | |
| 585 | Which gall with their honney/ downe distyll |
| Whose drinkes be both amorous and yll | |
| And all clerkes well deuyse conne | |
| Worse than the drinke of Cerenes tonne | |
| sig: [C3v] | |
| ¶Therfore put lyfe neuer in a venture | |
| 590 | But for matters iust/ and also trewe |
| Preue them by reason that they stande sure | |
| Knowe well the grownde/ of mater olde or newe | |
| The best than take/ and the worst eschew | |
| After thy degre/ make thy cost and spendynge | |
| 595 | That in a meane/ thou make a good endynge |
| ¶Whan Dedalus taught his sonne for to flye | |
| He bad him first of hye discretyon | |
| From Phebus hete/ to kepe his wynges fre | |
| And from Neptunus colde congelacion | |
| 600 | Meanyng hereby/ for shorte conclusyo[n] |
| That who that lyst with ioye his state assure | |
| In a good meane men shulde lengest endure | |
| ¶With great plenty/ men be nat best assured | |
| After their lust alway to lyue in ease | |
| 605 | And though that men great treasure hath recured |
| With their riches they fele many a disease | |
| Gret personages hath nat alwai thinges them to please | |
| Therfore as stories dyuers doth expresse | |
| Hartely is ioye/ atwene pouertie and richese | |
| 610 | ¶In the erth here/ the greatest felicite |
| For the hertes ease/ and richest possessyon | |
| Is with suffysaunce content for to be | |
| Of worldly trouble to eschew the occasyon | |
| Meuyng no quarelles/ that shulde cause discension | |
| 615 | Nor desyre nothinge/ harde to recure |
| For here is lyttell in this worlde sure. | |
| sig: [C4] | |
| Morall Seneck/ recordeth by writynge | |
| Richest of thinges/ is a meane from pouerte | |
| Euer of one chere/ voyde of all grudgynge | |
| 620 | Both in ioye/ and also aduersyte |
| Thorowe this worlde to haue their lyberte | |
| And these Greke wordes which I written fynde | |
| Alwayes remembre and bere them in thy mynde | |
| ¶Diogynes was content in his lytell tunne | |
| 625 | His conquest was more souerayne of degre |
| Than Alexander/ for al his renowme | |
| For he conquered his sensualyte | |
| Makinge him subiecte to reason of dewtie | |
| And clerke of his kechen he made attemperaunce | |
| 630 | Which of his body had the hole gouernaunce |
| ¶Examples we haue ynough vs to suffyce | |
| In bokes founde .xx. thousande and mo | |
| To exemplyfy folke that ben wyse | |
| How this worlde is a thorow-fare full of wo | |
| 635 | Tossed and tumbled with vanytes to and fro |
| Deth is annexed to vs by successyon | |
| For Adams offence to vs conueyde downe | |
| ¶O wordely folke aduertyce with good entent wordely: =worldely | |
| What vengeaunce/ and what punissyon | |
| 640 | God shall take in his iugement |
| For our trespaces/ and also transgressyon | |
| Which breketh his preceptes against all reason | |
| Forgettynge howe with his preciouse blode | |
| Us to saue/ he dyed on the rode. | |
| sig: [C4v] | |
| 645 | ¶Here for oure sakes/ and oure redemption |
| Thorowe hande and fote nayled to a tre | |
| Soffred payne/ and cruell passyon | |
| Nothinge asking of high nor lowe degre | |
| Recompensed ayenwarde for to be | |
| 650 | But that we shulde set/ all hole our ententes |
| To fulfyll all his commaundementes. | |
|
¶Thus endeth the Dialogue of the Playntyf and the defendaunte. |
|
| Printed at London by Thomas_Godfray. | |
| Cum priuilegio Regali. |