| sig: [A1] | |
| ¶Magnyfycence. ¶A goodly interlude and a mery deuysed and made by mayster Skelton / poet laureate late deceasyd. | |
| sig: [A1v] | |
| AL thyngys contryuyd by mannys reason | |
| The world [enuyronn] of hygh and low estate enuyronn] enuyronnyd C, B | |
| Be it erly or late welth hath a season | |
| Welth is of wysdome the very trewe probate | |
| 5 | A fole is he with welth that fallyth at debate |
| But men nowe-a-dayes so vnhappely be vryd | |
| That nothynge than welth may worse be enduryd | |
| To tell you the cause me semeth it no nede | |
| The amense therof is far to call agayne | |
| 10 | For when men by welth they haue lytell drede |
| ref.ed: 141 | |
| Of that may come after experyence trewe and playne | |
| Howe after a drought there fallyth a showre of rayne | |
| And after a hete oft cometh a stormy colde | |
| A man may haue welth but not as he wolde | |
| 15 | Ay to contynewe and styll to endure |
| But yf prudence be proued with sad cyrcumspeccyon | |
| Welthe myght be wonne and made to the lure | |
| Yf noblenesse were aquayntyd with sober dyreccyon | |
| But wyll hath reason so vnder subieccyon | |
| 20 | And so dysordereth this worlde ouerall |
| That welthe and felicite is passynge small | |
| But where wonnys welthe and a man wolde wyt | |
| For welthfull_felicite truly is my name | |
| ¶Mary welthe and I was apoynted to mete | |
| 25 | And eyther I am dysseyued or ye be the same |
| ¶Syr as ye say I haue harde of your fame | |
| Your name is lyberte as I vnderstande | |
| ¶Trewe you say syr gyue me your hande | |
| ¶And from whens come ye and it myght be askyd | |
| 30 | ¶To tell you syr I dare not leest I sholde be maskyd |
| In a payre of fetters or a payre of stockys | |
| ¶Here you not howe this gentylman mockys | |
| ¶Ye to knackynge ernyst what and it preue | |
| ¶Why / to say what he wyll lyberte hath leue | |
| 35 | ¶Yet lyberte hath ben lockyd vp and kept in the mew |
| ¶In-dede syr that lyberte was not worthe a cue | |
| How-be-it lyberte may somtyme be to large | |
| But yf reason be regent and ruler of your barge | |
| ¶To that ye say I can well condyssende | |
| 40 | Shewe forth I pray you here-in what you intende |
| ¶Of that I intende to make demonstracyon | |
| It askyth lesure with good aduert[ence] aduertence] aduertysment C, B | |
| Fyrst I say we owght to haue in consyderacyon | |
| That lyberte be lynkyd with the chayne of countenaunce | |
| 45 | Lyberte to let from all maner offence |
| sig: A2 | |
| For lyberte at large is lothe to be stoppyd | |
| But with countenaunce your corage must be croppyd | |
| ref.ed: 142 | |
| ¶Then thus to you | |
| ¶Nay suffer me yet ferther to say | |
| And peraduenture I shall content your mynde | |
| 50 | Lyberte I wote well forbere no man there may |
| It is so swete in all maner of kynde | |
| Howe-be-it lyberte makyth many a man blynde | |
| By lyberte is done many a great excesse | |
| Lyberte at large wyll oft wax reklesse | |
| 55 | Perceyue ye this parcell |
| ¶Ye syr passyng well | |
| But and you wolde me permyt | |
| To shewe parte of my wyt | |
| Somwhat I coulde enferre | |
| 60 | Your consayte to debarre |
| Under supportacyon | |
| Of pacyent tolleracyon | |
| ¶God forbyd ye sholde be let | |
| Your reasons forth to fet | |
| 65 | Wherfore at lyberte |
| Say what ye wyll to me | |
| ¶Brefly to touche of my purpose the effecte | |
| Lyberte is laudable and pryuylegyd from lawe | |
| Iudycyall rygoure shall not me correcte | |
| 70 | ¶Softe my frende / herein your reason is but rawe |
| ¶Yet suffer me to say the surpluse of my sawe | |
| What wote ye where-vpon I wyll conclude | |
| I say there is no welthe where-as lyberte is subdude | |
| I trowe ye can not say nay moche to this | |
| 75 | To lyue vnder lawe it is captyuyte |
| Where drede ledyth the daunce there is no Ioy nor blysse | |
| Or howe can you proue that there is felycyte | |
| And you haue not your owne fre lyberte | |
| To sporte at your pleasure to ryn and to ryde | |
| 80 | Where lyberte is absent set welthe asyde |
| ¶Cryst you assyste in your altrycacyon | |
| ¶Why haue you harde of our dysputacyon | |
| ¶I parceyue well howe eche of you doth reason | |
| ref.ed: 143 | |
| ¶Mayster measure you be come in good season | |
| 85 | ¶And it is wonder that your wylde insolence |
| Can be content with measure presence | |
| ¶Wolde it please you then | |
| ¶Us to informe and ken | |
| ¶A ye be wonders men | |
| sig: [A2v] | |
| 90 | Your langage is lyke the penne |
| Of hym that wryteth to fast | |
| ¶Syr yf any worde haue past | |
| Me other fyrst or last | |
| To you I arecte it and cast | |
| 95 | Therof the reformacyon |
| ¶And I of the same facyon. | |
| Howe-be-it by protestacyon | |
| Dyspleasure that you none take. | |
| Some reason we must make. | |
| 100 | ¶That wyll not I forsake |
| So it in measure be. | |
| Come of therfore let se | |
| Shall I begynne or ye | |
| ¶Nay ye shall begynne by my wyll | |
| 105 | ¶It is reason and skyll |
| We your pleasure fulfyll | |
| ¶Then ye must bothe consent | |
| You to holde content | |
| With myne argument. | |
| 110 | And I muste you requyre |
| Me pacyently to here | |
| ¶Yes syr with ryght good chere. | |
| ¶With all my herte intere | |
| ¶Oracius to recorde in his volumys olde | |
| 115 | With euery condycyon measure must be so[u]ght |
| Welthe without measure wolde bere hymselfe to bolde | |
| Lyberte without measure proue a thynge of nought | |
| I[n] ponder by nomber by measure all-thynge is wrought. In] I C, B | |
| As at the fyrst orygynall by godly opynyon | |
| 120 | Whych prouyth well that measure shold haue domynyon. |
| ref.ed: 144 | |
| Where measure is mayster plenty dothe none offence | |
| Where measure lackyth all-thynge dysorderyd is | |
| Where measure is absent ryot kepeth resydence. | |
| Where measure is ruler there is nothynge a_mysse | |
| 125 | Measure is treasure / howe say ye is it not this |
| ¶Yes questyonlesse in myne opynyon | |
| Measure is worthy to haue domynyon | |
| ¶Unto that same I am ryght well agrede. | |
| So that lyberte be not lefte behynde | |
| 130 | ¶Ye lyberte with measure nede neuer drede |
| ¶What lyberte to measure then wolde ye bynde. | |
| ¶What ellys / For otherwyse it were agaynst kynde | |
| If lyberte sholde lepe and renne where he lyst | |
| It were no vertue / it were a thynge vnblyst | |
| 135 | It were a myschefe yf lyberte lacked a reyne. |
| sig: A3 | |
| Where-with to rule hym with the wrythyng of a rest | |
| All trebyllys and tenours be rulyd by a meyne | |
| Lyberte without measure is acountyd for a beste | |
| There is no surfet where measure rulyth the feste | |
| 140 | There is no excesse where measure hath his helthe |
| Measure contynwyth prosperyte and welthe | |
| ¶Unto your rule I wyll annex my mynde | |
| ¶So wolde I / but I wolde be lothe | |
| That wonte was to be formyst now to come behynde | |
| 145 | It were a shame / to god I make an othe |
| Without I myght cut it out of the brode-clothe | |
| As I was wonte euer at my fre wyll | |
| ¶But haue ye not herde say / that wyll is no skyll | |
| Take sad dyreccyon and leue this wantonnesse | |
| 150 | ¶It i[s] no maystery |
| ¶Tushe let measure procede is] it C, B | |
| And after his mynde herdely your-selfe adresse | |
| For without measure pouerte and nede | |
| Wyll crepe upon vs / and vs to myschefe lede | |
| For myschefe wyll mayster vs / yf measure vs forsake | |
| 155 | ¶Well I am content your wayes to take |
| ¶Surely I am Ioyous that ye be myndyd thus | |
| Magnyfycence to mayntayne your promosyon shalbe | |
| ref.ed: 145 | |
| ¶So in his harte he may be glad of vs | |
| ¶There is no prynce but he hath nede of vs thre | |
| 160 | Welthe with measure and plesaunt lyberte |
| ¶Nowe pleasyth you a lytell whyle to stande | |
| Me semeth magnyfycence is comynge here at hande | |
| ¶To assure you of my noble porte and fame | |
| Who lyst to knowe magnyfycence I hyght | |
| 165 | But measure my frende what hyght this mannys name |
| ¶Syr though ye be a noble prynce of myght | |
| Yet in this man you must set your delyght | |
| And syr this other mannys name is lyberte | |
| ¶Welcome frendys ye are bothe vnto me | |
| 170 | But nowe let me knowe of your conuersacyon |
| ¶Pleasyth your grace felycyte they me call | |
| ¶And I am lyberte made of in euery nacyon | |
| ¶Conuenyent persons for any prynce ryall | |
| Welthe with lyberte with me bothe dwell ye shall | |
| 175 | To the gydynge of my measure you bothe commyttynge |
| That Measure be mayster vs semeth it is syttynge | |
| sig: [A3v] | |
| ¶Where-as ye haue syr to me them assygned | |
| Suche order I trust with them for to take | |
| So that welthe with measure shalbe conbyned | |
| 180 | And lyberte his large with measure shall make |
| ¶Your ordenaunce syr I wyll not forsake | |
| ¶And I my-selfe hooly to you wyll inclyne | |
| ¶Then may I say that ye be seruauntys myne | |
| For by measure I warne you we thynke to be gydyd | |
| 185 | Wherin it is necessary my pleasure you knowe |
| Measure and I wyll neuer be deuydyd | |
| For no dyscorde that any man can sawe | |
| For measure is a meane nother to hy nor to lawe | |
| In whose attemperaunce I haue suche delyght | |
| 190 | That measure shall neuer departe from my syght |
| ¶Laudable your consayte is to be acountyd | |
| For welthe without measure sodenly wyll slyde | |
| ¶As your grace full nobly hath recountyd | |
| Measure with noblenesse sholde be alyde | |
| ref.ed: 146 | |
| 195 | ¶Then lyberte se that measure be your gyde |
| For I wyll vse you by his aduertysment | |
| ¶Then shall you haue with you prosperyte resydent | |
| ¶I trowe good fortune hath annexyd vs together | |
| To se howe greable we are of one mynde | |
| 200 | There is no flaterer nor losyll so lyther |
| This lynkyd chayne of loue that can vnbynde | |
| Nowe that ye haue me chefe ruler assyngned | |
| I wyll endeuour me to order euery-thynge | |
| Your noblenesse and honour consernynge | |
| 205 | ¶In Ioy and myrthe your mynde shalbe inlargyd |
| And not embracyd with pusyllanymyte | |
| But plenarly all thought from you must be dyschargyd | |
| If ye lyst to lyue after your fre lyberte | |
| All delectacyons aquayntyd is with me | |
| 210 | By me all persons worke what they lyste |
| ¶Hem / syr yet beware of had I wyste | |
| Lyberte in some cause becomyth a gentyll mynde | |
| Bycause course of measure yf I be in the way | |
| Who county[th] without me is caste to fer behynde countyth] countyd C, B | |
| 215 | Of his rekenynge as euydently we may |
| S[e] at our eye the worlde day by day Se] So C, B | |
| For defaute of measure all-thynge dothe excede | |
| ¶All that ye say is as trewe as the crede | |
| For howe-be-it lyberte to welthe is conuenyent | |
| 220 | And from felycyte may not be forborne |
| Yet measure hath ben so longe from vs absent | |
| That all men laugh at lyberte to scorne | |
| sig: [A4] | |
| Welth and wyt I say be so threde-bare worne | |
| That all is without measure and fer beyonde the mone | |
| 225 | ¶Then noblenesse I se well is almoste vndone |
| But yf therof the soner amendys be made | |
| For dowtlesse I parceyue my magnyfycence | |
| Without measure lyghtly may fade | |
| Of to moche lyberte vnder the offence | |
| 230 | Wherfore measure take lyberte with you hence |
| And rule hym after the rule of your scole | |
| ¶What syr wolde ye make me a poppynge fole | |
| ref.ed: 147 | |
| ¶Why were not your-selfe agreed to the same | |
| And now wolde ye swarue from your owne ordynaunce | |
| 235 | ¶I wolde be rulyd and I myght for shame |
| ¶A ye make me laughe at your inconstaunce | |
| ¶Syr without any longer delyaunce | |
| Take lyberte to rule and folowe myne entent | |
| ¶It shalbe done at your commaundement | |
| 240 | ¶It is a wanton thynge this lyberte |
| Perceyue you not howe lothe he was to abyde | |
| The rule of measure not-withstandynge we | |
| Haue deputyd measure hym to gyde | |
| By measure eche thynge duly is tryde | |
| 245 | Thynke you not thus my frende felycyte |
| ¶God forbede that it other-wyse sholde be | |
| ¶Ye coulde not ellys I wote with me endure | |
| ¶Endure? No god wote it were great payne | |
| But yf I were orderyd by Iust measure | |
| 250 | It were not possyble me longe to retayne |
| ¶Tusche holde your pece your langage is vayne | |
| Please it your grace to take no dysdayne | |
| To shewe you playnly the trouth as I thynke | |
| ¶Here is none forsyth whether you flete or synke | |
| 255 | ¶From whens come you syr that no man lokyd after |
| ¶Or who made you so bolde to interrupe my tale | |
| ¶Nowe benedicite ye wene I were some hafter | |
| Or ellys some Iangelynge Iacke_of_the_vale | |
| Ye wene that I am dronken bycause I loke pale | |
| 260 | ¶Me semeth that ye haue dronken more than ye haue bled |
| ¶Yet amonge noble men I was brought vp and bred | |
| ¶Now leue this Iangelynge and to vs expounde | |
| Why that ye sayd our langage was in vayne | |
| ¶Mary vpon trouth my reason I grounde | |
| 265 | That without largesse noblenesse can not rayne |
| sig: [A4v] | |
| And that I sayd ones / yet I say agayne | |
| ref.ed: 148 | |
| I say without largesse worshyp hath no place | |
| For largesse is a purchaser of pardon and of grace | |
| ¶Nowe I beseche the tell me what is thy name | |
| 270 | ¶Largesse that all lordes sholde loue syr I hyght |
| ¶But hyght you largesse encreace of noble fame | |
| ¶Ye syr vndoubted | |
| ¶Then of very ryght | |
| With magnyfycence this noble prynce of myght | |
| Sholde be your dwellynge in my consyderacyon | |
| 275 | ¶Yet we wyll therin take good delyberacyon |
| ¶As in that I wyll not be agaynst your pleasure | |
| ¶Syr hardely remembre what may your name auaunce. | |
| ¶Largesse is laudable so it be in measure be in measure] in measure be C, B | |
| ¶Largesse is he that all prynces doth auaunce | |
| 280 | I reporte me herein to Kynge Lewes of fraunce |
| ¶Why haue ye hym named and all other refused | |
| ¶For syth he dyed largesse was lytell vsed | |
| Plucke vp your mynde syr what ayle you to muse. | |
| Haue ye not welthe here at your wyll | |
| 285 | It is but a maddynge these wayes that ye vse |
| What auayleth lordshyp yourselfe for to kyll | |
| With care and with thought howe Iacke shall haue gyl | |
| ¶What I haue aspyed ye are a carles page | |
| ¶By god syr ye se but fewe wyse men of myne age | |
| 290 | But couetyse hath blowen you so full of wynde |
| That colyca passyo hath gropyd you by the guttys | |
| ¶In fayth broder largesse you haue a mery mynde. | |
| ¶In fayth I set not by the worlde two dauncaster cuttys | |
| ¶Ye wante but a wylde flyeng bolte to shote at the buttes. | |
| 295 | Though largesse ye hyght your langage is to large |
| For whiche ende goth forwarde ye take lytell charge | |
| ¶Let se this checke yf ye voyde canne | |
| ¶In faythe els had I gone to longe to scole | |
| But yf I coulde knowe a gose from a swanne | |
| 300 | ¶Wel wyse men may ete the fysshe when ye shal draw the pole |
| ¶In fayth I wyll not say that ye shall proue a fole | |
| But ofte-tymes haue I sene wyse men do mad dedys | |
| ¶Go shake the dogge hay syth ye wyll nedys | |
| ref.ed: 149 | |
| You are nothynge mete with vs for to dwell. | |
| 305 | That with your lorde and mayster so pertly can prate. |
| Gete you hens I say by my counsell | |
| I wyll not vse you to play with me checke-mate | |
| ¶Syr yf I haue offended your noble estate | |
| I trow I haue brought you suche wrytynge of recorde | |
| 310 | That I shall haue you agayne my good lorde |
| sig: B1 | |
| To you recommendeth sad_cyrcumspeccyon | |
| And sendeth you this wrytynge closed vnder sele | |
| ¶This wrytynge is welcome with harty affeccyon | |
| Why kepte you it thus longe? howe dothe he wele | |
| 315 | ¶Syr thanked be god he hath his hele |
| ¶Welthe gete you home and commaunde me to mesure | |
| Byd hym take good hede to you my synguler tresure | |
| ¶Is there ony-thynge elles your grace wyll commaunde me. | |
| ¶Nothynge but fare you well tyll sone | |
| 320 | And that he take good kepe to lyberte |
| ¶Your pleasure syr shortely shall be done | |
| ¶I shall come to you myselfe I trowe this after-none | |
| I pray you larges here to remayne | |
| Whylest I knowe what this letter dothe contayne | |
| sensim] sensum C; at] ad C, B | |
| 325 | ¶What fansy fansy |
| ¶Who is that that thus dyd cry | |
| Me-thought he called fan[s]y fansy] fanfy C, B | |
| ¶It was a flemynge hyght hansy | |
| ¶Me-thought he called fansy me behynde | |
| 330 | ¶Nay syr it was nothynge but your mynde |
| But nowe syr as touchynge this letter | |
| ¶I shall loke in it at leasure better | |
| And surely ye are to hym beholde | |
| And for his sake ryght gladly I wolde | |
| ref.ed: 150 | |
| 335 | Do what I coude to do you good |
| ¶I pray god kepe you in that mood | |
| ¶This letter was wryten ferre hence | |
| ¶By lakyn syr it hathe cost me pence | |
| And grotes many one or I came to your presence | |
| 340 | ¶Where was it delyuered you shewe vnto me |
| ¶By god syr beyonde the se | |
| ¶At what place nowe as you gesse | |
| ¶By my trouthe syr at pountesse | |
| This wrytynge was taken me there | |
| 345 | But neuer was I in gretter fere |
| ¶Howe so | |
| ¶By god at the see-syde | |
| Had I not opened my purse wyde | |
| I trowe by our lady I had ben slayne | |
| Or elles I had lost myne eres twayne | |
| sig: [B1v] | |
| 350 | By your soth speaker direction absent in C |
| ¶Ye and there is suche a wache | |
| That no man can scape but they hym cache | |
| They bare me in hande that I was a spye | |
| And another bade put out myne eye | |
| Another wolde myne eye were blerde | |
| 355 | Another bade shaue halfe my berde |
| And boyes to the pylery gan me plucke | |
| And wolde haue made me freer tucke | |
| To preche out of the pylery hole. | |
| Without an antetyme or a stole | |
| 360 | And some bade sere hym with a marke |
| To gete me fro them I had moche warke | |
| ¶Mary syr ye were afrayde | |
| ¶By my trouthe had I not payde and prayde | |
| And made largesse as I hyght | |
| 365 | I had not been here with you this nyght |
| But surely largesse saued my lyfe | |
| For largesse stynteth all maner of stryfe | |
| ¶It dothe so sure nowe and than | |
| But largesse is not mete for euery man | |
| 370 | ¶No but for you grete estates |
| Largesse stynteth grete debates | |
| And he that I came fro to this place | |
| Sayd I was mete for your grace | |
| ref.ed: 151 | |
| And in-dede syr I here men talke | |
| 375 | By the way as I ryde and walke |
| Say howe you excede in noblenesse | |
| If you had with you largesse | |
| ¶And say they so in very dede | |
| ¶With ye syr so god me spede | |
| 380 | ¶Yet mesure is a mery mene |
| ¶Ye syr a bla[u]nched almonde is no bene | |
| Measure is mete for a marchauntes hall | |
| But largesse becometh a state ryall | |
| What sholde you pynche at a pecke of [gr]otes grotes] otes C, B | |
| 385 | Ye wolde sone pynche at a pecke of [otes] otes] grotes C, B |
| Thus is the talkynge of one and of oder | |
| As men dare speke it hugger-mugger | |
| A lorde a negarde it is a shame | |
| But largesse may amende your name | |
| 390 | ¶In faythe largesse welcome to me |
| ¶I pray you syr I may so be | |
| And of my seruyce you shall not mysse. | |
| ¶Togyder we wyll talke more of this | |
| Let vs departe from hens home to my place | |
| sig: B2 | |
| 395 | ¶I folow euen after your noble grace |
| ¶What I say herke a worde. | |
| ¶Do away I say the deuylles torde. | |
| ¶Ye but how longe shall I here awayte. | |
| ¶By goddys body I come streyte | |
| 400 | I hate this blunderyng that thou doste make |
| ¶Nowe to the deuyll I the betake | |
| For in fayth ye be well met | |
| Fansy hath cachyd in a flye-net | |
| This noble man Magnyfycence | |
| 405 | Of largesse vnder the pretence |
| They haue made me here to put the stone | |
| But nowe wyll I that they be gone | |
| In bastarde ryme after the dogrell gyse | |
| Tell you where-of my name dothe ryse | |
| ref.ed: 152 | |
| 410 | For counterfet_countenaunce knowen am I |
| This worlde is full of my foly | |
| I set not by hym a fly | |
| That can not counterfet a lye | |
| Swere and stare and byde therby | |
| 415 | And countenaunce it clenly |
| And defende it manerly | |
| A knaue wyll counterfet nowe a knyght | |
| A lurdayne lyke a lorde to [s]yght syght] fyght C, B | |
| A mynstrell lyke a man of myght | |
| 420 | A tappyster lyke a lady bryght |
| Thus make I them wyth thryft to fyght | |
| Thus at the laste I brynge hym ryght | |
| To tyburne where they hange on hyght | |
| To counterfet I can by praty wayes | |
| 425 | Of nyghtys to occupy counterfet kayes |
| Clenly to counterfet newe arayes | |
| Counterfet eyrnest by way of playes | |
| Thus am I occupyed at all assayes | |
| What-so-euer I do all men me prayse | |
| 430 | And mekyll am I made of nowe-a-days |
| Counterfet maters in the lawe of the lande | |
| Wyth golde and grotes they grese my hande | |
| In-stede of ryght that wronge may stande | |
| And counterfet fredome that is bounde | |
| 435 | I counterfet suger that is but [s]ounde sounde] founde C, B; sande Scattergood |
| Counterfet capytaynes by me are mande | |
| Of all lewdnesse I kyndell the brande | |
| Counterfet kyndnesse and thynke dyscayte | |
| sig: [B2v] | |
| Counterfet letters by the way of sleyght | |
| 440 | Subtelly vsynge counterfet weyght |
| Counterfet langage fayty bone geyte | |
| Counterfetynge is a proper bayte | |
| A counte to counterfet in a resayte | |
| To counterfet well is a good consayte | |
| 445 | Counterfet maydenhode may well be borne |
| But counterfet coynes is laughynge to scorne | |
| ref.ed: 153 | |
| It is euyll patchynge of that is torne | |
| Whan the noppe is rughe it wolde be shorne | |
| Counterfet haltynge without a thorne | |
| 450 | Yet counterfet chafer is but euyll corne |
| All-thynge is worse whan it is worne | |
| What wolde ye wyues counterfet | |
| The courtly gyse of the newe iet | |
| An olde barne wolde be vnderset | |
| 455 | It is moche worthe that is ferre fet |
| What wanton wanton nowe well ymet. | |
| What margery_mylke_ducke mermoset | |
| It wol[d]e be masked in my net wolde] wolbe C | |
| It wolde be nyce thoughe I say nay | |
| 460 | By crede it wolde haue fresshe aray |
| And therfore shall my husbande pay | |
| To counterfet she wyll assay | |
| All the newe gyse fresshe and gaye | |
| And be as praty as she may | |
| 465 | And iet it ioly as a iay |
| Counterfet prechynge / and byleue the contrary. | |
| Counterfet conscyence / peuysshe pope-holy. | |
| Counterfet sadnesse / with delynge full madly | |
| Counterfet holynes / is called ypocrysy | |
| 470 | Counterfet reason / is not worth a flye |
| Counterfet wysdome / and workes of foly | |
| Counterfet countenaunce / euery man dothe occupy | |
| Counterfet worshyp / outwarde men may se | |
| Ryches rydeth out / at home is pouerte | |
| 475 | Counterfet pleasure is borne out by me |
| Coll wolde go clenly and it wyll not be | |
| And annot wolde be ny[c]e and laughes tehe wehe | |
| Your counterfet countenaunce is all of nysyte | |
| A plummed partrydge all redy to flye | |
| 480 | A knokylbonyarde wyll counterfet a clarke |
| He wolde trotte gentylly but he is to starke | |
| At his cloked counterfetynge dogges dothe barke | |
| A carter a courtyer it is a worthy warke | |
| That with his whyp his mares was wonte to yarke | |
| sig: [B3] | |
| ref.ed: 154 | |
| 485 | A custrell to dryue the deuyll out of the derke |
| A counterfet courtyer with a knaues marke | |
| To counterfet this freers haue lerned me | |
| This nonnes nowe and then and it myght be | |
| Wolde take in the way of co[u]nterfet charyte | |
| 490 | The grace of god vnder benedicite |
| To counterfet thyr counsell they gyue me a fee | |
| Chanons can not counterfet but vpon thre | |
| Monkys may not for drede that men sholde them se | |
| famine multo] famina multa C | |
| ¶What counterfet_countenaunce | |
| 495 | ¶What crafty_conueyaunce. |
| ¶What the deuyll are ye two of aquayntaunce | |
| God gyue you a very myschaunce | |
| ¶Yes yes syr he and I haue met | |
| ¶We haue bene togyder bothe erly and late | |
| 500 | But fa[n]sy my frende where haue ye bene so longe |
| ¶By god I haue bene about a praty pronge | |
| Crafty_conueyaunce I sholde say and I | |
| ¶By god we haue made magnyfycence to ete a flye | |
| ¶Howe coulde ye do that and [I] was away I] C, B omit | |
| 505 | ¶By god man bothe his pagent and thyne he can play |
| ¶Say trouth | |
| ¶Yes yes by lakyn I shall the warent | |
| As longe as I lyue thou haste an heyre-parent | |
| ¶Yet haue we pycked out a rome for the | |
| ¶Why shall we dwell togyder all thre | |
| 510 | ¶Why man it were to great a wonder |
| That we thre galauntes sholde be longe asonder | |
| ¶For cockys harte gyue me thy hande | |
| ¶By the masse for ye are able to dystroy an hole lande | |
| ¶By god yet it muste begynne moche of the | |
| 515 | ¶Who that is ruled by vs it shalbe longe or he thee |
| ref.ed: 155 | |
| ¶But I say kepest thou the olde name styll that thou had | |
| ¶Why wenyst thou horson that I were so mad | |
| ¶Nay nay he hath chaunged his and I haue chaunged myne | |
| ¶Nowe what is his name and what is thyne | |
| 520 | ¶In faythe largesse I hyght |
| And I am made a knyght. | |
| ¶A rebellyon agaynst nature. | |
| So large a man and so lytell of stature | |
| But syr howe counterfetyd ye | |
| 525 | Sure surueyaunce I named me speaker direction not in C |
| Surueyaunce / where ye suruey attrib. in C to Crafty Conveyance | |
| sig: [B3v] | |
| Thryfte hathe lost her cofer-kay. | |
| ¶But is it not well howe thynkest thou | |
| ¶Yes syr I gyue god auowe | |
| 530 | Myselfe coude not counterfet it better |
| But what became of the letter | |
| That I counterfeyted you vnderneth a shrowde | |
| ¶By the masse odly well alowde | |
| ¶By god had not I it conuayed | |
| 535 | Yet fansy had ben dysc[r]yued dyscryued] dysceyued C, B |
| ¶I wote thou arte false ynoughe for one | |
| ¶By my trouthe we had ben gone | |
| And yet in fayth man we lacked the | |
| For to speke with lyberte | |
| 540 | ¶What Is largesse without lyberte |
| ¶By mesure mastered yet is he | |
| ¶What Is your conueyaunce no better | |
| ¶In faythe mesure is lyke a tetter | |
| That ouergroweth a mannes face | |
| 545 | So he ruleth ouer all our place |
| ¶Nowe therfore whylest we are togyder | |
| Counterfet_countenaunce nay come hyder | |
| I say whylest we are togyder in same | |
| ¶Tushe a strawe it is a shame | |
| 550 | That we can no better than so |
| ¶We wyll remedy it man or we go | |
| For lyke as mustarde is sharpe of taste | |
| Ryght so a sharpe fansy must be founde | |
| Wherwith mesure to confounde | |
| ref.ed: 156 | |
| 555 | ¶Can you a remedy for a tysyke |
| That sheweth yourselfe thus spedde in physyke | |
| ¶It is a gentyll reason of a rake | |
| ¶For all these Iapes yet that [y]e make ye] we C, B | |
| ¶Your fansy maketh myne elbowe to ake | |
| 560 | ¶Let se fynde you a better way |
| ¶Take no dyspleasure of that we say | |
| ¶Nay and you be angry and ouerwharte | |
| A man may beshrowe your angry harte | |
| ¶Tushe a strawe I thought none yll | |
| 565 | ¶What shall we Iangle thus all the day styll |
| ¶Nay Let vs our heddes togyder cast | |
| ¶Ye and se howe it may be compast | |
| That mesure were cast out of the dores | |
| ¶Alasse where is my botes and my spores | |
| 570 | ¶In all this hast whether wyll ye ryde |
| ¶I trowe it shall not nede to abyde | |
| Cockes woundes se syrs se se | |
| sig: [B4] | |
| ¶Cockes armes what is he | |
| ¶By cockes harte he loketh hye | |
| 575 | He hawketh me-thynke for a butterflye |
| ¶Nowe by cockes harte well abyden | |
| For had you not come I had ryden | |
| ¶Thy wordes be but wynde neuer / they haue no wayght | |
| Thou hast made me play the Iurde hayte | |
| 580 | ¶And yf ye knewe howe I haue mused |
| I am sure ye wolde haue me excused | |
| ¶I say come hyder what are these twayne | |
| ¶By god syr this is fansy_small_brayne | |
| And crafty_conuayaunce knowe you not hym | |
| 585 | ¶Knowe hym syr quod he / yes by saynt sym. |
| Here is a leysshe of ratches to renne an hare | |
| Woo is that purse that ye shall share | |
| ¶What call ye him this | |
| ¶I trowe that he is | |
| 590 | ¶Tushe holde your pece |
| Se you not howe they prece | |
| ref.ed: 157 | |
| For to knowe your name | |
| ¶Knowe they not me they are to blame | |
| Knowe you not me syrs. | |
| ¶No in-dede | |
| 595 | ¶Abyde lette me se / take better hede |
| Cockes harte it is cloked_colusyon. | |
| ¶A syr I pray god gyue you co[n]fusyon | |
| ¶Cockes armes is that your name | |
| ¶Ye by the masse this is euen the same | |
| 600 | That all this matter must vnder grope |
| ¶What is this he wereth a cope | |
| ¶Cappe syr I say you be to bolde. | |
| ¶Se howe he is wrapped for the colde | |
| Is it not a vestment | |
| ¶A ye wante a rope | |
| 605 | ¶Tushe it is syr Iohnn_double_[cope] cope] cloke C, B |
| ¶Syr and yf ye wolde not be wrothe | |
| ¶What sayst | |
| ¶Here was to lytell clothe | |
| ¶A fansy fansy god sende the brayne | |
| ¶Ye for your wyt is cloked for the rayne | |
| 610 | ¶Nay lette vs not clatter thus styll |
| ¶Tell me syrs / what is your wyll | |
| ¶Syr it is so that these twayne | |
| With magnyfycence in housholde do remayne | |
| And there they wolde ha[u]e me to dwell | |
| sig: [B4v] | |
| 615 | But I wyll be ruled after your counsell |
| ¶Mary so wyll we also | |
| ¶But tell me where aboute ye go | |
| ¶By god we wolde gete vs all thyder | |
| Spell the remenaunt and do togyder | |
| 620 | ¶Hath magnyfycence ony tresure |
| ¶Ye but he spendeth it all in mesure | |
| ¶Why dwelleth mesure where ye two dwell | |
| In faythe he were better to dwell in hell | |
| ¶Yet where we wonne nowe there wonneth he | |
| 625 | ¶And haue you not amonge you lyberte |
| ¶Ye but he is a captyuyte | |
| ¶What the deuyll howe may that be | |
| ¶I can not tell you why aske you me | |
| ref.ed: 158 | |
| Aske these two that there dothe dwell | |
| 630 | Syr the playnesse you [me tell] you me tell] you tell me C, Battrib. in C to Crafty Conveyance |
| ¶There dwelleth a mayster men calleth mesure | |
| ¶Ye and he hath rule of all his tresure | |
| ¶Nay eyther let me tell or elles tell ye | |
| ¶I care not I / tell on for me | |
| 635 | ¶I pray god let you neuer to thee |
| ¶What the deuyll ayleth you can you not agree | |
| ¶I wyll passe ouer the cyrcumstaunce | |
| And shortly shewe you the hole substaunce | |
| Fansy and I we twayne | |
| 640 | With magnyfycence in housholde do remay[n]e |
| And counterfeted our names we haue | |
| Craftely all thynges vpryght to saue | |
| His name largesse / surueyaunce myne | |
| Magnyfycence to vs begynneth to enclyne | |
| 645 | Counterfet_countenaunce to haue also |
| And wolde that we sholde for hym go | |
| ¶But shall I haue myne olde name styll | |
| ¶Pease I haue not yet sayd what I wyll | |
| ¶Here is a pystell of a postyke | |
| 650 | ¶Tusshe fonnysshe fansy thou arte frantyke |
| Tell on syr howe then | |
| ¶Mary syr he told vs when | |
| We had hym founde we sholde hym brynge | |
| And that we fayled not for nothynge | |
| 655 | ¶All this ye may easely brynge aboute |
| ¶Mary the better and mesure were out | |
| ¶Why can ye not put out that foule freke | |
| ¶No in euery corner he wyll peke | |
| So that we haue no lyberte | |
| 660 | Nor no man in courte but he |
| sig: C1 | |
| For lyberte he hath in gydyng | |
| ¶In fayth and without lyberte there is no bydyng | |
| ¶In fayth and lybertyes rome is there but small | |
| ¶Hem? that lyke I nothynge at all | |
| 665 | ¶But counterfet_countenaunce go we togyder |
| All thre I say | |
| ¶Shall I go? whyder. | |
| ¶To magnyfycence with vs twayne | |
| ref.ed: 159 | |
| And in his seruyce the to retayne | |
| ¶But then syr what shall I hyght | |
| 670 | ¶Ye and I talkyd therof to_nyght |
| ¶Ye my fansy was out of owle-flyght | |
| For it is out of my mynde quyght | |
| ¶And nowe it cometh to my remembraunce | |
| Syr ye shall hyght good_demeynaunce | |
| 675 | ¶By the armes of calys well conceyued |
| ¶When we haue hym thyder conuayed | |
| What and I frame suche a slyght | |
| That fansy with his fonde consayte | |
| Put magnyfycence in suche a madnesse | |
| 680 | That he shall haue you in the stede of sadnesse |
| And sober_sadnesse shalbe your name | |
| ¶By cockys body here begynneth the game | |
| For then shall we so craftely cary | |
| That mesure shall not there longe tary | |
| 685 | ¶For cockys harte tary whylyst that I come agayne |
| ¶We wyll se you shortly one of vs twayne | |
| ¶Now let vs go and we shall then | |
| ¶Nowe let se quyte you lyke praty men | |
| To passe the tyme and order whyle a man may talke | |
| 690 | Of one thynge and other to occupy the place |
| Then for the season that I here shall walke | |
| As good to be occupyed as vp and downe to trace | |
| And do nothynge how-be-it full lytell grace | |
| There cometh and groweth of my comynge | |
| 695 | For clokyd colusyon is a perylous thynge |
| Double-delynge and I be all one | |
| Craftynge and haftynge contryued is by me | |
| I can dyssemble I can bothe laughe and grone | |
| Playne-delynge and I can neuer agre | |
| 700 | But dyuysyon dyssencyon dyrysyon these thre |
| And I am counterfet of one mynde and thought | |
| By the menys of myschyef to bryng all thynges to nought | |
| ref.ed: 160 | |
| And though I be so odyous a geste | |
| And euery man gladly my company wolde refuse | |
| sig: [C1v] | |
| 705 | In faythe yet am I occupyed with the best |
| Full fewe that can themselfe of me excuse | |
| Whan other men laughe than study I and muse | |
| Deuysynge the meanes and wayes that I can | |
| Howe I may hurte and hynder euery man | |
| 710 | Two faces in a hode couertly I bere |
| Water in the one hande and fyre in the other | |
| I can fede forth a fole and lede hym by the eyre | |
| Falshode in felowshyp is my sworne brother. | |
| By cloked colusyon I say and none other | |
| 715 | Comberaunce and trouble in Englande fyrst I began |
| From that lorde to that lorde I rode and I ran | |
| And flatered them with fables fayre before theyr face. | |
| And tolde all the myschyef I coude behynde theyr backe. | |
| And made as I had knowen nothynge of the case | |
| 720 | I wolde begyn all myschyef but I wolde bere no lacke |
| Thus can I lerne you syrs to bere the deuyls sacke | |
| And yet I trowe some of you be better sped than I | |
| Frendshyp to fayne and thynke full lytherly | |
| Paynte to a purpose good countenaunce I can. | |
| 725 | And craftely can I grope howe euery man is mynded. |
| My purpose is to spy and to poynte euery man. | |
| My tonge is with fauell forked and tyned | |
| By cloked_colusyon thus many one is begyled. | |
| Eche man to hynder I gape and I gaspe | |
| 730 | My speche is all pleasure / but I stynge lyke a waspe |
| I am neuer glad but whan I may do yll. | |
| And neuer am I sory but whan that I se | |
| I can not myne appetyte accomplysshe and fulfyll | |
| In hynderaunce of welthe and prosperyte | |
| 735 | I laughe at all shrewdenes / and lye at lyberte |
| I muster I medle amonge these grete estates | |
| I sowe sedycyous sedes of dyscorde and debates | |
| ref.ed: 161 | |
| To flater and to flery is all my pretence | |
| Amonge all suche persones as I well vnderstonde | |
| 740 | Be lyght of byleue and hasty of credence |
| I make them to startyll and sparkyll lyke a bronde. | |
| I moue them I mase them I make them so fonde | |
| That they wyll here no man but the fyrst tale | |
| And so by these meanes I brewe moche bale | |
| 745 | ¶Huffa huffa taunderum taunderum tayne huffa huffa. |
| ¶This was properly prated syrs what sayd a | |
| ¶Rutty bully Ioly rutterkyn heyda | |
| ¶De que pays este vous. | |
| exuat beretum ironice] exiat beretrum cronice C, B | |
| sig: C2 | |
| ¶Decke your hofte and couer a lowce | |
| 750 | ¶Say vous chaunter venter tre dawce |
| ¶Wyda wyda. | |
| Howe sayst thou man am not I a Ioly rutter. | |
| ¶Gyue this gentylman rome syrs stonde vtter | |
| By god syr what nede all this waste | |
| 755 | What is this a betell or a batowe or a buskyn lacyd |
| ¶What wenyst thou that I knowe the not clokyd_colusyon | |
| ¶And wenyst thou that I knowe not the cankard abusyon | |
| ¶Cankard Iacke_hare loke thou be not rusty | |
| For thou shalt well knowe I am nother durty nor dusty. | |
| 760 | ¶Dusty nay syr ye be all of the lusty |
| Howe-be-it of scape-thryfte your clokes smelleth musty | |
| But whether art thou walkynge in faythe vnfaynyd | |
| ¶Mary with magnyfycence I wolde be retaynyd | |
| ¶By the masse for the cowrte thou art a mete man | |
| 765 | Thy slyppers they swap it / yet thou fotys it lyke a swanne |
| ¶Ye so I can deuyse my gere after the cowrtly maner | |
| ¶So thou arte personable to bere a prynces baner. | |
| By goddes fote and I dare well fyght for I wyll not start | |
| ref.ed: 162 | |
| ¶Nay thou art a man good Inough but for thy false hart | |
| 770 | ¶Well and I be a coward there is mo than I |
| ¶Ye in faythe a bolde man and a hardy | |
| A bolde man in a bole of newe ale in cornys | |
| ¶Wyll ye se this gentylman is all in his skornys | |
| ¶But are ye not auysed to dwell where ye spake | |
| 775 | ¶I am of fewe wordys I loue not to [crake] crake] barke C, B |
| Beryst thou any rome or cannyst thou do ought | |
| Cannyst thou helpe in fauer that I myght be brought | |
| ¶I may do somwhat and more I thynke shall | |
| Hem colusyon. | |
| 780 | ¶Cockys harte who is yonde that for the dothe call |
| Nay come at ones for the armys of the dyce attrib. in C, B to Cloked colusyon | |
| ¶Cockys armys he hath callyd for the twyce | |
| ¶By cockys harte and call shall agayne | |
| To come to me I trowe he shalbe fayne | |
| 785 | ¶What is thy harte pryckyd with such a prowde pynne |
| ¶Tushe he that hath nede man let hym rynne | |
| ¶Nay come away man thou playst the cayser | |
| By the masse thou shalt byde my leyser attrib. in C, B to Courtly abusion | |
| ¶A_byde syr quod he? mary so I do | |
| 790 | ¶He wyll come man when he may tende to |
| ¶What the deuyll who sent for the | |
| ¶Here he is nowe man mayst thou not se | |
| ¶What the deuyll man what thou menyst | |
| Art thou so angry as thou semyst | |
| sig: [C2v] | |
| 795 | ¶What the deuyll can ye agre no better |
| ¶What the deuyll where had we this ioly Ietter | |
| ¶What sayst thou man why dost thou not supplye | |
| And desyre me thy good mayster to be | |
| ¶Spekest thou to me | |
| 800 | ¶Ye so I tell the |
| ¶Cockes bones I ne tell can | |
| Whiche of you is the better man | |
| Or whiche of you can do most | |
| ref.ed: 163 | |
| ¶In fayth I rule moche of the rost | |
| 805 | ¶Rule the roste thou woldest ye thou woldest ye] ye thou woldest C, B |
| As skante thou had no nede of me | |
| ¶Nede yes mary I say not nay | |
| ¶Cockes ha[r]te I trowe thou wylte make a fray harte] hate C, B | |
| ¶Nay in good faythe it is but the gyse | |
| 810 | ¶No for or we stryke we wyll be aduysed twyse |
| ¶What the deuyll vse ye not to drawe no swordes | |
| ¶No by my trouthe but crake grete wordes. | |
| ¶Why is this the gyse nowe-adayes | |
| ¶Ye for surety ofte peas is taken for frayes | |
| 815 | But syr I wyll haue this man with me |
| ¶Conuey yourselfe fyrst let se | |
| ¶Well tary here tyll I for you sende | |
| ¶Why shall he be of your bende | |
| ¶Tary here wote ye what I say | |
| 820 | ¶I waraunt you I wyll not go away |
| ¶By saynt mary he is a tawle man | |
| ¶Ye and do ryght good seruyce he can | |
| I knowe in hym no defaute | |
| But that the horson is prowde and hawte. | |
| 825 | ¶Nay purchace ye a pardon for the pose. |
| For pryde hath plucked the by the nose | |
| As well as me I wolde and I durste | |
| But nowe I wyll not say the worste | |
| ¶What nowe let se / | |
| 830 | Who loketh on me |
| Well rounde aboute / | |
| Howe gay and howe stoute | |
| That I can were / | |
| Courtly my gere | |
| 835 | My heyre bussheth / |
| So plesauntly | |
| My robe russheth / | |
| So ruttyngly | |
| Me seme I flye / | |
| ref.ed: 164 | |
| 840 | I am so lyght |
| To daunce de_lyght | |
| Properly drest / | |
| All poynte deuyse | |
| My persone prest / | |
| 845 | Beyonde all syse |
| Of the newe gyse | |
| To russhe it oute / | |
| In euery route | |
| sig: C3 | |
| Beyonde measure / | |
| 850 | My sleue is wyde |
| Al of pleasure | |
| My hose strayte tyde / | |
| My buskyn wyde | |
| Ryche to beholde / | |
| 855 | Gletterynge in golde |
| Abusyon / | |
| Forsothe I hyght | |
| Confusyon / | |
| Shall on hym lyght | |
| 860 | By day or by nyght / |
| That vseth me | |
| He can not thee | |
| A very fon / | |
| A very asse | |
| 865 | Wyll take vpon / |
| To compasse | |
| That neuer was / | |
| Abusyd before | |
| A very pore / | |
| 870 | That so wyll do |
| He doth abuse / | |
| Hym-selfe to to | |
| He dothe mysse_vse / | |
| Eche man to [akuse] akuse] take a fe C, B | |
| 875 | To crake and prate / |
| I be_foule his pate | |
| ref.ed: 165 | |
| This newe fonne Iet / | |
| From out of Fraunce | |
| Fyrst I dyd set / | |
| 880 | Made purueaunce |
| And suche ordenaunce | |
| That all men it founde / | |
| Through-out Englonde | |
| All this nacyon / | |
| 885 | I set on fyre |
| In my facyon | |
| This theyr desyre / | |
| This newe a_tyre | |
| This ladyes haue / | |
| 890 | I it them gaue |
| Spare for no coste | |
| And yet in-dede / | |
| It is coste loste | |
| Moche more than nede / | |
| 895 | For to excede |
| In suche aray | |
| Howe-be-it I say / | |
| A carlys sonne | |
| Brought vp of nought | |
| 900 | Wyth me wyll wonne / |
| Whylyst he hath ought | |
| He wyll haue wrought | |
| His gowne so wyde / | |
| That he may hyde | |
| 905 | His dame and his syre / |
| Within his slyue | |
| Spende all his hyre / | |
| That men hym gyue | |
| Wherfore I preue / | |
| 910 | A tyborne checke |
| Shall breke his necke | |
| All is out of harre / | |
| ref.ed: 166 | |
| And out of trace | |
| Ay warre and warre / | |
| 915 | In euery place |
| But what the deuyll art thou / | |
| That cryest stow stow | |
| ¶What whom haue we here Ienkyn_Ioly | |
| Nowe welcom by the god holy | |
| 920 | ¶What fansy my frende howe doste thou fare |
| ¶By cryst as mery as a marche-hare | |
| ¶What the deuyll hast thou on thy fyste / an owle | |
| ¶Nay it is a farly fowle | |
| ¶Me-thynke she frowneth and lokys sowre | |
| sig: [C3v] | |
| 925 | ¶Torde man it is an hawke of the towre |
| She is made for the malarde fat | |
| ¶Me-thynke she is well becked to catche a rat | |
| But nowe what tydynges can you tell let se | |
| ¶Mary I am come for the | |
| ¶For me | |
| 930 | ¶Ye for the so I say |
| ¶Howe so tell me I the pray | |
| ¶Why harde thou not of the fray | |
| That fell amonge vs this same day | |
| ¶No mary not yet | |
| 935 | ¶What the deuyll neuer a whyt. |
| ¶No by the masse what sholde I swere | |
| ¶In faythe lyberte is nowe a lusty spere | |
| ¶Why vnder whom was he abydynge | |
| ¶Mary mesure had hym a whyle in gydynge | |
| 940 | Tyll as the deuyll wolde they fell a chydynge |
| With crafty_conuayaunce | |
| ¶Ye dyd they so | |
| ¶Ye by goddes sacrament and with other mo | |
| ¶What neded that in the dyuyls date | |
| ¶Yes yes he fell with me also at debate | |
| 945 | ¶With the also / what he playeth the state |
| ¶Ye but I bade hym pyke out of the gate | |
| By goddes body so dyd I | |
| ¶By the masse well done and boldely | |
| ¶Holde thy pease measure shall frome vs walke. | |
| 950 | ¶Why is he crossed than with a chalke |
| ¶Crossed / ye checked out of consayte | |
| ref.ed: 167 | |
| ¶Howe so | |
| ¶By god by a praty slyght | |
| As here-after thou shalte knowe more | |
| But I must tary here / go thou before | |
| 955 | ¶With whom shall I there mete. |
| ¶Crafty_conueyaunce standeth in the strete | |
| Euen of purpose for the same | |
| ¶Ye but what shall I call my name | |
| ¶Cockes harte tourne the let me se thyne aray | |
| 960 | Cockes bones this is all of Iohnn_de_gay |
| ¶So I am poynted after my consayte | |
| ¶Mary thou Iettes it of hyght | |
| ¶Ye but of my name let vs be wyse | |
| ¶Mary lusty_pleasure by myne aduyse | |
| 965 | To name thyselfe come of it were done |
| ¶Farewell my frende | |
| ¶Adue tyll sone | |
| Stowe byrde stowe stowe | |
| sig: [C4] | |
| It is best I fede my hawke now | |
| There is many euyll-faueryd and thou be foule | |
| 970 | Eche thynge is fayre when it is yonge / all hayle owle |
| Lo this is | |
| My fansy Iwys | |
| Nowe cryst it blysse | |
| It is by Iesse | |
| 975 | A byrde full swete / |
| For me full mete | |
| She is furred for the hete | |
| All to the fete | |
| Her browys bent / | |
| 980 | Her eyen glent |
| From tyne to trent / | |
| From stroude to kent | |
| A man shall fynde / | |
| Many of her kynde | |
| ref.ed: 168 | |
| 985 | Howe standeth the wynde / |
| Before or behynde | |
| Barbyd lyke a nonne / | |
| For burnynge of the sonne | |
| Her fethers donne / | |
| 990 | Well faueryd bonne |
| Nowe let me se about / | |
| In all this rowte | |
| Yf I can fynde out / | |
| So semely a snowte | |
| 995 | Amonge this prese / |
| Euen a hole mese | |
| Pease man pease / | |
| I rede we sease | |
| So farly fayre as it lokys | |
| 1000 | And her becke so comely crokys |
| Her naylys sharpe as tenter-hokys | |
| I haue not kept her yet thre wokys | |
| And howe styll she dothe syt | |
| Teuyt teuyt / | |
| 1005 | Where is my wyt |
| The deuyll spede whyt | |
| That was before I set behynde | |
| Nowe to curteys forthwith vnkynde | |
| Somtyme to sober / somtyme to sadde | |
| 1010 | Somtyme to mery / somtyme to madde |
| Somtyme I syt as I were solempe prowde | |
| Somtyme I laughe ouer-lowde | |
| Somtyme I wepe for a gew-gaw | |
| Somtyme I laughe at waggynge of a straw | |
| 1015 | With a pere my loue you may wynne |
| And ye may lese it for a pynne | |
| I haue a thynge for to say | |
| And I may tende therto for play | |
| But in faythe I am so occupyed | |
| 1020 | On this halfe and on euery syde |
| That I wote not where I may rest. | |
| Fyrst to tell you what were best. | |
| ref.ed: 169 | |
| Frantyke_fansy_seruyce I hyght | |
| My wyttys be weke my braynys are lyght | |
| 1025 | For it is I that other whyle |
| sig: [C4v] | |
| Plucke downe lede and theke with tyle | |
| Nowe I wyll this and nowe I wyll that | |
| Make a wyndmyll of a mat | |
| Nowe I wolde and I wyst what | |
| 1030 | Where is my cappe I haue lost my hat |
| And within an houre after | |
| Plucke downe an house and set vp a rafter | |
| Hyder and thyder I wote not whyder | |
| Do and vndo bothe togyder | |
| 1035 | Of a spyndell I wyll make a sparre |
| All that I make forthwith I marre | |
| I blunder I bluster I blowe and I blother | |
| I make on the one day and I marre on the other | |
| Bysy bysy and euer bysy | |
| 1040 | I daunce vp and downe tyll I am dyssy |
| I can fynde fantasyes where none is | |
| I wyll not haue it / so I wyll haue it this | |
| quatiendo] quesiendo C, B | |
| ¶Maysters cryst saue euerychone | |
| What fansy arte thou here alone | |
| 1045 | ¶What fonnysshe foly I befole thy face |
| ¶What frantyke fansy in a foles case | |
| What is this an owle or a glede | |
| By my trouthe she hathe a grete hede. | |
| ¶Tusshe thy lyppes hange in thyne eye. eye] eyen C, B | |
| 1050 | It is a frenche butterflye |
| ¶By my trouthe I trowe well | |
| But she is lesse a grete dele | |
| Than a butterflye of our lande | |
| ¶What pylde curre ledest thou in thy hande | |
| 1055 | ¶A pylde curre |
| ¶Ye so I tell the a pylde curre | |
| ¶Yet I solde his skynne to macke_murre | |
| In the stede of a budge-furre | |
| ¶What fleyest thou his skynne euery yere | |
| ¶Yes in faythe I thanke god I may here | |
| ref.ed: 170 | |
| 1060 | ¶What thou wylte coughe me a dawe for forty pens |
| ¶Mary syr cokermowthe is a good way hens | |
| ¶What / of cokermowth spake I no worde | |
| ¶By my faythe syr the frubyssher hath my sworde | |
| ¶A I trowe ye shall coughe me a fole | |
| 1065 | ¶In faythe trouthe ye say we wente togyder to scole |
| ¶Ye but I can somwhat more of the letter | |
| ¶I wyll not gyue an halfepeny for to chose the better. | |
| sig: D1 | |
| ¶But broder foly I wonder moche of one thynge | |
| That thou so hye fro me doth sprynge | |
| 1070 | And I so lytell alway styll |
| ¶By god I can tell the and I wyll | |
| Thou art so feble-fantastycall | |
| And so braynsyke therwithall | |
| And thy wyt wanderynge here and there | |
| 1075 | That thou cannyst not growe out of thy boyes gere |
| And as for me I take but one folysshe way | |
| And therfore I growe more on one day | |
| Than thou can in yerys seuen. | |
| ¶In faythe trouth thou sayst nowe by god of heuen | |
| 1080 | For so with fantasyes my wyt dothe flete |
| That wysdome and I shall seldome mete | |
| Nowe of good felowshyp let me by thy [d]ogge dogge] hogge C, B | |
| ¶Cockys harte thou lyest I am no [h]ogge hogge] dogge C, B | |
| ¶Here is no man that callyd the hogge nor swyne | |
| 1085 | ¶In faythe man my brayne is as good as thyne |
| ¶The deuyls torde for thy brayne | |
| ¶By my syers soule I fele no rayne | |
| ¶By the masse I holde the madde | |
| ¶Mary I knewe the when thou waste a ladde | |
| 1090 | ¶Cockys bonys herde ye euer syke another |
| ¶Ye a fole the tone and a fole the tother | |
| ¶Nay but wotest thou what I do say | |
| ¶Why sayst thou that I was here yesterday | |
| ¶Cockys armys this is a warke I trowe | |
| 1095 | ¶What callyst thou me a donnyshe crowe |
| ¶Nowe in good faythe thou art a fonde gest | |
| ¶Ye bere me this strawe to a dawys nest | |
| ¶What wenyst thou that I were so folysshe and so fonde | |
| ¶In faythe ellys is there none in all Englonde | |
| ref.ed: 171 | |
| 1100 | ¶Yet for my fansy sake I say |
| Let me haue thy dogge what-soeuer I pay | |
| ¶Thou shalte haue my purse and I wyll haue thyne | |
| ¶By my trouth there is myne | |
| ¶Nowe by my trouth man take there is [my purse] my purse] myne C, B | |
| 1105 | And I beshrowe hym that hath the worse |
| ¶Torde I say what haue I do. | |
| Here is nothynge but the bockyll of a sho | |
| And in my purse was twenty marke | |
| ¶Ha ha ha herke syrs harke | |
| 1110 | For all that my name hyght foly |
| By the masse yet art thou more fole than I | |
| ¶Yet gyue me thy dogge and I am content | |
| And thou shalte haue my hauke to a botchment | |
| sig: [D1v] | |
| ¶That euer thou thryue god it forfende | |
| 1115 | For goddes cope thou wyll spende |
| Nowe take thou my dogge and gyue me thy fowle | |
| ¶Hay chysshe come hyder | |
| ¶Nay torde take hym be_tyme | |
| ¶What callest thou thy dogge | |
| ¶Tusshe his name is gryme. | |
| ¶Come gryme come gryme it is my praty dogges | |
| 1120 | ¶In faythe there is not a better dogge for hogges |
| Not from Anwyke vnto aungey | |
| ¶Ye but trowest thou that he be not maungey. | |
| ¶No by my trouthe it is but the scurfe and the scabbe | |
| ¶What he hathe ben hurte with a stabbe | |
| 1125 | ¶Nay in faythe it was but a strype |
| That the horson had for etynge of a trype | |
| ¶Where the deuyll gate he all these hurtes | |
| ¶By god for snatchynge of puddynges and wortes | |
| ¶What then he is some good poore mannes curre | |
| 1130 | ¶Ye but he wyll in at euery mannes dore |
| ¶Nowe thou hast done me a pleasure grete | |
| ¶In faythe I wolde thou had a marmosete | |
| ¶Cockes harte I loue suche Iapes | |
| ¶Ye for all thy mynde is on owles and apes | |
| 1135 | But I haue thy pultre and thou hast my catell |
| ¶Ye but thryfte and we haue made a batell | |
| ¶Remembrest thou not the Iapes and the toyes | |
| ref.ed: 172 | |
| ¶What that we vsed whan we were boyes | |
| ¶Ye by the rode euen the same | |
| 1140 | ¶Yes yes I am yet as full of game |
| As euer I was and as full of tryfyls | |
| Nil nichelum nihil anglice nyfyls | |
| ¶What canest thou all this lutyn yet. | |
| And hath so mased a wandrynge wyt | |
| 1145 | ¶Tushe man I kepe some latyn in store |
| ¶By cockes harte I wene thou hast no more | |
| ¶No / yes in faythe I can versyfy | |
| ¶Then I pray the hartely. | |
| Make a verse of my butterfly | |
| 1150 | It forseth not of the reason so it kepe ryme |
| ¶But wylte thou make another on gryme | |
| ¶Nay in fayth fyrst let me here thyne | |
| ¶Mary as for that thou shalte sone here myne | |
|
Versus. In C, B appears after following line
|
|
| ¶Est [suauis uago] with a shrewde face vilis Imago suauis uago] snaui snago C, B | |
| 1155 | ¶Grimbaldus gredy snatche a puddyng tyl the rost be redy |
| ¶By the harte of god well done | |
| sig: D2 | |
| ¶Ye so redely and so sone | |
| ¶What fansy / let me se who is the tother | |
| ¶By god syr foly myne owne sworne brother | |
| 1160 | ¶Cockys bonys it is a farle freke |
| Can he play well at the hoddypeke | |
| ¶Tell by thy trouth what sport can thou make. | |
| ¶A holde thy peas I haue the tothe-ake | |
| ¶The tothe-ake? lo a torde ye haue | |
| 1165 | ¶Ye thou haste the four quarters of a knaue |
| ¶Wotyst thou I say to whom thou spekys | |
| ¶Nay by cockys harte he ne reckys | |
| For he wyll speke to magnyfycence thus | |
| ¶Cockys armys a mete man for vs | |
| 1170 | ¶What wolde ye haue mo folys and are so many |
| ¶Nay offer hym a counter in-stede of a peny | |
| ¶Why thynkys thou he can no better skyll | |
| ¶In fayth I can make you bothe folys and I wyll | |
| ref.ed: 173 | |
| ¶What haste thou on thy fyst a [k]esteryll kesteryll] besteryll C, B | |
| 1175 | ¶Nay Iwys fole it is a doteryll |
| ¶In a cote thou can play well the dyser | |
| ¶Ye but thou can play the fole without a vyser | |
| ¶Howe rode he by you / howe put he to you | |
| ¶Mary as thou sayst / he gaue me a blurre | |
| 1180 | But where gatte thou that mangey curre |
| ¶Mary it was his and nowe it is myne | |
| ¶And was it his and nowe it is thyne | |
| Thou must haue thy fansy and thy wyll | |
| But yet thou shalt holde me a fole styll | |
| 1185 | ¶Why wenyst thou that I cannot make the play the fon |
| ¶Yes by my faythe good syr Iohnn | |
| ¶For you bothe it were Inough | |
| ¶Why wenyst thou that I were as moche a fole as thou | |
| ¶Nay nay thou shalte fynde hym another maner of man | |
| 1190 | ¶In faythe I can do mastryes so I can |
| ¶What canest thou do but play cocke-wat | |
| ¶[Yes yet] he wyll make the ete a gnat Yes yet] Yet yes C, B | |
| ¶Yes yes by my trouth I holde the a grote | |
| That I shall laughe the out of thy cote | |
| 1195 | ¶Than wyll I say that thou haste no pere |
| ¶Nowe by the rode and he wyll go nere | |
| ¶Hem fansy regardes voyes | |
| sig: [D2v] | |
| ¶What hast thou founde there | |
| ¶By god a lowse | |
| ¶By cockes harte I trowe thou lyste | |
| 1200 | ¶By the masse a spaynysshe moght with a gray lyste. |
| ¶Ha ha ha ha ha ha. | |
| ¶Cockes armes it is not so I trowe. | |
| conueyaunce] conuaunce C | |
| ¶Put on thy gowne agayne for thou hast lost nowe. thou hast lost nowe] nowe thou hast lost C, B | |
| ¶Lo Iohnn_a_bonam where is thy brayne. | |
| 1205 | Nowe put on fole thy cote agayne |
| ¶Gyue me my grote for thou hast lost | |
| Shyt thy purse dawe and do no cost | |
| ¶Nowe hast thou not a prowde mocke and a starke. | |
| ¶With yes by the rode of wodstocke_parke. | |
| 1210 | ¶Nay I tell the he maketh no dowtes |
| To tourne a fole out of his clowtes. | |
| ¶And for a fole a man wolde hym take | |
| ¶Nay it is I that foles can make | |
| For be he cayser or be he kynge | |
| 1215 | To felowshyp with foly I can hym brynge |
| ¶Nay wylte thou here nowe of his scoles. | |
| And what maner of people he maketh foles. | |
| ¶Ye let vs here a worde or twayne | |
| ¶Syr of my maner I shall tell you the playne | |
| 1220 | Fyrst I lay before them my bybyll |
| And teche them howe they sholde syt ydyll | |
| To pyke theyr fyngers all the day longe | |
| So in theyr eyre I synge them a songe | |
| And make them so longe to muse. | |
| 1225 | That some of them renneth strayght to the stuse |
| To thefte and bryboury I make some fall. | |
| And pyke a locke and clyme a wall | |
| And where I spy a nysot gay | |
| That wyll syt ydyll all the day | |
| 1230 | And can not set herselfe to warke |
| I kyndell in her suche a lyther sparke | |
| That rubbed she must be on the gall | |
| Bytwene the tap[pet] and the wall tappet] tap C, B | |
| ¶What horson arte thou suche a one | |
| 1235 | ¶Nay beyonde all other set hym alone |
| ¶Hast thou ony more let se procede. | |
| sig: D3 | |
| ¶Ye by god syr for a nede | |
| I haue another maner of sorte | |
| That I laugh at for my dysporte | |
| 1240 | And those be they that come vp of nought |
| As some be not ferce and yf it were well sought | |
| Suche dawys what-soeuer they be | |
| That be set in auctorite | |
| Anone he waxyth so hy and prowde | |
| 1245 | He frownyth fyersly brymly browde |
| ref.ed: 175 | |
| The knaue wolde make it koy and he cowde | |
| All that he dothe muste be alowde | |
| And this is not well done syr take hede | |
| And maketh hym besy where is no nede | |
| 1250 | He dawnsys so longe hey troly loly |
| That euery man lawghyth at his foly | |
| ¶By the good lorde truthe he sayth | |
| ¶Thynkyst thou not so by thy fayth | |
| ¶Thynke I not so quod he ellys haue I shame | |
| 1255 | For I knowe dyuerse that vseth the same |
| ¶But nowe forsothe man it maketh no mater | |
| For they that wyll so bysely smater | |
| So helpe me god man euer at the length | |
| I make hym lese moche of theyr strength | |
| 1260 | For with foly so do I them lede |
| That wyt he wantyth when he hath moste nede | |
| ¶Forsothe tell on hast thou any mo mo] more C, B | |
| ¶Yes I shall tell you or I go | |
| Of dyuerse mo that hauntyth my scolys | |
| 1265 | ¶All men beware of suche folys |
| ¶There be two lyther rude and ranke | |
| Symkyn_tytyuell and pers_pykthanke | |
| Theys lythers I lerne them for to lere | |
| What he sayth and she sayth to lay good ere | |
| 1270 | And tell to his sufferayne euery whyt |
| And then he is moche made of for his wyt wyt] whyt C, B | |
| And be the mater yll more or lesse | |
| He wyll make it mykyll worse than it is | |
| But all that he dothe and yf he reken well | |
| 1275 | It is but foly euery dell |
| ¶Are not his wordys cursydly cowchyd | |
| ¶By god there be some that be shroudly towchyd | |
| But I say let se and yf thou haue any more | |
| ¶I haue an hole armory of suche haburdashe in store | |
| 1280 | For there be other that foly dothe vse |
| That folowe fonde fantasyes and vertu refuse | |
| sig: [D3v] | |
| ¶Nay that is my parte that thou spekest of nowe. | |
| ¶So is all the remenaunt I make god auowe | |
| For thou fourmest suche fantasyes in theyr mynde | |
| 1285 | That euery man almost groweth out of kynde. |
| ref.ed: 176 | |
| ¶By the masse I am glad that I came hyder. | |
| To here you two rutters dyspute togyder | |
| ¶Nay but fansy must be eyther fyrst or last | |
| ¶But whan foly cometh all is past | |
| 1290 | ¶I wote not whether it cometh of the or of me |
| But all is foly that I can se | |
| ¶Mary syr ye may swere it on a boke | |
| ¶Ye tourne ouer the lefe rede there and loke | |
| Howe frantyke fansy fyrst of all | |
| 1295 | Maketh man and woman in foly to fall |
| ¶A syr a a howe by that | |
| ¶A peryllous thynge to cast a cat | |
| Vpon a naked man and yf she scrat | |
| ¶So how I say the hare is squat | |
| 1300 | For frantyke fansy thou makest men madde |
| And I foly bryngeth them to qui fuit gadde | |
| With qui fuit brayne-seke I haue them brought | |
| From qui fuit aliquid to shyre shakynge nought | |
| ¶Well argued and surely on bothe sydes | |
| 1305 | But for the fansy magnyfycence abydes |
| ¶Why shall I not haue foly with me also. | |
| ¶Yes perde man whether that ye ryde or go | |
| Yet for his name we must fynde a [slyght] slyght] shyfte C, B | |
| ¶By the masse he shall hyght consayte | |
| 1310 | ¶Not a better name vnder the sonne |
| With magnyfycence thou shalte wonne | |
| ¶God haue mercy good godfather | |
| ¶Yet I wolde that ye had gone rather. | |
| For as sone as you come in magnyfycence syght | |
| 1315 | All mesure and good rule is gone quyte |
| ¶And shall we haue lyberte to do what we wyll | |
| ¶Ryot at lyberte russheth it out styll | |
| ¶Ye but tell me one thynge | |
| ¶What is that | |
| ¶Who is mayster of the masshe-fat | |
| 1320 | ¶Ye for he hathe a full dry soule |
| ¶Cockes armes thou shalte kepe the brewhouse boule. | |
| ¶But may I drynke therof whylest that I stare | |
| ¶When mesure is gone what nedest thou spare | |
| Whan mesure is gone we may slee care | |
| ref.ed: 177 | |
| 1325 | ¶Nowe then goo we hens / away the mare |
| sig: [D4] | |
| It is wonder to se the worlde aboute | |
| ¶To se what foly is vsed in euery place | |
| Foly hath a rome I say in euery route | |
| To put where he lyst foly hath fre chace | |
| 1330 | Foly and fansy all where euery man dothe face and brace |
| Foly fotyth it properly fansy ledyth the dawnce | |
| And next come I after crafty_conueyaunce | |
| Who-so to me gyueth good aduertence | |
| Shall se many thyngys donne craftely | |
| 1335 | By me conueyed is wanton insolence |
| [..........................................]line dropped out in C, B | |
| Pryuy poyntmentys conueyed so properly | |
| For many tymes moche kyndnesse is denyed | |
| For drede that we dare not ofte lest we be spyed | |
| 1340 | By me is conueyed mykyll praty ware |
| Somtyme I say behynde the dore for nede | |
| I haue an hoby can make larkys to dare | |
| I knyt togyther many a broken threde | |
| It is great almesse the hung[re] to fede hungre] hunger C, B | |
| 1345 | To clothe the nakyd where is lackynge a smocke |
| Trymme at her tayle or a man can turne a socke | |
| What howe be ye mery was it not well conueyed | |
| As oft as ye lyst so honeste be sauyd | |
| Alas dere harte loke that we be not perseyuyd | |
| 1350 | Without crafte nothynge is well behauyd |
| Though I shewe you curtesy say not that I craue[d] craued] craue C, B | |
| Yet conuey it craftely and hardely spare not for me | |
| So that there knowe no man but I and she | |
| Thefte also and pety brybery | |
| 1355 | Without me be full oft aspyed |
| My inwyt delynge there can no man dyscry | |
| Conuey it be crafte lyft and lay a_syde | |
| Full moche flatery and falsehode I hyde | |
| ref.ed: 178 | |
| And by crafty conueyaunce I wyll and I can | |
| 1360 | Saue a stronge thefe and hange a trew man |
| But some man wolde conuey and can not skyll | |
| As malypert tauernars that checke with theyr betters | |
| Theyr conueyaunce weltyth the worke all by wyll | |
| And some wyll take vpon them to conterfet letters | |
| 1365 | And therwith-all conuey hymselfe into a payre of fetters |
| And some wyll conuey by the pretence of sadnesse | |
| Tyll all theyr conueyaunce is turnyd into madnesse | |
| Crafty conueyaunce is no chyldys game | |
| By crafty conueyaunce many one is brought vp of nought | |
| 1370 | Crafty_conueyaunce can cloke hymselfe frome shame |
| For by crafty conueyaunce wonderful thynges are wrought | |
| sig: [D4v] | |
| By conuayaunce crafty I haue brought | |
| Unto magnyfyce[nce] a full vngracyous sorte magnyfycence] magnyfyce C | |
| For all hokes vnhappy to me haue resorte | |
| 1375 | ¶Trust me lyberte it greueth me ryght sore |
| To se you thus ruled and stande in suche awe. | |
| ¶Syr as by my wyll it shall be so no more. | |
| ¶Yet lyberte without rule is not worth a strawe. | |
| ¶Tushe holde your peas ye speke lyke a dawe | |
| 1380 | Ye shall be occupyed welthe at my wyll |
| ¶All that ye say syr is reason and skyll | |
| ¶Mayster suruayour where haue ye ben so longe | |
| Remembre ye not how my lyberte by mesure ruled was | |
| ¶In good faythe syr me semeth he had the more wronge | |
| 1385 | ¶Mary syr so dyd he excede and passe |
| They droue me to lernynge lyke a dull asse | |
| ¶It is good yet that lyberte be ruled by reason | |
| ¶Tushe holde your peas ye speke out of season. | |
| ref.ed: 179 | |
| Yourselfe shall be ruled by lyberte and largesse | |
| 1390 | ¶I am content so it in measure be |
| ¶Must mesure in the mares name you furnysshe and dresse | |
| ¶Nay nay not so my frende felycyte | |
| ¶Not and your grace wolde be ruled by me | |
| ¶Nay he shall be ruled euen as I lyst | |
| 1395 | ¶Yet it is good to beware of had I wyst. |
| ¶Syr by lyberte and largesse I wyll that ye shall | |
| Be gouerned and gyded wote ye what I say | |
| Mayster suruayour largesse to me call | |
| ¶It shall be done | |
| ¶Ye but byd hym come away | |
| 1400 | At ones / and let hym not tary all day |
| ¶Yet it is good wysdome to worke wysely by welth. | |
| ¶Holde thy tonge and thou loue thy helth | |
| ¶What wyll ye waste wynde and prate thus in vayne. | |
| Ye haue eten sauce I trowe at the taylers hall | |
| 1405 | ¶Be not to bolde my frende I counsell you bere a brayne |
| ¶And what so we say holde you content withall. | |
| ¶Syr yet without sapyence your substaunce may be smal | |
| For where is no mesure howe may worshyp endure. | |
| ¶Syr I am here at your pleasure | |
| 1410 | Your grace sent for me I wene / what is your wyll |
| ¶Come hyther largesse take here felycyte | |
| ¶Why wene you that I can kepe hym longe styll. | |
| sig: E1 | |
| ¶To rule as ye lyst lo here is lyberte | |
| ¶I am here redy | |
| ¶What shall we | |
| 1415 | Haue welth at our gydynge to rule as we lyst lineation continuous with preceding line in C |
| Then fare-well thryfte by hym that crosse kyst. | |
| ¶I truste your grace wyll be agreabyll | |
| That I shall suffer none impechment | |
| By theyr demenaunce nor losse repryuable | |
| ref.ed: 180 | |
| 1420 | ¶Syr ye shall folowe myne appetyte and intent |
| ¶So it be by mesure I am ryght well content | |
| ¶What all by mesure good syr and none excesse | |
| ¶Why welth hath made many a man braynlesse | |
| ¶That was by the menys of to moche lyberte | |
| 1425 | ¶What can ye agree thus and appose |
| ¶Syr as I say there was no faute in me | |
| ¶Ye of Iacke_a_thrommys bybyll can ye make a glose | |
| ¶Sore sayde I tell you and well to the purpose | |
| What sholde a ma[n] do with you loke you vnder [k]ay kay] bay C, B | |
| 1430 | ¶I say it is foly to gyue all welth away |
| ¶Whether sholde welth be rulyd by lyberte | |
| Or lyberte by welth let se tell me that | |
| ¶Syr as me semeth ye sholde be rulyd be me | |
| ¶What nede you with hym thus prate and chat | |
| 1435 | ¶Shewe vs your mynde then howe to do and what |
| ¶I say that I wyll ye haue hym in gydynge | |
| ¶Mayster felycyte let be your chydynge | |
| And so as ye se it wyll be no better | |
| Take it in worthe suche as ye fynde | |
| 1440 | ¶What the deuyll man your name shalbe the greter |
| For welth without largesse is all out of kynde | |
| ¶And welth is nought worthe / yf lyberte be behynde | |
| ¶Nowe holde ye content for there is none other shyfte | |
| ¶Than waste must be welcome and fare-well thryfte | |
| 1445 | ¶Take of his substaunce a sure inuentory |
| And get [y]ou home togyther for lyberte shall byde you] thou C, B | |
| And wayte vpon me | |
| ¶And yet for a memory | |
| Make indentures howe ye and I shal gyde | |
| ¶I can do nothynge but he stonde besyde | |
| 1450 | ¶Syr we can do nothynge the one without the other |
| ¶Well get you hens than and sende me some other | |
| ¶Whom lusty_pleasure or mery consayte | |
| ¶Nay fyrst lusty_pleasure is my desyre to haue | |
| And let the other another [time] awayte time] C, B omit | |
| 1455 | Howe-be-it that fonde felowe is a mery knaue |
| But loke that ye occupye the auctoryte that I you gaue | |
| sig: [E1v] | |
| ref.ed: 181 | |
| For nowe syrs I am lyke as a prynce sholde be following speech attrib. to Fancy in C, B | |
| I haue welth at wyll largesse and lyberte | |
| Fortune to her lawys can not abandune me | |
| 1460 | But I shall of fortune rule the reyne |
| I fere nothynge fortunes perplexyte | |
| All honour to me must nedys stowpe and lene | |
| I synge of two partys without a mene | |
| I haue wynde and wether ouer all to sayle | |
| 1465 | No stormy rage agaynst me can peruayle |
| Alexander of Macedony kynge | |
| That all the oryent had in subieccyon | |
| Though al his conquestys were brought to rekenynge | |
| Myght seme ryght wel vnder my proteccyon | |
| 1470 | To rayne? for all his marcyall affeccyon |
| For I am prynce perlesse prouyd of porte | |
| Bathyd with blysse embracyd with comforte | |
| Syrus that soleme syar of Babylon | |
| That Israell releysyd of theyr captyuyte | |
| 1475 | For al his pompe / for all his ryall trone |
| He may not be comparyd vnto me | |
| I am the dyamounde dowtlesse of dygnyte | |
| Surely it is I that all may saue and spyll | |
| No man so hardy to worke agaynst my wyll | |
| 1480 | Porcenya the prowde prouoste of turky lande |
| That ratyd the romaynes and made them yll rest | |
| Nor Cesar Iuly that no man myght withstande | |
| Were neuer halfe so rychely as I am drest | |
| No that I assure you loke who was the best | |
| 1485 | I reyne in my robys I rule as me lyst |
| I dryue downe th[e]se dastardys with a dynt of my fyste these] thse C | |
| Of Cato the counte acountyd the cane | |
| Daryus the doughty cheftayn of perse | |
| I set not by the prowdest of them a prane | |
| 1490 | Ne by non other that any man can rehersse |
| I folowe in felycyte without reue[r]sse reuersse] reuesse C | |
| ref.ed: 182 | |
| I drede no daunger I dawnce all in delyte | |
| My name is magnyfycence man most of myght | |
| Hercules the herdy with his stobburne clobbyd mase | |
| 1495 | That made Cerberus to cache the cur dogge of hell |
| And Thesius th[at] prowde was Pluto to face that] the C, B | |
| It wolde not become them with me for to mell | |
| For of all barones bolde I bere the bell | |
| Of all doughty I am doughtyest duke as I deme | |
| 1500 | To me all prynces to lowte man bese[m]e beseme] besene C, B |
| Cherlemayne that mantenyd the nobles of Fraunce | |
| sig: E2 | |
| Arthur of albyan for all his brymme berde | |
| Nor basyan the bolde for all his brybaunce | |
| Nor alerycus that rulyd the gothyaunce by swerd | |
| 1505 | Nor no man on molde can make me aferd |
| What man is so maysyd with me that dare mete | |
| I shall flappe hym as a fole to fall at my fete | |
| Galba whom his galantys garde for a_gaspe | |
| Nor nero that nother set by god nor man | |
| 1510 | Nor vaspasyan that bare in his nose a waspe |
| Nor hanyball agayne rome gates that ranne | |
| Nor yet [c]ypyo that noble cartage wanne cypyo] typyo C, B | |
| Nor none so hardy of them with me that durste crake | |
| But I shall frounce them on the foretop and gar them to quake | |
| 1515 | ¶At your commaundement syr wyth all dew reuerence |
| ¶Welcom pleasure to our magnyfycence | |
| ¶Plesyth it your grace to shewe what I do shall | |
| ¶Let vs here of your pleasure to passe the tyme withall | |
| ¶Syr then with the fauour of your benynge sufferaunce | |
| 1520 | To shewe you my mynde my-selfe I wyll auaunce |
| If it lyke your grace to take it in degre | |
| ¶Yes syr so good man in you I se | |
| ref.ed: 183 | |
| And in your delynge so good assuraunce | |
| That we delyte gretly in your dalyaunce. | |
| 1525 | ¶A syr your grace me dothe extole and rayse |
| And ferre beyond my merytys ye me commende and prayse | |
| Howe-be-it I wolde be ryght gladde I you assure | |
| Any-thynge to do that myght be to your pleasure | |
| ¶As I be saued with pleasure I am supprysyd | |
| 1530 | Of your langage it is so well deuysed |
| Pullyshyd and fresshe is your ornacy | |
| ¶A I wolde to god that I were halfe so crafty | |
| Or in electe vtteraunce halfe so eloquent | |
| As that I myght your noble grace content | |
| 1535 | ¶Truste me with you I am hyghly pleasyd |
| For in my fauour I haue you feffyd and seasyd | |
| He is not lyuynge your maners can amend | |
| Mary your speche is as pleasant as though it were pend | |
| To here your comon it is my hygh comforte | |
| 1540 | Poynt-deuyse all pleasure is your porte |
| ¶Syr I am the better of your noble reporte | |
| But of your pacyence vnder the supporte | |
| If it wolde lyke you to here my pore my[n]de | |
| ¶Speke I beseche the leue nothynge behynde | |
| 1545 | ¶So as ye be a prynce of great myght |
| sig: [E2v] | |
| It is semynge your pleasure ye delyte | |
| And to aqueynte you with carnall delectacyon | |
| And to fall in a_quayntaunce with euery newe facyon | |
| And quyckely your appetytes to sharpe and adresse | |
| 1550 | To fasten your fansy vpon a fayre maystresse |
| That quyckly is enuyued with rudyes of the rose | |
| Inpurtured with fetures after your purpose | |
| The streynes of her vaynes as asure Inde-blewe. | |
| Enbudded with beautye and colour fresshe of hewe | |
| 1555 | As lyly whyte to loke vpon her [l]eyre leyre] heyre C, B |
| Her eyen relucent as carbuncle so clere. | |
| Her mouthe enbawmed dylectable and mery | |
| Her lusty lyppes ruddy as the chery. | |
| Howe lyke you / ye lacke syr suche a lusty lasse | |
| 1560 | ¶A that were a baby to brace and to basse |
| ref.ed: 184 | |
| I wolde I had by hym that hell dyd harowe | |
| With me in kepynge suche a phylyp_sparowe | |
| I wolde hauke whylest my hede dyd warke | |
| So I myght hobby for suche a lusty larke | |
| 1565 | These wordes in myne eyre they be so lustely spoken |
| That on suche a female my flesshe wolde be wroken | |
| They towche me so thorowly and tykyll my consayte. | |
| That weryed I wolde be on suche a bayte | |
| A cockes armes where myght suche one be founde | |
| 1570 | ¶Wyll ye spende ony money |
| ¶Ye a thousande pounde | |
| ¶Nay nay for lesse I waraunt you to be sped | |
| And brought home and layde in your bed | |
| ¶Wolde money trowest thou make suche one to the call | |
| ¶Money maketh marchauntes I tell you ouer all | |
| 1575 | ¶Why wyl a maystres be wonne for money and for golde |
| ¶Why was not for money troy bothe bought and solde | |
| Full many a strong cyte and towne hath been wonne. | |
| By the meanes of money without ony gonne. | |
| A maystres I tell you is but a small thynge | |
| 1580 | A goodly rybon or a golde rynge |
| May wynne with a sawte the fortresse of the holde | |
| But one thynge I warne you prece forth and be bolde | |
| ¶Ye but some be full koy and passynge harde-harted. | |
| ¶But blessyd be our lorde they wyll be sone conuerted. | |
| 1585 | ¶Why wyll they then be intreted the most and the lest |
| ¶Ye for omnis mulier meritrix si celari potest | |
| ¶A I haue spyed ye can moche broken sorowe | |
| ¶I coude holde you with suche talke hens tyll to_morowe | |
| ref.ed: 185 | |
| But yf it lyke your grace more at large | |
| 1590 | Me to permyt my mynde to dyscharge |
| sig: [E3] | |
| I wolde yet shewe you further of my consayte | |
| ¶Let se what ye say shewe it strayte | |
| ¶Wysely let these wordes in your mynde be wayed | |
| By waywarde wylfulnes let eche thynge be conuayed | |
| 1595 | What-so-euer ye do folowe your owne wyll |
| Be it reason or none it shall not gretely skyll | |
| Be it ryght or wronge by the aduyse of me | |
| Take your pleasure and vse free lyberte | |
| And yf you se ony-thynge agaynst your mynde | |
| 1600 | Then some [o]ccacyon or quarell ye must fynde occacyon] accacyon C |
| And frowne it and face it as thoughe ye wolde fyght. | |
| Frete yourselfe for anger and for dyspyte | |
| Here no man what-so-euer they say | |
| But do as ye lyst and take your owne way | |
| 1605 | ¶Thy wordes and my mynde odly well accorde. |
| ¶What sholde ye do elles are not you a lorde | |
| Let your lust and lykynge stande for a lawe. | |
| Be wrastynge and wrythynge and away drawe. | |
| And ye se a man that with hym ye be not pleased | |
| 1610 | And that your mynde can not well be eased |
| As yf a man fortune to touche you on the quyke | |
| Then feyne yourselfe dyseased and make yourselfe seke | |
| To styre vp your stomake you must you forge | |
| Call for a ca[u]dell and cast vp your gorge, caudell] candell C, B | |
| 1615 | With cockes armes rest shall I none haue |
| Tyll I be reuenged on that horson knaue. | |
| A howe my stomake wambleth I am all in a swete | |
| Is there no horson that knaue that wyll bete. | |
| ¶By cockes woundes a wonder felowe thou arte | |
| 1620 | For ofte-tymes suche a wamblynge goth ouer my harte |
| Yet I am not harte-seke but that me lyst. | |
| For myrth I haue hym coryed beten and blyst | |
| Hym that I loued not and made hym to loute | |
| I am forthwith as hole as a troute | |
| 1625 | For suche abusyon I vse nowe and than |
| ¶It is none abusyon syr in a noble man. | |
| ref.ed: 186 | |
| It is a pryncely pleasure and a lordly mynde. | |
| Suche lustes at large may not be lefte behynde. | |
| ¶Stande styll here and ye shall se | |
| 1630 | That for your sake I wyll fall on my kne |
| ¶Syr sober_sadnesse cometh wherfore it be | |
| ¶Stand vp syr ye are welcom to me | |
| ¶Please it your grace at the contemplacyon | |
| Of my pore instance and supplycacyon | |
| sig: [E3v] | |
| 1635 | Tenderly to consyder in your aduertence. |
| Of our blessyd lorde syr at the reuerence | |
| Remembre the good seruyce that mesure hath you done | |
| And that ye wyll not cast hym away so sone | |
| ¶My frende as touchynge to this your mocyon. | |
| 1640 | I may say to you I haue but small deuocyon |
| Howe-be-it at yo[u]r instaunce I wyll the rather | |
| Do as moche as for myne owne father | |
| ¶Nay syr that affeccyon ought to be reserued | |
| For of your grace I haue it nought deserued | |
| 1645 | But yf it lyke you that I myght rowne in your eyre |
| To shewe you my mynde I wolde haue the lesse fere | |
| ¶Stande a lytell abacke syr and let hym come hyder. | |
| ¶With a good wyll syr god spede you bothe togyder. | |
| ¶Syr so it is this man is here by. | |
| 1650 | That for hym to laboure he hath prayde me hartely. |
| Notwithstan[d]ynge to you be it sayde Notwithstandynge] Notwithstanyynge C | |
| To trust in me he is but dyssayued. | |
| For so helpe me god for you he is not mete | |
| I speke the softlyer because he sholde not wete | |
| 1655 | ¶Come hyder pleasure you shall here myne entent. |
| Mesure ye knowe wel with hym I can not be content | |
| And surely as I am nowe aduysed | |
| I wyll haue hym rehayted and dyspysed | |
| Howe say ye syrs herein what is best. | |
| 1660 | ¶By myne aduyse with you in fayth he shall not rest |
| ref.ed: 187 | |
| ¶Yet syr reserued your better aduysement | |
| It were better he spake with you or he wente | |
| That he knowe not but that I haue supplyed. | |
| All that I can his matter for to spede. | |
| 1665 | ¶Nowe by your trouthe gaue he you not a brybe |
| ¶Yes with his hande I made hym to subscrybe | |
| A byll of recorde for an annuall rent | |
| ¶But for all that he is lyke to haue a glent. | |
| ¶Ye by my trouthe I shall waraunt you for me | |
| 1670 | And he go to the deu[y]ll so that I may haue my fee deuyll] deull C |
| What care I | |
| ¶By the masse well sayd | |
| ¶What force ye so that [y]e be payde ye be] he be C, B | |
| ¶But yet lo I wolde or that he wente. | |
| Lest that he thought that his money were euyll spente. | |
| 1675 | That he wolde loke on hym thoughe it were not longe. |
| ¶Well cannest thou helpe a preest to synge a songe | |
| ¶So it is all the maner nowe-a-dayes | |
| For to vse suche haftynge and crafty wayes | |
| ¶He telleth you trouth syr as I you ensure | |
| sig: [E4] | |
| 1680 | ¶Well for thy sake the better I may endure |
| That he come hyder and to gyue hym a loke | |
| That he shall lyke the worse all this woke | |
| ¶I care not howe sone he be refused | |
| So that I may craftely be excused | |
| 1685 | ¶Where is he |
| ¶Mary I made hym abyde | |
| Whylest I came to you a lytell here besyde | |
| ¶Well call hym and let vs here hym reason | |
| And we wyll be comonynge in the mene season | |
| ¶This is a wyse man syr where-so-euer ye hym had. | |
| 1690 | ¶An honest person I tell you and a sad |
| ¶He can full craftely this matter brynge aboute | |
| ¶Whylest I haue hym I nede nothynge doute | |
| aspectante] aspectant C, B | |
| ¶By the masse I haue done that I can | |
| And more than euer I dyd for ony man | |
| ref.ed: 188 | |
| 1695 | I trowe ye herde yourselfe what I sayd |
| ¶Nay in-dede but I sawe howe ye prayed | |
| And made instance for me be lykelyhod | |
| ¶Nay I tell you I am not wonte to fode | |
| Them that dare put theyr truste in me | |
| 1700 | And therof ye shall a larger profe se |
| ¶Syr god rewarde you as ye haue deserued | |
| But thynke you with magnyfycence I shal be reserued | |
| ¶By my trouth I can not tell you that | |
| But and I were as ye I wolde not set a gnat | |
| 1705 | By magnyfycence nor yet none of his |
| For go when ye shall of you shall he mysse | |
| ¶Syr as ye say | |
| ¶Nay come on with me | |
| Yet ones agayne I shall fall on my kne | |
| For your sake what-so-euer befall | |
| 1710 | I set not a flye and all go to all |
| ¶The holy goost be with your grace | |
| ¶Syr I beseche you let pety haue some place | |
| In your brest towardes this gentylman | |
| ¶I was your good lorde tyll that ye beganne | |
| 1715 | So masterfully vpon you for to take |
| With my seruauntys and suche maystryes gan make | |
| That holly my mynde with you is myscontente | |
| Wherfore I wyll that ye be resydent | |
| With me no longer | |
| ¶Say somwhat nowe let se / | |
| 1720 | For your-selfe lineation continuous with preceding line in C |
| ¶Syr yf I myght permytted be | |
| sig: [E4v] | |
| I wolde to you say a worde or twayne | |
| ¶What woldest thou lurden with me brawle agayne | |
| Haue hym hens I say out of my syght | |
| That day I se hym I shall be worse all nyght | |
| 1725 | ¶Hens thou haynyarde out of the dores fast |
| ¶Alas my stomake fareth as it wolde cast | |
| ref.ed: 189 | |
| ¶Abyde syr abyde let me holde your hede | |
| ¶A bolle or a basyn I say for goddes brede | |
| A my hede / but is the horson gone | |
| 1730 | God gyue hym a myscheffe / nay nowe let me alone. |
| ¶A good dryfte syr a praty fete | |
| By the good lorde yet your temples bete | |
| ¶Nay so god me helpe it was no grete vexacyon | |
| For I am panged ofte-tymes in this same facyon | |
| 1735 | ¶Cockes armes howe pleasure plucked hym forth |
| ¶Ye walke he must it was no better worth | |
| ¶Syr nowe me-thynke your harte is well eased | |
| ¶Nowe measure is gone I am the better pleased. | |
| ¶So to be ruled by measure it is a payne | |
| 1740 | ¶Mary I wene he wolde not be glad to come agayne. |
| ¶So I wote not what he sholde do here | |
| Where mennes belyes is mesured there is no chere. | |
| For I here but fewe men that gyue ony prayse | |
| Unto measure I say nowe-a-days | |
| 1745 | ¶Measure tut / what the deuyll of hell |
| Scantly one with measure that wyll dwell | |
| ¶Not amonge noble-men as the worlde gothe. | |
| It is no wonder therfore thoughe ye be wrothe | |
| With mesure where-as all noblenes is there I haue past | |
| 1750 | They catche that catche may / kepe and holde fast |
| Out of all measure themselfe to enryche | |
| No force what / thoughe his neyghbour dye in a dyche. | |
| With pollynge and pluckynge out of all measure | |
| Thus must ye stuffe and store your treasure | |
| 1755 | ¶Yet somtyme parde I must vse largesse |
| ¶Ye mary somtyme in a messe of vergesse | |
| As in a tryfyll or in a thynge of nought | |
| As gyuynge a thynge that ye neuer bought | |
| It is the gyse nowe I say ouer all. | |
| 1760 | Largesse in wordes for rewardes are but small |
| To make fayre promyse what are ye the worse | |
| Let me haue the rule of your purse | |
| ¶I haue taken it to largesse and lyberte | |
| ¶Than is it done as it sholde be | |
| 1765 | But vse your largesse by the aduyse of me |
| sig: F1 | |
| ref.ed: 190 | |
| And I shall waraunt you welth and lyberte. | |
| ¶Say on me-thynke your reasons be profounde. | |
| ¶Syr of my counsayle this shall be the grounde. | |
| To chose out .ii. iii. of suche as you loue best | |
| 1770 | And let all your fansyes vpon them rest |
| Spare for no cost to gyue them pounde and peny. | |
| Better to make .iii. ryche than for to make many | |
| Gyue them more than ynoughe and let them not lacke. | |
| And as for all other let them trusse and packe. | |
| 1775 | Plucke from an hundred and gyue it to thre. |
| Let neyther patent scape them nor fee | |
| And where-soeuer you wyll fall to a rekenynge. | |
| Those thre wyll be redy euen at your bekenynge | |
| For the[m] shall you haue at lyberte to lowte them] then C, B | |
| 1780 | Let them haue all and the other go without |
| Thus ioy without mesure you shall haue. | |
| ¶Thou sayst truthe by the harte that god me gaue | |
| For as thou sayst ryght so shall it be. | |
| And here I make the vpon lyberte | |
| 1785 | To be superuysour and on largesse also |
| For as thou wylte so shall the game go | |
| For in pleasure and surueyaunce and also in the. | |
| I haue set my hole felycyte | |
| And suche as you wyll shall lacke no promocyon | |
| 1790 | ¶Syr syth that in me ye haue suche deuocyon |
| Commyttynge to me and to my felowes twayne | |
| Your welthe and felycyte I trust we shall optayne | |
| To do you seruyce after your appetyte | |
| ¶In faythe and your seruyce ryght well shall I acquyte. | |
| 1795 | And therfore hye you hens and take this ouer_syght. |
| ¶Nowe Iesu preserue you syr / prynce most of myght. | |
| ¶Thus I say I am enuyronned with solace | |
| I drede no dyntes of fatall desteny | |
| Well were that lady myght stande in my grace. | |
| 1800 | Me to enbrace / and loue moost specyally |
| A lorde so I wolde halse her hartely | |
| So I wolde clepe her so I wolde kys her swete | |
| ref.ed: 191 | |
| ¶Mary cryst graunt ye catche no colde on your fete | |
| ¶Who is this. | |
| ¶Consayte syr your owne man. | |
| 1805 | ¶What tydynges with you syr / I befole thy brayne-pan |
| ¶By our lakyn syr I haue ben a_h[a]wkyng for the wylde swan. hawkyng] howkyng C | |
| My hawke is rammysshe and it happed that she ran. | |
| sig: [F1v] | |
| Flewe I sholde say in-to an olde barne. | |
| To reche at a rat I coude not her warne. | |
| 1810 | She pynched her pynyon by god and catched harme. |
| It was a ronner / nay fole I warant her blode warme | |
| ¶A syr thy Iarfawcon and thou be hanged togyder. | |
| ¶And syr as I was comynge to you hyder | |
| I saw a foxe sucke on a kowes ydder | |
| 1815 | And with a lyme-rodde I toke them bothe togyder |
| I trowe it be a frost for the way is slydder | |
| Se for god auowe for colde as I chydder | |
| ¶Thy wordes hange togyder as fethers in the wynde | |
| ¶A syr tolde I not you howe I dyd fynde | |
| 1820 | A knaue and a carle and all of one kynde. |
| I sawe a wether-cocke wagge with the wynde | |
| Grete meruayle I had and mused in my mynde | |
| The houndes ranne before and the hare behynde | |
| I sawe a losell lede a lurden and they were bothe blynde. | |
| 1825 | I sawe a sowter go to supper or euer he had dynde. |
| ¶By cockes harte thou arte a fyne mery knaue. | |
| ¶I make god auowe ye wyll none other men haue. | |
| ¶What sayst thou. | |
| ¶Mary I pray god your mastershyp to saue | |
| I shall gyue you a gaude of a goslynge that I gaue | |
| 1830 | The gander and the gose bothe grasynge on one graue. |
| ref.ed: 192 | |
| Than rowlande the reue ran / and I began to raue. | |
| And with a brystell of a bore / his berde dyd I shaue | |
| ¶If euer I herde syke another / god gyue me shame. | |
| ¶Sym_sadylgose was my syer and dawcocke my dame | |
| 1835 | I coude and I lyst garre you laughe at a game |
| Howe a wodcocke wrastled with a larke that was lame. | |
| The bytter sayd boldly that they were to blame | |
| The feldfare wolde haue fydled and it wolde not frame. | |
| The crane and the curlewe therat gan to grame. | |
| 1840 | The snyte snyueled in the snowte / and smyled at the game. |
| ¶Cockes bones herde ye euer suche another | |
| ¶Se syr I beseche you largesse my brother | |
| ¶What tydynges with you syr that you loke so sad | |
| ¶When ye knowe that I knowe ye wyll not be glad. | |
| 1845 | ¶What brother braynsyke how farest thou. |
| ¶Ye let be thy Iapes and tell me howe | |
| The case requyreth. | |
| ¶Alasse alasse an heuy metynge | |
| I wolde tell you and yf I myght for wepynge. | |
| ¶What is all your myrthe nowe tourned to sorowe | |
| 1850 | Fare-well tyll sone / adue tyll to_morowe |
| sig: F2 | |
| ¶I pray the largesse let be thy sobbynge | |
| ¶Alasse syr ye are vndone with stelyng and robbynge | |
| Ye sent vs a superuysour for to take hede | |
| Take hede of your-selfe for nowe ye haue nede | |
| 1855 | ¶What hath sadnesse begyled me so |
| ¶Nay madnesse hath begyled you and many mo | |
| For lyberte is gone and also felycyte | |
| ¶Gone / alasse ye haue vndone me | |
| ¶Nay he that ye sent vs clokyd_colusyon | |
| 1860 | And your payntyd pleasure courtly_abusyon |
| And your demenour with counterfet_countenaunce | |
| And your su[ruay]our crafty_conueyaunce suruayour] superuysour C, B | |
| ref.ed: 193 | |
| Or euer we were ware brought vs in aduersyte | |
| And had robbyd you quyte from all felycyte | |
| 1865 | ¶Why is this the largesse that I haue vsyd |
| ¶Nay it was your fondnesse that ye haue vsyd | |
| ¶And is this the credence that I gaue to the letter | |
| ¶Why coulde not your wyt serue you no better | |
| ¶Why who wolde haue thought in you suche gyle | |
| 1870 | ¶What yes by the rode syr it was I all this whyle |
| That you trustyd and fansy is my name | |
| And foly my broder that made you moche game | |
| ¶Alas who is yonder / that grymly lokys | |
| ¶Adewe for I wyll not come in his clokys | |
| 1875 | ¶Lorde so my flesshe trymblyth nowe for drede |
| ¶I am aduersyte that for thy mysdede | |
| From god am sent to quyte the thy mede | |
| Vyle velyarde thou must not nowe my dynt withstande | |
| Thou mayst not abyde the dynt of my hande | |
| 1880 | Ly there losell for all thy pompe and pryde |
| Thy pleasure now with payne and trouble shalbe tryde. | |
| The stroke of god / aduersyte I hyght | |
| I plucke downe kynge prynce lorde and knyght | |
| I rushe at them rughly and make them ly full lowe | |
| 1885 | And in theyr moste truste I make them ouerthrowe |
| Thys losyll was a lorde and lyuyd at his lust | |
| And nowe lyke a lurden he lyeth in the dust | |
| He knewe not hymselfe his harte was so hye | |
| Nowe is there no man that wyll set by hym a flye | |
| 1890 | He was wonte to boste brage and to brace |
| sig: [F2v] | |
| Nowe dare he not for shame loke one in the face | |
| All worldly welth for hym to lytell was | |
| Nowe hath he ryght nought / naked as an asse | |
| Somtyme without measure / he trusted in golde | |
| 1895 | And now without mesure / he shal haue hunger and colde. |
| ref.ed: 194 | |
| Lo syrs / thus I handell them all. | |
| That folowe theyr fansyes / in foly to fall | |
| Man or woman of what estate they be | |
| I counsayle them beware of aduersyte | |
| 1900 | Of sorowfull seruauntes I haue many scores |
| I vysyte them somtyme with blaynes and with sores | |
| With botches and carbuckyls in care I them knyt | |
| With the gowte I make them to grone where they syt. | |
| Some I make lyppers and lazars full horse. | |
| 1905 | And from that they loue best some I deuorse. |
| Some with the marmoll to halte I them make. | |
| And some to cry out of the bone-ake | |
| And some I vysyte with brennynge of fyre | |
| Of some I wrynge of the necke lyke a wyre | |
| 1910 | And some I make in a rope to totter and walter. |
| And some for to hange themselfe in an halter | |
| And some I vysyte [with] batayle warre and murther with] to C, B | |
| And make eche man to sle other | |
| To drowne or to sle themselfe with a knyfe | |
| 1915 | An all is for theyr vngracyous lyfe |
| Yet sometyme I stryke where is none offence | |
| Bycause I wolde proue men of theyr pacyence | |
| But nowe-a-dayes to stryke I haue grete cause | |
| Lydderyns so lytell set by goddes lawes goddes] godddes C, B | |
| 1920 | Faders and moders that be neclygent |
| And suffre theyr chyldren to haue theyr entent | |
| To gyde them vertuously that wyll not remembre | |
| Them or theyr chyldren ofte-tymes I dysmembre | |
| Theyr chyldren bycause that they haue no mekenesse | |
| 1925 | I vysyte theyr faders and moders with sekenesse. |
| And yf I se therby they wyll not amende | |
| Then myschefe sodaynly I them sende | |
| For there is nothynge that more dyspleaseth god | |
| Than from theyr chyldren to spare the rod | |
| 1930 | Of correccyon / but let them haue theyr wyll |
| Some I make lame / and some I do kyll | |
| And s[o]me I stryke with a franesy some] syme C, B | |
| Of some of theyr chyldren I stryke out the eye. | |
| ref.ed: 195 | |
| And where the fader by wysdom worshyp hath wonne | |
| 1935 | I sende ofte-tymes a fole to his sonne. |
| Wherfore of aduersyte loke ye be ware. | |
| sig: F3 | |
| For when I come comyth sorowe and care. | |
| For I stryke lordys of realmes and landys | |
| That rule not by mesure that they haue in theyr handys | |
| 1940 | That sadly rule not theyr howsholde men |
| I am goddys preposytour I prynt them with a pen | |
| Because of theyr neglygence and of theyr wanton vagys | |
| I vysyte them and stryke them with many sore plagys | |
| To take syrs example of that I you tell | |
| 1945 | And beware of aduersyte by my counsell |
| Take hede of this caytyfe that lyeth here on grounde | |
| Beholde howe fortune o[n] hym hath frounde on] of C, B | |
| For though we shewe you this in game and play | |
| Yet it proueth eyrnest ye may se euery day | |
| 1950 | For nowe wyll I from this caytyfe go |
| And take myscheffe and vengeaunce of other mo | |
| That hath deseruyd it as well as he | |
| Howe / where art thou come hether pouerte | |
| Take this caytyfe to thy lore | |
| 1955 | ¶A my bonys ake my lymmys be sore |
| Alasse I haue the cyatyca full euyll in my hyppe | |
| Alasse where is youth that was wont for to skyppe | |
| I am lowsy and vnlykynge and full of scurffe | |
| My colour is tawny colouryd as a turffe | |
| 1960 | I am pouerte that all men doth hate |
| I am baytyd with doggys at euery mannys gate | |
| I am raggyd and rent as ye may se | |
| Full fewe but they haue enuy at me | |
| Nowe must I this carcasse lyft vp | |
| 1965 | He dynyd with delyte with pouerte he must sup |
| Ryse vp syr and welcom vnto me | |
| ref.ed: 196 | |
| ¶Alasse where is nowe my golde and fe | |
| Alasse I say where-to am I brought | |
| Alasse alasse alasse I dye for thought | |
| 1970 | ¶Syr all this wolde haue bene thought on before |
| He woteth not what welth is that neuer was sore | |
| ¶Fy fy that euer I sholde be brought in this snare | |
| I wenyd ones neuer to haue knowen of care | |
| ¶Lo suche is this worlde I fynde it wryt | |
| 1975 | In welth to beware and that is wyt |
| ¶In welth to beware yf I had had grace | |
| Neuer had I bene brought in this case | |
| ¶Nowe syth it wyll no nother be | |
| sig: F3v] | |
| All that god sendeth take it in gre | |
| 1980 | For thoughe you were somtyme a noble estate |
| Nowe must you lerne to begge at e[u]ery mannes gate. | |
| ¶Alasse that euer I sholde be so shamed | |
| Alasse that euer I Magnyfycence was named | |
| Alasse that euer I was so harde happed | |
| 1985 | In mysery and wretchydnesse thus to be lapped |
| Alasse that I coude not myselfe no better gyde | |
| Alasse in my cradell that I had not dyde. | |
| ¶Ye syr ye / leue all this rage | |
| And pray to god your sorowes to asswage | |
| 1990 | It is foly to grudge agaynst his vysytacyon. |
| With harte contryte make your supplycacyon. | |
| Unto your maker that made bothe you and me | |
| And whan it pleaseth god better may be | |
| ¶Alasse I wote not what I sholde pray. | |
| 1995 | ¶Rem[e]mbre you better syr beware what ye say Remembre] Remmbre C |
| For drede ye dysplease the hygh deyte | |
| Put your wyll to his wyll for surely it is he | |
| That may restore you agayne to felycyte | |
| And brynge you agayne out of aduersyte. | |
| 2000 | Therfore pouerte loke pacyently ye take. |
| And remembre he suffered moche more for your sake. | |
| Howe-be-it of all synne he was innocent | |
| And ye haue deserued this punysshment | |
| ref.ed: 197 | |
| ¶Alasse with colde my lymmes shall be marde | |
| 2005 | ¶Ye syr nowe must ye lerne to lye harde. |
| That was wonte to lye on fetherbeddes of downe | |
| Nowe must your fete lye hyer than your crowne. | |
| Where you were wonte to haue cawdels for your hede | |
| Nowe must you monche mamockes and lumpes of brede. | |
| 2010 | And where you had chaunges of ryche aray. |
| Nowe lap you in a couerlet full fayne that you may. | |
| And where that ye were pomped with what that ye wolde | |
| Nowe must ye suffre bothe hunger and colde. | |
| With curteyns of sylke ye were wonte to be drawe curteyns of sylke] courtely sylkes B | |
| 2015 | Nowe must ye lerne to lye on the strawe |
| Your skynne that was wrapped in shertes of raynes | |
| Nowe must ye be storm-ybeten with showres and raynes. storm-ybeten] stormy beten C | |
| Your hede that was wonte to be happed moost drowpy and drowsy. | |
| Now shal ye be scabbed scuruy and lowsy. | |
| 2020 | ¶Fye on this worlde full of trechery. |
| That euer noblenesse sholde lyue thus wretchydly. | |
| ¶Syr remembre the tourne of fortunes whele | |
| That wantonly can wynke and wynche with her hele | |
| Nowe she wyll laughe / forthwith she wyll frowne | |
| sig: [F4] | |
| 2025 | Sodenly set vp and sodenly pluckyd downe |
| She dawnsyth varyaunce with mutabylyte | |
| Nowe all in welth forthwith in pouerte | |
| In her promyse there is no sykernesse | |
| All her delyte is set in doublenesse | |
| 2030 | ¶Alas of fortune I may well complayne |
| ¶Ye syr yesterday wyll not be callyd agayne | |
| But yet syr nowe in this case | |
| Take it mekely and thanke god of his grace | |
| For nowe go I wyll begge for you some mete | |
| 2035 | It is foly agaynst god for to plete |
| I wyll walke nowe with my beggers-baggys | |
| And happe you the whyles with these homly raggys | |
| Discedendo] Difidendo C, B | |
| ref.ed: 198 | |
| A howe my lymmys be lyther and lame | |
| Better it is to begge than to be hangyd with shame | |
| 2040 | Yet many had leuer hangyd to be |
| Then for to begge theyr mete for charyte | |
| They thynke it no shame to robbe and stele | |
| Yet were they better to begge a great dele | |
| For by robbynge they rynne to / in manus tuas quecke | |
| 2045 | But beggynge is better medecyne for the necke |
| Ye mary is it / ye so mote I goo | |
| A lorde god howe the gowte wryngeth me by the too | |
| ¶O feble fortune / o doulfull destyny | |
| O hatefull happe / o carefull cruelte | |
| 2050 | O syghynge sorowe / o thoughtfull mysere |
| O rydlesse rewthe / o paynfull pouerte | |
| O dolorous herte / o harde aduersyte | |
| O odyous dystresse / o dedly payne and woo | |
| For worldly shame / I wax bothe wanne and bloo | |
| 2055 | Where is nowe my welth / and my noble estate |
| Where is nowe my treasure my landes and my rent | |
| Where is nowe all my seruauntys that I had here a_late | |
| Where is nowe my golde vpon them that I spent | |
| Where is nowe all my ryche abylement | |
| 2060 | Where is nowe my kynne my frendys and my noble blood |
| Where is nowe all my pleasure and my worldly good | |
| Alasse my foly / alasse my wanton wyll | |
| I may no more speke / tyll I haue wept my fyll | |
| ¶With ye mary syrs thus sholde it be | |
| 2065 | I kyst her swete / and she kyssyd me |
| I daunsed the darlynge on my kne | |
| I garde her gaspe / I garde her gle | |
| sig: [F4v] | |
| With daunce on the le the le | |
| I bassed that baby with harte so free | |
| ref.ed: 199 | |
| 2070 | She is the bote of all my bale |
| A / so that syghe was farre-fet | |
| To loue that louesome I wyll not let | |
| My harte is holly on her set | |
| I plucked her by the patlet | |
| 2075 | At my deuyse I with her met |
| My fansy fayrly on her I set | |
| So merely syngeth the nyghtyngale. | |
| In lust and lykynge my name is lyberte | |
| I am desyred with hyghest and lowest degre | |
| 2080 | I lyue as me lyst I lepe out at large |
| Of erthely thynge I haue no care nor charge | |
| I am presydent of prynces I prycke them with pryde. | |
| What is he lyuynge that lyberte wolde lacke. | |
| A thousande pounde with lyberte may holde no tacke. | |
| 2085 | At lyberte a man may be bolde for to brake |
| Welthe without lyberte gothe all to wrake. | |
| But yet syrs hardely one thynge lerne of me | |
| I warne you beware of to moche lyberte | |
| For totum in toto is not worth an hawe | |
| 2090 | To hardy or to moche to free of the dawe |
| To sober to sad to subtell to wyse. | |
| To mery to mad to gyglynge to nyse | |
| To full of fansyes to lordly to prowde | |
| To homly to holy to lewde and to lowde | |
| 2095 | To flatterynge to smatterynge to to out of harre |
| To claterynge to chaterynge to shorte and to farre | |
| To Iettynge to Iaggynge and to full of Iapes. | |
| To mockynge to mowynge to lyke a Iackenapes. | |
| Thus totum in toto groweth vp as ye may se | |
| 2100 | By meanes of madnesse and to moche lyberte |
| For I am a vertue yf I be well vsed | |
| And I am a vyce where I am abused. | |
| ¶A woo worthe the lyberte nowe thou sayst full trewe | |
| That I vsed the to moche sore may I rewe | |
| 2105 | ¶What a very vengeaunce I say / who is that |
| What brothell I say is yonder bounde in a mat | |
| ref.ed: 200 | |
| ¶I am Magnyfycence that somtyme thy mayster was | |
| ¶What is the worlde thus come to passe. | |
| Cockes armes syrs wyll ye not se | |
| 2110 | Howe he is vndone by the meanes of me |
| For yf measure had ruled lyberte as he began | |
| This lurden that here lyeth had ben a noble man. | |
| But he abused so his free lyberte | |
| sig: G1 | |
| That nowe he hath loste all his felycyte | |
| 2115 | Not thorowe largesse of lyberall expence |
| But by the way of fansy insolence | |
| For lyberalyte is most conuenyent | |
| A prynce to vse with all his hole intent | |
| Largely rewardynge them that haue deseruyd | |
| 2120 | And so shall a noble man nobly be seruyd |
| But nowe-adayes as huksters they hucke and they stycke | |
| And pynche at the payment of a poddynge-prycke | |
| A laudable largesse I tell you for a lorde | |
| To prate for the patchynge of a pot-sharde | |
| 2125 | Spare for the spence of a noble that his honour myght saue |
| And spende .C. s. for the pleasure of a knaue | |
| But so longe they rekyn with theyr reasons amysse they] theyr C, B | |
| That they lose theyr lyberte and all that there is | |
| ¶Alasse that euer I occupyed suche abusyon | |
| 2130 | ¶Ye for nowe it hath brought the to confusyon |
| For where I am occupyed and vsyd wylfully | |
| It can not contynew longe prosperyously | |
| As euydently in retchlesse youth ye may se | |
| Howe many come to myschefe for to moche lyberte | |
| 2135 | And some in the worlde theyr brayne is so ydyll |
| That they set theyr chyldren to rynne on the brydyll | |
| In youth to be wanton and let them haue theyr wyll | |
| and they neuer thryue in theyr age it shall not gretly skyll | |
| Some fall to foly them-selfe for to spyll | |
| 2140 | And some fall prechynge at the toure_hyll |
| Some hath so moche lyberte of one thynge and other | |
| That nother they set by father and mother | |
| Some haue so moche lyberte that they fere no synne | |
| ref.ed: 201 | |
| Tyll as ye se many tymes they shame all theyr kynne | |
| 2145 | I am so lusty to loke on so freshe and so fre |
| That nonnes wyll leue theyr holynes and ryn after me | |
| Freers with foly I make them so fayne | |
| They cast vp theyr obedyence to cache me agayne | |
| At lyberte to wander and walke ouer all | |
| 2150 | That lustely they lepe somtyme theyr cloyster wall |
| Yonder is a horson for me doth rechate | |
| A_dewe syrs for I thynke leyst that I come to late | |
| ¶O good lorde howe longe shall I indure | |
| This mysery / this carefull wrechydnesse | |
| 2155 | Of worldly welthe alasse who can be sure |
| In fortunys frendshyppe there is no stedfastnesse | |
| She hath dyssayuyd me with her doublenesse | |
| sig: [G1v] | |
| For to be wyse all men may lerne of me. | |
| In welthe to beware of herde aduersyte | |
| 2160 | ¶Ha ha ha for laughter I am lyke to brast |
| ¶Ha ha ha for sporte I am lyke to spewe and cast | |
| ¶What hast thou gotted in faythe to thy share | |
| ¶In faythe of his cofers the bottoms are bare | |
| ¶As for his plate of syluer and suche trasshe | |
| 2165 | I waraunt you I haue gyuen it a lasshe |
| ¶What / then he may drynke out of a stone cruyse. | |
| ¶With ye syr by Iesu that slayne was with Iewes | |
| He may rynse a pycher for his plate is to wed | |
| ¶In faythe and he may dreme | |
| 2170 | On a dagge-swane for ony fether-bed. |
| ¶By my trouthe we haue ryfled hym metely well. | |
| ¶Ye but thanke me therof euery dele | |
| ¶Thanke the therof in the deuyls date | |
| ¶Leue thy pratynge or els I shall lay the on the pate. | |
| 2175 | ¶Nay to wrangle I warant the it is but a stone-caste |
| ¶By the messe I shall cleue thy heed to the waste | |
| ref.ed: 202 | |
| ¶Ye wylte thou clenly cle[u]e me in the clyfte with thy nose - cleue] clene C, B | |
| ¶I shall thrust in the my dagger | |
| ¶Thorowe the legge in-to the hose | |
| 2180 | ¶Nay horson here is my gloue take it vp and thou dare. |
| ¶Torde thou arte good to be a man of warre. | |
| ¶I shall skelpe the on the skalpe / lo seest thou that. | |
| ¶What wylte thou skelpe me thou dare not loke on a gnat | |
| ¶By cockes bones I shall blysse the and thou be to bolde. | |
| 2185 | ¶Nay then thou wylte dynge the deuyll and thou be not holde |
| ¶But wottest thou horson I rede the to be wyse | |
| ¶Nowe I rede the beware / I haue warned the twyse | |
| ¶Why wenest thou that I forbere the for thyne owne sake | |
| ¶Peas or I shall wrynge thy be in a brake | |
| 2190 | ¶Holde thy hande dawe of thy dagger and stynt of thy dyn |
| Or I shal fawchyn thy flesshe and scrape the on the skyn | |
| ¶Ye wylte thou hangman I say thou cauell | |
| ¶Nay thou rude rauener rayne-beten Iauell | |
| ¶What thou colyn_cowarde knowen and tryde | |
| 2195 | ¶Nay thou false-harted dastarde thou dare not abyde. |
| ¶And yf there were none to dysplease but thou and I | |
| Thou sholde not scape horson but thou sholde dye. | |
| ¶Nay iche shall wrynge the horson on the wryst. | |
| ¶Mary I defye thy best and thy worst | |
| sig: G2 | |
| 2200 | What a very vengeaunce nede all these wordys attrib. in C, B to Crafty Conveyance |
| Go together by the heddys and gyue me your swordys | |
| 2200 | ¶So he is the worste brawler that euer was borne |
| ¶In fayth so to suffer the it is but a skorne | |
| ¶Now let vs be all one and let vs lyue in rest | |
| For we be syrs but a fewe of the best | |
| ¶By the masse man thou shall fynde me resonable | |
| ref.ed: 203 | |
| 2205 | ¶In faythe and I wyll be to reason agreable |
| ¶Then truste I to god and the holy rode. | |
| Here shalbe not great sheddynge of blode | |
| ¶By our lakyn syr not by my wyll. | |
| ¶By the fayth that I owe to god and I wyll syt styll | |
| 2210 | ¶Well sayd / but in fayth what was your quarell |
| ¶Mary syr this gentylman caled me Iauell | |
| ¶Nay by saynt Mary it was ye called me knaue. | |
| ¶Mary so vngoodly langage you me gaue | |
| ¶A shall we haue more of this maters yet | |
| 2215 | Me-thynke ye are not gretly acomberyd wyth wyt |
| ¶Goddys fote I warant you I am a gentylman borne | |
| And thus to be facyd I thynke it great skorne | |
| ¶I can not well tell of your dysposycyons | |
| And ye be a gentylman ye haue knauys condycyons | |
| 2220 | ¶By god I tell you I wyll not be out_facyd |
| ¶By the masse I warant the I wyll not be bracyd | |
| ¶Tushe tushe it is a great defaute. | |
| The one of you is to proude / the other is to haute | |
| Tell me brefly where-vpon ye began | |
| 2225 | ¶Mary syr he sayd that he was the pratyer man |
| Then I was in opynynge of lockys | |
| And I tell you I dysdayne moche of his mockys | |
| ¶Thou sawe neuer yet but I dyd my parte | |
| The locke of a caskyt to make to starte | |
| 2230 | ¶Nay I know well Inough ye are bothe well-handyd |
| To grope a gardeuyaunce though it be well bandyd | |
| ¶I am the better yet in a bowget | |
| ¶And I the better in a male | |
| ¶Tushe these maters that ye moue are but soppys in ale | |
| Your trymynge and tramynge by me must be tangyd | |
| 2235 | For had I not bene ye bothe had bene hangyd |
| When we with magnyfycence goodys made cheuysaunce | |
| ¶And therfore our lorde sende you a very wengaunce | |
| ¶What begger art thou that thus doth banne and wary | |
| ¶Ye be the theuys I say / away my goodys dyd cary | |
| 2240 | ¶Cockys bonys thou begger what is thy name |
| ref.ed: 204 | |
| ¶Magnyfycence I was whom ye haue brought to shame | |
| sig: [G2v] | |
| ¶Ye but trowe you syrs that this is he | |
| ¶Go we nere and let vs se | |
| ¶By cockys bonys it is the same | |
| 2245 | ¶Alasse alasse syrs ye are to blame |
| I was your mayster though ye thynke it skorne | |
| And nowe on me ye gaure and sporne | |
| ¶Ly styll ly styll nowe with yll hayle | |
| ¶Ye for thy langage can not the auayle | |
| 2250 | ¶Abyde syr abyde I shall make hym to pysse |
| ¶Nowe gyue me somwhat for god sake I craue | |
| ¶In faythe I gyue the four quarters of a knaue | |
| ¶In faythe and I bequethe hym the tothe-ake | |
| ¶And I bequethe hym the bone-ake | |
| 2255 | ¶And I bequethe hym the gowte and the gyn |
| ¶And I bequethe hym sorowe for his syn | |
| ¶And I gyue hym crystys curse / C lineates with following line | |
| Wt neuer a peny in his purse | |
| ¶And I gyue hym the cowghe the murre and the pose | |
| 2260 | ¶Ye for requiem eternam groweth forth of his nose |
| But nowe let vs make mery and good chere | |
| ¶And to the tauerne let vs drawe nere | |
| ¶And from thens to the halfe strete | |
| To get vs there some freshe mete | |
| 2265 | ¶Why is there any store of rawe motton |
| ¶Ye in faythe or ellys thou arte to great a glotton | |
| ¶But they say it is a queysy mete | |
| It wyll stryke a man myscheuously in a hete | |
| ¶In fay man some rybbys of the motton be so ranke | |
| 2270 | That they wyll fyre one vngracyously in the flanke |
| ¶Ye and when ye come out of the shoppe | |
| Ye shall be clappyd with a coloppe clappyd] clapppyd C | |
| That wyll make you to halt and to hoppe | |
| ¶Som be wrestyd there that they thynke on it f[or]ty dayes forty] froty C | |
| 2275 | For there be horys there at all assayes |
| ¶For the passyon of god let vs go thyther | |
| ref.ed: 205 | |
| ¶Alas myn owne seruauntys to shew me such reproche | |
| Thus to rebuke me and haue me in dyspyght | |
| So shamfully to me theyr mayster to aproche | |
| 2280 | That somtyme was a noble prynce of myght |
| Alasse To lyue longer I haue no delyght | |
| For to lyue in mysery it is herder than dethe | |
| I am wery of the worlde / for vnkyndnesse me sleeth | |
| ¶Dyspare is my name that aduersyte dothe f[o]lowe folowe] felowe C, B, Daligned with previous line | |
| sig: G3 | |
| 2285 | In tyme of dystresse I am redy at hande |
| I make heuy hertys with eyen full holowe | |
| Of faruent charyte I quenche out the bronde | |
| Faythe and good hope I make asyde to stonde | |
| In goddys mercy I tell them is but foly to truste | |
| 2290 | All grace and pyte I lay in the duste |
| What lyest thou there lyngrynge lewdly and lothsome | |
| It is to late nowe thy synnys to repent | |
| Yu hast bene so waywarde so wranglyng and so wrothsome | |
| And so fer thou arte behynde of thy rent | |
| 2295 | And so vngracyously thy dayes thou hast spent |
| That thou arte not worthy to loke god in the face | |
| ¶Nay nay man I loke neuer to haue parte of his grace | |
| For I haue so vngracyously my lyfe mysusyd | |
| Though I aske mercy I must nedys be refusyd | |
| 2300 | ¶No no for thy synnys be so excedynge farre |
| So innumerable and so full of dyspyte | |
| And agayne thy maker thou hast made suche warre | |
| That thou canst not haue neuer mercy in his syght | |
| ¶Alasse my wyckydnesse that may I wyte | |
| 2305 | But nowe I se well there is no better rede |
| But sygh and sorowe and wysshe my-selfe dede | |
| ¶Ye ryd thy-selfe rather than this lyfe for to lede | |
| The worlde waxyth wery of the / thou lyuest to longe | |
| ¶And I myschefe am comyn at nede | |
| 2310 | Out of thy lyfe the for to lede |
| ref.ed: 206 | |
| And loke that it be not longe | |
| Or that thy-selfe thou go honge | |
| With this halter good and stronge | |
| Or ellys with this knyfe cut out a tonge | |
| 2315 | Of thy throte-bole and ryd the out of payne |
| Thou arte not the fyrst hymselfe hath slayne | |
| Lo here is thy knyfe and a halter and or we go ferther | |
| Spare not thy-selfe but boldly the murder | |
| ¶Ye haue done at ones without delay | |
| 2320 | ¶Shall I my-selfe hange with an halter? nay |
| Nay rather wyll I chose to ryd me of this lyue | |
| In styckynge my-selfe with this fayre knyfe | |
| Alarum alarum to longe we abyde attrib. in C, B, D to Magnificence | |
| sig: [G3v] | |
| ¶Out harowe hyll burneth where shall I me hyde. | |
| gladium] gladio C, B, D | |
| 2325 | ¶Alas dere sone sore combred is thy mynde |
| Thyselfe that thou wolde sloo agaynst nature and kynde. | |
| ¶A blessyd may ye be syr / what shall I you call | |
| ¶Good_hope syr my name is remedy pryncypall | |
| Agaynst all [s]autes of your goostly foo sautes] fautes C, B, D | |
| 2330 | Who knoweth me / hymselfe may neuer sloo |
| ¶Alas syr so I am lapped in aduersyte | |
| That dyspayre well nyghe had myscheued me | |
| For had ye not the soner ben my refuge | |
| Of dampnacyon I had ben drawen in the luge. | |
| 2335 | ¶Undoubted ye had lost yourselfe eternally |
| There is no man may synne more mortally. | |
| Than of wanhope thrughe the vnhappy wayes | |
| By myschefe to breuyate and shorten his dayes | |
| But my good sonne lerne from dyspayre to flee. | |
| 2340 | Wynde you from wanhope and aquaynte you with me. |
| A grete mysaduenture thy maker to dysplease | |
| Thyselfe myscheuynge to thyne endlesse dysease | |
| ref.ed: 207 | |
| There was neuer so harde a storme of mysery. | |
| But thrughe good hope there may come remedy | |
| 2345 | ¶Your wordes be more sweter than ony precyous narde |
| They molefy so easely my harte that was so harde. | |
| There is no bawme ne gumme of arabe | |
| More delectable than your langage to me | |
| ¶Syr your fesycyan is the grace of god | |
| 2350 | That you hath punysshed with his sharpe rod. |
| Good_hope your potecary assygned am I | |
| That goddes grace hath vexed you sharply | |
| And payned you with a purgacyon of odyous pouerte | |
| Myxed with bytter alowes of herde aduersyte | |
| 2355 | Nowe must I make you a lectuary softe. |
| I to mynyster it / you to receyue it ofte. | |
| With rubarbe of repentaunce in you for to rest. | |
| With drammes of deuocyon your dyet must be drest | |
| With gommes goostly of glad herte and mynde. | |
| 2360 | To thanke god of his sonde and comforte ye shal fynde. |
| Put fro you presumpcyon and admyt humylyte | |
| And hartely thanke god of your aduersyte | |
| And loue that lorde that for your loue was dede. | |
| Wounded from the fote to the crowne of the hede | |
| sig: [G4] | |
| 2365 | For who loueth god can ayle nothynge but good |
| He may helpe you / he may mende your mode | |
| Prosperyte [by] hym is gyuen solacyusly to man by] to C, B | |
| Aduersyte to hym therwith nowe and than | |
| Helthe of body his besynesse to acheue | |
| 2370 | Dysease and sekenesse his conscyence to dyscryue |
| Afflyccyon and trouble to proue his pacyence | |
| Contradyccyon to proue his sapyence | |
| Grace of assystence his measure to declare | |
| Somtyme to fall another tyme to beware | |
| 2375 | And nowe ye haue had syr a wonderous fall |
| To lerne you hereafter for to beware withall | |
| Howe say you syr can ye these wordys grope. | |
| ¶Ye syr now am I armyd with good hope | |
| And sore I repent me of my wylfulnesse | |
| 2380 | I aske god mercy of my neglyge[sse] neglygesse] neglygence C, B |
| ref.ed: 208 | |
| Under good hope endurynge euer styll | |
| Me humbly commyttynge vnto goddys wyll | |
| ¶Then shall you be sone delyuered from dystresse | |
| For nowe I se comynge to youwarde redresse | |
| 2385 | ¶Cryst be amonge you and the holy goste |
| ¶He be your conducte the lorde of myghtys moste | |
| ¶Syr is your pacyent any-thynge amendyd | |
| ¶Ye syr he is sory for that he hath offendyd | |
| ¶How fele you your-selfe my frend how is your mynde | |
| 2390 | ¶A wrechyd man syr to my maker vnkynde |
| ¶Ye but haue ye repentyd you with harte contryte | |
| ¶Syr the repentaunce I haue no man can wryte | |
| ¶And haue ye banyshed from you all dyspare | |
| ¶Ye holly to good hope I haue made my repare | |
| 2395 | ¶Questyonlesse he doth me assure |
| In good hope alway for to indure | |
| ¶Than stande vp syr in goddys name | |
| And I truste to ratyfye and amende your fame. | |
| Good_hope I pray you with harty affeccyon | |
| 2400 | To sende ouer to me sad_cyrcumspeccyon |
| ¶Syr your requeste shall not be delayed. | |
| ¶Now surely magnyfycence I am ryght well apayed | |
| Of that I se you nowe in the state of grace | |
| Nowe shall ye be renewyd with solace | |
| 2405 | Take nowe vpon you this abylyment |
| And to that I say gyue good aduysement | |
| ¶To your requeste I shall be confyrmable | |
| sig: [G4v] | |
| ¶Fyrst I saye with mynde fyrme and stable. direction absent in C, B | |
| Determyne to amende all your wanton excesse | |
| 2410 | And be ruled by me whiche am called redresse |
| Redresse my name is that lytell am I vsed. | |
| As the worlde requyreth but rather I am refused. | |
| Redresse sholde be at the rekenynge in euery accompte | |
| And specyally to redresse that were out of ioynte. | |
| ref.ed: 209 | |
| 2415 | Full many thynges there be that lacketh redresse |
| The whiche were to longe nowe to expresse | |
| But redresse is redlesse and may do no correccyon | |
| Nowe welcome forsoth sad_cyrcumspeccyon. | |
| ¶Syr after your message I hyed me hyder streyght. | |
| 2420 | For to vnderstande your pleasure and also your mynde |
| ¶Syr to accompte you the contynewe of my consayte. | |
| Is from aduersyte Magnyfycence to vnbynde | |
| ¶How fortuned you magnyfycence so far to fal behynde | |
| ¶Syr the longe absence of you sad_cyrcumspeccyon | |
| 2425 | Caused me of aduersyte to fall in subieccyon. |
| ¶All that he sayth of trouthe dothe procede | |
| For where sad cyrcumspeccyon is longe out of the way | |
| Of aduersyte it is to stande in drede. | |
| ¶Without fayle syr that is no nay. | |
| 2430 | Cyrcumspeccyon inhateth all rennynge a_stray |
| But syr by me to rule fyrst ye began | |
| ¶My wylfulnesse syr excuse I ne can | |
| ¶Then ye [of foly in tymes past you repent] of foly in tymes past you repent] repent you of foly in tymes past C, B | |
| ¶Sothely to repent me I haue grete cause | |
| 2435 | Howe-be-it from you I receyued a letter [sent] sent] C, B omit |
| Whiche conteyned in it a specyall clause. | |
| That I sholde vse largesse | |
| ¶Nay syr there a pause | |
| ¶Yet let vs se this matter thorowly ingrosed | |
| ¶Syr this letter ye sent to me at pountes was enclosed | |
| 2440 | ¶Who brought you that letter / wote ye what he hyght. |
| ¶Largesse syr by his credence was his name | |
| ¶This letter ye speke of neuer dyd I wryte | |
| ¶To gyue so hasty credence ye were moche to blame | |
| ¶Truth it is syr / for after he wrought me moch shame | |
| 2445 | And caused me also to vse to moche lyberte |
| And made also mesure to be put fro me. | |
| ref.ed: 210 | |
| ¶Then welthe with you myght in no wyse abyde | |
| ¶A ha fansy and foly met with you I trowe | |
| ¶It wolde be founde so yf it were well tryde | |
| sig: H1 | |
| 2450 | ¶Surely my welthe with them was ouer-throw |
| ¶Remembre you therfore howe late ye were low | |
| ¶Ye and beware of vnhappy abusyon | |
| ¶And kepe you from counterfaytynge of clokyd colusyon | |
| ¶Syr in good hope I am to amende | |
| 2455 | ¶Use not then your countenaunce for to counterfet |
| ¶And from crafters and hafters I you forfende | |
| ¶Well syr after your counsell my mynde I wyll set | |
| ¶What brother perceueraunce surely well met | |
| ¶Ye com hether as well as can be thought | |
| 2460 | ¶I herde say that aduersyte with magnyfycence had fought |
| ¶Ye syr with aduersyte I haue bene vexyd | |
| But good hope and redresse hath mendyd myne estate | |
| And sad cyrcumspeccyon to me they haue a[nn]exyd annexyd] amexyd C | |
| [..........................................]line dropped out in C, B | |
| 2465 | ¶What this man hath sayd / perceyue ye his sentence |
| ¶Ye syr from hym my corage shall neuer flyt | |
| [..........................................]line dropped out in C, B | |
| [..........................................]line dropped out in C, B | |
| [..........................................]line dropped out in C, B | |
| 2470 | ¶Accordynge to treuth they be well deuysyd |
| ¶Syrs I am agreed to abyde your ordenaunce | |
| Faythfull assuraunce with good peraduertaunce Faythfull] Faythfully C, B | |
| ¶Yf you be so myndyd we be ryght glad | |
| ¶And ye shall haue more worshyp then euer ye had | |
| 2475 | ¶Well I perceyue in you there is moche sadnesse |
| Grauyte of counsell prouydence and wyt | |
| Your comfortable aduyse and wyt excedyth all gladnesse | |
| ref.ed: 211 | |
| But frendly I wyll refrayne you ferther or we flyt | |
| Whereto were most metely my corage to knyt | |
| 2480 | Your myndys I beseche you here-in to expresse |
| Commensynge this processe at mayster redresse | |
| ¶Syth vnto me formest this processe is erectyd | |
| Herein I wyll a_forse me to shewe you my mynde | |
| Fyrst from your magnyfycence syn must be abiectyd | |
| 2485 | In all your warkys more grace shall ye fynde |
| Be gentyll then of corage and lerne to be kynde | |
| For of noblenesse the chefe poynt is to be lyberall | |
| So that your largesse be not to prodygall | |
| ¶Lyberte to a lorde belongyth of ryght | |
| 2490 | But wylfull waywardnesse muste walke out of the way |
| Measure of your lustys must haue the ouer-syght | |
| And not all the nygarde nor the chyncherde to play | |
| Let neuer negarshyp your noblenesse affray | |
| In your rewardys vse suche moderacyon | |
| 2495 | That nothynge be gyuen without consyderacyon |
| ¶To the increse of your honour then arme you with ryght | |
| And fumously adresse you with magnanymyte | |
| And euer let the drede of god be in your syght | |
| sig: [H1v] | |
| And knowe your-selfe mortall for all your dygnyte | |
| 2500 | [..........................................]line dropped out in C, B |
| Set not all your affyaunce in fortune full of gyle | |
| Remember this lyfe lastyth but a whyle | |
| ¶Redresse in my remembraunce your lesson shall rest | |
| ref.ed: 212 | |
| And sad_cyrcumspeccyon I marke in my mynde | |
| 2505 | But perseueraunce me semyth your probleme was best |
| I shall it neuer forget nor leue it behynde | |
| But hooly to perseueraunce my-selfe I wyll bynde | |
| Of that I haue mysdone to make a redresse | |
| And with sad cyrcumspeccyon correcte my vantonnesse | |
| 2510 | ¶Unto this processe brefly compylyd |
| Comprehendynge the worlde casuall and transytory | |
| Who lyst to consyder shall neuer be begylyd | |
| Yf it be regystryd well in memory | |
| A playne example of worldly vaynglory | |
| 2515 | Howe in this worlde there is no seke[r]nesse sekernesse] sekenesse C, B |
| But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse | |
| Nowe well / nowe wo / nowe hy / nowe lawe degre | |
| Nowe ryche / nowe pore / nowe hole / nowe in dysease | |
| Nowe pleasure at large / Nowe in captyuyte | |
| 2520 | Nowe leue / nowe lothe / now please / nowe dysplease |
| Now ebbe / now flowe / nowe increase / now dyscrease | |
| So in this worlde there is no sykernesse | |
| But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse | |
| ¶A myrrour incleryd is this interlude | |
| 2525 | This lyfe inconstant for to beholde and se |
| Sodenly auaunsyd / and sodenly subdude | |
| Sodenly ryches / and sodenly pouerte | |
| Sodenly comfort / and sodenly aduersyte | |
| Sodenly thus fortune can bothe smyle and frowne | |
| 2530 | Sodenly set vp / and sodenly cast downe |
| Sodenly promotyd / and sodenly put backe | |
| Sodenly cherysshyd / and sodenly cast asyde | |
| ref.ed: 213 | |
| Sodenly commendyd / and sodenly fynde a lacke | |
| Sodenly grauntyd / and sodenly denyed | |
| 2535 | Sodenly hyd / and sodenly spyed |
| Sodenly thus fortune can bothe smyle and frowne | |
| Sodenly set vp and sodenly cast downe | |
| ¶This treatyse deuysyd to make you dysporte | |
| Shewyth nowe-adayes howe the worlde comberyd is | |
| 2540 | To the pythe of the mater who lyst to resorte |
| To_day it is well / to_morowe it is all amysse | |
| To_day in delyte / to_morowe bare of blysse | |
| To_day a lorde / to_morowe ly in the duste | |
| Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste | |
| 2545 | To_day fayre wether / to_morowe a stormy rage |
| sig: [H2] | |
| To_day hote / to_morowe outragyous colde | |
| To_day a yoman / to_morowe made of page | |
| To_day in surety / to_morowe bought and solde | |
| To_day maysterfest / to_morowe he hath no holde | |
| 2550 | To_day a man / to_morowe he lyeth in the duste |
| Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste | |
| ¶This mater we haue mouyd you myrthys to make | |
| Precely purposyd vnder pretence of play | |
| Shewyth wysdome to them that wysdome can take | |
| 2555 | Howe sodenly worldly welth dothe dekay |
| How wysdom thorowe wantonnesse vanysshyth away | |
| How none estate lyuynge of hymselfe can be sure | |
| For the welthe of this worlde can not indure | |
| Of the terestre [t]rechery we fall in the flode trechery] rechery C, B | |
| 2560 | Beten with stormys of many a frowarde blast |
| Ensor[b]yd with the wawys sauage and wode Ensorbyd] Ensordyd C, B | |
| Without our shyppe be sure it is lykely to brast | |
| Yet of magnyfycence oft made is the mast | |
| ref.ed: 214 | |
| Thus none estate lyuynge of hym[selfe] can be sure hymselfe] hym C, B | |
| 2565 | For the welthe of this worlde can not indure |
| ¶Nowe semyth vs syttynge that ye then resorte | |
| Home to your paleys with Ioy and ryalte | |
| ¶Where euery-thyng is ordenyd after your noble porte | |
| ¶There to indeuer with all felycyte | |
| 2570 | ¶I am content my frendys that it so be |
| ¶And ye that haue harde this dysporte and game | |
| Ihesus preserue you frome endlesse wo and shame | |
| AMEN. | |
|
¶These be the names of the players. |
|
| Felycyte. Lyberte. Measure. Magnyfycence Fansy. Counterfet_counte. Crafty_conueyaunce. Clokyd_colusyon. The list below is set in a column adjacent to the one above in C Courtly_abusyon. Foly. Aduersyte. Pouerte. Dyspare. Myschefe. Good_hope. Redresse. Cyrcumspeccyon Perseueraunce. | |
| ¶Cum priuilegio. | |