The Highway to the Spittlehouse

sig: [A1]

¶The hye-way to the Spyttell hous.

¶Who-so hath lust, or wyll leaue his thryft

And wyll fynd no better way nor shyft

Come this hye-way, here to seke some rest

For it is ordeyned for eche vnthrifty gest.

sig: [A1v]

¶Prologue of Robert_Copland compyler and prynter of this boke.

TO dyspyse poore folke is not my appetite

Nor suche as lyue / of veray almesdede

But myn intent is onely for to wryte

The mysery of suche as lyue in nede

And all theyr lyfe in ydlenesse dooth lede

Wherby dooth sue suche inconuenyence

That they must ende in meschaunt indygence

¶Chryst in this worlde ryght pouerte dyde sue

Gyuyng vs example to folowe that degre

Sayng / beati pauperes spiritu

Beati mites / beati mundo corde

Blyssed be they that poore in spyryte be

And ben clene in herte / and meke therwith-all

For they shall possede the realme celestyall

¶They be not poore that haue necessyte

[If that they thynke that they haue competent]

Nor they be not ryche that haue grete plente

[Except therwith they ben ryght well content] In 1536 this line is transposed with line 16.

And euer pleased with that god hath them sent

For surely it is our lordes ordynaunce

That eche sholde be pleased with suffysaunce

¶That man that hath more than suffycyent

With goodes at wyll / and dayly d[o]th encrease doth] dyth 1536

And euer is bare / hungry and indygent

Scrapynge / and snudgynge / without ony cease snudgynge ='being miserly, stingy'

Euer coueytynge the mynde hath no pease

But lyueth by rapyne and vsury

And careth not how he cometh therby

sig: A2

¶Eke in dystres / doyng no benyfyte

Letyng the poore / dye in great mysery

His neyghbour in pryson / dooth not vysyte

Nor yet forgyue / small parcell of duety

Wery traueylers / in the stretes let ly

The deed bodyes / without ony buryall

His goodes / his god / a man may full well call

¶Of suche ryche men recyteth the gospell

Makyng lykenes of impossybylyte

Sayeng that more [e]asyly a great Camell easyly] casyly 1536

May passe and go through a nedyls eye

Than a ryche man in heuen for to be

For who-so mysvseth that god hath hym sent

With cursed Diues in hell shalbe brent.

¶These trewant beggers begging fro place to place

Nor yet these nedy of all maner facyon

These apprentyces that do renne from all grace

These hyred seruaunts that kepe no condycion

Nor all that feyne parfyt deuocyon

Nor many other lyuyng in nede couert

Though they lacke good / be not poore of hert.

¶Se ye not dayly of all maner estate

How in the lawe they trauers and coniect trauers and coniect ='dispute and plot'

How neyghbours do fall at anger and debate

Twene man [and] wyfe eke the lyfe imperfect and] 1536 omits

The father and chyld from quyetnes abiect

And all for good / they make eche other smart

Which is a sygne they be not poore of hart.

sig: [A2v]

¶If that our prynce do aske a subsedy

From our ennemyes vs to defend

Or yf our credytours demaund theyr duety

To confesse pouerte than we do pretend

But yf our neyghbour in ought vs offend

Than we fynd money to play ouerthwart

Which is a token we be not poore at hart

¶How many poore that haue lytell in store

Is content with his small substaunce

But euer they grudge and wysh for more

To be promoted and haue furtheraunce

The very beggers for theyr pytaunce

From bag and staffe are lothe for to depart

Which is a token they be not poore at hart

¶Of these two estates there be four degrees

A ryche ryche, a poore poore / a ryche poore also

A poore ryche in all necessytees

The two can agre / but the other no

A proud hert / a beggers purs therto

The ryche purs / and the poore spyryt

May well agre / and be in one parfyt.

¶Exhortacion of the compyler.

¶I pray all you, which haue ynough with grace

For the loue of god, to do your charyte

And fro the poore, neuer turne your face

For Chryst sayth, what-euer that he be

That to the least of myne, dooth in the name of me

Unto my-self, I do accept the dede

And for rewarde my realme they shall possede.

¶Finis.

sig: A3

¶Here begynneth the casualyte casualyte ='unfortunate occurrence'

Of the entraunce in-to hospytalyte

TO wryte of Sol in his exaltacyon

Of his solstyce or declynacyon

Or in what sygne, planet, or degre

As he in course is vsed for to be

Scorpio, pisces, or sagyttary

Or whan the moone her way dooth contrary

Or her eclypse / her wane / or yet her full

It were but lost / for blockysh braynes dull

But playnly to say / euen as the tyme was

About a fourtenyght after Halowmas

I chaunced to come by a certayn spyttell

Where I thought best to tary a lyttell

And vnder the porche for to take socour

To byde the passyng of a stormy shour

For it had snowen and frosen very strong

With great ysesycles on the eues long

The sharp north wynd hurled bytterly

sig: [A3v]

And with blacke cloudes / darked was the sky

Lyke as in wynter / some days be naturall

With frost and rayne / and stormes ouer-all

So styll I stode / as chaunced to be

The porter of the hous / stode also by me

With whome I reasoned of many dyuers thynges

Touchyng the cours of all suche wetherynges

And as we talked / there gat[h]ered at the gate gathered] gatered 1536

People as me-thought / of very poore estate

With bag and staf / both croked / lame / and blynde

Scabby and scuruy / pocke-eaten flesh and rynde

Lowsy and scalde / and pylled lyke as apes

With scantly a rag / for to couer theyr shapes

Brecheles / bare-foted / all stynkyng with dyrt

With .M. of tatters / drabblyng to the skyrt

Boyes / gyrles / and luskysh strong knaues

Dydderyng and dadderyng / leaning on their staues

Sayng good mayster / for your moders blyssyng

Gyue vs a halfpeny / toward our lodgyng

The porter sayd what nede you to craue

That in the spyttell shall your lodgyng haue

Ye shall be entreated / as ye ought to be

For I am charged / that dayly to se

The systers shall do theyr obseruaunce

As of the hous is the due ordynaunce.

¶Copland.

¶Porter sayd I / gods blyssyng and our lady

Haue ye for spekyng so curteysly

To these poore folke / and god his soule pardon

That for theyr sake / made this foundacyon

But syr I pray you / do ye lodge them all

That do aske lodgyng in this hospytall?

¶Porter.

sig: [A4]

¶Forsoth yea / we do all suche folke in take

That do aske lodgyng for our lordes sake

And in-dede it is our custome and vse

Somtyme to take in / and some to refuse.

¶Copland.

¶Than is it comyn to euery wyght

How they lyue all day, to lye here at nyght

As losels / myghty beggers / and vacabonds

And trewands that walke ouer the londs

Mychers, hedgecrepers, / fylloks and luskes fylloks ='wanton young girls'; luskes ='idlers'

That all the somer kepe dyches and buskes

Lewtryng and wandryng fro place to place

And wyll not work / but the bypaths trace

And lyue with Haws, and hunt the blakbery

And with hedge-brekyng make themself mery

But in the wynter they draw to the towne

And wyll do nothyng / but go vp and down

And all for lodgyng that they haue here by nyght

Me-thynk that therin ye do no ryght

Nor all suche places of hospytalyte

To confort people of suche iniquyte.

But syr I pray you of your goodnes and fauour

Tell me whiche ye leaue / and which ye do do socour?

For I haue sene at sondry hospytalles

That many haue lyen dead without the walles

And for lacke of socour haue dyed wretchedly

Unto your foundacyon / I thynke contrary

Moche people resorte here / and haue lodgyng

But yet I maruell greatly of one thyng

That in the nyght so many lodge without?

For in the watche whan that we go about

Under the stalles /, in porches and in doores

sig: [A4v]

I [wote] not whither they be theues or hoores Upper margin trimmed.

But surely euery nyght there is found

One or other lyeng by the pound

In the shepe-cootes / or in the hey-loft

And at saynt Barthylmews chyrch-doore full oft

And euen here alway by this brycke wall

We do them fynd, that do bothe chyde and brall

And lyke as beastes / togyder they be throng

Bothe lame and seke / and hole them among

But in many corners where that we go

Wherof I wondre greatly why they do so

But oftymes whan that they vs se

They do renne a great deale faster than we.

¶Porter.

¶Suche folkes be they that we do abiect

We are not bound to haue to them aspect

Those be mychers, that lyue in trewandyse,

Hospytalyte dooth them alway despyse.

¶Copland.

¶Syr I pray you, who hath of you relefe?

¶Porter.

¶Forsoth they that be at suche myschefe

That for theyr lyuyng can do no labour

100

And haue no frendes to do them socour

As old people / seke / and impotent

Poore women in chyldbed haue here easement

Weyke men sore wounded by great vyolence

And sore men eaten with pockes and pestylence

105

And honest folke fallen in great pouerte

By myschaunce or other infyrmyte

Way-faryng men, and maymed souldyours

Haue theyr relyef in this poore hous of ours poore hous: poorhouse is first attested as a compound in 1782; see OED s.v. poorhouse.

sig: B1

And all other which we seme good and playne

110

Haue here lodgyng for a nyght or twayne

Bedred folke / and suche as can not craue

In these places / moost relyef they haue

And yf they hap / within our place to dye

Than are they buryed / well and honestly

115

But not euery vnseke stoborne knaue

For than we shold ouer-many haue.

¶Copland.

¶How say you by these comyn beggers that crye

Dayly on the worlde / and in the hye-wayes lye

At Westmynster / and at saynt_Poules

120

And in all stretes they syt as desolate soules

Me-thynke it i[s] a very well done dede it is] it it 1536

With deuocyon suche people to fede

¶Porter.

¶Where ony gyueth almesse with good entent

The rewarde can not be no-wyse mysspent

¶Copland.

125

¶Ye but syr I wyll not lye by my soule

As I walked to the chyrche of saynt_Poule

There sate beggers: on eche syde the way two

As is seen dayly, they be wont to do

Syr one there was a myghty stoburne slaue

130

That for the other began to beg and craue

Now mayster, in the way of your good spede

To vs all four / behold where it is nede

And make this farthyng worth a halfpeny

For the fyue ioyes of our blyssed lady

135

Now turne agayn for saynt Erasmus sake

And on my bare knees here a vowe I make

Our ladyes psalter thre tymes euen now

sig: [B1v]

Now turne agayn / as god shall turne to you

Now mayster, do that no man dyd this day

140

On yone poore wretch / that rotte[t]h in the way rotteth] rotteh 1536

Now mayster for hym that dyed on tre

Lete vs not dye for lacke of charyte

Thus he prated / as he full well can

Tyll at last an honest seruyng-man

145

Came by the way / and by compassyon

Of his wordes / dyd his deuocyon

Whan he was gone a lytell fro thens

I sawe the begger pull out .xi. pens

Sayeng to his felaws. se what here is

150

Many a knaue haue I called mayster for this

Lete vs go dyne / this is a symple day symple ='ordinary, not festival'; see OED s.v. simple adj, 6c.

My mayster therwith shall I scantly pay

Come these folkes hyther good mayster porter?

¶Porter.

¶No in sothe / this hous is of no such supporter

155

They haue houses / and kepe full yll gestyng

And to them resorte all the hole ofspryng

In the Berbycan / and in Turnmyll_strete

In Houndesdyche / and behynd the Flete

And in twenty places mo than there

160

Where they make reuell and gaudy chere

With fyll the pot fyll / go fyll me the can

Here is my peny / I am a gentylman

And there they byb / and fyll as dooth a gull

And whan that they haue theyr heades full

165

Than they fall out / and make reuylyng

And in this wyse make the dronken rekenyng

Thou beggerly knaue, bag nor staf hast thou none

But as I am fayne dayly to lend the one

sig: B2

Thou getest it no more / though it lye and rote

170

Nor my long cloke / nor my new-patched cote

This rule make they / euery day and nyght

Tyll lyke as swyne they lye slepyng vpryght

Some beggerly churles to whome they resorte

Be the maynteners of a great sorte

175

Of myghty lubbers / and haue them in seruyce

Some iourney-men / and some to theyr prentyce

And they walke to eche market and fayre

And to all places where folke do repayre

By day on styltes / or stoupyng on crowchis

180

And so dyssymule as fals lewtryng slowches

With bloody clowtes all about theyr legge

And playsters on theyr skyn whan they go beg

Some countrefayt lepry / and other some

Put sope in theyr mouth to make it scomme

185

And fall dow[n]e as saynt Cornelys euyll

These dysceyts they vse wors than eny deuyll

And whan they be in theyr owne company

They be as hole as eyther you or I

But at the last / whan sekenes cometh in-dede

190

Than to the spyttell-hous must they come nede

¶Copland.

¶Ah Iesu mercy / what man coud coniect coniect ='conjecture'

The mysery of suche a wretched sect

None honest man, but yet I you hertyly pray

Tell me of other that come th[is] way this] these 1536

195

Come here ony of these maysterles men

That euery-where do go and ren

That haue serued the kyng beyond the se

And now that they out of wages be

They must beg or els go brybe and steale

sig: [B2v]

200

Me-thynk it is a great soule-heale

To help them tyll they were pouruayd

In-to some seruyce for yf they were arayd

Some of them were propre men and tall

And able to go whyther they shall

¶Porter.

205

¶That is trouth, but they vse one yll thyng

For they do were soudyers clothyng

And so beggyng deceyue folke ouer-all

For they be vacabondes moost in generall

And wyll abyde no laborous subiection

210

With honest persones vnder correction

For whan they be wery they wyll renne away

And parchaunce cary with them what they may

And so whan a man wold bryng them to thryft

They wyll hym rob / and fro his good hym lyft.

¶Copland.

215

¶Though some so do / they do not all so

For some myght chaunce well as many one do.

¶Porter.

¶That is true / but it hath ben seen long agone

That many haue fared the wors for one

And of these be two sortes moost comynly

220

The one of them lyueth by open beggery

Ragged and lowsy with bag / dysh / and staf

And euer haunteth among such ryf-raf

One tyme to this spyttell, another to that

Prolyng and pochyng to get somwhat Prolyng: =prowling; pochyng: =poaching, 'intruding'; see OED s.v. poach v2, 2b, where this example is cited.

225

At euery doore / lumpes of bread or meat

For yf the staf in his hand ones catche heat

Than farwell labour / and hath suche delyte

That thryft and honesty fro hym is quyte

sig: B3

And in suche mysery they lyue day by day

230

That of very nede they must come this way

¶Copland.

¶Of the other now / what is theyr estate

¶Porter.

¶By my fayth nyghtyngales of newgate

These ben they that dayly walkes and Iettes

In theyr hose trussed rounde to theyr dowblettes

235

And say / good maysters of your charyte

Helpe vs poore men that come from the se

From the Bonauenture we were cast to lande

God it knowes as poorly as we stande

And somtyme they say that they were take in Fraunce

240

And had ben there .vii. yeres in duraunce

In Muttrell / in Brest / in Tourney or Tyrwyn

In Morlays / in Cleremount or in Redyn

And to theyr countrees they haue ferre to gone

And amonge them all peny haue they none

245

Now good mennes bodyes wyll they say then

For goddes sake helpe to kepe vs true men

Or elles they say they haue in pryson be

In newgat / the kynges benche or marchalse

As many true men take by suspecyon

250

And were quitte / by proclamacyon

And yf ony axe what countrey-men they be

And lyke your maystershyp / of the north all thre

Or of Chesshyre / or elles nygh Cornewale

Or where they lyst for to gabbe and rayle

255

And may parchaunce the one is of London

The other of yorke / and the thyrde of Hampton

And thus they lewter in euery way and strete

In townes and chyrches where-as people mete

sig: [B3v]

In lanes and patthes / and at eche crosse-way crosse-way] crosse / way 1536

260

There do they prate / bable lye and praye

But yf ye be clenly and haply come alone

Your purce and clothynge may fortune to be gone

But at no dore for brede / drynke / nor potage

Nor scoules of meat / nor no suche bagage scoules ='strong, shallow baskets'; see OED s.v. skull n2.

265

They none desyre / to put in bagge nor male

But very whyte threde / to sewe good ale

And whan they haue goten what they may

Than to theyr lodgynge / they do take theyr way

In-to some aley / lane / or blynde hostry

270

And to some corner or hous of bawdry

Whereas ben folke of theyr affynyte

Brothelles / and other suche as they be

And there they mete / and make theyr gaudy chere

And put on theyr clothynge and other gere

275

Theyr swerdes and boclers / and theyr short dagge[r]s daggers] daggebs 1536

And there they reuell as vnthryfty braggers

With horyble othes / swerynge as they were wood

Armes / nayles / woundes / herte soule and blood

Dethe / fote / masse / flesshe / bones / lyfe / and body

280

With all other wordes of blasphemy

Bostynge them all in dedes of theyr myschefe

And thus passe the tyme / with daunce hore / pipe thefe

The hang-man shall lede the daunce at the ende

For none other-ways they do not pretende

285

And whan that they can gete nothyng by beggyng

To maynteyne suche lyfe they fall to stelyng

And so this way the[y] come at the last they] the 1536

Or on the galowes make a tomlyng-cast tomlyng-cast ='somersault'

¶Copland.

¶More pyte / to se our owne nacyon

sig: [B4]

290

For to behaue them on suche facyon

Surely there is an act of parlyament

That yf ony strong vacabond be hent

To be set in a payre of stockes openly

Certayne days / with bread and water onely

295

And than to be banysht from town to town

I thynk that act is not yet put down

If it were execute / as to my reason

Men shold not se within a lytell season

So many of them / nor ydle slouches

300

And myghty beggers / with theyr pokes and crouches

But they be mayntened by this noughty sect

That all this land is with them infect

I meane these bawdy brybrous knaues brybrous ='given to taking bribes'

That lodgeth them that so powles and shaues

305

It were almes that they were loked on

For they be wors than ony thefe or felon

¶But to our purpose / cometh not this way

Of these Rogers? that dayly syng and pray rogers ='begging vagabonds who pretended to be poor scholars'; see OED s.v. roger n1, where this and another instance below are the sole examples cited.

With Aue regina / or De profundis

310

Quem terra ponthus / and Stella maris

At euery doore there they toot and frydge frydge ='fidget'

And say they come fro Oxford or Cambrydge

And be poore scolers / and haue no maner thyng

Nor also frendes, to kepe them at lernyng

315

And so do lewtre only for crust and crum

With staffe in hand / and fyst in bosum

Passyng tyme so bothe day and yere

As in theyr legend I purpose shall appere

An-other tyme after my fantasy

¶Porter.

320

¶Suche folkes of trouth cometh here dayly

sig: [B4v]

And ought of ryght this hous for to vse

In theyr aege / for they fully do refuse

The tyme of vertuous excercyse

Wherby they shold vnto honour aryse

¶Copland.

325

¶Syr yet there is another company

Of the same sect / that lyue more subtylly

And be in maner as mayster-wardayns

To whome these Rogers obey as capytayns

And be named Clewners, as I here say Clewners: =cluners, 'Clunaic monks', here and below?

¶Porter.

330

¶By my sothe all fals harlots be they

And deceyuers of people ouerall

In the countree moost of them fynd ye shall

They say that they come fro the vnyuersyte

And in the scoles haue taken degree

335

Of preesthod / but frendes haue they none

To gyue them ony exhybytion

And how that they forth wold passe

To theyr countree / and syng theyr fyrst masse

And there pray for theyr benefactours

340

And serue god all tymes and houres

And so they lewtre in suche rogacyons

Seuen or eyght yeres walkyng theyr stacyons

And do but gull / and folow beggery

Feynyng true doyng by ypocrysy

345

As another tyme shalbe shewed playne

¶But yet there is of a lyke maner trayne

Of fals brybours, deceytfull and fraudelent

That among people call themselfs Sapyent

These ryde about in many sondry wyse

350

And in straunge aray / do themself dysguyse

sig: C1

Somtyme in maner of a physycyan

And another tyme as a hethen man

Countrefaytyng theyr owne tongue and speche

And hath a knaue that doth hym englysh teche

355

With, me non spek englys by my fayt

My seruaunt spek you what me sayt

And maketh a maner of straunge countenaunce

With admyracyons his falsnes to auaunce

And whan he cometh there-as he wold be

360

Than wyll he feyne merueylous grauyte

And so chaunceth his hostes or his hoost

To demaund, out of what straunge land or coost

Cometh this gentylman? forsothe hostesse

This man was borne in hethennesse

365

Sayth his seruaunt. and is a connyng man

For all the seuen scyences surely he can

And is sure in Physyk and Palmestry

In augury, sothsayeng, and vysenamy vysenamy: =visnomy, 'physiognomy, the foretelling of destiny from facial features'.

So that he can ryght soone espy

370

If ony be dysposed to malady

And therfore can gyue suche a medycyne

That maketh all accesses to declyne

But surely yf it were knowen that he

Shold medle with ony infyrmyte

375

Of comyn people, he myght gete hym hate

And lose the fauour of euery great estate

Howbeit of charyte / yet now and then

He wyll mynyster his cure on pore men

No money he taketh, but all for gods loue

380

Which by chaunce ye shall se hym proue

¶Than sayth he / qui speke my hostesse

Graund malady make a gret excesse

sig: [C1v]

Dys infant rumpre vng grand postum

By got he ala mort / tuk vnder thum The language of the copytext here becomes a mixture of English, French, German and thieves' cant (see Erler, p. 235).

385

What sayth he? sayth the good-wyfe

Hostesse he swereth, by his soule and lyfe

That this chyld is vexed with a bag

In his stomacke, as great as he may wag

So that or two or thre days come about

390

It wyll choke hym withouten dout

But than he sayth / except ye haue his read

This chyld therwith wyll sodeynly be dead

Alas sayth she / yf she loue it well

Now swete mayster / gyue me your counsell

395

For gods sake I aske it, and our lady

And here is twenty shyllyngs by and by

Quid est, sayth he? Forsoth she dooth offre

Uiginti solidi, pour fournir vostre coffre

To do your help / sayth this fals seruyture

400

Non poynt dargent sayth he / par deu ie non cure

He wyll no money / hostesse I you promyt

For gods sake / he dooth it eche whyt

Than calleth he anone for his casket

That scantly is worth a rotten basket

405

And taketh out a powdre of experyence

That a carte-lode is not worth two pence

And in a paper he dooth fayre fold it vp

Fastyng thre days / he byddeth that to sup

Than for a space he taketh lycence

410

God wot as yet he payd for none exspence

And so departeth. and on the next day

One of his felawes wyll go the same way

To bolster the matter of his fals bewpere

He sytteth down / and maketh good chere

sig: [C2]

415

Which in lykewyse loketh on the chylde

Sayeng / that heuenly vyrgyn vndefylde

Our lady Mary, preser[u]e this chyld now

For it is seke / hostesse I tell it you

For or thre days / but our lorde hym saue

420

I ensure you it wylbe in a graue

Good syr sayth she / alas and weleaway

Here was a gentylman euen yesterday

That tolde the same accesse and dysease

Hostesse sayth he / yf that it wold you please

425

What maner man was it? I pray you tell

Good syr she sayth / in sothe I know not well

But englysh speche / in-dede he can none

And is a Iewe / his man told vs echone

Yea was, sayth he / I knowe hym well in-dede Yea was ='yea he was', an elision (Erler).

430

I wolde I had spoke with hym or he yede

But hostesse, in faythe toke he ony-thyng

By my trouth sayth she / not one farthyng

I wote sayth he / but I maruell that he wold

But of charyte, in suche a meane houshold

435

Do say so moche / for yf great estates it knewe

His company than wold they all eschewe

Good syr sayth she / yet of your gentylnes

Help this poore chylde, of this sayd sekenes

And here is .xx. shyllyngs for your payne

440

And your exspence for a weke or twayne

Well hostesse sayth he. I wyll do more than t[hat] The copytext is defective here.

For you. but I shall tell you what

For my labour I aske nothyng at all

But for the drogges / that occupy he shall

445

The which be dere / and very precyous

And surely I wyll neuer out of your hous

sig: [C2v]

Tyll he be hole as eyther you or I

Than gooth his knaue to a town to bye

These drogges that be not worth a torde

450

And there they lye / [a] fourtenyght at borde a] at 1536

With these good folkes / and put them to cost

Bothe meat and money clerely haue they lost

Yet god wote what waste they made and reuell

So at the last departeth this Iauell Iauell ='rascal'

455

With the money / and streyght rydeth he

Where the thefe his felaw / and dyuers other be

And there they prate / and make theyr auaunt

Of theyr deceytes / and drynk adew taunt taunt ='to the full, thoroughly'?; see OED s.v. taunt, adv., where this example is cited.

As they lyue / I pray god them amend

460

Or as they be / to bryng them to an end

For the spyttell is not for theyr estate

Howbeit they come dayly by the gate

¶Copland.

¶A shrewd sorte by our lady / and a comberous

Iesus kepe them out of euery good mans hous

465

But cometh ony pardoners this way?

¶Porter.

¶Yea syr, they be our proctours / and fayn they may

Chyefly syth theyr fals popery was knowen

And theyr bullysh indulgence ouerthrowen

They be all nought / reken eche with other

470

Subtilte is theyr father / and falshod theyr mother

For by lettres they name them as they be

P. a pardoner. Clewner a .C.

R. a Roger. A an Aurium / and a Sapyent .S.

Thus they know eche other doubtles

475

But whan theyr iuggelyng oores do fayle

They renne ashore / and here stryke sayle

sig: C3

¶Copland.

¶By my sothe I am wery to here of theyr lyuyng

Wherfore I pray you / yf ye be pleasyng

Tell me shortly of all folke in generall

480

That come the hye-way to the hospytall

¶Porter.

IT is tedyous / but for your mynde

As nye as I can / I wyl shew the kynde

Of euery sorte / and which by lykelynes

To the spyttell his way dooth adres

485

But as for ordre I promyse none to kepe

For they do come as they were scattered shepe

Wandryng without reason / rule / or guyde

And for other lodgyng do not prouyde

¶But to our purpose there cometh in this vyage

490

They that toward god haue no courage

And to his worde gyue none aduertence

Eke to father and mother do not reuerence

They that despyse folke in aduersyte

They that seke stryfe and iniquyte

495

They that for themself do kepe nothyng

And suche as hate other in theyr well-doyng

They may be sure or euer they dye

Lest they lacke lodgyng here for to lye.

¶Preestes and clerkes that lyue vycyously

500

Not caryng how they shold do theyr duty

Unruly of maners / and slacke in lernyng

Euer at the alehous for to syt bybyng

Neglectyng the obedyence to them dew

And vnto Chrystes flocke take none a[n]ew

505

But lyke as wolues that rauysh the folde

sig: [C3v]

These people do this ryght way holde

¶Yong heyres that enioy theyr herytage

Rulyng themself / or they come to aege

Occupyeng vnthryfty company

510

Spendyng vp theyr patrymony

Whyles they be yong, and vse dyssolute playes

Of very nede they must come these wayes

¶All suche people as haue lytell to spend

Wastyng it, tyll it be at an end

515

And whan they be seke / and haue nothyng

Toward the spyttell than they be comyng

¶They that haue small londes and tenements

Wearyng dayly costly garments

That at the last they must be fayne

520

To sell theyr rentes / themself to sustayne

Whiche is a token of veray experyence

This way for to come by consequence

¶Bayllyfs, stuardes, caters, and renters

Pay-maysters, credytours, and receyuers

525

That be neclygent to make rekenyngs

Delyueryng and trustyng without wrytyngs

Uncaryng for to renne in arerage

By this way they must nede make passage

¶Landlordes that do no reparacyons

530

But leue theyr landes in desolacyons

Theyr housyng vnkept wynd and water-tyght

Letyng the pryncypals rot down-ryght pryncypals ='main beams'; see OED s.v. principal n, 10.

sig: [C4]

And suffreth theyr tenauntes to renne away

The way to our hous we can them not denay

535

¶They that sew / in the court dayly

For lyttell besynesse and spendeth largely

With grete gyftes and yet theyr labour lost

This way they come to seke for theyr cost

¶Fermours and other husbandmen that be

540

In grete fermes / and dooth not ouer-se

Theyr housbondry / but leteth theyr corne rote

Theyr hey to must / theyr shepe dye in the cote

Theyr land vntyld / vndunged / and vnsowen

Theyr medowes not defenced and vnmowen

545

Theyr fruyt to perysh / hangyng on the trees

Theyr catel scater / and lose theyr hony-bees

¶All yong heyres borne in a ryche estate

And wold lyue styll after the same rate

Beyng yong brethren of small possybylyte

550

Not hauyng wherwith to mayntene suche degre

But make shyftes / and borow ouerall

Suche trace pryson to be theyr hospytall

¶Selfwylled people that can not be in rest

But in the lawe do euer wrythe and wrest

555

And wyll not fall to ony agrement

Tyll in theyr neckes is layd by Iugement

The costes and charges / and so are made full bare

Lodgyng for suche folke we do euer spare

¶People that alway wyll be at dystaunce

sig: [C4v]

560

And on theyr neyghbours euer take vengeaunce

Beyng auengyng on euery small wrong

From this way they cannot be long

¶They that wyl medle in euery mans matter

And of other folkes dedes dooth alway clatter

565

Mayntenyng theyr own sayeng to be true

And is not beleued / they can not eschue

But they must nedes come hytherward

For by moche medlyng theyr credence is mard

¶Marchaunts that beyond the see bye dere

570

And lend it good chepe whan they be here

And be neuer payed / but by the lawe

Here haue no beddyng / but lye on the strawe

¶They that sell good cheap in despyte

Lettyng all theyr gaynes for to go quyte

575

Byeng ware deare / and sell for a lytell

They be very gestes to lye in our spyttell

¶Craftes-men that do worke day and nyght

Hauyng great charge and theyr gaynes lyght

Wastyng theyr tooles / and can them not renew

580

Full well may saye / farwell good thryft adew

¶He that wynneth moche / and whan he hath doone

With waste and games spendeth it soone

Leauyng not wherwith agayn to begyn

In this hye-way he hasteth to ryn

585

¶He that hath a good occupacyon

And wyll lyue on the courtly facyon

sig: D1

[And to worke or labour is wery] Upper margin trimmed.

Wenyng for to lyue more easyly

Somtyme doth make an vnthryfty chaunge

590

With bag and staf in our parke to raunge

¶Rufflers / and masterles men that can not werke Rufflers ='vagabonds'

And slepeth by day / and walketh in the derke

And with delycates / gladly doth fede

Swerynge and crakynge an easy lyfe to lede

595

With comyn women dayly for to haunt

Makynge reuell and drynke a_dieu taunt

Saynge make we mery as longe as we can

And drynke a_pace / the deuyll pay the malt-man

Wyne was not made for euery haskerde

600

But bere and ale / for euery dasterde

And whan theyr money is gone and spent

Than this way is moost conuenyent

¶Tauerners that kepe bawdry and pollyng

Marryng wyne with brewyng and rollyng brewyng and rollyng ='diluting and ?disturbing' (Erler); see OED s.v. brew v, 2a.

605

¶Inholders that lodge hoores and theues

Seldon theyr getyng ony-way preues

So by reason / theyr gaynes be geason

This way they renne many a season

Bakers and brewers / that with musty grayne

610

Serue theyr customers, must take it agayne

And many tymes haue they no vtteraunce

For theyr weyght and measure is of no substaunce

And lose bothe theyr credence and good

Come this way by all lykelyhood

615

For they do infect that shold be mans food.

sig: [D1v]

¶[They that will be surety] for euery det Upper margin trimmed.

And wyll pay more than they of ryght be set

For to be named a man lyberall

And in maner he hath nothynge at all

620

Suche folysshe facers whan theyr good is spent

To the spyttell-warde they renne incontynent

¶Yonge folke that wedde or they be wyse

And alway charges on theyr hand dooth ryse

Hous rent and chyldren / and euery other thyng

625

And can do nothyng for to gete theyr lyuyng

And haue no frendes them for to sustayne

To com this way / at last they must be fayne

They that sell away all theyr rentes and landes

And bestoweth it for to be merchandes

630

And auentreth tyll the[y] haue all lost they] then 1536

And turmoyleth alway fro pyler to post

And euer leseth all that they go about

Cometh this way amonge the other rout

¶They that in hope to haue theyr frendes dye

635

Wyll do nothynge / but lyue wantonly

Trustynge to haue the treasour that is left

But many tymes it is them bereft

And haue nothyng and nothynge can do

Suche come this way with other to

640

¶They that dooth to other folkes good dede

And hath themselfe of other folke more nede

And quencheth the fyre of another place

And leueth his owne, that is in wors cace

sig: [D2]

Whan it is brent / and woteth not where to lye

645

To the spyttell than must he nedes hye

¶They that wyll not suffre theyr clothe hole

But iag and cut them with many a hole

And payeth more for makyng than it cost

Whan it is made / the garment is but lost

650

Patchyng them with colours lyke a fole

At last they be ruled after our scole

¶They that do make to moche of theyr wyues

Suffryng them to be nought of theyr lyues nought= 'immoral, vicious'; see OED s.v. nought adj., 1c.

Letyng them haue ouermoche of theyr wyll

655

Clothyng them better than they can fulfyll

Letyng them go to feestes / daunces / and plays

To euery brydale / and do nothyng on days

And gyueth them all the soueraynte

Must nedes come this way / for they cannot the the] pthe 1536the: Erler's emendation; 'paye' would be an alternative reading.

¶Copland.

660

¶Come hyther ony of these wofull creatures

That be sore wounded / and moche wo endures

With a shrewd wyfe / and is neuer quyet

By cause that she wold haue all her dyet

But bralle and chyde / babble / crye and fyght

665

Euer vncontented bothe day and nyght

¶Porter.

¶Come this way quod a? yes I warraunt you

Of them alway come this way ynow

We haue chambres purposely for them

Or els they shold be lodged in Bedlem

¶Copland.

670

¶Mary god forbyd it shold be as ye tell

sig: [D2v]

¶Porter.

¶By good fayth, the very deuyll of hell

I trowe to my mynd hath not moche more payne

One were in a maner as good be slayne

For there is no ioye / but euer anguysh

675

On bothe sydes they do always languysh

For the one gooth hyther, and the other thyder

Bothe they spend, and ly nothyng togyder

So at the last of very necessyte

Hyther they come / to aske lodgyng of me

¶Copland.

680

¶I do knowe it is the ryght facyon

A realme stryuyng in it-self gooth to desolacyon

God amend all / I haue herd what it is

Tell of some other / I am wery of this

¶Porter.

¶All maysters that lete theyr seruaunts play

685

Fedyng them deyntyly euery day

And dooth cloth and pay them as they shold be

Beyng neclygent theyr worke to ouerse

Suffryng them waste / and theyr good spyll

In theyr presence to do theyr lewd wyll

690

And all those that pay not theyr hyre

Uengeaunce of god it dooth desyre

These on bothe partes do eche other wrong

This way they come with a great throng

¶All suche seruauntes as be neclygent

695

In theyr seruyce / and wyl not be content

To do theyr werk / but slacke theyr besynes

Brybe and conuey fro mayster and maystres

Chaungyng maysters, and ren fro town to towne

sig: [D3]

And are late rysyng / and betyme lye downe

700

Playeng by nyght / and tryflyng by day

Of ryghtousnes they do here stay ryghtousnes ='fitness, propriety'

¶Suche folke as take on them great rent

In soyles for them inconuenyent

Unto theyr faculte, and often do remeue

705

Entreprysyng that they cannot acheue

Doyng curyous labours, and haue small wage

Unto our hous they come for hostage

¶They that borow on theyr garments and napr[y] napry] napr 1536

And do not fetche them agayn shortly

710

But lete them be worn / and than pay the somme

In-to our hye-way they be far comme.

¶They that borow, and purpose not to pay

Tyll in pryson they spend all away

And do forswere that is theyr dew

715

¶They that lawe for a debt vntrew lawe ='litigate'

And receyueth money in another mans name

Not beyng content to restore the same

¶They that forget that to them is ought

They that stryue with all folke for nought

720

¶And they that lend / and set no tyme to pay

Reason wyll dryue them to come this way

¶Old folkes that all theyr goodes do gyue

Kepyng nothyng wheron to lyue

And put fro theyr hous whan they haue nede

725

Toward our hous fast do they spede

¶They that gyue chyldren money to spend

sig: [D3v]

And causeth them not at theyr byddyng attend

But dooth mayntene them in theyr lewdnes

And fro synne wyll them not redres

730

In ydle wantonnes suffryng them to be

Nor teache them vertuous faculte

Are the cause that whan they be olde

To take the way toward our houshold

¶They that euermore haue a delyte

735

To fede, and make feastes at theyr appetyte

With costly dysshes, and deynty drynke

Letyng theyr stocke euermore shrynke

Makyng a great porte, and be lytell worth

To come hyther they come streyght forth

740

¶They that take no hede to theyr houshold

But lete theyr implements molde

Theyr hangyngs rot, theyr napery vnclene

Theyr furres and wollen not ouersene

Theyr vessell mar / and theyr goodes decay

745

Cannot chuse / but nedes come this way

¶Lechours / fornycatours / and aduouterers

Incestes / harlots / bawdes / and bolsterers bolsterers ='?illicit bedfellows' (Erler); see OED s.vv. bolsterer, bolster v, 6.

Applesquyers / entycers / and rauysshers Applesquyers ='pimps'; see OED s.v. apple-squire, where this example is cited.

These to our place haue dayly herbegers herbegers: =harbingers, 'forerunners'

¶Copland.

750

¶No maruell of them / and happy they be

If they do end in so honest degre

For surely theyr endyng is fayrest

If that with pouerte they be supprest

For I do fynd wryten of aduoutry

755

That these fyue sorowes ensueth therby

sig: [D4]

¶Ex istis penis patietur quisquis adulter

Aut erit hic pauper / hic aut subito morietur

Aut aliquod membrum casu vulnere perdet

Aut erit infamis / per quod sit carcere vinctus.

760

¶Eyther they shall be poore / or dye sodeynly

Or lese by wound / some membre of the body

Or to be sclaundred to suffre sharpe pryson

Therfore pouerte is fayrest by reason

And yet besyde that / they be so beaten

765

That with great pockes theyr lymmes be eaten

¶How say ye by these horryble swerers

These blasphemers / and these god-terers

Come there ony this way to haue socour?

¶Porter.

¶Do they? yea / I warraunt euery hour

770

All rotten and torne / armes, heades, and legges

They are the moost sorte that ony-where begges

And be the people that moost anoy vs.

¶Copland.

¶I beleue well, for I fynd wryten thus

Uir multum iurans replebitur iniquitate, et a domo eius non recedet plaga. Ecclesiasticus .xxii.

¶A great swerer is full of iniquyte

775

And fro his hous the plage shall neuer be

In the commaundements is wryten playn

Thou shalt not take the name of god in vayn

For who-sow dooth vse it customably

The stroke of god can not eschew truly.

sig: [D4v]

780

[¶But come none of these slouthfull folkes hyther?] Upper margin trimmed; text supplied from the Huntington copy.

That be so vnlusty / so sluggysh and lyther

That care not how the world dooth go

Neyther halydays / nor workyng days also

But lye in bed tyll all masses be doone

785

Lewtryng theyr worke tyll it pas noone

And so enioye to lynger and to slepe

And to theyr lyuyng they take no maner kepe

¶Porter.

¶These folkes come in so great nombre

That all the ways they do encombre

790

And with them dothe come all these folke that spare

To assay theyr frendes for theyr [o]wne welfare owne] dwne 1536

But folow theyr owne myndes alway

Nor to theyr frendes in no wyse wyll obay

And of theyr promesses / they be no more set by

795

But to this way they must them nedes apply

¶Copland.

¶And how by these people so full of coueytyse

That all the worldes good can them not suffyse

But by vsury / rapyne / and extorcyon

Do poulle the pore folke of theyr porcyon

800

And they that inuent newes by tyranny inuent newes ='contrive new devices'

Upon poore mens landes fraudelently

And lyke as wolues the shepe dooth take and tease tease ='to tear in pieces'; see OED s.v. tease v1, 1c, where this is the sole citation.

For theyr owne lucre / and to lyue in ease

And day by day / in euery maner degre

805

They do prolonge theyr iniquite

¶Porter.

¶As for with them we haue to do nothyng

Unto the lawe it is all belongyng

How-be-it yf they chaunce to be poore

sig: E1

Then often in-dede they do come by our doore

¶Copland.

810

¶But then I pray you how say ye by these

That breke this precept (Non furtum facies)

Theues and murtherers and these watchers of wayes

That robbe and steale / bothe by nightes and dayes

And that delyte in murder and in theft

815

Whose condycyons in no wyse can be left

Do not they oft-tymes come hyther by you?

¶Porter.

¶Of them there cometh dayly ynow

But they be led / and comenly fast bounde

Bycause theyr lodgyng may soner be founde

820

And ben conueyed by men of charyte

Where that they haue hospytalyte

And ben well kept / and wrapped surely

And whan tyme cometh that they must dye

They be buryed aloft in the ayre

825

Bycause dogs shall not on theyr graues repayre.

¶Copland.

¶Almyghty Iesu of his mercy defende

Euery good mannes chylde from suche [an] ende an] and 1536

And how say ye by all these grete dronkardes

That suppe all of / by pottes and tankardes

830

Tyll they be so dronke / that they cannot stande

That is but lytell vsed in this lande

Except it be among duche folke or flemynges

For englysshe-men knowe not of suche rekeninges

¶ Porter.

No do? yes yes. I ensure you hardely

835

They can do it as well as ony-body

With dowble beare / be it wyne or ale

sig: [E1v]

They ceas not tyll they can tell no ryght tale

With quyxte quaxte / ic brynxte lief brore The language of the copytext mimics drunken speech here.

An ortkyn / or an half beres / by gots more

840

Yea rather than fayle drynke it clene out

With fyll the pot ones agayn round about

Gyue vs more drynke / for sparyng of bread

Tyll theyr cappes be wyser than theyr head

And so syt they / and spend vp all theyr thryft

845

And after come here / they haue no other shyft

¶Copland.

¶How say ye by these folkes full of yre

That brenne in wrath / hoter than fyre

And neuer be quyet / but chyde and brall

With wrath and anger fretyng hert and gall

850

Wayward / wode / furyous / and fell

For where they be / quyetnes cannot dwell

But alway stryfe / mystrust /and great dysease

And in no wyse none man can them please

¶Porter.

¶Hyther they come / and I wyll tell you why

855

None can lyue by them / well nor quyetly

But with eche one they fall out and make bate

Causyng people them for to hate

And wyll suffre them to dwell nowhere

But are fayne for to remayne here

¶Copland.

860

¶It may wel be so, for where is none agre

Neyther thryft nor welfare cannot be

But I trust it be not betwene man and wyfe

Than it were pyte / and eke a sory lyfe

For where is no peas at bed nor at borde

865

I reken theyr thryft is not worth a torde

sig: [E2]

But of these people that ben so stout

That in welth and wo bere it so out

That pryde wyll not suffre them for to fall

Me-thynke this way they come not all

¶Porter.

870

¶O yes yes / god wote of them be not fewe

For here all day they assemble in a rewe

And here they crake / bable and make grete boste

And amonge all other wolde rule the roste

With stande backe thou lewd vylayne beggerly knaue

875

I wyll that thou knowe my wyfe and I haue

Spent more in a day with good honeste

Than thou in thy lyfe euer was lyke to be

For I tell the I haue kept or now suche reporte

That all my neyghbours dyd to me resorte neyghbours] neyghtbours 1536

880

And haue or now kept a grete housholde

And had ynough of syluer / and of golde

In all our parysshe was none better decked

And I thynke scorne for to be thus checked

Of suche lewde persones that neuer had good

885

And eke I am borne of as good a blood

As ony in this towne / and a gentylman

But yf I had as moche as I wyst whan

I shold make a meyny of these poore carles to know

What maner thyng a gentylman is I trowe

¶Copland.

890

¶Lo here one may se that there is none wors

Than is a proude herte and a beggers purs

Grete boost and small roost / this is euydent

for a proud[e] hert w[y]ll neuer be shent proude] proudo 1536; wyll] well 1536

¶But good porter I pray you be so kynde

895

To tell me of them out of mynde

sig: [E2v]

As for the enuyous I lete them dwell

For theyr hospytall is the depe pyt of hell

¶Porter.

¶How say ye by this lewd Ipocrysy?

That is vsed so superstycyously

900

I cry god mercy yf I make ony lye

Of them that deuout prayers seme to occupy

As yf god fro the cros by them shold be vndone

And syt in the chyrche tyll it be noone

Neuer speakyng in ony folkes presence

905

But it soundeth to vertue and reuerence

Yet whan they be moeued to anger and wrath

I trowe to my mynde / that other folke hath

Not half the spyte, vengeaunce and rygour

As they wyll haue to theyr poore neyghbour

910

For some of them / yf they myght be a lorde

Wold hang another / they be of suche dyscorde

And where they ones take hatred or enmyte

Duryng theyr lyfe haue neuer charyte

And who that hath no charyte nor loue

915

Can neuer please the amyte aboue

And so this way they be fayne to come.

¶Copland.

¶I beleue well / for truely there be some

That neyther haue loue to one nor other

For I wene yf it were syster or brother

920

They wold no more pyte them nor rewe

(They be so fell) / than on a thefe or Iewe

For whan ye thynk to haue them moost in reason

Than be theyr hertes full of deadly poyson

And in theyr fury they be so vyolent

925

That they wyll bryng one to an exegent.

sig: E3

And neuer pardon / nor no man forgyue

Tyll theyr neyghbour hath nothyng on to lyue

And so they make by theyr own consyence

Betwene god and the deuyll no dyffrence

930

¶But hey alas / do none this way trace

That do take wyues of small effycace

Which cannot get / bestow / nor yet saue

And to go gay they wyll spend and craue

Makyng men wene that they loue them alone

935

And be full fals vnto them echone

Spendyng theyr goodes without ony care

Without good gownes / but not of hoodes bare

¶Porter.

¶They must come hyther / for they cannot chuse

For they that wyll them-selfe so vse

940

The one to gete / and the other spend

And whan all is brought to an end

Hether they come to haue conforte

Syr I beshrew all the hole sorte

Suche genyfenyes kepeth many one lowe genyfenyes: 'The OED gives "jan" as thieves cant for a purse (1610), so perhaps "purse-women," as women's free spending has just been condemned' (Erler, p. 244).

945

Theyr husbandes must obey as dog to bowe

Alas sely men / ye are yll at ease

These deynty huswyues for to fede and please

For so they syt and sew half an hour on a clout

Theyr hole dayes worke is patched out

950

And so by theyr tryflyng and lyuyng nought

With other meanes they be hyther brought

¶Copland.

¶Well good porter / I pray you let them alone

F[o]r happy is he that hath a good one For] Fyr 1536

I pray you shewe me of other gestes

955

For agaynst women I loue no iestes

sig: [E3v]

The showre is almoost done / and I haue fer to go

Come none of these pedlers this way also

With pak on bak / with theyr bousy speche

Iagged and ragged / with broken hose and breche

¶Porter.

960

¶Inow. ynow / with bousy coue maund nace Vagabonds' cant; for a 'translation' of this passage, see Erler p. 244.

Toure the patryng-coue in the darkman cace patryng-coue: =patrico, 'priest'

Docked the dell / for a coper meke

His watch shall feng a prounces nobchete

Cyarum by salmon / and thou shalt pek my iere

965

In thy gan / for my watch it is nace gere

For the bene bouse / my watch hath a wyn

And thus they babble tyll theyr thryft is thyn

I wote not what / with theyr pedlyng frenche

But of the spyttle / they haue a party stenche party ='participant, accessory'? See OED s.v. party n, 12.

970

And with them comes gaderers of cony-skynnes

That chop with laces / poyntes / nedles / and pyns

¶Copland.

¶Come ony maryners hyther of Cok_lorels bote

¶Porter.

¶Euery day they be alway a_flote

We must them receyue / and gyue them costes fre

975

And also with them the fraternyte

Of vnthryftes / which do our hous endewe

And neuer fayle with brethren alway newe

¶Also here is kept / and holden in degre

With-in our hous the ordres .viii. tyme thre

980

Of knaues onely / we can them not kepe out

They swarme so thyke as bees in a rout

And chyef of all that dooth vs encombre

The ordre of fooles / that be without nombre

For dayly they make suche preas and cry

sig: [E4]

985

That scant our hous can them satysfy

¶Copland

¶Yet one thyng I wonder that ye do not tell

Come there no women this way to dwell?

¶Porter.

¶Of all the sortes that be spoken of afore

I warraunt women ynow in store

990

That we are wery of them euery day

They come so thycke that they stop the way

The systerhod of drabbes / sluttes and callets

Do here resorte / with theyr bags and wallets

And be parteners of the confrary

995

Of the maynteners of yll husbandry

¶Copland.

¶A lewd sorte is of them of a surety

Now mayster porter / I thank you hertyly

Of your good talkyng / I must take my leue

The shoure is done / and it is toward eue

1000

Another tyme / and at more leaser

I wyll for you do as great a pleaser

¶Porter.

¶There be a .M. mo than I can tell

But at this tyme I byd you farwell.

¶Lenuoy of the auctour.

GO lytell quayre to euery degre

And on thy mater desyre them to loke

Desyryng them for to pardon me

That am so bolde to put them in my boke

To eschue vyce, I the vndertoke

sig: [E4v]

[Dysdeyn]yng no maner of creature Upper margin torn; reading supplied from the Huntington copy.

I were to blame yf I them forsoke

None in this world, of welth can be sure.

¶Finis.

¶Enprynted at London in the Fletestrete at the Rose_garland, by Robert_Copland.