NATURE <2The Names of the Players>2 Nature sWrath Lyberalyte sMan Envy Chastyte Reason Slouth Good Occupacyon Sensualyte Glotony Shamefastnes Innocencye sMekenes sThe Worlde Worldly Affeccyon Charyte Pacyence Bodyly Lust Abstynence Pryde sGarcius s These names differ in some particular from the list in <2C>2, which is transcribed at the conclusion of the play. |p <2Nature.>2 <2A goodly interlude of Nature compylyd by mayster Henry Medwall, chapleyn to>2 <2the ryght reverentfather in God Johan Morton, somtyme cardynall and archebyshop>2 <2of Canterbury.>2 <2Fyrst cometh in Mundus [The Worlde] and syttyth down and sayth nothynge, and>2 <2wyth hym Worldly Affeccyon berynge a gown and cap and a gyrdyllfor Man.>2 <2Than cometh in Nature, Man, Reason, [Sensualyte,] and Innocencye, and Nature>2 <2syttyth down and sayth:>2 <2Nature>2 Thalmyghty God that made eche creature As well in heven as other place erthly By hys wyse ordynaunce hath purveyd me, Nature, To be as mynyster under hym immedyately For thencheson that I shold perpetually Hys creatures in suche degre mayntayne As yt hath pleased hys grace for theym to ordeyne. To me yt longeth by naturall engendure Thyng to contynew that hath spyryte of lyfe, Whyche ne were my helpe shuld never endure But sodenly peryshe and wax all caytyfe Atwyxt thelementys that whylom were at stryfe I have swaged the old repugnaunce And knyt theym togeder in maner of alyaunce. Eke I have ordeyned the goddys Deane Lady of the see and every freshe fontayn, Whyche comenly decreceth whan she gynneth wane And waxeth abundant whan she creceth agayne. Of eb and flode she ys cause certayne, And reyneth as prynces in every yle and town That wyth the see ys compassed envyron. I am causer of suche impressyon As appereth wonderouse to mannys syght, As of flammes that from the sterry regyon Semeth to fall in tymes of the nyght: Some shote sydelong and some down ryght, Whyche causeth the ignorant to stand in drede That sterrys do fall -- yet falleth there none in dede. What nedeth yt to speke of thyngys here bylow As fowles, bestys, and fysshes in theyre kynde? Of trees, herbys, and stones how they grow, In whyche men sondry and meny vertuous fynde? One thyng be ye sure and thynk yt in your mynde: No maner creature may take on hym the cure Of these workys but onely I, Nature. |p And playnly there ys in erthe no maner thynge That ys not partyner of my influence. I do provyde for every beste lyvynge Of naturall foode alway suffycence, And geve theym also a maner of prudence Wherby they may naturally ensew Thyng that ys delectable and thother exchew. Who taught the cok hys watche howres to observe And syng of corage wyth shryll throte on Who taught the pellycan her tender hart to ca-rve For she nolde suffer her byrdys to dye? Who taught the nyghtyngall to recorde besyly Her strange entunys in sylence of the nyght? Certes I, Nature, and none other wyght. But yf that I shold clepe to memorye Eche strange effecte and every great mervayll That I have caused, I ensure you fayt That rather tyme than processe shuld me fayll. Yt were your payne and to me but travayll All suche maters as now to bryng in place, Wherfore 1 let passe theym tell other tyme and space But yf ye covet now to know theffecte Of thyngys naturall by trew conclusyon, Counsell with Arystotell my phylosopher electe, Whyche hath left in bokys of hys tradycyon How every thyng by hevynly constellacyon Is brought to effecte, and in what maner wyse, As far as mannys wytt may naturally compryse. Wherfore, syth God of hys great largesse Hath thus enryched me wyth dower of hys grace And made me as who seyth a wor[l]dly goddesse, Of duty I can no lesse do in thys case But wyth hartys joy and entyere solace My selfe addresse to do hys hygh pleasurs, And to thys same move all other creaturs. Enforce you therfore, hys creaturs eche on, To honour your maker wyth humble obeysance. Namely thow, Man, I speke to the alone Byfore all other as chyef of hys creance. Thynke how he hath made the to hys semblance: Pluck up thyn harte and hold thyn hed upryght, And ever more have heven in thy syght. |p Ovyde, in hys boke cleped The Transformacyon, Among all other hys fables and poesyes Maketh specyall mensyon of thy creacyon, Shewyng how God wonderously gan devyse Whan he the made and gave to the thempryse Of all thys world, and feoffed the wyth all As chyef possessyoner of thyngys mortuall. In token wherof he gave the upryght vysage And gave the in commaundement to lyft thyn eye Up towarde heven, only for that usage Thow shuldest know hym for thy Lorde almyghty; All other bestys, as thyngys unworthy, To behold therth wyth grovelyng countenaunce And be subdued to thyn obeysaunce. But as touchyng the cause specyally Wherfore I have ordeyned the thys nyght to appere, It ys to put the in knowlege and memorye To what entent thow art ordeyned to be here. I let the wyt thou arte a passanger That hast to do a great and longe vyage, And through the world most be thy passage Addresse thy selfe now towardys thys jouruay, For as now thou shalt no lenger here abyde. Lo here Reason to governe the in thy way, And Sensualyte upon thyn other syde. But Reason I depute to be thy chyef gyde, Wyth Innocencye that ys thy tender noryce, Evermore to wene the from thappetyte of vyce. <2Man>2 Lord of Lordes, my Lord God immortuall, To the be honour and joy ever to endure, Whose hevenly empyre shall never be fynall But world wythout end remayne stable and sure, Whom heven and hell and erthly creature Wyth one assent and all wyth one accorde Honoureth, prayseth, and knowlegeth for theyre Lorde. To the myne hed I humbly inclyne, Thankyng thy grace that fyrst hast ordeyned me To be as a syly ceature of thyne, And after that of thy great bownte Thou hast me set in soverayne degre And gyveri me the profettys of every erthly thynge As well of frutys as of bestys lyvynge. |p And that that ys also most precyouse, Thou hast me enspyred wyth hevenly wysdome Wherby I may do workys mervaylouse In every place where soever I come. Of eche perfeccyon thy grace hath lent me some, So that I know that creature no where Of whose vertue I am not partyner. I have, as hath eche other element Among other in thys world a comen beyng Wyth herbys and trees, contynuall noryshement That ys suffysant to naturall lyvyng. Wyth sensuall bestys I have a maner of knowyng Wherby I shuld in good thyngys delyte And flee the contrary of myne appetyte. And over all thys thou hast gyven me vertue Surmountyng all other in hygh perfeccyon, That ys, understandyng, wherby I may avew And well dyscerne what ys to be done. Yet for all that have I fre eleccyon [To] do what I wyll, be yt evyll or well, And am put in the hande of myne own counsell. And in thys poynt I am halfe angelyke, Unto thy hevenly spyrytys almost egall, Albeyt in some parte I be to them unlyke: For they be ordeyned to endure perpetuall, And I wretched body shall have my funerall When yt pleaseth thy grace so to provyde -- Man ys not ordeyned alway here to abyde. Wherfore unto thy soverayne and hygh estate, Most hevenly Prynce, I make myne oryson: Syth yt hath pleased thy noble grace algate That I unworthy of so great renown In thys world shall have possessyon, Thou gyve me grace my selfe to enure As may me profyte and be to thy pleasure. <2Nature>2 God hath herd thy prayer Mankynd, no dout, In all thy requestys and ryghtfull petycyon. Now forth thy journay, and loke well about That thou be not deceyved by fals prodycyon. Let Reason the governe in every condycyon, For yf thou do not to hys rule inclyne Yt wylbe to thy great myschef and ruyne. |p I wot well Sensualyte ys to the naturall And graunted to the in thy furst creacyon, But not wythstandyng, yt ought to be overall Subdued to Reason and under hys tuycyon. Thou hast now lybertye and nedest no maynmyssyon, And yf thou abond the to passyons sensuall, Farewele thy lybertye -- thou shalt wax thrall. <2Sensualyte>2 What, lady Nature? Have I none intresse As well as Reason or Innocency? Thynke ye thys, lady, a good processe, That they are avaunced and I let go by? Ye knowe ryght well that I ought naturally Byfore all other to have of hym the cure -- I am the chyef perfeccyon of hys nature. Alas, what coulde the sely body do, Or how sholde yt lyve, ne were the helpe of me? Certes yt could not well crepe nor go! At the lest wyse yt shuld neyther fele, here, nor se, But be as other incensate bodys be -- In mouche wurs case than wormes of the grownde In whyche unneth ariy tokyn of lyfe ys founde. Me semeth yt shuld abhorr hym for to here That I destrayned shuld be in any wyse, Standynge that I was create to be hys fere, Of all hys guydyng to take thenterpryse. And now ye put me out of hys servyce And have assygned Reason to be hys guyde, Wyth Innocencye hys noryse -- thus am I set asyde Ye clepe hym lorde of all bestys lyvynge, And nothyng worthy as far as I can se. For yf there be in hym no maner of felynge Ne no lyvely quyknes, what lorde ys he? A lorde made of clowtys or karved out of tre, And fareth as an ymage graved out of stone That nothyng ellys can do but stande alone. If ye intend hym to contynew longe In honour or worldly felycyte, He most nedys folow hys apetyte amonge And conferme hym selfe to the more parte. I tell you, men wyll have no deynte To do servyce or homage to a block -- All the world wyll thynk yt but a mock. |p Suffer me therfore to have wyth hym a rome And to be wyth hym as chyef counseyll[er], And yf he do so I thynk to dome He shall reygn in the world as chyef governer. But yf Reason tykyll hym in the ere Or bere hym on hand the kow is wood, He shall never be able to do erthly good. <2Nature>2 My frend, as I sayd to you byfore, A rome shall ye have -- no man sayth nay. But Reason must be preferred evermore, For he can best lede hym to the way Of vertue and grace wherby he may Longest contynue to Goddys hygh pleasure To the whych end God hath ordeyned this hys creature. Content thy selfe now wyth Reason, my frend, And medyll the no further than thou hast to do. Thou hast brought many a man to a wrecched end And so thou woldyst spyll hys creature also. But what so ever he say, take no hede therto <2[To Man.]>2 Wythout that Reason wyll alow the same, For who so doth the contrary deserveth myche blame. God and I, Nature, have set the in better case Than any creature under the fyrmament. Abuse not, Man, abuse not thy grace Of God almyghty that from above ys sent Thou shalt be the fyrst that shall repent If ever thou fle Reason and sue Foly Whan onys thou felest the smert of mysery. But be of confort hardely God shall send Both gostly ayd and worldly helpe also, And I shall never fayll unto thy lyfys end To mynyster unto the as me oweth to do. Lo yender the World whyche thou must nedys to Now shape the thyder, there ys no more to say. Thy Lord and myne guyde the in thy way. <2Then Nature goeth out.>2 <2Sensualyte>2 Well lady Nature, leve ye me in thys case? Shall I have of you none other confort? By Cryst, yet wyll I not hyde my face, For as sone as we shall to the World resort I put no doubt he wyll me suppor He hath ben my good mayster meny a day And he wyll not se me thus cast away. |p <2Reason>2 Sobur thy selfe, man, I advyse the hardely. Be not so passyonate ne y[e]t so furyouse. Thou turmentyst thy selfe and wotyst not why. No well advysed body wyll demean hym thus. Be sure, thy mynde is all erronyous: Thou takyst a selfe-well and wrong opynyon Whyche shalbe thyn and others confusyon. <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, Reason, syr, ye speke lyke a noble man, But yet are ye take wyth a poynt of oversyght. What? Wold ye make me stand as a lordan And not speke one word for myne own ryght? I se yt well that yf your lordshyp myght By meanes possyble onys bryng yt about, Your selfe shuld be a ruler and I but a cast owt. <2Reason>2 A rular? Certes, and so I owght to be, And a lord also, though ye say yt in scorne. <2Sensualyte>2 A lord? Whose lord? <2Reason>2 Thy lord. <2Sensualyte>2 Nay, so mote I the, Thou lyest. Yt may no lengar be forborne. Thou camyst but tonyght and mayst hap go tomorne, For yf thou be as haute as thou begynnest You shalt avoyd myche sonar than thou wennyst! <2Reason>2 As for myne avoydaunce, how sone so ever yt be, It shall not skyll as for thys intent. But he that fyrst fleeth or forsaketh me, He shall have gretest occasyon to repent. It shalbe to hys great trouble and turment That he hath left Reason and suyd hys own foly And therby ys fallen to wreched penury. But now as touchyng the honour and degre That I am ordeyned to, I wyll thou understand That almyghty God of hys grace and bountye Of the and suche hath gyven me the over hand, And wyll that I use the as a servand To advyse the and reforme the whan thou gynst to erre And to clepe the homward yf thou rayll to far. And where thou sayst thou art so necessary That man wythout the can have no lyvyng, As in that poynt we shall not myche vary. I wote thou art necessary to hys beyng, But be thou sure, that ys not the very thyng That maketh hym to appere so wonderouse And to be in hys nature so noble and precyouse. |p It ys a thyng that doth ryght far excede All other perfeccyons and vertuouse naturall, For Sensualyte in very dede Is but a meane whyche causeth hym to fall Into moche foly and maketh hym bestya So that there ys no dyfference in that at the lest Bytwyxt man and an unresonable best. But this other cometh of great tenderaunce And spyrytuall love that God oweth to mankynde, Whom he hath create to hys owne semblaunce And endued wyth a wonderouse mynde Wherby he may well dyscerne and fynde Suffysant dyfference bytwyxt good and bad, Whyche ys to be left and whyche ys to be had. Lo, thys ys yt that doth hym dygnyfye And causeth hym to be reputed so excellent. And of all thys the chyef doar am I, Whyche from heven into erth by God am sent Only for that cause and fynall intent That I shuld thys hys creature demean and guyd For the season that he doth in thys world abyde. Now compare thy vertues and myne togeder And say whyche ys the wurthyar of theym to. <2Sensualyte>2 Whyche ys the worthyar? Forsoth, I trow neyther. We be good felowys. <2Reason>2 Nay, my frend, not so. Thou ought to obey me where so ever I go. <2Sensualyte>2 Nay, that shall I never do for to dye: I shall thy felow be, loke thou never so hye. And therfore, hardely, be somwhat felowlyke. Leve thyn hawt conceytys and take a metely way. For shame of the world, man, let us not styk At a mater of ryght noght and travers her Have me in few wordys, man, and hark wha I sa. Medyll thou in no poynt that belongeth to me, And I shall promyse the never to medyll wyth the. And standyng the nonage of thys gentylman, On my parell take no care therfore. I shall demean yt as well as I can Tyll he be passyd forty yerys and more, And, Reason, then yf ye wyll, undershore Hys croked old age when lusty youth ys spent; Than take uppon you. I hold me content, |p For trust ye me the very trouth ys thys- Thys Man ys put in hys owne lybertye, And certaynly the fre choyce ys hys Wheder he wyll be governed by the or by me. Let us therfore put yt to hys owne jeopardye And therin stande to hys arbytrement To whyche of us twayne he had lever assent. <2Reason>2 Nay, syr, not so. I know hys fraylte: The body ys dysposed for to fall Rather to the worse than the better parte But yt be holpen by power supernall <2Sensualyte>2 Yet, Reason, whan thou hast sayd all, Yf thou se hym not take hys owne way, Call me cut when thou metest me a nother day. <2Reason>2 For cartayne, yet accordyng to myne offyce I must advertyse and counsell hym at the lest To hawnt vertue and schew all vyce And therin assyst hym to the uttermest. And yf he wyll algatys be a best And take none hede to my lore and doctryne, The parell and hurt shalbe hys and not myne. <2Innocencye>2 Syrs, I shall answere for thys man as yet That he ys mayden for all suche foly As shold dystayne nature or dyshonour yt, Brought up wyth me full well and tenderly. Wherfore I dare the surelyar testyfye For innocencye that he ys yet vyrgyn Both for dede and eke consent of syn. And lengar wyll not I be of hys acquayntaunce Than he ys vertuouse and of good lyvyng, For fleshly lust and worldly plesaunce Ys wyth Innocencye nothyng accordyng. But yf hys behavyour and dayly demeanyng Be of suche draught as Reason wyll alow, I shall hym favour and love as I do now <2Sensualyte>2 Well spoken and wysely. Now, have ye all done? Or have ye ought ellys to thys man to say? <2Reason>2 O syr, ye. <2Sensualyte>2 Pece, no more of thys dysputacyon. Here be many fantasyes to dryve forth the day -- That one chatreth lyke a pye, that other lyke a jay. And yet, whan they both have done what they can, Maugry theyr teeth I shall rule the man. |p <2Man>2 O blessyd Lord, what maner stryf ys thys Atwyxt my Reason and Sensualyte? That one meneth well and that other all amysse. In one ys sekernes arid in tother great fraylte, And both they be so annexed to me That nedes I must wyth one of theym abyde. Lorde, as thou thynkyst best, for me do provyde. For 1 am wonderously entryked in thys case And almost brought into perplexyte, Notwythstandyng, thanked be thy grace, As I dyd never assent ne aggre To thynge that sholde be contraryouse unto the Of synfull ded and thought all innocent, Subduyd to Reason as hys obedyent. <2Reason>2 Cryst graunt you therin good contynuaunce To be ever of the same mynde and intent. But now wyll ye call to your remembraunce For what cause ye be hyder sent? I hold yt well done and ryght expedyent That ye were brough[t] unto the Worldys presen <2Man>2 Be yt so. In Goddys name, I pray you, <2Reason>2 And wyll ye that I shall for you declare Unto the World the cause of your comyng, What ys your intent, and what parson ye are? <2Man>2 Ye, I wold be glad that every thyng Be done even after your devysyng. <2Sensualyte>2 Shall I than stand as I were tong tyde? <2Man>2 Ye, hardely, tyll Reason have sayd. <2Reason>2 Syr World, yt ys the mynde and also pleasure Of lady Nature, as she bad us to you tell, That ye accept and receyve thys her creature Wyth you for a season here to dwell, Desyryng you hartely to entreat hym well Wyth all the favour that ye can devyse, Wherin ye shall do her great pleasure and servyce. <2The Worlde>2 Syrs, ye be welcome to us hartely. Your message ys to us ryght acceptable. Be ye assured there ys nothyng erthly To us so joyfull ne yet so delectable As to be acquaynted wyth parsons honorable, Namely souch as ye seme to be, Men of hygh honour and of great dygnyte. |p And as touchyng the message that ye have brought, [We] have therof the full mynde and intent, Assuryng you that our bysy thought Shalbe to do dame Naturys commaundement. And thereunto we wyll be dylygent To do her pleasurys in that we may, And so we wold ye shold to her say. And w[h]ere ye shew unto me that thys Man Is ordeyned to reygne here in thys empry, I assent well, for or Nature began To shape the world, she thought fynally To ordeyne Man therin to occupy, He to take uppon hym as myghty governer, Havyng all thyng subdued to hys power. Wherfore I receyve gretly hys comyng. Mankynde syr, hartely welcom ye be! Ye are the parsone, wythout faynyng, That I have evermore desyred to se. Come let me kys you! 0 benedycyte, Ye be all naked. Alas Man, why thus, I make you sure, yt ys ryght perylous. <2Man>2 I thanke you, but I nede none other vesture. Nature hath cIothed me as yet suffysantly: Gyltles of syn, and as a mayden pure, I were on me the garment of Innocencye. <2tnnocencye>2 Ye hardely, were that garment contynually! It shall thy body suffysantly savegard From stormy weder, my lyfe to jeopard. <2The Worlde>2 Be pece, fayre woman Ye ar not very wyse. Care ye not yf thys body take cold? Ye must consyder thys ys not paradyse, Ne yet so temporate by a thowsand fold. Who so lyveth here, be he yong or old, He must suffer both fervent cold and hete And be out of temperaunce oft tyme in hys dyet. Also he must nedys do as the Worlde doth That intendeth any whyle here to reygne, And folow the gyse that now a day goth As far as hys estate may yt mayntayne. And who doth the contrary -- I wyll be playne -- He ys abyect and dyspysed utterly And standeth ever baneshed from all good company. |p Syth God therfore had ordeyned thys body To dwell here in thys erthly regyon, Of convenyence he must hym selfe apply To worldly thyngys and be of suche condycyon As all men be, and leve eche fond opynyon That ys not approvable of wysar men than he: To take suche way yt ys but vanyte. <2[The Worlde rises to give>2 <2Man the robe, cap, and>2 <2grdle.]>2 Take thys garment, Man; do as I you byd! Be not ashamed, hardely, to do yt on. So lo, now thys gurdell, have gurd yt in the myd, And thys for your hed go set yt uppon. By the charge of me, you be a goodly on As ever I saw syth that I was borne, Worth a thowsand that ye were beforne. Gyve me your hand -- be not in fere! Syt down as ye ar borne to occupye thys place. <2[Man sits in the Worlde,s throne.]>2 I gyve you here auctoryte and power Over all thynge that conceyved ys in the space Of all the erth that rownd ys in compace, To be as lord of every regyon, And therof I gyve you pessyble possessyon- <2Man>2 Blessyd be thou my lord most bounteouse, That of thy great abundant cheryte Me thy wretched creature hast honoured thus Wyth naturall gyftys and worldly dygnyte. Now I beseke the, for thy great pyte, Syth thou hast set me in so noble way, Suffer me not hereafter wrechedly to decay. for certes, yt ys myne hartys desyre So to demayn me in thys lyfe present As may be most unto thy pleasure And unto Nature not dysconvenyent. Thys ys my wyll and my chyef intent, Thys wyll I observe -- thy grace to borow -- Though I therfore suffer mouche worldly sorow. |p <2Reason>2 Forsoth, these wordys be gretly to alow Yf they from meke and lowly hart procede. Now Mankynde, syth thou hast made thys vow, Shape the therafter thy lyfe to lede, And let thy word be cousyn to thy dede- That ys to say, do thou none other wyse Than thou here openly to God dost promyse. <2Innocencye>2Ye syr, and ever loke that ye abstayne b Not onely from dede but also from the assent, So that ye commyt neyther of theym twayn Yf ye wyll observe the hygh commaundement. For surely ye may not be cleped innocent Nor gyltles of syn, as far as I can fynde, Yf onys ye assent to foly in your mynde. <2The Worlde>2 Thys ys an harde word, syster, that ye have spoken, An hard worde surely and an hevy sentence. But thynk ye Goddys commaundement broken For a lyght tryfull and mater of insolence? Alas, have ye suche a spyced conscyence That wyll be entryked wyth every mery thought? Leve yt woman, leve yt, for yt ys nought. <2Loquitur ad hominem>2 And Man, as for you, ye shall not take that way -- That maner of observaunce ys to hard and strayte. Ye must attempte the world and therin assay Whether ye can lyve after that endrayte These two folk harp both on refrayte And ever enbesyeth theym to rebuke you of syn That never was spotted ne fownd gylty therin Take none hede of theym -- theyre wordys be but wynde, And as for thys tyme I commaunde theym to sylence. And let us se now how prately ye can fynde By sage polycy and worldly prudence To mayntayne the state in honour and reverence That ye shall be in whyle ye in the world dwell. Speke of thys mater and ponder yt well Fyrst me semeth necessary to provyde What maner folkys your sarvauntys shall be, For surely ye ar nothyng accompanyde Accordyng to a man of your degre. Ye have here wyth you two parsons or thre That pleaseth you happely in the best wyse, Yet yt appereth not so to every mannys [gyse]. |p What man ys thys? <2Man>2 Reason, syr, my chyef conselour, And thys Innocency my noryce hyderto, And Sensualyte that other by whom I have power To do as all sensate bestys do. But Reason and Innocency, chyefly these two, Have the hole rule and governy of me, To whom eke ys subdued my Sensualyte. <2Sensualyte>2 For cartayne syr, Reason hath done me wrong More than ever he shalbe able to recompense. God knoweth syr, I thought the season very long Tyll we were brought unto your presence. But now I pray you to adnull the sentence That Nature gave unto me by Reasons advyse To my great hurt and uttyr prejudyce. And syr, I aske none amendys erthly But that Reason may have a chek mate, A lytell knack, a lytell prayty congy Hys haut corage some thynge to abate. For hyderto he hath kept great estate And had of me the over hande and strengar. Be ye not dyspleased -- I wyll suffer yt no lengar. <2The Worlde>2 Thou hast had great wrong and that ys pyte, For yf thou be the parson that I take the fore, Thou sholdyst be as honorable as he <2Sensualyte>2 Lord ye say well, but wold God ye wold se Some maner helpe and remedy for thys evyll And let me not alway lyve thys lyke a dryvyll. <2The Worlde>2 Syr, ye know well that yf so yt were <2[To Man.]>2 A man shold sodenly come to a straunge place Wherin he ys but alyand and straunger, He must nedys be compelled in that case To put hym selfe in the favour and grace Of some syngler person that can shew hym the way Of all the behavour and gyse in that contray. So yt ys now that ye be hyder sent, Thys contray as yet to you unknowen. In myne opynyon yt ys expedyent To take some other counsell than your awne Of well enured men suche as have growne In worldly experyence and have therof the dryft And can best for you in tyme of nede skyft. |p <2Man>2 Certes ye move ryght well and prudently, And I am well content that yt so be. But as yet have I not the polycy To know whyche men have most abylyte. <2The Worlde>2 Dare ye commyt the mater unto me? <2Man>2 Ye syr, ryght well. I am fully content That all thynge be done by your assygnement. <2The Worlde>2 Than thus I wyll: that above all thyng From hens forward ye be lyke and conformable Unto other parsones in all your demeanyng, Namely to suche as be companable, Be they never so vycyouse or abhomynable. For every man clepyth hym wyse That doth after the comen gyse. And as for men that shold do you servyce, I know dyvers persones that be ryght honorable That can you serve alway poynt devyce: In all the worlde be there none so able, So wyse, so polytyke, ne yet so profytable. Lo here ys one of theym that I speke fore, And he hym selfe can tell you where ye shall have more. Worldly Affeccyon ys thys mannys name. He ys well brayned and wonderous of invencyon, A forecastyng man and, payne of shame, Ye shall not fynde in any Crysten regyon A wyser felow in thyngys to be done, Specyally of maters that be concernyng Worldly pleasure that ys for you accordyng. Suffer hym therfore never to departe But yf yt be for maters of great substaunce And for Sensualyte, I pray you wyth all my hade To accept hym to your favour and tendraunce- He hath ben longe of myne acquayntaunce And, on my fayth, my harte can not but grudge To thynke that ye shold use hym as a drudge. Do as he advyseth you hardely, now and than, And dyspyse not utterly hys counsell. Thynke that ye be here a worldly man And must do as men that in the world dwell. Ye ar not bounde to lyve lyke an aungell Ne to be as God alway immutable -- Mannys nature of hym selfe ys full myserable. |p I have tolde you now my counsell and advyse And ye have promysed to be ruled therby. Now let eche man execute hys offyce And se how wysely ye can theym occupy To encreace the world, and yt therto ye must apply. Now addresse you therto and demeane you thus -- I shalbe to you ever good and prosperouse. <2Man>2 Syr, I thank you of thys curtesy, Undeserved as yet, but be ye sure I shall my selfe endevour bysyly To do that may be to your pleasure. And for the season that I shall her[e] endure, I shall theym cheryce and to my power mayntayne That unto you in any wyse do partayne. <2The Worlde>2 Than to bygyn wyth all, I wyll advyse you To put thys man from your company. I tell you, every man wyll despyse you As long as ye be ruled by Innocency. To folow suche counsell yt ys but foly, For he can neyther good neyther evyll, And therfore he ys taken but for a dryvyll. <2Man>2 By my fayth, evyn as ye say It lyketh me not rygh Wyth Innocency longe to dwell. Therfore, accordyng to your counsell, I wyll not after thys day Wyth hys company my selfe affere As mewet as yt were a Gray Frere! I suppose there ys no man here What soever he be That could in hys mynde be content Allwayes to be called an innocen Wherfore yt ys myne intent To do as ye advyse me. <2The Worlde>2 Ye hardely, do evyn so. <2Innocencye>2 Forsoth, and I hold me well content To departe at your commaundement. Ye shall fynde me obedyent What soever ye byd me do <2Here Innocencye goeth out.>2 <2[Reason withdraws.]>2 <2Sensualyte>2 So, the company ys well amend Jet hym go to the devyll of hell. He ys but a boy, I warn you well, And shuld ye folow hys counsell Allmyghty God defend. |p Yf ever ye lust to play the man, It ys tyme that ye now bygan, Mary, to play the boy now and than For your dysport and solace It forceth not though ye do Whan ye may have leyser therto, And among I wyll helpe you also In due tyme and place. <2The Worlde>2 Ye, that ye wyll in dede. But now syr, wyll ye any thyng Commaund me byfore my departyng? <2Man>2 Nothyng at all, to my wetyng, But our Lord have you in hys kypyng And send you well to spede. <2[The Worlde goes out ]>2 Worldly Affeccyon, come hyder. ye are polytyke And myche better enured in thys world than I I pray you dyspose for me as ye thynk most lvke That I may lyve here well and honorablv <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Ye syr, I shall. Dout ye not, hardely, Yf yt lyke you to put me in so great trust, And I trow ye shall fynde me trew and just. <2Man>2 I wote well I shall Surely you be bound To the World that hath gyven you so great commendacyon. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Ye syr, some men had lever than a thowsand pound They myght be commended of the same fassyon. But syr, let passe all thys commendacyon And answere to me, I pray you, frutefully In that I shall meve you substancyally. Syr, at few wordys I you exhorte. Syth that ye be come to your own, Cast your selfe to bere suche a porte That as ye be ye may be knowen. Eke yt ys necessary for that behoye That there be made some maner of purvyaunce Wherby ye may bere out your countenaunce. Wyll yt lyke you therfore that I survey And se thextent of all your land And thereuppon in all the hast purvey Both for you and yours all maner of vyand, Wyth other utensyllys redy at your hand, So that ye be purveyd all tymes erely and late Of eche thyng that belongeth to your estate? |p <2Man>2 Your counsell ys good -- do as ye thynk best. I commyt all suche thyng to your dyscrecyon. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 I shall do my trew bysynes at the lest To bryng all thyngys to good conclusyon <2[Worldly Affeccyon offers to go out.]>2 <2Man>2 Abyde, Worldly Affeccyon. Ye made no mencyon Who shuld awayt and gyve attendaunce. I must have mo servauntys what so ever chaunce. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 What? Ye have Sensualyte -- ax never other counsell. Of suche mater he can you best advyse. He knoweth where all suche maner parsons dwell As be moste apte to do you <2Then he goeth out->2 <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, on my parell syr, I shall take the enterpryse Of all suche maters, and loke where I fynde Any man of pleasure, on hym set your mynde. Lo, wyll ye se? Lo, here cometh one -- Even the last man that was in my thought <2Man>2 What ys he? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye shall se anon: A well drawen man ys he, and a well taught, That wyll not gyve hys hed for nought, And therto goodly as ye shall se in a day, As well apparelyd at eche poynt of hys aray. <2Pryde co[meth in, with Garcius.]>2 <2Pryde>2 Who dwelleth here? Wyll no man speke? Is there no fole nor hody peke? Now by the bell, yt were almys to breke Some of these knaves brows. A gentylman comys in at the dorys That all hys dayes hath worn gylt sporys, And none of thys knaves nor cutted horys Byddys hym welcom to house. Wote ye not how great a lord I am, Of how noble progeny I cam? -- My fader a knyght, my moder callyd madame, Myne aunceters great estatys? And now the lyvelod ys to me fall By both theyre dethes naturall. I am spoken of more than they all Hens to Parys gatys. |p How say ye, syrs, by myne aray? Doth yt please you? Ye or nay? In the best wyse, I dare well say, By that ye knowe me a whyle. And one thyng I put you out of dout: I have wherwyth to bere yt out As well as any man here about Wythin these hundreth myle Behold the bonet uppon my hed: A staryng colour of scarlet red -- I promyse you, a fyne threde And a soft wull! It cost me a noble at one pyche! The scald capper sware sythyche That yt cost hym even as myche -- But there Pryde had a pull. I love yt well to have syde here Halfe a fote byneth myne ere, For ever more I stande in fere That myne nek shold take cold I knyt yt up all the nyght And the day tyme kemb yt down ryght, And then yt cryspeth and shyneth as bryght As any pyrled gold. My doublet ys onlaced byfore, A stomacher of saten and no more. Rayn yt snow yt never so sore, Me thynketh I am to hote! Than have I suche a short gown Wyth wyde sleves that hang adown They wold make some lad in thys town A doublet and a cote. Som men wold thynk that this were pryde, But yt ys not so Ho, ho, abyde I have a dagger by my syde -- Yet therof spake not I. I bought thys dagger at the marte, A sharp poynt and a tarte: He that had yt in hys hart Were as good to dye. Than have I a sworde or twayn! To bere theym my selfe yt were a payne: They ar so hevy that I am fayne To purvey suche a lad -- Though I say yt, a praty boy! It ys halfe my lyves joy! He maketh me laugh wyth many a toy, The urchyn ys so mad. |p I begate the horson in bast. It was done all in hast. Ye may se there was no wast-- He occupyed no great place. Sometyme he serveth me at borde, Somtyme he bereth my two hand sword. Com forth thou lytell lyk-tord -- Loke in thy faders face! But now to do that I com f And of these thyngys to speke no more. Hark syrs, me longeth sore To here some newelte. I here say there ys a great state Com into thys contray late And ys dysposed algate An housholder to be. Fathers soule syrs. Ye shall understand That yf he kepe houshold in thys land I wyll threst in one hand Who so ever say nay. What so ever the man intend -- To appayre the world or to amend -- I wylbe wyth hym at that one end, Hap what hap may. I mete Worldly Affeccyon ere wyle From thys town skant a myle, And he hath shewed me a praty whyle If I may put yt in ure: He tellys me that Sensualybte Begynnys a great rular to be, And yf yt be so, care not for me -- The mater ys cok sure. <2[Notices Man.]>2 Ey good Lord, what man ys that? Fathers soule, thys ys some great wat! <2Garcius>2 Thys ys he that ye seeke. <2Pryde>2 Se thys brat? Thys boy ys passyng taunte. Com behynd and folow me-- Set out the better leg I warne the! <2Garcius>2 Yes, in the best wyse, trust ye me. Ale seygniour, ale vouse avant! |p <2Pryde>2 Saluys to you syr. <2Man>2 And to you also. Whens are ye? <2Pryde>2 I shall tell you or I go, But fyrst wold I speke a worde and no mo Wyth thys sarvant of yours. <2Sensualyte>2 Wyth me syr? Wolde ye speke wyth me? <2Pryde>2 Ye, for God! Are ye not Sensualyte? <2Sensualyte>2 Yes, surely. <2Pryde>2 Ye, such a gentylman ye seme to be. <2Sensualyte>2 Your pore sarvaunt at all howris. <2Then Pryde speheth to>2 <2Sensualyte in hys ere that>2 <2all may here>2 <2Pryde>2 Syr, I understand that this gentylman is borne to great fortunes and intendeth to inhabyt here in the contray. And I am a gentylman that alway hath be brought up wyth great estatys and affeed wyth them, and yf I myght be in lyke favour wyth this gentylman, I wold be glad therof and do you a pleasure. <2Sensualyte>2 Where ys your dwellynge? <2Pryde>2 I dwell herby. <2Sensualyte>2 What ys your name? <2Pryde>2 Pryde. <2Sensualyte>2 Pryde? <2Pryde>2 Ye, sykerly, But I am cleped Worshyp comenly In placys where I dwell. <2Sensualyte>2 Worshyp? Now in fayth, ye say trew: Ye be <2radix viciorum >2 rote of all vertew. <2Pryde>2 Ye, ye, man. Ye wolde say so yf ye me knew. <2Sensualyte>2 Turd. I know you well <2[Aside ]>2 Syr, ye are welcom as I may say I shall bryng you in servyce yf I may And yf one man stand not in the way. <2Pryde>2 One man? What the devyll ys he? <2Sensualyte>2 By God, one that loveth not the Nor me neyther <2Pryde>2 I pray the tell me What maner of man he ys And I shall gyve hym a lyft as I gesse! <2Sensualyte>2 Wylt thou so, doubtlesse? <2Pryde>2 Ye, and that wythin a short processe: In fayth, I wyll not mysse. |p <2Sensualyte>2 Surely I can not spy the wayes how <2Pryde>2 Let me alone, I shall do well ynow. Aquaynt me wyth that man, and care not thou -- The mater shall spede. <2Sensualyte>2 Hark, cosyn fyrst spede thys mater, And yf yender man make the not good chere As ony man that ever cam here, Let me therfore be dede. <2Pryde>2 Syr, I shall tell the how: whan I am in To thy maysters servyce, I wyll fyrst begyn To set hys hart on a mery pyn And byd hym make good chere. I wyll byd hym thynk how he ys create To be a worthy potestate And eke that he ys predestynate To be a prynces pere, And other thyngys more than thys: I shall bryng that hart of hys To be more howt than yt ys By a dewysase. Specyally I wyll commend hys wyt That no man can amend yt, And that he ys able therby to syt As a juge in Comen Place. And when I prayse hym thys wyse, I thynke hys hart wyll begyn to ryse And after that utterly despyse Any opray counsell to here. He shall trust all to hys own brayne And than, wold Reason never so fayne, Though he come and suche opry twayn, He shalbe never the nere. <2Sensualyte>2 Surely thys conseyt ys well found. I shall bryng the in servyce for twaynty pound <2Pryde>2 Gramercy brother, I thynk me mych bound To the for thy curtesy. But syr, abyde here on thyng: I wyll not be knowen that yt ys my sekyng. <2Sensualyte>2 No more wold I, for forty shelyng. Let me alone hardely. |p Syr, yf yt please you, here ys come a straunger <2[To Man.]>2 That never was aquaynted wyth you ere, Somwhat shamefast and halfe in fere To put hym selfe in prese: A goodly parsone, be ye sure, Both of countenaunce and of feature If he were drawn in portrayture, And a good man doubtles -- Ye, and a wyse man at all. Wyll yt please you that I hym call To speke wyth you? <2Man>2 Byd hym com. <2Sensualyte>2 I shall. Syr, wyll ye come nere? <2[To oryde.]>2 Syr, byd hym welcome for the maner sake. <2[To Man.]>2 Another day I am sure he wyll crake And say suche a gentylman dyd hym make Very great chere. Desyre hym for to dwell wyth you -- I tell you he ys a man for your prow And knoweth the world well inow, No man better than he. <2Man>2 Syr, ye be welcom to thys place. <2Pryde>2 I thanke you syr, but I do you trespace To come thus homly. <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, a parlous case! <2[To Pryde.]>2 God wote, ye are welcom heder. On my fayth, by my wyll Ye shall dwell wyth us styll. Go nere to hym and talk your fyll-- I leve you togeder. <2He goeth forth.>2 <2Man>2 Now syr, what have ye to say to me? <2Pryde>2 No great thyng syr, but I come to se And to know what maner man ye be That all men prayseth so mouche. <2Man>2 Prayse? Whom prayse they? <2Pryde>2 Mary, you. <2Man>2 Me? <2Pryde>2 Ye syr, I make myne avow! They gyve you a praysyng good inow -- I harde never none suche. And surely, ye be ryght wurthy -- I se well now they do not ly! And therefore I dyd me hyder hy To acquaynt me wyth you. |p But ye may say that I am bold. <2Man>2 Nay, ye ar worth thy weyght of gold. Me thenketh me to you myche behold. I pray you, what ys your name? <2Pryde>2 My name ys Wurshyp. <2Man>2 Wurshyp? Now surely, The World told me yt was my destyny To come to Wurshyp or I dye <2Pryde>2 Truly, I am the same <2Man>2 Now Wurshyp, I pray you me tell Your wysedom and also counsell. Ye can advertyse me passyng well In thyngys that I have to do. <2Pryde>2 In good fayth, any thyng that I May do to your pleasure, yt ys redy. I am your own and pray you hartely That ye accept me so. But where ye aske counsell of me, Me semeth ye save not your honeste. <2Man>2 Myne honesty? Wherfore let se? I pray you shew me why <2Pryde>2 Mary syr, for yt ys ryght syttyng That a man of your behavyng Shuld have alway suffycyent conyng Of worldly wyt and polycy To guyde hym selfe every where, And not to be led by the ere And beg wyt here and there Of every jak-a-pye Ye are well complexyond be ye sure, And Nature hath done on you here cure As myche as upon any creature eye. That ever I saw wyth And by lykelyhod syr, iwys, Ye have wyt accordyng to all thys, Or ellys Nature hath wrought amysse, And that ys not lykely. <2Man>2 Now certayne, thanked be heven Kyng, I have a ryght quyk understandyng: If ye shew me any thyng I can sone perceyve yt. But I was forbyd by Reason On myne own fantasye to ron Or to take any presumpcyon Of myne own wyt. |p 2Pryde>2 Sayd Reason so? Mary, fy on him knave! Yt were better the hangman where in his grave Than ever the lewd fole shold have The governaunce of you. 2Man>2 Certayn, Nature advysed me To folow Reason what tyme that she Put me fyrst in auctoryte That I stand in now. 2Pryde>2 Alas, alas, Man, ye be mad I se well ye be but a very lad! On my fayth, I was very glad Of your fyrst acquayntaunce, And now I forthynk yt utterly -- That ever I knew you, fy, fy, fy I hard never certaynly Of suche a nother chaunce. Wyll ye draw to that felyshyp? I wold ye had thre strypes wyth a whyp Even upon the bare hyp, If I shuld you not greve. He that wold lordshyp enjoy And playe ever styll the old boy, Me semeth he doth but make a toy And ye wyll me beleve <2Man>2 Wurshyp, for Goddys sake greve ye not. <2Pryde>2 Iwys, ye ar but an ydeot. I pray you syr, make not me a sot. I am no tryfler I have bene in honour here to forne! Ye alow the counsell of a karle borne Byfore myne I have yt in scorne, It ys a thyng I can not bere <2Man>2 Whom meane ye? Reason? <2Pryde>2 Ye, that same daw! <2Man>2 What? Ys he a wyse man? <2Pryde>2 He ys a straw! Bycause he kepys you under aw, Ye be therin blynd. <2Man>2 And so doth he, wythout faynyng! For hyderto I myght do nothyng But after hys wyll and byddyng, And that groged my mynde. |p <2Pryde>2 Grouge, quod a? Yt ys no marvell, hardely. It shall greve me certaynly As longe as I am in your cumpany To se you demeaned in that wyse. Ye be now in good way, But in fayth I lyke not your aray: It ys not the fassyon that goth now a day, For now there ys a new guyse! It ys now two dayes agon Syth that men bygan thys fassyon, And every knave had yt anon! Therfore, at thys season There ys no man that setteth thereby If he love hys own honesty <2Man>2 So me semeth, certaynly, That every man ys fressher than I, And iwys, that ys no reason. <2Here cometh in Worldly>2 <2Affeccyon and Sensualyte>2 <2Sensualyte>2 Reason, quod a? No, no. But syr, wote ye what ye shall do? Hardely, let us two go To some tavern here bysyde -- Com on, 1 can bryng you there -- And let theym alone wyth all thys gere. Care ye nothyng for the mater, But let theym here abyde. And ye wyll suffer and let theym alone, Ye shall se them devyse you a new fassyon That all the world shall wonder theron. <2Man>2 By God, that wyll I do goodly. But I pray you syrs, do your dylygence For thys aray and spare none expence, And for a whyle I wyll go hens And come agayne shortly. <2Here Man and Sensualyte>2 <2go out.>2 <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Brother Pryde, now the weyght Of all thys mater resteth in the. <2Pryde>2 Tushe. Thou shalt se me devyse it even streyght -- It ys but japes that gere wyth me. I have none other study a dayes parde But how I may new fassyon fynde, And theron I set all my labour and mynde. |p Syr, our mayster shall have a gown That all the galandys in thys town Shall on the fassyon wonder -- It shall not be sowed but wyth a lace Bytwyxt every seme a space Of two handfull asonder. Than a doublet of the new make- Close byfore and open on the bak -- No sleve upon hys arme. Under that a shyrt as soft as sylk And as whyte as any mylk To kepe the carcas warm. Than shall hys hosen be stryped, Wyth corselettys of fyne velvet slyped Down to the hard kne, And fro the kne downward Hys hosen shalbe freshely gard Wyth colours two or thre. And whan he is in suche aray, There goth a rutter.' men wyll say. A rutter? Huf, a galand!' Ye shall se these foles on hym gase And muse as yt were on a mase New brought into the land <2Affeccyon>2 Ha, ha, ha! Now by the Mary Vyrgyn, Thys wyll set hym on a mery pyn Even as yt shuld be. But ever I am in great fere That Reason wyll whyster hym in the ere And torne hys mynd clene fro thys gere -- Thys thynge fereth me! Reason? Nay, nay, hardely, He ys forsaken utterly! Syth I cam to hys company He wold not onys appere. Never thelesse, for a surte, Worldly Affeccyon, I advyse the As shortely as ever yt may be For spede of the mater |p To bryng hym shortly in acquayntaunce Wyth all the company of myne affyaunce And let theym gyve contynuall attendaunce, Bvery man bysyly After the propertye of hys offyce. Than shall ye se hym utterly despyce Reasons counsell -- on warantyse. -- And forsake hym utterly <2[Sensualyte comes in ]>2 <2Sensualyte>2 Nay, nay, syrs, care ye nothynge. That mater ys sped well and fyne. <2Pryde>2 Is yt so? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, by heven kyng, Even as we sat togeder at the wyne. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Thou shalt have Goddys blessyng and myne. But ys yt true? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye syr, by thys day Our mayster and Reason have made a great fray. <2Pryde>2 How so? <2Sensualyte>2 By my fayth, we sat together At the tavern next herby And anon who shuld come together But fleyng Kat and Margery -- She that bygyled you parde so pra And bare away your shyrt the last mornyng Stede of her smok whyle ye lay slepyng. <2Pryde>2 I wote whom ye meane well inow -- But that ys nothyng to thys purpose. Tell on thy tale, for God avow! <2Sensualyte>2 I shall anon had 1 wypt my nose. Syr, whan I spyde theym, anon I rose And called theym unto me by name, And wythout more taryeng anon they came And sat down with us and made nothyng straung -- As they be full curteys ye know yt well-- And anon our maysters colour bygan to chaunge. Wherof yt cam I can not tell, Hys chere was appalled every dell, And scant that he coulde speke to me one word But stert hym even up and rose fro the bord. |p He sayd he wold go ly down on a bed, And prayd me for the maners sake That Margery myght com hold hys hede, Whyche as he told me bygan to ake. And so she hath hym undertake To make hym hole in an houre or twayne Whan soever he hath any suche soden payn What yt meaneth I wote never, But he lyketh her physyk so well That I trow the devyll of hell Can not theym two dyssever. Lo thys have I done, and what trow ye more? Yet can I tell you better tydyng. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 What ys that? <2Sensualyte>2 Mary, Reason, that ye two spake of byfore, Cam even to us as we sat so drynkyng And gave our mayster an hete worth an hangyng Bycause that Margery sat on hys kne Whyle that other hore sat talkyng wyth me My mayster saw that he coulde have no rest Nor never be ryd of thys controllyng: He played the man and thought yt best, And wyth an angry loke, to my semyng, Drew out hys sword wythout more taryeng And smote Reason so on the hed That I have great marvayll but he be now dede. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Mary, than fyll all the cuppes at ones If thys be trew! <2Sensualyte>2 Yes, by these ten bones, I lye never a word. <2Pryde>2 Trowyst thou yt ys no fayned stryfe Bytwyxt theym two? <2Sensualyte>2 No, on my lyfe, For whan they faught I ran bytwene And cryed, 'Kepe pece and leve debate!' But ye wold have laughed had ye sene How I departed theym, and for all that Sometyme I clapped Reason on the pate And cryed, "Kepe the pece" as fast as I coude -- Tyll I was horse I cryed so loude. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 But can our master play the man now And fare wyth thys gere? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, make God avow. And beware ye of one thyng: Medyll ye no more wyth Margery, For by cokkys precyouse body, If our mayster may yt espy Or have an understandyng |p That ye use her company, I tell you he wyll be angry. He ys so full of jelosy As ever I knew man. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Jelosy? Pece man, be styll! He can therof no maner of skyll. <2Sensualyte>2 No? But say what ye wyll, I am sure he can He ys now as famylyer Wyth Bodely Lust as ever ye were, Ye, and therto as great a swerer Whan tyme requyres. Knew I never of hys age A man of better corage To do all maner of outrage After our desyres. Syth Reason and he were thus at varyaunce, He hath be full of suche dalyaunce And hath called to hys favour and acquayntaunce Your kynnesmen by and by: Envy, Wreth, Glotony, and Covetyse, Slouth, and Lechery be come to hys servyce, And utterly he hatyth theyre contraryse, And that he professeth openly <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 And be these folke of hys retynue? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, everychon, I tell you trew. But mary, there names be chaunged new For to blere hys eye. I tell you he ys a ferefull man, For Reason styrreth hym now and than. And therfore, do we what we can, It ys lytell inow, hardely. Syra, there ys fyrst Pryde as ye wot well, The swete darlynge of the devyll of hell: How hys name ys chaunged ye can tell! <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Ye mary, on the Wurshyp I wene ys now hys name <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, by the rode, even the same. And Covetyse, to eschue all blame, Doth hys name dysgyse And calleth hym selfe Worldly Polycy. Wreth, bycause he ys somwat hasty, Is called Manhode. Then ys there Envy, And he ys called Dysdayn. Glotony for Good Felyshyp ys taken, And Slouth hys old name hath forsaken And as fayre a name hath he shapen As ever man coulde ordayn: |p He ys called Ease, ryght confortable to the blod, Specyally for theym that luste to do no good. And amonge all other I wold ye understode That Lechery ys called Lust. Lo, these be fayre names parde, Both good and honest as semeth me. As for theyre condycyons, what they be Ye know well. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Very just. I know theyre condycyons on the best wyse, Yf they kepe styll theyre old gyse. <2Sensualyte>2 Yes, that they do, on warantyse <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 But yet I have great marvayll That Covetyse shuld dwell in hys company. <2Sensualyte>2 By my trouth, lo, and so have I. But one thyng I ensure you faythfully, And that I have espyed well: That hyderto our mayster setteth no store By hys councell nor hys lore. Mary, whan hys hed waxeth hore, Than shalbe good season To folow Covetyse and hys way -- Ye, tyme inow a nother day. Even so I hard our mayster say. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 By my fayth, he sayd but reason. But all the remanent be well retayned? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, be ye sure, yt ys mater unfayned. And wote ye who ys gretely dysdayned Wyth our mayster now? <2Pryde>2 Who? <2Sensualyte>2 By God, even Shamfastnes. Whan he shall do any suche excesse No shame can fere hym doubtles, I may say to you. <2Pryde>2 No? Than the craft were nought. But now syrs, well bethought Syth the mater ys hereto brought, It ys tyme for me To go and make some provysyon Of garmentys after the new invencyon As he commaunded me to be don. Therto must I se, |p For yt ys commytted to myy1 neglymgehncn And yf he come hyder whyle I am hens, I pray the excuse myne absens. <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, and myne also. <2Pryde>2 Why, wylt thou go wyth me? <2Sensualyte>2 Wyll I, quod a? Ye, parde: It ys accordyng for Sensualyte Wyth Pryde for to go. <2[Pryde, Garcius, and>2 <2Sensualyte go out>2 <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Now the mater ys allmost in good case After the Worldys mynde and pleasure There ys no more but now must I cumpace Wyth all my wyt and besy endevure How it may be stablysshed and contynued sure, For a lytell fantasy of mannys own wyll May quayll thys mater and utterly yt spyll. And yf he vary agayne Of scrypyll Ymagynacyon Or ellys by the suggestyon Of the forsayd Reason, One thyng I am certayne: He wyll no lengar me support, And that were a shrewd crank dort. Therfore yt ys best that I resort To my maysters presence And se of what demeanour he ys. I am gretely to blame iwys, For that I saw hym not or thys Syth he departed hens. <2He goeth out and Reason>2 <2cometh in.>2 <2Reason>2 0 good Lord, to whom shall I complayn And shew the sorowes of my mynde? And nothyng for myne own cause certayn, But onely for the decay of Mankynde, Whyche now of late ys waxen so That he hath dyspysed and forsaken me And foloweth every mocyon of hys sensualyte What advayled at the begynnyng That Nature comytted me to hys servyce And charged me that byfore all thyng Of all hys gydyng I shuld take thenterpryse When he lusteth not to folow my But foloweth thappetytys of hys sensuall affeccyon As a brute best that lakketh reson? |p And yet not wythstandyng That he doth me dysdayn, I wyll resort to hym agayn And do my labour and bysy payn To assay yf I can hym refrayn Fro suche bestly lyvyng. But fyrst wyll I stande hereby In secrete maner to espy Some token of grace in hym wherby I may dyscerne and fynde That he hath any shamfastnes After hys great surfet and excesse, And yf yt be so, doubtles It shall content my mynde. <2Man cometh in [followed>2 <2by Worldly Affeccyon ]>2 <2Man>2 I say, syrs, where ys Wurshyp, can ye tell? In thys place I left hym last. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Syr, I warand you he ys occupyed well In ordeynyng your garmentys full fast. He departed fro me in great hast For that intent, and so he desyred That I wold tell you whan nede requyred. He shewed me hys mynde or he went, How he had devysed your garment. And yf yt be made after that intent As he told me, Whan ye were on that vestour, Every man shall do you honour As becurnmeth a man of your havyour, And so yt shuld be. <2Man>2 Ye, but what wyll Reason say Whan he seeth me in that aray? <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Reason? Mary, let hym go play To the devyll of hell Ye promysed me at the begynnyng That ye wold no more be under hys gydyng. <2Man>2 No, but yet yt were accordyng To have therin hys counsell: Man wythout Reson ys but blynde, And yf I shuld speke after my mynde, I can well a dyfference fynde Bytwyxt man and a beste Whan he hath Reason in presence And duely obeyeth hys law and sentence. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Why, have ye suche a spyced conscyence Now wythin your brest |p That chaungeth your mynde so sodenly? I am sory and ashamed truely On your behalf. <2Man>2 No force, hardely Thou ledest me all wrong, And therfore wyll I no more folow the. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Not Worldly Affeccyon? <2Man>2 N[o], parde, Nor yet thy brother Sensualyte -- I have folowed you to long. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Is that your mynde? <2Man>2 Ye, doubtles. And now wyll I seke Shamefastnes, By whom I trust I shall redresse All my mysded. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 And syth thou wylt nedys to Shame bowe, I pray God send the shame inow And yet I trust-- make God avow. -- Ones thou shalt have nede To call me agayn to thy servyce. <2[Worldly Affeccyon goes out ]>2 <2Man>2 Nay, nay, on warantyse. Now syrs, who can me advyse What ys best to do? <2[Shamfastnes comes in.]>2 <2Shamfastnes>2 Syr, yf ye lust to have myne acquayntaunce, I am redy to geve you attendaunce: Happely my servyce shall you advaunce -- I am called Shamfastncs. <2Man>2 By your trouth, are ye the same? <2Shamfastnes>2 Ye forsoth, that ys my name: Alrnys dedys I can attame And help for to represse Whan ye have done offence or syn, Yf ye wyll mercy and grace wyn Wyth Shamefastnes ye must bygyn -- Thys way must ye take. <2Man>2 Ye be the man wythout faynyng That I wysshed for or ye cam here, And glad am I now of your comyng, Prayng you wyth hart entere Whan I have nede thus to com nere. <2hamfastnes>2 So wyll I do, ye may trust yt veryly: Whan soever ye call ye shail fynde me redy. <2He goeth out. [Reason>2 <2comes foward.]>2 |p <2Reason>2 Syr, ys yt your mynde to do as ye say? <2Man>2 Ye, that ys yt, as God me spede. Hard ye all thys mater? Ye or nay? <2Reason>2 Yes, that I dyd in very ded. <2Man>2 O gostly Reson, I have greter nede Of your help than ever I had byfore. Help me now and I shall never forsake you more. Syth I forsoke your cumpany I have commytted myche foly -- I am ashamed certaynly Whan I thynke theron. But now have I refused utterly All suche maner of cumpany And thys have I done veryly Of myne own mocyon. <2Reason>2 Than my help shalbe redy as oft as ye me call. It ys my duety so for to do, And of your offencys wyll I make no rehersall, But what soever ye have done hyderto To me-ward, let yt passe and go. Agaynst God your offence ys great, Of the whych mater I wyll not longe treat. But thys confort of me ye shall have: Yf ye be contryte as ye pretend, God ys mercyable yf ye lust to crave. Call for grace and sone he wyll yt send, And be not in purpose hereafter to offend. Accustom your selfe in the wayes of vertue, And be not in doubt grace wyll ensue. <2Man>2 Syr, yt ys my mynde and intent Hereafter to be your true obedyent, And never more to assent To suche foly agayn. <2Reason>2 And upon that condycyon I take the unto my tuycyon, Wyth all hartys affeccyon, Never to part atwayn. And for thys seson Here we make an end, Lest we shuld offend Thys audyence -- as God defend!-- It were not to be don! |p Ye shall understand neverthelesse That there ys myche more of thys processe, Wherein we shall do our besynes And our true endevure To shew yt unto you after our guyse, Whan my lord shall so devyse -- It shalbe at hys pleasure. <2Thus endeth the fyrst parte.>2 <2The Second Parte>2 <2Reason and Man come in>2 <2Reason>2 I assemble the lyfe of mortall creature To the assyege agayn a strong town or castell In whyche there ys myche besy endevure, On every syde whyhyche parte shall prevayll By sleyght of ingyns or by strong power That other to subdue and bryng into daunger. In suche case and maner of condycyon Is wreched Man here in thys lyfe erthly Whyle he abydeth wythin the garyson Of the frayll carcas and carynouse body, Whom to impugn laboreth incessantly The World, the Fleshe, the Enemy -- these thre -- Hym to subdue and bryng into captyvyte And for to shew you what wyse they us impugn, Fyrst doth the World geve us an allectyfe To covet ryches and worldly renown, Wyth other vanyteys that be used in thys lyfe. Next that our Fleshe, whyche ever ys in stryfe Agayn our spyryte, doth provoke and excyte Us to accomplyshe our sensuall appetyte. The last of all ys our great Enemy, Whyche ever hath us in contynuall haterede Of old enkankred malyce and envy That he oweth to us and all the kynrede Of all the aunceters of whom we do succede, Nor yet cesseth hys malyce unto thys day Us to endaunger in all that he can or may. And certes these our sayd enemyes Be of theyre nature so myghty and so strong That hard yt wyll be for us in any wyse Agayn them warre or batayll to underfong. Also our garisons and fortresse to mayntayn long Agayn theyre ingens wythout spyrytuall grace We can not performe in no maner case. |p Wherfore yt ys to us ryght behovable Besyly to pray to God that ys immortall, Besechyng hym as he ys mercyable To have compassyon and pytye on us all Arid not to suffer us any wyse to fall Into suche foly and utter myschaunce As shuld theym greve and do dysplesaunce. Also yt behoveth on our parte To fle all suche maner of occasyon As may us put in fere and jeoparde Of theyre dyspleasure in any condycyon. New fanglenes and other nyce invencyon We must forsake in all maner wyse And acquaynt us wyth theyre contraryse: <2Quia contraria contranis curantur, etc>2 I tell thys tale, syr, to you, Trustyng that yt be not done in wast. Ye remember as I suppose well inow How yt ys not fully thre dayes past Syth ye me promysed and bound yt fast From that day forth to be obedyent Unto my counsell and advysement. <2Man>2 Ye syr, so I dyd in very ded, And yet yt ys my mynde and intent To folow the same, have ye no drede. <2Reason>2 Yf ye do nat, your selfe shall repent. Now fare ye well, for I must be absent As for a season, and for your confort, Whan so ever ye call me I shall to you resort. <2Then he goeth out and>2 <2Sensualyte cometh in.>2 <2Sensualyte>2 God forbed that ever he com agayn. Jesu, how may ye thys lyfe endure? Me semeth yt shuld be to you a great payn, Syth ye be of good complexyon and nature, To forbere the worldly sport and pleasure As ye have done now a great seson, And all by the folyshe counsell of Reson. Where ys your lusty hart bycom That served you so well thys other day? Now so helpe me God and halydom, I have great marvell how ye may Lyve in suche mysery, and thys dare I say: Wythout ye take some other wayes, By my trouth yt wyll shorten your dayes! |p And though I say yt, that were pyte, For by Cryste, and ye were gone, Meny a good felow wold make great mone. <2Then he wepyth.>2 <2Man>2 Why wepe ye so? <2Sensualyte>2 Let me alone, It wyll none other wyse be! And ye saw the sorowfull countenaunce Of my cumpany, your old acquayntaunce, That they make For your sake, I dare say ye wold mone theym in your mynde. They be so lovyng and so kynde That I am sure Yf ye endure In thys pevyshe opynyon, It wyll be theyre confessyon. There ys none other remedy But for sorow they shall dye. <2Man>2 Nay, God forbed they shuld so do <2Sensualyte>2 In fayth, wythout ye help therto There ys none other way. <2Man>2 I wyll help yt in all that I may And I wyst by what mene. <2Sensualyte>2 Mary, call theym to your cumpany. <2Man>2 By Saynt Johan I am content, For I may say here to the, Syth I forsoke my lyberte And dyd to Reson assent, I had never mery day But lyved under awe and drede alway, Nothyng to myne intent. Another whyle I wyll me dysport And to myne old cumpany resort. <2Sensualyte>2 0 than shall ye theym confort And your selfe also Wote ye who wyll be very glad? <2Man>2 Who? <2Sensualyte>2 Margery. <2Man>2 Why, was <2Sensualyte>2 Ye by the masse, she was stark m d Even for very wo |p Whan she hard tell of thys chaunce. And bycause she wold lyve in penaunce Her sorow for to quenche, She hath entred into a relygyouse place At the Grene Frerys hereby. <2Man>2 Ye, hase? Alak, good lytell wenche Is yt an house of strayt relygyon? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, as any that ever was bygon Syth the world stode. <2Man>2 Be they close nonnes as other be? <2Sensualyte>2 Close, quod a? Nay, nay, parde, That gyse were not good. -- Ye must beware of that gere. Nay, all ys open that they do there, As open as a gose eye. <2Man>2 And cometh any man into theyre sellys? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, ye, God forbede ellys, It ys fre for every body! And bysyde all thys, they be <2Ex omni gente cognite -->2 No nacyon they forsake Wythout yt be beggars goyng by the way That have never a peny to pay For that that they do take. And yet can I beggars thyder lede Where they shall for lumpes of brede Satysfye theyre desyre! Suche drabbes some there be That requyre none other fe Nor yet any other hyre. <2Man>2 Be they not wedded as other folke be? <2Sensualyte>2 Wedded, quod a? No, so mot I the, They wyll not tary therfore They can wed theym selfe alone: 'Com kys me Johan.' 'Gramercy Jone.' Thys wed they ever more. And yt ys the more to comend, For yf the woman hap to offend As yt ys theyre gyse, A man may let her alone--wyth sorow! -- And wed a nother hore on the morow Even of the same wyse. |p <2Man>2 Forsoth, thys ys a noble relygyon. It styrreth me to great devocyon For to se that place. Canst thou bryng me thyder well inow? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, and yt were myd nyght, I make God avow As dark as ever yt was <2Man>2 But where ys Bodely Lust now? <2Then cometh in Bodyly>2 <2Lust, [and] wyth hym>2 <2Worldly Affeccyon.>2 <2Bodyly Lust>2 Mary syr, I have sytten and sought you Thys thre or four howrys. <2Man>2 I make God avow, Ye gyve shrewd attendaunce. All thys two dayes I coulde not the espy. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Syr, ye know well that ye and I Be never myche asonder Albe yt I be from you among. <2Man>2 And now me semeth thou hast taryed to long, Whyche ys to me great wonder. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Wonder? Ye parde, for an howr or twayn -- Forth for a passyng whyle and com agayn. Here ys a sore mater. Whan was I so long absent as now? And yet I was for to seke you At the tother syde of the water-- The place that ye wot of parde: Understande ye what I mene? <2Man>2 Ye, ye <2Bodyly Lust>2 Tell me in myne ere. <2Man Quid est Latinum propter>2 le stewys? <2Bodyly Lust>2 What? Laten? Now thys of the new ys I herd never thys ere -- I trow ye begyn to waxe shamfast. <2Man>2 Nay, nay, hardely, that gere ys past Meny dayes agon. I am as wanton as ever I was <2Bodyly Lust>2 It were almes to hang you ellys--by the masse.-- By the hard necke bon. But wyll ye now go wyth me to a place And I shall shew you the smorterst face That ever ye saw wyth eyes? <2Man>2 What thyng ys yt, yong or old? <2Bodyly Lust>2 What ever yt be, yt ys able to be sold It shall lyke you on the best wyse. |p <2Man>2 For my love, let us some nyght be there At a banket or a rere supper And get us some wanton mete, So we may have some deynty thyng. Yet wold I spende twenty shyllyng Where so ever I yt get. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Nay, nay, wyll ye spende a copell of crownes? And there shall no gentylman in thys ten townes Be better served than ye, Nor be receyved more honestly As to an house of bawdry For a banket or a jonkry For a dyshe two or thre. <2Man>2 Yes, that wyll I spend wyth all myne hart. <2Bodyly Lust>2 By your leve, I wyll depart To make redy thys gere. <2Man>2 What now, in all thys hast? <2Bodyly Lust>2 Ye, for God syr, I am agast That other knaves wyll come theder Byfore us and take up all <2Man>2 Se thereto I pray the! <2Bodyly Lust>2 So I shall, Ellys fye on alI together. <2Then goeth he out.>2 <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Now wyll Margery make great mone Bycause ye com not. <2Man>2 Ye, let her alone. I am not her bond man parde: She hath dysappoynted me or now <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Yet on my fayth syr, and I were as you, At the leste I wold excuse me. Send her word that ye in no wyse May thys nyght kepe her promyse, And yf ye do not so, She wyll so morn that as I thynk Of all thys nyght she wyll slepe no wynk, She shalbe so full of wo. <2Man>2 Ye, on my parell, take no care! Thys answere wyll I deffar and spare Tyll I be certayn What answere Bodyly Lust shall bryng Of thys other praty new thyng Whan he cometh agayne. |p <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Wyll yt please you that I go to Mergery In your stede? <2Man>2 Mary, that were mery. Woldyst thou serve me so? <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Why syr, by my trouth, I mene but well. <2Man>2 Ye, what thou menyst I can not tell, But that shall thou not do. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 In good fayth syr, ye may do wurs, For whyle I have any thyng in my purs Or any peny to spend, I wyll make her even suche chere As I wold myne own wyfe yf she were here, Ellys God defend. <2Man>2 Ye, I thanke the for thy good wyll! But as for that chere, kepe yt styll Tyll I call theron. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 By God syr, for good love I spake yt And now that I se ye wyll not take yt, I shall let yt alone. <2[Bodyly Lust comes in.]>2 <2Man>2 How now? Hast thou bene yender away? <2Bodyly Lust>2 Ye syr. <2Man Et que novellys?>2 <2Bodyly Lust Je nescey -->2 I could not speke wyth her No[r] wyth none of her folkys. <2Man>2 Not wyth one? <2Bodyly Lust>2 No, they be aslepe everychone All that ever dwell there. <2Man>2 How knowest thou wether they be aslepe or no? <2Bodyly Lust>2 Mary, she her selfe told me so Whan I rapped at the dore. <2Man>2 It semeth she was not aslepe than. <2Bodyly Lust>2 No, she was abed wyth a strange man. <2Man>2 A myschefe on her, hore. I wold this fyre wer in her tayll, I make God avow. <2Bodyly Lust>2 That nedeth not -- she ys hote inow! It were more almes to get Some cold water her fyre to quenche. I tell you, yt ys as warm a wenche As any in all thys strete. I supposed I had angred her yll. <2Man>2 How so? <2Bodyly Lusc>2 For I rang her a knyll That waked her from her slepe. I gave her a pele for her frendys soulys -- A man myght have hard the noys from Poulys To the farthest ende of Chepe. |p She saw that I wold not seace but knok And rap styll at the gate. She opened a wyndow and put forth her hed: 'Hens, forty pens' quod she,'Jak Noble ys abed: I hys nyght ye come to late!' 'A, ha. Standeth the wynd so cold?' quod I. 'Ka, cue-tytle, we have a bry Thys gere goeth all wyde!' And so I cam thens a great pace Tyll I cam hyder. Lo, thys ys the case. Have I not well hyde? <2Man>2 Gell man, there ys no more to do: That we can not have, we must forgo -- There ys none other remedy. Lo Worldly Affeccyon, now mayst thou se Thy counsell was nought that thou gavest me. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 No more yt was, truely. <2Man>2 Ye, I told the as myche byfore It ys good to be sure ever more. Therfore now let us go And resorte agayn to our old hostes -- That ys the best way now as I gesse. <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Ye hardely, do so. <2Then they thre [and>2 <2Sensualyte] go out and>2 <2Pryde cometh in>2 <2Pryde>2 Syrs, remember ye that thys other day Man promysed me even in thys stede That I shuld wyth hym dwell? And now I here say The wylde worm ys com into hyshed So that by Reason only he ys led! It may well be so, but I am sure That Reason shall not alway wyth hym endure. Me thynketh that Sensualyte doth not hys parte Accordyng to the duety of hys offyce, For no body can better torn a mannys hart Nor yet a redyer mean devyse To put away suche folyshe fantasyse Than Sensualyte yf he lust to assay, For he ys chyef ruler whan Reason ys away. <2[Sensualyte comes in.]>2 |p <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, a ruler wyll I be though Reason say nay. <2Pryde>2 Ah Sensualyte, welcom by thys day. What tydyngys? Good? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, by my fay, As good as can be told I have brought thys Man to hys old gyse. <2Pryde>2 Hast thou so? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, on warantyse. <2Pryde>2 Now forsoth, I gyve the pryk and pryse -- Thou art worth thy weyght of gold. Of thys tydyngys I am glad and fayn, But shall I be welcom to hym agayn And all our cumpany? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye hardely, As welcom as ever ye ware byfore. <2Pryde>2 Goddys blessyng have thyn hart therfore. Thus am I in thy det more and more. <2Sensualyte>2 Japes. Why say ye so? <2Pryde>2 For I speke yt after my mynde -- Thou art to me alway so kynde. But where shall I our mayster fynde? To hym wyll I go. <2Sensualyte>2 He ys besy -- harke in your ere. -- Wyth lytell Margery, ye wote where. And as sone as I had brought hym there I cam my way apace, And bycause he shuld not be alone, I left wyth hym Worldly Affeccyon, And other erand had I none Now to thys place But even to shew you what ys done. And from hens I must anone For to seke an other companyon To gyve attendaunce. <2Pryde>2 Who ys that? <2Sensualyte>2 Mary, Glotony. Our mayster calleth for hym besyly! Sawyst thou hym not? <2Pryde>2 No certaynly, To my remembraunce. <2Sensualyte>2 I must go seeke hym wythout any taryeng. But Pryde, I warn you of one thyng Whyle I thynk theron: Whan my mayster and ye shall mete, In any wyse se that ye hym grete In the old fassyon, |p And make as though ye know nothyng Of hys dyvers and varyable dealyng -- Kepe that in your brest. Ye can not do hym more dyspleasure Than therof to make reporture. Therfore let yt rest- To speke therof yt ys hygh treson <2Then he goeth out.>2 <2Pryde>2 I am glad ye warn me thus in seson. I shalbe the better ware: By thys warnyng I shalbe wyse And do as ye me advertyse -- Take therof no care. <2[Slouth comes in.]>2 <2Slouth>2 Wyll ye be wyse, quod a? Mary, that ys a thyng! By God, ye had nede to have better warnyng Or ye bryng that about <2Pryde>2 What, brother Slouth? Fro whens comyst thou? <2Slouth>2 Streyght fro my bed, I make God avow! Myne eyes be almost out For lak of slepe. But thys syr to you. Me thought ye called me Slouth ryght now -- Pece, no more of that. I have a new name as well as ye. <2Pryde>2 What ys that? Ease? <2Slouth>2 Ye parde, But yt forceth not Whyle our mayster ys not present. Bytwene us twayn, I am content, Call me what ye wyll. But where ys our mayster? <2Pryde>2 Wotest thou nere? <2Slouth>2 No. <2Pryde>2 No more do I. <2Slouth>2 There, there, there, Thou shalt dwell wyth me styll -- Thou art as good a wayter as I <2Pryde>2 I shrew the better of us both hardely But surely we do not well: We shall not contynue wyth yonder Man But we awayte better now and than. Therfore by my counsell, |p Jet us twayn go together To seeke our mayster. <2Slouth>2 But wotyst thou whether We shall now go To fynde our mayster? <2Pryde>2 I shall assay. Thou shalt se me gesse the way And happely fynde hym to. Now must I to the stewes as fast as I may To fech thys gentylman. -- But syrs, I say, <2[To audience.]>2 Can any man here tell me the way? -- For I cam never there. Ye know the way, parde, of old! I pray the tell me, whyche way shall I hold? Wyll ye se thys horson cocold? I trow he can not here! Now yt were almes to clap the on the crown. <2Then cometh in Man and>2 <2Worldly Affeccyon.>2 <2Man>2 Why, be there any cocoldys in town? <2Pryde>2 Ye, I durst hold theron my gown That there be a score! But for God, I cry you mercy, For by my fayth I wyst you not so ny. Had I wyst yt, I ensure you faythfully That word I wold have forbore. <2Man>2 No force hardely, yt toucheth not me. But Wurshyp, tell me, where have ye be? Me thynketh long syth I you se. <2Pryde>2 Syr, yt ys no marvell, Bad ye not me the last day To go purvey for your aray, And ye remember well? <2Man>2 Ye for God, have ye done the same? <2Pryde>2 Ye by the rode, ellys were I to blame. All thyng ys redy --in payn of shame! -- Fllys I quyte me yll The tayler told me yester nyght That all your garmentys were redy dyght. Wyll ye go thyder and have a syght? <2Man>2 Ye mary, wyth a good wyll. <2Slouth>2 Wyll ye that I go wyth you also? <2Man>2 I wote never whether ye may attend therto, For ye do nothyng But even after your own swete wyll. <2Slouth>2 Why, shuld I ever wayt? Nay, that I nyll For to be a kyng! |p I may not endure contynuall besynes -- I was never used therto, doubtles. I shuld not lyve a yere Yf I folowed you, I am sure. Ye styr and labour out of mesure -- I saw never your pere Ye wene there can nothyng be do But yf ye put your hand therto, And iwys that ys no nede. Ye have servauntys that be true and just, Yf yt wold lyke you to put theym in trust And quyte well theyre mede. What shuld I attend you for to please Whan I se well ye set by none ease Whyche belongeth to me? <2Man>2 Why Ease, what meaneth the thus to say? I do but ete, drynk, slepe, and play, And none other labour parde <2Slouth>2 Ye, ye may say what ye wyll, But I can never se you ydell And quyete as ye shuld be -- Your body laboreth as doth an hakney That bareth the burdon every day That pytye yt ys to se. And your mynde, on that other syde, Is never idell nor unoccupyed -- Iwys yt greveth me To se you demeaned that wyse. I trow ye be set all on covetyse. <2Man>2 Covetyse? Nay, let be, It ys a thyng of greter cure That stycketh in my mynde, be thou sure. <2Slouth>2 So me thought, by the rode I wyst as myche there was som thyng By your lowryng chere and your syghyng That was not all thyng good. But what ys the mater, I pray you hartely? <2Man>2Iwys, thou canst not devyse the remedy Wyth all the wyt thou hast. But thys ys the case, to tell yt shortely. A thyng was told me as I cam hereby How Reason purvayth fast |p And maketh very great labour and ordynaunce To dashe us all out of countenaunce, And for that purpose He hath gadred a great cumpany. <2Slouth>2 What to do? <2Man>2 I wote nere, I, But as I suppose It ys to bryng me in captyvyte And to take fro me my lyberte-- So he hath oft sayd. <2Pryde>2 Fere ye that mater? <2Man>2 Nay, never a dell! But I care for yt, wyt ye well Yet am I not afrayd, For I wyll wythstand yt proudly. And, syrs, I trust ye wyll stand therby Whan yt shalbe nede <2Pryde>2 Ye, by the way that God went. Or he have of you hys intent, Fyrst shall I blede The best blode that ys in thys carcas. <2Man>2 Well Ease, go thy way hens a pace And make therin good spede. Call my cumpany all togeder And byd theym every man com heder That ys wyth me affeed. <2Slouth>2 Mary syr, that shalbe do. <2Then he goeth out.>2 <2Man>2 Wurshyp, in the mean tyme let us go To se my new apparell. <2Pryde>2 Wyll ye so? Now for your ladyes sake, Go do yt on you, and 1 undertake It shall becom you well. <2Man>2 Worldly Affeccyon, abyde thou here, For I wyll go do on thys new gere As Wurshyp doth me counsell. <2Then Man and Pryde goeth out.>2 <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Mary, I shall wyth all myne hart: Thys good fyre and I wyll not depart! For very cold myne handys do smart-- It maketh me wo-bygon! |p Get me a stole. Here, may ye not se? <2[To audience.]>2 Or ellys a chayr! Wyll yt not be? Thou pyld knave, I speke to the. How long shall I stande? <2rGlotony comes in.]>2 <2Glotony>2 Let hym stand, wyth a foule evyll A stole or a chayr, quod a? Get hym the devyll. Wyll ye se? Lo, every drevyll Now adayes, I warand, 523 Must commaund as he were a kyng. Let hym stande on hys fete, wyth bredyng! - -- <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 What, Glotony? I can tell the one thyng: In fayth, you wyll be shent. <2Glotony>2 Why? <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 My mayster hath serit Sensualyte To seke the all about the contre. Spakest thou not wyth hym? <2Glotony>2 Yes parde, I know all hys intent, 531 And thereuppon I am com here For to awayt. But wotest thou where Our mayster ys now? <2Worldly Affeccyon>2 Nay, I wote nere. I am not very certayn, But Pryde and he together be gon. He sayd he wold com agayn anon Wythin an howr or twayn. Tary thou here and go not away -- I wyll go breke my fast and I may, For I ete never a morsell thys day. <2Then he goeth out.>2 <2Glotony>2 Mary, that ys a thyng. Go whan thou wylt. I wyll abyde My stomak he shall not rule or gyde That ys now fastyng. Nay, of all thynge erthly I hate to fast. Four tymes a day I make repast, Or thryse as I suppose, And whan I am well fed Than get I me to a soft bed My body to repose There take I a nap or twayn, Up I go streyght and to yt agayn. Though nature be not redy, Yet have I some mete of delyte For to provoke thappetyte And make the stomak gredy. |p After all thys, nedys I must Somtyme folow the wanton lust It foloweth naturally, For hote drynkys and delycate refeccyon Causeth flesshely insurreccyon -- Ye know yt as well as I. <2[Man enters, dressed as a>2 <2gallant; Bodyly Lust>2 <2accompanies him.]>2 <2Man>2 Trouth, as ye say I know yt well. <2Glotony>2 What gentylman ys thys? Can ye tell? <2Bodyly Lust>2 Wotyst thou never? <2Glotony>2 No, by the bell, I saw hym never byfore. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Is yt our mayster? <2Glotony>2 Nay, by the rood, It ys not he -- woldyst thou make me wood? <2Man>2 Yes, I am the same. <2Glotony>2 I cry you mercy! I se yt well now! Byfore I knew you not, I make God avow, In ernest nor in game <2Man>2 Why? Bycause I have chaunged myne aray? <2Glotony>2 for that cause, trow ye? Nay, nay, That ys not the thyng That can dysceyve me, be ye sure! But I pray you, who hath had you in cure Syth my last departyng? <2San>2 By my fayth, a lytell season I folowed the counsell and dyet of Reason. <2Glotony>2 There went the hare away. Hys dyet, quod a? Yt may be veryly, For ye be haltred marvelously -- Altred I wold say. Alas the whyle, had ye no mete As long as ye were under hys dyet? <2Man>2 Mete? Yes, I had som, Wythout yt were on fastyng dayes: Than he wythdrew my supper alwayes And gave me never a crom. <2Glotony>2 No force hardely Why wold ye than Favor hym as ye dyd, lyke a mad man? Ye loke now as yt were a gost: Had ye dwelt wyth hym tyll thys day, Ye had bene pyned even away As ye be now almost. |p Your fleshe ys gon every dell. A vengeaunce on the morsell That ys left theron <2Bodyly Lust>2 Now talk of the remedy. <2Glotony>2 Mary, now must he ete and drynke fast -- Other remedy ys there none. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Ye, but where ys the mete now, let us se? <2Glotony>2 Ye are passyng hasty, benedicite. Fyrst must ye go Where as provysyon therof ys made: Let us go thyder and yt shalbe had. <2Man>2 But what ys the maysters of the in-- A weddyd woman or a vyrgyn? <2Glotony>2 Neyther of both iwys. <2Bodyly Lust>2 No, but for a mayden she goth <2Glotony>2 Ye, for God, that she doth, But yet she ys none, by Jys! <2Bodyly Lust>2 No? No? What than? <2Glotony>2 Iwys, I not, but as men clater They say she ys <2innupta mater>2 Hardely, an holy woman. <2Man>2 Well, thyder we wyll Go we hens. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Syr, ye wyll gyve me lycence To sport me for a season? <2Man>2 Yes, for a whyle: ye, well inow. But go not out of the way I charge you, For hyder wyll come anone All my cumpany as I suppose Kepe theym together, for I purpose To come agayn anone And shew theym my mynde what 1 wvll do <2Then he goeth out>2 <2[with Glotony.]>2 <2Bodyly Lust>2 Mary, I shall do what I can thereto, And yet yt ys hard for me To kepe theym together any whyle. But I shall tell you what: I had lever kepe as many flese Or wyld hares in an opyn lese As undertake that. <2[Wrath comes in, armed>2 <2for batt1e.]>2 |p <2Wrath>2 Where be these knaves that make thys aray? <2Bodyly Lust>2 Mary, they be gon that other way. Tell me whome ye meane. <2Wrath>2 I trow thou scornyst. <2Bodyly Lust>2 Nay, certaynly. How so be yt, yf I shuld not ly, At the fyrst blushe, I ensure you faythfully, I had forgot you clene Bycause ye be thus defensybly arayd What meaneth that? Are ye affrayd? Who hath you greved? <2Wrath>2 Nay, I fere no man that bereth an hed! Yet had I lever that I were dede Than that shuld be preved. <2Bodyly Lust>2 By my fayth, ye are wont to be as bold As yt were a lyon of Cottyswold. But now to my questyon: What meaneth all thys defensyble aray? <2Wrath>2 Mary, Slouth warned us two thys same day, Even syth yt was none, That our mayster and Reason shuld make a fray, And therfore he bad us wythout delay To awayt on our capytayn. <2Bodyly Lust>2 A, now I know the mater ryght well, But what shall com therof I can not tell -- It passeth my brayn. Our mayster wylled that we twayn Shuld tary here tyll he com agayn. <2[Envy comes in.]>2 <2Envy>2 What wylt thou do than? <2Bodyly Lust>2 Who, I? Nay, care not for me-- I wyll not com where strokys be I am not so mad a man. And iwys, yt ys not for any fere, But yt ys a thyng that I can well forbere And wyll as long as I can. Of lust and pleasure ys all my mynde -- It longeth to me of properte and kynde. And yf I shuld to the warre And ly in myne harnes as other men do Wyth hunger and thurst a day or two, It shuld me utterly marre. |p <2Envy>2 It were a great losse yf thou were mard! Now fy on the, stark horson coward! By cokkys precyouse blode, It were no syn to sle suche a knave Hast not thou wagys as other men have And few of us so good, Yet wylt thou fayll us at thys nede? Now who so ever shall quyte my mede, I wyll no further go Tyll I have slayn hym myne own hand Though I shuld forswere the land Bven whan I have do. <2Then goeth out Bodyly Lust>2 Hold hym in syrs, I you requyre <2[To audience ]>2 Alas, wold ye not at my desyre Do so myche for me? Iwys, yt wold have done me more good To have sene the knaves hart blode Than twenty shyllyngys of fee! <2[Man comes in.]>2 <2Man>2 What how, syrs, what meaneth thys gere? Wyll ye sle eche other here? No more of thys worke <2Envy>2 By the hart of God, and he had abyden A lytell whyle, he shuld never have spoken Wyth preste nor wyth clarke. <2Man>2 Who was that? <2Envy>2 Your own mynyon, Bodyly Lust. <2Man>2 Why, what hath he done? <2Envy>2 Even lyke a lurden He sayth that ye have gyven hym lycence To abyde at home and kepe resydence Whyle we bere the burden And serve you now at your nede. <2Man>2 He prayde me so in very dede! Wythin these two dayes He sayd he wold serve me wyth a good wyll, But of the warrys he could no skyll Nor knew therof the wayes. |p How be yt, I gave hym therof none answere. <2Envy>2 No, but I am sure he wyll not com there. And now may ye se That no man ys so myche to blame <2Man>2 your selfe I? <2Envy>2 Ye, by Saynt Jame, No man but even ye. For I am well assured of one thyng Ye gave hym better clothyng Than ye dyd me, And better wagys and fees also. And though I sayd but lytell thereto But suffered ever more, Yet I dysdaynd yt ever in my mynde, And though[t] that ye were to me unkynde To set so great store By suche a knave as he was. I wold I had hym here, by the masse, And no man but we twayn. <2Man>2 By my trouth, thys ys ever thy guyse:. Loke by whom I set any pryse, Hym thou wylt most dysdayn. <2Wrath>2 By Cryst, he can do none other wyse. But now syr, ys there any servyce That ye wyll commaunde me? <2Man>2 Ye mary ys there, but my cumpany Dresseth theym forward passyng slowly: I trow yt wyll not be. Manhode, thou art good inow, for one. <2Wrath>2 Ye by Cryst, and they cam everychone, I wyll not gretly fere. <2Envy>2 By my trouth, bycause he sayth so, I shall tell you what I saw hym do -- I was present there. Syr, yt happyned in Westmynster Hall Even byfore the juges all. Hys handys were bound fast, And never upon hym that ever God made Dager, sword, nor knyfe he had, And yet at the last He drave twelve men into a corner And an howr after durst they not appere! How say ye hereto? And hys handys had bene at lyberte He wold have put theym in great jeoparde It ys to suppose so. |p <2Man>2 Mary, there he quyte hym well! But where be myne other folk, can ye tell? <2Then cometh in Glotony>2 <2wyth a chese and a botell>2 <2Wrath>2 Mary, here cometh one -- Good Felyshyp me semeth yt shuld be. <2Glotony>2 Syrs, God spede you <2Man>2 What tydyngys wyth the? <2Glotony>2 I shall tell you anone Had I set adone my gere. Mary syr, I am com here For to attende uppon you: We shall a warfare, yt ys told me. <2Man>2 Ye, where ys thy harnes? <2Glotony>2 Mary, here may ye se: Here ys harnes inow. <2Wrath>2 Why, hast thou none other harnes but thys? <2Glotony>2 What the devyll harnes shuld I mys Wythout yt be a botell? A nother botell I wyll go purvey Lest that drynk be scarce in the way Or happely none to sell Thou must have other harnes than thys, man! <2Glotony>2 Other harnes? Nay, I shrew me than. I can no skyll theron. Why, trowest thou that I wyll fyght? <2Envy>2 Ye, so I trow. <2Glotony>2 Nay, by God almyght, Therof wyll I none. I was never wont to that gere. But I may serve to be a vyteler, And therof shall ye have store, So that I may stand out of daunger Of gon shot. But I wyll com no nere, I warn you that byfore. <2Envy>2 Now, suche a knave I betake to the devyll. Thys ys even suche a nother drevyll As was here whyle ere: They be two knaves annoynted. I fere me, syr, ye shalbe dysappoynted I lyke not tiiys gere. |p <2Glotony>2 0, I had forgoten, I make God avow. Syr, my felow Ease commaundeth me to you. <2Man>2 Commaundeth the to me? <2Glotony>2 You to me. <2Man>2 Me to the? <2Glotony>2 Commaundeth you to hym I wold have sayd. <2Man>2 Why cometh he not hyder? <2Glotony>2 By God, for he ys afrayd And lyeth syk in hys bed He toke such a conseyt whan he hard of thys gere That for thought and very fere I wene he wyll be dede. <2Wrath>2 And he were hanged yt were no rek I pray God the devyll breke hys nek And all suche as he ys. <2Man>2 Well, let us suffer for a whyle. I wyll go walke hens halfe a myle, And for all thys Happely all thys gere shall not nede, How be yt that I dout and drede The wurst as wyse men do. Manhode, com thy selfe wyth me. <2Glotony>2 And I to, syr? <2Man>2 Ye parde, Woldyst thou be prayd thereto. <2Than goeth out Man,>2 <2Glotony, and Wrath.>2 <2Envy>2 Now he that wold have warre or stryfe I pray God send hym a shrewd wyfe, And than shall he have inow. But I shall tell you, syrs, as for me I am none of theym, so mot I the. I may say to you I wyll no suche rekennyngys abyde. Goddys body, here cometh Pryde As crank s ipecok As son Wythout he stand ryght uppon hys fete He shall bere me a proude mok. <2[Pryde comes in.]>2 <2Pryde>2 What tydyngys, syrs? Can any man tell? <2Envy>2 Ye mary, that can I do as well As any that was in feld. Ye have taryed so long about your gay gere That the feld ys done or <2Pryde>2 Done? Mary, God sheld! |p But whyche of theym hath wone the batayll I can not tell you certayn. <2Pryde>2 Thou were not there, yt semeth therby. <2Envy>2 Not I there, quod a? Yes hardely, And that to my grete payn! But as sone as the batellys joyned togeder I cam my way streyght heder For to tell tydyngys. <2Pryde>2 What the devyll tydyngys canst thou tell? <2Envy>2 Mary, I can shew you nothyng of the batell, But of many other tydyngys- Ye are out of conceyt, I tell you, for ever, Bycause ye dyd not you endevoure At thys great vyage -- In so myche that ye are lyke to lees Both your offyce and all your fees And put clene out of wagys. <2Pryde>2 That ys not true as I suppose. <2Envy>2 Syr, and yt be not, take my nose And my hed also. Your offyce was gyven or I cam thens. <2Pryde>2 Mary, that was a very short sentence, And I not called therto. Now Envy, what counsell wylt thou gyve me? <2Envy>2 By my trouth, Pryde -- thou mayst byleve me -- If I were in thy case I wold wythdrawe me for a season: Though yt be nother felony nor treason Nor yet wylfull trespace, Yet the s[h]ame ys wurst of all, For every knave wyll the call A coward to thy face <2Pryde>2 I am unhappy, I se yt well, For thexpense of myne apparell Towardys this vyage, What in horses and other aray, Hath compelled me for to lay All my land to morgage. And now, whan I have all do, To lesse myne offyce and fees also For my true intent. I may say that all my cost And all my tyme ys evyll lost In servyce that I have spent. |p Well, what so ever bytyde me, For a season I wyll hyde me After thy counsell. And syth yt wyll no better be, Fare well. I take my leve of the. <2[Pryde goes out.]>2 <2Envy>2 Now gentyll Pryde, fare well. Alas, that I had no good felow here To bere me cumpany and laugh at thys gere! Thys game was well founde. <2[Sensualyte comes in.]>2 <2Sensualyte>2 Yes, and ye lust to play the knave, Some maner of cumpany ye myght have Here wythin thys grounde. <2Envy>2 Some I can thynke, yong or old, And ellys yt were a small houshold As any myght be found. <2Sensualyte>2 It ys not small, the company sheweth well. But me thought thou were about to tell Of some mery jeste Or som mery game at my cummyng. <2Envy>2 Ye hardely, yt ys a game for a kyng Whan he lusteth best To laugh for hys dysporte and solace. Syr, I shall tell the. Thy Ryght now as I stode In thys place, and never a man wyth me, In cam Pryde garnyshed as yt had be One of the ryall blode. It greved me to se hym so well besene, But I have abated hys corage clene For a lytell season. By the rode, I have gyven hym a chek mate! For I bare hym on hand that he cam to late, And that the feld was done, And how hys offyce was gyven away Bycause he fayled our mayster that day. I made hym to byleve so, And whan I had told hym all thys tale, Anone he began to wax a 1 pale' Full of care and And now he hydeth hym selfe for shame. I gave hym myne advyse to the same, And so he ys gon. <2Sensualyte>2 Now on my fayth, thys was madly do. But in fayth, what moveth the therto? <2Envy>2 Mary, cause had I none |p But only that yt ys my guyse: Whan I se an other man aryse Or fare better than I, Than must I chafe and fret for yre And ymagyn wyth all my desyre To dystroy hym utterly. But now in ernest, Sensualyte, Tell me whan thys fray shalbe, I pray the hartely. <2Sensualyte>2 What? Agaynst Reason? <2Envy>2 Ye, the same. <2Sensualyte>2 Tushe, they be agreed, in payn of shame, And good cumpany they kepe. <2Envy>2 Agreed, quod a? In the mare name, Mary syr, that were a game To make some of us wepe! <2Sensualyte>2 Wepe or laugh man, so yt ys! And who, trow ye, ys the causer of thys? <2Envy>2 Who? <2Sensualyte>2 Age, the devyll hym quell. <2Envy>2 Why, ys Age now com in place? <2Sensualyte>2 Ye, and that may ye spy by hys face And ye mark yt well. Hys stomak faynteth every day, Hys bak croketh, hys hed waxeth gray, Hys nose droppeth among, Hys lust ys gone and all hys lykyng: I se yt well by every thyng He may not lyve long, And all maketh Age as I sayd byfore -- He ys the doar. And what trow ye more Thys Age hath done. <2Envy>2 What? <2Sensualyte>2 By my fayth, he hath brought in Reason In suche wyse that at no season Nothyng can be wrought But Reason must be called therto! I fere me he wyll us all undo Wythin few dayes! As sone as Glotony had espyde All thys gere, he wold not abyde But went even hys wayes. Our mayster prayed hym to tary a season. 'Nay, nay', quod he, 'now have I done, I may no lengar tary, For Age and I may not togeder dwell.' And streyght way he departed fayre and well. Bodyly Lust stode by |p And saw that Glotony wold nedys be gon. 'Have wyth the, Glotony', quod he anon, 'For I must go wyth the.' -- So that two be gon togeder. Cam there none of theym both heder? <2Envy>2 Never a one that I se. <2Sensualyte>2 Well, they be gon some other way To get a new mayster as sone as they may -- They can not be onpurveyd. And as sone as they two were gon Our mayster sent for Covetyse anon And hartely hym prayd To awayt on hym well for a yere or two, And he hath promysed hym so to do As for a yere or twayn-- But Reason may not therof know. <2Envy>2 Reason, quod a? No, so I trow, He wyll that dysday But where hath Covetyse ben many a day? <2Sensualyte>2 He dwelled wyth a prest, as I herd say, For he loveth well Men of the chyrche, and they hym also, And lawyars eke whan they may tend therto Wyll folow hys counsell. <2Envy>2 So men say there But Sensualyte, canst thoul tell Now in thys case What were best for us to do? <2Sensualyte>2 Mary, I hold yt best that we go Hereby to som place And semble togeder all our cumpany To here there myndys by and by And every mannys opynyon What shalbe best for to do <2Envy>2 By my trouth, and be yt so, I hold yt well don. <2Than they go forth and>2 <2Reason and Man com in.>2 <2Reason>2 Syr, I have oft tymes you advysed To lyve vertuously and sbewd you the way, And that not wythstandyng, ye have me dyspysed And folowed Sensualyte meny a day. Wyll ye so contynue, ye or nay? If ever ye purpose your selfe to amend It ys tyme, for your lyfe draweth fast to thend. |p <2Man>2 I can not contynue though I wold, For Age hath wayned me clene therfro. And yet, Reason, whan ye me told Of thys gere meny day ago I thought lytell I shuld have com herto, But had of your wordys great scorn and dysdayn. Wold God that my lyfe were to bygyn agayn. <2Reason>2 Speke not therof, that may not be! A thyng don can not be called agayn. But the thyng that most fereth me On your behalve -- I tell you playn -- Is that ye wold in no wyse abstayn From synfull lustys as I wylled you to do Tyll now that Age com&lleth you therto. <2Man>2 That ys full trew wythout faynyng As long as myne appetyte dyd endure I folowed my lustys in every thyng, Whyche now by the course and law of Nature And not of my polycy or good endevoure Is taken fro me for ever more, And so can I deserve no mede therfore. But not wythstandyng thys myne abusyon, I trust that by the help of your good advyse I may be made the chyld of salvacyon. <2Reason>2 Yes, and ye wyll syr, on warantyse, So that ye utterly forsake and dyspyse All your old servauntys in wyll and dede And do by my counsell. <2Man>2 Yes, have ye no drede. <2Reason>2 Than my soule for yours I lay to wed, Ye shall do well, have ye no mystrust And fyrst, to begyn wyth, I you forbed All maner of dyspeyre. And secundly, ye must Put to your mynd and good wyll To be recured of your great excesse, For wythout your helpe yt can not be, doubtles, As iri thys example. yf so be the pacyent Of hym selfe be wyllyng to have any remedy, It ys a great furtheraunce to that intent So that to the preceptys of physyk he apply. And who so doth the contrary, no marvayll truely Though he myskary. What shuld I bryng Any mo examples for so playn a thyng? |p <2Man>2 It shalbe no nede as in thys case I know ryght well what ye meane therby, And that wyll I folow, by Godds grace. <2Reason>2 Than as I told you, yt shalbe no maystry Your selfe to confort and to have good remedy Agaynst the great surfettys that thou hast don, By whyche thou hast deserved endles dampnacyon. But do as I shall tell the and have no drede, And for to gyve the medycyns most accordyng Ayens thy sores, do by my rede: Loke what dysease ys hote and brennyng, Take ever suche a medycyn as ys cold in werkyng, So that the contrary in all maner of wys Must hele hys contrary, as physyk doth devyse. Ryght so, who so lusteth fro syn to aryse, Where he hath in pryde done any offence, He can be holpen therof none other wyse But onely by mekenes that ys the recompence. Agayn wreth and envy take charyte and pacyence. Take almes dede agayn the syn of covetyse, And to represse glotyny acquaynt the wyth abstynence. Agayn foull lust of body take chastyte and contynence. Myche syn groweth by slouth and by idelnes, And that must be eschewed by mene of good besynes. Lo, thys be preparatyfys most soverayn Agaynst thy sores whyche be mortall Onles that thys medycyns to theym be layn. Whan thou hast receyved these preparatyfys all, I wyll com agayn yf thou me call And order the further after my mynde. <2Man>2 re, but where shall I these preparatyfys fynde? <2Reason>2 Thou shalt theym fynde wythin thyn own brest: Of the yt must com, yt must be thy dede, For voluntary sacrafyce pleaseth God best Thou canst not therof have help or mede But yf thys gere of thyn own hart procede. <2Man>2 Well, I shall endevoure me to the uttermo And tyll I have found theym I shall never rest. But how shall I know theym? That wote I nere. I pray you shew me that byfore your departyng. <2Reason>2 It nedeth not therof to enquere, Thou shalt know theym at the fyrst metyng. Of two contrarys there ys but one lernyng: That ys to say, whan thou knowyst well that on, The other contrary ys knowen anon. <2Then he goeth out and>2 <2Mekenes cometh in.>2 |p <2Mekenes>2 Who so woteth hystoryes of scrypture well Shall fynde that for pryde and presumpcyon Lucyfer, whyche somtyme was a gloryouse angell, For that hys offence had suche correccyon That both he and eke meny a legyon Of hys order was cast down to hell By ryghtfull justyce perpetually there to dwell. Remember also Adam, the fyrst of our lyne, What payn he sufferd for pryde and dysobedyence. Causeth he not a great decay and ruyne In all the progeny for the same offence In suche wyse that he and all that were borne sence Be utterly dysheryted and put fro paradyse? And so we be made thrall unto syn and vyce. And lost shuld we be all of very justyce Ne had be that God of hys mercyfull goodnes Dyd us sone after wyth hys own blode maynpryce Arid us redemed fro paynes endles, So that we do not dysobay or transgresse Hys hygh commaundementys but demean us well After hys lawes whyle we here dwell. And for as myche as mannys nature Is frayll and lyghtly to syn wyll assent Eyther of purpose or onwetyng peradventure, There the sayd good Lord hath hym sent Agayn every syn a remedy convenyent, For he ne wold have one soule to be lore Whom he hath dere bought, as I sayd byfore. The rote of all syn ys Pryde, ye know well, Whyche ys myne adversary in all that he may. Where I am in place he may not dwell: Hys malycyouse power I can ryght well alay And teche every creature the remedy and way How to subdue Pryde, whyche no man can do Wythout that I, Mekenesse, must help therto. <2Man>2 Than your help and counsell ys necessary to me, Wherof I pray you wyth all hartys affeccyon. <2Mekenes>2 All redy at hand, who so ever yt be That lusteth to have me for hys consolacyon. <2Man>2 I my selfe have synned in pryde and elacyon! Shew me your counsell: what way shall I take A dew satysfaccyon for that syn to make? |p <2Mekenes>2 Thou must byfore all thyng set lytell pryse By thyne own selfe, and take no hede Whether the people do the prayse or dyspyse. Be thou meke in hart, in word, and in dede. Thynk not that thou woldyst any man overlede Be soft and lowly in speche to every wyght, And use none aray that staryng ys to syght. Lo, in these thre thyngys onely standeth pryde, If thou commyt the lest of theym thre. <2Man>2 Fro thys day forth I wyll set theym asyde And folow the counsell that ye gyve me. <2Mekenes>2 Do so, and I wyll clerely dyscharge the. As for the syn of pryde, my soule for thyn Thou shalt be all hole yf thou take thys medycyn. <2Than he goeth out.>2 <2Man>2 Yes, 1 shall take yt thynk not the contrary Now am I well eased Yet have I not done all <2[Charyte comes in.]>2 <2Charyte>2 There ys no lyvyng physycyon ne potecary That can devyse so soverayn cordyall Agayn the sore of envy, whyche ys mortall No man lyvyng, I you ensure, Wythout my helpe may undertake that cure. For I am called Charyte, the salve for that sekenes, Whom thappostyll paule commaundyth syngulerly In dyvers hys epystellys. I can well represse The rancour of envy and gyve therein good remedy. <2Man>2 Than ys your counsell to me full necessary. If ye be Charyte, ye are bound doub To have som compassyon of your neyghbours dystres. <2Charyte>2 Why, hast thou ben envyouse byfore thys day? <2Man>2 Yes, as God knoweth well, and that I rew sore <2Charyte>2 Well, thys must be the remedy, mark what I say: There ys no syn that dyspleaseth God more Than doth thys syn of envy, and therfore, If so be thou wylt thyn own soule savegar Be thou never envyouse fro thys day forward. Also that syn ys to man onnaturall More than any other in myne opynyon, For all other synnes -- mark therin well-- A man commyttyth wyth som delectacyon. But Envy ys ever full of payn and passyon And tormenteth hym selve wyth sorowfull sadnes Whan he seeth hys neyghbours prosperyte or gladnes. |p He ys never glad nor taketh any solace But at hys neyghbours harme, losse, or hevynes. He speketh somtyme fayre byfore a mannys face, And yet wythin hys hart he ys full of doublenes, For byhynd hys bak he wyll never sease Wyth sclauriderouse wordys to appayre his good name, And many a fals ly doth he report for the same. Ye know, syr, whether yt be thus or no. But now a nother whyle to speke of remedy -- If ye wyll be holpen, syr, thus must ye do Fyrst, byfore all thyngys love God entyerly. Next that, thy neyghbour love as thyne own body. That ys to say, thou must the to hym behave And do hym such cudesy as thou woldyst of hym have. Observe these two thyngys and do no more In recompense of thy great trespace Touchyng the syn of envy rehersed byfore <2Man>2 To observe theym well God send me hys grace, And I thank you for your confort and counsell in thys case. I shall my selfe endevoure accordyng therto. <2Charyte>2 God send the hys grace well so to do. <2Then he goeth out. [Pacyence come>2 <2Pacyence>2 The remedy of wreth and outragyouse yre Must nedys com of me and none other wyse, For I am called Pacyence, whyche quencheth the fyre And flammys of wreth. Yt ys also my gyse By soft wordys and sufferaunce to overcom myn enemys. <2Man>2 Now welcom, Facyence, for whom I have sought: Help me with your counsell, for his love that all wrought. <2Pacyence>2 Thys ys my counsell: yf thou wylt wythstand Thy gostly enemy and thys temptacyon, Thou must have me, Pacyence, ever redy at hand, Specyally in sufferyng of worldly trybulacyon. Remember how Cryst dyd in tyme of hys passyon: There mayst thou lern how to be pacyent In any adversyte that to the shalbe sent. And yet there may be no comparyson Bytwyxt the leste part of hys payn And the gretest wrong that to the can be don. Wherfore thou wreth shuldyst not dysdayn, But gladly thou shuldyst thy seIfe refrayn From yrefull passyons as I sayd byfore, Syth thou shalt have a reward in heven therfore. |p <2Man>2 It ys my full mynde and intent Hereafter to do as ye me advertyse. <2Pacyence>2 Now he that all goodnes to us hath sent, Send you hys grace to demean you that wyse. <2Then he goeth out>2 <2Man>2 I shall do my good wyll, on warantyse. Now who can me best dyrecte My slouthfull idelnes for to correct? <2[Good Occupacyon>2 <2comes in.]>2 <2Good Occupacyon>2 The syn of slouth I can well represse, And I shall teche the to do the same. <2Man>2 How shuld I do yt? <2Good Occupacyon>2 By mean of me, Good Besynes, And so am I called for that ys my name. Idelnes ys never wythout syn or blame: By mean therof myche syn cometh in, For yt ys the very moder and maysters of syn. In eschewyng therof thou must ever use Som good occupacyon in body or mynde. And yf thou do thys my counsell refuse So that the devyll in idelnes the fynde, Than accordyng to hys propedye and kynde He laboreth fast by mean of temptacyon To bryng thy soule unto endles dampnacyon. Therfore do som good occupacyon alway As well wyth the body as wyth mynde inward, And yf thou do not thys counsell obay Thou shalt thyn own soule gretely enjobard. On that other syde, thou mayst be no coward Nor ferefull of penaunce or other good dede, Syth thou shalt be sure to have heven to thy mede. <2Man>2 Thys counsell ys good, I thank you therfore -- My mynde ys well eased, therein be ye sure. <2Good Occupacyon>2 Is there any thyng ellys that I can do more? <2Man>2 None, to my knowlege, for ye have done your cure. <2Good Occupacyon>2 Se that ye wysely now put in ure <2Then he goeth out.>2 <2Man>2 Yes hardely, thynk not the contrary, Syth yt ys to me so behovefull and necessary. <2[Lyberalyte comes in.]>2 |p <2Lyberalyte>2 I am Lyberalyte, the vertu cardynall By whom ys confounded the syn of avaryce. Who so ever lusteth on me to call, I am redy therin to gyve myne advyse. <2Man>2 Syr, I pray you in my most harty wyse, Helpe to reforme and order my mynde, For the syn of avaryce hath made me full blynde. <2Lyberalyte>2 Fyrst thou must be sory for the abusyng Of temporall goodys byfore thys day Next that, I wyll advyse the byfore all thyng, If thou hast wrongfully taken away Any mannys good, go wythout delay And therof to thy power make due restytucyon, For erst shalt thou have of thy syn no remyssyon. <2Man>2 Why, trowe ye that I shall not be excused By almes dede of that offense? <2Lyberalyte>2 No, no, hardely, thou art gretely abused. Thynk not therby to make recompence, For by that almes thou doyst great offense And dyspleasure to God. <2Man>2 Why say ye so? Cryst hym selfe bad that we shuld almes do. <2Lyberalyte>2 Ye, for God, but that shuld be do Of well goten goodys, ellys ys yt nought. <2Man>2 Well, I assent gladly therto -- As in that one poynt I am fully taught. Wyt ys nothyng worth tyll yt be dere bought. But what other amendys shall I make The foull syn of avaryce to swage and aslake? <2Lyberalyte>2 Thou must have compassyon and also be lyberall Unto thy neyghbour at hys necessyte. <2Man>2 I trow ye wold have me to gyve away all And leve my selfe nought. <2Lyberalyte>2 I mene not so parde, For that ys wast and synfull prodygalyte. Take the myd way bytwyxt theym two, And fle thextremytees how so ever thou do. Thou must thy worldly goodys so employ In charytable dedys wyth due compassyon, That thou mayst bye everlastuynge joy For the good intent of that dystrybucyon. Thou mayst also gyve theym to thy dampnacyon, As whan thou doyst yt to wyn therby Praysyng of the people or som other vayn glory. |p For trust yt well, thou must geve a rekenyng Of all the goodys that com to thyn use. The hygh juge that knoweth all thyng, To whom thou shalt thy selfe accuse Wythout any appele or fayned excuse, He wyll be thyn audytour in thys case, Fro whom thou canst not hyde thy face. There shalt thou openly shew and confesse How that goodys cam to thy possessyon, What mynde and pleasure thou hadyst in ryches, And why thou hadyst therin suche affeccyon, What almes dede or other good dystrybucyon, Or how thou hast these goodys wasted or abused -- There yt shalbe knowen, yt can not be refused. Than, as I sayd to the byfore, Thou shalt receyve after thy deservyng Joy or ellys payn to endure ever more <2Man>2 Truely thys ys a ferefull thyng. <2Lyberalyte>2 Therfore remember well my sayeng, Mark well my counsell, and folow the same. <2Man>2 If I dyd not, I were gretely to blame. <2Then Lyberalyte goeth out>2 <2and Abstynence and>2 <2Chastyte com in.>2 <2Abstynence>2 The remedy of glotony I can well teche -- I am ordeyned onely for that intent <2Man>2 And I have great nede of suche a leche. Your counsell to me ys ryght expedyent. <2Abstynence>2 Syr, yf ye lust to be my pacyent And take suche remedy as I shall devyse, I shall make you hole of that syn, on warantyse. <2Man>2 What ys your name? <2Abstynence>2 My name ys Abstynence, And thys other that cometh wyth me Is called Chastyte or ellys Contynence. It ys hys gyse and hys properte To folow me where so ever I be Lykewyse as lychery, that dedely sore, Foloweth the bestly syn of glotony evermore: <2Quia delitie sunt instrumenta voluptatis.>2 But now to do that I cam for -- Agayn the syn of glotony the remedy ys thys Use scarcer dyet than thou dyddyst byfore, Beware of superfluyte and surfet ever more, Take no more than suffyceth nature, Nor of delycate mete set thou no store. Now have I sayd all that longeth to my cure. |p <2Chastyte>2 And I must nedys conferme hys sayeng, For as he rehersed now ryght well, Gluttyng of hote metys and delycate fedyng Causeth synfull lustys in a man to swell. And over that, thys ys my counsell: Eschew idelnes byfore all thyng If thou wylt be chast and clene of lyvyng. fle also the cumpany and the occasyon Of that syn, whyche ys dampnable: As sorie as thou felest any temptacyon, Put yt clene away by meanes covenable. Of all other synnys yt ys most abhomynable And sonest wyll thy soule endaunger and blame, There be so many great synnys annexed to the same. If thou lyst not for fere of dampnacyon Thys syn to forbere, than on that other syde Do yt for love of thyn own salvacyon: Thynk what rewardys in heven doth the abyde Whyche yf thou lyve chast can not be denyde. My wyt suffyseth not to tell and expresse What joy thou shalt have for thy chast clennes. <2Man>2 I thank you both for your advyse, And now wold I speke wyth Repentaunce fayn. <2Abstynence>2 I can bryng you to hym on the best wyse. <2Man>2 Than wyll I awayt uppon you twayn, And after that I wyll com hyder agayn, Trustyng that God wyll send me the grace To comfort my soule wyth gostly solace. <2Than they [all three] go>2 <2out and Reason comyth in.>2 <2Reason>2 I here say, to my great joy and gladnes, That accordyng to my counsell and advyse Thys mortall creature doth well hys besynes To correct and forsake all hys old vyce, And that he ys in good way and lykely to aryse From the vale of syn whyche ys full of derknes Toward the contemplacyon of lyght that ys endles. Lo syrs, are not we all myche behold To our Maker for hys great pacyence, Whyche not wythstandyng our synnes manyfold Wherein we dayly do to hym offence, Yet of hys mercyfull and great magncence He doth not punyshe as sone as we offende But suffereth in hope that we wyll amend. |p He suffereth a synner sometyme to endure A long lyfe in honour and great prosperyte: It ys a thyng that dayly ys put in ure, And meny a great daunger escapeth he Where good men peryshe -- thys may ye se -- And all bycause that he wold hym wyn And have hym to tourne and forsake hys syn. <2[Man comes in.] >2 0, here cometh he that I loke fore Syr, have ye done as I wylled you to do? <2Man>2 Ye, that have I don, and what trow ye more? I have ben wyth Repentaunce also, Whyche fro my hart shall never go, For he brought me unto Confessyon, And anon I was acquaynted with Hartys Contrycyon. They advysed and charged me to do satysfaccyon, And so have I don to my best power <2Reason>2 Than art thou fully the chyld of salvacyon. Have good perseveraunce, and be not in fere Thy gostly enemy can put the in no daunger, And greter reward thou shalt therfore wyn Than he that never in hys lyfe dyd syn. And to thentent that thou mayst well Persever and contynue in thys sure way, Or we depart hens, by my counsell, Let us by one accord togeder syng and pray Wyth as humble devocyon as we can or may That we may have grace from syn thus to ryse As often as we fall, and let us pray thys wyse. <2Then they syng some>2 <2goodly ballet.>2 <2The names of the players.>2 Nature Wreth Lyberalyte Man Envy Chastyte Reson Slouth Good Occupacyon Sensualyte Glotony Shamefastnes Innocencye Humylyte Mundus Worldly Affeccyon Charyte Pacyence Bodyly Lust Abstynence Pryde CUM PRIVILEGIO