FOUR ELEMENTS <2The players' names>2 The Messenger Sensual Appetite Nature Taverner Humanity Experience Studious Desire Ignorance Singers and Dancers |p <2A NEW INTERLUDE AND A MERY, A>2 <2OF THE NATURE OF THE FOUR ELEMENTIS,>2 <2declarynge many proper poyntys of phylosophy naturall, and of dyvers straunge>2 <2landys, and of dyvers straunge effectis and causis, whiche interlude, yf the hole>2 <2matter be playde, wyl conteyne the space of an hour and a halfe,; but yfye lyst ye>2 <2may leve out muche of the sad mater, as the messengers parte, and some of Naturys>2 <2parte and some of Experyens parte, and yet the matter wyl depend convenyently,>2 <2and than it wyll not be paste thre quarters of an hour of length.>2 <2Here folow the namys of the pleyers.:>2 <2The Messengere, Nature Naturate, Humanyte, Studyous Desire, Sensuall>2 <2Appetyte, the Taverner, Experyence, Yngnoraunce. Also yfye lyst ye may brynge>2 <2in a dysgysynge>2 <2Here folow dyvers matters whiche be in this interlude conteynyd.>2 <2Of the sytuacyon of the four elementis, that is to sey, the yerth, the water, the>2 <2ayre, and fyre, and of theyr qualytese and propertese, and of the generacyon and x>2 <2corrupcyon of thyngys made of the commyxion of them.>2 <2Of terteyn conclusions provynge that the yerth must nedis be rounde and that it>2 <2hengyth in the myddys of the fyrmament, and that it is in circumference above>2 <2myle.>2 <2Of certeyn conclusions provynge that the see lyeth rounde uppon the yerth>2 <2 Of certeyne poyntys of cosmography, as how and where the see coveryth the yerth,>2 <2and of dyvers straunge regyons and landys and whiche wey they lye, and of the new>2 <2founde landys and the maner of the people.>2 <2Of the generacyon and cause of stone and metall, and of plantis and herbys.>2 <2generacyon and cause of well spryngys and ryvers, and of the cause of hote xx>2 <2fumys that come out of the yerth, and of the cause of the bathys of water in the yerth>2 <2whiche be perpetually hote.>2 <2Of the cause of the ebbe and flode of the see.>2 <2Of the cause of rayne, snowe and hayle.>2 <2Of the cause of the wyndys and thonder. xx>2 <2Of the cause of the lyghtnynge of blasyng sterrys and flamys flynge in the ayre.>2 |p <2The Messenger>2 Thaboundant grace of the power devyne, Whiche doth illumyne the worlde invyron, Preserve this audyence and cause them to inclyne To charyte, this is my petycyon. For by your pacyens and supportacyon A lytyll interlude, late made and preparyd, Before your presence here shall be declaryd, Which of a few conclusyons is contrivyd, And poyntys of phylosophy naturall. But though the matter be not so well declaryd As a great clerke coude do, nor so substancyall, Yet the auctour hereof requiryth you all, Though he be yngnorant and can lytyll skyll, To regarde his only intent and good wyll, Whiche in his mynde hath oft tymes ponderyd What nombre of bokys in our tonge maternall Of toyes and tryfellys be made and impryntyd, And few of them of matter substancyall For though many make bokys yet unneth ye shall In our englyshe tonge fynde any warkys Of connynge that is regardyd by clerkys. The grekys, the romayns, with many other mo, In their moder tonge wrot warkys excellent; Than yf clerkys in this realme wolde take payn so, Consyderyng that our tonge is now suffycyent To expoun any hard sentence evydent, They myght, yf they wolde, in our englyshe tonge Wryte workys of gravyte somtyme amonge. For dyvers prengnaunt wyttes be in this lande, As well of noble men as of meane estate, Whiche nothynge but englyshe can understande. Than yf connynge laten bokys were translate Into englyshe, wel correct and approbate, All subtell sciens in englyshe myght be lernyd As well as other people in their owne tonges dyd. But now so it is that in our englyshe tonge Many one there is, that can but rede and wryte, For his pleasure wyll oft presume amonge New bokys to compyle and balates to indyte: Some of love or other matter not worth a myte; Some to opteyn favour wyll flatter and glose, Some wryte curyous termys nothyng to purpose. |p Thus every man after his fantesye Wyll wryte his conseyte, be it never so rude, Be it vertuous, vycyous, wysedome or foly. Wherfore to my purpose, thus I conclude Why shold not than the auctour of this interlude Utter his owne fantesy and conseyte also, As well as dyvers other nowadayes do? For wysedome and foly is as it is takyn, For that one callyth wysedome, another callyth foly; Yet amonge moste folke that man is holdyn Moste wyse, whiche to be ryche studyeth only, But he that for a commyn welth bysyly Studyeth and laboryth and lyvyth by Goddys law, Except he wax ryche, men count hym but a daw. So he that is ryche is ever honouryd, All though he have got it never so falsely; The pore beynge never so wyse is reprovyd. Thos is the oppynyon moste commynly Thorowe out the worlde, and yet no reason why Therfore in my mynde, whan that all suche dawis Have babelyd what they can, no force of two strawis. For every man in reason thus ought to do, To labour for his owne necessary lyvynge, And than for the welth of his neyghbour also. But what dyvylish mynde have they which, musing And labouryng all their lyffys, do no nother thyng But bringe ryches to their owne possessyon, Nothyng regardinge their neyghbours distruccion Yet all the ryches in the worlde that is Rysyth of the grounde by Goddys sendynge, And by the labour of pore mennys handys, And though thou, ryche man, have therof the kepynge, Yet is not this ryches of thy gettynge, Nor oughtyst not in reason to be preysyd the more For by other mennys labour it is got before A great wytted man may sone be enrychyd, That laboryth and studyeth for ryches only, But how shall his conscyens than be discharged? For all clerkys afferme that that man presysely, Whiche studyeth for his owne welth pryncypally, Of God shall deserve but lytyll rewarde, Except he the commyn welth somwhat regarde |p So they sey that that man occupyed is For a commyn welth, whiche is ever laborynge To releve pore people with temporall goodys, And that it is a commyn good act to brynge People from vyce and to use good lyvynge Lykewyse for a commyn welth occupyed is he That bryngyth them to knowlege that yngnorant be But man to knowe God is a dyffyculte, Except by a meane he hym selfe inure, Whiche is to knowe Goddys creaturys that be: As furst them that be of grosyst nature, And than to know them that be more pure, And so by lytyll and lytyll ascendynge To know Goddys creaturys and mervelous werkinge. And this wyse man at the last shall come to The knowlege of God and his hye mageste, And so to lerne to do his dewte, and also To deserve of his goodnes partener to be. Wherfore in this work declaryd shall ye see Furst of the elementis the sytuacyon, And of their effectis the cause and generacyon. And though some men thynke this matter to hye And not mete for an audyence unlernyd, Me thynke for man nothynge more necessary Than this to know, though it be not usyd, Nor a matter more lowe can not be arguyd For though the elementis Goddys creaturis be, Yet they be most grose and lowyst in degre. How dare men presume to be callyd clerkys, Dysputynge of hye creaturis celestyall, As thyngys invysyble and Goddys hye warkys, And know not these vysyble thyngys inferyall? So they wolde know hye thyngys and know nothinge at all Of the yerth here wheron they dayly be, Nother the nature, forme nor quantyte. Wherfore it semyth nothynge convenyent A man to study and his tyme to bestowe Furst for the knowlege of hye thyngys excellent, And of lyght matters beneth nothynge to know - As of these four elementis here below, Whose effectis dayly appere here at eye. Such thingys to know furst were most mete study. |p Whiche matter before your presence shortly In this interlude here shall be declaryd Without great eloquence, in ryme rudely, Because the compyler is but small lernyd This worke with rethoryk is not adournyd, For perhappis in this matter muche eloquence Sholde make it tedyous or hurt the sentence. But because some folke be lytyll disposyd To sadnes, but more to myrth and sport, This phylosophycall work is myxyd With mery cunseytis, to gyve men comfort And occasyon to cause them to resort To here this matter, wherto yf they take hede Some lernynge to them therof may procede. But they that shall nowe this matter declare Openly here unto this audyence - Beholde I prey you, see where they are. The pleyers begyn to appere in presence; I se well it is tyme for me to go hens And so I wyll do. Therfore now shortly To God I commyt all this hole company. <2[Exit the Messenger]>2 <2Hic intrat Natura Naturata, Humanyte>2 <2et Studyous Desire portans figuram.>2 <2Natura Naturata>2 The hye, myghty, most excellent of all, The fountayn of goodnes, verteu, and connyng, Whiche is eterne of power most potencyall, The perfeccyon and furst cause of every thynge - I meane that only hye nature naturynge -- Lo, he by his goodnes hath ordeynyd and create Me here his mynyster, callyd Nature Naturate Wherfore I am the verey naturate nature, The inmedyate mynyster for the preservacyon Of every thynge in his kynde to endure, And cause of generacyon and corrupcyon. Of that thynge that is brought to distruccyon Another thynge styll I brynge forth agayne. Thus wondersly I worke and never in vayne. |p The great worlde beholde, lo, devydyd wondersly In to two regyons, wherof on I call The etheriall region with the hevyns hye, Conteynynge the planettys, sterris and speris all; The lower region callyd the elementall Conteynynge these four elementis beloo: The fyre, the ayre, the water, and yerth also. But yet the elementis and other bodyes all Beneth take theyr effectys and operacyons Of the bodyes in the region ethereall. By theyr influens and constellacyons They cause here corrupcyons and generacyons, For yf the movyngys above sholde onys cease, Beneth sholde be nother increse nor decrese. These elementis of them selfe so syngle be Unto dyvers formys can not be devydyd, Yet they commyx togyder dayly ye see, Wherof dyvers kyndes of thyngys be ingenderyd Whiche thyngys eftsonys whan they be corruptyd Yche element I reduce to his furst estate, So that nothynge can be utterly adnychelate For though the forme and facyon of any thyng That is a corporall body be distroyed, Yet every matter remaynyth in his beynge, Wherof it was furst made and formyd; For corrupcyon of a body commyxyd Ys but the resolucyon by tyme and space Of every element to his owne place For who that wyll take any body corporall And do what he can it to distroy, To breke it or grynde it into pouder small, To washe, to drown, to bren it or to dry, Yet the ayre and fyre therof naturally To their owne proper places wyll ascende, The water to the water, the yerth to the yerth tende. For yf hete or moysture of any thynge certayne By fyre or be water be consumyd, Yet yerth or asshes on yerth wyll remayne, So the elementis can never be distroyed. For essencyally ther is now at this tyde As muche fyre, ayre, water, yerth, as was Ever before this tyme, nether more nor las. |p Wherfore thou man -- now I speke to the - Remembre that thou art compound and create Of these elementis, as other creaturis be, Yet they have not all lyke noble estate, For plantis and herbys growe and be insensate, Brute bestis have memory and their wyttes fyve, But thou hast all those and soule intellectyve So by reason of thyne understandynge Thou hast domynyon of other bestis all, And naturally thou sholdyst desire connynge To knowe straunge effectis and causys naturall, For he that studyeth for the lyfe bestyall, As voluptuous pleasure and bodely rest, I account hym never better than a best. <2Humanyte>2 0 excellent prynce, and great lorde Nature, I am thyne owne chylde and formyd instrument. I beseche thy grace, take me to thy cure, And teche me suche scyens thou thinkyst expedyent. <2Nature>2 Than syth thou art so humble and benevolent, That thynge that is mete for thy capasyte And good for thy knowlege I shall instructe the Furst of all, thou must consyder and see These elementis, which do yche other penetrate, And by contynuall alteracyon they be Of them selfe dayly corruptyd and generate. The yerth as a poynt or center is sytuate In the myddys of the worlde, with the water joyned, With the ayre and fyre rounde and hole invyronyd. The yerth of it selfe is ponderous and hevy, Colde and dry of his owne nature proper; Some parte lyeth dry contynually And parte therof coveryd over with water, Some with the salt see, some with freshe ryver. Whiche yerth and the water togyder with all So joynyd make a rounde fygure sperycall. So the water whiche is colde and moyst is founde In and uppon the yerth, fyllynge the holones In dyvers partis, liynge with the yerth rounde, Yet the hyllys and mounteyns of the yerth excesse Take nothynge of hit a way the roundnes, In comparyson bycause they be so small, No more than the prikkys do that be on a gall. |p The ayre whiche is hote and moyst also, And the fyre whiche is ever hote and dry, About the yerth and water joyntly they go And compasse them everywhere orbycularly, As the whyte aboute the yolke of an egg doth lye But the ayre in the lower parte moste remaynyth, The fyre naturally to the hyer tendyth. The etheryall region, whiche conteynyth The sterrys and planettys and every spere, About the elementis dayly movyth And coveryth them rounde about every where. Every sterre and spere in straunge maner Uppon his owne poles movyth dyversly, Whiche now to declare were to longe to tary. The fyre and the ayre of their naturys be lyght, Therfore they move by naturall provydence The water, bycause it is ponderous in weyght, Movyth not naturally but by vyolence Of the sterris and planettys, by whose influence The see is compellyd to ebbe and flowe dayly, And freshe waters to sprynge contynually And though that the water be grose and hevy Yet nothynge so grose as the yerth iwys, Therfore by hete it is vaporyd up lyghtly And in the ayre makyth cloudys and mystys, But as sone as ever that it grosely is Gederyd togyder, it descendyth agayne And causyth uppon the yerth hayle, snow and rayne. The yerth, because of his ponderosyte, Avoydyth equally the movynges great Of all extremytes and sperys that be, And tendyth to the place that is most quiet; So in the myddys of all the sperys is set Formast, abject from all maner movynge, Where naturally he restyth and movyth nothynge. Marke well now how I have the shewyd and tolde Of every element the very sytuacyon And qualyte; wherfore this fygure beholde For a more manyfest demonstracyon. And by cause thou sholdyst not put to oblyvyon My doctryne, this man callyd Studyous Desire With the shall have contynuall habytacyon, The styll to exhort more scyens to adquire. |p For the more that thou desyrest to know any thynge, Therin thou semyst the more a man to be; For that man that desireth no maner connynge, All that wyle no better than a best is he Why ben the eyes made, but only to see, The leggys, to bere the body of a creature? So every thynge is made to do his nature. So lykewyse reason, wit, and understondyng Ys gyven to the, man, for that thou sholdyst in dede Knowe thy maker and cause of thyne owne beynge, And what the worlde is, and wherof thou doest procede. Wherfore it behovyth the of verey nede The cause of thyngys furst for to lerne, And than to knowe and laude the hye God eterne. <2Humanyte>2 0 gloryous lorde and prynce moste plesant, Greatly am I now holdyn unto the So to illumyne my mynde that was yngnorant With soch noble doctryne as thou hast here shewed me! Wherfore I promyse uppon my fydelyte My dylygence to do to kepe in memory, And the for to honour styll perpetually. <2Studyous Desire>2 And syth it hath pleasyd thy grace to admyt Me uppon this man to gyve attendaunce, With thy doctryne here shewyd I shall quikkyn his wyt And dayly put hym in remembraunce. His courage and desyre I shall also inhaunce, So that his felycyte shall be most of all To study and to serche for causys naturall. <2Nature>2 Well than, for a season I wyll departe, Levynge you togyder here beth twayne. What I haue shewid, man, prynt well in thyne hert And marke well this fygure that here shall remayne, Wherby thou maist perceyve many ynges more playn Concernynge the matter I spake of before. And whan that I shaH resort here agayne Of hye poyntys of connynge I shall shew the[e] more. <2[Exit Nature]>2 |p <2Studyous Desire>2 Now, Humanyte, call to your memory The connynge poyntys that Nature hath declaryd, And though he have shewed dyvers pointys and many Of the elementis so wondersly formed, Yet many other causys there are wolde be lernyd As to knowe the generacyon of thyngys all Here in the yerth, how they be ingendryd As herbys, plantys, well spryngys, ston and metall. <2Humanyte>2 Those thyngys to knowe for me be full expedient, But yet in those poyntys whiche Nature late shewyd me, My mynde in them as yet is not content, For I can no maner wyse parceyve nor see, Nor prove by reason why the yerth sholde be myddys of the fyrmament hengyng so small And the yerth with the water be rounde with all. <2Studyous Desire>2 Me thynkyth my selfe, as to some of those pointys, I coude gyve a suffycyent solucyon. For furst of all thou must nedys graunt this, That the yerth is so depe, and botom hath non, Or els there is some grose thyng hit stondyth upon, Or els that it hangyth, thou must nedys consent, Evyn in the myddys of the fyrmament. <2Humanyte>2 What than? go forth with thyne argument. <2Studyous Desire>2 Than marke well, in the day or in a wynters nyght, The sone and mone and sterris celestyall In the est furst they do apere to thy syght, A[nd] after in the west they do downe fall, A[nd] agayne in the morowe next of all Wi[thi]n twenty four houres they be come just To [th]est pointys again where thou sawist them furst. Than yf the erthe shulde be of endles depnes Or shulde stande upon any other grose thynge, It shulde be an impedyment dowtles To the sone, mone, and sterris in theyr movynge; They shulde not so in the est agayne sprynge. Therfore in reason it semyth moste convenyent The yerth to hange in the myddys of the fyrmament. <2Humanyte>2 Thyne argument in that poynt doth me confounde, That thou hast made, but yet it provyth not ryght That the yerth by reason shulde be rounde. For though the fyrmament with his sterris bryght Compas aboute the yerth eche day and nyght, Yet the yerthe may be playne, peradventure, Quadrant, triangre, or some other fygure. |p <2Studyous Desire>2 That it can not be playne I shall well prove the, Because the sterris that aryse in the oryent Appere more soner to them that there be, Than to the other dwellynge in the occident The eclypse is therof a playne experymente Of the sone or mone which, whane it dothe fu[ll], Is never one tyme of the day in placys all Yet the eclyps generally is alwaye In the hole worlde as one tyme beynge, But whan we that dwell here see it in the mydday, They in the west partis see it in the mornynge, And they in the est beholde it in the evenyng. And why that sholde so be, no cause can be found But onely by reason that the yerthe is rownde. <2Humanyte>2 That reason proveth the yerth, at the lest One wayes to be rownde, I cannot gayne say, As for to accompt frome the est to the west; But yet not withstondynge all that, it may Lese hys rowndenesse by some other waye. <2Studyous Desyre>2 Na, no dowte yt is rownde everywhere, Which I coulde prove, thou shoudest not say nay, Yf I had therto any tyme and leser. But I knowe a man callyd Experyens, Of dyvers instrumentys is never without, Cowde prove all these poyntys, and yet by his scyens Can tell how many myle the erthe is abowte, And many other straunge conclusions, no dowte instrumentys cowde shew them so certayn That every rude carter shold them persayve playn. <2Humanyte>2 Now wolde to God I had that man now here For the contembtacyon of my mynde <2Studyous Desyre>2 Yf ye wyll, I shall for hym enquere And brynge hym heder yf I can hym fynde. <2Humanyte>2 Then myght I say ye were to me ryght kynde. <2Studyous Desyre>2 I shall assay by God that me dere bought, For cunnyng is the thynge that wolde be sought <2[Studious Desire starts to leave, but Sensual Appetite>2 <2comes in running and knocks him down.]>2 |p <2Sensuall Apetyte>2 Well hyet quod Hykman, when that he smot Hys wyffe on the buttockys with a bere pott. Aha. now, god evyn, fole, god evyn It is even the, knave, that I mene. Hast thou done thy babelyng? <2Studyous Desyre>2 Ye, peradventure, what than? <2Sensuall Apetyte>2 Than hold downe thy hede lyke a prety man And take my blyssyng Benedicite. I graunt to the this pardon And gyve the[e] absolucion; For thy soth saws, stande up, Jack daw. I beshrew thy faders sone Make rome, syrs, and let us be mery, With huffa, galand, synge tyrll on the bery, And let the wyde worlde wynde. Synge fryska joly, with hey troly loly, For I se well it is but a foly For to have a sad mynd. For rather than I wolde use suche foly To pray, to study or be pope holy, I had as lyf be ded By Goggys body, I tell you trew, I speke as I thynke, now els I beshrew Evyn my next felowes hed. Master Humanyte, syr, be your leve, I were ryght loth you to greve Though I do hym dyspyse, For yf ye knewe hym as well as I, Ye wolde not use his company Nor love hym in no wyse <2Humanyte>2 Syr, he loketh lyke an honest man, Therfore I merveyll that ye can This wyse hym deprave <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Though he loke never so well, I promyse you he hath a shrewde smell. <2Humanyte>2 Why so? I prey you tell. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 For he saveryth lyke a knave. <2Studyous Desire>2 Holde your pease, syr, ye mystake me. What, I trowe that ye wolde make me Lyke to one of your kyn. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Harke, syrs, here ye not how boldly He callyth me knave agayne by polycy? The devyll pull of his skyn |p I wolde he were hangyd by the throte, For by the messe I love hym not; We two can never agre. I am content, syr, with you to tary, And I am for you so necessary Ye can not lyve without me <2Humanyte>2 Why syr, I say, what man be ye? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 I am callyd Sensuall Apetyte, All craturs in me delyte, I comforte the wyttys fyve The tastyng, smellyng, and herynge I refresh the syght and felynge To all creaturs alyve For whan the body wexith hongry For lacke of fode, or ellys thursty, Than with drynkes plesaund I restore hym out of payne, And oft refresshe nature agayne With delycate vyand. With plesaunde sound of armonye The herynge alwaye 1 satysfy -- I dare this well reporte; The smellynge, with swete odour, And the syght with plesaunte fygour And colours I comforte. The felynge that is so plesaunte Of every member, fote or hande, What pleasure therin can be By the towchynge of soft and harde, Of hote or colde, nought in regarde, Excepte it come by me. <2Humanyte>2 Than I cannot see the contrary But ye are for me full necessary And ryght convenyent. <2Studyous Desire>2 Ye, syr, beware yet what ye do For yf you forsake my company so Lorde Nature wyll not be contente. Of hym ye shall never lerne good thyng Nother vertu nor no other connynge, This dare I well say <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mary, avaunt, knave. I the defye. Dyde Nature forbyde hym my company? What sayst thou therto? Speke openly. <2Humanyte>2 As for that I know well nay. |p <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 No by God, I am ryght sure, For he knoweth well no creature Without me can lyve one day. <2Humanyte>2 Syr, I pray you be contente lt is not utterly myne intente Your company to exyle, But onely to have communycacyon And a pastyme of recreacyon With this man for a whyle. <2Studyous Desire>2 Well for your pleasure I wyll departe. <2[Exit]>2 <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Now go, knave, go I beshrew thy hart! The devyll sende the forwarde Now by my trouth I mervell gretly That ever ye wolde use the company So rnyche of suche a knave For yf ye do no nother thynge But ever study and to be musynge As he wolde have you, it wyll you brynge At the last unto your grave Ye shulde ever study pryncypall For to comfort your lyfe naturall With metis and drynkes dilycate, And other pastymes and pleasures amonge, Daunsynge, laughynge or plesaunt so This is mete for your estate <2Humanyte>2 Because ye sey so, I you promyse That I have musyd and studyed such wyse, Me thynketh my wyttes wery. My nature desyreth some refresshynge, And also I have ben so longe fastynge That I am somwhat hongry <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Well than, wyll ye go with me To a taverne where ye shall se God pastaunce, and at your lyberte Have what so ever ye wyll? <2Humanyte>2 I am content so for to do Yf that ye wyll not from me go But kepe me company styll. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Company, quod'a Ye, that I shall, poynt devyse, And also do you good and trew servyce, And therto I plyght my trouthe. And yf that I ever forsake you, I pray God the devyl take you! <2Humanyte>2 Mary, I thanke you for that othe. |p <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 A myschyfe on it. my tonge, loo, Wyll tryp somtyme, what so ever I do - But ye wot what I mene well <2Humanyte>2 Ye, no force let this matter passe. But seydest evin now thou knewyst where was A good taverne to make solas? Where is that, I prey the, tell? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mary, at the dore, evyn here by. Yf we call any thynge on hye The taverner wyll answere. <2Humanyte>2 I prey the, than, call for hym nowe. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mary, I wyll. How, taverner, how. Why doste thou not appere? <2[Enter Taverner]>2 <2Taverner>2 Who is that calleth so hastely? I shrew thyne hert, speke softely. I tell the I am not here <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Than I beshrew the[e], page, of thyne age. Come hyther, knave, for thyne avauntage Why makyst thou hit so tow? <2Taverner>2 For myne avauntage, mary, than I come. Beware, syrs. how let me have rome. Lo, here I am. What seyst thou? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mary, thus: here is a gentylman, I say, That nother ete nor dranke this day, Therfor tell me, I the praye Yf thou have any good wyne. <2Taverner>2 Ye shall have spayneshe wyne and gascoyn, Rose coloure, whyt, claret, rampyon, Tyre, capryck, and malvesyne, Sak, raspyce, alycaunt, rumney Greke ipocrase, new made clary, Suche as ye never had. For yf ye drynke a draught or too, Yt wyll make you or ye thens go, By Goggys body, starke madde <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 I wot thou art not without good wyne. But here is a gentylman hath lyst to dyne-- Canst thou get hym any good mete? |p <2Taverner>2 What mete, mayster, wolde ye have? <2Hrumanyte>2 I care not, so God me save, So that it be holsome to ete. I wolde we had a good stewyd capon. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 As for capons ye can gette none, The kyngys taker toke up eche one. I wot well there is none to get. <2Taverner>2 Though all capons be gone, what than? Yet I can get you a stewed hen That is redy dyght. <2Humanyte>2 Yf she be fat yt wyll do well. <2Taverner>2 Fat or lene 1 cannot tell, But as for this, I wot well She lay at the stewes all nyght. <2Humanyte>2 Thou art a mad gest, be this lyght. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye, syr, it is a felow that never faylys. But canst get my mayster a dyshe of quales, Smal byrdes, swalowes, or wagtayles -- They be lyght of dygestyon <2Taverner>2 Lyght of dygestyon, for what reason? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 For physyk puttyth this reason therto. Bycause those byrdes fle to and fro And be contynuall movynge. <2Taverner>2 Then know I a lyghter mete than that. <2Humanyte>2 I pray the, tell me what. <2Taverner>2 Yf ye wyll nedys know at short and longe It is evyn a womans tounge, For that is ever sterynge. <2Humanyte>2 Syr, I pray the, let suche fanteses be. And come heder nere and harke to me, And do after my byddynge. Goo purvey us a dyner evyn of the moste, Of all maner dysshes both sod and roste That thou canst get, spare for no coste Yf thou make thre course. <2Taverner>2 Than ye get nother gose nor swane, But a dyshe of dreggys, a dyshe of brane, A dysshe of draffe, and I trowe than Ye can not get thre worse |p <2Humanyte>2 What, horson! woldyst thou purvey Bran, draffe and stynkynge dreggys, I sey? I holde the mad, I trowe <2Taverner>2 Gogges passyon sayd ye not thus, That I shulde purvey you thre course-dysshes, And these be course inowe. <2Humanyte>2 Thre course dysshes, quod'a What, mad fole. thou mystakest me clene I se well thou wotest not what I mene, And understandyst amys. I mene this wyse- I wolde have the To purvey mete so great plente That thou sholdyst of necessyte Serve them at thre coursys. That is to understande, at one worde, Thou shuldest brynge them unto the borde At thre severall tymes. <2Taverner>2 What than, I se well ye wyll make a feste. <2Humanyte>2 Ye, by the rode, evyn with the gretest. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 By my trouth, than do ye best Evyn after my mynde But ye must have more company. <2Humanyte>2 That is trewe and so wolde I gladly If I knewe any to fynde. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Why, wyll ye folowe my counsell? <2Humanyte>2 Ye. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Than we wyll have lytell Nell, A proper wenche, she daunsith well, And Jane with the blacke lace; We wyll have bounsynge Besse also, And two or thre proper wenchis mo, Ryght feyr and smotter of face. <2Humanyte>2 Now be it so, thou art saunce pere. <2Taverner>2 Than I perceyve ye wyll make gode chere. <2Humanyte>2 Why, what shulde I els do? <2Taverner>2 If ye thynke so best, than wyll I Go before and make all thynge redy Agayne ye come therto. <2Humanyte>2 Mary, I prey the do so. |p <2Taverner>2 Than farewell syrs for I am gone. <2[Exit]>2 <2Humanyte>2 And we shall folow the anon Without any taryyng. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Then it is best, syr, ye make hast, For ye shall spende here but tyme in wast And do no nother thynge. <2Humanyte>2 Yf ye wyll, let us goo by and by. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 I pray you be it, for I am redy, No man better wyllynge <2Exeat Sensuall Apetyte et Humanyte,>2 <2Intrat Experins et Studyous Desire>2 <2Studyous Desire>2 Now, cosyn Experyens, as I may say, Ye are ryght welcom to this contrey, Without any faynyng. <2Experiens>2 Syr, I thanke you therof hertely, And I am as glad of your company As any man lyvynge. <2Studyous Desire>2 Syr, I understonde that ye have be In many a straunge countree, And have had grete fylycyte, Straunge causes to seke and fynde. <2Experiens>2 Ryght farr, syr, I have rydden and gone, And seen straunge thynges many one, In Affryk, Europe, and Ynde, Both est and west I have ben farre, North also, and seen the sowth sterre, Bothe by see and lande, And ben in sondry nacyons With peple of dyvers condycyons, Marvelous to understonde. <2Studyous Desire>2 Syr, yf a man have suche corage Or devocyon in pylgrymage Jheruzalem unto, For to accompt the nexte way, How many myle is it I you pray From hens theder to goo? <2Experiens>2 Syr, as for all suche questyons Of townes to know the sytuacyon, How ferre they be asunder, And other poyntes of cosmogryfy, Ye shall never lerne then more surely Then by that fygure yonder. |p For who that fygure dyd fyrst devyse, It semeth well he was wyse And perfyte in this scyens, For bothe the se and lande also Lye trew and just as the sholde do, I know by experyens <2Studyous Desire>2 Who thynke you brought here this fygure? <2Experiens>2 I wot not. <2Studyous Desire>2 Certes, lorde Nature Hym selfe not longe agone, Whiche was here personally Declarynge hye phylosophy, And lafte this fygure purposely For Humanytes instruccyon <2Experiens>2 Dowtles ryght nobly done. <2Studyous Desire>2 Syr, this realme ye know is callid Englande, Somtyme Brettayne, I understonde, Therfore I prey you point with your hande In what place it shulde lye. <2Experiens>2 Syr, this is Ynglande lyenge here, And this is Skotlande that joyneth hym nere, Compassyd aboute every where With the occian see rownde. And next from them westwardly Here by hymselfe alone doth ly Irelande, that holsome grounde. Here than is the narowe seey, To Calyce and Boleyne the next wey, And Flaunders in this parte. Here lyeth Fraunce next hym joynynge, And Spaynn, southwarde from them standynge, And Portyngale in this quart. This contrey is callyd Italye-- Beholde where Rome in the myddys doth ly, And Naples here beyonde; And this lytell see, that here is, Is callyd the Gulfe of Venys, And here Venys doth stande. |p As for Almayne lyeth this way. Here lyeth Denmarke and Norway, And northwarde on this syde There lyeth Iselonde, where men do fyshe, But beyonde that so colde it is, No man may there abyde This See is called the great Occyan, So great it is that never man Coude tell it sith the worlde began, Tyll nowe, within this twenty yere, Westwarde be founde new landes That we never harde tell of before this By wrytynge nor other meanys, Yet many nowe have ben there. And that contrey is so larg Muche lenger than all cristendome, Without fable or gyle, For dyvers maryners haue it tryed And sayled streyght by the coste syde Above fyve thousand myle But what commodytes be within, No man can tell nor well imagin. But yet not longe ago Some men of this contrey went, By the kynges noble consent, It for to serche to that entent And coude not be brought therto. But they that were the venteres Have cause to curse their maryners, Fals of promys and dissemblers, That falsly them betrayed, Whiche wolde take no paine to saile farther Than their owne lyst and pleasure Wherfore that vyage and dyvers other Suche kaytyffes have distroyed. O, what a thynge had be than, Yf that they that be englyshe men Myght have ben the furst of all That there shulde have take possessyon And made furst buyldynge and habytacion, A memory perpetuall. |p And also what an honorable thynge, Bothe to the realme and to the kynge, To have had his domynyon extendynge There into so farre a grounde, Whiche the noble kynge of late memory, The moste wyse prynce the seventh Herry, Causyd furst for to be founde And what a great meritoryouse dede It were to have the people instructed To lyve rnore yertuously, And to lerne to knowe of men the maner, And also to knowe God theyr maker, Whiche as yet lyve all bestly. For they nother knowe God nor the devell, Nor never harde tell of hevyn nor hell, Wrytynge nor other scripture. But yet, in the stede of God almyght, The[y] honour the sone for his great lyght, For that doth them great pleasure. Buyldynge nor house they have non at all, But wodes, cotes, and cavys small, No merveyle though it be so, For they use no maner of yron Nother in tole nor other wepon, That shulde helpe them therto. Copper they have, whiche is founde In dyvers places above the grounde, Yet they dyg not therfore, For, as I sayd, they have non yryn, Wherby they shuld in the yerth myne, To serche for any wore. Great haboundaunce of woddys ther be, Moste parte vyr and pyne aple tre; Great ryches myght come therby, Both pyche and tarre and sope asshys, As they make in the eest landes By brynnynge therof only. Fyshe they have so great plente, That in havyns take and slayne they be With stavys withouten fayle. Nowe Frenchemen and other have founde the trade, That yerely of fyshe there they lade Above an hundred sayl. |p But in the south parte of that contrey The people there go nakyd alway, The lande is of so great hete; And in the north parte all the clothes That they were is but bestis skynnes, They have no nother fete. But howe the people furst began In that contrey or whens they cam, For clerkes it is a questyon. Other thynges mo I have in store That I coude tel therof, but now no more Tyll another season <2Studyous Desire>2 Than at your pleasure shew some other thinge. Yt lyketh me so wel your commyninge, Ye can not talke amys <2Experiens>2 Than wyl I torne agayne to my matter Of Cosmogryfy where I was err Beholde, take hede to this. Loo, estwarde beyonde the great occ Here entereth the see callyd Mediterran Of two thousand myle of lengthe. The Soudans contrey lyeth here by, The great Turke on the north syde doth ly, A man of merveylous strengthe. This sayde north parte is callyd Europa, And this south parte callyd Affrica, This eest parte is callyd Ynde, But this newe landys founde lately Ben callyd America by cause only Americus dyd furst them fynde Loo, Jherusalem lyeth in this contrey, And this beyonde is the Red See, That Moyses maketh of mencyon. This quarter is India Minor And this quarter India Maior, The lande of Prester Johnn. But northwarde this way, as ye se, Many other straunge regions ther be And people that we not knowe But est warde on the see syde A prynce there is that rulyth wyde Callyd the Cane of Catowe. |p And this is called the great eest see, Whiche goth all alonge this wey Towardes the newe landis agayne, But whether that see go thyther dyrectly Or if any wyldernes bytwene them do ly, No man knoweth for certeyne But these newe landis, by all cosmografye, Frome the Cane of Catous lande can not lye Lytell paste a thousande myle; But from those new landis men may sayle playne Estwarde, and com to Englande againe, Where we began ere whyle. Lo, all this parte of the yerth whiche I Have here discryvyd openly The north parte we do it call. But the south parte on the other syde Ys as large as this full, and as wyde, Whiche we knowe nothynge at all. Nor whether the moste parte be lande or see, Nor whether the people that there be Be bestyall or connynge, Nor whether they knowe God or no, Nor howe they beleve nor what they do, Of this we knowe nothynge. Lo, is not this a thynge wonderfull, How that -- <2Et subito Studyouse Desire dicat>2 <2Studyous Desire>2 Pese, syr, no more of this matter. Beholde where Humanyte commeth here. <2[Studious Desire and Experience withdraw>2 <2Re-enter Humanity and Sensual Appetite.]>2 <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 How sey you, maister Humanyte, I prey you have ye not be mere And had good recreacyon? <2Humanyte>2 Yes, I thanke the therof every dell, For we have faryd mervelously well And had good communycacyon. <2[Enter Taverner.]>2 |p <2Taverner>2 What, how, maister, where be ye now? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 What. I shrewe the. what haste hast thou That thou spekyst so hye? <2Taverner>2 So hye, quod'a. I trow ye be mad, by Saynt Gyle For dyd ye not ere whyle Make poyntment openly To come agayne all to supper, There as ye were to day at dyner? And yet ye poynted not playne What mete that ye wyll have drest Nor what delycatys ye love best. Me thynke you farre oversayne. <2Humanyte>2 As for myne owne parte, I care not. Dresse what mete thou lovest, spare not What so ever thou doest best thynke. <2Taverner>2 Now, if ye put it to my lyberte Of all metis in the worlde that be, By this lyght, I love best drynke. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 It semyth by thy face so to do. But my maister wyll have mete also, What so ever it cost <2Taverner>2 By God, syr, than ye must tell what. <2Humanyte>2 At thy discressyon I force nat Whether it be soden or rost. <2Taverner>2 Well syr, than care not, let me alone. Ye shall se that all thynge shall be done And ordeyned well and fyne. <2Humanyte>2 So I require the hertely, And in any wyse specyally Let us have a cuppe of newe wyne. <2Taverner>2 Ye shall have wyne as newe as can be, For I may tell you in pryvyte Hit was brued but yester nyght. <2Humanyte>2 But that is nothynge for my delyte. <2Taverner>2 But than I have for your apetyte A cup of wyne of olde claret, There is no better by this lyght <2Humanyte>2 Well I trust the well inowe. <2Taverner>2 But on thynge, if it please you nowe, Ye se well I take muche payne for you; I trust ye wyll se to me. <2Humanyte>2 Ye, I promyse the. Get the[e] hens, And in this matter do thy dylygence, And I shall well rewarde the. |p By cause thou lokyst for a rewarde, One thynge for the I have prepared That here I shall the gyffe. Thou shalte have a knavys skyn For to put thy body therin, For terme of thy lyfe <2Taverner>2 Now gramercy, my gentyll brother, And therfore thou shalt have nother For voydynge of stryfe. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Nowe farewell, gentyll Johnn <2Taverner>2 Than farewell, fole, for I am gone. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Abyde, torne ones agayne. harke what I sey! Yet there is another thynge Wolde do well at our maisters wasshynge. <2Humanyte>2 What thynge is that, I the prey? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mary, thus canst thou tell us yet Where is any rose water to get? <2Taverner>2 Ye, that I can well purvey, As good as ever you put to your nose, For there is a feyre wenche callyd Rose / Dystylleth a quarte every day. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 By God, I wolde a pynt of that Were powryd evyn upon thy pate Before all this presence. <2Taverner>2 Yet I had lever she and I Where both togyther secretly In some corner in the spence. For by God, it is a prety gyrle. It is a worlde to se her whyrle, Daunsynge in a rounde. 0 lorde God how she wyll tryp! She wyll bounce it, she wyll whyp, Ye, clene above the grounde <2Humanyte>2 Well, let all suche matters passe, I sey, And get the[e] hens, and goo thy way Aboute this other matter. <2Taverner>2 Than I goo streyght, lo, fare ye well. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 But loke yet thou remembre everydell That I spake of full ere. <2Taverner>2 Yes, I warrant you, do not fere. <2Exeat Taverner. [Re-enter Studious Desire and Experience.]>2 |p <2Humanyte>2 Goddis lorde, seist not who is here now? What, Studyous Desire, what newis with you? <2Studyous Desire>2 Ye shall knowe, syr, or I go <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 What, art thou here? I se well, I, The mo knavys the worse company. <2Studyous Desire>2 Thy lewde condycyons thou doest styll occupy, As thou art wont to do. <2Humanyte>2 But I say, who is this here in presence? <2Studyous Desire>2 Syr, this is the man callyd Experiens That I spake of before. <2Humanyte>2 Experyens. Why, is this he? Syr, ye ar ryght welcome unto me, And shall be ever more. <2Experience>2 Syr, I thanke you therof hertely, But I assure you feythfully I have small courage here to ta As longe as this man is here <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Why, horson, what eylyst at me? <2Experience>2 For thou hast ever so leude a properte Science to dispyse, and yet thou art he That nought canst nor nought wylt lere. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mary, avaunt, knave. I make God avowe, I thynke my selfe as connynge as thou, And that shall I prove shortly I shall put the a questyon now, come nere, Let me se how well thou canst answere. How spellest this worde Tom Couper In trewe artografye? <2Experyence>2 Tom Couper, quod'a. a wyse questyon, herdly. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye, I tel the agayn yet: Tom Couper, how spellyst it? Lo, he hath forgotten, ye may se, The furste worde of his ABC. Harke, fole, harke 1 wyll teche the. P - A, pa, T - E -- R, ter, Do togyther Tom Couper Ys not this a sore matter? Loo, here ye may se hym provyd a fole He had more nede to go to scole Than to come hyther to clatter. <2Studyous Desire>2 Certeyne this is a solucyon Mete for suche a boyes questyon. |p <2Humanyte>2 Sensuall Apetyte, I prey the, Let passe all suche tryfles and vanyte For a wyle - it shall not longe be-- And depart, I the require For I wolde talke a worde or two With this man here or he hens go, For to satysfy my desyre <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Why, Goggis soule, wyll ye so shortly Breke poyntment with yonder company Where ye shulde come to supper? I trust ye wyll not breke promys so. <2Humanyte>2 I care not greatly yf I do, Yt is but a taverne matter. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Than wyll I go shew them what ye sey. <2Humunyte>2 Spare not, if thou wylt go thy wey, For I wyll here tary. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Than adew for a whyle, I tel you playne, But I promyse you whan I come agayne I shall make yonder knavys twayne To repent and be sory <2[Exit Sensual Appetite]>2 <2Experyence>2 Nowe I am full glad that he is gone <2Desire>2 So am I, for good wyll he do none To no man lyvynge But this is the man with whome ye shall I trust be well content with all, And glad of his commynge. For he hath expownyd connyngly Dyvers poyntes of cosmogryfy, In fewe wordes and shorte clause. <2Humanyte>2 So I understande he hath gode science And that he hath by playne experience Lernyd many a straunge cause. <2Studyous Desire>2 Ye, syr, and I say for rny parte He is the connyngest man in that arte That ever I coude fynde. For aske what questyon ye wyll do, Howe the yerth is rounde or other mo, He wyll satysfye your mynde <2Experyence>2 Why, what doute have ye therin founde? Thynke ye the yerth shulde not be rounde, Or elles howe suppose ye? |p <2Humanyte>2 One wey it is rounde, I must consent, For this man provyd it evydent, Towarde the eest and occydent It must nedis rounde be. <2Experyence>2 And lykewyse from the south to north. <2Humanyte>2 That poynt to prove were sum thanke worth. <2Experyence>2 Yes, that I can well prove, For this ye knowe as well as I, Ye se the north starre in the Marke well, ye shall unethe it spye That ever it doth remove. But this I assure you, if you go Northwarde an hundreth myle or two, Ye shall thynke it ryseth, And how that it is nere aproched The poynt over the top of your hed, Whiche is callyd your zenyth. Yet yf ye go the other wey, Southwarde ten or twelve dayes jorney, Ye shall then thynke anon It discended, and come more nye The sercle partynge the yerth and skye, As ye loke streyght with your eye, Whiche is callyd your oryson. But ye may go southwarde so farre That at the last that same starre Wyll seme so farre downe ryght, Clere underneth your oryson, That syght therof can you have non, The yerth wyll stop your syght. This provyth of necessyte That the yerth must nedis rounde be, This conclusyon doth it trye. <2Humanyte>2 Nowe that is the properist conclusyon That ever I herde, for by reason No man may hit denye. But, sir, if that a man sayle farre Upon the see, wyll than that starre Do there as on the grounde? <2Experyence>2 Ye, doutles. Sayle northwarde, ryse it wyl, And sayle southwarde, it falleth styl, And that provyth the see rounde. |p <2Stuayous Desire>2 So dothe it in myne oppynyon. But knowe you any other conclusyon To prove it rounde, save that alone? <2Experyence>2 Ye, that I knowe ryght well, As thus: marke well whan the see is clere That no storme nor wawe theron doth pere-- This maryners can tell -- Than if a fyre be made on nyght Upon the shore, that gyveth great lyght, And a shyp in the see farre, They in the toppe the fyre se shall And they on hache nothynge at all, Yet they on haches be nerre Also, on the see where men be saylynge Farre from lande, they se nothynge But the water and the skye; Yet whan they drawe the lande more nere, Than the hyll toppes begyn to apere, Styll the nere more hye and hye, As though they were styll growynge faste Out of the see, tyll at laste, Whan they come the shore to, They se the hyll, toppe, fote, and all; Whiche thynge so coude not befall But the see lay rounde also. <2Humanyte>2 Me thynketh your argument somwhat hard. <2Experyence>2 Than ye shall have it more playnly declared, If ye have great desyre; For here, loo, by myne instrumentis 1 can shew the[e] playne experimentis <2Humanyte>2 Therto I you requyre <2Experyence>2 With all my herte it shall be done. But for the furst conclusyon, That I spake of the fyre, Be this the seey that is so rounde, And this the fyre upon the grounde, And this the shyp that is here. Ye knowe well that a mannes syght Can never be but in a lyne ryght <2Humanyte>2 Just you say, that is clere. |p <2Experyence>2 Marke well, than May not that mannis eye <2[There is a gap of eight leaves (D1-8) in the copy About 360 lines>2 <2 are lost, during which Experience demonstrates to Humanity the>2 <2 earth's roundness, using the globe, a candle flame, and a telescope,>2 <2 and tells him of the earth's physical properties Apparently Humanity>2 <2 grows weary of instruction and rejoins Sensual Appetite When their>2 <2 revels grow violent he hides, but his legs are still visible. Ignorance>2 <2 speaks ]>2 <2[Yngnoraunce]>2 With argyng here theyr folyshe [sawes] That is not worth thre strawes. I love not this horeson losophers, Nor this great connyng extromers, That tell how far it is to the sterres; I hate all maner connyng. I wolde ye knew it, I am Ignorance, A lorde I am of gretter pusans Than the kynge of Yngland or Fraunce, Ye, the grettyst lord lyvyng. I have servauntes at my retynew That longe to me, I assure you, Here within Ynglande, That with me, Yngnorance, dwell styll And terme of lyfe contynew wyll- Above fyve hundred thowsand <2[Enter Sensual Appetite.]>2 <2Serisuall Appetyte>2 Goggys naylys, 1 have payed som of them, I tro! <2Yngnoraunce>2 Why man, what eylyth the so to blow? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 For I was at a shrewd fray <2Yngoraunce>2 Hast thou any of them slayn than? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye, I have slayn them every man, Save them that ran away. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Why, is any of them skapyd and gone? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye, by Goggys body, everychone, All that ever were there. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Why than, they be not all slayne. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 No, but I have put some to payne, For one horeson there was that torned again And streyght I cut of his ere. <2Yngoraunce>2 Than thou hast made hym a cut purs <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye, but yet I servyd another wors I smot of his legge by the hard ars, As sone as I met hym there. |p <2Yngnoraunce>2 By my trouth, that was a mad dede. Thou sholdest have smyt of his hed, Than he sholde never have troublid the more. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Tushe, than I had ben but mad, For there was another man that had Smyt of his hed before. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Than thou hast quyt the lyke a tal knyght. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye, that I have, by this lyght But, I sey, can you tell me ryght Where becam my maister? <2Yngnoraunce>2 What, he that you call Humanyte? <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Ye. <2Yngnoraunce>2 I wot never except he be Hyd here in some corner <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Goggys body. and trew ye sey, For yonder, lo, beholde ye may Se where the mad fole doth ly. <2[Humanity is discovered, prostrate, his head hidden]>2 <2Yngnoraunce>2 Now, on my feyth and treuth [iwys], Hit were evyn great almys To smyte his hed from his body. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Nay God forbed ye sholde do so. For he is but an innocent, lo, In maner of a fole. For as sone as I speke to hym agayne, I shall torne his mynde clene And make hym folowe my skole. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Than byd hym ryse, let us here hym speke. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Now ryse up, maister Huddy Peke, Your tayle totyth out behynde. Fere not, man, stande up by and by; I warrant you, ryse up boldly Here is non but is your frynde. <2[Humanity gets up]>2 <2Humanyte>2 I cry you mercy, maister dere <2Yngnoraunce>2 Why, what is cause thou hydest the here? <2Humanyte>2 For I was almoste for fere Evyn clene out of my mynde |p <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Nay, it is the study that ye have In this folyshe losophy hath made you mad, And no nother thynge iwys. <2Yngnoraunce>2 That is as trewe as the gospell. Therfore I have great mervell That ever thou wylt folowe the counsell Of yonder two knavys. <2Humanyte>2 0 syr, ye know ryght well this, That when any man is In other mens company, He must nedis folow the app[et]yte Of such thyngys as they delyte Som tyme amonge, perdy. <2Yngnoraunce>2 But such knaves wold alway have the To put all thy mynde and felicite In this folysh connyng to study, Which, if thou do, wyll make the mad And alway to be pensyf and sad; Thou shalt never be mery. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Mery quod'a No, I make God avow. But I pray the, mayster, hark On word now, And aunswere this thyng: Whether thought you it better chere At the taverne where we were ere, Or ellys to clatter with these knaves here Of theyr folysh cunnynge? <2Humanyte>2 Nay, 1 can not say the contrary But that I had mych myryer company At the taverne than in this place. <2Senauall Appetyte>2 Than yf ye have any wyt or brayn, Let us go to the taverne ag And make some mery solace <2Yngnoraunce>2 Yf he wyll do so, than doth he wysely. <2Humanyte>2 By my troth, I care not gretely, For I am indyfferent to all company, Whether it be here or there. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Then I shall tell you what we wyll do, Mayster Yngnorans, you and he also Shall tary both styll here, And I wyll go fet hyther a company, That ye shall here them syng as swetly As they were angellys clere. |p And yet I shall bryng hydyr another sort Of lusty bluddys to make dysport, That shall both daunce and spryng And torne clene above the ground With fryscas and with gambawdes round, That all the hall shall ryng And that done, within an howre or twayn, I shall at the towne agayne Prepare for you a banket Of metys that be most delycate, And most plesaunt drynkes and wynes therate, That is possyble to get; Which shall be in a chamber feyre, Replete with sote and fragrant eyre, Preparyd poynt devyse, With damaske water made so well That all the howse therof shall smell As it were pardyse. And after that, if ye wyll touche A feyre wenche nakyd in a couche Of a soft bed of downe, For to satisfye your wanton lust, I shall apoynt you a trull of trust, Not a feyrer in this towne. And whan ye have taken your delyte, And thus satisfyed the appetyte Of your wyttis fyve, Ye may sey than I am a servaunt For you so necessary and plesaunt, I trowe non suche a lyve. <2Humanyte>2 Nowe, by the wey that God dyd walke, It comforthe myne herte to here the talke, Thy mache was never seyn. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Than go thy wey by and by And brynge in this company, And he and I wyll here tary Tyll thou come agayne. <2Humanyte>2 And I prey the hertely also <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 At your request so shall I do. Lo, I am gone Nowe, fare well. I shall brynge them in to this hall And come my selfe formast of all And of these revellis be chefe mershall And order all thynge well. <2[Exit]>2 |p <2Yngnoraunce>2 Nowe set thy hert on a mery pyn Agayns these lusty bluddys come in, And dryve fantesys awey. <2Humanyte>2 And so I wyll, by hevyn kynge, If they other daunce or synge, Have amonge them, by this day <2Yngnoraunce>2 Than thou takyst good and wyse weys, And so shalt thou best please All this hole company For the folyshe arguynge that thou hast had With that knave Experiens, that hath made All these folke therof wery. For all they that be nowe in this hall, They be the most parte my servauntes all, And love pryncypally Disportis, as daunsynge, syngynge, Toys, tryfuls, laughynge, gestynge, For connynge they set not by. <2Humanyte>2 I se well suche company ever more, As Sensuell Appetyte is gone fore, Wyll please well this audyens. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Ye, that I suppose they wyll. But pease. harke. I prey the be styll. I wene they be not far hens. <2Then the daunsers without the hall syng this wyse>2 <2and they within answer or ellys they may say it for nede.>2 The <2Daunsers and Sensuall Appetyte [off]>2 Fease, syrs, pease. Now pease, syrs all. <2Humanyte and Yngnorans>2 Why, who is that so hye doth call? <2The Daunsers>2 Sylence, I say, be you among For we be dysposyd to syng a song <2Humanyte and Yngnorans>2 Come in then boldely among this presens, For here ye shall have good audyens. <2[The Dancers and Sensual Appetite enter and sing ]>2 <2Tyme to Pas with goodly sport,>2 <2our sprytys to revyve and comfort,>2 <2to pipe, to singe,>2 <2to daunce, to spring>2 <2with plesure and delyte,>2 <2folowing sensual appetyte.>2 |p <2Yngnoraunce>2 I can you thank, that is done well. It is pyte ye had not a mynstrell For to augment your solas <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 As for mynstrell, it maketh no force, Ye shall se me daunce a cours Without a mynstrell, be it better or wors Folow dll, I wyll lede a trace <2Humanyte>2 Now have amonge you, by this lyght. <2Yngnoraunce>2 That is well sayd, be God almyght. Make rome, syrs, and gyf them place <2Than he syngyth this song and daun[c]yth with all>2 <2and evermore maketh countenaunce accordyng to the>2 <2mater and all the other aunswer lyke wyse.>2 <2[Sensuall Appetyte] Daunce we, daunce we.>2 <2[All] Praunce we, praunce we>2 <2[Sensuall Appetyte] So merely let us daunce, ey! [All] So merely etc.>2 <2And I can daunce it gyngerly,>2 <2And I can fote it by and by,>2 <2And I can pranke it properly,>2 <2And I can countenaunse comely,>2 <2And I can kroke it curtesly,>2 <2And I can lepe it lustly,>2 <2And I can torn it trymly,>2 <2And I can fryske it freshly,>2 <2And I can loke it lordly>2 |p <2Yngnoraunce>2 I can the thanke, Sensuall Apetyte. That is the best daunce without a pype That I saw this seven yere. <2Humanyte>2 This daunce wold do mych better yet Yf we had a kyt or taberet, But alas ther is none here. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Then let us go to the taverne agayne, There shall we be sure of one or twayn Of mynstrellys that can well play <2Yngnoraunce>2 Then go, I pray ye, by and by, And purvey some mynstrell redy, And he and I wyll folow shortly As fast as ever we may. <2Humanyte>2 Therwith I am ryght well content. <2Sensuall Appetyte>2 Then wyll I go incontynent And prepare every thyng That is metely to be done And, for lacke of mynstrellys, the mean season Now wyll we begyn to syng. <2[Sensual Appetite and the Dancers sing ]>2 <2Now we wyll here begyn to syng,>2 <2For daunce can we nomore,>2 <2mynstrellys here be all lackyng,>2 <2erne we wyll therfore>2 <2Et exeunt cantando, etc.>2 <2Humanyte>2 Now yf that Sensuall Appetyte can fynd Any good mynstrellys after hys mynd, Dowt not we shall have good sport. <2Yngnoraunce>2 And so shall we have for a suerte; But what shall we do now, tell me, The meane whyle for our comfort? <2Humanyte>2 Then let us some lusty balet syng. <2Yngnoraunce>2 Nay, syr, by the hevyn kyng, For me thynkyth it servyth for no thyng All suche pevysh prykyeryd song. <2Humanyte>2 Pes, man, pryksong may not be dispysyd, For therwith God is well plesyd, Honowryd, praysyd, and servyd, In the churche oft tymes among. |p <2Yngnoraunce>2 Is God well pleasyd, trowst thou, therby? Nay, nay, for there is no reason why. For is it not as good to say playnly 'Gyf me a spade' As, 'Gyf me a spa - ve-va-ve--va-ve--vade'? But yf thou wylt have a song that is good, I have one of Robyn Hode, The best that ever was made. <2Humanyte>2 Then, a feleshyp, let us here it. <2Yngnoraunce>2 But there is a bordon, thou must bere it, Or ellys it wyll not be. <2Humanyte>2 Than begyn and care not fo[r me] <2[sings]>2 <2Dowe, downe, downe, downe, etc>2 <2Yngnoraunce Robyn Hode in Barnysdale stode>2 <2And lent hym tyl a mapyll thystyll,>2 <2Than cam our lady and swete Saynt Andrewe,>2 <2Slepyst thou, wakyst thou Geffrey Coke?>2 <2A hundred wynter the water was depe, >2 <2I can not tell you how brode,>2 <2He toke a gose nek in his hande>2 <2And over the water he went>2 <2He start up to a thystell top>2 <2And cut hym downe a holyn clobe,>2 <2He stroke the wren betwene the hornys>2 <2That fyre sprange out of the pyggys tayle>2 <2Jak boy, is thy bowe ibroke,>2 <2Or hath any man done the wryguldy wrage?>2 <2He plukkyd muskyllys out of a wyllowe>2 <2And put them in to his sachell>2 <2Wylkyn was an archer good>2 <2And well coude handell a spade,>2 <2He toke his bend bowe in his hand>2 <2And set hym downe by the fyre.>2 <2He toke with hym threscore bowes and ten,>2 <2A pese of befe, another of baken,>2 <2Of all the byrdes in mery Englond>2 <2So merely pypys the mery botell>2 <2[Enter Nature.]>2 |p <2Nature>2 Well, Humanyte, now I see playnly That thou hast usyd muche foly, The whyle I have ben absent. <2Humanyte>2 Syr, I trust I have done nothynge That shold be contrary to your pleasynge, Nor never was myne intent. For I have folowed the counsell clere, As ye me bad of Studyouse Desire, And for necessyte amonge Somtyme Sensuall Appetytes counsell, For without hym, ye knowe ryght well, My lyfe can not endure longe. <2Nature>2 Though it be for the full necessary For thy comfort somtyme to satysfy Thy sensuall appetyte, Yet it is not convenyent for the To put therin thy felycyte And all thy hole delyte. For if thou wylt lerne no sciens, Nother by study nor experiens, I shall the never avaunce, But in the worlde thou shalt dure than, Dyspysed of every wyse man, Lyke this rude best Ygnoraunce. [The rest of the play is lost. See Introduction, p. 12]