¶A new interlude and a mery of the nature of the .iiij. elementꝭ declarynge many proper poyntꝭ of phylosophy naturall / and of dyuers straunge landys / and of dyuers straunge effectꝭ & causis / whiche interlude yf y e hole matter be playd wyl conteyne the space of an hour and a halfe / but yf ye lyst ye may leue out muche of the sad mater as the messengers ꝑte / and some of naturys parte and some of experyens ꝑte & yet the matter wyl depend conuenyently / and than it wyll not be paste thre quarters of an hour of length.

¶Here folow the namys of the pleyers.

¶The messengere / Nature naturate / Humanyte Studyous desire / Sensuall appetyte / The tauerner / Eyperyence / yngnoraunce / Also yf ye lyst ye may brynge in a dysgysynge.

¶Here folow dyuers matters whiche be in this interlude conteynyd.

¶Of the sytuacyon of the .iiij. elementꝭ that is to sey the yerth the water the ayre and fyre / & of theyr qualytese and propertese / and of the generacyon & corrupcyō of thyngꝭ made of y e cōmyxion of them

[Page]¶Of c [...]rt [...]yn ꝯclusions ꝓuynge y • the yerth must [...] roūde & y • it h [...]ngyth in y e myddꝭ of the fyr [...] y t it is in circūferēce a boue .xxj.M. myle [...] Of [...] ꝯclusions [...]ynge that the see lyeth [...] vppon [...].

[...] [...]osmography / as how & [...] / & of [...]yuers straūge [...] [...]landys and whiche wey th [...]y ly [...] [...] and of [...] n [...]w founde landys and y e maner of y e people.

[...] cause of stone & m [...]tall [...].

[...] cause of well spryngꝭ & [...] of the cause o [...] hote fumys that come [...] of y • y [...]rth / and of y e cause of the bathys [...] in the yerth whiche be ꝑpetually hote.

¶Of th [...] cause of th [...] [...]bbe and flode of the see

¶O [...] the cause of rayne snowe and hayle

¶O [...] th [...] cause of the wynd [...]s and thonder

[...] Of th [...] cause of the lyghtnynge of blasyng ster­ [...]ys and flamys fleynge in the ayre

¶ The messenger.
[Page]
THaboūdant grace of the power deuyne
whiche doth illumyne y e world inuyron
P [...]eserue this audyēce and cause them to inclyne
To charyte this is my petycyon
For by your pac [...]ns and supportacyon
A lytyll in [...]erlude late made and preparyd
Before your presence here shall be declaryd
¶whiche of a f [...]w conclusyons is contriuyd
And poyntꝭ of phylosophy naturall
But though the matt [...]r 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 ca [...] lytyll skyll
To regarde his only intent and good wyll
¶whiche in his mynde hath oft tymes ponderyd
what nombre of bokꝭ in our tonge maternall
Of ioyes and tryfellys be made and impryntyd
And few of th [...]m of matter substancyall
For though m [...]y make bokꝭ yet vnneth ye shall
In our englyshe tonge fynde any warkꝭ
Of connynge that is regardyd by clerkꝭ
¶The grek [...] th [...] romayns with many other mo
In their moder tonge wrot warkꝭ excellent
Than yf clerkꝭ in this r [...]alm [...] wolde take payn so
[Page]Consyderyng that our tonge is now suffycyent
[...]o expoun any hard sentence euydent
[...]hey myght yf they wolde in our englyshe tonge
[...]ryt [...] workys of grauyte somtyme amonge
¶For dyuers pr [...]gnaunt wytt [...] [...] this lande
[...]s well of noble men as of meane estate
[...] [...]othynge but [...]nglyshe can vnderstand [...]
[...] yf connynge laten bokys were translate
[...] englyshe w [...]l corr [...]t and app [...]obate
[...] in englyshe myght be l [...]rnyd
[...] oth [...]r people in their owne tongꝭ dyd
[...]But now so i [...] is that in our englyshe tonge
[...] one th [...]r [...] is that can but rede & wryte
[...] wyll oft presume amonge
[...] to compyle and balatꝭ to indyte
Some o [...] loue or other matter not worth a myte
Some to opteyn fauour wyll flatter and glose
Some wryte curyous termꝭ nothyng to purpose
¶Thus euery man after his fantesye
wyll wryte his conseyte be it neuer so rude
Be it vertuous vycyous wysedome or foly
wherfore to my purpose thus I conclude
why shold not th [...] the auctour of this interlude
Utter his own [...] [...]antesy and conseyte also
As well as dyuers other now a dayes do
¶For wys [...]dom [...] and foly is as it is takyn
[Page]For y e one callyth wysedome a nother callyth foly
y [...]t amonge moste folke that man is holdyn
moste wyse / whiche to be ryche studyeth only
But he that for a cōmyn welth bysyly
Studyeth and laboryth and lyuyth by goddꝭ law
Except he wax ryche men count hym but a daw
¶So he that is ryche is euer honouryd
All though he haue got it neuer so falsely
The pore beynge neuer so wyse is reprouyd
This is the oppynyon moste cōmynly
Thorowe out the worlde / and yet no reason why
Therfore in my mynd whan that all suche dawis
Haue babelyd what they cā no force of .ii. strawis
¶For euery man in reason thus ought to do
To labour for his owne necessary lyuynge
And than for the welth of his neyghbour also
But what dyuylish mynd haue they which musīg
And labouryng all their lyffꝭ do no nother thyng
But brīge ryches to their owne possessyon
Nothyng regardīge their neyghbours distrucciō
¶yet all the ryches in the worlde that is
[...]ysyth of the grounde by goddys sendynge
And by the labour of pore mennys handys
And though thou rych [...] mā haue therof y e kepynge
y [...]t is not this [...]yches of thy gettynge
Nor oughtyst not in reason to be preysyd y e more
[Page]For by other mēnys labour it is got before
¶A great wytted man may sone be enrychyd
That laboryth and studyeth for ryches only
But how shall his cōscyens than be discharged
For all clerkꝭ afferme that that man presysely
whiche studyeth for his owne welth pryncypally
Of god shall deserue but lytyll rewarde
E [...]cept he the cōmyn welth somwhat regarde
¶So they s [...]y that that man occupyed is
For a cōmyn welth whiche is euer laborynge
To rel [...]ue pore people with temporall goodys
And that it is a cōmyn good act to brynge
People from vyce and to vse good lyuynge
Lyke wyse for a cōmyn welth occupyed is he
That bryngyth them to knowlege y e yngnorāt be
¶But man to knowe god is a dyffyculte
Except by a meane he hym selfe inure
whiche is to knowe goddꝭ creaturys that be
As furst them that be of the grosyst nature
And than to know them that be more pure
And so by lytyll and lytyll ascendynge
To know goddꝭ creaturys & meruelous werkīge
¶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 deser [...]e of his goodnes partener to be
wherfore in this work d [...]claryd shall ye see
[Page]Furst of the element is the sytuacyon
And of their effectis the caule and generacyon
¶And though some mē thyn [...]e this matter to hy [...]
And not mete for an audyence vnlernyd
Me thynke for man nothynge more necessary
Than this to know though it be not vsyd
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 clerkꝭ
Dysputynge of hye creaturis celestyall
As thyngys inuysyble and goddꝭ hye warkys
And know not these vysyble thyngys inferyall
So they wolde know hye thyngꝭ & know nothīge at all
Of the yerth here wheron they dayly be
Nother the nature forme nor quantyte
¶wherfore it semyth nothynge conuenyent
A man to study and his tyme to be stowe
Furst for the knowlege of hye thyngꝭ excellent
And of lyght matters beneth nothynge to know
As of these .iiij. elementis here below
whose effectis dayly appere here at eye
Such thīgꝭ to know furst / were most mete study
¶whiche matter before your presence shortly
In this interlude here shall be declaryd
without great eloquence ī ryme rudely
Because the compyler is but small lernyd
[Page]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 conseytis to gyue men cōfort
And occasyon to cause them to resort
To here this matter / wherto yf they take hede
Some lernynge to them therof may ꝓcede
¶But they that shall nowe this matter declare
Openly here vnto this audyence
Be holde 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 cōmyt all this hole company
¶Hic intrat natura naturata Huma­nyte & Studyous desire portās figurā
¶Natura Naturata
THe hye myghty most excellent of all
The foūtayn of goodnes verteu & cōnyng
whiche is eterne of power most potencyall
The ꝑfeccyon and furst cause of euery thynge
I meane that only hye na [...]tu [...]e naturynge
[Page]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 preseruacyon
Of euery thynge in his kynde to endure
And cause of generacyon and corrupcyon
Of that thynge that is brought to distruccyon
A nother thynge styll I brynge forth a gayne
Thus wonders [...]y I worke and neuer in vayne
¶The great wor [...]d be holde [...]o deuydyd wōdersly
In to two regyons wherof on I call
The etheriall region with the heuyns hye
Conteynynge the planettys sterris & speris all
The lower region callyd the elementall
Conteynynge these .iiij. elementis be loo
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 mouyng [...] a boue sholde onys cease
Beneth sholde be nother in [...]r [...]se nor decrese
¶These elementis of them selfe so syngle be
Unto dyuers formys can not be deuydyd
yet they cōmyx to gyder dayly ye s [...]e
[Page]wherof dyuers kyndes of thyngꝭ be ingenderyd
whiche thyngꝭ eftsonys whan they be corruptyd
yche element I reduce to his [...]urst estate
So that nothynge can be vtterly ad [...]y [...]helate
¶For though the forme and facyon of any thyng
That is a corporall body be distroyed
yet euery matter remaynyth in his beynge
wherof it was furst made and formyd
For corrupcyon of a body cōmyxyd
ys but the resolucyon by tyme and space
Of euery 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 [...]ouder small
To washe to drown to bren it or to dry
yet the ayre and fyre therof [...]aturally
To their owne ꝓper places wyll ascende
The water to the water the yerth to y e yerth tende
¶For yf hete or moysture of any thynge certayne
By fyre or [...]e water [...]e cons [...]yd
yet yerth or asshes on yerth wyll remayne
So the elementis can neuer be distroyed
For essencyaliy ther is now at this tyde
As muche fyre ayre water yerth as was
Euer before this tyme nether more nor las
¶wherfore thou man now I speke to the
[Page]Remembre that thou art compound and create
Of these elementis as other creaturis be
yet they haue not all lyke noble estate
For plantis and herbys growe and be insensate
Brute bestis haue memory and their wyttꝭ fyue
But thou hast all those and soule intellectyue
¶So by reason of thyne vnderstandynge
Thou hast domynyon of other bestis all
And naturally thou sholdyst desire cōnynge
To knowe straunge effectꝭ and causys naturall
Fo [...] he that studyeth for the lyfe bestyall
As voluptuous pleasure and bodely rest
I account hym neuer better than a best
¶Humanyte.
¶O 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 thikyst expedyēt
¶Nature.
¶Than syth thou art so humble and beneuolent
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 whiche do yche other penetrate
And by contynuall alteracyon they be
Of them selfe dayly corruptyd and generate
[Page]The yerth as a poynt or center is sytuate
In the myddꝭ of the worlde / with y e water Ioyned
with the ayre & fyre rounde & hole inuyronyd
¶Th [...] yerth of it selfe is ponderous and heuy
Colde and dry of his owne nature ꝓper
Some parte lyeth dry contynually
And parte therof coueryd ouer with water
Som [...] with the salt see some with freshe ryuer
whiche yerth and the water to gyder with all
So Ioynyd make a rounde fygure sperycall
¶So the water whiche is colde & moyst is foūde
In and vppon the y [...]rth fyllynge the hol [...]nes
In dyuers partis liynge with y e yerth rounde
yet th [...] hyllys and mount [...]yns of y e yerth excesse
Take nothynge of hit a way the roundnes
In comparyson bycause they be so small
No more than the prikkꝭ do that be on a gall
¶The ayre whiche is hote and moyst also
And the fyre which [...] is euer hote and dry
A bout th [...] yerth and water Ioyntly they go
And compasse them euery where orbycularly
As the whyte a boute the yolke of an egg doth lye
But the ayre in the lower parte moste remaynyth
The fyre naturally to the hyer tendyth
¶The eth [...]ryall region whiche conteynyth
The sterrys and planettys and [...]uery spere
[Page]A bout the elementis dayly mouyth
And coueryth them rounde a bout euery where
Euery sterre and spere in straunge maner
Uppon his owne poles mouy [...]h-dyuersly
whiche now to declare were to longe to tary
¶The fyre and the ayre of their naturys be lyght
Therfore they moue by naturall prouydence
The water bycause it is ponderous in weyght
Mouyth not naturally but by vyolence
Of the st [...]rris and plan [...]ttꝭ by whose influence
The see is compellyd to ebbe and flowe dayly
And freshe waters to sprynge contynually
¶And though y t the water be grose and heuy
[...]t nothynge so grose as the yerth I wys
Therfore by hete it is vaporyd vp lyghtly
And in the ayre makyth cloudys and mystꝭ
But as sone as euer that it grosely is
Geder [...]d to gyder / it descendyth a gayne
And causyth vppon y e yerth hayle snow & rayne
¶The yerth because of his ponderosyte
A voydyth equally the mouyngꝭ great
Of all extremytes and sperys that be
And [...]endyth to the place that is most quiet
So in the myddys of all the sperys is set
Fo [...]mast abie [...]t from all maner mouynge
where naturally he restyth & mouyth nothynge
[Page]¶Marke well now how I haue the shewyd & told [...]
Of euery element the very sytuacyon
And qualyte [...] wherfor [...] this fygure b [...]holde
For a more manyfest demonstracyon
And by cause thou sholdyst not put to oblyu [...]on
My doctryne / this man callyd studyous desire
with the shall haue con [...]ynuall habytacyon
The styll to exhort more scyens to adquire
¶For y e more y t thou desyrest to know any thynge
Therin thou semyst th [...] more a man to be
For that man that desir [...]th no maner cōnynge
All that wyle no better than a b [...]st is he
why ben the ey [...]s made but only to see
The leggys to bere the body of a creatur [...]
So [...]uery thynge is made to do his nature
¶So lyke wyse reason wit and vnderstondyng
ys gyu [...]n to the man for that thou sholdyst ī dede
Knowe thy maker & cause of thyne owne beyng [...]
And what y e worlde is & wherof thou doest ꝓcede
wherfore it be houyth the of verey nede
The cause of thyngꝭ [...]urst for to lerne
And than to know [...] & laude the hye god eterne
¶Humanyte.
¶O gloryous lorde and prynce moste plesant
Greatly am I now hold [...]n vnto the
So to illumyne my mynd that was yngnorant
[Page]with such noble doctryne as thou hast here shewed me
wherfore I promyse vppon my fydelyte
My dylygence to do to kepe in memory
And the for to honour styll ꝑpetually
¶Studyous desire
¶And syth it hath pleasyd thy grace to admyt
Me vppon this man to gyue attendaunce
with thy doctryne here shewyd I shall q ikkyn his wyt
And dayly put hym in remembraunce
His courage and desyre I shall also inhaunce
So that his f [...]lycyte shall be most of all
To study and to serche for causys naturall
¶Nat [...]e.
¶well than for a seas [...]n I wyll departe
Leuynge you to gyder here both twayne
what I haue shewid man prynt well in thyne hert
And marke well this fygure y t here shall r [...]mayne
wherby thou maist perceyue many thynges more playn
[...]ncernynge y e matter I spake of befor [...]
[...]nd whan that I shall resort here a gayne
Of hye poyntꝭ of cōnynge I shall shew y e more
¶Studyous desire.
¶Now humanyte call to your memory
The cōnynge poyntꝭ that nature hath declaryd
And though he haue shewed dyuers poitꝭ & many
Of the el [...]mentis so wondersly formed
[Page]yet many other causys there are wolde be lernyd
As to knowe the generacyon of thyngꝭ all
Here in the yerth / how they be ingendryd
As herbys plantys well spryngꝭ ston and me [...]all
¶Humany [...]t.
¶Those thyngꝭ to knowe for me be full expediēt
But yet ī those poyntꝭ whiche nature late shewyd me
My mynde in them as yet is not cōtent
For I can no maner wyse parceyue nor see
Nor proue by reason why the yerth sholde be
In the myddꝭ of y e fyrmament hengyng so small
And the yerth with the water to be roūde with all
¶Studyo [...]s desire.
¶Me thynkyth my selfe as to some of those poītꝭ
I coude gyue 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 stōdyth vpon
Or els that it hangyth thou must nedꝭ consent
Euyn in the myddꝭ of the fyrmament
¶Humanyte.
¶what than go forth with thyne argument
¶Studyous desire.
¶Thā marke well in y • day or in a wynters nyght
The sone and mone and sterris celestyall
In the est furst they do apere to thy syght
[Page] [...] after in the west they do downe fall
[...] agayne in the morowe next of all
[...] .xxiiij. houres they be come Iust
To [...] est poītꝭ again where thou sawist them fur [...]
¶T [...]an yf the erthe shulde be of endles de [...]nes
Or shulde stande vpon any other grose th [...]g [...]
It shulde be an impedyment dowtles
To the sone mone and sterris in theyr mouynge
They shulde not so in the est agayne sprynge
Therfore in reason it semyth moste conuenyent
The yerth to hange in y e myddꝭ of the fyrmamēt
Humanyte.
¶Thyne argument in y e poynt doth me cōfoūde
That thou hast made but yet it ꝓuytht not ryght
That the yerth by reason shulde be rounde
For though y e fyrmament with his sterris bryght
Compas aboute the yerth eche day and nyght
yet the yerthe may be playne ꝑaduentnre
Quadrant triangle or some other fygure
Studyouse desyre.
¶That it can not be playne I shall well ꝓue the
Be cause the sterris that a ryse in the oryent
Appere more soner to them that there be
Than to the other dwellynge in the occident
[Page]The eclypse is therof a playne experymente
Of the sone or mone which whane it dothe f [...]
Is neuer 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 y e mydday
They in the west partis see it in the mornynge
And they in the est beholde it in the euenyng
And why that sholde so be no cause can be found
But onely by reason that the yerthe is rownde
¶Humanyte.
That reason proueth 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
¶Studyous desyre.
Na no dowte yt is rownde euery where
which I coulde proue thou shoudest not say nay
yf I had therto any tyme and leser
But I knowe a man callyd experyens
Of dyuers instrumentys is neuer without
Cowde proue all these poyntys & yet by his scyē [...]
Can tell how many myle the erthe is a bowte
[Page] [...] many other straūge cōclusiōs no dowte
[...]ys instrumentys cowde shew thē so certayn
[...]at euery rude carter shold them ꝑsayue playn
¶Humanyte.
Now wolde to god I had y t man now here
For the contembtacyon of my mynde
¶Studyous desyre.
¶yf ye wyll I shall for hym enquere
And brynge hym heder yf I can hym fynde
¶Humanyte.
Then myght I say ye were to me ryght kynde
¶Studyous desyre.
I shall assay by god that me dere bought
For cunnyng is the thynge y t wolde be sought
¶Sensuall apetyte.
well hyet quod hykman when y t he smot
Hys wyffe on the buttockꝭ with a bere pott
Aha now god euyn fole god euyn
It is euen the knaue that I mene
Hast thou done thy babelyng
¶Studyous desyre.
¶ye peraduenture what than
¶Sensnall apetyte.
Thā hold downe thy hede lyke a prety mā & take my blyssyng
[Page]Benedicite / I graūt to the / this ꝑdo [...]
And gyue the absolucion
For thy soth saws / stande vp Iack daw
I be shrew thy faders sone
¶Make rome syrs and let vs be mery
with huffa galand synge tyrll on the bery,
And let the wyde worlde wynde
Synge fryska Ioly with hey trolyloly
For I se well it is but a foly
For to haue a sad mynd
¶For rather than I wolde vse 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 be shrew
Euyn my next felowes hed
¶Master humanyte syr be your leue
I were ryght loth you to greue
Though I do hym dyspyse
For yf ye knewe hym as well as I
ye wolde not vse his company
Nor loue hym in no wyse
Hu.
¶Syr he loketh lyke an honest man
Therfore I merueyll that ye can
[Page]This wyse hym depraue.
Sen.
¶Though he loke neuer so well
I promyse you he hath a shrewde sme [...]
[...]u.
¶why so I prey you tell
[...]en.
¶For he saueryth syke a knaue
St.
¶Holde your pease syr ye mys take me
what I trowe that ye wolde make me
Lyke to one of your kyn
Sen.
¶Harke syrs here ye not how boldly
He callyth me knaue agayne by polycy
The deuyll pull of his skyn
I wolde he were hangyd by the thro [...]
For by the messe I loue hym not
we two can neuer a gre
I am content syr with you to tary
And I am for you so necessary
ye can not lyue without me
Hu.
why syr I say what man be ye
Sen.
I am callyd sensuall apetyte
All craturs in me delyte
I comforte the wyttys fyue
The [...]astyng smellyng & herynge
I refresh the syght and felynge
To all creaturs a lyue
[Page]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 I satysfy
I dare this well reporte
The smellynge with swete odovr
And the syght with plesaunte fygovr
And colours I comforte
The felynge that is so plesaunte
Of euery member fote or hande
what pleasure therin can be
By the towchynge of so [...]t & harde
Of hote or colde nought in regarde
Excepte it come by me
Hu.
Than I cannot see the contrary
But ye are for me full necessary
And ryght conuenyent.
Stu.
ye syr beware yet what ye do
For yf you forsake my company so
Lorde nature wyll not be contente.
[Page]Of hym ye shall neuer lerne good thyng
Nother vertu nor no other cōnynge
This dare I well say
Sen.
Mary auaunt knaue I the defye
Dyde nature for byde hym my cōpany
what sayst thou therto speke openly
Hu.
As for that I know well nay
Sen.
No by god I am ryght sure
For he knoweth well no creature
without me can lyue one day
Hu.
Syr I pray you be contente
It is not vtterly myne intente
your company to exyle
But onely to haue cōmunycacyon
And a pastyme of recreacyon
with this man for a whyle
Stu.
well for your pleasure I wyll departe
Sen.
Now go knaue go I beshrew thy hart
The deuyll sende the forwarde
Sen.
Now by my trouth I meruell gretly
That euer ye wolde vse the company
So myche of suche a knaue
For yf ye do no nother thynge
But euer study and to be musynge
[Page]As he wolde haue you it wyll you brynge
At the last vnto your graue
¶ye shulde euer study pryncypall
For to comfort your lyfe naturall
with metis and drynkes dilycate
And other pastymes & pleasures a monge
Daūsynge laughynge or plesaunt songe
This is mete for your estate
Hu.
¶Be cause ye sey so I you ꝓmyse
That I haue musyd & studyed such wyse
Me thynketh my wyttes wery
My nature desyreth some refresshynge
And also I haue ben so longe fastynge
That I am somwhat hongry
Sen.
¶well than wyll ye go with me
To a tauerne where ye shall se
Good pastaunce & at your lyberte
Haue what so euer ye wyll
Hu.
¶I am content so for to do
yf that ye wyll not fro me go
But kepe me company styll
Sen.
¶Cōpany qd a / ye y t I shall poynt deuyse
And also do you good and trew seruyce
And therto I plyght my trouthe
[Page]And yf that I euer forsake you
I pray god the deuyl take you
Hu.
¶Mary I thanke you for that othe
Sen.
¶A myschyfe on it my tonge loo
wyll tryp somtyme what so euer I do
But ye wot what I mene well
Hu.
¶ye no force let this matter passe
But seydest euī now thou knewyst where was
A good tauerne to make solas
where is that I prey the tell
Sen.
¶Mary at the dore euyn here by
yf we call any th [...]nge on hye
The tauerner wyll answere
Hu.
¶I prey the than call for hym nowe
Sen.
¶Mary I wyll / How tauerner how
why doste thou not appere
Tauerner.
¶who is that calleth so hastely
I shrew thyne hert speke softely
I tell the I am not here
Sen.
¶Than I be shrew y e page of thyne age
Come hyther knaue for thyne auauntage
why makyst thou hit so tow
Ta.
¶For myne auaūtage mary thā I come
Beware syrs how let me haue rome
Lo here I am what seyst thou
Sen.
[Page]
Mary thus here is a gentylman I say
That nother ete nor dranke this day
Therfor [...]ell me I the praye
yf thou haue any good wyne
Ta.
ye shall haue spayneshe wyne & gascoyn
Rose coloure whyt claretrampyon
Tyre capryck and maluesyne
Sak raspyce alycaunt rumney
Greke ipocrase new made clary
Suche as ye neuer had
For yf ye drynke a draught or too
yt wyll make you or ye thens go
By goggꝭ body starke madde
Sen.
I wot thou art not without good wyne
But here is a gentylmā hath lyst to dyne
Canst thou get hym any good mete
Ta.
what mete mayster wolde ye haue
Hu.
I care not so god me saue
So that it be holsome to ete
I wolde we had a good stewyd capon
Sen.
As for capons ye can gette none
The kyngys taker toke vp eche one
I wot well there is none to get
Ta.
[Page]
Though all capons be gone what than
yet I can get you a stewed hen
That is redy dyght.
Hu.
yf she be fat yt wyll do well
Ta.
Fat or lene I cannot tell
But as for this I wot well
She lay at the stewes all nyght.
Hu.
Thou art a mad gest be this lyght.
Sen.
ye syr it is a felow that neuer faylys
But cāst get my mayster a dyshe of qua­les
smal byrdes swalowes or wagtaylꝭ
They be lyght of dygestyon.
Ta.
Lyght of dysgestyon for what reason
Sen.
For physyk puttyth this reason therto
Bycause those byrdes fle to & fro
And be contynuall mouynge
Ta.
Then know I a lyghter mete than y •
Hu.
I pray the tell me what
Ta.
yf ye wyll nedys know at short & longe
It is euyn a womans tounge
For that is euer sterynge
Hu.
Syr I pray the let suche fanteses be
And come heder nere & harke to me
And do after my byddynge.
[Page]Goo p [...]ruey vs a dyner euyn of the mos [...]
Of all maner dysshes both sod and roste
That thou canst get spare for no coste
yf thou make thre course
Ta.
¶Tha [...] ye get nother gose nor swane
But a dyshe of dreggys a dyshe of bra [...]e
A dysshe of draffe and I trowe than
ye can not get thre worse
Hu.
¶what horson woldyst thou puruey
Bran draffe & stynkynge dreggꝭ I sey
I holde the mad I trowe
Ta.
¶Gogges passyon sayd ye not thus
That I shulde puruey you thre course dysshe [...]
And these be course Inowe
Hu.
¶Thre course dysshes qd a
what mad [...]ole thou mys takest me clene
I se well thou wotest not what I mene
And vnderstandyst a mys
I mene this wyse I wolde haue the
To puruey mete so great plente
That thou sholdyst of necessyte
Serue them at thre coursys
¶That is to vnderstande at one [...]rde
Thou shuldest brynge them vnto y • [...]or [...]
[Page]At thre seuerall tymes [...]
Ta.
¶what than I se well ye wyll make a fes [...]e
[...]u.
¶ye by the rode euyn with the gretest
Sen.
¶By my trouth than do ye best
Euyn after my mynde
But ye must haue more company.
Hu.
¶That is trewe and so wolde I gladl [...]
If I knewe any to fynde
Sen.
¶why wyll ye folowe my counsell
Hu.
¶ye
Sen.
¶Than we wyll haue lytell nell
A ꝓper wenche she daunsith well
And Iane with the blacke lace
we wyll haue bounsynge besse also
And two or thre proper wenchis mo
Ryght feyr and smotter of face
Hu.
¶Now be it so thou art saunce pere
Ta.
¶Thā I ꝑceyue ye wyll make gode chere
Hu.
¶why what shulde I els do
Ta.
¶If ye thynke so best than wyll I
Go before and make all thynge redy
Agayne ye come therto
Hu.
¶Mary I prey the do so
Ta.
¶Than farewell syrs for I am gone
¶Hu.
[Page]
And we shall folow the anon
without any taryyng
Sen.
Then it is best syr ye make hast
For ye shall spende here but tyme ī wast
And do no nother thynge
Hu.
¶yf ye wyll let vs goo by and by
Sen.
I pray you be it for I am redy
No man better wyllynge
Ex [...]a [...] Sen. & Hu.
Intrat Exꝑies. & Stu.
¶Now cosyn experyens as I may say ye are ryght welcom to this contrey without any faynyng.
Exꝑiēs
Syr I thanke you therof hertely
And I am as glad of your company
As any man lyuynge.
Stu.
Syr I vnderstonde that ye haue be
In many a stra [...]nge countree
And haue had grete fylycyte
Straunge causes to seke and fynde
E [...].
Ryght farr syr I haue rydden & gone
And seen straunge thynges many one
In affryk / europe and ynde
Bothe est & west I haue ben farr̄
North also and seen the sowth sterr̄
[Page]Bothe by see and lande
And ben in sondry nacyons
with peple of dyuers condycyons
Stu.
Maruelous to vnderstonde.
Syr yf a man haue suche corage
Or deuocyon in pylgrymage
Iheruzalem vnto
For to accompt the nexte way
How many myle is it I you pray
Ex.
From hens theder to goo
Syr as for all suche questyons
Of townes to know the sytuacyon
How ferr̄ they be a sunder
And other poyntes of cosmogryfy
ye shall neuer lerne then more surely
Then by that fugure yonder
For who that fygure dyd fyrst deuyse
It semeth well he was wyse
And perfyte in this s [...]yens
For bothe these and lande also
Lye trew and iust as they sholde do
I know by experyens.
Stu.
who thynke you brought here this fygure
Ex.
¶I wot not
Stu
[Page]
¶Certes lorde nature
Hym selfe not longe a gone
¶whiche was here personally
Declarynge hye phylosophy
And lafte this fygure purposely
For humanytes instruccyon
Ex.
¶Dowtles ryght nobly done
Stu.
Syr this realme ye knou is callid ēglāde
Somtyme brettayne I vnderstonde
Therfore I prey you poīt with your hāde
In what place it shulde lye.
Ex.
¶Syr this ys ynglande lyenge here
And this is skotlāde y t Ioyneth hym nere
Compassyd a boute euery where
with the occian see rownde
¶And next from them westwardly
Here by hym selfe alone doth ly
Irelande that holsome grounde
¶Here than is the narowe seey
To Calyce and Boleyne the next wey
And flaunders in this ꝑte
Here lyeth fraunce next hym ioynynge
And spayn̄ southwarde frō thēs stādynge
And portyngale in this quart
[Page]This contrey is callyd Italye
Beholde where Rome in y e myddꝭ doth ly
And Naples here be yonde
And this lytell See that here is
Is callyd the Gulfe of Uenys
And here venys doth stande
¶As for almayne lyeth this way
Here lyeth denmarke and norway
And northwarde on this syde
There lyeth Iselonde where mē do fyshe
But be yonde that so colde it is
No man may there abyde
¶This See is called the great Occyan
So great it is that neuer man
Coude tell it sith the worlde began
Tyll nowe within this .xx. yere
westwarde be founde new landes
That we neuer harde tell of before this
By wrytynge nor other meanys
yet many nowe haue ben there
¶And that contrey is so large of rome
Muche lenger than all cristendome
without fable or gyle
For dyuers maryners haue it tryed
And sayled streyght by the coste syde
Aboue .v. thousand myle
[Page]¶But what cōmodytes be within
No man can tell nor well Imagin
But yet not longe a go
Some men of this coutrey went
By the kynges noble consent
It for to serche to that entent
And coude not be brought therto
¶But they that were they venteres
Haue cause to curse their maryners
Fals of promys and dissemblers
That falsly them be trayed
whiche wold take no paine to saile farther
Than their owne lyst and pleasure
wherfore that vyage and dyuers other
Suche kaytyffes haue distroyed
¶O what a thynge had be than
yf that they that be englyshe men
Myght haue ben the furst of all
That there shulde haue take possessyon
And made furst buyldynge & habytacion
A memory perpetuall
And also what an honorable thynge
Bothe to the realme and to the kynge
To haue had his domynyon extendyng [...]
There into so farre a grounde
whiche the noble kynge of late memory
[Page]The moste wyse prynce the .vij. Herry
Causyd furst for to be founde
¶And what a great meritoryouse dede
It were to haue the people instructed
To lyue more vertuously
And to lerne to knowe of men the maner
And also to knowe god theyr maker
whiche as yet lyue all bestly
For they nother knowe god nor the deuell
Nor neuer harde tell of heuyn nor hell
wrytynge nor other scripture
But yet in the stede of god almyght
The honour the sone for his great lygg [...]
For that doth them great pleasure
¶Buyldynge nor house they haue nō at all
But wodes / cotꝭ / and cauys small
No merueyle though it be so
For they vse no maner of yron
Nother in tole nor other wepon
That shulde helpe them therto
¶Copper they haue whiche is founde
In dyuers places aboue the grounde
yet they dyg not therfore
For as I sayd they haue non yryn
wherby they shuld in the yerth myne
To serche for any wore
[Page]¶Great haboundauace of woddꝭ 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 haue so great plente
That in hauyns take and slayne they be
with stauys withouten fayle
Nowe frenchemen & other haue foūde the trade
That yerely of fyshe there they lad
A boue an .C. sayle
¶But in the south parte of that contrey
The people there go nakyd alway
The lande is of so great he [...]e
And in the north parte all the clothes
That they were / is but bestꝭ skynnes
They haue 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 haue in store
That I coude tel therof but now no more
Tyll a nother season
Stu.
¶Thā at your pleasure shew some other thīge
y [...] lyketh me so wel your cōmynīge
[Page]ye can not talke a mys
Ex.
¶Thā wyl I torne a gayne to my matter
Of Cosmogryfy where I was err̄
Beholde take hede to this
¶Loo estwarde beyonde y e great occyan
Here entereth the see callyd mediterran
Of .ij.M. myle of lengthe
The Soudans contrey lyeth here by
The great Turke on y e north syde doth ly
A man of merueylous strengthe
¶This sayde north ꝑte is callyd europa
And this south ꝑte callyd affrica
This eest ꝑte is callyd ynde
But this newe landꝭ founde lately
Ben callyd america by cause only
Americus dyd furst them fynde
¶Loo Ihrfin lyeth in this contrey
And this be yonde is the red see
That moyses maketh of mencyon
This quarter is India minor
And this quarter India maior
The lande of prester Iohn̄
¶But northwarde this way as ye se
Many other straunge regions ther be
And people that we not knowe
But estwarde on the see syde
[Page]A prynce there is that rulyth wyde
Callyd the Cane of catowe
¶And this is called the great eest see
whiche goth all a longe 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 [...]ewe landꝭ by all cosmografye
Frome the cane of catous lande cā not lye
Lytell paste a thousande myle
But from those new landꝭ mē ma [...] [...]ayle playne
Estwarde & cū to englāde agaīe
where we began ere whyle
¶Lo all this part [...] of the yerth whiche I
Haue here discryuyd openly
The north parte we do it call
But the south ꝑte on the other syde
ys as large as this full and as wyde
whiche we knowe nothynge at all
¶Nor whether y • moste ꝑte be lande or see
Nor whether [...]he people that there be
Be besty [...]l or connynge
Nor wh [...]th [...]r th [...]y knowe god or no
No [...] [...]ow [...] th [...]y beleue nor what they do
Of this we knowe no [...]hynge
[Page]Lo is not this a thynge wooderfull
How that
¶Et subito studyouse desire dicat.
Stu.
¶Pese syr no more of this matter
Beholde where humanyte cōmeth here
Sen.
¶How sey you maister humanyte
I prey you haue ye not be mere
And had good recreacyon
Hu
¶yes I thanke the therof euery dell
For we haue faryd meruelously well
And had good cōmunycacyon
Ta.
¶what how maister where be ye now
Sen.
¶what I shrewe the what haste hast thou
That thou spekyst so hye
Ta.
¶So hye qd 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 haue drest
Nor what delycatꝭ ye loue best
M [...] thynke you farre ouer sayne
Hus
¶As for myne owne ꝑte I care not
Dress [...] what mete thou louest spare not
what so euer thou doest best thynke
Ta.
[Page]
¶Now if ye put it to my lyberte
Of all metꝭ in the worlde that be
By this lyght I loue best drynke
Sen.
¶It semyth by thy face so to do
But my maister wyll haue mete also
what so euer it cost
Ta.
¶By god syr than ye must tell what
Hu.
At thy discressyon I force nat
whether it be soden or rost
Ta.
¶well syr than [...]are not let me a lone
ye shall se that all thynge shall be done
And ordeyned well and fyne
Hu.
¶So I require the hertely
And in any wyse specyally
Let vs haue a cuppe of newe wyne
T [...].
¶ye shall haue wyne as newe as can be
For I may tell you in pryuyte
Hit was brued but yester nyght
Hu.
¶But that is nothynge for my delyte
Ta.
¶But than I haue for your apetyte
A cup of wyne of olde claret
There is no better by this lyght
Hu.
¶well I trust the well Inowe
Ta.
¶But on thynge if it please you nowe
ye se well I take muche payne for you
I trust ye wyll se to me
Hu.
[Page]
¶ye I ꝓmyse the get the hens
And in this matter do thy dylygence
And I shall well rewarde the
Sen.
By cause thou lokyst for a rewarde
One thynge for the I haue p̄pared
That here I shall the gyffe
Thou shalte haue a knauys skyn
For to put thy body theri [...]
For terme of thy lyfe
Ta.
¶Now gramercy my gentyll brother
And therfore thou shalt haue nother
For voydynge of stryfe
Sen
¶Nowe farewell gentyll Iohn̄
Ta.
Than farewell fole for I am gone
Sen.
¶A byde torne ones a gayne harke what I sey
yet there is a nother thynge
wolde do well at our maisters wasshynge
Hu.
¶what thynge is that I the prey
[...]n.
¶Mary thus canst thou tell vs yet
where is any rose water to get
Ta.
ye that I can well purney
As good as euer you put to your nose
For there is a [...]eyre wenche callyd rose
Dystylleth a quarte euery day
Sen.
By god I wolde a pynt of that
were p [...]wryd [...]uyn vpon thy pate
[Page]Before all this presence
Ta.
¶yet I had leuer she and I
where both to gyther 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
O lorde god how she wyll tryp
She wyll bounce it she wyll whyp
ye clene aboue the grounde
Hu.
¶well let all suche matters passe I sey
And get the hens and goo thy way
Aboute this other matter
Ta.
¶Than I goo streyght lo fare ye well
Sen.
¶But loke yet thou remembre [...]uerydell
That I spake of full ere
Ta.
¶yes I warrant you do not fere
¶Exeat Tauerner.
Hu.
¶Goddis lorde s [...]ist not who is here now
what study [...]ꝰ desire what newis with you
Stu
¶ye shall knowe syr or I go
Sen.
¶what art thou here I se well I
The mo kn [...]ys the worse company
Stu.
¶Thy lewde condycyons thou doest styll occupy
As thou art wont to do
Hu.
¶But I s [...]y who is this here in presence
Stu.
[Page]
¶Syr this is the man callyd experiens
That I spake of before
Hu.
¶Experyens why is this he
Syr ye ar ryght welcome vnto me
And shall be euer more
Expe.
¶Syr I thanke you therof hertely
But I assure you feythfully
I haue small courage here to tary
As longe as this man is here
Sen.
¶why horson what eylyst at me
Ex.
¶For thou hast euer so leude a ꝓperte
Science to dispyse and yet thou art he
That nought canst nor nought wylt lere
Sen.
¶Mary auaūt knaue I make god auowe
I thynke my selfe as cōnynge as thou
And that shall I proue 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 a [...]tografye
Ex.
¶Tom co [...]per qd a a wyse qu [...]styō herdly
Sen.
¶ye I tel y • agayne yet / tom couꝑ how spellyst it
Lo he hath for gotten ye may se
The furste worde of his a b c.
Harke fole harke I wyll teche the
P. a. pa. t. [...]. r. [...]er. do to gyther tom couper
[Page]ys not this a sore matter
Loo here ye may se hym ꝓuyd a fole
He had more nede to go to scole
Than to come hyther to clatter
Stu.
¶Certeyne this is a solucyon
Mete for suche a boyes questyon
Hu.
¶Sensuall apetyte I prey the
Let passe all suche tryfles and vanyte
For a wy [...]e it shall not longe be
And departe I the require
For I wolde talke a worde or two
with this man here or he hens go
For to satysfy my desyre
Sen.
¶why goggis soule wyll ye so shortly
Breke poyntment with yonder company
where ye shulde come to supper
I trust ye wyll not breke ꝓmys so
Hu.
¶I care not greatly yf I do
yt is but a tauerne matter
Sen.
¶Than wyll I go shew them what ye sey
Hu.
¶Spare not if thou wylt go thy wey
For I wyll here tary
Sen.
¶Thā a dew for a whyle I tel you playne
But I ꝓmyse you whā I come a gayne
I shall make yonder knauys twayne
To repent and be sory
Ex.
[Page]
¶Nowe I am full glad that he is gone
Stu
¶So am I for good wyll he do none
To no man lyuynge
But this is the man with whome ye shall
I trust be well content with all
And glad of his cōmynge
¶For he hath expownyd connyngly
Dyuers poyntes of Cosmogryfy
In fewe wordes and shorte clause
Hu.
¶So I vnderstand he hath gode science
And that he hath by playne exꝑience
Lernyd many a straunge cause
Stu.
¶ye syr and I say for my ꝑte
He is the cōnyngest man in that arte
That euer I coude fynde
For aske what questyon ye wyll do
Howe the yerth is rounde or other mo
He wyll satysfye your mynde
Ex.
¶why what doute haue ye therin founde
Thynke ye the yerth shulde not be rounde
Or elles howe suppose ye
Hu.
¶One wey it is rounde I must consent
For this man prouyd it euydent
Towarde the eest and occydent
It must nedis rounde be
Ex.
¶And lykewyse from the south to north
Hu.
[Page]
That poynt to proue were sū thāke worth
Ex.
¶yes that I can well proue
For this ye knowe as well as I
ye se the north starre in the skye
Marke well ye shall vnethe it spye
That euer it doth remoue
¶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 ouer the top of your hed
whiche is callyd your zenyth
¶yet yf ye go the other wey
Southwarde .x. or .xii. dayes Iorney
ye shall then thynke anon
It discended and come more nye
The sercle ꝑtynge 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 vnder neth your oryson
That syght therof can you haue non
The yerth wyll stop your syght
¶This ꝓuyth of necessyte
[Page]That the yerth must nedis rounde be
This conclulsyon doth it trye
Hu.
¶Nowe that is the ꝓperist conclusyon
That euer I herde for by reason
No man may hit deuye
But sir if that aman sayle farre
Upon the see wyll than that starre
Do there as on the grounde
Ex.
¶ye doutles sayl [...] northward ryse it wyl
And sayle southwarde it falleth styl
And that prouyth the see rounde
Stu.
¶So dothe it in myne oppynyon
But knowe you any other conclusyon
To proue it rounde saue that alone
Ex.
¶ye that I knowe ryght well
As thus marke well whan y • see is clere
That no storme nor wawe therō doth pere
This maryners can tell
¶Than if a fyre be made on nyght
Upon the shore that gyueth 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 nerr̄
¶Also on the see where men be saylynge
Farre frome lande they se nothynge
[Page]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 be fall
But the see lay rounde also
Hu.
Me thynketh your argumēt sōwhat hard
Ex.
¶Than ye shall haue it more playnly declared
If ye [...]aue great desyre
For here loo by myne instrumentis
I can shew the playne exꝑimentꝭ
Hu.
¶Therto I you requyre
Ex.
¶with all my herte it shall be done
But for the furst conclusyon
That I spake of the fyre
Be this the s [...]ey that is so rounde
And this the fyre vpon the grounde
And this the shyp that is here
ye knowe well that a mannes syght
Can neuer be but in a lyne ryght
Hu.
¶Iust you say that is clere
Ex.
¶Marke well than may not y t mānis eye
[Page] [Page] [Page]
¶with argyng here theyr fo [...]y [...] [...]
That is not worth iij. strawes
¶I loue not this horeson losophers
Nor this great cōnyng 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 lyuyng
¶I haue seruaūtꝭ at my retynew
That longe to me I assure you
Here with in ynglande
That with me yngnorance dwell styll
And terme of lyfe cōtynew wyll
A boue v C. thowsand
Sen.
Goggꝭ naylys I haue payed sō of thē I tro
yng.
why man what eylyth y • so to blow
Sen.
For I was at a shrewd fray
yng.
Hast thou any of them slayn than
Sen.
ye I haue slayn them euery man
Saue them that ran away
yng.
why is any of them skapyd & gone
Sen.
ye by goggꝭ body euerychone
All that euer were there
[...].
[Page]
O syr ye know ryght well this
That when any man is
In other mens company
He must nedꝭ folow the appyte
Of such thyngꝭ as they delyte
Som tyme amonge perdy
yng.
But such knaues wold alway haue y •
To put all thy mynd & felicite
In this folysh cōnyng to study
which if thou do wyll make y e mad
And alway to be pensyf & sad
Thou shalt neuer be mery
[...].
Mery quod a / no I make god auow
But I pray y e mayster hark on word now
And aunswere this thyng
whether thought you it better chere
At the tauerne where we were ere
Or ellꝭ to clatter with these knaues here
Of theyr folysh cunnynge
Hu.
Nay I can not say the contrary
But y • I had mych myryer company
At the tauer [...]e than in this place
Sen.
Than yf ye haue any wyt or brayn
Let vs go to the tauerne agayn
And make some mery solace
yng.
yf he wyll do so thā doth he wysely
Hu.
[Page]
By my troth I care not gretely
For I am indyfferent to all company
whether it be here or there
Sen.
Then I shall tell you what we wyll do
Mayster yngnorans you & he also
Shall tary both styll here
And I wyll go fet hyther a cōpany
That ye shall here thē syng as swetly
As they were angellꝭ clere
¶And yet I shall bryng hydyr a nother sort
Of lustly bluddꝭ to make dysport
That shall both daunce & spryng
And torne clene aboue y e ground
with fryscas & with gambawdꝭ round
That all the hall shall ryng
¶And y t done with in an howre or twayn
I shall at the towne agayne
Prepare for you a banket
Of metys that be most delycate
And most plesaunt drynkꝭ & wynes ther ate
That is possyble to get
[...]which shall be in a chamber feyre
Replete with sote & fragrāt eyre
Preparyd poynt deuyse
with damaske water made so well
That all y • howse therof shall smell
[Page] [...] [Page] [...]
[Page]As it were pardyse
¶And after that if ye wyll touche
A feyre wenche nakyd in a couche
Of a softe bed of downe
For to satisfye your wantō lust
I shall apoynt you a trull of trust
Not a feyrer in this towne
¶And whan ye haue taken your delyte
And thus satisfyed the appetyte
Of your wyttis fyue
ye may sey than I am a seruaunt
For you so necessary and plesaunt
I trowe non suche a lyue
Hu.
¶Nowe by the wey that god dyd walke
It cōforthe myne herte to here the talke
Thy mache was neuer seyn
yng.
¶Than go thy wey by and by
And brynge in this company
And he and I wyll here tary
Tyll thou come agayne
Hu.
¶And I prey the hertely also
Sen.
¶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 reuellis be ch [...]fe mershall
[Page]And order all thynge well
¶yngnoraunce.
¶Nowe set thy hert on a mery pyn
Agayns these lusty bluddꝭ come in
And dryue fantesys a wey
Hu.
And so I wyll by heuyn kynge
If they other daunce or synge
Haue a monge them by this day
¶yngnorau [...]ce.
¶Than thou takyst good & wyse weys
And so shalt thou best please
All this hole company
For the folyshe arguynge y t thou hast had
with that knaue experiens y t hath made
All these folke therof wery
¶For all they that be nowe in this hall
They be the most ꝑte my seruauntꝭ all
And loue pryncypally
Disportis as daunsynge syngyuge
Toys tryfuls laughynge gestynge
For connynge they set not by
Hu.
I se well suche company euer more
As sensuell appetyte is gone fore
wyll please well this audyens
yng.
¶ye that I suppose they wyll
But pease harke I prey the be styll
[Page]I wene they be not far hens
¶Then the daunsers with out the hall syng this wyse and they with in answer or ellys they may say it for nede.
[...]
¶The daunsers & Sensuall [...]
P [...]ase syrs pease now pease syrs all
¶Humanyte & yngnorans.
why who is that so hye doth call
¶The daunsers.
Sylence I say be you among
For we be dysposyd to syng a song
¶Humanyte & yngnorans.
Come in then boldely a mong this presens
For here ye shall haue good audyens.
[...]
Tyme to pas with goodly sport our sprytꝭ to
[...]
Tyme to pas &c.
[...]
Tyme to pas &c.
[Page] [...]
reuyue & cōfort to pipe to sīge to daūce [...]
[...]
[...]
[Page] [...]
with plesure & delyte folowīg sēsual appetyte
[...]
to pipe &c.
[...]
[...]
yng.
[Page]
I [...]an you thank y • is done well
It is pyte ye had not a mynstrell
For to angment your solas
Seu.
As for mynstrell it maketh no force
ye shall se me daunce a cours
without a mynstrell be it better or wors
Folow a [...]l I wyll lede a trace
Hu.
Now haue a monge you by this lyght
yng.
That is well sayd be god almyght
Make rome syrs & gy [...] them p [...]ace
¶Than he syngyth this song & daunyth with all And euermore maketh countenaunce accordyng To the mater & all y e other annswer lyke wyle ¶Daunce we / daunce we. praunce we praunce we
So merely let vs daunce ey / so merely &c
And I can daunce it gyngerly & I &c
And I can fote it by & by & I &c
And I can pranke it ꝓperly
And I can countenaunse comely
And I can kroke it curtesly
And I can lepe it lustly
And I can torn it trymly
And I can fryske it freshly
And I can loke it lordly
yng.
I can the thanke sensuall apetyte
That is y • best daunce with out a py [...]e
[Page]That I saw this seuen yere
Hu.
This daunce wold do mych better yet
yf we had a kyt or taberet
But alas ther is none here
Sen.
Then let vs go to y e tauerne agayne
There shall we be sure of one or twayn
Of mynstrellꝭ y t can well play
yng.
Then go I pray ye by & by
And puruey some mynstrell redy
And he & I wyll folow shortly
As fast as euer we may
Hu.
Ther with I am ryght well content
Sen.
Then wyll I go in contynent
And prepare euery thyng
That is metely to be done
And for lacke of mynstrellꝭ y • mean seasō
Now wyll we begyn to syng
[...]
¶Now we wyll here begyn to syng
For daunce can we nomore
For mynstrellꝭ here be all lackyng
To y e tauerne we wyll therfore
[Page]¶Et exeūt cantando &c.
Hu.
Now yf that sensuall appetyte cā fynd
Any good mynstrellꝭ after hys mynd
Dowt not we shall haue good sport
yng.
And so shall we haue for a suerte
But what shall we do now tell me
The meane whyle for our cōfort
Hu.
Then let vs some lusty balet syng
yng.
Nay syr by y e heuyn kyng
For me thynkyth it seruyth for no thyn [...]
All suche peuysh prykyeryd song
Hu.
Pes man pryksong may not be dispysy [...]
For ther with god is well plesyd
Honowryd praysyd & seruyd
In the churche oft tymes among
yng.
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 spad [...]
As gyf me a spa ve va ve va ve vade
But yf thou wylt haue a song y t is good
I haue one of robyn hode
The best that euer was made
Hu.
Then a feleshyp let vs here it
yng.
But there is a bordon thou must bere it
Or ellys it wyll not be
Hu.
[Page]
¶Than begyn and care no [...] [...]o [...]
¶Downe downe downe &c.
yng.
¶Robyn hode in barnysdale stode
And lent hym tyl a mapyll thystyll
Thā cam our lady & swete saynt andrewe
Slepyst thou wakyst thou geffrey coke
¶A.C. wynter the water was depe
I can not tell you how brode
He toke a gose nek in his hande
And ouer the water he went
¶He start vp to a thystell top
And cut hym downe a holyn clobe
He stroke y e wren betwene the hornys
That fyre sprange out of the pyggꝭ tayle
¶Iak boy is thy bowe I broke
Or hath any mā done y e wryguldy wrage
He plukkyd muskyllys out of a wyllowe
And put them in to his sachell
¶wylkyn was an archer good
And well coude handell a spade
He toke his bend bowe in his hand
And set hym downe by the fyre
¶He toke with hym .lx. bowes and ten
A pese of befe a nother of baken
Of all the byrdes in mery englond
So merely pypys the mery botell
¶Nature.
[Page]
¶well Humanyte now I see playnly
That thou hast vsyd muche foly
The whyle I haue ben absent
Hu.
¶Syr I trust I haue done nothynge
That shold be contrary to your pleasynge
Nor neuer was myne intent
¶For I haue folowed the counsell clere
As ye me bad of studyouse desire
And for necessyte a monge
Somtyme sensuall appety [...]ꝭ counsell
For without hym ye [...]nowe ryght well
My lyfe can not endure longe
¶Nature.
¶Though it be for the full necessary
For thy cōfort somtyme to satysfy
Thy sensuall appetyte
yet it is not conuenyent for the
To put therin thy felycyte
And all thy hole dely [...]e
¶For if thou wylt lerne no sciens
Nother by study nor experiens
I shall the neuer auaunce
But in the worlde thou shalt dure than
Dyspysed of euery wyse man
Lyke this rude best ygnoraunce

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