¶Of Gentylnes and Nobylyte.
A dyaloge betwen the Marchaut the Knyght and the plowman dysputyng who is a verey Gentylman & who is a Noble man and how men shuld come to auctoryte / compilid in maner of an enterlude with divers toys & geftis addyd therto to make mery pastyme and disport.
The marchaunt
O what a gret welth and prosperyte
It is to any reme where marchauntes be
Hauing fre lyberte and entercours also
All marchaundyse to cōuey to and fro
Whych thyng I haue vsed and the verey fet found
And thereby gotton many a thousand pownd
Wherfore now be cause of my grete ryches
Thoroughowt this land in euery place doubtles
I am magnyfyed and gretly regardyd
And for a wyse and noble man estemyd
The knyght
Maister marchaunt I here you ryght well
But now in presumpsion me thynk ye excell
To call yourself noble in presence here
I wys men know what your auncestours were
And of what grete stock descendid ye be
Your fadyr was but a blacke smyth perde
March.
¶Why syr what than what be you I pray you
Knyght
¶Mary I am a gentylman I wold ye know
And may dispend yerely v.C. mark land
And I am sure all that ye haue in hand
Of yerely rent is not worth v. markys
M
¶But I wold thou knewist for all thy krakkys
I am able to bye now all the land
That thou hast and pay for it out of hand
[Page]Whych I haue got by myn own labour and wit
K
¶Yet art thou but a chorle and I haue a skorn
Thou shuldist cōpare with me a gentylman born
M
¶Why what callyst thou a gentylman tel me
K
¶Mary I call them gentylmen that be
Born to grete landys by inherytaunce
As myn auncestours by cōtynuaunce
Haue had this v.C. yere of whom now I
Am desendid and commyn lynyally
Beryng the same name and armys also
That they bare this v.C. yere agoo
Myn auncestours also haue euer be
Lordys Knyghtes and in grete auctoryte
Capteyns in the warr and gouerners
And also in tyme of pease gret rulers
And thyn were neuer but artysycers
As smythꝭ masonꝭ carpentars or weuars
M
¶All that is trewth I wyl not denye now
Yet I am more gentylman born than thou
For I call hym a gentylman that gentilly
Doth gyf unto other men louyngly
Such thing as he hath of hys own pper
But he that takith ought away from a nother
And doth gyf hym no thyng agayn therfore
Owght to be callyd a chorle euermore
But myn auncestours haue giffyn alwey
To thyn auncestours such thyng as they
By their labours did trewly get and wyn
For myn auncestours bildid howsis wherein
Thyne auncestours haue had their dwellyng place
Also myn auncestours haue made tolis
To all maner crafti men belongyng
Wherby clothis and euery other thyng
Where of thyn auncestours nede haue had
With the same tolys haue euer be made
So myn auncestours haue gyffin their labours
Euer to cōfort and help thyn auncestours
K
¶I deny that euer thauncestours of thyne
Did euer gif to the auncestours of myne
At any tyme any thyng except that they
Gafe some what therfor other ware or money
M
¶Mary god a mercy Iohn for that now
That is euyn a pyg of our own sow
[Page]How can lordys & estatis haue ought in store
Except thartyfycers do get it before
For all metalis be dyggyd furst by myners
And after wrought by the artyfycers
woll fell and euery other thyng
That is necessary to mannys coueryng
And all other thyngis that men vse & were
Is al wey made by the artyfycer
K
I graunt that the artyfycers do make it
But be cause comenly they haue lytell wyt
Gentylmen that haue landys & domynyon
Of all such ryches haue most possessyon
For reason wyll euer it shuld so be
wyse men to haue folys in captyuyte
M
Mary as for wyt & subtell inuencyou
Myne auncestours wyth thine may make cōꝑison
For though my fader were a smyth what than
yet was he a meruelous quyk wyttyd man
And coud work as well for hys ꝑt
As any in this land vsyng that art
And deuyse new fassyons in chynges that he made
That euery man to bye hys ware was glad
And carue & graue in yron & stele
Both Image & letters meruelously wele
And ther on ley gold & gylt it also
Fyne & pure as any gold smyth coud do
My grauntfader also was a mason
Of grete wyt as any in thys regyon
And coud byld a castell & tour ryght well
In whych some of thy kynnys men now do dwell
where in aperyth ryght good masonry
wyth Immagys & armys wrought curyously
My grete graundfadyr lo was a weuer
Of wollyn yarn & of other gere
And made meruelous pleasaunt workis to be hold
Lynyn dyaꝑ sylk & cloth of gold
All such subtell thyngis as I haue rehersyd lo
Myne auncestours by theyr wyttis coud work & do
And as for thyne auncestours I know no thyng
Thei coud do bi their wittis worth of praisyng
But vse occupi & wast euer more
Such thyngis as myn auncestours
[...] before
And thou & thie auncestours
[...]
Of such thingis wrought
[...]
[Page]Of other men oughtist not be praysed therfore
But the prayse ought to be gyuen euer more
To the artyfycer whych by hys wyt
It deuysyd and so cōnyngly wrought it
wherefore yf thou sey that wyt & polesy
Be the thyngꝭ perteynyng to gentry
Thyn auncestours may neuer cōpare wyth, mine
For theyr actꝭ proue them wyser than thyne
For thyn dyd neuer no thyng in theyr days
Concernyng quyk wyt that was worthy prays
K
yes I wis lewd Iauell I wold thou knewist it
Myn auncestours haue had more wysedome & wyt
Than thyne haue had & coud do also
Many thynges that thyne coud neuer do
for in the contrey at sessyons and syse
They haue be electe to be Iustyce
And for theyer wyt and grete dyscressyon
They haue Iuggyd and donne correccyon
Uppon thyne auncestours artyfycers
That haue made false warys & ben dysseyuers
And holpe for to maynteyn euery thynge
That ys to the comyn weith pteynyng
They haue ben also in tyme of warr
Both in thys land & other courreys farr
Dukrs & leders of the hole army
And by theire wyttis & warly polycy
Study forecast & dilygent trauayle
Haue won many a grete fyld & batayle
And thyne auncestours that were there
were neuer able to bere shyld nor spere
And were neuer but soldyars & pyoners
Nor neuer had wysdome to be rulers
But because myn auncestours haue euer be
Dyscrete & wyse they haue had anctoryte
M
Nay nay thyne auncestours cam neuer all
To auctoryte for wysdome p̄ncypall
For though sōe were wise yet some of thē agayn
Had small discression lytyll wyt or brayn
But because of the long cōtynuannce
Of theyr grete possessions by enherytaunce
By the folysh maner of the worlde we see
For that cause euer they haue had auctorite
K
And I say that good reason agreth to it
For though the fader haue no grete wyt
[Page]The sone that is wyse shuld neuer the more
Lose hys land or auctoryte therfore
For he that by study dylygens & payn
Grete landys or possessyons doth attayn
Hys owne lyfe is to shorte & to lyte
For to take the frute of his meryte
Reason wolde therfore that after hys lyfe
Hys heyrs before straungers haue p̄rogatyfe
And the cōtynuaunce of such possessyons
Makyth noble men & gentyll condycyons
And they whos blode hath long contynued
As gentylmen so they shuld be honoured
And so myn auncestours long tyme haue be
Grete possyssyoners and in auctoryte
Therefore consyderyng my grete lynage
My blode my noble byrth and parentage
Thou art not able to compare w
t me
Nother in gentylnes nor in nobylyte
¶Here the plouman cōmith in with a short whyp in hys hand & spekyth as folowith
Plow.
¶Nowhere is bybbyll babbyll clytter clatter
I hard neuer of so folysh a matter
But by goddys body to speke the troth
I am better than other of you bothe
K
Auaunt kanker de chorle fro whens cōmyst thou
P
Mary folysh peuysh daw euen fro my plow
Now sayst woldyst any thyng there w
tall
M
ye mary thou lewyd vyllayn & rud raskall
It is for the full yll besemyng
To ꝑturb any gentylmens talkyng
P
¶Gentylmen ye gentylmen Iak heryng
Put your shone in your bosome for weryng
I accompt myself by goddys body
Better than you bothe and more worthy
K
Auaunt knaue get the out of the gate
Or I shall lay my sworde on thy pate
P
That shall I proue I make god auow
Neuer in better tyme haue at the now
Et verberat eos
M
Now holde thy hand felow I the pray
And harkyn what I shall to the say
P
Sey knaue say what canst sey
M
Holde thy hand I pray the & com no narr
I am a marchaunt & no man of warr
K
[Page]
Thou art not honest I tell the playnly
To make any quarrel here so sodaynly
To ꝑturb our cōmunycacyon
P
Here ye may se syrs by goddys passyon
Two proude folys make a crakkyng
And when it cōmyth to poynt dare do no thyng
M
Our cōmyng hyder & our entent
ys not to fyght but by way of argument
Euery man to shew hys oppinyon
To see who coude shew the best reason
To proue hym self noble & most gentylman
P
By god all the reasons syth ye began
That ye haue made therof be not worth a fly
K
¶No syr I pray the than tell me why
P
¶Furst as touchyng noblenes I say
Ther is nother of you both dyd ꝓue or lay
Ony of your actys wherby that ye
Shulde in reason ꝓue you noble to be
Or therby deserue any maner praysyng
But all the effect of your arguyng
To proue your noblenes was but only
Of the deddys & actꝭ of your auncestry
And of the actꝭ that your auncestours did before
ye at the nobler neuer the more
K
¶As touchyng my self I dare make compison
Of as noble dedys as he hath any done
For I am & haue ben one of the cheualry
At the cōmaundement of my prynce euerredy
And euery tyme of warr haue be captayn
And leder of a .M. men or twayne
And w
t hors & harnes spere and sheld
Haue Ioydyd my body in euery felde
The rentꝭ of my landys haue spende lyberally
And kept a grete house contynually
And holp to ponyssh theuys & brybers alwey
To the grete tranqaylyte of my contray
And you maister merchaūt wyt neuer take labour
Except it be for your ꝓffet and lucoure
Plow.
Go to go to now master marchaunt
There is a reason that gyuyth you a taunt
I trow more than you can answere well
M
¶Nay I wys pyvysh & rude Iak Iauell
I can make an answere so substancyally
wher to nother of you is able to reply
K
[Page]
If thou canst answere my reason do
M
That can I well doo. P. Then go to fole go to
M
I say the comyn well of euery land
In fete of marchauntdyse doth pryncypally stand
For if oure cōmoditees be vtteryd for nought
In to strange landis and no ryches brought
Hydyr therfore / we shuld come to beggary
And all men dryffyn to lyf in mysery
Thē we noble marchauntis that in this reame be
what a grete welth to thys land do we
we vtter our warys & by theyrs good chepe
And bryng them hyder that grete ꝓffet
And pleasure dayly cōmyth to this regyon
Too all maner people that here do won
Forthermore ye see well w
t youre eyes
That of straynge landis the cōmodytees
we haue such nede of them that be there
That in no wyse we may them for bere
As oyle sylkis frutis & spyces also
Golde syluer yryn & other metall is moo
All drāmys & druggys longyng to physyke
whych men must nedes haue when they be seke
whych in thys reame can not well grow
Our cōtrey is to colde & not hote I now
w
t out whych thyngis we shulde lyfe in mysery
And oft tymes for lak of them we shulde dye
And I spende my studi & labour contynually
And cause such thyngis to come hyder dayly
For the comfort of thys land & cōmen welth
And to all the people grete, pffer & helth
And for such noble dedys reason wyll than
That I ought to be callyd a noble man
And nother of you both that here now be
In noblenes may accompare w
t me
P
Now well hit by goddes body well hit
Of one that hath but lyttyll wyt
Answere me one worde furst I pray the
what is the noblest thynge that can be
K
what saist thou therto thi self let see
P
Is not y
t the noblyst thyng in dede
That of all other thyngis hath lest nede
As god which beynith etern in blysse
Is not he the noblest thyng y
t is
K
yes mary no man in reason can that deny
P
[Page]
¶well than there is no reason therof why
But because he is the thyng omnipotent
And is in hun self so suffycyent
And nedyth the helpe of no nothyr thyng
To the helpe of hys gloryous beyng
But euery other thyng hath nede of his ayde
M
¶Mary that is very trough & well sayde
P
And lykwyse y
t thynge that hath most nede
Is the thyng that is most wreched
So suffycyency is euer noblenes
And necessyte is euer wrechydnes
And he that hath more nede of that thyng
For the p̄teruacyon of hys lyuyng
Then his felow hath his felow must nedꝭ be
By thys same reason more noble than he
what than .P. by the same reason it ꝓuith lo
ye be but caytyffꝭ & wrechis both two
And by the same reason ꝓue I shall
That I am the noblyst man of vs all
For I haue nede of no maner thyng
That ye can do to help of my lyffyng
For euery thyng whereby ye do lyf
I noryss it & to you both do gyf
I plow I tyll & I ster the ground
wherby I make the corn to habounde
whereof ther is made both drynk & bred
wych the which dayly ye must nedis be fed
I noryss the catell & fowlys also
Fyssh & herbis & other thyngie mo
Fell herr & woll whych the bestis do bere
I noryssh & preserue which ye do were
which yf ye had not no dowt ye shuld
Starue for sak of clothis because of colde
So both you shulde die or lyue in necessite
If ye had not cōfort & help of me
And as for your fyne cloth & costly aray
I cannot see whi ye ought or mai
Call your self noble because ye were it
which was made bi other menis labour & wit
And also your dilicate drinkis & viand
Bi other menis labours be made so pleasand
Therefore mayster marchaunt now to you I sei
I can not see but I am able & mai
Lyf wythout you or your purueaunce
[Page]Lyue wythout you or your purueyaunce
For of fode & cloth I haue suffisaunce
Of my self for lyffing necessary
And now sir knyght to you I sey playnly
I see not that ye can any thyng do
For the cōmyn well or ought longyng therto
But ech man beyng in auctoryte
Hauyng wit may do it as well as ye
Therfore to spek now of necessyte
Ther is nother of you both but ye be
In more nede than I therfore I sey playn
I am more noble than other of you twayn
Now that is a folysh reason so god me saue
For by the same reason thou woldyst haue
Eueri best fyssh & other foule than
To be more noble of birth than a man
For man hath more nede of bodely coueryng
Than they haue for they nede no thinge
The bestꝭ haue herr & also a thik skin
The fissh skalis or shelis to kepe theyr bodyes in
The foulis fethirs & so eueri thing
Bi nature hath his ꝓper couering
Saue man himself which is born all nakyd
And therfore he shuld be than most wrechyd
P
¶Mary no man can make a better reason
For that is a sure & a trew cōclusyon
For if a child when he is furst born
were not holp & coueryd he were sone lorn
He hath no strenght to help hym neuer a dell
yet bestis haue power to help them self well
¶So cōsideryng māns body in dede
A best is more noble & man more wrechyd
Be cause he hath nede of many mo thyngis
Than bestis haue to help of theyer lyffyngis
Also man must dayly labour & swete
To get hym sustynaunce as drynk & mete
The grownd he must dyg & the bestis kyll
For brede and mete his bodi to fyll
Grapis frutis and herbis norssh dyligently
To make good drynkis to refressh his body
But all brut bestis haue coueryng natural
Sufficyent to couer their bodyes with all
And fynd theyr fode euer on the grownd redy
with out any payn labour or study
[Page]So eueri man by reason of hys body
Is more wrechyd & in more mysery
Than bestꝭ be / yet thus not wythstandyng
Man is most noble of creaturꝭ lyuyng
Not by hys body for that is impotent
But by hys soule beyng so excellent
For by reason of hys soule intyllectyue
He subde wyth all other bestꝭ alyue
And cōpellyth all other bestis that be
By hys wit to releue his necessyte
But bestis haue no wyt them self to defende
Nor can get no more than god hath them send
For take any best that weryth heer
And do clyp it of bare a gayns wynter
That best hath no maner of polecy
To get other coueryng for hys body
Of cloth nor skyns nor hath no wyt
To put it vppon hym though one haue made it
Nor can byld no house nor kyndyl no fyre
To warme hys body yf nede shuld requyre
But yet a man hath wyt & vnderstandyng
For to help hym self in euery such thyng
So man for his soule intellectuall
Is most noble creature of bestis all
M
¶That is a verey good & preguant reason
yet me thynkith thou makist a degression
From the argument that we furst began
which was to ꝓue who was most gentylman
whych we disputyd I wold thou haddist hard it
P
¶Tussh I hard what ye seyd everi whit
K
¶Then shew thy reason therin or thou go
P
¶Nay be god I haue some what ells to do
I must go by me a halporth of gresse
The spokes of my cart therwith to dresse
Trow ye that I wyll leue my bysynes
For your babelyng pomp & folysshnes
Nay by sent mary I wyll not do so
For I can now to the merket goo
And for an haipeny as much gresse by
As shall cost me in our town a peny
And I tell the playnly w
t out any bost
A halpeny is as well sauid as lost
P
¶Straw for an halpeny therin is no wast
Tary with vs a while phapps thou mast
[Page]By our acquayntaunce now here get more
Than thou gatist with thy cart this monyth before
P
¶Straw for thi councell torde a fart
Trowist I wyll gyf up my plow or cart
And folow thy folish appityte and mynde
Nay I am not yet so mad nor so blynd
For when I am at my cart of plow
I am more meryer than other of you
I wold not chaunge my lyf nor my lyffyng
For to be made a grete lorde or a kyng
There is no ioy nor pleasure in this world here
But hyll bely fyll and make good chere
Be if prynce lorde gentilman or knaue
Hit is all the ioy that here be can haue
But these couetous and ambicious wretches
They set there myndys in honoure and ryches
So much that they be neuer content
So they lyf euer in payn and torment
But a man that can this meanys fynd
To haue fode and cloth and a mery mynde
And to desyre no more than is nedefull
That is in this worlde the lyf most ioyfull
Which lyfe in this worlde no man shall acquire
Till he subdew his insaciat desyre
M
¶I see well thou has a curst apysh wit
Then yf thou wylt depart I pray the yet
Come agayn when thy bisines is doo
P
¶For what intent now shuld I do so
M
¶For we will in owre olde argument prosede
Who shulde be callyd a gentylman in dede
And we wolde be glade to here thy reason
P
¶I wyll come agayn uppon a condicion
That ye wyll wayt uppon me both twayn
And be not out of the way when I come agayn
K
¶We wyll not be farr hens P. then I wil not fayle
M
¶Then I pray the let not the pmise quaile
P
¶Lo here is my fynger now trust me well
I will come agayn yf I haue my hele
For by god I promyse you one thyng
I am as trew of my worde as the Kyng
But if I fynde you not here then by my trough
I shall call you oppenly false knauys both
M
¶Thou shalt fynde us trew in euery thyng
P
¶I thynk so / except lyeng and stelyng
K
[Page]
Then far well for a season a dew
Then fare ye well both I dare say as trew
As some that be tyede in newgate
M
well now he is gone god speed well his gate
But what shall we do now the meane season
K
Let us take now some recreacyon
And come agayn here and keep our poyntment
M
Now therto I am ryght well content
And in the meayn wyle good lord of thy grace
Preserue all the people here in this place
Amen
Finis prime partis
¶Secunda pars
The Plouman
P
Here I may walk and wander to and fro
But I se not them whych I wold speke to
M
Yes by rode here we be both twayn
To whom thou dydyst promys to mete here agayn
To dyspute the questyon that we began
whych of us coud proue hym most gentylman
K
Thou seydest thou hardyst our argumentes all
P
so dyd I nother good nor substancy all
For thy folysh and pyuysh oppynyon
was because of the grete domynyon
Of the landis and rentis wher to thou wast bore
whych thyn auncestours had long tyme before
Thou thynkyst thy self a gentylman to be
Ant that is a folysh reason semyth ne
For when adam dolf and eue span
who was then a gentylman
But then cam the churl and gederyd good
And ther began furst the gentyll blood
And I thynk verely ye do beleue
That we cam all of adam and eue
Then to speke by reason grete possessions
Make no gentylmen but gentyl condycyons
That is the cause and best reason why
One shuld be callyd a gentylman truly
And forthermor mark well this reason then
If a mānis auncestours haue be gentylmen
And verteous and good to commyn well
That ought to be reputyd neuer adell
To the prayse of the chylde whych doth refuse
[Page]Such good cōdycyons & the cōtrary vse
But he ought to be dyspraysyd the more
Because hys auncestours hath shewid hym before
A precedent of gentylnes & vertew
whych good example he dothe not infew
For the gentylnes of hysblode clery
In hym doth decay & vtterly dye
So he that vsyth cōdycyons verteous
Though that hys auncestours were vycyous
Ought not to be dyspraysyd therfore
But ought to be honoryd & praysyd the more
K
yet me thynkyth more honor shulde be gyffyn
To hym whych ys of noble blood & kyn
P
Then yf thou wylt loke honoured to be
Be cause of thy blod then mark well & see
The vylyst beggar that goth by the dore
Had ye not both one god & creature
ye cam of one furst stok & ꝓgenye
Both of adam & eue ye wyll not denye
The beggar & thou wer both do wtles
Lonseyuyd & born infylth & vncleannes
Thy blood & the beggars of one colour be
Thou art as apt to take seknes as he
yf thou be in the body woundyd
Thy flessh is as yll as his to be helyd
Alas I haue knowen many or thys
So proud of theyr byrth that all theyrlyffys
wold gyf them to no labour nor lernyng
whych brought them to myserable endyng
That in pouerte wrechydly dyd dye
Or fallyn to theft & hangyd therfore full hye
So I sey vertew & good cōdycyons than
Is that whych makyth the very gentylman
And though the fadyr may bequeth to hys son
Hy
ts ryches hys land & hys possess yon
yet may he nothyr gyf nor vequeth
Unto hym in no wyse after hys deth
Hys vertew nor hys gentyl cōdyeyons
They can not descend as other possessyons
And yf thou wylt be a gentylman nedys
Thou must than vse vertew & gentyll dedys
K
Why desyre men then prayse euermore
Of the actis of theyr auncestours done before
P
One cause ther of ys for lak of lernyng
[Page]They ꝑseyue not the reason of the thyng
Another is be cause ther be many
That call them self gentylmen vnworthy
whych lyfe voluptuously & bestyall
And do no good in the world at all
But lyse in pryde slouth & vnthrystynes
And be cause they haue no maner goodnes
Nor ꝓperte nor vertew in them wher by
Any man shulde thynk them any prayse worthy
Therfore they seke for cōmendacyon
Of the actꝭ that theyr auncestours haue done
M
Then Imeruell men desyre to be callyd
Of the blode of them that excellyd
In worldly honour as kyngꝭ & emꝑours
where some were tyrantꝭ some were cōquerours
And few desyre to be callyd of theyr blod
whych haue ben callyd Iust mē verteous & good
And vsyd indifferent Iustyce & equyte
Mekenes abstynens or wylfull pouerte
P
yf I shuld tell the the verey cause trew
It is because they loue no such vertew
whych vertew & gentyll cōdycyons shuld be
Longyng to gentylmen of ꝓperte
K
If gentyl cōdycyons be the cause lo
Tken wyll I compare with both you two
For I haue vsyd euer gentyll maner
And so haue myn auncestours that before were
For fursto: all when thys worlde began
Long after ther were but few people than
Men had suffycyent of euery thyng
wyth oute gret labour for fode & clothyng
All thyng was in cōmyn among them doutles
But after warde when people dyd increse
Ich man to increse hys pleasure & volupte
Of goodꝭ & landes desyryd ꝓperte
wereof grete sttyf & debate dyd aryse
Thē such as mie aūcestours were that werewyse
Did studi to make laws how the people myght be
Lyssyng to gedyr in pease & vnyte
And agayns enmiys alwey defendyd
The people that tyllyd the ground & laboryd
The people pseyuyng than theyr goodnes
Theyr gret wyt dyscressyon & gentylnes
were cōtent to gyfe them ꝑt of the ꝓffet
[Page]Comyng of theyr landꝭ whych they dyd get
As corn catell & such thynꝭ as they wan
But after when that coyn of money began
They chaūgid those seuenuse & were cōtent
To gyfe them in money an ānyell rent
So for theyr good & vetteous cōdycyons
They cam furst to lādꝭ & possessyons
So possessyons began & were furst found
Uppon a good & resonable ground
P
By goggꝭ swete body thou lyest falsely
All possessions began turst of tyranny
For when people began furst to encrese
Some gafe them self all to Idylnes
And wold not labour but take by vyolence
That other men gat by labour & dylygence
Than they that labouryd were fayne to gyfe
Them ꝑt of theyr gettingꝭ in peas of lyfe
Or ellꝭ for theyr landis money a porcyon
So possessyons began by extorcyon
And when such extorsyoners had oppressyd
The labouryng people than they ordeynyd
And made laws meruelous strayte & hard
That theyr heyrꝭ myght inioy it afterward
So the law of inhetyaunce was furst begon
whych is a thyng agayns all good reason
That any inherytaunce in the world shuld be
K
That is a shamefull opynyon semyth me
For when I haue labouryd & by grete study
Gat & purcheysyd landys truly
It is good reason that I haue lyberte
To gyfe those landis to whom it lyketh me
Or ellꝭ to let them descend lynyyally
To my chyld or cosyn of my blod most nye
For inherytaunce must nedys be a good thyng
Because so much good therof is ꝓcedyng
Euery man to hys blod such loue doth bere
Because the land shall descend to hys heyre
Be wyll byld theron & the land improw
And make corn & grasse to encrese & grow
Graft frute set trecs & norysh tymber
And to incresse fyssh make pondys wyth water
Stok busshis & wedes whych dystroy herbage
And all baren ground bryng to tyllage
And amend the hye wayes that be ther about
[Page]And do many other good dedis no dowt
For the ꝓfet of hys heyrys that shalbe
And for the cōmyn welth of his countre
which thyngꝭ surely he wold neuer intend
yf the land shuld not to hys heyre descend
P
¶By thy reason no nothyr thyng is ment
But a good dede vppon an yuell intent
when men for loue or pryd do such good dedis
The dyuell therfore shall quyt thē theyr medys
K
whyder god or the deuyll quyt them therfore
Is now to our purpose neuer the more
For theyr myndꝭ & intentꝭ no man can tell
But touchyng in herytaunce thys I wot well
Much good cōmyth therof & dayli doth grow
P
Nay mych Ill cōmyth therof I shall proue how
For these men that be of gret possessyons
Unto theyr blod haue such affeccyons
Yf any land lyke them that lyeth nye them
Of theyr pore neghbors they wyll distroy them
Or by extort meanys they wyll them compell
The land for half the worth to them to sell
And when they lake money they wyl alwey
Euer borow & neuer wyllyng to pay
And when they shall dye ye see the exꝑience
Few of them haue remors of cōsyens
To make any maner restytucyon
Of any land so wrongfully gotton
K
Thou hast spoke fore agayns gentylmen
But what seyst thou of marchaundꝭ then
P
Many be good and worshipful also
And many charitable dedis they do
Byld churchys & amend the hye ways
Make almys howsys & help many decays
But some be couerous & full falsely
Get theyr good is by dysseyt & vsury
And when they haue a .M. li. in theyr cofers
They wyll rathyr suffer theyr neyghbers
To sterue for hunger & cold & to dye
Or they wyll gyfe to help them a peny
And yet more ouer when any of them be
Promotyd to rule or auctoryte
They dysdayn all lernyng law & reason
And Iugge all by wyll & affeccyon
M
Thou art but a rayler to speke so sore
[Page]Agayne gentylmen & marchauntꝭ euermore
Be not plowmen & other that dryfe the cart
And such rusticall felows as thou art
Fals shrews & lyfe as vycyously also
As gentylmen of landꝭ & marchauntꝭ do
K
yes this vylleyn carters almost echon
Haue nother cōscyens nor deuocyon
For brybe & stele euery thyng they wyll
If they may secretly come theruntyll
And as for prayer & dyuyne seruyce
They loue them in no maner wyse
Nor neuyr wolde labour nor work do
If nede of lyffyng drofe them not therto
P
yet gentylmen & the rych marchauntꝭ that be
Use mych more vyce & iniquyte
M
why thynkyst all marchauntꝭ & gentylmen nought
P
Nay I sey not so that is not my thought
I am not yet so folysh nor so mad
For I know many good though some be bad
yet some wyll suffer hys dettꝭ vnpayd to be
And dye and Ieoꝑd hys soule rather than he
wyil any of hys landꝭ mynysh and empayre
That shuld after hys deth come to hys heyre
And some of them so proud be of theyre blod
And vse small vertew and doo lytyll good
But gyfe all theyre myndys and theyre study
To opprese the pore people by tyrrany
And some of them thynk thys for a surete
It is the most honour to them that can be
To the able for to doo extorcyon
And to mayntayn it wythout punycyon
K
Bi goggrs swet bodi thou art a stark knaue
Noble men and gentylmen so to depraue
P
what thou proud horesō fole whō dost thou knaue
I trow thou woldist a good blowe or two haue
wyth a good whypstoke to tech the curtesy
K
Auant beggerly knaue I the defye
P
what wylt thou wage battell by & by now
That shall I proue strayght I make god auowe
Et hic verberat eos
M
Kepe the peace masters hold your hādys for shame
To make thys besynes ye be gretely to blame
ye wyll dysturb all thys hole company
P
Nay mary it is a cause to make them mery
[Page]To walke such a proude foole is but sport & gāe
K
By cokkys body were not for wordly shame
I shuld cut thy flesh or ellꝭ see thy herte blode
M
Sir hold your tōg your wordis be nothyng good
we lose here w
t thys lewyd altereacyon
Mych good pastyme and recreacyon
P
why what better pastyme her canst thou haue
Then to here one to call an other knaue
And see such a proud foole walkyd w
t a whyp
M
But I loue it not therfore of felyshyp
Leue thys brablyng and w
t good argument
Trye the matter that is nost cōuenyent
P
Nay I wyll trye it how so euer he wyll
Be it w
t wordys or dedꝭ I wyll answere hym styll
For be god yf he wyll not be cōtent
To be cōcludyd by good argument
I wyll cōclud hym one way or that I goo
Or I shall ꝓue it on hys pate that shall I doo
K
Thow spekyst lyk a clerk that hath lyttyll wyt
when a case is put yf he can not soyle it
By no maner reason that he can ley
Then wyll he answere hym thys wyse & sey
Beware what ye sey syr now I aduyse you
for it is treason or herysy that ye spek now
To thentent to rebuke hym opynly
Before the vnlernyd people that stand therby
And if he can no colour of such thyng fynd
Then wyll he vex and chafe in hys mynd
And cast owt some lewd wordꝭ of quarelyng
To torn the hole matter to chydyng & fyghtyng
And so dost thou now lyke one that were mad
P
Nay I wold thou knewist thou folysh lad
I am nother mad nor dronken yet
For myn oppynyon I haue well ꝓuyd it
By substancyall reason and argument
That enherytaunce is not conuenyent
And shewyd better reasons than thou canst doo
K
Nay thy reasons may soone be answered vnto
For god defende that estates of enherytaunce
Shuld be dystroyed for by that good ordynaunce
Gentylmen of landes vndoutydly
Brynge vp theyr chyldren full honourably
Some put to the scole to lerne cōnynge
To instruct the people in vertuous lyuynge
[Page]Some made to be actyfe in marcyall dedꝭ
Able to defend the land when nede is
And the rustycall people that haue no land
Such thyngꝭ be not able to take in hand
wherfore yf we shuld dystroy enherytaunce
we shulde destroy all good rule and ordynaunce
P
But such men as haue gret rentꝭ and landꝭ
And no estate but terme of theyr lyuys
And euery thyng theron wyll norysh and saue
For the grete zele & loue that they only haue
To the cōmyn welth of theyr contrey
And for god sake lo these people be they
That be worthy to haue possessyons
And such people of vertuouse condycyons
And no nother shuld be chosyn gouernours
& thei shuld haue lādꝭ to maintain their honours
Terme of theyr lyuys as long as they take payn
For the cōmyn welth thys is good reason playn
So that noman owght to haue any land
But such as be apt and haue charge in hand
For the cōmyn welth as pryncys and rulers
Bysshoppꝭ curatꝭ prechers and techers
Iugges mynysters and other offycers
That of the cōmyn welth be executers
And valyant men of the chyualry
That be bounde to defende the people dayly
Such men as be apt to all such thyngꝭ
Shuld haue landꝭ to mayntayne theyr lyffyngꝭ
So enherytaunce is not besemynge
To let them haue landꝭ that cā do no such thing
Nor I thynk it not resonable nother
One man to lyf by labour of an nother
For ych man is borne to labour truly
As a byrde is to fle naturally
Nor a man ought not to haue such lyberte
To lefe landꝭ to hys chyld wher by that he
Shall lust for to lyfe in slouth & gloteny
Compellyd to do nought but lyfe voluptuously
M
There is alway good remedy for that
That is to compell them to do som what
So that ych man hauyng enherytaunce
Haue some auctoryce and gouernaunce
wherein he shulde take payne and besynes
To coustrayn hym to eschew Idelnes
P
[Page]
Then thys grete myschef shuld folow of hit
Oft tymes they shuld rule that haue lyttyll wyt
Or disposyd to be proud & couetous
Or to lyfe after theyr lustis voluptuous
which yf such men had auctoryte
Many thyngꝭ no dowte mys orderyd shuld be
where Iustyce shuld be / there wold be tyranny
where peas shuld be warr debat & enuy
So there is no good reason that I can se
To proue that any enherytaunce shuld be
K
yes that shall I proue by good auctoryte
For rede in the byble and thou shalt therin see
God sayd to abraham tibi dabo
Terram hanc et semine tuo
whych is as much to say to expounde yt trew
I shall gyfe thys land to the and thyn yssew
Here is a good proue that it was goddes wyll.
That Abrahā and his blode shulde continew styl
As possessyoners and haue the gouernaunce
Of that lande as theyr propre enherytaunce
P
Thou answerest me now euen lyke a fole
As some of these fonde clarkes that go to scole
when one putteth of them a subtyll questyon
Of phylozophy to be prouyde by reason
whan they haue all theyr wyttes & reason spende
And can not tell how theyr parte to defende
Than they wyll aledge some auctoryte
Of the lawes or elles of deuynite
whiche in no wyse men may denye
And yet ye knowe well that of phylozophy
The pryncyples oft contraryant be
Unto the very groundꝭ of deuynite
For the phylozophers agre here vnto
Quod mūdus fuit semper ab eterno
And deuynys quod in principio oim
Creauit deus terram et celum
But thou dydest promyse openly euen now
Onely by naturall reason to proue how
That enherytaunce ought for to be had
M
¶By gogges body syrs I holde you bothe mad
ye be lyke some woman that I knowe well
when they wolde any matter vnto a man tell
They wyll tell .xx. talys by the way
Nothynge to purpose to the matter that they
[Page]Dyd furst intend to tell and declare
And in lyke maner now both ye do fare
For ye dyspute now whytheyr enherytaunce
Be a resonable thyng or a good ordynaunce
whych is a matter no thyng ꝑteynyng
To the questyon mouyd at the begynnying
For the questyon was whych of vs all thre
Coud proue hymselfe most gentylman to be
K
As touchyng that we haue all spoke & sayd
Ich man for hys ꝑt as much as can be sayd
P
Nay I haue yet reasons last wherby I can
ꝓue my selfe of vs all most gentylman
That nother of you both can voyde by reason
M
If thou haue ought ellꝭ to say now speke on
P
Then to you both answer me thys short clause
Is not gētyll cōdycyons the most prīcypall cause
To make one to be a gentylman
K
Paraduenture it may be so what than
ꝑaduenture qd a
Nay I shall ꝓue that by examples many on
For musyke makyth one a musycyon
Grāmer to be good gram̄areon
And also geomytry a godd geometryeyon
And chorlysh condycyons a chorle for to be
And so of euery other estate & degre
And where gentyll condycyons be doutles
In any ꝑson there is gentyllnes
Than as vertew makyth a good man
So gentyl condycyons a gentylman
M
All those poyntꝭ I thynk must nedys graūtyd be
what arguyst more therot forth let vs see
P
How seyst than to pryde wrath & ēnuy
K
They be nought & euyll I thynk verely
P
what is mekenes pacyens & charyte
K
Euerychone a gentyll & good ꝓꝑte
P
what is couetous & lyberalyte
K
The furst good the other nought for surete
P
what is gloteny sloth & lechery
K
They be nought all who can that deny
P
what abstynens good besynes & chastyte
K
Uerteous & gentyll ꝓpertees they be
P
Syth ye haue graūytyd thys I shall proue playn
I am a gentylman so is none of your
[...]ayn
Furst for pryde your raymēt shewyth what ye be
L. i.
[Page]For ye wyll neuer be content except that ye
Haue the fynest cloth & sylke for to were
Of oryent colours & all your gere
So costly / your housys gylt gloryously
As though ye wold therin your self deyfy
ye couet euermore goodꝭ landꝭ & rent
what so euer ye get yet neuer content
wrathfull ye be mouyd to anger anon
And enuyous dysdaynyng euery man
And as for me I am content alwey
wyth a pore cotage & symple aray
I dysdayn no man & yet pacyently
Can suffer to be callyd knaue and not angry
Somtyme I call hym knaue agayn in hast
And when I haue sayd my anger is past
ye haue your beddys so pleasaunt & soft
wherein ye ease your self to long and to oft
whych makyth your bodyes so tender to be
that ye can not endure labour lyke me
wyth no maner course fode ye wyll be fede
But wyth pleasand wynys & most whytest brede
wyth flesh & fysh most dylycate & fat
All frutꝭ & spyces that can be gat
And when ye haue had such pleasaunt refeccyons
To aswage your carnall insurreccyons
what so euer she be wyfe wedow or mayde
If she come in the way she shalbe assayd
M
Thou liest sklāderours chorle for I thīk of troth
Thou vsyst sych vyse more then we both
P
Nay by cokkꝭ body I vse no sych lyfe
For I am content wyth blak maud my wyfe
Trow ye y
t I care for these nise proude prīmys
These paītyd popagays that hold vp their chynnꝭ
And loke so smoterly as who say they wold
Haue euery mā woo them that doth them behold
Tote man for all sych venereall werk
As good is the foule as the fayre in the derk
K
Thou sayst trew / drafe is good Inough for swyne
P
yet thou answerest to no reson of myne
K
Thy reasons all ryght well answere I can
For I sey it be cōmeth a noble man
To have rych apꝑell & clothyng
And goodly housys of costly byldyng
And that ych man accordyng to hys degre
[Page]Be knowyn from other and what they be
For yf such costly thyngꝭ were not made
work for pore peple coud neuer be hade
And many folkꝭ than shuld fall to Idylnes
whych is the moder of vyce and wretchydnes
P
ye but I delyte noo such vanytese worldly
I delyte nother in sloth nor gloteny
I dyg and delfe & labour for my lyvyng
Neuer ydyll but somewhat euer doyng
Dayly I ren and go bere swete & swynk
I ete broun brede and drynk small drynk
Content w
t cours meat what so euer it be
so it quench the hunger it suffysyth me
These poyntes I use whych I haue rehersyd now
Be not these gentyl condycyons I pray you
M
If thou use them nede compellyth the therto
For if thou coudist hardli thou wold other wise do
P
what I wold doo then ye can not tell
It is not to purpose but thys I wot well
Syth that I use my lyfe in such good maner
whyth such gentyll condycyons exp̄ssyd here
More than ye both do styll contynuyng
And syth that gentyll condycyons is the thyng
To make a gentylman the cause pryncypall
wherin I vse my life most of vs all
who can by any reason deny than
But that I am of us all most gentylman
K
In feyth yf thou be gentylman therfore
Thou art a gentylman agaynt thy wyll full sore
M
Syth I se he stādyth in his own cōsait so well
That opynyon we shall neuer expell
From hym by no argument nor reason
Therfore now for a lytyll season
Let vs deꝑt from hym I hold it best
Then we shall haue w
t hym some rest
K
I agre therto for caton sayth this
Contra verbosas noli cotendere verbis
Contend nor argu neuer in no matter
w
t hym that is full of words and clatter
M
wherefore for a season let us both deꝑt
K
I am agreid therto w
t all myn hart
P
why sirs than wyll ye deꝑt & be gon
M
ye that we wyll farewel for a season
For to tarry here lenger we see no grete cause
Et exeant
[Page]Then fare ye well as wyse as two dawys
And I pray god sende you such grace both twayn
To be stark cockcoldꝭ or ye come agayn
Now masters they be both gone away
Therefore one worde now harke what I sey
wee see well now by playne exꝑience
when a man is set in a wyllfull credens
All to fortefye hys owne opynyon
If god hym selfe than wold wyth hym reason
In effect it shall no more auayle
Than w
t a whyp to dryfe a snayle
Therfore no remedy is that I can see
For yuell men that be in auctoryte
But let them alone tyll god wyll send
A tyme tyll our gouernours may intend
of all enormytes the reformacyon
And bring in theyr handis the rod of coreccyon
And the reformyng of iniuryes them self see
And wyll say p̄cysely thus it shall be
For exortacyons techyng and p̄chyng
Gestyng and raylyng they mend no thyng
For the amendement of the world is not in me
Nor all the grete arguments that we thre
Haue made syth we resonyd here to gedyr
Do not p̄uayle the weyght of a fether
For the helpyng of any thyng that is amys
we can not help it then syth it so is
I wyll let the world wagg & home wyll I goo
And dryf the plowgh as I was wont to do
And praye god send us peas I wyl no farr mell
Therfore masters all now fare ye well
Hic miles & mercator iterum intrant
K
Now by my troth I am glad that is he gon
M
And so am I by swete seynt Iohn
I hard not a chorll thys seuyn yere
Shew so curst reasons as he hath done here
For the mayntenaunce of hys oppynyon
yet he hys desseuyd for all hys reason
For it is necessary that rulers be
To haue posseyons to mayntayn theyr degre
And those few to dryfe the multytude all
of the other people to labour to fall
For yf the rulers drof them not therto
The peple wold be ydyll & nothyng doo
[Page]And most reason is that gouernaunce
Shuld come to such rulers by inherytaunce
Rather than to haue them chose by eleccyon
Oft tymys by drede mede and affeccyon
Men of euyll conscyens that grete tyraunts be
Rede old cronyclys the proue ye shall see
And though they haue grete wyt and lernyng
Yet so proud they be therof they fere nothyng
Nother god nor man but euermore styll
w
t out councell or aduyse folow theyr own wyll
But they that by inherytaunce rulers be
Though they haue no grete lernyng yet we see
yet makyth them more ferefull & better cōtent
To folow wyse mens councell and aduysement
And syth that yt hath ben so long cōtynned
Enherytours to haue rule and so long usyd
And that they haue ruled by as dyscressyon
As the other that haue be chose by eleccyon
If that order of rule by successyon of blode
Shuld be dystroyd it shuld doo hurte & no good
M
That reason is so grete no man can debarr
Neuertheles that churllysh knaue that carter
After hys fond oppynyon thynkyth thus
Hymselfe more gentylman than us
K
And therin he lyeth for by expiens we see
That gentyl cōdycyons most com̄enly be
In them that be of noble blode borne
For take .xx. carters whych neuer were beforne
Aquayntyd let them be to gyder
Take .xx. straynge gentylmen in lyke maner
These churlysh carters I dare well say
wyll not agre to gyder skant one day
w
t out chydyng quarrellyng or fyghtyng
ychone wyll stele from other and be pykyng
And stryfe whych of them at the skot shall pay lest
And indeuer them who can play the knaue best
But these gentylmen I warant you wyll study
who can shew to other most curtesy
And of theyr gentylnes wyll pfer to pay
For the other and shew what pleasurs they may
So touchyng gentylnes I say surely
Men of grete byrth vse it most com̄ynly
M
There can be no truer saying nor sentence
And the cause therof we see by expience
[Page]For these pore wretches that haue no thyng
Must be nygardys churlyth and spayryng
But gentylmen be taught to be lyberall
And so they may be for they haue where w
t all
K
And as touchyng noblenes that argument
whych the plowman made late puyth euydent
That gentylmen borne to land must nedys be
For suffyency of most nobylyte
For besyde goddys gyfts of grace & of nature
As wyt and bodely stryngh yet they be sure
Of other ryches as of land and rent
To auoyd nede so they be more suffycyent
of them self than other pore people doutles
Then yf nede of straunge helpe cause wrechydnes
And suffysauns be cause wrechydnes
M
A better reason no man can deuyse
And yet farther I thynk lykewyse
He that hath grete haboundance of ryches
May vse lyberalyte and gentylnes
And also it is euer necessary
That some lyfe in welth and some in mysery
And let churllys bable and say what they wyll
Hit hath ben so euer and wyll be so styll
For it is almyghty goddys purueaunce
wyse men of folys to haue the gouernaunce
And they that rule well I beseech Ihesu
Send them good lyfe & long to contynew
Amen.
The Philosopher
ye soferayns all dyscrete & excellent
Before whom thys dyalog shewyd hath be
Touchyng iii. poynts by wey of argument
Furst what is gentylnes & what nobylyte
And who shulde be chose to hye auctoryte
Thys questyons they be so hye and sottell
Few dare p̄sume to dyffyne them well
[Page]¶Yet I thynk now under your coreccyons
The thyng that makyth a gentylman to be
ys but vertew & gentyll condycyons
whych as well in pore men oft tymys we se
As in men of grete byrth of hye degre
And also vycious churlyssh cōdycyons
May be in men born to grete possessyons
¶And forther as touchyng nobylyte
yet standyth much ꝑt I thynk doutles
An suffycyencye reason doth agre
But that suffysaunce makyng noblenes
Must nedys he ānexid vnto goodnes
For suffysauns is not the cause pryncypall
That god his noble but hys goodnes wythall
¶So vertue is euer the thyng pryncypall
That gentylnes & noblenes doth insue
Then these hedys rulers & gouernours all
Shuld come therto be cause of theyr vertue
And in auctoryte they ought not contynue
Except they be good men dyscrete & wyse
And haue a loue & zele vnto Iustyce
¶wherfore souereyns all that here present be
Now marke well these reasons here brought in
Both agayns men of hye & of low degre
For thys intent only to rebuke syn
For the best wey that is for one to begyn
To cōuert the people by exortacyon
ys to ꝑswade them by naturall reason
¶For when that a man by hys owne reason
Iuggyth hymselfe for to offend
That grudgyth his cōscyens & gyffyth cōpuncyon
Into hys herte to cause hym amend
But such blynd bestꝭ that wyl not intend
To here no good councell nor reason
Ought by thee law to haue sharp coreccyon
¶But then yf the laws be not suffycyent
whych haue be made & ordeynyd before
To gyfe ther fore cōdygne ponyshment
The pryncys & gouernours be bound euermore
To cause new laws to be made therfore
And to put such men in auctocyte
That good men Iust & indyfferent be
¶But because that men of nature euermore
Be frayle & folowyng sensualyte
[Page]yt is impossyble in a maner therfore
For any gouernouss that be in auctoryte
At all tymys Iust & indyfferent to be
Except thes be brydelyd & therto compellyd
By some strayt laws for them deuysyd
¶As thus that no man such rome ocupye
But certayn yerys & than to be remouyd
yet that whyle bound to attend dylygently
And yf he offend & surely prouyd
wyth out any fauour that he be ponyhysshyd
For the ponysshment of a Iuge or offycer
Doth more good than of thousand other
¶And vntyll that such orders be deuysyd
Substauncyally / and put in execucyon
Loke neuer to see the world amended
Nor of the gret myschefes the reformacion
But they that be bounde to see the thyngꝭ done
I pray god of his grace put in theyr myndys
To reforme shortly suche thynges amys
¶And though that I my selfe now prase
Thus myn oppynyon haue publysshed
Or any of my felowes hare in this place
In any poynt here haue vs abused
we beseche you to holde vs excused
And so the auctour hereof requyreth you all
And thus I cōmyt you to god eternall.
AMEN.
Iohēs rastell me fieri fecit
Cum priuilegio regali.