¶ Here begynneth a treatyse of the smyth which that forged hym a new dame.
GOd that dyed on a tree
He glad them al with his gle
That wyll herken vnto me
And here what I wyll say
And ye shall here a maruel
Of a tale I shall you tell
How in Egypt it befell
And in that same countraye
Some tyme ther dwelled a smyth
that had bothe lande and lyth
Many a plowman hym wyth
By nyght and eke by day
the smyth was a subtyll syer
For well could he werke wyth the fyer
what men of hym wolde desyer
I tel you trouth by my fay
[Page] He coude werke wyth a mall
Many maner of metall
Hym selfe mayster dyd he call
wythouten any pere
Moche boste gan he blowe
And sayd he had no felowe
that coud worke worth a strawe
To hym ferre nor nere
He called hym selfe the kynge
wythout any leafynge
Of all maner of cunnynge
And of certes clere
Tyll it befell vpon a day
Our lorde came there away
And thought the smyth to assay
as ye shall after here
For hys pompe and hys pryde
That he blewe in eche syde
Our lorde thought at that tyde
His pryde should be layed
As the smyth stode workynge
To hym came our heauen kynge
Now he that made all thynge
Spede the he sayde
He sayd I haue a thyng to make
And thou wylt it vnder take
And do for my sake
Thou shalt be well payed
the smyth sayd so mote I the
tell on and let me se
It shal be done full wyghtely
wythin a lyttel brayed
[Page] For I am mayster of all
That smyteth wyth hamer or mall
And so may thou me call
I tell the for veray
I sawe hym neuer wyth myne eye
That could werke lyke I
I tell the full truely
By nyght ne by day
Can thou make a yerde of stele
To lede a blynde man wele
Our lorde gan to say
And make it so wyth thy mall
That he shall neuer stomble ne
[...]all
Than a mayster I wyll the call
Syr by my fay
The smyth than in a stody stode
Sayde I trowe thou be wode
Or els thou can but litle good
To talke of suche a thynge
And he be blynde he must nede
Haue a felowe hym to lede
That may se well in dede
to kepe hym fro fallynge
For and two blynd mē together go
Full oft they fall bothe two
It must nedes be so
they haue no manner of seynge
Howe should a blynde dotarde
walke wyth a blynd yarde
If it be stele neuer so hard
[...]
It is but a very leasynge
It were a lytell maystry
[Page] To make a blynde man to se
As suche a yerde truely
wythouten any layne
yes sayde our lorde that I can
Make suche yerde certayne
Or he that is an olde man
to make hym yonge agayne
The smyth sayd so mote I the
I haue an olde quayne wyth me
Myne olde beldame is she
I tell the wythout any layne
It is forty wynter and mo
Syth on fote she dyd go
And thou coud make her yonge so
than wolde I be fayne
Our lorde sayd where is she
Anone let me her se
And thou shalt se a maystre
More than thou can
the smyth sayd so mote I the
I shall her fetche vnto the
Anone than full wyghtely
After her the smyth ranne
And sayd dame slepest thou
I am come for the thou mayest me trowe
Thou shalt be made nowe
Agayne a yonge woman
He hent her vp than on hye
Than set she forth a loude cry
And sayd stronge thefe let me ly
Thou art I trowe a madde man
Lette me lye thou vnthryfty swayne
[...]
[Page] She shall be made at a brayd
Yonge now agayne
the smyth blewe as god bed
Tyll she was reed as a gled
yet for all that dede
Felt she no maner of payne
The smith said now is she shēt
Bothe her eyen are out brent
they wyl neuer be ment
Our workes are all in vayne
She hath had suche a hete
She wyll neuer eat mete
I haue blow on tyll I swete
withouten any layne
Our lorde sayd let me alone
thou shalt se and that anone
a full fayre woman
Of thys olde wyght
Our lord blessed her at a brayd
and on the styth he her layd
Take thy hamer he sayd
Dame I shall the wake
and make her now ryght
wyth a hamer he her strake
No bone of her he brake
She was a byrd bryght
Stand vp now lette me se
Than at that worde rose she
a fayre woman truely
and semely vnto syght
Our lord layd to the smyth
She is sounde of lymme and lyth
[Page] Nowe I haue made her on the styth
wyth hamer and wyth mall
Than was she loueseme of there
Bright as blosome on brere
None in Egypt her pere
So fayre and so tall
Her colour was clere
She semed but thyrty yere
She was whiter of lere
Than bone is of whale
than our lorde gan say
Now is here a fayre may
Smyth by night and by day
thy mayster thou me call
Now mayest thou se here in syght
Hole and of lym lyght
That was before an olde wyght
Both croked fote and hande
Gramercy syr sayd she
For thou hast wrought on me
It was a full great maystry
As I vnderstande
I was blynde nowe may I se
Croked I was truely
Now may I walke wyghtly
My bales are vnbande
Suche a smyth as thou art one
I dare say here is none
And a man shoulde gone
Through out thys land
For I dare say that thou can
yf here wert a dead man
[Page] Make hym on lyue anone
with thy excelent maystry
Than the smyth gan say
Syr what shall I to the pay
Or thou wende thy way
thy craft to teche me
Our lord sayd than to him againe
that thou desyrest is all in vayne
Thought y
u woldest neuer so faine
yet wyl it neuer be
Thou shalt neuer yf thou wolde
Make an yonge man of an olde
Therfore be not to bolde
Leest it do disceyue thee
yet thou toldest me longe ere
Thou were wysest man of leere
that was knowen any where
Other farre or els nere
Farewell now and haue good day
I must forthe wēde on my iorney
Into an other countrey
Amonge many craftes there
And leue thy bostes I rede the
For I tell the now treuely
Is none so wyse ne to sle
But euer ye may som what lere
¶ The seconde fytte.
[Page]
NOw lysten syrs at a sent
And ye wil nowe my tale tent
How the smith his dame brēt
In the next fyt ye shall here
whan our lorde was gone
The smyth rathely and and anone
Called on hys dame Ione
And bad her com on fast
A none she aunswered tho
Thou wotest I may not go
wherto cryest thou so
Is thy wytte past
I am croked and also lame
And now to go it is no shame
age doth me muche grame
Me thynketh my bones brast
Thou wotest well I may no se
almost I am as blynde as a be
And yf I bye me truely
To fall I am agast
The smyth hande on her layd
Come forth dame he sayd
thou shalt be made at a brayd
younge and lusty agayne
thy dame is yonge agayne I wys
She is mended of her mysse
Her rudde redder it is
Than the rose is in rayne
that is a lyequod she
I fayth that wyl neuer be
She is blynde of that one eye
Her bones are vnbayne
[Page] The smyth sayd lo she is here
the swete dame that the bere
She is louesome of there
wythouten any layne
Art thou my mother sayd she
ye sayd she truely
Than sayd she benedicite
who hath made the thus
anone to her gan she say
I was made thus to daye
wyth one that came by the waye
Men call hys name Iesus
Now truely than sayd she
He hath amended well thy ble
For yester day so mote I the
thou were a foule sose
Dame sayd the smyth tho
I can make the yonde so
Had I a fyre brennynge blo
But now thou must helpe vs
than the symth at a brayed
A quarter of coles on he layed
Let vs blowe nowe he sayed
tyl all be on glede
And thou shalt se dame in hy
a crafte for the maystry
Full fewe men can it but I
I tel the trouthe in dede
why what wylt thou do with me
Dame brenne the sayd he
Nay not so sayd she
Chryst it for bede
[Page] To brenne me were a shrewde game
wottest not thou knaue whome I am
Thefe I am thyne owne dame
Euyll mote thou spede
Traytour and thou brenne me
Thou shalt be hanged on a tree
My malyson I gyue thee
woldest thou me slo
God let thee neuer eate brede
Woldest thou haue thy dam dede
touche me not I thee rede
For bothe thyne eyen two
The fyrst tyme I thee see
I wolde I had throtled thee
Now thou woldest brenne me
And werke me thys wo
I tell thee by sweete saynt Iohn
thou shalt haue my malyson
But thy hamer anone
thou cast thee fro
Moche wo hast thou wrought
I kept the whē thou were nought
Fostred and forth the brought
Full oft dyd I make
Dame sayd the smyth I trowe
Olde shrewe it is for thy prowe
that on thys wyse nowe
yonge I shall thee make
Anone se that thou shall
Had I my hamer and mimall
I wolde make the full tall
And yonge I vndertake
[Page] He layed hande on hit tho
Than she spurnedat hym so
that his shynnes bothe two
In sonder she there brake
Than the smyth began to stare
And sayd daine god gyue the care
what aylest thee thus to fare
I trowe thou art wode
yonge ful soone I can make thee
And that anone thou shalt se
I am waxen now full crafty
I tell thee by the rode
Thou spēdest now ād mai not pay
Thou hast lyen full many a day
By the wall for so the I thee say
And can do no good
Full fast the fyre gan he blow
And sayd be thou neuer so throw
I shal amende the sonne I trow
Of bone and eke of bloud
She sayde syr by saynt Ihone
Of thy mendyng kepe Inone
Therfore let me alone
And touche me no more
yes sayde he that I mote
Come for the olde dote
She catched hym by the throte
That bloud out gan fate
As he drew her nere
She set her fote agaynst a spere
And sayd thefe wylt thou me dere
God gyue the care
[Page] He cast her on the smythes stocke
And than she hent hym by the locke
And gaue hym many a great knocke
She spared not the bare
Euer she sporned wyth her fote
In hande a hamer she gate
And knocked hym aboue the pate
the bloud gan out brast
And she tapped at hym then
Strong thefe she sayd I shal the ken
thyne owne dame for to brenne
She bette vpon him fast
there she had welny
Stryken out his one eye
though the smyth bygge be
Of her he was abasshed
Stefly on her fete she stode
and smote on him as she were wode
the smyth ranne on reed blode
All to rent and rasshed
the smyth at a brayd
wolde her in the fore haue layd
Nay thefe tho she sayd
Yet wyl I not come there
Helpe some good man sayd she
thys thefe wyl brenne me
Anone than full myghtely
She caught hym by the heer
Of his lockes gan she pull
Many great handfu
[...]l
Rent the skyn from the skull
The pan gan appeare
[Page] She sayd thefe lette me go
wylt thou thy dame slo
Loude out cryed she tho
That many a man myght here
the smyth than in hast
water on the coles cast
The fyre he blewe full fast
and made it brenne full bryght
The smyth angred wyth that
Cast her in the fyre flat
All way fast gan she scrat
at hym wyth all her myght
Into the fyre he her thrast
and sayd I holde thy wytte past
Olde shrowe at the l
[...]st
Thou shalt be newe dyght
whā he had smored her in y
• smok
Out of the fyre he her toke
She had none eyen for to loke
For lost was her syght
He laide her on the stythe a longe
and wyth an hamer he on throng
that both her armes of spronge
Than waxed he vnfayne
and sayd so euer eate I meate
thou shalt haue a better heate
Mo coles gan he gete
To blowe he was full fayne
the fyre sparkeled and spronge
He cast on water some tymes amonge
and said yet I hope to make the yonge
wythout any layne
[Page] Than he heut her vp on hy
And layed her on the stethy
And hamered her strongely
with strokes that were vngayne
Fast on her he layed
Waxe yong dame he sayd
than bothe her legges at a brayd
Fell sone her fro
what euyll hayle sayd he
wylt not thou yonge be
Speke now let me se
And say ones bo
Than he toke her by the heed
And sayd dame art thou deed
Speke now in thys steed
And say ye or els nay
Though both thy legges be awai
yet speke pardy thou may
Say on dame I the pray
Felest thou any wo
Dame I haue lost on the
Moche labour truely
Now and thou deed be
So fayre must me be fall
Loud on her he can cry
And sayde dame speke on hye
Or by my trouth truely
Brenne thee vp I shall
what canst thou nothyng say
I hold
[...] thee deed by this day
Her arm
[...] anone he threw away
Euen agaynst the wall
[Page] And lyghtly his way he went than
After Iesu fast he ran
As he had ben a madde man
And full fast kan hym call
And sayd for saynt charyte
Abyde nowe and speake wyth me
But thou me helpe truely
My cares are full colde
My owne dame I haue slayne
I wolde haue made her yonge agayne
all my laboure was in vayne
Her legges wolde not holde
Our lorde sayd verament
Hast thou thy dame brent
He sayd lorde she is shent
But yf thou helpe wolde
Our lorde sayd go we full yare
Yet I bad the longe care
Of suche craft to beware
And be not to bolde
A good lorde sayd he
I crye the hartely mercy
I wolde haue wrought after the
and learned of thy lore
Sayd our lorde go thy way
Now thou doest me pray
I shall helpe that I maye
Her for to restore
A none as he her se
He blessed her full fayrely
And bad her stande vpon hy
anone she rose vp there
[Page] She semed younge and not olde
Bryght as blossome her to beholde
Fayrer by a thosand folde
Than she was before
She was whyte as a bone of whale
Bryghter then be tall
Than to the earth gan she fall
And thanked god intere
The smyth had good game
And fetched forth hys beldame
Than they all thre in same
Kneled there in fere
And helde vp theyr handes on hy
And thanked god wyth all theyr myght
That he had them so dyght
And mended theyr chere
Our lorde sayd to the smyth tho
Loke thou brenne neuer mo
For this craft I shal tel the
Can thou neuer lere
But here a poynt I gyue the
The mayster shalt thou yet be
Of all thy craft truely
Wythout any delay
What man of craft so euer be
And he haue no helpe of the
Thoughe he be neuer so sle
warke not he may
Than our lorde forth went
And bad the smyth take good tent
That he no me folke brent
By nyght nor yet by day
[Page] Our lorde thus forth gan go
And left them togyther so
and dyd many a meruayle mo
In dyuers countreis
He made many a croked ryght
And gaue blynd men agayne theyr syght
Dead men throughe hys myght
He raysed full sone agayne
Leprous made he clere
Defe men for to here
and other sycknesses in fere
He heled them certayne
all sycke men that to hym sought
and to hym that were brought
and loued lely in theyr thought
And were losed of theyr paynt
Pray we all to hym thys
That suche a lordy is
That he brynge vs to blys
That neuer shall mys. Amen.
❀Thus endeth the game
How the smyth brent hys dame
and after made agayne
By our blessed lord
FINIS.
Imprented at London in Lothburi ouer a gaynst Sainct Margarites church by me Wyllyam Copland.