[Reduced Facsimile of Title-page of "Nature," from copynow in the British Museum.C34,e,54.]
[Reduced Facsimile of Title-page of "Nature," from copynow in the British Museum.C34,e,54.]
[Reduced Facsimile of Title-page of "Nature," from copynow in the British Museum.C34,e,54.]
A goodly Interlude of Nature, compiled byMasterHENRY MEDWALL
CHAPLAIN TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GODJOHN MORTON
SOMETIME CARDINAL AND ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
The Names of the Players:
Cum Privilegio
NATURE
First cometh inMundus,and sitteth down,and saith nothing; and with himWorldlyAffection,bearing a gown and cap and agirdle forMan.Then cometh inNature, Man, Reason,andInnocency;andNaturesitteth down andsaith.
First cometh inMundus,and sitteth down,and saith nothing; and with himWorldlyAffection,bearing a gown and cap and agirdle forMan.
Then cometh inNature, Man, Reason,andInnocency;andNaturesitteth down andsaith.
Nature.Th' almighty God that made each creature,As well in heaven as other place earthly,By His wise ordinance hath purveyed me, Nature,To be as minister, under Him immediately,For th' encheson that I should, perpetually,His creatures in such degree maintainAs it hath pleased His grace for them to ordain.To me it longeth, by natural engendure,Thing to continue that hath spirit of life;Which, nor were my help, should never endure,But suddenly perish and wax all caitiff.Atwixt th' elements, that whilom were at strife,I have suaged the old repugnanceAnd knit them together, in manner of alliance.Eke, I have ordained the goddess Diane,Lady of the sea and every fresh fountain,Which commonly decreaseth when she ginneth wane,And waxeth abundant when she creaseth again.Of ebb and flood she is cause certain;And reigneth, as princess, in every isle and townThat with the sea is compassed environ.I am causer of such impressionAs appeareth wondrous to man's sight:As of flames that, from the starry region,Seemeth to fall in times of the night;Some shoot sidelong, and some down right:Which causeth the ignorant to stand in dreadThat stars do fall, yet falleth there none indeed.What needeth it to speak of things here below?As fowls, beasts, and fishes in their kind;Of trees, herbs, and stones, how they grow.In which, men sundry and many virtuous findOne thing, be ye sure, and think it in your mind:No manner creature may take on him the cureOf these works, but only I, Nature.And, plainly, there is in earth no manner thingThat is not partner of my influence;I do provide, for every beast living,Of natural food always sufficience;And give them, also, a manner of prudenceWhereby they may naturally ensueThing that is delectable, and th' other eschew.Who taught the cock his watch hours to observe,And sing of courage with shrill throat on high?Who taught the pelican her tender heart to carveFor she nold suffer her birds to die?Who taught the nightingale to record, busily,Her strange entunes in silence of the night?Certes! I, Nature, and none other wight.But if that I should clepe to memoryEach strange effect, and every great marvelThat I have caused, I ensure you faithfullyThat rather time than process should me fail.It were your pain, and to me but travailAll such matters as now to bring in place;Wherefore, I let pass them till other time and space.But, if ye covet now to know th' effectOf things natural, by true conclusion,Counsel with Aristotle, my philosopher elect;Which hath left in books of his traditionHow every thing, by heavenly constellation,Is brought to effect; and, in what manner wise,As far as man's wit may naturally comprise.Wherefore, sith God, of His great largesseHath thus enriched me with dower of His grace,And made me, as who saith, a worldly goddess,Of duty I can no less do in this caseBut with heart's joy and entire solaceMyself address to do His high pleasures,And to this same move all other creatures.Enforce you, therefore, His creatures each oneTo honour your Maker with humble obeisance—Namely, thou man! I speak to thee aloneBefore all other, as chief of His creance.Think how He hath made thee this semblance;Pluck up thine heart, and hold thine head upright;And evermore have heaven in thy sight.Ovid in his book, clepedThe Transformation,Among all other his fables and poesiesMaketh special mention of thy creation;Showing how God wondrously gan deviseWhen He thee made, and gave to thee th' empriseOf all this world, and feoffed thee with allAs chief possessioner of things mortal.In token whereof He gave thee upright visage;And gave thee in commandment to lift thine eyeUp toward heaven, only for that usageThou shouldest know Him for thy Lord Almighty,All other beasts as things unworthy;To behold th' earth with grovelling countenance;And be subdued to thine obeisance.But, as touching the cause speciallyWherefore I have ordained thee this night to appear,It is to put thee in knowledge and memoryTo what intent thou art ordained to be here.I let thee wit thou art a passengerThat hast to do a great and long voyage,And through the world must be thy passage.Address thyself now towards this journey;For, as now thou shalt no longer here abide,Lo! here Reason to govern thee in thy way,And Sensuality upon thine other side.But Reason I depute to be thy chief guide,With Innocency that is thy tender nourice;Evermore to wean thee from th' appetite of vice.Man.O Lord of Lords, my Lord God immortal!To Thee be honour and joy ever to endure;Whose heavenly empire shall never be final,But world without end remain stable and sure;Whom heaven and hell and earthly creature,With one assent, and all with one accord,Honoureth, praiseth, and knowledgeth for their Lord.To Thee mine head I humbly incline,Thanking Thy grace that first hast ordained meTo be as a silly creature of Thine;And, after that, of Thy great bountyThou hast me set in sovereign degree,And given me the profits of every earthly thing,As well of fruits as of beasts living;And that, that is also most precious,Thou hast me inspired with heavenly wisdom,Whereby I may do works marvellous.In every place, wheresoever I come,Of each perfection Thy grace hath lent me some;So that I know that creature nowhereOf whose virtue I am not partner.I have, as hath each other elementAmong other in this world, a common being;With herbs and trees continual nourishmentThat is sufficient to natural living;With sensual beasts I have a manner of knowingWhereby I should in good things delight,And flee the contrary of mine appetite.And, over all this, Thou hast given me virtueSurmounting all other in high perfection:That is, understanding, whereby I may aviewAnd well discern what is to be done;Yet, for all that, have I free election[To] do what I will, be it evil or well;And am put in the hand of mine own counsel.And, in this point, I am half angelic;Unto Thy heavenly spirits almost egal;Albeit in some part I be to them unlike.For, they be ordained to endure perpetual;And I, wretched body! shall have my funeralWhen it pleaseth Thy grace so to provide:Man is not ordained alway here to abide.Wherefore, unto Thy sovereign and high estate,Most heavenly prince! I make mine orisonSith it hath pleased Thy noble grace algateThat I, unworthy of so great renown,In this world shall have possession:Thou give me grace myself to enureAs may me profit, and be to Thy pleasure.Nature.God hath heard thy prayer, Mankind, no doubt,In all thy requests and right full petition.Now, forth thy journey! and look well aboutThat thou be not deceived by false prodition.Let Reason thee govern in every condition;For, if thou do not to his rule incline,It will be to thy great mischief and ruin.I wot well Sensuality is to thee natural,And granted to thee in thy first creation.But, notwithstanding, it ought to be over allSubdued to Reason, and under his tuition.Thou hast now liberty, and needest no main-mission;And, if thou aband thee to passions sensual,Farewell thy liberty! thou shalt wax thrall.Sensuality.What, lady Nature! have I none intressAs well as Reason or Innocency?Think ye this, lady! a good processThat they are advanced and I let go by?Ye know right well that I ought naturally,Before all other, to have of him the cure:I am the chief perfection of his nature.Alas! what could the silly body do?Or, how should it live nor were the help of me?Certes! it could not well creep nor go;At the leastwise it should neither feel here nor see,But be as other insensate bodies be;In much worse case than worms of the groundIn which unneth any token of life is found.Meseemeth it should abhor him for to hearThat I destrained should be in any wise,Standing that I was create to be his fere;Of all his guiding to take the enterprise:And now ye put me out of his service,And have assigned Reason to be his guide—With Innocency, his nourice, thus am I set aside.Ye clepe him lord of all beasts living;And nothing worthy, as far as I can see.For, if there be in him no manner of feeling,Nor no lively quickness, what lord is he?A lord made of clouts, or carved out of tree;And fareth as an image graved out of stoneThat nothing else can do but stand alone.If ye intend him to continue longIn honour, or worldly felicity,He must needs follow his appetite among;And conform himself to the more part.I tell you men will have no dintyTo do service or homage to a block:All the world will think it but a mock.Suffer me, therefore, to have with him a room,And to be with him as chief counsell[or];And if he do so, I think to doomHe shall reign in the world as chief governor.But, if Reason tickle him in the ear,Or bear him on hand the cow is wood,He shall never be able to do earthly good.Nat.My friend! as I said to you before,A room shall ye have: no man saith nay;But Reason must be preferred evermore.For he can best lead him to the wayOf virtue and grace, whereby he mayLongest continue to God's high pleasure;To the which end God hath ordained this His creature.Content thyself now with Reason, my friend!And meddle thee no further than thou hast to do.Thou has brought many a man to a wretched endAnd so thou wouldst spoil His creature also.But whatsoever he say take no heed theretoWithout that Reason will allow the same;For whoso doth the contrary deserveth much blame.God and I, Nature, have set thee in better caseThan any creature under the firmament.Abuse not, Man! abuse not thy graceOf God Almighty that from above is sent!Thou shalt be the first that shall repentIf ever thou flee Reason and sue folly,When once thou feelest the smart of misery.But, be of comfort! hardely God shall sendBoth ghostly aid and worldly help also;And I shall never fail, unto thy life's end,To minister unto thee as me oweth to do.Lo! yonder the world which thou must needs to:Now, shape thee thither; there is no more to say—Thy Lord and mine guide thee in thy way!
Nature.Th' almighty God that made each creature,As well in heaven as other place earthly,By His wise ordinance hath purveyed me, Nature,To be as minister, under Him immediately,For th' encheson that I should, perpetually,His creatures in such degree maintainAs it hath pleased His grace for them to ordain.
To me it longeth, by natural engendure,Thing to continue that hath spirit of life;Which, nor were my help, should never endure,But suddenly perish and wax all caitiff.Atwixt th' elements, that whilom were at strife,I have suaged the old repugnanceAnd knit them together, in manner of alliance.
Eke, I have ordained the goddess Diane,Lady of the sea and every fresh fountain,Which commonly decreaseth when she ginneth wane,And waxeth abundant when she creaseth again.Of ebb and flood she is cause certain;And reigneth, as princess, in every isle and townThat with the sea is compassed environ.
I am causer of such impressionAs appeareth wondrous to man's sight:As of flames that, from the starry region,Seemeth to fall in times of the night;Some shoot sidelong, and some down right:Which causeth the ignorant to stand in dreadThat stars do fall, yet falleth there none indeed.
What needeth it to speak of things here below?As fowls, beasts, and fishes in their kind;Of trees, herbs, and stones, how they grow.In which, men sundry and many virtuous findOne thing, be ye sure, and think it in your mind:No manner creature may take on him the cureOf these works, but only I, Nature.
And, plainly, there is in earth no manner thingThat is not partner of my influence;I do provide, for every beast living,Of natural food always sufficience;And give them, also, a manner of prudenceWhereby they may naturally ensueThing that is delectable, and th' other eschew.
Who taught the cock his watch hours to observe,And sing of courage with shrill throat on high?Who taught the pelican her tender heart to carveFor she nold suffer her birds to die?Who taught the nightingale to record, busily,Her strange entunes in silence of the night?Certes! I, Nature, and none other wight.
But if that I should clepe to memoryEach strange effect, and every great marvelThat I have caused, I ensure you faithfullyThat rather time than process should me fail.It were your pain, and to me but travailAll such matters as now to bring in place;Wherefore, I let pass them till other time and space.
But, if ye covet now to know th' effectOf things natural, by true conclusion,Counsel with Aristotle, my philosopher elect;Which hath left in books of his traditionHow every thing, by heavenly constellation,Is brought to effect; and, in what manner wise,As far as man's wit may naturally comprise.
Wherefore, sith God, of His great largesseHath thus enriched me with dower of His grace,And made me, as who saith, a worldly goddess,Of duty I can no less do in this caseBut with heart's joy and entire solaceMyself address to do His high pleasures,And to this same move all other creatures.
Enforce you, therefore, His creatures each oneTo honour your Maker with humble obeisance—Namely, thou man! I speak to thee aloneBefore all other, as chief of His creance.Think how He hath made thee this semblance;Pluck up thine heart, and hold thine head upright;And evermore have heaven in thy sight.Ovid in his book, clepedThe Transformation,Among all other his fables and poesiesMaketh special mention of thy creation;Showing how God wondrously gan deviseWhen He thee made, and gave to thee th' empriseOf all this world, and feoffed thee with allAs chief possessioner of things mortal.In token whereof He gave thee upright visage;And gave thee in commandment to lift thine eyeUp toward heaven, only for that usageThou shouldest know Him for thy Lord Almighty,All other beasts as things unworthy;To behold th' earth with grovelling countenance;And be subdued to thine obeisance.But, as touching the cause speciallyWherefore I have ordained thee this night to appear,It is to put thee in knowledge and memoryTo what intent thou art ordained to be here.I let thee wit thou art a passengerThat hast to do a great and long voyage,And through the world must be thy passage.Address thyself now towards this journey;For, as now thou shalt no longer here abide,Lo! here Reason to govern thee in thy way,And Sensuality upon thine other side.But Reason I depute to be thy chief guide,With Innocency that is thy tender nourice;Evermore to wean thee from th' appetite of vice.
Man.O Lord of Lords, my Lord God immortal!To Thee be honour and joy ever to endure;Whose heavenly empire shall never be final,But world without end remain stable and sure;Whom heaven and hell and earthly creature,With one assent, and all with one accord,Honoureth, praiseth, and knowledgeth for their Lord.To Thee mine head I humbly incline,Thanking Thy grace that first hast ordained meTo be as a silly creature of Thine;And, after that, of Thy great bountyThou hast me set in sovereign degree,And given me the profits of every earthly thing,As well of fruits as of beasts living;And that, that is also most precious,Thou hast me inspired with heavenly wisdom,Whereby I may do works marvellous.In every place, wheresoever I come,Of each perfection Thy grace hath lent me some;So that I know that creature nowhereOf whose virtue I am not partner.I have, as hath each other elementAmong other in this world, a common being;With herbs and trees continual nourishmentThat is sufficient to natural living;With sensual beasts I have a manner of knowingWhereby I should in good things delight,And flee the contrary of mine appetite.And, over all this, Thou hast given me virtueSurmounting all other in high perfection:That is, understanding, whereby I may aviewAnd well discern what is to be done;Yet, for all that, have I free election[To] do what I will, be it evil or well;And am put in the hand of mine own counsel.And, in this point, I am half angelic;Unto Thy heavenly spirits almost egal;Albeit in some part I be to them unlike.For, they be ordained to endure perpetual;And I, wretched body! shall have my funeralWhen it pleaseth Thy grace so to provide:Man is not ordained alway here to abide.Wherefore, unto Thy sovereign and high estate,Most heavenly prince! I make mine orisonSith it hath pleased Thy noble grace algateThat I, unworthy of so great renown,In this world shall have possession:Thou give me grace myself to enureAs may me profit, and be to Thy pleasure.
Nature.God hath heard thy prayer, Mankind, no doubt,In all thy requests and right full petition.Now, forth thy journey! and look well aboutThat thou be not deceived by false prodition.Let Reason thee govern in every condition;For, if thou do not to his rule incline,It will be to thy great mischief and ruin.I wot well Sensuality is to thee natural,And granted to thee in thy first creation.But, notwithstanding, it ought to be over allSubdued to Reason, and under his tuition.Thou hast now liberty, and needest no main-mission;And, if thou aband thee to passions sensual,Farewell thy liberty! thou shalt wax thrall.
Sensuality.What, lady Nature! have I none intressAs well as Reason or Innocency?Think ye this, lady! a good processThat they are advanced and I let go by?Ye know right well that I ought naturally,Before all other, to have of him the cure:I am the chief perfection of his nature.Alas! what could the silly body do?Or, how should it live nor were the help of me?Certes! it could not well creep nor go;At the leastwise it should neither feel here nor see,But be as other insensate bodies be;In much worse case than worms of the groundIn which unneth any token of life is found.Meseemeth it should abhor him for to hearThat I destrained should be in any wise,Standing that I was create to be his fere;Of all his guiding to take the enterprise:And now ye put me out of his service,And have assigned Reason to be his guide—With Innocency, his nourice, thus am I set aside.Ye clepe him lord of all beasts living;And nothing worthy, as far as I can see.For, if there be in him no manner of feeling,Nor no lively quickness, what lord is he?A lord made of clouts, or carved out of tree;And fareth as an image graved out of stoneThat nothing else can do but stand alone.If ye intend him to continue longIn honour, or worldly felicity,He must needs follow his appetite among;And conform himself to the more part.I tell you men will have no dintyTo do service or homage to a block:All the world will think it but a mock.Suffer me, therefore, to have with him a room,And to be with him as chief counsell[or];And if he do so, I think to doomHe shall reign in the world as chief governor.But, if Reason tickle him in the ear,Or bear him on hand the cow is wood,He shall never be able to do earthly good.
Nat.My friend! as I said to you before,A room shall ye have: no man saith nay;But Reason must be preferred evermore.For he can best lead him to the wayOf virtue and grace, whereby he mayLongest continue to God's high pleasure;To the which end God hath ordained this His creature.Content thyself now with Reason, my friend!And meddle thee no further than thou hast to do.Thou has brought many a man to a wretched endAnd so thou wouldst spoil His creature also.But whatsoever he say take no heed theretoWithout that Reason will allow the same;For whoso doth the contrary deserveth much blame.God and I, Nature, have set thee in better caseThan any creature under the firmament.Abuse not, Man! abuse not thy graceOf God Almighty that from above is sent!Thou shalt be the first that shall repentIf ever thou flee Reason and sue folly,When once thou feelest the smart of misery.But, be of comfort! hardely God shall sendBoth ghostly aid and worldly help also;And I shall never fail, unto thy life's end,To minister unto thee as me oweth to do.Lo! yonder the world which thou must needs to:Now, shape thee thither; there is no more to say—Thy Lord and mine guide thee in thy way!
[ThenNaturegoeth out.
Sen. Well, lady Nature! leave ye me in this case?Shall I have of you none other comfort?By Christ! yet will I not hide my face;For, as soon as we shall to the world resort,I put no doubt he will me support.He hath been my good master many a day;And he will not see me thus cast away.Rea.Siker thyself, man! I advise thee hardely.Be not so passionate, nor yet so furious;Thou tormentest thyself and wottest not why.No well-advised body will demean him thus;Be sure thy mind is all erroneous;Thou takest a self will and wrong opinionWhich shall be thine and others confusion.Sen.Yea, Reason! sir, ye speak like a noble man;But yet are ye taken with a point oversight.What, would ye make me stand as a lurdan,And not speak one word for mine own right?I see it well that if your lordship might,By means possible, once bring it aboutYourself should be a ruler, and I but a cast-out.Rea.A ruler? certes! and so I ought to be;And a lord also, though ye say it in scorn.Sens.A lord! whose lord?Rea.Thy lord.Sens.Nay, so mote I thee!Thou liest! it may no longer be forborne;Thou camest but to-night and mayst hap go to-morn.For, if thou be as haughty as thou beginnest,Thou shalt avoid much sooner than thou weenest.Rea.As for mine avoidance, how soon soever it be,It shall not skill as for this intent;But he that first fleeth or forsaketh meHe shall have greatest occasion to repent.It shall be to his great trouble and tormentThat he hath left Reason, and sued his own folly,That thereby is fallen to wretched penury.But now, as touching the honour and degreeThat I am ordained to, I will thou understandThat Almighty God, of His grace and bounty,Of thee and such hath given me the overhand;And will that I use thee as a servant,To advise thee and reform thee when thou ginst to err;And to clepe thee homeward if thou rail too far.And, where thou sayst thou art so necessaryThat man without thee can have no living,As in that point we shall not much vary:I wot thou art necessary to his being.But, be thou sure that is not the very thingThat maketh him to appear so wondrous;And to be, in his nature, so noble and precious.It is a thing that doth right far exceedAll other perfections and virtues natural.For sensuality, in very deed,Is but a mean which causeth him to fallInto much folly, and maketh him bestial;So that there is no difference, in that at the least,Betwixt man and an unreasonable beast.But this other cometh of great tenderanceAnd spiritual love that God oweth to mankind,Whom He hath created to His own semblance;And endued with a wondrous mindWhereby he may well discern and findSufficient difference betwixt good and bad:Which is to be left, and which is to be had.Lo! this is it that doth him dignify;And causeth him to be reputed so excellent.And of all this the chief doer am I,Which from Heaven into earth by God am sent,Only for that cause and final intentThat I should this, His creature, demean and guideFor the season that he doth in this world abide.Now, compare thy virtues and mine together,And say which is the worthier of them two.Sens.Which is the worthier? forsooth! I trow neither;We be good fellows.Rea.Nay, my friend, not so!Thou ought to obey me wheresoever I go.Sens.Nay! that shall I never do; for, to-dayI shall thy fellow be, look thou never so high.And, therefore, hardely be somewhat fellow-like;Leave thy haut conceits, and take a meetly way.For shame of the world, man! let us not stickAt a matter of right nought, and traverse here all day.Have me in few words, man! and hark what I say:Meddle thou in no point that belongeth to me,And I shall promise thee never to meddle with thee.And, standing the nonage of this gentleman,On my peril take no care therefore.I shall demean it as well as I canTill he be passed forty years and more;And Reason then, if ye will undershoreHis crooked old age, when lusty youth is spent,Then take upon you: I hold me content.For, trust ye me! the very truth is this:This man is put in his own liberty;And, certainly, the free choice is hisWhether he will be governed by thee or by me.Let us, therefore, put it to his own jeopardy,And therein stand to his arbitramentTo which of us twain he had liefer assent.Rea.Nay, sir, not so! I know his frailty;The body is disposed for to fallRather to the worse than the better part;But it be holpen by power supernal.Sens.Yet, Reason! when thou hast said all,If thou see him not take his own way,Call me cut when thou meetest me another day.Rea.For certain yet, according to mine office,I must advertise and counsel him, at the least,To haunt virtue and 'schew all vice;And therein assist him to the uttermost;And if he will algates be a beast,And take none heed to my lore and doctrine,The peril and hurt shall be his, not mine.Inno.Sirs! I shall answer for this man, as yetThat he is maiden for all such follyAs should disdain nature, or dishonour it.Brought up with me, full well and tenderly,Wherefore I dare the surelier testifyFor Innocency, that he is yet virgin,Both for deed and eke consent of sin.And longer will not I be of his acquaintanceThan he is virtuous, and of good living;For, fleshly lust and worldly pleasanceIs, with Innocency, nothing according.But, if his behaviour and daily demeaningBe of such draught as reason will allow,I shall him favour and love, as I do now.Sens.Well spoken and wisely! now have ye all done?Or, have ye ought else to this man to say?Rea.O, sir, yea!Sens.Peace, no more of this disputation!Here be many fantasies to drive forth the day;That one chattereth like a pie; that other like a jay;And yet, when they both have done what they can,Maugre their teeth, I shall rule the man.Man.O, blessed Lord! what manner strife is thisAtwixt my reason and sensuality,That one meaneth well, and that other all amiss.In one is sikerness, and in tother great frailty;And both they be so annexed to meThat needest I must with one of them abide.Lord, as Thou thinkest best for me, do provide!For, I am wondrously entriked in this case,And almost brought into perplexity;Notwithstanding, thanked be Thy grace,As I did never assent, nor agreeTo things that should be contrarious unto Thee;Of sinful deed and thought all innocent,Subdued to Reason as his obedient.Rea.Christ grant you therein good continuance!To be ever of the same mind and intent.But now, will ye call to your remembranceFor what cause ye be hither sent?I hold it well done, and right expedientThat ye were brought unto the world's presence.Man.Be it so! in God's name I pray you go we hence!Rea.And will ye that I shall for you declareUnto the world the cause of your coming,What is your intent, and what person ye are?Man.Yea! I would be glad that everythingBe done even after your devising.Sens.Shall I then stand as I were tongue-tied?Man.Yea, hardely! till Reason have said.Rea.Sir World! it is the mind and also pleasureOf lady Nature, as she bade us to you tell,That ye accept and receive this her creatureWith you, for a season here to dwell;Desiring you heartily to entreat him well,With all the favour that ye can devise;Wherein ye shall do her great pleasure and service.The World.Sirs! ye be welcome to us heartily.Your message is to us right acceptable.Be ye assured there is nothing earthlyTo us so joyful, nor yet so delectable,As to be acquainted with persons honourable;Namely, such as ye seem to be,Men of high honour and of great dignity.And, as touching the message that ye have brought,Have thereof the full mind and intent;Assuring you that our busy thoughtShall be to do dame Nature's commandment.And, thereunto, we will be diligentTo do her pleasures in that we may;And so we would ye should to her say.And where ye show unto me that this manIs ordained to reign here, in this emperyI assent well; for, or nature beganTo shape the world she thought finallyTo ordain man therein to occupy;He to take upon him as mighty governor,Having all things subdued to his power.Wherefore, I receive greatly his coming.Mankind, sir, heartily welcome ye be!Ye are the person, without feigning,That I have evermore desired to see:Come! let me kiss you. O, benedicite!Ye be all naked! alas, man! why thus?I make you sure it is right perilous.Man.I thank you; but I need none other vesture;Nature hath clothed me as yet sufficiently.Guiltless of sin, and as a maiden pure,I wear on me the garment of innocency.Inno.Yea, hardely wear that garment continually:It shall thy body sufficiently safeguardFrom stormy weather, my life to jeopard.The World.Be peace, fair woman! ye are not very wise;Care ye not if this body take cold?Ye must consider this is not paradise,Nor yet so temperate by a thousandfold.Whoso liveth here, be he young or old,He must suffer both fervent cold and heat;And be out of temperance oft time in his diet.Also, he must needs do as the world dothThat intendeth any while here to reign;And follow the guise that now-a-day goeth,As far as his estate may it maintain.And who doth the contrary—I will be plain—He is abject and despised utterly;And standeth ever banished from all good company.Sith God, therefore, had ordained this bodyTo dwell here in this earthly region,Of convenience he must himself applyTo worldly things; and be of such conditionAs all men be; and leave each fond opinionThat is not approvable of wiser men than he;To take such way it is but vanity.Take this garment! man, do as I you bid!Be not ashamed hardely to do it on.So, lo! now this girdle have gird it in the mid;And this for your head go set it upon:By the charge of me! you be a goodly oneAs ever I saw sith that I was born;Worth a thousand that ye were beforne.Give me your hand! be not in fear!Sit down as ye are born to occupy this place!I give you here authority and powerOver all thing that conceived is, in the spaceOf all the earth that round is in compass,To be as lord of every region;And, thereof, I give you peaceable possession.Man.Blessed be Thou, my Lord, most bounteous!That of Thy great abundant charityMe, Thy wretched creature, hast honoured thusWith natural gifts and worldly dignity.Now, I beseech Thee, for Thy great pity,Sith Thou hast set me in so noble way,Suffer me not hereafter wretchedly to decay.For, certes! it is mine heart's desireSo to demean me in this life presentAs may be most unto Thy pleasure,And unto nature not disconvenient.This is my will and my chief intent;This will I observe, Thy grace to borrow,Though I, therefore, suffer much worldly sorrow.Rea.Forsooth! these words be greatly to allowIf they from meek and lowly heart proceed.Now, Mankind, sith thou hast made this vow,Shape thee, thereafter, thy life to lead;And let thy word be cousin to thy deed:That is to say, do thou none otherwiseThan thou here openly to God dost promise.Inno.Yea, sir! and ever look that ye abstain,Not only from deed, but also from the assent;See that ye commit neither of them twainIf ye will observe the high commandment.For, surely ye may not be cleped innocent,Nor guiltless of sin, as far as I can find,If once ye assent to folly in your mind.Mun.This is an hard word, sister, that ye have spoken;An hard word, surely, and an heavy sentence!But think ye God's commandment brokenFor a light trifle and matter of insolence?Alas! have ye such a spiced conscienceThat will be entriked with every merry thought?Leave it, woman! leave it! For it is nought.[Loquitur ad ho[minem].And man! as for you, ye shall not take that way;That manner of observance is too hard and strait.Ye must attempt the world; and, therein assayWhether ye can live after that endrait.These two folk harp both on refrait;And ever enbusieth them to rebuke you of sinThat never was spotted, nor found guilty therein.Take no heed of them! their words be but wind;And, as for this time, I command them to silence.And let us see now how prately ye can find,By sage policy and worldly prudence,To maintain the state, in honour and reverence,That ye shall be in while ye in the world dwell.Speak of this matter and ponder it well!First, meseemeth necessary to provideWhat manner folks your servants shall be;For, surely, ye are nothing accompaniedAccording to a man of your degree:Ye have here with you two persons or threeThat pleaseth you happily, in the best wise;Yet it appeareth not so to every man's guise.What man is this?Man.Reason, sir! my chief counsellor;And this Innocency, my nourice hitherto;And Sensuality that other, by whom I have powerTo do as all sensate beasts do.But Reason and Innocency, chiefly these two,Have the whole rule and governy of me;To whom eke is subdued my Sensuality.Sens.For certain, sir! Reason hath done me wrong;More than ever he shall be able to recompense.God knoweth, sir! I thought the season very longTill we were brought unto your presence.But now, I pray you to annul the sentenceThat Nature gave unto me by Reason's advice,To my great hurt and utter prejudice.And sir! I ask none amends earthly,But that Reason may have a checkmate;A little knack, a little pretty congy,His haut courage some thing to abate.For, hitherto, he hath kept great estate;And had of me the over hand and stronger:But be not displeased! I will suffer it no longer.Mun.Thou hast had great wrong, and that is pity;For, if thou be the person that I take thee for,Thou should'st be as honourable as he.* * * * *Sens.Lord! ye say well; but would God ye would seeSome manner help and remedy for this evil;And let me not alway live thus like a drivel.Mun.Sir! ye know well that if so it wereA man should suddenly come to a strange place,Wherein he is but alien and stranger,He must needs be compelled, in that case,To put himself in the favour and graceOf some singular person, that can show him the wayOf all the behaviour and guise in that country.So it is now that ye be hither sent;This country, as yet, to you unknown.In mine opinion it is expedientTo take some other counsel than your own,Of well inured men, such as have grownIn worldly experience, and have thereof the drift,And can best for you in time of need shift.Homo.Certes! ye move right well and prudently;And I am well content that it so be;But, as yet, have I not the policyTo know which men have most ability.Mun.Dare ye commit the matter unto me?Homo.Yea, sir! right well; I am fully contentThat all thing be done by your assignment.Mun.Then thus I will, that above all thing,From henceforward, ye be like and conformableUnto other persons in all your demeaning;Namely, to such as be companable,Be they never so vicious or abominable;For every man clepeth him wiseThat doth after the common guise.And, as for men that should do you service,I know divers persons that be right honourableThat can you serve, alway point device.In all the world be there none so able,So wise, so politic, nor yet so profitable.Lo! here is one of them that I speak for;And he himself can tell you where ye shall have more.Worldly Affection is this man's name;He is well brained, and wondrous of invention;A forecasting man and, payne of shame!Ye shall not find in any Christian regionA wiser fellow in things to be done;Specially of matters that be concerningWorldly pleasure, that is for you according.Suffer him, therefore, never to depart;But, if it be for matters of great substance,And for sensuality, I pray you with all my heartTo accept him to your favour and tendrance.He hath been long of mine acquaintance;And, on my faith! my heart cannot but grudgeTo think that ye should use him as a drudge.Do as he adviseth you, hardely now and then;And despise not utterly his counselThink that ye be here a worldly man;And must do as men that in the world dwell.Ye are not bound to live like an angel;Nor to be as God, alway immutable:Man's nature of himself is full miserable.I have told you now my counsel and advice;And ye have promised to be ruled thereby.Now, let each man execute his office;And see how wisely ye can them occupyTo increase the world, and it thereto ye must apply.Now, address you thereto; and demean you thus:I shall be to you ever good and prosperous.Man.Sir! I thank you of this courtesy,Undeserved as yet; but, be ye sure,I shall myself endeavour busilyTo do that may be to your pleasure.And, for the season that I shall here endure,I shall them cherish; and to my power maintainThat unto you in anywise do pertain.The Wor[ld].Then, to begin withal, I will advise youTo put this man from your company.I tell you every man will despise youAs long as ye be ruled by Innocency:To follow such counsel it is but folly;For, he can neither good, neither evil;And, therefore, he is taken but for a drivel.Man.By my faith! even as ye say:It liketh me not right wellWith Innocency long to dwell;Therefore, according to your counsel,I will not, after this day,With his company myself affere;As mute as it were a grey friar.I suppose there is no man here,Whatsoever he be,That could in his mind be contentAlways to be called an innocent.Wherefore, it is mine intentTo do as ye advise me.The World.Yea, hardely, do even so!Inno.Forsooth, and I hold me well contentTo depart at your commandment,Ye shall find me obedientWhatsoever ye bid me do.
Sen. Well, lady Nature! leave ye me in this case?Shall I have of you none other comfort?By Christ! yet will I not hide my face;For, as soon as we shall to the world resort,I put no doubt he will me support.He hath been my good master many a day;And he will not see me thus cast away.
Rea.Siker thyself, man! I advise thee hardely.Be not so passionate, nor yet so furious;Thou tormentest thyself and wottest not why.No well-advised body will demean him thus;Be sure thy mind is all erroneous;Thou takest a self will and wrong opinionWhich shall be thine and others confusion.
Sen.Yea, Reason! sir, ye speak like a noble man;But yet are ye taken with a point oversight.What, would ye make me stand as a lurdan,And not speak one word for mine own right?I see it well that if your lordship might,By means possible, once bring it aboutYourself should be a ruler, and I but a cast-out.
Rea.A ruler? certes! and so I ought to be;And a lord also, though ye say it in scorn.
Sens.A lord! whose lord?
Rea.Thy lord.
Sens.Nay, so mote I thee!Thou liest! it may no longer be forborne;Thou camest but to-night and mayst hap go to-morn.For, if thou be as haughty as thou beginnest,Thou shalt avoid much sooner than thou weenest.
Rea.As for mine avoidance, how soon soever it be,It shall not skill as for this intent;But he that first fleeth or forsaketh meHe shall have greatest occasion to repent.It shall be to his great trouble and tormentThat he hath left Reason, and sued his own folly,That thereby is fallen to wretched penury.
But now, as touching the honour and degreeThat I am ordained to, I will thou understandThat Almighty God, of His grace and bounty,Of thee and such hath given me the overhand;And will that I use thee as a servant,To advise thee and reform thee when thou ginst to err;And to clepe thee homeward if thou rail too far.
And, where thou sayst thou art so necessaryThat man without thee can have no living,As in that point we shall not much vary:I wot thou art necessary to his being.But, be thou sure that is not the very thingThat maketh him to appear so wondrous;And to be, in his nature, so noble and precious.
It is a thing that doth right far exceedAll other perfections and virtues natural.For sensuality, in very deed,Is but a mean which causeth him to fallInto much folly, and maketh him bestial;So that there is no difference, in that at the least,Betwixt man and an unreasonable beast.
But this other cometh of great tenderanceAnd spiritual love that God oweth to mankind,Whom He hath created to His own semblance;And endued with a wondrous mindWhereby he may well discern and findSufficient difference betwixt good and bad:Which is to be left, and which is to be had.
Lo! this is it that doth him dignify;And causeth him to be reputed so excellent.And of all this the chief doer am I,Which from Heaven into earth by God am sent,Only for that cause and final intentThat I should this, His creature, demean and guideFor the season that he doth in this world abide.
Now, compare thy virtues and mine together,And say which is the worthier of them two.
Sens.Which is the worthier? forsooth! I trow neither;We be good fellows.
Rea.Nay, my friend, not so!Thou ought to obey me wheresoever I go.
Sens.Nay! that shall I never do; for, to-dayI shall thy fellow be, look thou never so high.
And, therefore, hardely be somewhat fellow-like;Leave thy haut conceits, and take a meetly way.For shame of the world, man! let us not stickAt a matter of right nought, and traverse here all day.Have me in few words, man! and hark what I say:Meddle thou in no point that belongeth to me,And I shall promise thee never to meddle with thee.
And, standing the nonage of this gentleman,On my peril take no care therefore.I shall demean it as well as I canTill he be passed forty years and more;And Reason then, if ye will undershoreHis crooked old age, when lusty youth is spent,Then take upon you: I hold me content.
For, trust ye me! the very truth is this:This man is put in his own liberty;And, certainly, the free choice is hisWhether he will be governed by thee or by me.Let us, therefore, put it to his own jeopardy,And therein stand to his arbitramentTo which of us twain he had liefer assent.
Rea.Nay, sir, not so! I know his frailty;The body is disposed for to fallRather to the worse than the better part;But it be holpen by power supernal.
Sens.Yet, Reason! when thou hast said all,If thou see him not take his own way,Call me cut when thou meetest me another day.
Rea.For certain yet, according to mine office,I must advertise and counsel him, at the least,To haunt virtue and 'schew all vice;And therein assist him to the uttermost;And if he will algates be a beast,And take none heed to my lore and doctrine,The peril and hurt shall be his, not mine.
Inno.Sirs! I shall answer for this man, as yetThat he is maiden for all such follyAs should disdain nature, or dishonour it.Brought up with me, full well and tenderly,Wherefore I dare the surelier testifyFor Innocency, that he is yet virgin,Both for deed and eke consent of sin.
And longer will not I be of his acquaintanceThan he is virtuous, and of good living;For, fleshly lust and worldly pleasanceIs, with Innocency, nothing according.But, if his behaviour and daily demeaningBe of such draught as reason will allow,I shall him favour and love, as I do now.
Sens.Well spoken and wisely! now have ye all done?Or, have ye ought else to this man to say?
Rea.O, sir, yea!
Sens.Peace, no more of this disputation!Here be many fantasies to drive forth the day;That one chattereth like a pie; that other like a jay;And yet, when they both have done what they can,Maugre their teeth, I shall rule the man.
Man.O, blessed Lord! what manner strife is thisAtwixt my reason and sensuality,That one meaneth well, and that other all amiss.In one is sikerness, and in tother great frailty;And both they be so annexed to meThat needest I must with one of them abide.Lord, as Thou thinkest best for me, do provide!
For, I am wondrously entriked in this case,And almost brought into perplexity;Notwithstanding, thanked be Thy grace,As I did never assent, nor agreeTo things that should be contrarious unto Thee;Of sinful deed and thought all innocent,Subdued to Reason as his obedient.
Rea.Christ grant you therein good continuance!To be ever of the same mind and intent.But now, will ye call to your remembranceFor what cause ye be hither sent?I hold it well done, and right expedientThat ye were brought unto the world's presence.
Man.Be it so! in God's name I pray you go we hence!
Rea.And will ye that I shall for you declareUnto the world the cause of your coming,What is your intent, and what person ye are?
Man.Yea! I would be glad that everythingBe done even after your devising.
Sens.Shall I then stand as I were tongue-tied?
Man.Yea, hardely! till Reason have said.
Rea.Sir World! it is the mind and also pleasureOf lady Nature, as she bade us to you tell,That ye accept and receive this her creatureWith you, for a season here to dwell;Desiring you heartily to entreat him well,With all the favour that ye can devise;Wherein ye shall do her great pleasure and service.
The World.Sirs! ye be welcome to us heartily.Your message is to us right acceptable.Be ye assured there is nothing earthlyTo us so joyful, nor yet so delectable,As to be acquainted with persons honourable;Namely, such as ye seem to be,Men of high honour and of great dignity.
And, as touching the message that ye have brought,Have thereof the full mind and intent;Assuring you that our busy thoughtShall be to do dame Nature's commandment.And, thereunto, we will be diligentTo do her pleasures in that we may;And so we would ye should to her say.
And where ye show unto me that this manIs ordained to reign here, in this emperyI assent well; for, or nature beganTo shape the world she thought finallyTo ordain man therein to occupy;He to take upon him as mighty governor,Having all things subdued to his power.
Wherefore, I receive greatly his coming.Mankind, sir, heartily welcome ye be!Ye are the person, without feigning,That I have evermore desired to see:Come! let me kiss you. O, benedicite!Ye be all naked! alas, man! why thus?I make you sure it is right perilous.
Man.I thank you; but I need none other vesture;Nature hath clothed me as yet sufficiently.Guiltless of sin, and as a maiden pure,I wear on me the garment of innocency.
Inno.Yea, hardely wear that garment continually:It shall thy body sufficiently safeguardFrom stormy weather, my life to jeopard.
The World.Be peace, fair woman! ye are not very wise;Care ye not if this body take cold?Ye must consider this is not paradise,Nor yet so temperate by a thousandfold.Whoso liveth here, be he young or old,He must suffer both fervent cold and heat;And be out of temperance oft time in his diet.
Also, he must needs do as the world dothThat intendeth any while here to reign;And follow the guise that now-a-day goeth,As far as his estate may it maintain.And who doth the contrary—I will be plain—He is abject and despised utterly;And standeth ever banished from all good company.Sith God, therefore, had ordained this bodyTo dwell here in this earthly region,Of convenience he must himself applyTo worldly things; and be of such conditionAs all men be; and leave each fond opinionThat is not approvable of wiser men than he;To take such way it is but vanity.Take this garment! man, do as I you bid!Be not ashamed hardely to do it on.So, lo! now this girdle have gird it in the mid;And this for your head go set it upon:By the charge of me! you be a goodly oneAs ever I saw sith that I was born;Worth a thousand that ye were beforne.Give me your hand! be not in fear!Sit down as ye are born to occupy this place!I give you here authority and powerOver all thing that conceived is, in the spaceOf all the earth that round is in compass,To be as lord of every region;And, thereof, I give you peaceable possession.
Man.Blessed be Thou, my Lord, most bounteous!That of Thy great abundant charityMe, Thy wretched creature, hast honoured thusWith natural gifts and worldly dignity.Now, I beseech Thee, for Thy great pity,Sith Thou hast set me in so noble way,Suffer me not hereafter wretchedly to decay.For, certes! it is mine heart's desireSo to demean me in this life presentAs may be most unto Thy pleasure,And unto nature not disconvenient.This is my will and my chief intent;This will I observe, Thy grace to borrow,Though I, therefore, suffer much worldly sorrow.
Rea.Forsooth! these words be greatly to allowIf they from meek and lowly heart proceed.Now, Mankind, sith thou hast made this vow,Shape thee, thereafter, thy life to lead;And let thy word be cousin to thy deed:That is to say, do thou none otherwiseThan thou here openly to God dost promise.
Inno.Yea, sir! and ever look that ye abstain,Not only from deed, but also from the assent;See that ye commit neither of them twainIf ye will observe the high commandment.For, surely ye may not be cleped innocent,Nor guiltless of sin, as far as I can find,If once ye assent to folly in your mind.
Mun.This is an hard word, sister, that ye have spoken;An hard word, surely, and an heavy sentence!But think ye God's commandment brokenFor a light trifle and matter of insolence?Alas! have ye such a spiced conscienceThat will be entriked with every merry thought?Leave it, woman! leave it! For it is nought.
[Loquitur ad ho[minem].
And man! as for you, ye shall not take that way;That manner of observance is too hard and strait.Ye must attempt the world; and, therein assayWhether ye can live after that endrait.These two folk harp both on refrait;And ever enbusieth them to rebuke you of sinThat never was spotted, nor found guilty therein.
Take no heed of them! their words be but wind;And, as for this time, I command them to silence.And let us see now how prately ye can find,By sage policy and worldly prudence,To maintain the state, in honour and reverence,That ye shall be in while ye in the world dwell.Speak of this matter and ponder it well!
First, meseemeth necessary to provideWhat manner folks your servants shall be;For, surely, ye are nothing accompaniedAccording to a man of your degree:Ye have here with you two persons or threeThat pleaseth you happily, in the best wise;Yet it appeareth not so to every man's guise.
What man is this?
Man.Reason, sir! my chief counsellor;And this Innocency, my nourice hitherto;And Sensuality that other, by whom I have powerTo do as all sensate beasts do.But Reason and Innocency, chiefly these two,Have the whole rule and governy of me;To whom eke is subdued my Sensuality.
Sens.For certain, sir! Reason hath done me wrong;More than ever he shall be able to recompense.God knoweth, sir! I thought the season very longTill we were brought unto your presence.But now, I pray you to annul the sentenceThat Nature gave unto me by Reason's advice,To my great hurt and utter prejudice.
And sir! I ask none amends earthly,But that Reason may have a checkmate;A little knack, a little pretty congy,His haut courage some thing to abate.For, hitherto, he hath kept great estate;And had of me the over hand and stronger:But be not displeased! I will suffer it no longer.
Mun.Thou hast had great wrong, and that is pity;For, if thou be the person that I take thee for,Thou should'st be as honourable as he.
* * * * *
Sens.Lord! ye say well; but would God ye would seeSome manner help and remedy for this evil;And let me not alway live thus like a drivel.
Mun.Sir! ye know well that if so it wereA man should suddenly come to a strange place,Wherein he is but alien and stranger,He must needs be compelled, in that case,To put himself in the favour and graceOf some singular person, that can show him the wayOf all the behaviour and guise in that country.
So it is now that ye be hither sent;This country, as yet, to you unknown.In mine opinion it is expedientTo take some other counsel than your own,Of well inured men, such as have grownIn worldly experience, and have thereof the drift,And can best for you in time of need shift.
Homo.Certes! ye move right well and prudently;And I am well content that it so be;But, as yet, have I not the policyTo know which men have most ability.
Mun.Dare ye commit the matter unto me?
Homo.Yea, sir! right well; I am fully contentThat all thing be done by your assignment.
Mun.Then thus I will, that above all thing,From henceforward, ye be like and conformableUnto other persons in all your demeaning;Namely, to such as be companable,Be they never so vicious or abominable;For every man clepeth him wiseThat doth after the common guise.
And, as for men that should do you service,I know divers persons that be right honourableThat can you serve, alway point device.In all the world be there none so able,So wise, so politic, nor yet so profitable.Lo! here is one of them that I speak for;And he himself can tell you where ye shall have more.
Worldly Affection is this man's name;He is well brained, and wondrous of invention;A forecasting man and, payne of shame!Ye shall not find in any Christian regionA wiser fellow in things to be done;Specially of matters that be concerningWorldly pleasure, that is for you according.
Suffer him, therefore, never to depart;But, if it be for matters of great substance,And for sensuality, I pray you with all my heartTo accept him to your favour and tendrance.He hath been long of mine acquaintance;And, on my faith! my heart cannot but grudgeTo think that ye should use him as a drudge.
Do as he adviseth you, hardely now and then;And despise not utterly his counselThink that ye be here a worldly man;And must do as men that in the world dwell.Ye are not bound to live like an angel;Nor to be as God, alway immutable:Man's nature of himself is full miserable.
I have told you now my counsel and advice;And ye have promised to be ruled thereby.Now, let each man execute his office;And see how wisely ye can them occupyTo increase the world, and it thereto ye must apply.Now, address you thereto; and demean you thus:I shall be to you ever good and prosperous.
Man.Sir! I thank you of this courtesy,Undeserved as yet; but, be ye sure,I shall myself endeavour busilyTo do that may be to your pleasure.And, for the season that I shall here endure,I shall them cherish; and to my power maintainThat unto you in anywise do pertain.
The Wor[ld].Then, to begin withal, I will advise youTo put this man from your company.I tell you every man will despise youAs long as ye be ruled by Innocency:To follow such counsel it is but folly;For, he can neither good, neither evil;And, therefore, he is taken but for a drivel.
Man.By my faith! even as ye say:It liketh me not right wellWith Innocency long to dwell;Therefore, according to your counsel,I will not, after this day,With his company myself affere;As mute as it were a grey friar.I suppose there is no man here,Whatsoever he be,That could in his mind be contentAlways to be called an innocent.Wherefore, it is mine intentTo do as ye advise me.
The World.Yea, hardely, do even so!
Inno.Forsooth, and I hold me well contentTo depart at your commandment,Ye shall find me obedientWhatsoever ye bid me do.
[HereInnocencygoeth out.