Chapter 24

Court. Ab.Syr, Sober Sadnesse cometh, wherfore it be?1650Magn.Stande vp, syr, ye are welcom to me.Cl. Col.Please it your grace, at the contemplacyonOf my pore instance and supplycacyon,Tenderly to consyder in your aduertence,Of our blessyd Lorde, syr, at the reuerence,Remembre the good seruyce that Mesure hath you done,And that ye wyll not cast hym away so sone.Magn.My frende, as touchynge to this your mocyon,I may say to you I haue but small deuocyon;Howe be it, at your instaunce I wyll the rather1660Do as moche as for myne owne father.Cl. Col.Nay, syr, that affeccyon ought to be reserued,For of your grace I haue it nought deserued;But yf it lyke you that I myght rowne in your eyre,To shewe you my mynde I wolde haue the lesse fere.Magn.Stande a lytell abacke, syr, and let hym come hyder.Court. Ab.With a good wyll, syr, God spede you bothe togyder.Cl. Col.Syr, so it is, this man is here by,That for hym to laboure he hath prayde me hartely;Notwithstandynge to you be it sayde,1670To trust in me he is but dyssayued;For, so helpe me God, for you he is not mete:I speke the softlyer, because he sholde not wete.Magn.Come hyder, Pleasure, you shall here myne entent:Mesure, ye knowe wel, with hym I can not be content,And surely, as I am nowe aduysed,I wyll haue hym rehayted and dyspysed.Howe say ye, syrs? herein what is best?Court. Ab.By myne aduyse with you in fayth he shall not rest.Cl. Col.Yet, syr, reserued your better aduysement,1680It were better he spake with you or he wente,That he knowe not but that I haue supplyedAll that I can his matter for to spede.Magn.Nowe, by your trouthe, gaue he you not a brybe?Cl. Col.Yes, with his hande I made hym to subscrybeA byll of recorde for an annuall rent.Court. Ab.But for all that he is lyke to haue a glent.Cl. Col.Ye, by my trouthe, I shall waraunt you for me,And he go to the deu[y]ll, so that I may haue my fee,What care I?1690Magn.By the masse, well sayd.Court. Ab.What force ye, so that ye[840]be payde?Cl. Col.But yet, lo, I wolde, or that he wente,Lest that he thought that his money were euyll spente,That ye[841]wolde loke on hym, thoughe it were not longe.Magn.Well cannest thou helpe a preest to synge a songe.Cl. Col.So it is all the maner nowe a dayes,For to vse suche haftynge and crafty wayes.Court. Ab.He telleth you trouth, syr, as I you ensure.Magn.Well, for thy sake the better I may endure1700That he come hyder, and to gyue hym a lokeThat he shall lyke the worse all this woke.Cl. Col.I care not howe sone he be refused,So that I may craftely be excused.Court. Ab.Where is he?Cl. Col.Mary, I made hym abyde,Whylest I came to you, a lytell here besyde.Magn.Well, call hym, and let vs here hym reason,And we wyll be comonynge in the mene season.Court. Ab.This is a wyse man, syr, where so euer ye hym had.1710Magn.An honest person, I tell you, and a sad.Court. Ab.He can full craftely this matter brynge aboute.Magn.Whylest I haue hym, I nede nothynge doute.Hic introducatColusion,Mesure,Magnyfycenceaspectant[e] vultu elatissimo.Cl. Col.By the masse, I haue done that I can,And more than euer I dyd for ony man:I trowe, ye herde yourselfe what I sayd.Mes.Nay, indede; but I sawe howe ye prayed,And made instance for me be lykelyhod.Cl. Col.Nay, I tell you, I am not wonte to fodeThem that dare put theyr truste in me;1720And therof ye shall a larger profe se.Mes.Syr, God rewarde you as ye haue deserued:But thynke you with Magnyfycence I shal be reserued?Cl. Col.By my trouth, I can not tell you that;But, and I were as ye, I wolde not set a gnatBy Magnyfycence, nor yet none of his,For, go when ye shall, of you shall he mysse.Mes.Syr, as ye say.Cl. Col.Nay, come on with me:Yet ones agayne I shall fall on my kne1730For your sake, what so euer befall;I set not a flye, and all go to all.Mes.The Holy Goost be with your grace.Cl. Col.Syr, I beseche you, let pety haue some placeIn your brest towardes this gentylman.Magn.I was your good lorde tyll that ye beganneSo masterfully vpon you for to takeWith my seruauntys, and suche maystryes gan make,That holly my mynde with you is myscontente;Wherfore I wyll that ye be resydent1740With me no longer.Cl. Col.Say somwhat nowe, let se, for your selfe.[842]Mes.Syr, yf I myght permytted be,I wolde to you say a worde or twayne.Magn.What, woldest thou, lurden, with me brawle agayne?Haue hym hens, I say, out of my syght;That day I se hym, I shall be worse all nyght.[HereMesuregoth out of the place.[843]Court. Ab.Hens, thou haynyarde, out of the dores fast!Magn.Alas, my stomake fareth as it wolde cast!Cl. Col.Abyde, syr, abyde, let me holde your hede.1750Magn.A bolle or a basyn, I say, for Goddes brede!A, my hede! But is the horson gone?God gyue hym a myscheffe! Nay, nowe let me alone.Cl. Col.A good dryfte, syr, a praty fete:By the good Lorde, yet your temples bete.Magn.Nay, so God me helpe, it was no grete vexacyon,For I am panged ofte tymes of this same facyon.Cl. Col.Cockes armes, howe Pleasure plucked hym forth!Magn.Ye, walke he must, it was no better worth.Cl. Col.Syr, nowe me thynke your harte is well eased.1760Magn.Nowe Measure is gone, I am the better pleased.Cl. Col.So to be ruled by measure, it is a payne.Magn.Mary, I wene he wolde not be glad to come agayne.Cl. Col.So I wote not what he sholde do here:Where mennes belyes is mesured, there is no chere;For I here but fewe men that gyue ony prayseVnto measure, I say, nowe a days.Magn.Measure, tut! what, the deuyll of hell!Scantly one with measure that wyll dwell.Cl. Col.Not amonge noble men, as the worlde gothe:1770It is no wonder therfore thoughe ye be wrotheWith Mesure. Where as all noblenes is, there I haue past:They catche that catche may, kepe and holde fast,Out of all measure themselfe to enryche;No force what thoughe his neyghbour dye in a dyche.With pollynge and pluckynge out of all measure,Thus must ye stuffe and store your treasure.Magn.Yet somtyme, parde, I must vse largesse.Cl. Col.Ye, mary, somtyme in a messe of vergesse,As in a tryfyll or in a thynge of nought,1780As gyuynge a thynge that ye neuer bought:It is the gyse nowe, I say, ouer all;Largesse in wordes, for rewardes are but small:To make fayre promyse, what are ye the worse?Let me haue the rule of your purse.Magn.I haue taken it to Largesse and Lyberte.Cl. Col.Than is it done as it sholde be:But vse your largesse by the aduyse of me,And I shall waraunt you welth and lyberte.Magn.Say on; me thynke your reasons be profounde.1790Cl. Col.Syr, of my counsayle this shall be the grounde,To chose out ii. iii. of suche as you loue best,And let all your fansyes vpon them rest;Spare for no cost to gyue them pounde and peny,Better to make iii. ryche than for to make many;Gyue them more than ynoughe and let them not lacke,And as for all other let them trusse and packe;Plucke from an hundred, and gyue it to thre,Let neyther patent scape them nor fee;And where soeuer you wyll fall to a rekenynge,1800Those thre wyll be redy euen at your bekenynge,For then[844]shall you haue at lyberte to lowte;Let them haue all, and the other go without:Thus ioy without mesure you shall haue.Magn.Thou sayst truthe, by the harte that God me gaue!For, as thou sayst, ryght so shall it be:And here I make thé vpon LyberteTo be superuysour, and on Largesse also,For as thou wylte, so shall the game go;For in Pleasure, and Surueyaunce, and also in thé,1810I haue set my hole felycyte,And suche as you wyll shall lacke no promocyon.Cl. Col.Syr, syth that in me ye haue suche deuocyon,Commyttynge to me and to my felowes twayneYour welthe and felycyte, I trust we shall optayneTo do you seruyce after your appetyte.Magn.In faythe, and your seruyce ryght well shall I acquyte;And therfore hye you hens, and take this ouersyght.Cl. Col.Nowe, Jesu preserue you, syr, prynce most of myght!Here gothCloked Colusyonawaye, and leuethMagnyfycencealone in the place.Magn.Thus, I say, I am enuyronned with solace;1820I drede no dyntes of fatall desteny.Well were that lady myght stande in my grace,Me to enbrace and loue moost specyally:A Lorde, so I wolde halse her hartely,So I wolde clepe her, so I wolde kys her swete!Here cometh inFoly.Fol.Mary, Cryst graunt ye catche no colde on your fete!Magn.Who is this?Fol.Consayte, syr, your owne man.Magn.What tydynges with you, syr? I befole thy brayne pan.Fol.By our lakyn, syr, I haue ben a hawkyng[845]for the wylde swan.1830My hawke is rammysshe, and it happed that she ran,Flewe I sholde say, in to an olde barne,To reche at a rat, I coude not her warne;She pynched her pynyon, by God, and catched harme:It was a ronner; nay, fole, I warant her blode warme.Magn.A, syr, thy iarfawcon and thou be hanged togyder!Fol.And, syr, as I was comynge to you hyder,I sawe a fox sucke on a kowes ydder,And with a lyme rodde I toke them bothe togyder.I trowe it be a frost, for the way is slydder:1840Se, for God auowe, for colde as I chydder.Magn.Thy wordes hange togyder as fethers in the wynde.Fol.A, syr, tolde I not you howe I dyd fyndeA knaue and a carle, and all of one kynde?I sawe a wethercocke wagge with the wynde;Grete meruayle I had, and mused in my mynde;The houndes ranne before, and the hare behynde;I sawe a losell lede a lurden, and they were bothe blynde;I sawe a sowter go to supper or euer he had dynde.Magn.By Cockes harte, thou arte a fyne mery knaue.1850Fol.I make God auowe, ye wyll none other men[846]haue.Magn.What sayst thou?Fol.Mary, I pray God your maystershyp to saue:I shall gyue you a gaude of a goslynge that I gaue,The gander and the gose bothe grasynge on one graue;Than Rowlande the reue ran, and I began to raue,And with a brystell of a bore his berde dyd I shaue.Magn.If euer I herde syke another, God gyue me shame.Fol.Sym Sadylgose was my syer, and Dawcocke my dame:I coude, and I lyst, garre you laughe at a game,1860Howe a wodcocke wrastled with a larke that was lame:The bytter sayd boldly that they were to blame;The feldfare wolde haue fydled, and it wolde not frame;The crane and the curlewe therat gan to grame;The snyte snyueled in the snowte and smyled at the game.Magn.Cockes bones, herde you euer suche another?Fol.Se, syr, I beseche you, Largesse my brother.HereFansycometh in.Magn.What tydynges with you, syr, that you loke so sad?Fan.When ye knowe that I knowe, ye wyll not be glad.Fol.What, brother braynsyke, how farest thou?1870Magn.Ye, let be thy iapes, and tell me howeThe case requyreth.Fan.Alasse, alasse, an heuy metynge!I wolde tell you, and yf I myght for wepynge.Fol.What, is all your myrthe nowe tourned to sorowe?Fare well tyll sone, adue tyll to morowe.Here gothFolyaway.Magn.I pray thé, Largesse, let be thy sobbynge.Fan.Alasse, syr, ye are vndone with stelyng and robbynge!Ye sent vs a superuysour for to take hede:Take hede of your selfe, for nowe ye haue nede.1880Magn.What, hath Sadnesse begyled me so?Fan.Nay, madnesse hath begyled you and many mo;For Lyberte is gone and also Felycyte.Magn.Gone? alasse, ye haue vndone me!Fan.Nay, he that ye sent vs, Clokyd Colusyon,And your payntyd Pleasure, Courtly Abusyon,And your demenour with Counterfet Countenaunce,And your suruayour,[847]Crafty Conueyaunce,Or euer we were ware brought vs in aduersyte,And had robbyd you quyte from all felycyte.1890Magn.Why, is this the largesse that I haue vsyd?Fan.Nay, it was your fondnesse that ye haue vsyd.Magn.And is this the credence that I gaue to the letter?Fan.Why, coulde not your wyt serue you no better?Magn.Why, who wolde haue thought in you suche gyle?Fan.What? yes, by the rode, syr, it was I all this whyleThat you trustyd, and Fansy is my name;And Foly, my broder, that made you moche game.Here cometh inAduersyte.Magn.Alas, who[848]is yonder, that grymly lokys?Fan.Adewe, for I wyll not come in his clokys.[849]1900Magn.Lorde, so my flesshe trymblyth nowe for drede!HereMagnyfycenceis beten downe, and spoylyd from all his goodys and rayment.Aduer.I am Aduersyte, that for thy mysdedeFrom God am sent to quyte thé thy mede.Vyle velyarde, thou must not nowe my dynt withstande,Thou must not abyde the dynt of my hande:Ly there, losell, for all thy pompe and pryde;Thy pleasure now with payne and trouble shalbe tryde.The stroke of God, Aduersyte I hyght;I pluke downe kynge, prynce, lorde, and knyght,I rushe at them rughly, and make them ly full lowe,1910And in theyr moste truste I make them ouerthrowe.Thys losyll was a lorde, and lyuyd at his lust,And nowe, lyke a lurden, he lyeth in the dust:He knewe not hymselfe, his harte was so hye;Nowe is there no man that wyll set by hym a flye:He was wonte to boste, brage, and to brace;Nowe dare he not for shame loke one in the face:All worldly welth for hym to lytell was;Nowe hath he ryght nought, naked as an asse:Somtyme without measure he trusted in golde,1920And now without mesure he shal haue hunger and colde.Lo, syrs, thus I handell them allThat folowe theyr fansyes in foly to fall:Man or woman, of what estate they be,I counsayle them beware of Aduersyte.Of sorowfull seruauntes I haue many scores:I vysyte them somtyme with blaynes and with sores;With botches and carbuckyls in care I them knyt;With the gowte I make them to grone where they syt;Some I make lyppers and lazars full horse;1930And from that they loue best some I deuorse;Some with the marmoll to halte I them make;And some to cry out of the bone ake;And some I vysyte with brennynge of fyre;Of some I wrynge of the necke lyke a wyre;And some I make in a rope to totter and walter;And some for to hange themselfe in an halter;And some I vysyte to[850]batayle, warre, and murther,And make eche man to sle other;To drowne or to sle themselfe with a knyfe;1940And all is for theyr vngracyous lyfe.Yet somtyme I stryke where is none offence,Bycause I wolde proue men of theyr pacyence.But, nowe a dayes, to stryke I haue grete cause,Lydderyns so lytell set by Goddes lawes.Faders and moders, that be neclygent,And suffre theyr chyldren to haue theyr entent,To gyde them vertuously that wyll not remembre,Them or theyr chyldren ofte tymes I dysmembre;Theyr chyldren, bycause that they haue no mekenesse;1950I vysyte theyr faders and moders with sekenesse;And yf I se therby they wyll not amende,Then myschefe sodaynly I them sende;For there is nothynge that more dyspleaseth GodThan from theyr chyldren to spare the rodOf correccyon, but let them haue theyr wyll;Some I make lame, and some I do kyll;And some[851]I stryke with a franesy;Of some of theyr chyldren I stryke out the eye;And where the fader by wysdom worshyp hath wonne,1960I sende ofte tymes a fole to his sonne.Wherfore of Aduersyte loke ye be ware,For when I come, comyth sorowe and care:For I stryke lordys of realmes and landys,That rule not by mesure that they haue in theyr handys,That sadly rule not theyr howsholde men;I am Goddys preposytour, I prynt them with a pen;Because of theyr neglygence and of theyr wanton vagys,I vysyte them and stryke them with many sore plagys.To take, syrs, example of that I you tell,1970And beware of aduersyte by my counsell,Take hede of this caytyfe that lyeth here on grounde;Beholde, howe Fortune of[852]hym hath frounde!For though we shewe you this in game and play,Yet it proueth eyrnest, ye may se, euery day.For nowe wyll I from this caytyfe go,And take myscheffe and vengeaunce of other mo,That hath deseruyd it as well as he.Howe, where art thou? come hether, Pouerte;Take this caytyfe to thy lore.1980Here cometh inPouerte.[853]Pouer.A, my bonys ake, my lymmys be sore;Alasse, I haue the cyatyca full euyll in my hyppe!Alasse, where is youth that was wont for to skyppe?I am lowsy, and vnlykynge, and full of scurffe,My colour is tawny, colouryd as a turffe:I am Pouerte, that all men doth hate,I am baytyd with doggys at euery mannys gate;I am raggyd and rent, as ye may se;Full fewe but they haue enuy at me.Nowe must I this carcasse lyft vp:1990He dynyd with delyte, with Pouerte he must sup.Ryse vp, syr, and welcom vnto me.Hic accedat ad levandumMagnyfycence, et locabit eum super locum stratum.Magn.Alasse, where is nowe my golde and fe?Alasse, I say, where to am I brought?Alasse, alasse, alasse, I dye for thought!Pouer.Syr, all this wolde haue bene thought on before:He woteth not what welth is that neuer was sore.Magn.Fy, fy, that euer I sholde be brought in this snare!I wenyd ones neuer to haue knowen of care.Pouer.Lo, suche is this worlde! I fynde it wryt,2000In welth to beware, and that is wyt.Magn.In welth to beware, yf I had had grace,Neuer had I bene brought in this case.Pouer.Nowe, syth it wyll no nother be,All that God sendeth, take it in gre;For, thoughe you were somtyme a noble estate,Nowe must you lerne to begge at euery mannes gate.Magn.Alasse, that euer I sholde be so shamed!Alasse, that euer I Magnyfycence was named!Alasse, that euer I was so harde happed,2010In mysery and wretchydnesse thus to be lapped!Alasse, that I coude not myselfe no better gyde!Alasse, in my cradell that I had not dyde!Pouer.Ye, syr, ye, leue all this rage,And pray to God your sorowes to asswage:It is foly to grudge agaynst his vysytacyon.With harte contryte make your supplycacyonVnto your Maker, that made bothe you and me,And, whan it pleaseth God, better may be.Magn.Alasse, I wote not what I sholde pray!2020Pouer.Rem[e]mbre you better, syr, beware what ye say,For drede ye dysplease the hygh deyte.Put your wyll to his wyll, for surely it is heThat may restore you agayne to felycyte,And brynge you agayne out of aduersyte.Therfore pouerte loke pacyently ye take,And remembre he suffered moche more for your sake,Howe be it of all synne he was innocent,And ye haue deserued this punysshment.Magn.Alasse, with colde my lymmes shall be marde!2030Pouer.Ye, syr, nowe must ye lerne to lye harde,That was wonte to lye on fetherbeddes of downe;Nowe must your fete lye hyer than your crowne:Where you were wonte to haue cawdels for your hede,Nowe must you monche mamockes and lumpes of brede;And where you had chaunges of ryche aray,Nowe lap you in a couerlet full fayne that you may;And where that ye were pomped with what that ye wolde,Nowe must ye suffre bothe hunger and colde:With courtely sylkes ye were wonte to be drawe;2040Nowe must ye lerne to lye on the strawe;Your skynne that was wrapped in shertes of Raynes,Nowe must ye be stormy beten[854]with showres and raynes;Your hede that was wonte to be happed moost drowpy and drowsy,Now shal ye be scabbed, scuruy, and lowsy.Magn.Fye on this worlde, full of trechery,That euer noblenesse sholde lyue thus wretchydly!Pouer.Syr, remembre the tourne of Fortunes whele,

Court. Ab.Syr, Sober Sadnesse cometh, wherfore it be?1650

Magn.Stande vp, syr, ye are welcom to me.

Cl. Col.Please it your grace, at the contemplacyon

Of my pore instance and supplycacyon,

Tenderly to consyder in your aduertence,

Of our blessyd Lorde, syr, at the reuerence,

Remembre the good seruyce that Mesure hath you done,

And that ye wyll not cast hym away so sone.

Magn.My frende, as touchynge to this your mocyon,

I may say to you I haue but small deuocyon;

Howe be it, at your instaunce I wyll the rather1660

Do as moche as for myne owne father.

Cl. Col.Nay, syr, that affeccyon ought to be reserued,

For of your grace I haue it nought deserued;

But yf it lyke you that I myght rowne in your eyre,

To shewe you my mynde I wolde haue the lesse fere.

Magn.Stande a lytell abacke, syr, and let hym come hyder.

Court. Ab.With a good wyll, syr, God spede you bothe togyder.

Cl. Col.Syr, so it is, this man is here by,

That for hym to laboure he hath prayde me hartely;

Notwithstandynge to you be it sayde,1670

To trust in me he is but dyssayued;

For, so helpe me God, for you he is not mete:

I speke the softlyer, because he sholde not wete.

Magn.Come hyder, Pleasure, you shall here myne entent:

Mesure, ye knowe wel, with hym I can not be content,

And surely, as I am nowe aduysed,

I wyll haue hym rehayted and dyspysed.

Howe say ye, syrs? herein what is best?

Court. Ab.By myne aduyse with you in fayth he shall not rest.

Cl. Col.Yet, syr, reserued your better aduysement,1680

It were better he spake with you or he wente,

That he knowe not but that I haue supplyed

All that I can his matter for to spede.

Magn.Nowe, by your trouthe, gaue he you not a brybe?

Cl. Col.Yes, with his hande I made hym to subscrybe

A byll of recorde for an annuall rent.

Court. Ab.But for all that he is lyke to haue a glent.

Cl. Col.Ye, by my trouthe, I shall waraunt you for me,

And he go to the deu[y]ll, so that I may haue my fee,

What care I?1690

Magn.By the masse, well sayd.

Court. Ab.What force ye, so that ye[840]be payde?

Cl. Col.But yet, lo, I wolde, or that he wente,

Lest that he thought that his money were euyll spente,

That ye[841]wolde loke on hym, thoughe it were not longe.

Magn.Well cannest thou helpe a preest to synge a songe.

Cl. Col.So it is all the maner nowe a dayes,

For to vse suche haftynge and crafty wayes.

Court. Ab.He telleth you trouth, syr, as I you ensure.

Magn.Well, for thy sake the better I may endure1700

That he come hyder, and to gyue hym a loke

That he shall lyke the worse all this woke.

Cl. Col.I care not howe sone he be refused,

So that I may craftely be excused.

Court. Ab.Where is he?

Cl. Col.Mary, I made hym abyde,

Whylest I came to you, a lytell here besyde.

Magn.Well, call hym, and let vs here hym reason,

And we wyll be comonynge in the mene season.

Court. Ab.This is a wyse man, syr, where so euer ye hym had.1710

Magn.An honest person, I tell you, and a sad.

Court. Ab.He can full craftely this matter brynge aboute.

Magn.Whylest I haue hym, I nede nothynge doute.

Hic introducatColusion,Mesure,Magnyfycenceaspectant[e] vultu elatissimo.

Cl. Col.By the masse, I haue done that I can,

And more than euer I dyd for ony man:

I trowe, ye herde yourselfe what I sayd.

Mes.Nay, indede; but I sawe howe ye prayed,

And made instance for me be lykelyhod.

Cl. Col.Nay, I tell you, I am not wonte to fode

Them that dare put theyr truste in me;1720

And therof ye shall a larger profe se.

Mes.Syr, God rewarde you as ye haue deserued:

But thynke you with Magnyfycence I shal be reserued?

Cl. Col.By my trouth, I can not tell you that;

But, and I were as ye, I wolde not set a gnat

By Magnyfycence, nor yet none of his,

For, go when ye shall, of you shall he mysse.

Mes.Syr, as ye say.

Cl. Col.Nay, come on with me:

Yet ones agayne I shall fall on my kne1730

For your sake, what so euer befall;

I set not a flye, and all go to all.

Mes.The Holy Goost be with your grace.

Cl. Col.Syr, I beseche you, let pety haue some place

In your brest towardes this gentylman.

Magn.I was your good lorde tyll that ye beganne

So masterfully vpon you for to take

With my seruauntys, and suche maystryes gan make,

That holly my mynde with you is myscontente;

Wherfore I wyll that ye be resydent1740

With me no longer.

Cl. Col.Say somwhat nowe, let se, for your selfe.[842]

Mes.Syr, yf I myght permytted be,

I wolde to you say a worde or twayne.

Magn.What, woldest thou, lurden, with me brawle agayne?

Haue hym hens, I say, out of my syght;

That day I se hym, I shall be worse all nyght.

[HereMesuregoth out of the place.[843]

Court. Ab.Hens, thou haynyarde, out of the dores fast!

Magn.Alas, my stomake fareth as it wolde cast!

Cl. Col.Abyde, syr, abyde, let me holde your hede.1750

Magn.A bolle or a basyn, I say, for Goddes brede!

A, my hede! But is the horson gone?

God gyue hym a myscheffe! Nay, nowe let me alone.

Cl. Col.A good dryfte, syr, a praty fete:

By the good Lorde, yet your temples bete.

Magn.Nay, so God me helpe, it was no grete vexacyon,

For I am panged ofte tymes of this same facyon.

Cl. Col.Cockes armes, howe Pleasure plucked hym forth!

Magn.Ye, walke he must, it was no better worth.

Cl. Col.Syr, nowe me thynke your harte is well eased.1760

Magn.Nowe Measure is gone, I am the better pleased.

Cl. Col.So to be ruled by measure, it is a payne.

Magn.Mary, I wene he wolde not be glad to come agayne.

Cl. Col.So I wote not what he sholde do here:

Where mennes belyes is mesured, there is no chere;

For I here but fewe men that gyue ony prayse

Vnto measure, I say, nowe a days.

Magn.Measure, tut! what, the deuyll of hell!

Scantly one with measure that wyll dwell.

Cl. Col.Not amonge noble men, as the worlde gothe:1770

It is no wonder therfore thoughe ye be wrothe

With Mesure. Where as all noblenes is, there I haue past:

They catche that catche may, kepe and holde fast,

Out of all measure themselfe to enryche;

No force what thoughe his neyghbour dye in a dyche.

With pollynge and pluckynge out of all measure,

Thus must ye stuffe and store your treasure.

Magn.Yet somtyme, parde, I must vse largesse.

Cl. Col.Ye, mary, somtyme in a messe of vergesse,

As in a tryfyll or in a thynge of nought,1780

As gyuynge a thynge that ye neuer bought:

It is the gyse nowe, I say, ouer all;

Largesse in wordes, for rewardes are but small:

To make fayre promyse, what are ye the worse?

Let me haue the rule of your purse.

Magn.I haue taken it to Largesse and Lyberte.

Cl. Col.Than is it done as it sholde be:

But vse your largesse by the aduyse of me,

And I shall waraunt you welth and lyberte.

Magn.Say on; me thynke your reasons be profounde.1790

Cl. Col.Syr, of my counsayle this shall be the grounde,

To chose out ii. iii. of suche as you loue best,

And let all your fansyes vpon them rest;

Spare for no cost to gyue them pounde and peny,

Better to make iii. ryche than for to make many;

Gyue them more than ynoughe and let them not lacke,

And as for all other let them trusse and packe;

Plucke from an hundred, and gyue it to thre,

Let neyther patent scape them nor fee;

And where soeuer you wyll fall to a rekenynge,1800

Those thre wyll be redy euen at your bekenynge,

For then[844]shall you haue at lyberte to lowte;

Let them haue all, and the other go without:

Thus ioy without mesure you shall haue.

Magn.Thou sayst truthe, by the harte that God me gaue!

For, as thou sayst, ryght so shall it be:

And here I make thé vpon Lyberte

To be superuysour, and on Largesse also,

For as thou wylte, so shall the game go;

For in Pleasure, and Surueyaunce, and also in thé,1810

I haue set my hole felycyte,

And suche as you wyll shall lacke no promocyon.

Cl. Col.Syr, syth that in me ye haue suche deuocyon,

Commyttynge to me and to my felowes twayne

Your welthe and felycyte, I trust we shall optayne

To do you seruyce after your appetyte.

Magn.In faythe, and your seruyce ryght well shall I acquyte;

And therfore hye you hens, and take this ouersyght.

Cl. Col.Nowe, Jesu preserue you, syr, prynce most of myght!

Here gothCloked Colusyonawaye, and leuethMagnyfycencealone in the place.

Magn.Thus, I say, I am enuyronned with solace;1820

I drede no dyntes of fatall desteny.

Well were that lady myght stande in my grace,

Me to enbrace and loue moost specyally:

A Lorde, so I wolde halse her hartely,

So I wolde clepe her, so I wolde kys her swete!

Here cometh inFoly.

Fol.Mary, Cryst graunt ye catche no colde on your fete!

Magn.Who is this?

Fol.Consayte, syr, your owne man.

Magn.What tydynges with you, syr? I befole thy brayne pan.

Fol.By our lakyn, syr, I haue ben a hawkyng[845]for the wylde swan.1830

My hawke is rammysshe, and it happed that she ran,

Flewe I sholde say, in to an olde barne,

To reche at a rat, I coude not her warne;

She pynched her pynyon, by God, and catched harme:

It was a ronner; nay, fole, I warant her blode warme.

Magn.A, syr, thy iarfawcon and thou be hanged togyder!

Fol.And, syr, as I was comynge to you hyder,

I sawe a fox sucke on a kowes ydder,

And with a lyme rodde I toke them bothe togyder.

I trowe it be a frost, for the way is slydder:1840

Se, for God auowe, for colde as I chydder.

Magn.Thy wordes hange togyder as fethers in the wynde.

Fol.A, syr, tolde I not you howe I dyd fynde

A knaue and a carle, and all of one kynde?

I sawe a wethercocke wagge with the wynde;

Grete meruayle I had, and mused in my mynde;

The houndes ranne before, and the hare behynde;

I sawe a losell lede a lurden, and they were bothe blynde;

I sawe a sowter go to supper or euer he had dynde.

Magn.By Cockes harte, thou arte a fyne mery knaue.1850

Fol.I make God auowe, ye wyll none other men[846]haue.

Magn.What sayst thou?

Fol.Mary, I pray God your maystershyp to saue:

I shall gyue you a gaude of a goslynge that I gaue,

The gander and the gose bothe grasynge on one graue;

Than Rowlande the reue ran, and I began to raue,

And with a brystell of a bore his berde dyd I shaue.

Magn.If euer I herde syke another, God gyue me shame.

Fol.Sym Sadylgose was my syer, and Dawcocke my dame:

I coude, and I lyst, garre you laughe at a game,1860

Howe a wodcocke wrastled with a larke that was lame:

The bytter sayd boldly that they were to blame;

The feldfare wolde haue fydled, and it wolde not frame;

The crane and the curlewe therat gan to grame;

The snyte snyueled in the snowte and smyled at the game.

Magn.Cockes bones, herde you euer suche another?

Fol.Se, syr, I beseche you, Largesse my brother.

HereFansycometh in.

Magn.What tydynges with you, syr, that you loke so sad?

Fan.When ye knowe that I knowe, ye wyll not be glad.

Fol.What, brother braynsyke, how farest thou?1870

Magn.Ye, let be thy iapes, and tell me howe

The case requyreth.

Fan.Alasse, alasse, an heuy metynge!

I wolde tell you, and yf I myght for wepynge.

Fol.What, is all your myrthe nowe tourned to sorowe?

Fare well tyll sone, adue tyll to morowe.

Here gothFolyaway.

Magn.I pray thé, Largesse, let be thy sobbynge.

Fan.Alasse, syr, ye are vndone with stelyng and robbynge!

Ye sent vs a superuysour for to take hede:

Take hede of your selfe, for nowe ye haue nede.1880

Magn.What, hath Sadnesse begyled me so?

Fan.Nay, madnesse hath begyled you and many mo;

For Lyberte is gone and also Felycyte.

Magn.Gone? alasse, ye haue vndone me!

Fan.Nay, he that ye sent vs, Clokyd Colusyon,

And your payntyd Pleasure, Courtly Abusyon,

And your demenour with Counterfet Countenaunce,

And your suruayour,[847]Crafty Conueyaunce,

Or euer we were ware brought vs in aduersyte,

And had robbyd you quyte from all felycyte.1890

Magn.Why, is this the largesse that I haue vsyd?

Fan.Nay, it was your fondnesse that ye haue vsyd.

Magn.And is this the credence that I gaue to the letter?

Fan.Why, coulde not your wyt serue you no better?

Magn.Why, who wolde haue thought in you suche gyle?

Fan.What? yes, by the rode, syr, it was I all this whyle

That you trustyd, and Fansy is my name;

And Foly, my broder, that made you moche game.

Here cometh inAduersyte.

Magn.Alas, who[848]is yonder, that grymly lokys?

Fan.Adewe, for I wyll not come in his clokys.[849]1900

Magn.Lorde, so my flesshe trymblyth nowe for drede!

HereMagnyfycenceis beten downe, and spoylyd from all his goodys and rayment.

Aduer.I am Aduersyte, that for thy mysdede

From God am sent to quyte thé thy mede.

Vyle velyarde, thou must not nowe my dynt withstande,

Thou must not abyde the dynt of my hande:

Ly there, losell, for all thy pompe and pryde;

Thy pleasure now with payne and trouble shalbe tryde.

The stroke of God, Aduersyte I hyght;

I pluke downe kynge, prynce, lorde, and knyght,

I rushe at them rughly, and make them ly full lowe,1910

And in theyr moste truste I make them ouerthrowe.

Thys losyll was a lorde, and lyuyd at his lust,

And nowe, lyke a lurden, he lyeth in the dust:

He knewe not hymselfe, his harte was so hye;

Nowe is there no man that wyll set by hym a flye:

He was wonte to boste, brage, and to brace;

Nowe dare he not for shame loke one in the face:

All worldly welth for hym to lytell was;

Nowe hath he ryght nought, naked as an asse:

Somtyme without measure he trusted in golde,1920

And now without mesure he shal haue hunger and colde.

Lo, syrs, thus I handell them all

That folowe theyr fansyes in foly to fall:

Man or woman, of what estate they be,

I counsayle them beware of Aduersyte.

Of sorowfull seruauntes I haue many scores:

I vysyte them somtyme with blaynes and with sores;

With botches and carbuckyls in care I them knyt;

With the gowte I make them to grone where they syt;

Some I make lyppers and lazars full horse;1930

And from that they loue best some I deuorse;

Some with the marmoll to halte I them make;

And some to cry out of the bone ake;

And some I vysyte with brennynge of fyre;

Of some I wrynge of the necke lyke a wyre;

And some I make in a rope to totter and walter;

And some for to hange themselfe in an halter;

And some I vysyte to[850]batayle, warre, and murther,

And make eche man to sle other;

To drowne or to sle themselfe with a knyfe;1940

And all is for theyr vngracyous lyfe.

Yet somtyme I stryke where is none offence,

Bycause I wolde proue men of theyr pacyence.

But, nowe a dayes, to stryke I haue grete cause,

Lydderyns so lytell set by Goddes lawes.

Faders and moders, that be neclygent,

And suffre theyr chyldren to haue theyr entent,

To gyde them vertuously that wyll not remembre,

Them or theyr chyldren ofte tymes I dysmembre;

Theyr chyldren, bycause that they haue no mekenesse;1950

I vysyte theyr faders and moders with sekenesse;

And yf I se therby they wyll not amende,

Then myschefe sodaynly I them sende;

For there is nothynge that more dyspleaseth God

Than from theyr chyldren to spare the rod

Of correccyon, but let them haue theyr wyll;

Some I make lame, and some I do kyll;

And some[851]I stryke with a franesy;

Of some of theyr chyldren I stryke out the eye;

And where the fader by wysdom worshyp hath wonne,1960

I sende ofte tymes a fole to his sonne.

Wherfore of Aduersyte loke ye be ware,

For when I come, comyth sorowe and care:

For I stryke lordys of realmes and landys,

That rule not by mesure that they haue in theyr handys,

That sadly rule not theyr howsholde men;

I am Goddys preposytour, I prynt them with a pen;

Because of theyr neglygence and of theyr wanton vagys,

I vysyte them and stryke them with many sore plagys.

To take, syrs, example of that I you tell,1970

And beware of aduersyte by my counsell,

Take hede of this caytyfe that lyeth here on grounde;

Beholde, howe Fortune of[852]hym hath frounde!

For though we shewe you this in game and play,

Yet it proueth eyrnest, ye may se, euery day.

For nowe wyll I from this caytyfe go,

And take myscheffe and vengeaunce of other mo,

That hath deseruyd it as well as he.

Howe, where art thou? come hether, Pouerte;

Take this caytyfe to thy lore.1980

Here cometh inPouerte.[853]

Pouer.A, my bonys ake, my lymmys be sore;

Alasse, I haue the cyatyca full euyll in my hyppe!

Alasse, where is youth that was wont for to skyppe?

I am lowsy, and vnlykynge, and full of scurffe,

My colour is tawny, colouryd as a turffe:

I am Pouerte, that all men doth hate,

I am baytyd with doggys at euery mannys gate;

I am raggyd and rent, as ye may se;

Full fewe but they haue enuy at me.

Nowe must I this carcasse lyft vp:1990

He dynyd with delyte, with Pouerte he must sup.

Ryse vp, syr, and welcom vnto me.

Hic accedat ad levandumMagnyfycence, et locabit eum super locum stratum.

Magn.Alasse, where is nowe my golde and fe?

Alasse, I say, where to am I brought?

Alasse, alasse, alasse, I dye for thought!

Pouer.Syr, all this wolde haue bene thought on before:

He woteth not what welth is that neuer was sore.

Magn.Fy, fy, that euer I sholde be brought in this snare!

I wenyd ones neuer to haue knowen of care.

Pouer.Lo, suche is this worlde! I fynde it wryt,2000

In welth to beware, and that is wyt.

Magn.In welth to beware, yf I had had grace,

Neuer had I bene brought in this case.

Pouer.Nowe, syth it wyll no nother be,

All that God sendeth, take it in gre;

For, thoughe you were somtyme a noble estate,

Nowe must you lerne to begge at euery mannes gate.

Magn.Alasse, that euer I sholde be so shamed!

Alasse, that euer I Magnyfycence was named!

Alasse, that euer I was so harde happed,2010

In mysery and wretchydnesse thus to be lapped!

Alasse, that I coude not myselfe no better gyde!

Alasse, in my cradell that I had not dyde!

Pouer.Ye, syr, ye, leue all this rage,

And pray to God your sorowes to asswage:

It is foly to grudge agaynst his vysytacyon.

With harte contryte make your supplycacyon

Vnto your Maker, that made bothe you and me,

And, whan it pleaseth God, better may be.

Magn.Alasse, I wote not what I sholde pray!2020

Pouer.Rem[e]mbre you better, syr, beware what ye say,

For drede ye dysplease the hygh deyte.

Put your wyll to his wyll, for surely it is he

That may restore you agayne to felycyte,

And brynge you agayne out of aduersyte.

Therfore pouerte loke pacyently ye take,

And remembre he suffered moche more for your sake,

Howe be it of all synne he was innocent,

And ye haue deserued this punysshment.

Magn.Alasse, with colde my lymmes shall be marde!2030

Pouer.Ye, syr, nowe must ye lerne to lye harde,

That was wonte to lye on fetherbeddes of downe;

Nowe must your fete lye hyer than your crowne:

Where you were wonte to haue cawdels for your hede,

Nowe must you monche mamockes and lumpes of brede;

And where you had chaunges of ryche aray,

Nowe lap you in a couerlet full fayne that you may;

And where that ye were pomped with what that ye wolde,

Nowe must ye suffre bothe hunger and colde:

With courtely sylkes ye were wonte to be drawe;2040

Nowe must ye lerne to lye on the strawe;

Your skynne that was wrapped in shertes of Raynes,

Nowe must ye be stormy beten[854]with showres and raynes;

Your hede that was wonte to be happed moost drowpy and drowsy,

Now shal ye be scabbed, scuruy, and lowsy.

Magn.Fye on this worlde, full of trechery,

That euer noblenesse sholde lyue thus wretchydly!

Pouer.Syr, remembre the tourne of Fortunes whele,

Back to Index Next