Chapter 26

Magn.To your requeste I shall be confyrmable.Red.Fyrst,[870]I saye, with mynde fyrme and stableDetermyne to amende all your wanton excesse,And be ruled by me, whiche am called Redresse:Redresse my name is, that lytell am I vsedAs the worlde requyreth, but rather I am refused:2440Redresse sholde be at the rekenynge in euery accompte,And specyally to redresse that were out of ioynte:Full many thynges there be that lacketh redresse,The whiche were to longe nowe to expresse;But redresse is redlesse, and may do no correccyon.Nowe welcome forsoth, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon.Here cometh inSad Cyrcumspeccyon, sayenge,Sad Cyr.Syr, after your message I hyed me hyder streyght,For to vnderstande your pleasure and also your mynde.Red.Syr, to accompte you the contynewe of my consayte,Is from aduersyte Magnyfycence to vnbynde.2450Sad Cyr.How fortuned you, Magnyfycence, so far to fal behynde?Magn.Syr, the longe absence of you, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon,Caused me of aduersyte to fall in subieccyon.Red.All that he sayth, of trouthe doth precede;For where sad cyrcumspeccyon is longe out of the way,Of aduersyte it is to stande in drede.Sad Cyr.Without fayle, syr, that is no nay;Cyrcumspeccyon inhateth all rennynge astray.But, syr, by me to rule fyrst ye began.Magn.My wylfulnesse, syr, excuse I ne can.2460Sad Cyr.Then ye repent you of foly in tymes past?Magn.Sothely, to repent me I haue grete cause:Howe be it from you I receyued a letter,[871]Whiche conteyned in it a specyall clauseThat I sholde vse largesse.Sad Cyr.Nay, syr, there a pause.Red.Yet let vs se this matter thorowly ingrosed.Magn.Syr, this letter ye sent to me, at Pountes was enclosed.Sad Cyr.Who brought you that letter, wote ye what he hyght?Magn.Largesse, syr, by his credence was his name.2470Sad Cyr.This letter ye speke of, neuer dyd I wryte.Red.To gyue so hasty credence ye were moche to blame.Magn.Truth it is, syr; for after he wrought me moch shame,And caused me also to vse to moche lyberte,And made also mesure to be put fro me.Red.Then welthe with you myght in no wyse abyde.Sad Cyr.A ha! fansy and foly met with you, I trowe.Red.It wolde be founde so, yf it were well tryde.Magn.Surely my welthe with them was ouerthrow.Sad Cyr.Remembre you, therfore, howe late ye were low.2480Red.Ye, and beware of vnhappy abusyon.Sad Cyr.And kepe you from counterfaytynge of clokyd colusyon.Magn.Syr, in goodhope I am to amende.Red.Vse not then your countenaunce for to counterfet.Sad Cyr.And from crafters and hafters I you forfende.Hic intratPerseueraunce.Magn.Well, syr, after your counsell my mynde I wyll set.Red.What, brother Perceueraunce! surely well met.Sad Cyr.Ye com hether as well as can be thought.Per.I herde say that Aduersyte with Magnyfycence had fought.Magn.Ye, syr, with aduersyte I haue bene vexyd;2490But goodhope and redresse hath mendyd myne estate,And sad cyrcumspeccyon to me they haue annexyd.[872]Red.What this man hath sayd, perceyue ye his sentence?[873]Magn.Ye, syr, from hym my corage shall neuer flyt.Sad Cyr.Accordynge to treuth they be well deuysyd.Magn.Syrs, I am agreed to abyde your ordenaunce,Faythfull[874]assuraunce with good peraduertaunce.Per.Yf you be so myndyd, we be ryght glad.Red.And ye shall haue more worshyp then euer ye had.Magn.Well, I perceyue in you there is moche sadnesse,2500Grauyte of counsell, prouydence, and wyt;Your comfortable aduyse and wyt excedyth all gladnesse.But frendly I wyll refrayne you ferther, or we flyt,Whereto were most metely my corage to knyt:Your myndys I beseche you here in to expresse,Commensynge this processe at mayster Redresse.Red.Syth vnto me formest this processe is erectyd,Herein I wyll aforse me to shewe you my mynde.Fyrst, from your magnyfycence syn must be abiectyd,In all your warkys more grace shall ye fynde;2510Be gentyll then of corage, and lerne to be kynde,For of noblenesse the chefe poynt is to be lyberall,So that your largesse be not to prodygall.Sad Cyr.Lyberte to a lorde belongyth of ryght,But wylfull waywardnesse muste walke out of the way;Measure of your lustys must haue the ouersyght,And not all the nygarde nor the chyncherde to play;Let neuer negarshyp your noblenesse affray;In your rewardys vse suche moderacyonThat nothynge be gyuen without consyderacyon.2520Per.To the increse of your honour then arme you with ryght,And fumously adresse you with magnanymyte;And euer let the drede of God be in your syght;And knowe your selfe mortall, for all your dygnyte;Set not all your affyaunce in Fortune full of gyle;Remember this lyfe lastyth but a whyle.Magn.Redresse, in my remembraunce your lesson shall rest,And Sad Cyrcumspeccyon I marke in my mynde:But, Perseueraunce, me semyth your probleme was best;I shall it neuer forget nor leue it behynde,2530But hooly to perseueraunce my selfe I wyll bynde,Of that I haue mysdone to make a redresse,And with sad cyrcumspeccyon correcte my vantonnesse.Red.Vnto this processe brefly compylyd,Comprehendyng the worlde casuall and transytory,Who lyst to consyder shall neuer be begylyd,Yf it be regystryd well in memory;A playne example of worldly vaynglory,Howe in this worlde there is no seke[r]nesse,But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse;2540Nowe well, nowe wo, nowe hy, nowe lawe degre,Nowe ryche, nowe pore, nowe hole, nowe in dysease,Nowe pleasure at large, nowe in captyuyte,Nowe leue, nowe lothe, now please, nowe dysplease,Now ebbe, now flowe, nowe increase, now dyscrease;So in this worlde there is no sykernesse,But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse.Sad Cyr.A myrrour incleryd is this interlude,This lyfe inconstant for to beholde and se;Sodenly auaunsyd, and sodenly subdude,2550Sodenly ryches, and sodenly pouerte,Sodenly comfort, and sodenly aduersyte;Sodenly thus Fortune can bothe smyle and frowne,Sodenly set vp, and sodenly cast downe;Sodenly promotyd, and sodenly put backe,Sodenly cherysshyd, and sodenly cast asyde,Sodenly commendyd, and sodenly fynde a lacke,Sodenly grauntyd, and sodenly denyed,Sodenly hyd, and sodenly spyed;Sodenly thus Fortune can bothe smyle and frowne,2560Sodenly set vp, and sodenly cast downe.Per.This treatyse, deuysyd to make you dysporte,Shewyth nowe adayes howe the worlde comberyd is,To the pythe of the mater who lyst to resorte;To day it is well, to morowe it is all amysse,To day in delyte, to morowe bare of blysse,To day a lorde, to morowe ly in the duste;Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste;To day fayre wether, to morowe a stormy rage,To day hote, to morowe outragyous colde,2570To day a yoman, to morowe made of page,To day in surety, to morowe bought and solde,To day maysterfest, to morowe he hath no holde,To day a man, to morowe he lyeth in the duste;Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste.Magn.This mater we haue mouyd, you myrthys to make,Precely purposyd vnder pretence of play,Shewyth wysdome to them that wysdome can take,Howe sodenly worldly welth dothe dekay,How wysdom thorowe wantonnesse vanysshyth away,2580How none estate lyuynge of hymselfe can be sure,For the welthe of this worlde can not indure;Of the terestre rechery we fall in the flode,Beten with stormys of many a frowarde blast,Ensordyd with the wawys sauage and wode,Without our shyppe be sure, it is lykely to brast,Yet of magnyfycence oft made is the mast;Thus none estate lyuynge of hym can be sure,For the welthe of this worlde can not indure.Red.Nowe semyth vs syttynge that ye then resorte2590Home to your paleys with ioy and ryalte.Sad Cyr.Where euery thyng is ordenyd after your noble porte.Per.There to indeuer with all felycyte.Magn.I am content, my frendys, that it so be.Red.And ye that haue harde this dysporte and game,Jhesus preserue you frome endlesse wo and shame!Amen.

Magn.To your requeste I shall be confyrmable.

Red.Fyrst,[870]I saye, with mynde fyrme and stable

Determyne to amende all your wanton excesse,

And be ruled by me, whiche am called Redresse:

Redresse my name is, that lytell am I vsed

As the worlde requyreth, but rather I am refused:2440

Redresse sholde be at the rekenynge in euery accompte,

And specyally to redresse that were out of ioynte:

Full many thynges there be that lacketh redresse,

The whiche were to longe nowe to expresse;

But redresse is redlesse, and may do no correccyon.

Nowe welcome forsoth, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon.

Here cometh inSad Cyrcumspeccyon, sayenge,

Sad Cyr.Syr, after your message I hyed me hyder streyght,

For to vnderstande your pleasure and also your mynde.

Red.Syr, to accompte you the contynewe of my consayte,

Is from aduersyte Magnyfycence to vnbynde.2450

Sad Cyr.How fortuned you, Magnyfycence, so far to fal behynde?

Magn.Syr, the longe absence of you, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon,

Caused me of aduersyte to fall in subieccyon.

Red.All that he sayth, of trouthe doth precede;

For where sad cyrcumspeccyon is longe out of the way,

Of aduersyte it is to stande in drede.

Sad Cyr.Without fayle, syr, that is no nay;

Cyrcumspeccyon inhateth all rennynge astray.

But, syr, by me to rule fyrst ye began.

Magn.My wylfulnesse, syr, excuse I ne can.2460

Sad Cyr.Then ye repent you of foly in tymes past?

Magn.Sothely, to repent me I haue grete cause:

Howe be it from you I receyued a letter,[871]

Whiche conteyned in it a specyall clause

That I sholde vse largesse.

Sad Cyr.Nay, syr, there a pause.

Red.Yet let vs se this matter thorowly ingrosed.

Magn.Syr, this letter ye sent to me, at Pountes was enclosed.

Sad Cyr.Who brought you that letter, wote ye what he hyght?

Magn.Largesse, syr, by his credence was his name.2470

Sad Cyr.This letter ye speke of, neuer dyd I wryte.

Red.To gyue so hasty credence ye were moche to blame.

Magn.Truth it is, syr; for after he wrought me moch shame,

And caused me also to vse to moche lyberte,

And made also mesure to be put fro me.

Red.Then welthe with you myght in no wyse abyde.

Sad Cyr.A ha! fansy and foly met with you, I trowe.

Red.It wolde be founde so, yf it were well tryde.

Magn.Surely my welthe with them was ouerthrow.

Sad Cyr.Remembre you, therfore, howe late ye were low.2480

Red.Ye, and beware of vnhappy abusyon.

Sad Cyr.And kepe you from counterfaytynge of clokyd colusyon.

Magn.Syr, in goodhope I am to amende.

Red.Vse not then your countenaunce for to counterfet.

Sad Cyr.And from crafters and hafters I you forfende.

Hic intratPerseueraunce.

Magn.Well, syr, after your counsell my mynde I wyll set.

Red.What, brother Perceueraunce! surely well met.

Sad Cyr.Ye com hether as well as can be thought.

Per.I herde say that Aduersyte with Magnyfycence had fought.

Magn.Ye, syr, with aduersyte I haue bene vexyd;2490

But goodhope and redresse hath mendyd myne estate,

And sad cyrcumspeccyon to me they haue annexyd.[872]

Red.What this man hath sayd, perceyue ye his sentence?[873]

Magn.Ye, syr, from hym my corage shall neuer flyt.

Sad Cyr.Accordynge to treuth they be well deuysyd.

Magn.Syrs, I am agreed to abyde your ordenaunce,

Faythfull[874]assuraunce with good peraduertaunce.

Per.Yf you be so myndyd, we be ryght glad.

Red.And ye shall haue more worshyp then euer ye had.

Magn.Well, I perceyue in you there is moche sadnesse,2500

Grauyte of counsell, prouydence, and wyt;

Your comfortable aduyse and wyt excedyth all gladnesse.

But frendly I wyll refrayne you ferther, or we flyt,

Whereto were most metely my corage to knyt:

Your myndys I beseche you here in to expresse,

Commensynge this processe at mayster Redresse.

Red.Syth vnto me formest this processe is erectyd,

Herein I wyll aforse me to shewe you my mynde.

Fyrst, from your magnyfycence syn must be abiectyd,

In all your warkys more grace shall ye fynde;2510

Be gentyll then of corage, and lerne to be kynde,

For of noblenesse the chefe poynt is to be lyberall,

So that your largesse be not to prodygall.

Sad Cyr.Lyberte to a lorde belongyth of ryght,

But wylfull waywardnesse muste walke out of the way;

Measure of your lustys must haue the ouersyght,

And not all the nygarde nor the chyncherde to play;

Let neuer negarshyp your noblenesse affray;

In your rewardys vse suche moderacyon

That nothynge be gyuen without consyderacyon.2520

Per.To the increse of your honour then arme you with ryght,

And fumously adresse you with magnanymyte;

And euer let the drede of God be in your syght;

And knowe your selfe mortall, for all your dygnyte;

Set not all your affyaunce in Fortune full of gyle;

Remember this lyfe lastyth but a whyle.

Magn.Redresse, in my remembraunce your lesson shall rest,

And Sad Cyrcumspeccyon I marke in my mynde:

But, Perseueraunce, me semyth your probleme was best;

I shall it neuer forget nor leue it behynde,2530

But hooly to perseueraunce my selfe I wyll bynde,

Of that I haue mysdone to make a redresse,

And with sad cyrcumspeccyon correcte my vantonnesse.

Red.Vnto this processe brefly compylyd,

Comprehendyng the worlde casuall and transytory,

Who lyst to consyder shall neuer be begylyd,

Yf it be regystryd well in memory;

A playne example of worldly vaynglory,

Howe in this worlde there is no seke[r]nesse,

But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse;2540

Nowe well, nowe wo, nowe hy, nowe lawe degre,

Nowe ryche, nowe pore, nowe hole, nowe in dysease,

Nowe pleasure at large, nowe in captyuyte,

Nowe leue, nowe lothe, now please, nowe dysplease,

Now ebbe, now flowe, nowe increase, now dyscrease;

So in this worlde there is no sykernesse,

But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse.

Sad Cyr.A myrrour incleryd is this interlude,

This lyfe inconstant for to beholde and se;

Sodenly auaunsyd, and sodenly subdude,2550

Sodenly ryches, and sodenly pouerte,

Sodenly comfort, and sodenly aduersyte;

Sodenly thus Fortune can bothe smyle and frowne,

Sodenly set vp, and sodenly cast downe;

Sodenly promotyd, and sodenly put backe,

Sodenly cherysshyd, and sodenly cast asyde,

Sodenly commendyd, and sodenly fynde a lacke,

Sodenly grauntyd, and sodenly denyed,

Sodenly hyd, and sodenly spyed;

Sodenly thus Fortune can bothe smyle and frowne,2560

Sodenly set vp, and sodenly cast downe.

Per.This treatyse, deuysyd to make you dysporte,

Shewyth nowe adayes howe the worlde comberyd is,

To the pythe of the mater who lyst to resorte;

To day it is well, to morowe it is all amysse,

To day in delyte, to morowe bare of blysse,

To day a lorde, to morowe ly in the duste;

Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste;

To day fayre wether, to morowe a stormy rage,

To day hote, to morowe outragyous colde,2570

To day a yoman, to morowe made of page,

To day in surety, to morowe bought and solde,

To day maysterfest, to morowe he hath no holde,

To day a man, to morowe he lyeth in the duste;

Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste.

Magn.This mater we haue mouyd, you myrthys to make,

Precely purposyd vnder pretence of play,

Shewyth wysdome to them that wysdome can take,

Howe sodenly worldly welth dothe dekay,

How wysdom thorowe wantonnesse vanysshyth away,2580

How none estate lyuynge of hymselfe can be sure,

For the welthe of this worlde can not indure;

Of the terestre rechery we fall in the flode,

Beten with stormys of many a frowarde blast,

Ensordyd with the wawys sauage and wode,

Without our shyppe be sure, it is lykely to brast,

Yet of magnyfycence oft made is the mast;

Thus none estate lyuynge of hym can be sure,

For the welthe of this worlde can not indure.

Red.Nowe semyth vs syttynge that ye then resorte2590

Home to your paleys with ioy and ryalte.

Sad Cyr.Where euery thyng is ordenyd after your noble porte.

Per.There to indeuer with all felycyte.

Magn.I am content, my frendys, that it so be.

Red.And ye that haue harde this dysporte and game,

Jhesus preserue you frome endlesse wo and shame!

Amen.

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