<P Nat>


                             NATURE


                The Names of the Players


Nature               *Wrath              Lyberalyte
*Man                  Envy               Bhastyte
Reason                Slouth             Good Occupacyon
Sensualyte            Glotony            Shamefastnes
Innocencye           *Mekenes           *The Worlde
Wordly Affeccyon      Charyte            Pacyence
Bodyly Lust           Abstynence         Pryde
                                        *Garcius


*These names differ in some particular from the list in C, which is transcribed/
at the conclusion of the play . /

A goodly interlude of Nature compylyd by mayster Henry Medwall, chapleyn to/
the ryght reverent father in God Fohan Morton, somtyme cardynall and/
archebyshop of Canterbury . /
Fyrst cometh in Mundus [The Worlde] and syttyth down aand sayth nothynge, and/
wyth hym Worldly Affeccyon berynge a gown and cap and a gyrdyll for Man . /
That cometh in Nature, Man, Reason, [Sensualyte,] and Innocencye, and Nature/
syttyth down and sayeth:/
<C Nat>
Thalmyghty God that made eche creature/
As well in heven as other place erthly/
By hys wyse ordynaunce hath purveyd me, Nature,/
To be as mynyster under hym immedyately/
For thencheson that I shold perpetually/
Hys creatures in suche degre mayntayne/
As yt hath pleased jys grace for theym to ordeyne . /

To me yt longeth by naturall engendure/
Thyng to contynew that hath spryte of lyfe,/
Whyche ne were my helpe shuld never endure/
But sodenly peryshe and wax all caytyfe . /
Atwyxt thelementys that whylom were at stryfe/
I have swage the old repugnaunce/
And knyt theym togeder in maner of alyaunce . /

Eke I have ordeyned the doggys Deane/
Lady of the see and every freshe fontayn,/
Whyche comenly decreceth whan she gynneth wane/
And waxeth abundant what she creceth agayne . /
Of eb and flode she ys cause certayne,/
And reyneth as prynces in every yle and town/
That wyth the see ys compassed envyron . /

I am causer of suche impressyon/
As appereth wonderouse to mannys syght,/
As of flammes that from the sterry regyon/
Semeth to fall in tymes of the nyght:/
Som shote sydelong and some down ryght,/
Whyche causeth the ignorant ot stand in drede/
That sterrys do fall--yet falleth there none in dede . /

What nedeth yt to speke of thyngys here bylow/
As fowles, bestys, and fysshes in theyre kynde?/
Of trees, herbys, and stones how they frow,/
In whyche men sondry and meny vertuous fynde?/
One thyng be ye sure and thynk yt in your mynde:/
No maner creature may take on hym the cure/
Of these workys but onely I, Nature . /

And playnly there ys in erthe no maner thynge/
That ys not partyner of my influence . /
I do provyde for every beste lyvynge/
Of naturall foode alway suffycence,/
And geve theym also a maner of prudence/
Wherby they may naturally ensew/
Thyng that ys delectable and thother exchew . /

Who taught the cok hys watche howres to observe/
And syng of corage wyth shryll throte on hey?/
Who taught the pellycan her tender hart to carve/
For she nolde suffer her byrdys to dye?/
Who taught the myghtngall to recorde besyly/
Her stange entunys in sylence of the nyght?/
Certes I, Nature, and none othe wyght . /

But yf that I shold clepe to memorye/
Eche strange effecte and every great mervayll/
That I have caused, I ensure you faythfull/
That rather tyme than processe shuld me fayll . /
Yt were your payne and to me but travayll/
All suche maters as now to bryng in place,/
Wherfore I let passe theym tell other tyme and space . /

But ye ye covet now to know theffect/
Of thyngys naturall by trew concusyon,/
Counsell with Arystotell my phylosopher elects,/
Whyche hat left in bokys of hys tadycyon/
How every thyng by hevynly constellacyon/
Is brought to effecte, and in what maner wyse,/
As far as mannys wytt may naturally compryse . /

Wherfore, syth God of hys great largesse/
Hath thus enryched me wyth dower of hys grace/
And made me as who seyth a wor[l]dly goddesse,/
Of duty I can no lesse do in thys case/
But wyth hartys joy and entyere solace/
My selfe addresse to do hys hygh pleasures,/
And to thys same move all other creatures . /

Enforce you therfore, hys creaturs eche on,/
To honour your maker wyth humble obeysance . /
Namely thow, Man, I speke to the alone/
Byfore all other as chyef of hys creance . /
Thynke how he hath made the to hys semblance:/
Pluck up thyn harte and hold thyn hed upryght,/
and ever more have heven in thy syght . /

Ovyde, in hys boke cleped The Tranformacyon,/
Among all ther hys fables and poesyes/
Maketh specyall mensyon of thy creacyon,/
Shewyng how God wonderously gan devyse/
Whan he the made and gave to the tempryse/
Of all thys world, and feoffed the wyth all/
As chyef possessyoner of thyngys mortuall . /

In token wherof he gave the upryght vysage/
And gave the in commaundement to lyft thyn eye/
Up towarde heven, only for that usage/
Thow shuldest know hym for thy Lorde almyghtly;/
All other bestys, as thyngys unworthy,/
To behold therth wyth grovelyng countenaunce/
and be subdued to thyn obeysaunce . /

But as touchyng the cause specyally/
Wherfore I have ordeyned the tys nyght to appere,/
It ys to put the in knowlege and memorye/
To what entent thow art ordeyned to be here . /
I let the wyt thou arte a passanger/
That hast to do a great and longe vyage,/
And through the world most be thy passage . /

Addresse thy selfe now towardys thys journay,/
For as now thou shalf no lenger here abyde . /
Lo her Reason to governe the in thy way,/
And Sensualyte upon thyn other syde . /
But Reason I depute to be thy chyef gyde,/
Wyth Innocencye that ys thy tender noryce,/
Evermore to wene the from thappetyte of vyce . /
<C Man>
O Lord of Lordes, my Lord God immortuall,/
To the be honour and joy ever to endure,/
Whose hevenly empyre shall never be fynall/
But world wythout end remayne stable and sure,/
Whon heven and hell and erthly creature/
Wyth one assent and all wyth one accorde/
Honoureth, prayseth, and knowlegeth for theyre Lorde . /

To the myne hed I humbly inclyne,/
Thankyng thy grace that fyrst hast ordyned me/
To be as a syly creature of thyne,/
And after that of thy great bownte/
Thou hast me set in soverayne degre/
And gyven me the profettys of every erthly thynge/
As well of trutys as of bestys lyvynge . /

And that that ys also most precyouse,/
thou hast me enspyred wyth hevenly wysdome/
Wheby I may do workys mervaylouse/
In every place where soever I come . /
Of eche perfeccyon thy grace hath lent me some,/
So that I know that creature no where/
Of whose vertue I am not partyner . /

I have, as hath eche other element/
Among other in thys world a comen beyng/
Wyth herbys and trees, contynuall noryshement/
That ys suffysant to naturall lybyng . /
Wyth sensuall bestys I have a maner of knowyng/
Wherby I shuld in good thyngys delyte/
And flee the contrary of myn appetyte . /

And over all thys thou hast gyven me vertue/
Surmountyng all other in hygh perfeccyon,/
That ys, understandyng, wherby I may avew/
And well dyscerne what ys to be done . /
Yet for all that have fre eleccyon/
[To] do what I wyll, be yt evyll or well,/
And am put in the hande on myne own counsell . /

And in thys poynt I am halfe angelyke,/
Unto thy hevenly spyrytys almost egall,/
Albeyt in some parte I be to them unlyke:/
For they be ordeyned to endure perpetuall,/
And I wretched body shall have my funerall/
when yt pleaseth thy grace so to provyde--/
Man ys not ordeyned alway here to abyde . /

Wherfore unto thy soverayne and hygh estate,/
Most hevenly Prynce, I make myne oryson:/
Syth yt hath pleased thy noble grace algate/
That I unworthy of so great renown/
In thys world shall have possessyon,/
Thou gyve me grace my selfe to enure/
As may me profyte and be to thy pleasure . /
<C Nat>
God hath herd thy prayer Mankynd, no dout,/
In all thy requestys and ryghtfull petycyon . /
Now forth thy jounay, and loke well about/
That thou be not deceyved by fals prodycyon . /
Let Reason the governe in every condycyon,/
For yf thou do not to hys rule inclyne/
Yt wylbe to thy great myshef and ruyne ./

I wot well Sensualyte ys to the naturall/
And graunted to the in thy furst creacyon,/
But not wythstandyng, yt ought to be overall/
Subdued to Reason and under hys tuycyon . /
Thous hast now lybertye and nedest no  maynmyssyon,/
And yf thou abond the to passyons sensuall,/
Farewele thy lybertye--thou shalt wax thrall . /
<C Sen>
What, lady Nature?  Have I none intresse/
As well as Reason or Innocency?/
Thynke ye thys, lady, a good processe,/
That they are avaunced and I let go by?/
Ye knowe ryght well that I ought naturally/
Byfore all other to have of hym the cure--/
I am the chyef perfeccyon of hys nature . /

Alas, what coulde the sely body do,/
Or how sholde yt lyve, ne were the helpe of me?/
Certes yt could no well crepe nor go!/
At the lest wyse yt shuld neyther fele, here, nor se,/
But be as other incensate bodys be--/
In mouche wurs case than wormes of the grounde/
In whyche unneth any tokyn of lyfe ys founde . /

Me semth yt shuld abhorr hym for to here/
That I destayned shulde be in any wyse,/
Standynge that I was create to be hys fere,/
Of all hys guydyng to take thenterpryse . /
And now ye put me out of hys servyce/
And have assygned Reason to by hys guyde,/
Wyth Innocencye hys noryse--thus am I set asyde!/

Ye clepe hym lorde of all bestys lyvynge,/
And nothyng worthy as far as I can se . /
For yf there be in hym no maner of felynge/
Ne no lyvely quyknes, what lorde ys he?/
A lorde made of clowtys or karved out of tre,/
And fareth as an ymage graved out of stone/
That nothyng ellys can do but stande alone . /

If ye intend hym to contynew longe/
In honour or worldly felycyte,/
He most nedys folow hys apetyte amonge/
And coferme hym selfe to the more parte . /
I tell you, men wyll have no deynte/
To do servyce or homage to a block--/
All the world wyll thynk yt but a mock!/

Suffer me therfore to have wyth hym a rome/
And to be wyth hym as shyef counseyll[er],/
And yf he so so I thynk to dome/
He shall reyng in the world as chyef governer . /
But yf Reason tykyll hym in the ere/
Or bere hym on hand the kow is wood,/
He shall never be able to do erthly good . /
<C Nat>
My frend, as I sayd to you byfore,/
A rome shall ye have--no man sayth nay . /
But Reason must be preferred evermore,/
For he can best lede hym to the way/
Of vertue and grace wherby he may/
Longest contynue to Goddys hygh pleasure/
To the whych end God hath ordeyned this hys creature . /

Content thy selfe now wyth Reason, my frend,/
And medyll the no further than thou hast to do . /
Thou hast brought many a man to a wrecched end/
And so thou woldyst spyll hys creature also . /
But what so ever he say, take no hede therto/
<T SD>
[To Man]
<C Nat>
Wythout that Reason wyll alow the same,/
For who so doth the contrary deserveth myche blame . /

God and I, Nature, have set the in better case/
Than any creature under the fyrmament . /
Abuse not, Man, abuse not thy grace/
Of God almyghty that from aboe ys sent!/
Thou shalt be the fyrst that shall repent/
If ever thou fle Reason and sue Foly/
Whan onys thou felest the smert of mysery . /

But be of confor:  hardely God shall send/
Both gostly ayd and wordly hele also,/
And I shall never fayll unto thy lyfys end/
To mynyster unto the as me oweth to do . /
Lo yender the World whyche thou must nedys to!/
Now shape the thyder, there ys no more to say . /
Thy Lord and myne guyde the in they way . /
<T SD>
Then Nature goeth out . /
<C Sen>
Well lady Nature, leve ye me in thys case?/
Shall I have of you none other confor?/
By Cryst, yet wyll I not hyde my face,/
For as sone as we shall to the World resort/
I put no doubt he wyll me support!/
He hath ben my good mayster meny a day/
And he wyll not se me thus cast away!/
<C Rea>
Sobur thy selfe, man, I advyse the hardely . /
Be not so passyonate ne y[e]t so furyouse!/
Thou turmentyst thy selfe and wotyst not why . /
No well advysed body wyll demean hym thus!/
Be sure, thy mynde is all erronyous:/
Thou takyst a sefe-well and wrong opynyon/
Whyche shalbe thyn and others confusyon . /
<C Sen>
Ye, Reason, syr, ye speke lyke a noble man,/
But yet are ye take wyth a poynt of oversyght . /
What?  Wold ye make me stand as a lordan/
And not speke one word for myne own ryght?/
I se yt well that yf your lordshyp myght/
By meanes possyble onys bryng yt about,/
Your selfe shudl be a ruler and I but a cast owt . /
<C Rea>
A rular?  Certes, and so I owght to be,/
And a lord also, though ye say yt in scorne ./
<C Sen>
A lord?  Whose lord?/
<C Rea>
Thy lord . /
<Sen>
Nay, so mote I the,/
Thou lyest!  Yt may no lengar be forborne . /
Thou camyst but tonyght and mayst hap go tomorne,/
For yf thou be as haute as thou begynnest/
Thou shalt avoyd myche sonar than thou wennyst!/
<C Rea>
As for myne avoydaunce, how sone so ever yt be,/
It shall not skyll as for thys intent . /
But he that fyrst fleeth or forsaketh me,/
He shall have gretest occasyon to repent . /
It shalbe to hys great trouble and turment/
That he hath left Reason and suyd hys own foly/
And therby ys fallen to wreched penury . /

But now as touchyng the honour and degre/
That I am ordeyned to, I wyll thou understand/
That almyghty God of hys grace and bountye/
Of the and suche hath gyven me the over hand,/
And wyll that I use the as a servand/
To davyse the and reforme the whan thou gynst to erre/
And to slepe the homward yf thou rayll to far . /

And where thou sayst thou art so necessaryl/
That man wythout the can have no lyvyng,/
As in the poynt we shall not myche vary . /
I wote thou art necessary to hs beyng,/
But be thou sure, that ys not the very thyng/
That maketh hym to appere so wonerouse/
And to be in hys nature so noble and precyouse . /

It ys a thyng that doth ryght far excede/
All other perfeccyons and vertuouse naturall,/
For Sensualyte is very dede/
Is but a meane whyche causeth hy to fall/
Into moche foly and maketh hym bestayal/
So that there ys no dyfference in that at the lest/
Bytwyxt man and an unresonable best . /

But this other cometh of reat tenderaunce/
and spyrytuall love that God oweth to mankynde,/
Whom he hath create to hys owne semblaunce/
And endued wyth a wonderouse mynde/
Wherby he may well dyscerne and fynde/
Suffysant dyfference bytwyxt good and bad,/
Whyche ys to be left and whych ys to be had . /

Lo, thys ys yt that doth hym dygnyfye/
And causeth hym to be reputed so excellent . /
And of all thys the chyef doar am I,/
Whyche from heven into erth by lGod am sent/
Only for that cause and fynall intent/
That I shuld thys hys creature demean and guyd/
For the season that he doth in thys world abyde . /

Now compare thy vertues and myne togedet/
And say whyche ys the wurthyar of theym to ./
<C Sen>
Whyche ys the worthyar? Forsoth, I trow neyther!/
We be good felowys!/
<C Rea>
Nay, my frend, not so!/
Thou ought to obey me where so ever I go . /
<C Sen>
Nay, that shall I never do for to dye:/
I shall thy felow be, loke thou never so hye!/

And therfore, hardely, be somwhat felowlyke!/
Leve thyn hawt conceytys and take a metely way . /
For shame of the world, man, let us not styk/
At a mater of ryght nohgt and travers here all day . /
Have me in few wordys, man, and hark what I say:/
Medyll thou in no poynt that belongeth to me,/
And I shall promyse the never to medyll wyth the . /

And standyng the nonage of thys gentylman,/
On my parell take no care therfore . /
I shal demean yt as well as I can/
Tyll he be passyd forty yerys and more,/
And, Reason, then yf ye wyll, undershore/
Hys croked old age when lusty youth ys spent;/
Than tkae uppon you .  I hold me content,/

For trust ye me the very trouth ys thys:/
Thys Man ys put in hys owne lybertye,/
And Certaynly the fre choyce ys hys/
Wheder he wyll be governed by the or by me . /
Let us therfore put yt ot hys owne jeopardye/
And thein stande to hys arbyrement/
To whyche of us twayne he had lever assent . /
<C Rea>
Nay, syr, not so!/  I know hys fraylte:/
The body ys dysposed for to fall/
Rather to the worse than the better parte/
But yt be holpen by power supernall . /
<C Sen>
Yet, Reason, whan thou hast sayd all,/
Yf thou se hym not take hys owne way,/
Call me cut when thou metest me a nother day . /
<C Rea>
For carayne, yet accordyng to myne offyce/
I must advertyse and counsell hym at the lest/
To hawnt vertue and schew all vyce/
And therin assyst hym to the uttermest . /
And yf he wyll algatys be a best/
And take none hed to my lore and doctryne,/
The parell and hurt shalbe hys and not myne . /
<C Inn>
Syrs, I shall answere for thys man as yet/
That he ys mayden for all suche foly/
As hold dystayne nature or dyshonour yt,/
Brought up wyth me full well and tenderly . /
Wherfore I dare the surelyar testyfye/
For innocencye that he ys yet vyrgyn/
Goth for ded and eke consent of syn . /

And lengar wyll not I be of hys acquayntaunce/
That he ys vertuouse and of good lyvyng,/
For fleshly lust and worldly pleasaunce/
Ys wyth Innocencye nothyng accordyng . /
But yf hys behavyour and dayly demeanyng/
Be of suche draught as Reason wyll alow,/
I shall hym favour and love as I do now . /
<C Sen>
Well spoken and wysely!  Now, have ye all done?/
Or have ye ought ellys to thys man to say?/
<C Rea>
O syr, ye!/
<C Sen>
Pece, no more of thys dysputacyon!/
Here be many fantasyes to dryve forth the day--/
That one chatreth lyke a pye, that other lyke a jay . /
And yet, whan they both have done what they can,/
Maugry theyr teeth I shall rule the man . /
<C Man>
O blessyd Lord, what maner stryf ys thys/
Atwyxt my Reason and Sensualyte?/
That one meneth well and that other all amysse . /
In one ys sekernes and in tother great fraylte,/
And both they be so annexed to me/
That nedes I must wyth one of theym abyde!/
Lorde, as thou thynkyst best, for me do provyde!/

For I am wonderously entryked in thys case/
And almost brought into perplesyte,/
Notwythsandyng, thanked be thy grace,/
As I dyd never assent ne aggre/
To thynge that sholde be contraryouse unto the--/
Cryst graunt you therin good contynuaunce/
To be ever of the same mynde and intent!/
But now wyll ye call to your remembraunce/
For what cause ye be hyder sent?/
I hold yt well done and ryght expedyent/
That ye were brough[t] unto the Worldys presence . /
<C Man>
Be yt so!  In Goddys name, I pray you, go we hens . /
<C Rea>
And wyll ye that I shall for you declare/
Unto the World the cause of your comyng,/
What ys your intent, and what parson ye are?/
<C Man>
Ye, I wold be glad that every thyng/
Be done even after your devysyng . /
<C Sen>
Shall I than stand as Iwere tong tyde?/
<C Man>
Ye, hardely, tyll Reason have sayd . /
<C Rea>
Syr World, yt ys the mynde and also pleasure/
Of lady Nature, as she bad us to you tell,/
That ye accept and receyve thys her creature/
Wyth for for a season here to dwell,/
Desyryng you hartely to entreat hym well/
Wyth all the fabour that ye can devyse,/
Wherin ye shalll do her great pleasure and servyce . /
<C Wor>
Syrs, ye be welcome to us harely!/
Your message ys to us ryght acceptable . /
Be ye assured ther ys nothyng erthy/
To us so joyfull ne yet so delectable/
As to be acquaynted wyth parsons honorable,/
Namely souch as ye seme to be,/
Men of hygh honour and of great dygnyte . /

And as touchyng the message that ye have brought,/
[We] have therof the full mynde and intent,/
Assuryng you that our bysy thought/
Shalbe to do dame Narurys commaundement . /
And thereunto we wyll by dylygent/
To do her pleasureys in that we may,/
And so we wold ye shold to her say . /

And w[h]ere ye shew unto me that thys Man/
Is ordeyned to reygne here in thys empry,/
I assent well, for or nature began/
To shape the world, she thought fynally/
To ordeyne Man therin to occupy,/
He to take uppon hym as myghty governer,/
Havyng all thyng subdued to hys power . /

Wherfore I receyve gretly hys comyng . /
Mankynde syr, harely welcom ye be!/
Ye are the parsone, whythou faynyng,/
That I have evermore desyred to se . /
Come let me kys you!  O benedycyte,/
ye be all naked!  Alas Man, why thus,/
I make you sure, yt ys ryght perylous!/
<C Man>
I thanke you, but I nede none other vesture . /
Nature hath clothed me as yet suffysantly:/
Byltles of syn, and as mayden pure,/
I were on me the garment of Innocencye . /
<C Inn>
Ye hardely, were that garment contynually!/
It shall thy body suffysantly savegard/
From stormy weder, my lyfe to jeopard!/
<C Wor>
Be pece, fayre woman!  Ye ar not very wyse . /
Care ye not yf thys body take cold?/
Ye must consyder thys ys not paradyse,/
Ne yet so temporate by a thowsand fold!/
Who so lyveth here, be he yong or old,/
He must suffer both fervent cold and hete/
And be out of temperaunce oft tyme in hys dyet . /

Also he must nedys do as the Worlde doth/
That intendeth any whyle here to reygne,/
And folow the gyse that now a day goth/
As far as hys estate my yt mayntayne . /
And who doth the contrary--I wylll be playne--/
He ys abyect and dyspysed utterly/
And standeth ever baneshed form all good company . /

Syth God therfore had ordeyned thys body/
To dwell here in thys erthly regyon,/
Of convenyence he must hym selfe apply/
To worldly thyngys and be of suche condycyon/
As all men be, and leve eche fond opynyon/
That ys not approvable of wysar men than he:/
To take suche way yt ys but vanyte!/
<T SD>
[The Worlde rises to give Man the robe, cap, and girdle . ]
<C Wor>
Take thys garment, Man; do as I you byd!/
Be not ashamed, hardely, to do yt on . /
So lo, now thys furdell, have gurd yt in the myd,/
And thys for your hed go set yt ippon . /
By the charge of me, you be a goodly on/
As ever I saw syth that I was borne,/
Worth a thowsand that ye were beforne!/

Gyve me your hand--be not in fere!/
Syt down as ye ar borne to occupye thys place . /
<T SD>
[Man sits in the Worlde's throne .]/
<C Wor>
I gyve you here auctoryte and power/
Over all thynge that conceyved ys in the space/
Of all the erth that rownd ys in compace,/
To be as lord of every regyon,/
And therof I gyve you pessyble possessyon . /
<C Man>
Blessyd be thou my lord most bounteouse,/
That of thy great abundant cheryte/
Me thy wretched creature hast honoured thus/
Wyth naturall gyftys and worldly dygnyte . /
Now I beseke the, for thy great pyte,/
Syth thou hast se me in so noble way,/
Suffer me not hereafter wrechedly to decay . /

For certes, yt ys myne hartys desyre/
So to demayn me in thys lyfe present/
As may be most unto thy pleasure/
And unto Nature not dysconvenyent . /
Thys ys my wyll and my cyef intent,/
Thys wyll I observe--thy grace to borrow--/
Thought I therfore suffer mouche worldly sorow . /
<C Rea>
Forsoth, these wordys be gretly to alow/
Yf thy from meke and lowly hart procede . /
Now Mankynde, syth thou hast made thys vow,/
Shape the therafter thy lyfe to lede,/
And let thy word be cousyn to thy dede:/
That ys to say, do thou none other wyse/
That thou here openly to God dost promyse . /
<C Inn>
Ye syr, and ever loke that ye abstayne/
Not onely from dede but also from the assent,/
So that ye commyt neyther of theym twayn/
Yf ye wyll observe the hygh commaundement . /
For surely ye may not be cleped innocent/
Nor gyltles of syn, as far as I can fynde,/
Yf onys ye assent to foly in your mynde . /
<C Wor>
Thys ys an harde word, syster, that ye have spoken,/
An hard worde surely and an hevy sentence . /
But thynk ye Goddys commaundement broken/
For a lyght tryfull and mater of insolence?/
Alas, have ye suche a spyced conscyent/
That wyll be entryked wyth every mery thought?/
Leve yt woman, leve yt, for yt ys nought . /
<T SD>
Loquitur ad hominem . /
<C Wor>
And Man, as for you, ye shall not take that way--/
That maner of ovservaunce ys to hard and strayte . /
Ye must attempte the world and therin assay/
Whether ye can lyve after that endrayte . /
These two folk harp both on refrayte/
And ever enbesyeth theym to rebuke you of syn/
That never was spotted ne fownd gylty therin . /

Take none hede of theym--theyre wordys be but wynde,/
And as for thys tyme I commaunde theym to sylence!/
And let us se now how prately ye can fynde/
By sage polycy and wordly prudence/
To mayntayne the state in honour and reverence/
That ye shall be in whyle ye in the world dwell . /
Speke of thys mater and ponder yt well . /

Fyrst me semeth necessary to provyde/
What maner folkys your sarvauntys shall be,/
For surely ye ar nothyng accompanyde/
Accordyng to man of your degre!/
Ye have here wyth you two parsons or thre/
That pleaseth you happely in the best wyse,/
Yet yt appereth not so to every mannys [gyse] . /
What man ys thys?/
<C Man>
Reason, syr, my chyef conselour,/
And thys Innocency my noryce hyderto,/
And Sensualyte that other by whom I have power/
To do as all sensate bestys do . /
But Reason and Innocency, chyefly these two,/
Have the hole rule and governy of me,/
To whom eke ys subdued my Sensualyte . /
<C Sen>
For cartayne syr, Reason hath done me wrong/
More than ever he shalbe abale to recompense . /
God knoweth syr, I thought the season very long/
Tyll we were brought unto your presence . /
But now I pray you to adnull the sentence/
That Nature gave unto me by Reasons advyse/
To my great hurt and uttyr prejudyce . /

And syr, I aske none amendys erthly/
But that Reason may have a chek mate,/
A lytell knack, a lytell prayty congy/
Hys haut corage some thynge to abate . /
For hyderto he hath kept great estate/
And had of me the over hande and strengar:/
Be ye not dyspleased--I wyll suffet yt no lengar . /
<C Wor>
Thou hast had great wrong and that ys pyte,/
For yf thou be the parson that I take the fore,/
Thou sholdyst be as honorable as he . /
<C Sen>
Lord ye say well, but wold God ye wold se/
Some maner helpe and remedy for thys evyll/
And let me not alway lyve thys lyke a dryvyll!/
<T SD>
[To Man . ]
<C Wor>
Syr, ye know well that yf yt were/
A man shold sodenly come to a straunge place/
Wherin he ys but alyand and straunger,/
He must nedys be compelled in that case/
To put hym selfe in the favour and grace/
Of some syngler person that can shew hym the way/
Of all the behavour and gyse in that contray . /

So yt ys now that ye be hyder sent,/
Thys contray as yet to you unknowen . /
In myne opynyon yt ys expedyent/
To take some other counsell than your awne/
Of well enured men suche as have growne/
In worldly experyence and have therof the dryft/
And can best for you in tyme of nede skyft . /
<C Man>
Certes ye move ryght well and prudently,/
And I am well content that yt so be . /
But as yet have I not the polycy/
To know whyche men have most abylyte . /
<C Wor>
Dare ye commyt the mater unto me?/
<C Man>
Ye syr, ryght well .  I am fully content/
That all thynge be done by your assygnement . /
<C Wor>
Than thus I wyll:  that above all thyng/
From hens forward ye be lyke and conformable/
Unto other parsones in all your demeanyng,/
Namely to suche as be companable,/
Be they never so vycyouse or abhomynable . /
For ever man clepyth hym wyse/
That doth after the comen gyse . /

And as for men that shold do you servyce,/
I know dyvers persones that be ryght honorable/
That can you serve alway poynt devyce:/
In all the worlde be there none so able,/
So wyse, so polytyke, ne yet so profytable . /
Lo here ys one of theym that I speke fore,/
And he hym selfe can tell you where ye shall have more . /

Worldly Affeccyon ys thys mannys name . /
He ys well brayned and wonderous of invencyon,/
A forecastyng man and, payne of shame,/
Ye shall not fynde in any Grysten regyon/
A wyser felow in thyngys to be done,/
Specyally of maters that be concernyng/
Wordly pleasure that ys for you accordyng . /

Suffer hym therfore never to departe/
But yf yt be for maters of great substaunce . /
And for Sensualyte, I pray you wyth all my harte/
To accept hym to your favour and tendraunce:/
He hath ben longe of myne acqauyntaune/
And, on my fayth, my hharte can not but grudge/
To thynke that ye shold use hym as a drudge . /

Do as he advyseth you hardely, now and than,/
And dyspyse not utterly hys counsell . /
thynke that ye be here a worldly man/
And must do as men that in the world dwell . /
Ye ar not bounde to lyve lyke and aungell/
Ne to be as God alway immutable--/
Mannys nature of hym selfe ys full myserable . /

I have tolde you now my counsell and advyse/
And ye have promysed to be ruled therby . /
Now let eche man execute hys offyce/
And se how wysely ye can theym occupy/
To encreace the world, and yt therto ye must apply . /
Now addresse you therto and demeane you thus--/
I shalbe to you ever good and prosperouse . /
<C Man>
Syr, I thank you of thys curtesy,/
Undeserved as yet, but be ye sure/
I shall my selfe endevour bysyly/
To do that may be to your pleasure . /
And for the season that I shall her[e] endure,/
I shall theym cheryce and to my power mayntayne/
That unto you in any wyse do partayne . /
<C Wor>
Than to bygyn wyth all, I wyll advyse you/
To put thys man from your company . /
I tell you, every man wyll despyse you/
As long as ye be ruled by Innocency . /
To folow suche counsell yt ys but foly,/
For he can neyther good neyther evyll,/
And therfore he ys taken but for a dryvyll . /
<C Man>
By my fayth, evyn as ye say/
It lyketh me not ryght well/
Wyth Innocency longe to dwell . /
Therfore, accordyng to your counsell,/
    I wyll not after thys day/

Wyth hys company my selfe affere/
As mewet as yt were a Gray Frere!/
I suppose there ys no man here/
    What soever he be/
That could in hys mynde be content/
Allwayes to be called an innocent . /
Wherfore yt ys myne intent/
    To do as ye advyse me . /
<C Wor>.
Ye hardely, do evyn so . /
<C Inn>
Forsoth, and I hold me well content/
To departe at your commaundement . /
Ye shall fynde me obedyent/
    What soever ye byd me do . /
<T SD>
Here Innocyncye goeth out .  [Reason withdraws . ]
<C Sen>
So, the company ys well amend!/
Let hym go the the devyll of hell!/
He ys but a boy, I warn you well,/l
And shuld ye folow hys counsell/
    Allmyghty God defend!/

Yf ever ye lust to play the man,/
It ys tyme that ye now bygan,/
Mary, to play the boy now and than/
    For your dysport and solace!/
It forceth not though ye do/
Whan ye may have leyser therto,/
And among I wyll helpe you also/
    In due tyme and place . /
<C Wor>
Ye, that ye wyll in dede!/
But now syr, wyll ye any thyng/
Commaund me byfore my departyng?/
<C Man>
Nothyng at all, to me wetyng,/
But our Lord have you in hys kypyng/
    And send you well to spede . /
<T SD>
[The Worlde goes out . ] /
<C Man>
Worldly Affeccyon, come hyder:  ye are polytyke/
And myche better enured in thys world than I . /
I pray you dyspose for me as ye thynk most lyke/
That I may lyve here well and honorably . /
<C Wor Aff>
Ye syr, I shall .  Dout ye not, hardely,/
Yf yt lyke you to put me in so greast trust,/
And I trow ye shall fynde me trew and just . /
<C Man>
I wote well I shall .  Surely you be bound/
To the World that hath gyven you so great commendacyon . /
<C Wor Aff>
Ye syr, some men had lever than a thowsand pound/
Thy myght be commended of the same fassyon!/
But syr, let passe all thys commendacyon/
And answere to me, I pray you, frutefully/
In that I shall meve you subsancyally . /

Syr, at few wordys I you exhorte:/
Syth that ye be come to your own,/
Cast your selfe to bere suche a porte/
That as ye be ye may be knowen . /
Eke yt ys necessary for that behove/
That there be made some maner of purvyaunce/
Wherby ye may bere out your countenaunce . /

Wyll yt lyke you therfore that I survey/
And se thextent of all your land/
And thereuppon in all the hast purvey/
Both for you and yours all maner of vyand,/
Wyth other utensyllys redy at your hand,/
So that ye be purveyd all tymes erely and late/
Of eche thyng that belongeth to your estate?/
<C Man>
Your counsell ys good--do as ye thynk best!/
I commyt all suche thyng to your dyscrecyon . /
<C Wor Aff>
I shall do my tew bysynes at the lest/
To bryng all thyngys to good conclusyon . /
<T SD>
[Worldly Affeccyon offers to go out . ] /
<C Man>
Abyde, Worldly Affeccyon!  Ye made no mencyon/
Who shuld awayt and gyve attendaunce . /
I must have mo servauntys what so ever chaunce!/
<C Wor Aff>
What?  Ye have Sensualyte--ax never other counsell . /
Of suche mater he can you best advyse . /
He knoweth where all suche maner parsons dwell/
As be moste apte to do you sorldly sarvyce . /
<T SD>
the he goeth out . /
<C Sen>
Ye, on my parell syr, I shall take the enterpryse/
Of all suche maters, and loke where I fynde/
Any man of plesure, on hym set your mynde!/

Lo, wyll ye se?  Lo, here cometh one--/
Even the last man that was in my thought . /
<C Man>
What ys he?/
<C Sen>
ye shall se anon:/
A well drawen man ys he, and a well taught,/
That wyll not gevy hys hed for nought,/
And therto goodly as ye shall se in a day,/
As well apparelyd at eche poynt of hys aray . /
<T SD>
Pryde co[meth in, with Garcius . ]
<C Pry>
Who dewlleth her?  Wyll no man speke?/
Is there no fole nor hody peke?/
Now by the bell, yt were almys to breke/
    Some of these knaves brows!/
A gentylman comys in at the dorys/
That all hys dayes hath worn gylt sporys,/
And none of thys knaves nor cutted horys/
    Byddys hym welcom to house . /

Wote ye not how great a lord I am,/
Of how noble progeny I cam?--/
My fadet a knyght, my moder callyd madame,/
    Myne aunceters great estatys?/
And now the lyvelod ys to me fall/
By both theyre dethes naturall . /
I am spoken of more than they all/
    Hens to Parys gatys . /
How say ye, syrs, by myne aray?/
Doth yt please you?  Ye or nay?/
In the best wyse, I dare well say,/
    By that ye knowe me a whyle!/
And one thyng I put you out of dout:/
I have wherwyth to bere yt out/
As well as any man here about/
    Wythin these hundreth myle . /

Behold the bonet uppon my hed:/
A staryng colour of scarlet red--/
I promyse you, a fyne threde/
    And a soft wull!/
It cost me a noble at one pyche!/
The scald capper sware sythyche/
That yt cost hym even as myche--/
    But there Pryde had a pull . /

I love yt well to have syde here/
Halfe a fote byneth myne ere,/
For ever more I stande in fere/
    That myne nek shold take cold!/
I knyt yt up all the nyght/
And the day tyme kemb yt down ryght,/
And then yt cryspeth and shyneth as bryght/
    As any pyrled gold . /

My doublet ys onlaced byfore,/
A stomacher of saten and no more . /
Rayn yt snow yt never so sore,/
    Me thynketh I am to hote!/
Than have I suche a short gown/
Wyth wyde sleves that hand adown--/
They wold make some lad in thys town/
    A doublet and a cote . /

Som men wold thynk that this were pryde,/
But yt ys not so!  Ho, ho, abyde!/
I have a dagger by my syde--/
    Yet therof spake not I . /
I bought thys dagger at the marte,/
A sharp poynt and a tarte:/
He that had yt in hys hart/
    Were as good to dye . /

That have I a sworde or twayn!/
To bere theym my selfe yt were a payne:/
They ar so hevy that I am fayne/
    To purvey suche a lad--/
Though I say yt, a praty bod!/
It ys halfe my lyves joy!/
He maketh me laugh wyth many a toy,/
    The urchyn ys so mad . /

It begate the horson in bast:/
It was done all in hast!/
Ye may se there was not wast--/
    He occupyed no great place!/
Sometyme he serveth me a borde,/
Somtyme he bereth my two hand sword . /
Com forth thou lytell lyk-tord--/
    Loke in thy faders face!/

But now to do that I com fore,/l
And of these thyngys to speke no more . /
Hark, syrs, me longeth sore/
    To here some newelte . /
I here say there ys a great state/
Com into thys contray late/
And ys dysposed algate/
    An housholder to be . /

Fathers soule syrs!  Ye shall understand/
That yf he kepe houshold in thys land/
I wyll threst in one hand/
    Who so ever say nay . /
What so ever the man intend--/
To appayre the world or to amend--/
I wylbe wyth hym at that one end,/
    Hap what hap may . /

I mete Worldly Affeccyon ere wyle/
From thys town skant a myle,/
And he hath shewed me a praty whyle/
    If I may put yt in ure:/
He tellys me that Sensualyte/
Begynnys a great rular to be,/
And yf yt be so, are not for me--/
    The mater ys cok sure . /
<T SD>
[Notices Man . ]/
<C Pry>
Ey good Lord, what man ys that?/
Fathers soule, thys ys some great wat!/
<C Gra>
Thys ys he that ye seeke . /
<C Pry>
Se thys brat?/
    Thys boy ys passyng taunte!/
Com behynd and folow me--/
Set out the better leg I warne the!/
<C Gra>
Yes, in the best wyse, trust ye me . /
    Ale seygniour, ale vouse avant!/
<C Pry>
Saluys to you syr . /
<C Man>
And to you also . /
When are ye?/
<C Pry>
I shall tell you or I go,/
But fyrst wolde I speke a worde and no mor/
    Wyth thys sarvant of yours . /
<C Sen>
Wyth me syr?  Wolde ye speke wyth me?/
<C Pry>
Ye, for God!  Are ye not Sensualyte?/
<C Sen>
Yes, surely . /
<C Pry>
Ye, such a gentylman ye seme to be . /
    Your pore sarvaunt at all howris!/
<T SD>
Then Pryde speketh to Sensualyte in hys ere that all my here:/
<C Pry>
Syr, I understand that this getylman is borne to great/
fortune and intendeth to inhabyt here in the contray . /
And I am a gentlyman that alway hath be brought up/
wyth great estatys and affeed wyth the, and yf I/
myght be in lyke favour wyth this gentlyman, I wold/
be glad therof and do you a pleasure . /
<C Sen>
Where ys your dwellynge?/
<C Pry>
I dwell herby . /
<C Sen>.
What ys your name?/
<Pry>
Pryde . /
<C Sen>
Pryde?/
<C Pry>
Ye, sykerly,/
But I am cleped Worshyp comenly/
    In placys where I dwell . /
<C Sen>
Worshyp?  Now in fayth, ye say trew:/
Ye be radix viciorum--rote of all vertew . /
<C Pry>
Ye, ye, man!l  Ye wolde say so yf ye me knew . /
<T SD>
[Aside . ]
<C Sen>
    Turd!  I know you well!/

Syr, ye are welcom as I may say!/
I shall bryng you in servyce yf I may/l
And yf one man stand not in the way . /
<C Pry>
One man?  What the devyll ys he?/
<C Sen>
By God, one that loveth not the/
Nor me neyther . /
<C Pry>
I pray the tell me/
    What maner of man he ys/
And I shall gyve hym a lyft as I gesse!/
<C Sen>
Wylt thou so, doubtlesse?/
<C Pry>
Ye, and that wythin a short processe:/
    In fayth, I wyll not mysse!/
<C Sen>
Surely I can not spy the wayes how!/
<C Pry>
Let me alone, I shall do well ynow!/
Aquanynt me wyth that man, and care not thou--/
    The mater shall spede . /
<C Sen>
Hark, cosyn:  fyrst spede thys mater,/
And yf yender man make the not good chere/
As ony man that ever can here,/
    Let me therfore be dede . /
<C Pry>
Syr, I shall thell the how:  whan I am in/
to thy maysters servyce, I wyll fyrst begyn/
To set hys hart on a mery pyn/
    And byd hym make good chere . /
I wyll byd hym thynk how he ys create/
To be a worthy potestate/
And eke that he ys predestynate/
    To be a prynces pere,/

And other thyngys more than thys:/
I shall bryng that hart of hys/
To be more howt that yt ys/
    By a dewys-ase!/
Specyally I wyll commend hys wyt/
That no man can amend yt,/
And that he ys able therby to syt/
    As a juge in Comen Place . /

And when I prayse hym thys wyse,/
I thynke hys hart wyll begyn to ryse/
And after that utterly despyse/
    And opray counsell to here . /
He shall trust all to hys own brayne/
And than, wold Reason never so fayne,/
Though he come and suche opry twayn,/
    He shalbe never the nere!/
<C Sen>
Surely thys conseyt ys well found . /
I shall bryng the in servyce for twaynty pound!/
<C Pry>
Gramercy brother, I thynk me mych bound/
    To the for thy curtesy . /
But syr, abyde here one thyng:/
I wyll not be knowen that yt ys my sekyng!/
<C Sen>
No more wolde I, for forty shelyng . /
    Let me alone hardely!/
Syr, yf yt please you, here ys come a straunger/
<T SD>
[To Man]/
<C Sen>
That never was aquanynted wyth you ere,/
Somwhat shamefast and halfe in fere/
    To put hym selfe in presse:/
A goodly parsone, be ye sure,/
Both of countenaunce and of feature/
If he were drawn in portrayture,/
    And a good man doubtles--/

Ye, and a wyse man at all!/
Wyll yt plase you that I hym call/
To speke wyth you?/
<C Man>
Byd hym come . /
<C Sen>
I shall . /
<T SD>
[To pryde . ]
<C Sen>
    Syr, wyll ye come nere?/
<T SD>
[To Man . ]
<C Sen>
Syr, byd hym welcome for the maner sake . /
Another day I am sure he wyll crake/
And say suche a getylman dyd hym make/
    Very great chere!/

Desyre hym for to dwell wyth you--/
I tell you he ys a man for your prow/
And knoweth the world well inow,/
    No man better than he . /
<C Man>
Syr, ye be welcom to thys place . /
<C Pry>
I thanke you syr, but I do you trespace/
To come thus homly . /
<C Sen>
<T SD>
[To Pryde]
<C Sen>
Ye, a parlous case!/
    God wote, ye are welcom heder!/
On my fayth, by my wyll/
Ye shall dwell wyth us styll . /
Go nere to hym and talk your fyll-/
    I leve you togeder . /
<T SD>
He goeth forth . /
<C Man>
Now syr, what have ye to say to me?/
<C Pry>
No great thyng syr, but I come to se/
And to know what maner man ye be/
    That all men prayset so mouche!1/
<C Man>
Prayse?  Whom prayse they?/
<C Pry>
Mary, you . /
<C Man>
Me?/
<C Pry>
    Ye syr, I make myne avow!/
They gyve you a praysyng good inow--/
    I harde neve none suche . /

And surely, ye be ryght wurthy--/
I se well now they do not ly!/
And therefore I dyd me hyder hyl/
     To acquaynt me wyth you . /
But ye may say that I am bold!/
<C Man>
Nay, ye ar worth thy weytht of god . /
Me thenketh me to you myche behold!/
    I pray you, what ys your name?/
<C Pry>
My name ys Wurshyp . /
<C Man>
Wurshyp?  Now surely,/
The World told me yt was my destyny/
To come to Wurshyp or I dye . /
<C Pry>
    Truly, I am the same . /
<C Man>
Now Wurshyp, I pray you me tell/
Your wysedom and also cunsell:/
Ye can advertyse me passyng well/
    In thyngys that I have to do . /
<C Pry>
In good fayth, andy thyng that I/
May do to your pleasure, yt ys redy . /
I am your own and pray you hartely/
    That ye accept me so . /

But where ye aske counsell of me,/
Me semeth ye save not your honeste . /
<C Man>
Myne honesty?  Wherfore let se?/
    I pray you shew me why!/
<C Pry>
Mary syr, for yt ys ryght syttyng/
That a man of your behavyng/
Shuld have alway suffycyent conyng/
    Of worldly wyt and polycy/

To guyde hym selfe every where,/
And not to be ld by the ere/
And beg wyt here and there/
    Of every jak-a-pye . /
Ye are well complexyond be ye sure,/
And Nature hath done on you here cure/
As myche as upon any creature/
    That ever I saw wyth myne eye . /
And by lykelyhod, syr, iwys,/
Ye have wyt accordyng to all thys,/
Or ellys nature hath wrought amysse,/
    And that ys not kykely!/
<C Man>
Now certayne, thanked be heven Kyng,/
I have a ryght quyk understandyng:/
If ye shew me any thyng/
    I can sone perceyve yt . /
But I was forbyd by Reason/
On myne own fatasye to ronl
Or to take any presumpcyon/
    Of myne own wyt . /
<C Pry>
Sayd Reason so?  mary, fy on him knave!/
Yt were better the hangman where in his grave/
Than ever the lewd fole shold have/
    The governaunce of you!/
<C Man>
Cerayn, Nature advysed me/
To folow Reason what tyme that she/
Put me fyrst in auctoryte/
    That I stand in now . /
<C Pry>
Alas, alas, Man, ye be mad!/
I se well ye be but a very lad!/
On my fayth, I was very glad/
     Of your fyrst acquayntaunce,/
And now I forthynk yt utterly--/
That ever I knew you, fy, fy, fy!/
I hard never cetaynlyl
    Of suche a nother chaunce . /

Wyll ye draw to that felyshyp?/
I wold ye had thre strypes wyth a whyp/
Even upon the bare hyp,/
    If I shuld you not greve . /
He that wold lordshyp enjoy/
And playe ever styll the old boy,/
Me semeth he doth but make a toy/
    And ye wyll me beleve . /
<C Man>
Wurshyp, For Goddys sake greve ye not!/
<C Pry>
Iwys, ye ar but an ydeot . /
I pray you syr, make not me a sot . /
    I am no tryfler!/
I have bene in honour here to forne!/
Ye alow the counsell of a karle bornel/
Byfore myne:  I have yt in scoren,/
    It ys a thyng I can not bere . /
<C Man>
Whom meane ye?  Reason?/
<C Pry>
Ye, that same daw!/
<C Man>
What?  Ys he a wyse man?/
<C Pry>
He ys a straw!/
Bycause he kepys you under aw,/
    Ye be therin blynd!/
<C Man>
And so doth he, wythout faynyng!/
For hyderto I myght do nothyng/
But after hys wyll and byddyng,/
    And that groged my mynde . /
<C Pry>
Grouge, quod a?  Yt ys no marvell, hardely!/
It shall greve me certaynly/
As longe as I am in your cumpany/
    To se you demeaned in that wyse . /
Ye be now in good way,/
But in fayth I lyke not you aray:/
It ys not the fassyon tha goth now a day,/
    For now there ys a new guyse!/

It ys now two dayes agon/
Syth that men bygan thys fassyon,/
And every knave had yt anon!/
    Therfore, at thys season/
There ys no man that setteth thereby/
If he love hys own honesty . /
<C Man>
So me semeth, certaynly,
That every man ys fressher than I,/
    And iwys, that ys no reason . /
<T SD>
Here cometh in Worldly Affeccyon and Sentualyte . /
<C Sen>
Reason, quod a?  No, no!/
But syr, wote ye what ye shall do?/
Hardely, let us two go/
    To some tavern here bysyde--/
Com on, I can bryng you there--/l
And let theym here abyde!/

And ye wyll suffer and let theym alone,/
Ye shall se them devyse you a new fassyon/
That all the world shall wonder theron . /
<C Man>
    By God, that wyll I do goodly . /
But I pray you syrs, do your dylygence/
For thys aray and spare none expence,/
And for a whyle I wyll go hens/
    And come agayne shortly . /
<T SD>
Here Man and Sensualyte go out . /
<C Wor Aff>
Brother Pryde, now the weyght/
Of all thys mater resteth in the . /
<C Pry>
Tushe!  Thou shalt se me devyse it even streyght--/
It ys but japes that gere wyth me!/
I have none other study a dayes parde/
But how I may new fassyons fynde,/
And theron I set all my labour and mynde . /
Syr, our mayster shall have a gown/
That all the galandys in thys town/
    Shall on the fassyon wonder--/
It shall not be sowed but wyth a lace/
Bytwyxt every seme a space/
    Of two handfull asonder . /

Than a doublet of the new make:/
Close byfore and open on the bake--/
    No sleve upon hys arme . /
Under that a shyrt as soft as sylk/
And as whyte as any mylk/
    To kepe the carcas warm . /

Than shall hys hosen be stryped,/
Wyth corselettys of fyne velvet slyped/
    Down to the hard kne,/
And fro the kne downward/
Hys hosen shalbe freshely gard/
    Wyth colours two or thre . /

And whan he is in suche aray,/
`There goth a rutter!' men wyll say . /
    `A rutter?  Huf, a galand!'/
Ye shall se these foles on hym gase/
And muse as yt were on a mase/
    New brought into the land!/
<C Wor Aff>
Ha, ha, ha!  Now by the Mary Vyrgyn,/
Thys wyll set hym on a mery pyn/
    Even as yt shuld be . /
But ever I am in great fere/
 That Reason wyll whyster hym in the ere/
And torne hys mynd clene fro thys gere--/
    Thys thynge fereth me!/
<C Pry>
Reason?  Nay, nay, hardely,/
He ys forsaken utterlyl!/
Syth I cam to hys company/
    He wold not onys apprere . /
Never thelesse, for a surte,/
Worldly Affeccyon, I advyse the/
As shortely as ever yt may be/
    For spede of the mater/
To bryng hym shartly in acquayntaunce/
Wyth all the company of myne affyaunce/
And let theym gyve contynuall attendaunce,/
    Every man bysyly/
After the propertye of hys offyce:/
Than shall ye se hym utterly despyce/
Reasons counsell--on warantyse!--/
    And forsake hym utterly . /
<T SD>
[Sensualyte comes in . ]/
<C Sen>
Nay, nay, syrs, care ye nothynge!/
That mater ys sped well and fyne . /
<C Pry>
Is yt so?/
<C Sen>
Ye, be heven kyng,/
Even as we sat togeder at the wyne . /
<C Wor Aff>
thou shall have Goddys blessyng and myne!/
But ys yt true?/
<C Sen>
Ye syr, by thys day!/
Our mayster and Reason have made a great fray . /
<C Pry>
How so?/
<C Sen>
By my fayth, we sat together/
At the tavern next herby/
And anon who shuld come together/
But fleyng Kat and Margery--/
She that bygyled you parde so prately/
And bare away your shyrt the last mornyng/
Sted of her smok whyle ye lay slepyng . /
<C Pry>
I wote whom ye meane well inow--/
But that ys nothyng to thys purpose . /
Tell on thy tale, for God avow!/
<C Sen>
I shall anon had I wypt my nose . /
Syr, whan I spyde theym, anon I rose/
And called theym unto me by name,/
And wythout more taryeng anon they came/

And sat down with us and made nothyng straung--/
As they be full curteys ye know yt well--/
And anon our maysters colour bygan to chaunge!/
Wherof yt cam I can not tell,/
Hys chere was appalled every dell,/
And scant that he coulde speke to me one word/
But stert hym even up and rose fro the bord . /
He sayd he wold go ly down on a bed,/
And prayd me for the maners sake/
That Margery myght com hold hys hede,/
Whyche as he told me bygan to ake . /
And so she hath hym undertake/
To make hym hole in an houre or twayne/
Whan soever he hath any suche soden payn . /

What yt meaneth I wote never,/
But he lyketh her physyk so well/
That I trow the devyll of hell/
Can not theym two dyssever . /

Lo thys have I done, and what trow ye more?/
Yet can I tell you better tydyng!/
<C Wor Aff>
What ys that?/
<C Sen>
Mary, Reason, that ye tow spake of byfore,/
Cam even to us as we sat so drynkyng/
And gave our mayster an hete worth an hangyn/
Bycause that Margery sat on hys kne/
Whyle that other hore sat talkyng wyth me . /

My mayster saw that he coulde have no rest/
Nor never be ryd of thys controllyng:/
He played the man and thught yt best,/
And wyth an angry loke, to my semyng,/
Drew out hys sword wythout more taryeng/
And smote Reason so on the hed/
That I have great marvayll but he be now dede . /
<C Wor Aff>
Mary, than fyll all the suppes at ones/
If thys be trew!/
<C Sen>
Yes, by these ten bones,/
I lye never aword!/
<C Pry>
Towyst thou yt ys no fayned stryfe/
Bytwyxt theym two?/
<C Sen>
No, on my lyfe,/

For whan they faught I ran tytwene/
And cryed, `Kepe pece and lve debate!'/
But ye wold have laughed had ye sene/
How I departed theym, and for all that/
Sometyme I clapped Reason the the pate/
And cryed, `Kepe the pece!' as fast as I coude--/
Tyll I was horse I cryed so loude!/
<C Wor Aff>
But can our master play the man now/
And fare wyth thys gere?/
<C Sen>
Ye, make God avow!/
    And beware ye of one thyng:/
Medyll ye no more wyth Margery,/
For by cokkys precyouse body,/
If our mayster may yt espy/
    Or have an understandyng/
That ye use her company,/
I tell you he wyll be angry . /
He ys so full of jelosy/
    As ever I knew man!/
<C Wor Aff>
Jelosy?  Pece man, be styll!/
He can therof no maner of skyll!/
<C Sen>
No?  But say what ye wyll,/
I am sure he can . /

He ys now as famylyer/
Wyth Bodely Lust as ever ye were,/
Ye, and therto as great a swerer/
    Whan tyme requyres . /
Knew I never of hys age/
A man of better corage/
To do all maner of outrage/
    After our desyres . /

Syth Reason and he were thus a varyaunce,/
He hath be full of suche dalyaunce/
And hath called to hys favour and acqayntaunce/
    Your kynnesmen by and by:/
Envy, Wreth, Glotony, and Covetyse,/
Slouth, and Lechery be come to hys servyce,/
And utterly he hatyth theyre contraryse,/
    And that he professeth openly . /
<C Wor Aff>
And be these folke of hys retynue?/
<C Sen>
Ye, everychon, I tell you trew!/
But mary, there names be chaunged new/
    For to blere hys eye . /
I tell you he ys a ferefull man,l
For Reason styrreth hym now and than . /
And therfore, do we what we can,/
    It ys lytell inow, hardely . /

Syra, there ys fyrst Pryde as ye wot well,/
The swete darlynge of the devyll of hell:/
How hys name ys chaunged ye can tell!/
<C Wor Aff>
    Ye mary, on the best wyse:/
Wurshyp I wne ys now hys name . /
<C Sen>
Ye, by the rode, even the same . /
And Covetyse, to eschue all blame,/
    Doth hys anme dysgyse/

And calleth hym selfe Wordly Polycy . /
Wreth, bycause he ys somwat hasty,/
Is called Manhode .  Then ys there Envy,/
    And he ys called Dysdayn . /
Glotony for Good Felyshyp ys taken,/
And Slouth hys old name hath forsaken/
And as fayre a mane hath he shapen/
    As ever man coulde ordayn:/
He ys called Ease, ryght confortable to the blod,/
Specyally for theym that luste to do no good . /
And amonge all other I wold ye understode/
    That Lechery ys called Lust . /
Lo, these be fayre names parde,/
Both good and honest as semeth me . /
As for theyre condycyons, what they be/
    Ye know well!/
<C Wor Aff>
Very just!/
I know theyre condycyons on the best wyse,/
Yf they kepe styll theyre old gyse . /
<C Sen>
Yes, that they do, on warantyse . /
<C Wor Aff>
    But yet I have great marvayll/
That Covetyse shuld dwell in hys company!/
<C Sen>
By my trouth, lo, and so have I . /
But one thyng I ensure you faythfully,/
    And that I have espyed well:/

That hyderto our mayster setteth no store/
By hys councell nor hys lore . /
Mary, whan hys hed waxeth hore,/
    Than shalbe good season/
 To folow Covetyse and hys way--/
Ye, tyme inow a nother day!/
Even so I hard our mayster say . /
<C Wor Aff>
    By my fayth, he sayd but reason . /

But all the remenant be well retayned?/
<C Sen>
Ye, be ye sure, yt ys mater unfayned . /
And wote ye who ys gretely dysdayned/
    Wyth our mayster now?/
<C Pry>
Who?/
<C Sen>
By God, even Shamfastnes!/
Whan he shall do any suche excesse/
No shame can fere hym doubtles,/
    I may say to you . /
<C Pry>
No?  than the craft were nought . /
But now syrs, well bethought:/
Syth the mater ys hereto brought,/
    It ys tyme for me/
To go and make some provysyon/
Of garmentys after the new invencyon/
As he commaunded me to be don . /
    Therto must I se,/
For yt ys commytted to my neglygence . /
And yf he come hyder whyle I am hens,/
I pray the excuse myne absens . /
<C Sen>
    Ye, and myne also . /
<C Pry>
Why, wylt thou go wyth me?/
<C Sen>
Wyll I, quod a?  Ye parde:/
It ys accordyng for Sensualyte/
    Wyth Pryde for to go!/
<T SD>
[Pryde, Garcius, and Sensualyte go out . ]/
<C Wor Aff>
Now the mater ys allmost in good case/
After the Worldys maynde and pleasure!/
There ys no more but now must I cumpace
Wyth all my wyt and besy endevure/
How it may be stablysshed and contynued sure,/
For a lytell fantasy of mannys own wyll/
May quayll thys mater and utterly yt spyll . /

And yf he vary agayne/
Of scrypyll Ymagynacyon/
Or ellys by the suggestyon/
Of the forsayd Reason,/
    One thyng I am certayne:/

He wyll no lengar me support,/
And that were a shrewd crank dort!/
Therfore yt ys best that I resort/
    To my maysters presence/
And se of what demeanour he ys . /
I am gretely to blame iwys,l
For that I saw hym not or thys/
    Syth he departed hens . /
<T SD>
He goeth out and Reason cometh in . /
<C Rea>
O good Lord, to whom shall I complayn/
And shew the sorowes of my mynde?/
And nothyng for myne own cause certayn,/
But onely for the decay of Mankynde,l/l
Whyche now of late ys waxen so blynde/
That he hath dyspysed and forsaken me/
And foloweth every mocyon of hys sensualyte . /

What advayled at the begynnyng/
That Nature comytted me to hys servyce/
And charged me that byfore all thyng/
Of all hys gydyng I shuld take thernterpryse/
When he lusteth not to folow myne advyse/
But foloweth thappetytys of hys sensuall affeccyon/
As a brute best that lakketh reson?/
And yet not wythstandyng/
That he doth me dysdayn,/
I wyll resort to hym agayn/
And do my labour and bysy payn/
To assay yf I can hym refrayn/
    Fro suche bestly lyvyng . /

But fyrst wyll I stande hereby/
In secrete maner to espy/
Some token of grace in hym wherby/
    I may dyscerne and fynde/
That he hath any shamfastnes/
After hys great surfet and excesse,/
And yf yt be so, doubtles/
    It shall content my mynde . /
<T SD>
Man coeth in [followed by Worldly Affeccyon . ]/
<C Man>
I say, syrs, where ys Wurshyp, can ye tell?
In thys place I left hym last . /
<C Wor Aff>
Syr, I warand you he ys occupyed well/
In ordeynyng your garmentys full fast . /
He departed fro me in great hast/
For that intent, and so he desyred/
That I wold tell you whan nede requyred . /

He shewed me hys mynde or he went,/
How he had devysed your garment . /
And yf yf be made after that intent/
    As he told me,/
Whan ye were on that vestour,/
Every man shall do you honour/
As becummeth a man of your havyour,/
    And so yt shuld be . /
<C Man>
Ye, but what wyll Reason say/
Whan he seeth me in that aray?/
<C Wor Aff>
Reason?  Mary, let hym go play/
    To the devyll of hell!/
Ye promysed me at the begynnyng/
That ye wold no more be under hys gydyng . /
<C Man>
No, but yet yt were accordyng/
    To have therin hys counsell:/

man wythout Reson ys but blynde,/
and yf I suld speke after my mynde,/
I can well a dyfference fynde/
    Tytwyxt man and a beste/
Whan he hath Reason in presence/
And suely obeyeth hys law and sentence . /
<C Wor Aff>
Why, have ye suche a spyced conscyence/
    Now wythin your brest/
That chaungeth your mynde so sodenly?/
I am sory and ashamed trely/
On your behalf . /
<C Man>
No force, hardely!/
    Thou ledest me all wrong,/
And therfoe wyll I no more folow the . /
<C Wor Aff>
Not Worldly Affeccyon?/
<C Man>
N[o], parde,/
Nor yet thy brother Sensualyte--/
    I have folowed you to long . /
<C Wor Aff>
Is that your mynde?/
<C Man>
Ye, doubtles . /
And now wyll I seke Shamefastnes,/
By whom I trust I shall redresse/
    All my mysded . /
<C Wor Aff>
And syth thou wylt nedys to Shame bowe,/
I pray God send the shame inow!/
And yet I trust--make God avow!--/
    Ones thou shalt have nede/

To call me agayn to thy servyce . /
<T SD>
[Worldly Affeccyon goes out . ]/
<C Man>
Nay, nay, on warantyse!/
Now syrs, who can me advyse/
    What ys best to do?/
<T SD>
[Shamfastnes comes in . ]/
<C Sha>
Syr, yf ye lust to have myne axquayntaunce,/
I am redy to geve you attendaunce:/
Happely my servyce shall you advaunce--/
    I am called Shamfastnes . /
<C Man>
By your trouth, are ye the same?/
<C Sha>
Ye forsoth, that ys my name:/
Almys dedys I can attame/
    And help for to represse . /

Whan ye have done offence or syn,/
Yf ye wyll mercy and grace wyn/
Wyth Shamefastnes ye must bygyn--/
    Thys way must ye take . /
<C Man>
Ye be the man wythout faynyng/
That I wysshed for or ye cam here,/
And glad am I now of your comyng,/
Prayng you wyth hart entere/
Whan I have nede thus to com nere . /
<C Sha>
So wyll I do, ye may trust yt veryly:/
Whan soever ye call ye shall fynde me redy . /
<T SD>
He goeth out . [Reason comes forward . ]/
<C Rea>
Syr, ys yt your mynde to do as ye say?/
<C Man>
Ye, that ys yt, as God me spede!/
Hard ye all thys mater?  Ye or nay?/
<C Rea>
Yes, that I dyd in vere ded . /
<C Man>
O gostly Reson, I have greter nede/
Of your help than ever I had byfore . /
Help me now and I shall never fosake you more . /

Syth I forsoke your cumpany/
I have commytted muche foly--/
I am ashamed certaynly/
    Whan I thynke theron . /
But now have I refused utterly/
All suche maner of cumpany/
And thys have I don verly/
    Of myne own mocyon . /
<C Rea>
Than my help shalbe redy as oft as ye me call . /
It ys my duety so for to do,/
And of your offencys wyll I make no rehersall,/
But what soever ye have done hyderto/
To me-ward, let yt passe and go . /
Agaynst God your offence ys great,/
Of the whych mater I wyll not loge treat . /

But thys confort of me ye shall have:/
Yf ye be contryte as ye pretend,/
God ys mercyable yf ye lust to crave . /
Gall for grace and sone he wyll yt send,/
And be not in purpose hereafter to offend . /
Accustom your selfe in the wayes of vertue,/
And be not in doubt grace wyll ensue . /
<C Man>
Syr, yt ys my mynde and intent/
Hereafter to be your true obedyent,/
And never more to assent/
    To suche foly agayn . /
<C Rea>
And upon that condycyon/
I take the unto my tuycyon,/
Wyth all hartys affeccyon,/
    Never to part atwayn . /

And for thys seson/
Her we make an end,/
Lest we shuld offend/
Thys audyence--as God defend!--/
    It were not to be don!/

Ye shall understand neverthelesse/
Tat there ys myche more of thys processe,/
Wherein we shall do our besynes/
    And our true endevure/
To shew yt unto you after our guyse,/
Whan my lord shall so devyse--/
    It shalbe at hys pleasure . /

                   Thus endeth the fyrst parte . /


                   The Second Parte
<T SD>
Reason and Man come in . /
<C Rea>
I assemble the lyfe of martall creature/
To the assyege agayn a stong town or castell/
In whyche there ys myche besy endevure,/
Myche warly polycy wyth dylygent travayll/
On every syde whyche parte shall prevayll/
By sleyght of ingyns or by strong power/
That other to subdue and bryng into daunger . /

In suche case and maner of condycyon/
Is wreched Man here in thys lyfe erthly/
Whyle he abydeth wythin the garyson/
Of the frayll carcas and carynouse body,/
Whom to impugn laboreth incessantly/
The world, the Fleshe, the Enemy--these thre--/
Hym to subdue and bryng into captyvyte . /

And for to shew you what wyse they us impugn,/
Fyrst doth the World geve us an allectyfe/
To covert ryches and worldly renown,/
Wyth other vanyteys that be used in thys lyfe . /
Next that our Fleshe, whyche ever ys in stryfe/
Agayn our spryte, doth provoke and excyte/
Us to accomplyshe our sensuall appetyte . /

The last of all ys our great Enemy,/
Whyche ever hath us in contynuall harerede/
Of old enkankred malyce and envy/
That he oweth to us all all the kynrede/
Of all the aunceters of whom we do succede,/
Nor yet cesseth hys malyce unto thys day/
Us to endaunger in all that he can or may . /

And certes these our sayd enenmyes/
Be of theyre nature so myghty and so strong/
That hard yt wyll be for us in any wyse/
Agayn them warre or batayll to underfong . /
Also our garisons and fortresse to mayntayn long/
Agayn theyre ingens wythout spyrytuall grace/
We can not performe in no maner case . /

Wherfore yt ys to us ryght behovable/
Besyly to pray to God that ys immortall,/
Besechyng hym as he ys mercyable/
To have compassyon and pytye on us all/
And not to suffer us any wyse to fall/
Into suche foly and utter myschaunce/
As shuld theym greve and do dyspleasaunce . /

Also yt behoveth on our parte/
To fle all suche maner of occasyon/
As may us put in fere and jeoparde/
Of theyre dyspleasure in any condycyon . /
New fanglenes and other nyce invencyon/
We must forsake in all maner wyse/
And axquaynt us wyth theyre contraryse:/

Quia contraria contariis curantur, etc. /

I tell thys take, syr, to you,/
Trustyng that yt be not done in wast . /
Ye remember as I suppose well inow/
How yt ys not fully thre dayes past/
Syth ye me promysed and bound yt fast/
From that day forth to be obedyent/
Unto my counsell and advysement . /
<C Man>
Ye syr, so I dyd in very ded,/
And yet yt ys my mynde and intent/
To folow the same, have ye no drede . /
<C Rea>
Yf ye do nat, your selfe shall repent . /
Now fare ye well, for I must be absent/
As for a season, and for your donfort,/
Whan so ever ye call me I shall to you resort . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out and Sensualyte cometh in . /
<C Sen>
God forbed that ever he com agayn!/
Jesu, how may ye thys lyfe endure?/
Me semth yt shuld be to you a great payn,/
Syth ye be of good complexyon and nature,/
To forbere the worldly sport and pleasure/
As ye have done now a great seson,/
And all by the folyshe counsell of Reson!/

Where ys your lusty hart bycom/
That served you so well thys other day//
Now so helpe me God and halydom,/
I have reat marvell how ye may/
Lyve in suche mysery, and thys dare I say:/
Wythout ye take some other wayes,/
By my trouth yt wyll shorten your dayes!/

And though I say yt, that were pyte,/
For by Cryste, and ye were gone,/
Meny a good felow wold make great mone . /
<T SD>
Then he wepyth . /
<C Man>
Why wepe ye so?/
<C Sen>
Let me alone,/
    It wyll none other wyse be!/

And ye saw the sorowfull countenaunce/
Of my cumpany, your old acquayntaunce,/
    That they make/
    For your sake,/

I dare say ye wold mone theym in your mynde . /
They be so lovyng and so kynde/
    That I am sure/
    Yf ye endure/

In thys pevyshe opynyon,/
It wyll be theyre confessyon!/
    There ys none other remedy/
    But for sorow they shall dye . /
<C Man>
Nay, God forbed they shuld so do!/
<C Sen>
In fayth, wythout ye help therto/
    There ys none other way . /
<C Man>
    I wyll help yt in all that I may/

And I wyst be what mene . /
<C Sen>
Mary, call theym to your cumpany!/
<C Man>
    By Saynt Johan I am content,/
For I may say here to the,/
Syth I forsoke my lyberte/
    And dyd to Reson assent,/
I had never mery day/
But lyved under awe and drede alway,/
    Nothyng to myne intent . /

Another whyle I wyll me dysport/
And to myne old cumpany resort . /
<C Sen>
O than shall ye theym confor/
    And your selfe also!/
Wote ye who wyll be very glad?/
<C Man>
Who?/
<C Sen>
    Margery . /
<C Man>
Why, was she sad?/
<C Sen>
Ye by the masse, she was stark mad/
    Even for very wo/
Whan she hard tell of thys chaunce . /
And bycause she wold lybe in penaunce/
    her sorow for the quenche,/
She hath entred into a relygyouse place/
At the Grene Frerys hereby . /
<C Man>
Ye, hase?/
    Alak, good lytell wenche!/

Is yt an house of strayt relygyon?/
<C Sen>
Ye, as any that ever was bygon/
    Syth the world stode . /
<C Man>
Be they close nonnes as other be?/
<C Sen>
Close, quod a?  Nay, nay, prarde,/
    That gyse were no good!--/

Ye must beware of that gere . /
Nay, all ys open that they do there,/
    As open as a gose eye . /
<C Man>
And cometh any man into theyre sellys?/
<C Sen>
Ye, ye, God forbede ellys,/
    It ys fre for every body!/

And bysyde all thys, the be/
Exomni gente cognite--/
    No nacyon they forsake/
Wythout yt be beggars goyng by the way/l
That have never a peny to pay/
    For that that they do take . /

And yet can I beggars thyder lede/
Where they shall for lumpes of brede/
    Satysfye theyre desyre!/
Suche drabbes some there be/
That requyre none other fe/
    Nor yet any other hyre . /
<C Man>
Be they not wedded as other folke be?/
<C Sen>
Wedded, quod a?  No, so mot I the,/
    They wyll not tary therfore!/
They can wed theym selfe alone:/
`Com hys me Johna . '  `Gramercy Jone . '/
    Thys wed they ever more . /

And yt ys the more to comend,/
For yf the woman hap to offend/
    As yt ys theyre gyse,/
A man may let her alone--wyth sorow!--/
And wed a nother hore on the morow/
    Even of the same wyse . /
<C Man>
Forsoth, thys ys a noble relygyon!/
It styrreth me to great devocyon/
    For to se that place . /
Canst thou bryng me thyder well inow?/
<C Sen>
Ye, and yt were myd nyght, I make God avow,/
    As dark as ever yt was!/
<C Man>
But where ys Bodely Lust now?/
<T SD>
then cometh in Bodyly Lust, [and] wyth hym Worldly Affeccyon . /
<C Bod Lus>
Mary syr, I have sytten and sought you/
Thys thre or four howrys . /
<C Man>
I make God avow,/
    Ye gyve shrewd attendaunce!/

All thys two dayes I coulde not the espy . /
<C Bod Lus>
Syr, ye know well that ye and I/
    Be never myche asonder/
Albe yt I be from you among . /
<C Man>
And now me semeth thou hast taryed to long,/
    Whyche ys to me great wonder . /
<C Bod Lus>
Wonder?  Ye parde, for an howr or twayn--/
Forth for a passyng whyle and com agayn!/
    here ys a sore mater . /
Whan was I so long absent as now?/
And yet I was for to seke you/
    At the tother syde of the water--/

The place that ye wot of parde:/
Understande ye what I mene?/
<C Man>
Ye, ye!/
<C Bod Lus>
Tell me in myne ere . /
<C Man>
Quid est Latinum propter le stewys?/
<C Bod Lus>
What?  Laten?  Now thys of the new ys!/
    I herd never thys ere--/

I trow ye begyn to waxe shamfast!/
<C Man>
Nay, nay, hardely, that gere ys past/
    Meny dayes agon . /
I am as wanton as ever I was!/
<C Bod Lus>
It were almes to hang you ellys--by the masse!--/
    By the hard necke bon . /

But wyll ye now go wyth me to a place/
And I shall shew you the smorterst face/
    That ever ye saw wyth eyes?/
<C Man>
What thyng ys yt, yong or old?/
<C Bod Lus>
What ever yt be,yt ys able to be sold . /
    It shall lyke you on the best wyse . /
<C Man>
For my love, let us some nyght be there/
At a banket or a rere supper/
    And get us some wanton mete,/
So we may have some deynty thyng!/
Yet wold I spende twenty shyllyng/
    Where so ever I yt get . /
<C Bod Lus>
Nay, nay, wyll ye spende a copell of crownes?/
And there shall no gentylman in thys ten townes/
    Be better served than ye,/
Nor be receyved more honestly/
As to an house of bawdry/
For a banket or a jonkry/l
    For a dyshe two or thre . /
<C Man>
yes, that wyll I spend wyth all myne hart . /
<C Bod Lus>
By your leve, I wyll depart/
    To make redy thys gere . /
<C Man>
What now, in all thys hast?/
<C Bod Lus>
Ye, for God syr, I am agast/
    That other knaves wyll come theder/
Byfore us and take up all . /
<C Man>
Se thereto I pray the!/
<C Bod Lus>
So I shall,/
    Ellys fye on all together!/
<T SD>
Then goeth he out . /
<C Wor Aff>
Now wyll Margery make great mone/
Bycause ye com not . /
<C Man>
Ye, let her alone!/
    I am not her bond man parde:/
She hath dysappoynted me or now . /
<C Wor Aff>
Yet on my fayth syr, and I were as you,/
    At the leste I wold excuse me . /

Send her word that ye in no wyse/
May thys nyght kepe her promyse,/
    And yf ye do not so,/
She wyll so morn that as I thynk/
Of alll thys nyght she wyll slepe no wynk,/
    She shalbe so full of wo . /
<C Man>
Ye, on my parell, take no care!/
Thys answere wyll I deffar and spare/
    Tyll I be certayn/
What answere Bodyly Lust shall bryng/
Of thys other praty new thyng/
    Whan he cometh agayne . /
<C Wor Aff>
Wyll yt please you that I go to Mergery/
In your stede?/
<C Man>
Mary, that were mery!/
    Woldyst thou serve me so?/
<C Wor Aff>
Why syr, by my brouth, I mene but well . /
<C Man>
Ye, what thou menyst I can not tell,/
    But that shall thou not do!/
<C Wor Aff>
In good fayth syr, ye may do wurs,/
For whyle I have any thyng in my purs/
    Or any peny to spend,/
I wyll make her even suche chere/
As I wold myne own wyfe yf she were here,/
    Ellys God defend!/
<C Man>
Ye, I thanke the for thy good wyll!/
But as for that chere, kepe yt styll/
    Tyll I call theron . /
<C Wor Aff>
By Gkod syr, for good love I spake yt!/
And now that I se ye wyll not take yt,/
    I shall let yt alone . /
<T SD>
[Bodyly Lust comes in . ]
<C Man>
How now?  Hast thou ben yender away?/
<C Bod Lus>
Ye syr . /
<C Man>
Et que novellys?/
<C Bod Lus>
Fe nescey--/
    I could not speke wyth her/
No[r] wyth none of her folkys . /
<C Man>
Not wyth one?/
<C Bod Lus>
No, they be aslepe everychone/
    All that ever dwell there . /
<C Man>
How knowest thou wether they be aslepe or no?/
<C Bod Lus>
Mary, she her selfe told me so/
    Whan I rapped at the dore . /
<C Man>
It semeth she was not aslepe than . /
<C Bod Lus>
No, she was abed wyth a strange man . /
<C Man>
    A myschefe on her, hore!/

I wold this fyre wer in her tayll, I make God avow!/
<C Bod Lus>
That nedeth not--she ys hote inow!/
    it were more almes to get/
Some cold water her fyre to quenche . /
I tell you, yt ys as warm a wenche/
    As any in all thys strete . /
I supposed I had angred her yll . /
<C Man>
How so?/
<C Bod Lus>
For I rang her a knyll/
    That waked her from her slepe . /
I gave her a pele for her frendys soulys--/
A man myght have hard the noys from Poulys/
    To the farthest ende of Chepe . /
She was that I wold not seace but knok/
    And rap styll at the gate . /
She opened a wyndow and put forth her hed:/
`Hens, forty pens!' quod she, `Jak Noble ys abed:/
    Thys nyght ye come to late!'/

`A, ha!  Standeth the wynd so cold?' quod I . /
`Ka, cue-tytle, we have a bry!/
    Thys gere goeth all wyde!'/
And so I cam thens a great pace/
Tyll I cam hyder .  Lo, thys ys the case . /
    have I not well hyde?/
<C Man>
Well man, there ys no more to do:/
That we can not have, we must forgo--/
    there ys none other remedy . /
Lo Worldly Affeccyon, now mayst thou se/
Thy counsell was nought that thou gavest me . /
<C Wor Aff>
    No more yt was, trely . /
<C Man>
Ye, I told the as myche byfore:/
It ys good to be sure ever more . /
    Therfore now let us go/
And resorte agayn to our old hostes--/
That ys the best way now as I gesse . /
<C Wor Aff>
    Ye hardely, do so . /
<T SD>
Then they thre [and Sensualyte] go out and Pryde cometh in . /
<C Pry>
Syrs, remember ye that thys other day/
man promysed me even in thys stede/
That I shuld wyth hym dwell?  And now I here say/
they wylde worm ys come into hys hed/
So that by Reason only he ys led!/
It may well be so, but I am sure/
That Reason shall not alway wyth hym endure . /

Me thynketh that Sensualyte doth not hys parte/
Accordyng to the duety of hys offyce,/
For no body can better torn a mannys hart/
Nor yet a redyer mean devyse/
To put away suche folyshe fantasyse/
Than Sensualyte yf he lust to assay,/
For he ys chyef ruler whan Reason ys Away . /
<T SD>
[Sensualyte comes in . ]
<C Sen>
Ye, a ruler wyll I be though Reason say nay . /
<C Pry>
Ah Sensualyte, welcom by thys day!/
What tydyngys?  Good?/
<C Sen>
Ye, by my fay,/
    As good as can be told:/
I have brough thys Man to hys old gyse . /
<C Pry>
hast thou so?/
<C Sen>
Ye, on warnantyse . /
<C Pry>
Now forsoth, I gyve the pryk and pryse--/
    Thou art worth they weyght of gold!/

Of thys tydyngys I am glad and fayn,/
But shall I be welcom to hym agayn/
    And all our cumpany?/
<C Sen>
Ye hardely,/
As welcom as ever ye ware byfore . /
<C Pry>
Goddys bellyng have thyn hart therfore!/
thus am I in thy det more and more . /
<C Sen>
    Japes!  Why say ye so?/
<C Pry>
For I speke yt after my mynde--/
Thou art to me alway so kynde . /
But where shall I our mayster fynde?/
    To hym wyll I go . /
<C Sen>
He ys besy--harke in your ere!--/
Wyth lytell Margery, ye wote where!/
And as sone as I had brought hym there/
    I cam my way apace,/
And bycause he shuld not be alone,/
I left wyth hym Worldly Affeccyon,/
And other erand had I none/
    Now to thys place/

But even to shew you what ys done . /
And from hens I must anone/
for to seke an other companyon/
    to gyve attendaunce . /
<C Pry>
Who ys that?/
<C Sen>
Mary, Glotony . /
Our mayster calleth for hym besyly!/
Sawyst thou hym not?/
<C Pry>
No ceraynly,/
    To my remembraunce . /
<C Sen>
I must go seeke hym wythout any taryeng . /
But Pryde, I warn you of one thyng/
    Whyle I thynk theron:/
Whan my mayster and ye shall mete,/
In any wyse se that ye hym grete/
    In the old fassyon,/
And make as though ye know nothyng/
Of hys dyvers and varyable dealyng--/
    Kepe that in your brest . /
Ye can not do hym more dyspleasure/
Than therof to make reporture . /
    Therfore let yt rest:/

To speke therof yt ys hygh treson . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out . /
<C Pry>
I am glad ye warn me thus in seson!/
    I shalbe the better ware:/
By thys warnyng I shalbe wyse/
And do as ye me advertyse--/
    Take therof no care . /
<T SD>
[Slouth comes in . ]/
<C Slo>
Wyll ye be wyse, qoud a?  Mary, that ys a thyng!/
By God, ye had nede to have better warnyng/
    Or ye bryng that about!/
<C Pry>
What, brother Slouth?  From whens comyst thou?/
<C Slo>
Streyght fro my bed, I make God avow!/
    Myne eyes be almost out/

For lak of slepe .  But thys syr to you!/
Me thought ye called me Slouth ryght now--/
    pece, no more of hat . /
I have a new name as well as ye . /
<C Pry>
What ys that?  Ease?/
<C Slo>
Ye parde,/
    But yt forceth not/

Whyle our mayster ys not present . /
Bytwene us twayn, I am content,/
    Call me what ye wyll . /
But where ys our mayster?/
<C Pry>
Wotest thou nere?/
<C Slo>
No . /
<C Pry>
    No more do I . /
<C Slo>
There, there, there,/
    Thou shalt dwell wyth me styll--/

Thou art as good a wayter a I . /
<C Pry>
I shrew the better of us both hardely!/
    But surely we do not well:/
We shall not contynue wyth yonder Man/
But we awayte better now and than . /
    Therfore by my counsell,/
Let us twayn go together/
To seeke our mayster . /
<C Slo>
But wotyst thu whether/
     We shall now go/
To fynde our mayster?/
<C Pry>
I shall assay . /
Thou shalt se me gesse the way/
    And happely fynde hym to . /

Now must I to the stewes as fast as I may/
to feche thys gentylman!-- But syrs, I say, [To ausience.]/
Can any man here tell me the way?--/
    For I cam never there . /
Ye know the way, parde,of old!/
I pray the tell me, whyche way shall I hold?/
Whyll ye se thys horson cocold?/
    I trow he can not here!/

Now yt were almes o clap the on the corwn!/
<T SD>
Then cometh in Man and Worldly Affeccyon . /
<C Man>
Why, be there any cocoldys in town?/
<C Pry>
Ye, I durst hold theron my gown/
    That there be a score!/
But for God, I cry you mercy,/
For by my fayth I wyst you not so ny!/
Had I wyst yt, I ensure you faythfullyl/
    That word I wold have forbore . /
<C Man>
Nor force hardely, yt toucheth not me!/
But Wirshyp, thell me, where have ye be?/
Ne thynketh long syth I you se . /
< C Pry>
    Syr, yt ys no marvell,/
Bad ye not me the last dayl/
To go purvey for your arayl
    And ye remember well?/
<C Man>
Ye for God, have ye done the same?/
<C Pry>
Ye by the rode, ellys were I to blame . /
All thyng ys redy--in payn of shame!--/
    Ellys I quyte me yll . /
The tayler told me yester myght/
That all your garmetnys were redy dyght . /
Wyll ye go thyder and have a syght?/
<C Man>
    Ye mary, wyth a good wyll . /
<C Slo>
Wyll ye that I go wyth you also?/
<C Man>
I wote never whether ye may attend therto,/
    For ye do nothyng/
But even after your own swete wyll . /
<C Slo>
Why, suld I ever wayt?  Nay, that i nyll/
    For to be a kyng!/
I may not endure contynuall besynes--/
I was never used therto, doubtles . /
    I shuld not lyve a yere/
Yf I folowed you, I am sure . /
Ye styr and labour out of mesure--/
    I saw never your pere!/

Ye wene there can nothyng be do/
But yf ye put your hand therto,/
    And iwys that ys no nede . /
ye have servauntys that be true and jsut,/
Yf yt wold lyke you to put theym in trust/
    and quyte well theyre mede . /

what shuld I attend you for to please/
Whan I se well ye set by none ease/
    Whyche belongeth to me?/
<C Man>
Why Ease, what meaneth the thus to say?/
I do but ete, drynk, slepe, and play,/
    And none other labour parde . /
<C Slo>
Ye, ye may say what ye wyll,/
But I can never se you ydell/
    And quyete as ye shuld be--/
Your body laboreth as doth an hakney/
that bareth the burdon every day/
    That pytye yt ys to se . /

And your mynde, on that other syde,/
Is never idell nor unoccupyed--/
    Iwys yt greveth me/
To se you demeaned that wyse . /
I trow ye be set all on covetyse!/
<C Man>
    Covetyse?  Nay, let be,/

It ys a thyng of greter cure/
that stycketh in my mynde, be thou sure!/
<C Slo>
    So me thught, by the rode!/
I wyst as myche there was some thyng/
By your lowryng chere and your syghyng/
    That was not all thyng good . /

But what ys the mater, I pray you hartely?/
<C Man>
Iwys, thou canst not devyse the remedy/
    Wyth all the wyt thou hast . /
But thys ys the case, to tell yt shorely:/
A thyng was told me as I cam hereby/
    How Reason purvayth fast/
And maketh very great labour and ordynaunc/
To dashe us all out of countenaunce,/
    And for that purpose/
He hath gadred a great cumpany . /
<C Slo>
What to do?/
<C Man>
I wote ner, I,/
     But as I suppose/

It ys to bryng me in captyvyte/
And to take fro me my lyberte--/
    So he hath oft sayd . /
<C Pry>
Fere ye that mater?/
<C Man>
Nay, never a dell!/
But I care for yt, wyt ye well . /
    Yet am I not afrayed,/

For I wyll wythstand yt proudly . /
And, syrs, I trust ye wyll stand therby/
    Whan yt shalbe nede . /
<C Pry>
ye, by the way that God went!/
Or he have of you hys intent,/
    Fyrst shall I blede/

The best blode that ys in thys carcas . /
<C Man>
Well Ease, go thy way hens a pace/
    And make therin good spede . /
Call my cumpany all togeder/
And byd theym every man com heder/
    That ys wyth me affeed . /
<C Slo>
Mary syr, that shalbe do . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out . /
<C Man>
Wurshyp, in the mean tyme let us go/
    To se my new apparell . /
<C Pry>
Wyll ye so?  Now for your ladyes sake,/
Go do yt on you, and I undertake/
    It shall becom you well . /
<C Man>
Worldly Affeccyon, abyde thou here,/
For I wyll go do on thys new gere/
    As Wurshyp doth me counsell . /
<T SD>
Then man and Pryde goeth out . /
<C Wor Aff>
Mary, I shall wyth all myne hart:/
Thys good fyre and I wyll not depart!/
For very cold myne handys do smart--/
    It maketh me wo-bygon!/
Get me a stole!  Here, may ye not se?  [To audience]
Or ellys a chayr!  Wyll yt not be?/
Thou pyld knave, I speke to the!/
    How long shall I stande?/
<T SD>
[Glotony comes in . ]/
<C Glo>
Let hym stand, wyth a foule evyll!/
A stole or a chayr, quod a?  Get hym the devyll!/
Wyll ye se?  Lo, every drevyll/
    Now adayes, I warand,/

Must commaund as he were kyng . /
Let hym stande on hys fete, wyth bredyng!/
<C Wor Aff>
What, Glotony?  I can tell the one thyng:/
    In fayth, you wyll be shent . /
<C Glo>
Why?/
<C Wor Aff>
    My mayster hath sent Sensualyte/
To seke the all about the contre . /
Spakest thu not wyth hym?/
<C Glo>
Ye parde,/
    I know all hys intent,/

And thereuppon I am come here/
For to awayt .  But wotest thou where/
Our mayster ys now?/
<C Wor Aff>
Nay, I wote nere . /
    I am not very certayn,/
But Pryde and he together be gon . /
He sayd he wold com agayn anon/
    Wythin an howr or twayn . /

Tary thou here and go not away--/
I wyll go breke my fast and I may,/
For I ete never a morsell thys day . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out . /
<C Glo>
    Mary, that ys a thyng!/
Go whan thou wylt!  I wyll abyde . /
My stomak he shall not rule or gyde/
    Thay ys now fastyng!/

Nay, of all thynge erthly I hate to fast . /
Four tymes a day I make repast,/
    Or thryse as I suppose,/
And whan I am well fed/
Than get I me to a soft bed/
    My body to repose . /

There take I a nap or twayn,/
Up I go streyght and to yt agayn!/
    Though nature be not redy,/l
Yet have I some mete of delyte/
For to provoke thappetyte/
    And make the stomak gredy . /

After all thys, nedys I must/
somtyme folow the wanton lust:/
    it foloweth nautrally,/
For hote drynkys and delycat refeccyon/
Causeth flesshely insurreccyon--/
    Ye know yt as well as I . /
<T SD>
[Man enters, dressed as a gallant; Bodyly Lust accompanies him . ]/
<C Man>
Trouth, as ye say I know yt well . /
<C Glo>
What gentylman ys thys?  Can ye tell?/
<C Bod Lus>
Wotyst thou never?/
<C Glo>
No, by the bell,/
    I saw hym never byfore . /
<C Bod Lus>
Is yt our mayster?
<C Glo>
Nay, by the rood,/
It ys not he--woldyst thou make me wood?
<C Man>
    Yes, I am the same!/
<C Glo>
I cry you mercy!  I se yt well now!/
Byfore I knew you not, I make God avow,/
    In ernest nor in game . /
<C Man>
Why?  Bycause I have chaunged myne aray?/
<C Glo>
For that cause, trow ye?  Nay, nay,/
    That ys not the thyng/
That can dysceyve me, be ye sure!/
But I pray you, who hath had you in cure/
    Syth my last departyng?/
<C Man>
By my fayth, a lytell seasonl
I flowed the counsell and dyet of Reason . /
<C Glo>
    There went the hare away!/
Hys dyet, quod a?  Yt may be veryly,/
For ye be haltred marvelously--/
    Altred I wold say!/

Alas the whyle, had ye no mete/
As long as ye were under hys dyet?/
<C Man>
    Mete?  Yes, I had som,/
Wythout yt were on fastyng dayes:/
That he wythdrew my supper alwayes/
    And gave me never a crom . /
<C Glo>
No force hardely!  Why wold ye than/
Favor hum as ye dyd, lyke a mad man?/
    Ye loke now as yt were a gost:/
had ye dwelt wyth hym tyll thys day,l
Ye had bene pyned even awayl/
    As ye be now almost . /
Your fleshe ys gon every dell!/
A vengeaunce on the morsell/
    That ys left theron!/
<C Bod Lus>
Now talk of the remedy . /
<C Glo>
Mary, now msut he ete and drynke fast--/
    Other remedy ys there none . /
<C Bod Lus>
Ye, but where ys the mete now, let us se?/
<C Glo>
Ye are passyng hasty, benedicite!/
    Fyrst must ye go/
Where as provysyon therof ys made:/
Let us go thyder and yt shalbe had . /
<C Man>
But what ys the maysters of the in--/
A weddyd woman or a vyrgyn?/
<C Glo>
    Neyther of both iwys . /
<C Bod Lus>
No, but for a mayden she goth . /
<C Glo>
Ye, for God, that dhe doth,l
    But yet she ys none, by Jys!/
<C Bod Lus>
No?  No?  What than?/
<C Glo>
Iwys, I not, but as men clater/
They say she ys innupta mater--/
    Hardely, an holy woman . /
<C Man>
Well, thyder we wyll .  Go we hens!/
<C Bod Lus>
Wyr, ye wyll gyve me lycence/
    To sport me for a season?/
<C Man>
Yes, for a whyle:  ye, well inow . /
but go not out of the way I charge you,/
    For hyder wyll come anone/
All my cumpany as I suppose . /
Kepe thym together, for I purpose/
    To come agayn anone/

And shew theym my mynde what I wyll do . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out [with Glotony . ]/
<C Bod Lus>
Mary, I shall do what I can thereto,/

And yet yt ys hard for me/
To kepe thym together any whyle . /
    But I shall tell you what:/
I had lever kepe as many flese/
Or wyld hares in an opyn lese/
    As undertake that!/
<T SD>
[Wrath comes in, armed for battle . ]/
<C Wra>
Where be these knaves that make thys aray?/
<C Bod Lus>
Mary, they be gon that other way . /
    Tell me whome ye meane!/
<C Wra>
I trow thou scornyst . /
<C Bod Lus>
nay, certaynly!/
How so be yt, yf I shuld not ly,/
As the fyrst blushe, I ensure you faythfully,/
    I had forgot you clene/

Bycause ye be thus defensybly arayd . /
What meaneth that?  Are ye affrayd?/
    Who hath you greved?/
<C Wra>
Nay, I fere no man that bereth an hed!/
Yet had I lever that I were dede/
    Than that shuld be preved . /
<C Bod Lus>
By my fayth, ye are wont to be as bold/
As yt were a lyon of Cottyswold!/
    But now to my questyon:/
What meaneth all thys defensyble aray?/
<C Wra>
Mary, Slouth, warned us two thys same day,l/
    Even syth yt was none,/

That our mayster and Reason shuld make a fray,/
And therfore he bad us wythout delay/
    To awayt on our capytayn . /
<C Bod Lus>
A, now I know the mater rught well,/
But what shall com therof I can not tell--/
    It passeth my brayn!/

Our mayster wylled that we twayn/
Shuld tary here tyll he come agayn . /
<T SD>
[Envy comes in . ]/
<C Env>
    What wylt thou do than?/
<C Bod Lus>
Who, I?  Nay, care not for me--/
I wyll not com where strokys be:/
    I am not so mad a man!/
And iwys, yt ys not for any fere,/
But yt ys a thyng that I can well forbere/
    And wyll as long as I can . /

Of lust and pleasure ys all my mynde--/
Itlongeth to me of properte and kynde . /
    And yf I shuld to the warre/
And ly in myne harnes as other men do/
Wyth hunger and thurst a day or two,/
    It shuld me utterly marre . /
<C Env>
It were a great losse yf thou were mard!/
Now fy on the, stark horson coward!/
    By cokkys precyouse blode,/
It were no syn to sle suche a knave!/
Hast not thou wagys as other men have/
    And few of us so good,/

Yet wylt thou fayll us at thys nede?/
Now who so ever shall quyte my mede,/
    I wyll no further go/
Tyll I have slayn hym myne own hand/
Though I shuld forwere the land/
    Even whan I have do . /
<T SD>
Then goeth out Bodyly Lust . /
<C Env>
<T SD>
To audience . /
<C Env>
Hold hym in syrs, I you requyre!/
Alas, wold ye not at my desyre/
    Do so myche for me?/
Iwys, yt wold have done me more good/
To have sene the knaves hart blode/
    Than twenty shyllyngys of fee!/
<T SD>
[Man comes in . ]/
<C Man>
What how, syrs, what meaneth thys gere?/
Whyll ye sle eche other here?/
    No more of thys worke!/
<C Env>
By the hart of God, and he had abyden/
A lytell whyle, he shuld never have spoken/
    Wyth preste nor wyth clarke . /
<C Man>
Who was that?/
<C Env>
Your own mynyon,/
Bodyly Lust . /
<C Man>
Why, what hath he done?/
<C Env>
    Even lyke a lurden/
He sayth that ye have gyven hym lycence/
To abyde at home and kepe resydence/
    Whyle we bere the burden/

And serve you now at your nede . /
<C Man>
He prayde me so in very dede!/
    Wythin these two dayes/
He sayd he wold serve me wyth a good wyll,/
But of the warrys he could no skyll/
    Nor knew therof the wayes . /
How be yt, I gave hym therof none answere . /
<C Env>
No, but I am sure he wyll not com there . /
    And now may ye se/
That no man ys so myche to blame/
As your selfe . /
<C Man>
I?
<C Env>
Ye, by Saynt Jame,/
    No man but even ye!/
For I am well assured of one thyng:/
Ye gave hym better clothyng/
    Than ye dyd me,/

And better wagys and fees also!/
And though I sayd but lytell thereto/
    But suffered ever more,/
Yet I dysdaynd yt ever in my mynde,/
And though[t] that ye were to me unkynde/
    To set so great store/

By suche a knave as he was . /
I wold I had hym here, by the masse,/
    And no man but we twayn!/
<C Man>
By my trouth, thys ys ever thy guyse:/
Loke by whom I set any pryse,/
     Hym thou wylt most dysdayn!/
<C Wra>
By Cryst, he can do none other wyse!/
But now syr, ys there any servyce/
    That ye wyll commaunde me?/
<C Man>
Ye mary ys there, but my cumpany/
Dresseth theym forward passyng slowly:/
I trow yt wyll not be .

Manhode, thou art good inow, for one . /
<C Wra>
Ye by Cryst, and they cam everychone,/
    I wyll not gretly fere . /
<C Env>
By my trouth, bycause he sayth so,/
I shall tell you what I saw hym do--/
    I was present there . /

Syr, yt happyned in Westmynster Hall/
Even byfore the juges all:/
    ys handys were bound fast,/
And never upon hym that ever God made/
Dager, sword, nor knyfe he had,/
    And yet at the last/

He drave twelve men into a corner/
And a howr after durst they not appere!/
    How say ye hereto?/
And hys handys had bene at lyberte,/
He wold have put theym in great jeoparde--/
    It ys to suppose so . /
<C Man>
Mary, there he quyte hym well!/
But where be myne other fold, can ye tell?/
<T SD>
Them cometh in Glotony wyth a chese and a botell . /
<C Wra>
    Mary, here cometh one--/
Good Felyshyp me semeth yt shuld be . /
<C Glo>
Syrs, God spede you!/
<C Man>
What tydyngys wyth the?/
<C Glo>
    I shall tell you anone/

Had I set adone my gere . /
Mary syr, I am come here/
    For to attende uppon you:/
We shall a warfare, yt ys told me . /
<C Man>
Ye, where ys thy harnes?/
<C Wra>
Why, hast thou none other harnes but thys?/
<C Glo>
What the devyll harnes shuld I mys/
    Wythout yt be a botell?/
A nother botell I wyll go purvey/
Lest that drynk be scarce in the way/
    Or happely none to sell . /
<C Wra>
Thou must have other harnes than thys, man!/
<C Glo>
Other harnes? Nay, I shrew me than!/
    I can no skyll theron!/
Why, trowest thou that I wyll fyght?/
<C Env>
Ye, so I trow . /
<C Glo>
Nay, by God almyght,/
    Therof wyll I none!/

I was never wont to that gere . /
But I may serve to be a vyteler,/
    And therof shall ye have store,/
So that I may stand out of daunger/
Of gon shot .  But I wyll com no nere,/
    I warn you that byfore . /
<C Env>
Now, suche a knave I betake to the devyll!/
Thys ys even suche a nother drevyll/
    As was here whyle ere:/
They be two knaves annoynted!/
I fere me, syr, ye shalbe dysappoynted:/
    I lyke not thys gere . /
<C Glo>
O, I had forgoten, I make God avow!/
Syr, my felow Ease commaundeth me to you . /
<C Man>
    Commaundeth the to me?/
<C Glo>
    You to me . /
<C Man>
       Me to the?/
<C Glo>
Commaundeth you to hym I wod have sayd . /
<C Man>
Why cometh he not hyder?/
<C Glo>
By God, for he ys afrayd/
    And lyeth syk in hys bed . /
He toke such a conseyt whan he hard of thys gere/
That for thought and very fere/
    I wene he wyll be dede . /
<C Wra>
And he were hanged, yt were no rek!/
I pray God the devyll breke hys nek/
    And all suche as he ys!/
<C Man>
Well, let us suffer for a whyle . /
I wyll go walke hens halfe a myle,/
    And for all thys/

Happely all thys gere shall not nede,/
How be yt that I dout and drede/
    The wurst as wyse men do . /
Manhode, com thy selfe wyth me . /
<C Glo>
And I to, syr?/
<C Man>
Ye parde,/
    Woldyst thou be prayd thereto . /
<T SD>
Than goeth out Man, Glotony, and Wrath . /
<C Env>
Now he that wold have warre or stryfe,/
I pray God send hym a shrewd wyfe,/
    And than shall he have inow!/
But I shall tell you, syrs, as for me/
I am none of theym, so mot I the!/
    I may say to you/

I wyll no suche rekennyngys abyde!/
Goddys body, here cometh Pryde/
    As crank as a pecok!/
As sone as he and I mete,/
Wythout he stand ryght uppon hys fete/
    He shall bere me a proude mok . /
<T SD>
[Pryde comes in . ]/
<C Pry>
What tydyngys, syrs?  Can any man tell?/
<C Env>
Ye mary, that can I do as well/
    As any that was in feld . /
Ye have taryed so long about your gay gere/
That the feld ys done or ye come there . /
<C Pry>
    Done?  Mary, God sheld!/
<C Env>
It ys doe wythout fayll,/
But whyche of theym hath wone the batayll/
    I can not tell you certayn . /
<C Pry>
Thou were not there, yt semeth therby . /
<C Env>
Not I there, quod a?  Yes hardely,/
    And that to my grete payn!/

But as sone as the batellys joyned togeder/
I cam my way streyght heder/
    For to tell tydyngys . /
<C Pry>
What the devyll tydyngys canst thou tell?/
<C Env>
Mary, I can shew you nothyng of the batell,/
    But of many other tydyngys:/

Ye are out of conceyt, I tell you, for ever,/
Bycause ye dyd not you endevoure/
    At thys great vyage--/
In so myched that ye are lyke to lees/
Both your offyce and all your fees/
    And put clene out of wagys . /
<C Pry>
That ys not true as I suppose!/
<C Env>
Syr, and yt be not, take my nose/
    And my hed also1/
Your offyce was gyven or I cam thens . /
<C Pry>
Mary, that was a very short sentence,/
    And I not called thero!/

Now Envy, what counsell wylt thou gyve me?/
<C Env>
By my trouth, Pryde--thou mayst byleve me--/
    If I were in thy case/
I wold wythdrawe me for a season:/
Though yt be nother felongy nor treasonl
    Nor yet wylfull trespace,/
Yet the s[h]ame ys wurst of all,/
For every knave wyll the call/
    A coward to thy face!/
<C Pry>
I am unhappy, I se yt well,/
For thexpense of myne apparell/
    Towardys this vyage,/
What in horses and other aray,/
Hath compelled me for to lay/
    All my land to morgage . /

And now, whan I have all do,/
To lesse myne offyce and fees also/
    For my true intent!/
I may say that all my cost/
And all my tyme ys evyll lost/
    In servyce that I have spent!/
Well, what so ever bytyde me,/
For a season I wyll hyde me/
    After thy counsell . /
And syth yt wyll no better be,/
Fare well!  I take my leve of the . /
<T SD>
[Pryde goes out . ]/
<C Env>
    Now getyll Pryde, fare well!/
Alas, that I had no good felow her/
To bere me cumpany and laugh at thys gere!/
    Thys game was well founde!/
<T SD>
[Sensualyte comes in . ]/
<C Sen>
Yes, and ye lust to play the knave,/
Some maner of cumpany ye myght have/
    here wythin thys grounde . /
<C Env>
Some I can thynke, yong or old,/
And ellys yt were a small houshold/
    As any myght be found . /
<C Sen>
It ys not small, the company sheweth well . /
But me thought thou were about to tell/
    Of some mery jeste/
Or som mery game at my cummyng . /
<C Env>
Ye hardely, yt ys a game for a kyng/
     Whan he lusteth best/

To laugh for hys dysporte and solace!/
Syr, I shall tell the!/
Thys ys the case:/
    Ryght now as I stode/
In thys place, and never aman wyth me,/
In cam Pryde garnyshed as yt had be/
    One of the ryall blode . /

It greved me to se hym so well besene,/
But I have abated hys corage clene/
    For a lytell season . /
By the rode, I have gyven hym a chek mate!/
For I bare hym on hand that he came to late,/
    And that the feld was done,/

And how hys offyce was gyven away/
Bycause he fayled our mayster that day . /
    I made hym to byleve so,/
And whan I had told hym all thys tale,/
Anone he began to wax all pale,/
    Full of care and wo,/

And now he hydeth hym sefe for shame . /
I gave hym myne advyse tothe same,/
    And so he ys gon . /
<C Sen>Now on my fayth, thys was madly do!/
But in fayth, what moveth the therto?/
<C Env>
    Mary, cause had I none/
But only that yt ys my guyse:/
Whan I se an other man aryse/
    Or fare better than I,/
than must I chafe and fret for yre/
And ymagyn wyth all my desyre/
    To dystory hym utterly . /
But now in ernest, Sensualyte,/
Tell me whan thys fray shalbe,/
    I pray the hartely . /
<C Sen>
What?  Agaynst Reason?/
<C Env>
Ye, the same . /
<C Sen>
Tushe, they be agreed, in payn of shame,/
    And good cumpany they kepe . /
<C Env>
Agreed, quod a?  In the mare name,/
Mary syr, that were a game/
    To make some of us wepe!/
<C Sen>
Wepe or laugh man, so yt ys!/
And sho, trow ye, ys the cuaser of thys?/
<C Env>
    Who?/
<C Sen>
Age, the devyll hym quell!/
<C Env>
Why, ys Age now com im place?/
<C Sen>
Ye, and that may ye spy by hys face/
    And ye mark yt well . /

Hys stomak faynteth every day,/
Hys bak croketh, hys hed waxeth gray,/
    Hys nose droppeth among,/
Hys lust ys gone all all hys lykyng:/
I se yt well by every thyng/
    He may not lyve long,/

And all maketh Age as I sayd byfore--/
He ys the doar!  And what trow ye more/
    Thys Age hath done . /
<C Env>
What?/
<C Sen>
By my fayth, he hath brought in Reason/
In suche wyse that at no season/
    Nothyng can be wrought/

But Reason must be called thero!/
I fere me he wyll us all undo/
    wythin few dayes!/
As sone as Glotony had espyde/
All thys gere, he wold not abyde/
    But went even hys wayes . /

Our mayster prayed hym to tary a season . /
`nay, nay', quod he, `now have I done,/
    I may no lengar tary,/
For Age and I may not teogeder dewll . '/
And streyght way he departed fayre and well . /
    Bodyly Lust stode byl/
And saw that Glotony wold nedys be gon . /
`have wyth the, Glotony', quod he anon,/
    `For I must go wyth the!'--/
So that two be bon togeder!/
Cam there none of theym both heder?/
<C Env>
    Never a one that I se . /
<C Sen>
Well, they be gon some other way/
To get a new mayster as sone as they may--/
    They can not be onpurveyd . /
And as sone as they two were gon/
Our mayster sent for Covetyse anon/
    And hartely hym prayd/

To awayt on hym well for a yere or two,/
And he hath promysed hym so to do/
    As for a yere or twayn--/
But reason may not therof know . /
<C Env>
Reason, quod a?  No, so I trow,/
    He wyll that dysdayn!/

But where hath Covetyse ben many a day?/
<C Sen>
He dwelled wyth a prest, as I herd say,/
    For he loveth well/
Men of the chyrche, and they hym also,/
And lawyars eke whan they may tend therto/
    whyll folow hys counsell . /
<C Env>
So men say there as I dwell . /
But Sensualyte, canst thou tell/
    Now in thys case/
What were best for us to do?/
<C Sen>
Mary, I hold yt best that we go/
    Hereby to som place/

And semble togeder all our cumpany/
To here there myndys by and by/
    And every mannys opynyon/
What shlbe best for to do . /
<C Env>
By my trouth, and be yt so,/
    I hold yt well don . /
<T SD>
Than they go foth and Reason and Man com in . /
<C Rea>
Syr, I have oft tymes you advysed/
To lyve vertuously and shewd you the way,/
And that not wythstandyng, ye have me dyspysed/
And folowed Sensualyte meny a day . /
Wyll ye so contynue, ye or nay?/
If ever ye purpose your selfe to amend/
It ys tyme, for your lyfe drawet fast to thend . /
<C Man>
I can not contynue though I wold,/
For Age hath wayned me clene therfro . /
And yet, Reason, whan ye me told/
Of thys gere meny day ago/
I thought lytell I shuld have come herto,/
But had of your workys great scorn and dysdayn . /
Wold God that my lyfe were to bygyn agayn!/
<C Rea>
Speke not therof, that may not be!/
A thyng don can not be called agayn . /
But the thyng that most fereth me/
On your behalve--I tell you playn--/
Is that ye wold in no wyse abstayn/
Form synfull lustys as I wylled you to do/
Tyll now that Age compelleth you therto . /
<C Man>
That ys full trew wythout faynyng!/
As long as myne appetyte dyd endure/
I folowed my lustys in every thyng,/
Whyche now by the course and law of Nature/
And not of my polycy or good endevoure/
Is taken fo me for ever more,/
And so can I deserve no mede therfore . /

But not wythstandyng thys myne abusyon,/
I trust that by the help of your good advyse/
I may be made the chyld of salvacyon . /
<C Rea>
Yes, and ye wyll syr, on warantyse,/
So that ye utterly forsake and dyspyse/
All your old servauntys in wyll and dede/
And do by my counsell . /
<C Man>
Ye, have ye no drede . /
<C Rea>
Than my soule for yours I lay to wed,/
Ye shall do well, have ye no mystrust . /
And fyrst, to gegkn wyth, I you forbed/
All maner of dyspeyre .  And secundly, ye must/
Put to you mynd and good wyll/
To be recured of your great excesse,/
For wythout your helpe yt can not be, boubtles,/l

As in thys example:  yf so be the pacyent/
Of hym selfe be wyllyng to have any remedy,/
lIf ys a great furtheraunce to that intent/
So that to the precptys of physyk he apply . /
And who so doth the contray, no marvayll truely/
though he myskary .  What shuld I bryng/
And mo examples for so playn a thyng?/
<C Man>
It shalbe no ned as in thys case . /
I know ryght well what ye meane therby,/
And that wyll I folow, by Goddsy grace . /
<C Rea>
Than as I told you, yt shalbe no maystry/
Your selfe to confort and to have good remedy/
Agaynst the great surfettys that thou hast don,/
By whyche thou hast deserved endles dampnacyon . /

But do as I shall tell the and have not drede,/
And for the gyve the medycyns most accordyng/
Ayens thy sores, do by me rede:/
Loke what dysease ys hote and brennyng,/
Take ver suche a medycyn as ys cold in werkyng,/
So that the contrary in all maner of wyse/
Must hele hys contrary, as physyk dot devyse . /

Ryght so, who so lusteth fro syn to aryse,/
Where he hath in pryde done any offence,/
He can be holpen therof none other wyse/
But onely by mekenes that ys the recompence . /
Agayn wreth and envey take charyte and pacyence . /
Take almes ded agayn the syn of covetyse,/
And to repress glotyny acquaynt the wyth abstynence . /
Agayn foull lust of body take chstyte and contynence . /
Myche syn groweth by slouth and by idelnes,/
And that must be eschewed by men of good besynes . /

Lo, thys be preparatyfys most soverayn/
Agaynst thy sores whyche be mortall/
Onles that thys medycyns to theym be layn . /
Whan thou hast receyved these preparatyfys all,/
I wyll come agayn yf thou me call/
And order the further after my mynde . /
<C Man>
Ye, but where shall I these preparatyfys fynde?/
<C Rea>
Thou shalt theym fynde wythin thyn own brest:/
Of the yt must com, yt must be thy dede,/
For voluntary sacrafyce pleaseth God best . /
Thou canst not therof have help or mede/
But yf thys gere of thyn own hart procede . /
<C Man>
Well, I shall endevoure me to the uttermost,/
And tyll I have found theym I shall never rest . /

But how shall I know theym?  That wote I nere!/
I pray you shew me that byfore your departyng . /
<C Rea>
It nedeth not therof to enquere,/
Thou shalt know theym at the fyrst metyng . /
Of tow contrarys there ys but one lernyng:/
that ys to say, whan thou knowyst well that on,/
The other contrary ys knowen anon . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out and Mekenes cometh in . /
<C Mek>
Who so woteth hystoryes of scrypture well/
Shall fynde that for pryde and presumpcyon/
Lucyfer, whyche somtyme was a gloryouse angell,/
For that hys offence had suche correccyon/
that both he and eke meny a legyon/
Of hys order was cast down to hell/
By rughtfull justyce perpetually there to dwell . /

Remember also Adam, the fyrst of our lyne,/
what payn he sufferd for pryde and dysobedyence . /
Causeth he not a great deacy and ruyne/
In all the progeny for the same offence/
In suche wyse that he and all hat were borne sence/
Be utterly dysheryted and put fro paradyse?--/
And so we be made thrall unto syn and vyce . /

And lost shuld we be all of very justyce/
Ne had be that God of hys mercyfull goodnes/
Dyd us sone after wyth hys own blode maynpryce/
And us redemed fro paynes endles,/
So that we do not dysobay or transgresse/
Hys hygh commaundementys but demean us well/
After hys lawes whyl we here dwell . /

And for as myche as manny nature/
Is frayll and lyghtly to syn wyll assent/
Eyther of purpose or ownetyng peradventure,/
There the sayd good Lord hath hym sent/
Agayn every syn a remedy convenyent,/
For he ne wold have one soule to be lore/
Whom he hath dere bought, as I sayd byfore . /

The rote of all syn ys Pryde, ye know well,/
Whyche ys myne adversary in all that he may .
Where I am in place he may not dewll:/
Hys malycyouse power I can ryght well alay/
And teche every creature the remedy and way/
How to subdue Pryde, whyche no man can do /
Wythout that I, Mekenesse, must help therto . /
<C Man>
Than yourhelp and counsell ys necessary to me,/
Wherof I pray you wyth all hartys affeccyon . /
<C Mek>
All redy at hand, who so ever yt be/
That lusteth to have me for hys consolacyon . /
<C Man>
I my selfe have synned in pryde and elacyon!/
Shew me your counsell:  what way shall I take/
A dew satysfaccyon for that syn to make?/
<C Mek>
Thou must byfore all thyng set lytell pryse/
By thyne own selfe, and take no hede/
Whether the people do the prayse or dyspyse . /
Be thou meke in hart, in word, and in dede . /
Thynk not that thou woldyst any man overlede . /
Be soft and lowly in speche to every wyght,/
And use none aray that staryng ys to syght . /

Lo, in these thre thyngys onely standeth pryde,/
If thou commyt the lest of theym thre . /
<C Man>
Fro thys day forth I wyll set theym asyde/
And folow the counsell that ye gyve me . /
<C Mek>
Do so, and I wyll clerely dyscharge the . /
As for the syn of pryde, my soule for thyn,/
Thou shalt be all hole yf thou take thys medycyn . /
<T SD>
Than he goeth out . /
<C Man>
Ye, I shall take yt:  thynk not the contrary!/
Now am I well eased!  Yet have I not done all . /
<T SD>
[Charyte comes in . ]/
<C Cha>
There ys no lyvyng physycyon ne potecary/
That can devyse so soverayn cordyall/
Agayn the sore of envy, whyche ys mortall!/
No man lyvyng, I you ensure,/
Wythout my helpe may undertake that cure . /

For I am called Charyte, the salve for that sekenes,/
Whom thappostyll Paule commaundyth syngulerly/
In dyvers hys epystellys .  I can well represse/
The rancour of envy and gyve therein good remedy . /
<C Man>
Than ys your counsell to me full necessary . /
If ye be Charyte, ye are bound doubtles/
To have som compassyon of your neyghbours dystres . /
<C Cha>
Why, hast thou ben envyouse byfore thys day?/
<C Man>
Ye, as God knoweth well, and that I rew sore . /
<C Cha>
Well, thys must be the remedy, mark what I say:/
There ys no syn that dyspleaseth God mor/
That doth thys syn of envy, and therfore,/
If so be thou wylt thyn own soule savegard,/
Be thou never envyouse fro thys day forward . /

Also that syn ys to man onnaturall/
More than any other in myne opynyon,/
For all other synnes--mark therin well--/
A man commyttyth wyth som delectacyon . /
But Envy ys ever full of payn and passyon/
And tormenteth hym sleve wyth sorowfull sadnes/
Whan he seeth hys neyghbours prosperyte or gladnes . /
He ys never glad nor taketh any solce/
But at hys neyghbours harme, losse, or hevynes . /
He speketh somtyme fayre byfore a mannys face,/
And yet wythin hys hart he ys full of doublesnes,/
For byhynd hys bak he wyll never sease/
Wyth sclaunderouse wordys to appayre his good name,/
And many a fls ly doth he report for the same . /

Ye know, syr, whether yt be thus or no . /
But now a nother whyle to speke of remedy--/
yf ye wyll be holpen, syr, thus must ye do:/
Fyrst, byfore all thyngys love God entyrerly . /
Next that, thy neyghbour love as thyne own body . /
That ys to say, thou must the to hym behave/
And do hym such curtesy as thou woldyst of hym have . /

Observe these two thyngys and so no more/
In recompense of thy great trespace/
Thouchyng the syn of envy rehersed byfore . /
<C Man>
To observe theym well God send me hys grace,/
And I thank you for your confort and counsell in thys case . /
I shall my selfe endevoure accordyng therto . /
<C Cha>
God send the hys grace well so to do . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out .  [Pacyence comes in . ]/
<C Pac>
The remedy of wreth and outragyouse yre/
Must nedys come of me and none other wyse,/
lFor I am called Pacyence, whyche quencheth the fyre/
And flammys of wreth .  Yt ys also my gyse/
By soft wordys and sufferaunce to overcom myn enemys . /
<C Man>
Now welcom, Pacyence, for whom I have sought:/
Help me with your counsell, for his love that all wrought . /
<C Pac>
Thys ys my counsell:  Yf thou wylt wythstand/
Thy gostly enemy and thys temptacyon,/
Thou must have me, Pacyence, ever redy at hand,/
Specyally in sufferyng of worldly trybulacyon . /
Remember how Cryst dyd in tyme of hys passyon:/
There myst thou lern how to be pacyent/
In an adversyte that to the shalbe sent . /

And yet there may be no comparyson/
Bytwyst the leste part of hys payn/
And the gretest wrong that to the can be don . /
Wherfore thou wreth suldyst not dysdayn,/
But gladly thou shuldyst thy selfe refrayn/
From yrefull passyons as I sayd byfore,/
Syth thou shalt have a reward in heven therfore . /
<C Man>
It ys my full mynde and intent/
Hereafter to do as ye me advertyse . /
<C Pac>
Now he that all goodnes to us hath sent,/
Send you hys grace to demean you that wyse . /
<T D>
Then he goeth out . /
<C Man>
I shall do my good wyll, on warantyse . /
Now sho can me best dyrecte/
My slouthfull idelnes for to correct?
<T SD>
[Godd Occupacyon comes in . ]/
<C Goo Occ>
The syn of slouth I can well represse,/
And I shall teche the to do the same . /
<C Man>
How shuld I do yt?/
<C Goo Occ>
By mean of me, Good Besynes,/
And so am I called for that ys my name . /
Idelnes ys never wythout syn or blame:/
By mean therof myche syn cometh in,/
For yt ys the very moder and maysters of syn . /

In exhewyng therof thou must ever use/
Som good occupacyon in body or mynde . /
And yf thou do thys my counsell refuse/
So that the devyll in idelnes the fynde,/
Than accordyng to hys propertye and kynde/
He laboreth fast by mean of temptacyon/
To bryng thy soule unto endles dampnacyon . /

Therfore do som good occupacyon alway/
As well wyth the body as wyth mynde inward,/
And yf thou do not thys counsell obay/
thou shalt thyn own soule gretely enjobard . /
On that other syde, thou mayst be no coward/
Nor ferefull of penaunce or other good dede,/
Shyth thou shalt be sure to have heven to thy mede . /
<C Man>
Thys counsell ys good, I thank you therfore--/
My mynde ys well eased, therin be ye sure . /
<C Goo Occ>
Is there any thyng ellys that I can do more?/
<C Man>
None, to my knowlege, for ye have done your cure . /
<C Goo Occ>
Se that ye wysely now put in ure . /
<T SD>
Then he goeth out . /
<C Man>
Yes hardely, thynk not the contrary,/
Syth yt ys to me so behovefull and necessary . /
<T SD>
[Lyberalyte comes in . ]/
<C Lyb>
I am Lyberalyte, the vertu cardynall/
By whom ys confounded the syn of avaryce . /
Who so ever lusteth on me to call,/
I am redy therin to gyve myne advyse . /
<C Man>
Syr, I pray you in my most harty wyse,/
Helpe to reforme and order my mynde,/
Sor the syn of avaryce hath made me full blynde . /
<C Lyb>
Fyrst thou must be sor for the abusying/
Of temporall goodys byfore thys day . /
Next that, I wyll advyse the byfore all thyng,/
If thou hast wrongfully taken away/
Any mannys good, go wythout delay/
And therof to thy power make due restytucyon,/
For erst shalt thou have of thy syn no remyssyon . /
<C Man>
Why, trowe ye that I shall not be excused/
By almes dede of that offense?/
<C Lyb>
No, no, hardely, thou art gretely abused!/
Thynk not therby to make recompence,/
For by that almes thou doyst great offense/
And dyspleasure to God . /
<C Man.
Why say ye so?/
Cryst hym selfe bad that we shuld almes do . /
<C Lyb>
ye, for God, but that shulde be do/
Of well goten goodys, ellys ys yt nought . /
<C Man>
Well, I assent gladly therto--/
As in that one poynt I am fully taught . /
Wyt ys nothyng worth tyll yt be dere bought!/
But what other amendys shall I make/
The foull syn of avaryce to swage a aslake?/
<C Lyb>
Thou must have compassyon and also be lyberall/
Unto thy neyghbour at hys necessyte . /
<C Man>
I trow ye wold have me to gyve away all/
And leve my selfe nought!/
<C Lyb>
I mene not so parde,/
For that ys wast and synfull prodygalyte . /
Take the myd way bytwyxt theym two,/
And fle thextremytees how so ever thou do . /

Thou must thy worldly goodys so employ/
In charytable dedys wyth due compassyon,/
That thou mayst bye everlastynge joy/
For the good intent of that dystrybucyon . /
Thou mayst also gyve theym to they dampnacyon,/
As whan thou doyst yt to wyn therby/
Praysyng of the people or som othe vayn glory . /

For trust yt well, thous must geve a rekenyng/
Of all the goodys that come to thyn use . /
The hygh juge that knoweth all thyng,/
To whom thou shalt thy selfe accuse/
Whythout any appele or fayned excuse,/
He wyll be thyn audytour in thys case,/
Fro whom thou canst not hyde thy face . /

There shalt thou openly shew and confesse/
How that goodys cam to they possessyon,/
lWhat mynde and pleasure thou hadyst in ryches,/
And why thou hadyst therin suche affeccyon,/
What almes dede or other good dystrybucyon,/
Or how thou hast these goodys wasted or abused--/
There yt shalbe knowen, yt can not be refused . /

Than, as I sayd to the byfore,/
Thou shalt receyve after thy deservyng/
Joy or ellys payn to endure ever more . /
<C Man>
Truely thys ys a ferefull thyng . /
<C Lyb>
Therfore remember well my sayeng,/
lMark wekk my counsell, and folow the same . /
<C Man>
If I dyd not, I were gretely to blame . /
<T SD>
Then Lyberalyte goeth out and Abstynence and Chastyte come in . /
<C Abs>
The remedy of glotony I can well teche--/
I am ordeyned onely for that intent . /
<C Man>
And I have great nede of suche a leche:/
Your counsell to me ys ryght expedyent . /
<C Abs>
Syr, yf ye lust to be my pacyent/
And take suche remedy as I shall devyse,/
lI shall make you hole of that syn, on warantyse . /
<C Man>
What ys your name?/
<C Abs>
My name ys Abstynence,/
And thys other that cometh wyth me/
Is called Chastyte or ellys Contynence . /
It ys hys gyve and hys properte/
To folow me where so ever I be/
Lykewyse as lychery, that dedely sore,/
Foloweth the bestly syn of glotony evermore:/

Quia delitie sunt instrumenta voluptatis . /
But now to do that I can for--/
Agayn the syn of glotony the remedy ys thys:/
Use scarcer dyet than thou dyydst byfore,/
Beware of superfluyte and surfet ever more,/
Take no more than suffyceth nature,/
Nor of delycate mete set thou no store . /
Now have I sayd all that longeth to my cure . /
<C Cha>
And I must nedys conferme hys sayeng,/
For as he rehersed now ryght well,/
Gluttyng of hot metys and delycate fedyng/
Causeth synfull lustys in a man to swell . /
And over that, thys ys my counsell:/
Eschew idelnes byfore all thyng/
lIf thou wylt be chast and clene of lyvyng . /

Fle also the sumpany and the occasyon/
Of that sy, whyche ys dampnable:/
As sone as thou felest any temptacyon,/
Fut yt clene away be meanes covenable . /
Of all other synnys yt ys most abhomynable/
And sonest wyll thy soule endaunger and blame,/
There be so many great synnys annexed to the same . /

If thou lyst not for fere of dampnacyon/
Thys syn to forbere, than on that other syd/
Do yt for love of thyn own slavacyon:/
Thynk what rewardys in heven doth the abyde/
Whyche yf thou lyve chast can not be denyde . /
My wyt suffyseth not to tell and expresse/
What joy thou shalt have for the chast clennes . /
<C Man>
I thank you both for your advyse,/l
And now wold I speke wyth Repentaunce fayn . /
<C Abs>
I can bryng you to hym on the best wyse . /
<C Man>
Than wyll I awayt uppon you twayn,/
And after that I wyll com hyder agayn,ll
Trustyng that Gody wyll send me the grace/
To comfort my soule wyth gostly solace . /
<T SD>
Than they [all three] go out and Reason comyth in . /
<C Rea>
I here say, to my great joy and gladnes,/
That accordyng to my counsell and advyse/
Thys mortall creature doth well hys besynes/
To correct and forsake all hys old vyce,/
And that he ys in good way and lykely to aryse/
From the vale of syn whyche ys full of derknes/
Toward the contemplacyon of lyght that ys endles . /

Lo syrs, are not we all myche behold/
To our Maker for hys great pacyence,/
Whyche not wythstandyng our synnes manyfold/
Wherin we dayly do to hym offence,/
Yet of hys mercyfull and great mangyfycence/
He doth not punyshe as sone as we offende/
But suffereth in hope that we wyll amend . /

He suffereth a synner sometyme to endure/
A long lyfe in honour and great prosperyte:/
It ys a thyng that dayly ys put in ure,/
And meny a great daunger escapeth he/
Where good men peryshe--thys may ye se--/
And all bycause that he wold hy wyn/
And have hym to tourne and forsake hys syn . /
<T SD>
[man comes in . ]/
<C Rea>
O, here cometh he that I loke fore:/
Syr, have ye done as I wylled you to do?/
<C Man>
ye, that have I don, and what trow ye more?/
I have ben wyth Repentaunce also,/
Whyche fro my hart shall never go,/
For he brought me unto Confessyon,/
And anon I was acquaynted with hartys Contrycyon . /

They advysed and charged me to do satysfaccyon,/
And so have I don to my best power . /
<C Rea>
Than art thou fully the chyld of salvacyon!/
Have good perserveraunce, and be not in fere:/
Thy gostly enemy can put the in no daunger,/
And greter reward thou shalt therfore wyn/
That he that never in hys lyfe dyd syn . /

And to thentent that thou mayst well/
Persever and contynue in thys sure way,/
Or we depart hens, by my counsell,l
lLet us by one accord togeder syng and pray/
Wyth as humble devocyon as we can or mayl/
That we may have grace from syn thus to ryse/
As often as we fall, and let us pray thys wyse ./
<T SD>
Then they syng some goodly ballet . /


                       The Names of the Players .

Nature                  Wreth                Lyberalyte
Man                     Envy                 Chastyte
Reson                   Slouth               Good Occupacyon
Sensualyte              Glotony              Shamefastnes
Innocencye              Humylyte             Mundus
Worldly Affeccyon       Charyte              Pacyence
Bodlyly Lust            Abstynence           Pryde

                      CUM PRIVILEGIO