[...]
[...] way with Gods woord will not agrée.
Wherefore good Father in time héere repent:
And haue a respect vnto Christs Testament.
Father.
What Robin me thinks thou hast little wit,
Doost thou think scorne to come to promotion:
To marry with gentills I trow it is fit,
Hauing with them of money a good portion,
Beware of extortion
What though it be gotten by craft and extortion.By the Masse it is all my delight and pleasure:
To haue héere aboundance of worldly treasure.
Robin.
By extortion Father? mary God it forefend,
That any Christian man therin should delight:
Father giue me no stolne goods, my welth to amend,
Vnlesse I doo liue by the poore mans right,
As I feare that some doo both Lord and Knight.
Wherfore
[...] Father
[...] time heere repent:
And haue a respect vnto Christs Testament.
Father.
Ah Robin I perceiue now so God me saue,
That thou wilt be but a meane gentleman:
Séeing you be such a Conscionable knaue,
A shameles aunswer for a Parent.
Goe séeke thou thy liuing where that thou can,Tush, what care I though the people me ban.
By the Masse it is all my delight and pleasure:
To haue heere aboundance of worldly treasure.
Robin.
Oh Father séeke first héere the kingdome of Heauen,
And gather you vp of Gods treasure therin to lay:
And not wicked Mammon to fulfill the sinnes seuen,
for that were a very right damnable way,
Remember Father that you be but earth and clay.
Wherfore good Father I pray you yet repent:
And haue a respect vnto Christs Testament.
Father.
Robin, wouldst thou not haue me to buy and sell?
[Page]
[...] buy & sell and keepe in store, so it be doon lawfully, and in a right can▪
Nor yet to kéepe in store for to doo me good?By the masse if I follow thée or the Gospell,
At the length I might chance to lye in my hood,
Tush I will be counted heere for a lusty blood.
Séeing it is all my delight and pleasure:
I will haue aboundance of worldly treasure.
Robin.
Father you haue enough if you haue not too much,
For this I dare be holde héere to auow:
You haue ten times more ground and money in your hutch,
Then euer had my Grand-sire you will this allow,
Yet he kept a better house then euer did you.
Wherfore good Father amend and repent:
And haue a respect vnto Christs Testament.
Father.
Tush Robin thy talke is foolish and fond,
I know thy minde that thou goest about:
Thou wouldst haue me liue only by my land,
Be liberal vnto the poore.
And to kéepe open house for euery Iack rout,No, I will feast none but the rufling rout.
For it is all my delight and pleasure:
To haue héere aboundance of worldly treasure.
Robin.
Father, I would haue you to liue so that God may be pleased
And for your good life, God will giue you méede:
Father spend your goods so that the poore may be eased,
For your riches be lent you to doo such a deede,
And do not spend all on the rich, for they haue no néede,
Wherfore good Father in time yet repent:
And haue a respect vnto Christs Testament.
Father.
By the masse Robin I think thou art mad,
The bread of the needfull, is the life of the poore. Eccle. 3.4▪
Should I feast beggers, mary fie for shame:I dare say it would make some gentlemen sad,
That all rich men should haue such a name.
Yea I my selfe will confesse the same.
Séeing it is my whole delight and pleasure:
[...]
Heere beginneth Mother Newgise to talke with Robin her Sonne, onely for the ease and pleasure of this world. Very necessary to be read and marked of all newfangled women, that they may auoide the desires therof.
Mother.
SOone Robert I heard say that your Father and you,
Haue had since you went great communication:
Concerning our welth which you will not allow,
You are of such a strange holy fashion,
But this shalbe only my preparation,
To liue and goe gentle-like, gallant and gay:
Séeing it is my chéefe desire alway.
Robin.
Mother, like as I said of late vnto my Father,
Euen so I say now vnto you certaine:
I would wish you to desire Gods kingdome rather,
Then either welth, ease, pleasure or gaine,
Mother beware of apparell for it is but vaine.
Wherfore good Mother marke this thing well:
Yet liue and goe Christian like after the Gospell.
Mother.
Sonne I will liue easily now in mine olde age,
A wicked desire of new fangled Women.
And also goe as gallantly as I can deuise:What though the people doo raile and rage,
And say that I goe painted vp like butter-flyes,
I will haue my clothes made of the new gife.
To liue and goe gentle like, gallant and gay:
Oh Sonne it is my cheefe desire alway.
Robin.
Yet Mother remember the vertuous good wiues,
As Sara, Rebecea and Rachell, with many other moe:
Which clothed them-selues all the dayes of their liues,
With shamefastnes, chastitie and sobrietie also,
[Page]
Which contrary to their husbands minde would not goe.
Wherfor good Mother marke this thing well:
To liue and goe Christian like after the gospell.
Mother.
Sonne what though your father would not haue me goe clad
Women of an euil condition
Now after my minde by him in gorgious apparrell:Should I be ruled by him? nay then I were mad,
Yet had I rather with him pick a quarrell,
Though I for my labour had straight of the barrell.
For to liue and goe gentle like, gallant and gay?
By the masse it is my chéefe desire alway.
Robin.
O Mother, ye be now in a wicked minde,
Seeing you will disobay your husband for this:
You show your selfe to be vnnaturall and vnkinde,
And that you haue giuen him many a Iudas kisse,
Your act will declare how you haue doon amisse.
Wherfore good Mother marke this thing well:
Yet liue and goe Christian like after the Gospell.
Mother.
Sonne I will liue gentle like and goe at my pleasure,
Seeing thy Father for his substance might be a gentleman:
And though he were poore and had but little treasure,
A pointe of an vnthriftye Huswife,
Yet would I goe gallantly say he what he can,For I would borrow or els pledge pot, kettle or pan.
To liue and goe gentle-like, gallant and gay:
Séeing it is my chéefe desire alway.
Robin.
O Mother I think you are past all shame,
You would make a right good man to fret:
Think you by your pledging to get you good name?
Or by bringing your husband into danger or det?
Fye that either rich or poore their mindes thus should set.
To maintaine their pride, wherfore murke this thing well:
Liue and goe Christian like after the gospell,
Mother.
Am I past shame thou péelde apish boy?
[Page]
Thou malapert knaue controlest thou me?
Thou shalt fare the woorsse I swere by Saint Loy,
The brag of affinity that commeth of Nobility.
Or any that are of thy sect or propertie,Wilt thou be against my estate or degree?
I come of the stocke to goe gallant and gay:
Wherfore it is my cheefe desire alway.
Robin.
Mother I doo not dispraise your stocke,
Nor yet your owne person will I discommend:
But I would haue you so liue to be of Christs flocke,
And so aske Godmercy, with pride whom ye offend,
This is the hurt that I you pretend.
Wherfore good Mother marke this thing well:
Liue and goe Christian like after the Gospell.
Mother.
A proude enterprise of the base sorte of some women now a dayes.
I pray thée Soone Robert tell me no such tale,For I will goe frocked and in a french hood:
I will haue my fine Cassockes and my round Verdingale,
Like one that came of a noble borne blood,
By the masse to think of it, it dooth my hart good.
To liue and goe gentle like, gallant and gay:
Oh it is my chéefe desire alway.
Robin.
With Nobilitie Mother you may not compare,
Although ye be rich héere in worldly substance:
Neither with apparrell nor yet ordinary fare,
To be equall with them you may not your selfe inhaunce,
For they haue their vocation, and you haue but your chance.
Wherfore good Mother marke this thing well:
Liue and goe Christian like after the Gospell.
Mother.
Sonne, liue they not Christian like that banket at the wine?
And goeth in their billaments of fine pearle and golde?
Also with broadered haire wherunto they inclne,
Spending much yeerly this trade to vpholde,
Thus setting foorth them selues both yong and olde.
Is not this Christian like, gallant and gay?
[Page]
Sonne this doo I chéefly desire alway.
Robin.
Christian like Mother: no I will not so say,
But heathen indeed such pompe doo vse:
Saint Paule and Saint Peter dooth set foorth the array,
Marke well.
what Christian women should take and refuse,Weare sover apparrell but desire no newes.
Wherfore good Mother marke this thing well:
Liue and goe Christian like after the Gospell.
Mother.
To weare sober apparrell, what me anest thou by that?
My clothes are not drunke I would thou shouldst knowe,
I think thou speakest by my red silk hat,
But and I liue another yeer I will haue a better showe,
I will not goe thus sluttishly I trowe.
To liue and goe gentle like, gallant and gay:
Séeing it is my cheefe desire alway,
Robin.
Mother the sober apparrell that I do meane,
Apparell for womē both holy dayes and woorking dayes.
Is sadnes, wisdome, vertue and learning:Also your bodily apparell is comely to be seene,
For your degree euen now in your going,
It is not sumptuous apparrell that is to Gods pleasing.
But a decent order, wherfore marke this thing well:
Liue and goe Christian like after the gospell.
Mother.
Sonne holde thy peace, for thy talke makes me weary,
A Robin Robin, thou art a shrowd toward Childe:
If thy Father were of thy minde, I could not be merry,
The desperat minde of wicked women.
Nay I had rather be dead by sweet Mary milde.Farwell, if thou proouest not a knaue I am beguilde.
If I do not liue gentle like, to goe gallant and gay:
By the masse I would I were hanged vp out of the way.
Robin.
Such a tree, such frute from it dooth proceed,
Fye Mother fye, that you wish you such ill:
Repent your speaking and beware of the deed,
[Page]
Vnlesse both your soule and body you doo kill:
I feare that the deuill with you hath wrought his will.
Now will I to my Sister to giue her some counsell,
For she hath many tricks to bring her vnto hell.
FINIS.
‘She Deuils are hard to turne.’
Heere Prowd Beautye beginneth to talke with Robin her Brother, for her proud fancye and wanton dallying: Very necessary to be read and marked of all Maydens that seeke the vaine glory of this world, and the vncomly trickes therin, that they may auoide the dangers therof: for feare of condemnation.
The Maide.
The name of Gods woord to the blasphemie therof.
BRother Robert, yesterday as I vnderstand,With my Father and Mother you were offended:
With her for her apparell, and with him for his land,
Thou wouldst by the gospell haue them amended,
Mary I with my selfe haue thus pretended.
To be faire and feate, nice and neate, is a gay thing:
To colly and kis, my pleasure it is, for all your new learning.
Robin.
New learning Sister? what you be very bolde,
Thus disdainfully to giue it such a name:
Gods woord indéed is both new and olde,
To set a woorke all things in right frame,
But you boast of knackes that will bring you to shame.
Wherfore measure your pleasure by Gods woord and will:
And you shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
What whorish▪ you knaue, by the blessed masse
Whore I am thus to sweare, God giue thée sorrow,
[Page]
Euill woorde corrupt good maners.
Dout not if I can bring my maisters to passe,I will haue knacks indeed (you knaue) by tomorrow,
Yet will I for them neither beg, steale nor horrow.
Oh to be faire and feate, nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kis, my pleasure it is for all your new learning.
Robin.
Sister, it becommeth maides to be gentle of speach,
Both to man, wife and childe, whersoeuer they gee:
That your woords and woorkes your children may teache,
To liue in the feare of God héerafter also,
Would you be and doo as you li
[...] no sister no.
But measure your pleasure by Gods woord and will:
And you shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
Iack sauce (I say) thou lout, thou hoddie peake,
I defie thy teaching I would thou know:
Doost thou take vpon thee to learne me speake,
By the masse but for shame thou shouldst beare me a blow,
As I am of person so my behauiour shall show.
Oh to be faire and feate, nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kis my pleasure it is for all your new learning.
Robin.
Salomon declareth this by the beautifull rout,
A faire woman without discrete manners (saith he)
Is like a ring of golde on a Swines snout,
The which is a thing sister vncomely to see,
And now surely by you it well may spoken be.
If you measure your pleasure by Gods woord and will:
You shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
By my troth for a knaue I will thée allow,
All the dayes of thy life thou shalt be none other:
Doost thou liken me and my maners vnto a sow?
Mary I defie thée though thou art my brother,
Sir my fashions doo please my Father and Mother.
Oh to be faire and feate, nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kis, my pleasure it is for all your new learning.
Robin.
Sister, can you be fayrer then God hath you made,
Feater or neater, by policye or wit?
I aske you because your coulour oft dooth fade,
And your clothes very grossely about you do sit,
If you vse any thing not honest and fit,
Then measure your pleasure, by Gods woord and will:
And you shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
The practises and motions of Sathan and are vsed of those that be his fathers darlings now a dayes.
If God make my face as browne as a berry,I can painte it white and ruddish withall:
And if God make me looke as red as a Cherry,
I can drie vp my blood with Chalke in a wall,
If God make me grosse, I can pent my selfe small
To be faire and feate nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kisse my pleasure it is, for all your new learning
Robin.
Oh what a damnable euill, that either Christian or Turke.
Should trans-forme them selues from their first creation:
What Lucifer woman will amend Gods woorke,
They farre excell the Sodomites in this abomination,
O pride out of measure, O sathans generation,
Measure this pleasure by Gods woord and will:
And you shall finde that your mind is whorish and ill.
Maide.
Tush I can dye my haire be it neuer so black,
I can make it shine like golde in a little space:
The workes of the euill.
Also to tire vp my head I haue such a knack,That some maides will delight to follow my trace,
I can lay out my haire to set out my face.
Oh to be faire and feate, nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kisse my pleasure it is for all your new learning
Robin.
To dye and to fleare your haire so abroad,
Surely sister you doo it shamfully vse:
For with the Scriptures it dooth not accord,
That maides nor wiues their haire should so abuse,
[Page]
Couer it for shame it is the vse of the
[...]
Wherfore measure your pleasure vp Gods woord and
[...]
And you shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
The decking and balming of proud liuing Idols.
Brother thou art but a foole me thus so checke,For I will haue my Pomande is of
[...] smell:
Also my Chaines of golde to hang about my necke,
And my broadered haire while I at home dwell,
Stomachers of golds becommeth me well.
To be faire and feate, nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kis my pleasure it is, for all your new learning.
Robin.
Sister, in the third of Esay the Lord saith plaine,
For your broadered haire you shall haue baldnes:
For your Chaines of golde you shall haue halters certaine,
For your Pomanders and muske, you shal haue stink doutles
And for your stomachers, sack-cloth this he dooth confes.
Wherfore measure your pleasure by Gods woord and will:
And you shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
If the Lord plague all those that so leade their liues,
With halters and stinkings and with baldnes of head:
Great shame it will be both for maidens and wiues,
Feare and shame, much fin doth tame
That so tire them selues dayly till they goe to bed,To be thus plagued, marry I had rather to be dead.
To be faire and feate, nice and neate is a gay thing:
To colly and kis my pleasure it is for all your new learning.
Robin.
Sister, your colling and kissing will haue an euill end,
To clatter and flatter is no maidenlike way:
Your gladnes and madnes dooth God sore offend,
To intice men to vice is all your chéefest play,
In their sight your delight is for to goe gay.
Wherfore measure your pleasure by Gods woord and will:
And you shall finde that your minde is whorish and ill.
Maide.
I perceiue that thou wouldst haue me liue like a mome,
[Page]
I will talke no
[...] I must depart
By the
[...]
My
[...]
If thou be thy talk
[...]
[...] Father conuert
Then
[...]
Were
[...]
Robin.
Sister
[...] haue you and sa
[...]e you
[...] if it be his pleasure,
And present to
[...] your life is now euill▪
Look in
[...] to haue heauenly treasure,
There
[...] to be med
[...] your proud har
[...] to kill,
Make haste for to taste of Gods holy will.
[...] it is he
[...] to those that be penitent:
Wherfore yet euermore
[...] Christs Testament.
FINIS.
To talke well with some women dooth as much good:
As a sicke man to eate vp a loade of greene wood.