Part 26

_Magn._ Truste me, with you I am hyghly pleasyd, For in my fauour I haue you feffyd and seasyd. He is not lyuynge your maners can amend; Mary, your speche is as pleasant as though it were pend; To here your comon, it is my hygh comforte; Poynt deuyse all pleasure is your porte.

_Court. Ab._ Syr, I am the better of your noble reporte; But, of your pacyence vnder the supporte, 1560 If it wolde lyke you to here my pore mynde—

_Magn._ Speke, I beseche thé, leue nothynge behynde.

_Court. Ab._ So as ye be a prynce of great myght, It is semynge your pleasure ye delyte, And to aqueynte you with carnall delectacyon, And to fall in aquayntaunce with euery newe facyon; And quyckely your appetytes to sharpe and adresse, To fasten your fansy vpon a fayre maystresse, That quyckly is enuyued with rudyes of the rose, Inpurtured with fetures after your purpose, 1570 The streynes of her vaynes as asure inde blewe, Enbudded with beautye and colour fresshe of hewe, As lyly whyte to loke vpon her leyre,[837] Her eyen relucent as carbuncle so clere, Her mouthe enbawmed, dylectable and mery, Her lusty lyppes ruddy as the chery: Howe lyke you? ye lacke, syr, suche a lusty lasse.

_Magn._ A, that were a baby to brace and to basse! I wolde I had, by hym that hell dyd harowe, With me in kepynge suche a Phylyp sparowe! 1580 I wolde hauke whylest my hede dyd warke, So I myght hobby for suche a lusty larke. These wordes in myne eyre they be so lustely spoken, That on suche a female my flesshe wolde be wroken; They towche me so thorowly, and tykyll my consayte, That weryed I wolde be on suche a bayte: A, Cockes armes, where myght suche one be founde?

_Court. Ab._ Wyll ye spende ony money?

_Magn._ Ye, a thousande pounde.

_Court. Ab._ Nay, nay, for lesse I waraunt you to be sped, 1590 And brought home, and layde in your bed.

_Magn._ Wolde money, trowest thou, make suche one to the call?

_Court. Ab._ Money maketh marchauntes, I tell you, over all.

_Magn._ Why, wyl a maystres be wonne for money and for golde?

_Court. Ab._ Why, was not for money Troy bothe bought and solde? Full many a stronge cyte and towne hath ben wonne By the meanes of money without ony gonne. A maystres, I tell you, is but a small thynge; A goodly rybon, or a golde rynge, May wynne with a sawte the fortresse of the holde; 1600 But one thynge I warne you, prece forth and be bolde.

_Magn._ Ye, but some be full koy and passynge harde harted.

_Court. Ab._ But, blessyd be our Lorde, they wyll be sone conuerted.

_Magn._ Why, wyll they then be intreted, the most and the lest?

_Court. Ab._ Ye, for _omnis mulier meretrix, si celari potest_.

_Magn._ A, I haue spyed ye can moche broken sorowe.

_Court. Ab._ I coude holde you with suche talke hens tyll to morowe; But yf it lyke your grace, more at large Me to permyt my mynde to dyscharge, I wolde yet shewe you further of my consayte. 1610

_Magn._ Let se what ye say, shewe it strayte.

_Court. Ab._ Wysely let these wordes in your mynde be wayed: By waywarde wylfulnes let eche thynge be conuayed; What so euer ye do, folowe your owne wyll; Be it reason or none, it shall not gretely skyll; Be it ryght or wronge, by the aduyse of me, Take your pleasure and vse free lyberte; And yf you se ony thynge agaynst your mynde, Then some occacyon of[838] quarell ye must fynde, And frowne it and face it, as thoughe ye wolde fyght, 1620 Frete yourselfe for anger and for dyspyte; Here no man, what so euer they say, But do as ye lyst, and take your owne way.

_Magn._ Thy wordes and my mynde odly well accorde.

_Court. Ab._ What sholde ye do elles? are not you a lorde? Let your lust and lykynge stande for a lawe; Be wrastynge and wrythynge, and away drawe. And ye se a man that with hym ye be not pleased, And that your mynde can not well be eased, As yf a man fortune to touche you on the quyke, 1630 Then feyne yourselfe dyseased and make yourselfe seke: To styre vp your stomake you must you forge, Call for a candell[839] and cast vp your gorge; With, Cockes armes, rest shall I none haue Tyll I be reuenged on that horson knaue! A, howe my stomake wambleth! I am all in a swete! Is there no horson that knaue that wyll bete?

_Magn._ By Cockes woundes, a wonder felowe thou arte; For ofte tymes suche a wamblynge goth ouer my harte; Yet I am not harte seke, but that me lyst 1640 For myrth I haue hym coryed, beten, and blyst, Hym that I loued not and made hym to loute, I am forthwith as hole as a troute; For suche abusyon I vse nowe and than.

_Court. Ab._ It is none abusyon, syr, in a noble man, It is a pryncely pleasure and a lordly mynde; Suche lustes at large may not be lefte behynde.

_Here cometh in CLOKED COLUSYON with MESURE._

_Cl. Col._ Stande styll here, and ye shall se That for your sake I wyll fall on my kne.

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

_Magn._ Stande vp, syr, ye are welcom to me.

_Cl. Col._ Please it your grace, at the contemplacyon Of my pore instance and supplycacyon, Tenderly to consyder in your aduertence, Of our blessyd Lorde, syr, at the reuerence, Remembre the good seruyce that Mesure hath you done, And that ye wyll not cast hym away so sone.

_Magn._ My frende, as touchynge to this your mocyon, I may say to you I haue but small deuocyon; Howe be it, at your instaunce I wyll the rather 1660 Do as moche as for myne owne father.

_Cl. Col._ Nay, syr, that affeccyon ought to be reserued, For of your grace I haue it nought deserued; But yf it lyke you that I myght rowne in your eyre, To shewe you my mynde I wolde haue the lesse fere.

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

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

_Cl. Col._ Syr, so it is, this man is here by, That for hym to laboure he hath prayde me hartely; Notwithstandynge to you be it sayde, 1670 To trust in me he is but dyssayued; For, so helpe me God, for you he is not mete: I speke the softlyer, because he sholde not wete.

_Magn._ Come hyder, Pleasure, you shall here myne entent: Mesure, ye knowe wel, with hym I can not be content, And surely, as I am nowe aduysed, I wyll haue hym rehayted and dyspysed. Howe say ye, syrs? herein what is best?

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

_Cl. Col._ Yet, syr, reserued your better aduysement, 1680 It were better he spake with you or he wente, That he knowe not but that I haue supplyed All that I can his matter for to spede.

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

_Cl. Col._ Yes, with his hande I made hym to subscrybe A byll of recorde for an annuall rent.

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

_Cl. Col._ Ye, by my trouthe, I shall waraunt you for me, And he go to the deu[y]ll, so that I may haue my fee, What care I? 1690

_Magn._ By the masse, well sayd.

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

_Cl. Col._ But yet, lo, I wolde, or that he wente, Lest that he thought that his money were euyll spente, That ye[841] wolde loke on hym, thoughe it were not longe.

_Magn._ Well cannest thou helpe a preest to synge a songe.

_Cl. Col._ So it is all the maner nowe a dayes, For to vse suche haftynge and crafty wayes.

_Court. Ab._ He telleth you trouth, syr, as I you ensure.

_Magn._ Well, for thy sake the better I may endure 1700 That he come hyder, and to gyue hym a loke That he shall lyke the worse all this woke.

_Cl. Col._ I care not howe sone he be refused, So that I may craftely be excused.

_Court. Ab._ Where is he?

_Cl. Col._ Mary, I made hym abyde, Whylest I came to you, a lytell here besyde.

_Magn._ Well, call hym, and let vs here hym reason, And we wyll be comonynge in the mene season.

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

_Magn._ An honest person, I tell you, and a sad.

_Court. Ab._ He can full craftely this matter brynge aboute.

_Magn._ Whylest I haue hym, I nede nothynge doute.

_Hic introducat COLUSION, MESURE, MAGNYFYCENCE aspectant[e] vultu elatissimo._

_Cl. Col._ By the masse, I haue done that I can, And more than euer I dyd for ony man: I trowe, ye herde yourselfe what I sayd.

_Mes._ Nay, indede; but I sawe howe ye prayed, And made instance for me be lykelyhod.

_Cl. Col._ Nay, I tell you, I am not wonte to fode Them that dare put theyr truste in me; 1720 And therof ye shall a larger profe se.

_Mes._ Syr, God rewarde you as ye haue deserued: But thynke you with Magnyfycence I shal be reserued?

_Cl. Col._ By my trouth, I can not tell you that; But, and I were as ye, I wolde not set a gnat By Magnyfycence, nor yet none of his, For, go when ye shall, of you shall he mysse.

_Mes._ Syr, as ye say.

_Cl. Col._ Nay, come on with me: Yet ones agayne I shall fall on my kne 1730 For your sake, what so euer befall; I set not a flye, and all go to all.

_Mes._ The Holy Goost be with your grace.

_Cl. Col._ Syr, I beseche you, let pety haue some place In your brest towardes this gentylman.

_Magn._ I was your good lorde tyll that ye beganne So masterfully vpon you for to take With my seruauntys, and suche maystryes gan make, That holly my mynde with you is myscontente; Wherfore I wyll that ye be resydent 1740 With me no longer.

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

_Mes._ Syr, yf I myght permytted be, I wolde to you say a worde or twayne.

_Magn._ What, woldest thou, lurden, with me brawle agayne? Haue hym hens, I say, out of my syght; That day I se hym, I shall be worse all nyght.

[_Here MESURE goth out of the place._[843]

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

_Magn._ Alas, my stomake fareth as it wolde cast!

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

_Magn._ A bolle or a basyn, I say, for Goddes brede! A, my hede! But is the horson gone? God gyue hym a myscheffe! Nay, nowe let me alone.

_Cl. Col._ A good dryfte, syr, a praty fete: By the good Lorde, yet your temples bete.

_Magn._ Nay, so God me helpe, it was no grete vexacyon, For I am panged ofte tymes of this same facyon.

_Cl. Col._ Cockes armes, howe Pleasure plucked hym forth!

_Magn._ Ye, walke he must, it was no better worth.

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

_Magn._ Nowe Measure is gone, I am the better pleased.

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

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

_Cl. Col._ So I wote not what he sholde do here: Where mennes belyes is mesured, there is no chere; For I here but fewe men that gyue ony prayse Vnto measure, I say, nowe a days.

_Magn._ Measure, tut! what, the deuyll of hell! Scantly one with measure that wyll dwell.

_Cl. Col._ Not amonge noble men, as the worlde gothe: 1770 It is no wonder therfore thoughe ye be wrothe With Mesure. Where as all noblenes is, there I haue past: They catche that catche may, kepe and holde fast, Out of all measure themselfe to enryche; No force what thoughe his neyghbour dye in a dyche. With pollynge and pluckynge out of all measure, Thus must ye stuffe and store your treasure.

_Magn._ Yet somtyme, parde, I must vse largesse.

_Cl. Col._ Ye, mary, somtyme in a messe of vergesse, As in a tryfyll or in a thynge of nought, 1780 As gyuynge a thynge that ye neuer bought: It is the gyse nowe, I say, ouer all; Largesse in wordes, for rewardes are but small: To make fayre promyse, what are ye the worse? Let me haue the rule of your purse.

_Magn._ I haue taken it to Largesse and Lyberte.

_Cl. Col._ Than is it done as it sholde be: But vse your largesse by the aduyse of me, And I shall waraunt you welth and lyberte.

_Magn._ Say on; me thynke your reasons be profounde. 1790

_Cl. Col._ Syr, of my counsayle this shall be the grounde, To chose out ii. iii. of suche as you loue best, And let all your fansyes vpon them rest; Spare for no cost to gyue them pounde and peny, Better to make iii. ryche than for to make many; Gyue them more than ynoughe and let them not lacke, And as for all other let them trusse and packe; Plucke from an hundred, and gyue it to thre, Let neyther patent scape them nor fee; And where soeuer you wyll fall to a rekenynge, 1800 Those thre wyll be redy euen at your bekenynge, For then[844] shall you haue at lyberte to lowte; Let them haue all, and the other go without: Thus ioy without mesure you shall haue.

_Magn._ Thou sayst truthe, by the harte that God me gaue! For, as thou sayst, ryght so shall it be: And here I make thé vpon Lyberte To be superuysour, and on Largesse also, For as thou wylte, so shall the game go; For in Pleasure, and Surueyaunce, and also in thé, 1810 I haue set my hole felycyte, And suche as you wyll shall lacke no promocyon.

_Cl. Col._ Syr, syth that in me ye haue suche deuocyon, Commyttynge to me and to my felowes twayne Your welthe and felycyte, I trust we shall optayne To do you seruyce after your appetyte.

_Magn._ In faythe, and your seruyce ryght well shall I acquyte; And therfore hye you hens, and take this ouersyght.

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

_Here goth CLOKED COLUSYON awaye, and leueth MAGNYFYCENCE alone in the place._

_Magn._ Thus, I say, I am enuyronned with solace; 1820 I drede no dyntes of fatall desteny. Well were that lady myght stande in my grace, Me to enbrace and loue moost specyally: A Lorde, so I wolde halse her hartely, So I wolde clepe her, so I wolde kys her swete!

_Here cometh in FOLY._

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

_Magn._ Who is this?

_Fol._ Consayte, syr, your owne man.

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

_Fol._ By our lakyn, syr, I haue ben a hawkyng[845] for the wylde swan. 1830 My hawke is rammysshe, and it happed that she ran, Flewe I sholde say, in to an olde barne, To reche at a rat, I coude not her warne; She pynched her pynyon, by God, and catched harme: It was a ronner; nay, fole, I warant her blode warme.

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

_Fol._ And, syr, as I was comynge to you hyder, I sawe a fox sucke on a kowes ydder, And with a lyme rodde I toke them bothe togyder. I trowe it be a frost, for the way is slydder: 1840 Se, for God auowe, for colde as I chydder.

_Magn._ Thy wordes hange togyder as fethers in the wynde.

_Fol._ A, syr, tolde I not you howe I dyd fynde A knaue and a carle, and all of one kynde? I sawe a wethercocke wagge with the wynde; Grete meruayle I had, and mused in my mynde; The houndes ranne before, and the hare behynde; I sawe a losell lede a lurden, and they were bothe blynde; I sawe a sowter go to supper or euer he had dynde.

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

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

_Magn._ What sayst thou?

_Fol._ Mary, I pray God your maystershyp to saue: I shall gyue you a gaude of a goslynge that I gaue, The gander and the gose bothe grasynge on one graue; Than Rowlande the reue ran, and I began to raue, And with a brystell of a bore his berde dyd I shaue.

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

_Fol._ Sym Sadylgose was my syer, and Dawcocke my dame: I coude, and I lyst, garre you laughe at a game, 1860 Howe a wodcocke wrastled with a larke that was lame: The bytter sayd boldly that they were to blame; The feldfare wolde haue fydled, and it wolde not frame; The crane and the curlewe therat gan to grame; The snyte snyueled in the snowte and smyled at the game.

_Magn._ Cockes bones, herde you euer suche another?

_Fol._ Se, syr, I beseche you, Largesse my brother.

_Here FANSY cometh in._

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

_Fan._ When ye knowe that I knowe, ye wyll not be glad.

_Fol._ What, brother braynsyke, how farest thou? 1870

_Magn._ Ye, let be thy iapes, and tell me howe The case requyreth.

_Fan._ Alasse, alasse, an heuy metynge! I wolde tell you, and yf I myght for wepynge.

_Fol._ What, is all your myrthe nowe tourned to sorowe? Fare well tyll sone, adue tyll to morowe.

_Here goth FOLY away._

_Magn._ I pray thé, Largesse, let be thy sobbynge.

_Fan._ Alasse, syr, ye are vndone with stelyng and robbynge! Ye sent vs a superuysour for to take hede: Take hede of your selfe, for nowe ye haue nede. 1880

_Magn._ What, hath Sadnesse begyled me so?

_Fan._ Nay, madnesse hath begyled you and many mo; For Lyberte is gone and also Felycyte.

_Magn._ Gone? alasse, ye haue vndone me!

_Fan._ Nay, he that ye sent vs, Clokyd Colusyon, And your payntyd Pleasure, Courtly Abusyon, And your demenour with Counterfet Countenaunce, And your suruayour,[847] Crafty Conueyaunce, Or euer we were ware brought vs in aduersyte, And had robbyd you quyte from all felycyte. 1890

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

_Fan._ Nay, it was your fondnesse that ye haue vsyd.

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

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

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

_Fan._ What? yes, by the rode, syr, it was I all this whyle That you trustyd, and Fansy is my name; And Foly, my broder, that made you moche game.

_Here cometh in ADUERSYTE._

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

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

_Magn._ Lorde, so my flesshe trymblyth nowe for drede!

_Here MAGNYFYCENCE is beten downe, and spoylyd from all his goodys and rayment._

_Aduer._ I am Aduersyte, that for thy mysdede From God am sent to quyte thé thy mede. Vyle velyarde, thou must not nowe my dynt withstande, Thou must not abyde the dynt of my hande: Ly there, losell, for all thy pompe and pryde; Thy pleasure now with payne and trouble shalbe tryde. The stroke of God, Aduersyte I hyght; I pluke downe kynge, prynce, lorde, and knyght, I rushe at them rughly, and make them ly full lowe, 1910 And in theyr moste truste I make them ouerthrowe. Thys losyll was a lorde, and lyuyd at his lust, And nowe, lyke a lurden, he lyeth in the dust: He knewe not hymselfe, his harte was so hye; Nowe is there no man that wyll set by hym a flye: He was wonte to boste, brage, and to brace; Nowe dare he not for shame loke one in the face: All worldly welth for hym to lytell was; Nowe hath he ryght nought, naked as an asse: Somtyme without measure he trusted in golde, 1920 And now without mesure he shal haue hunger and colde. Lo, syrs, thus I handell them all That folowe theyr fansyes in foly to fall: Man or woman, of what estate they be, I counsayle them beware of Aduersyte. Of sorowfull seruauntes I haue many scores: I vysyte them somtyme with blaynes and with sores; With botches and carbuckyls in care I them knyt; With the gowte I make them to grone where they syt; Some I make lyppers and lazars full horse; 1930 And from that they loue best some I deuorse; Some with the marmoll to halte I them make; And some to cry out of the bone ake; And some I vysyte with brennynge of fyre; Of some I wrynge of the necke lyke a wyre; And some I make in a rope to totter and walter; And some for to hange themselfe in an halter; And some I vysyte to[850] batayle, warre, and murther, And make eche man to sle other; To drowne or to sle themselfe with a knyfe; 1940 And all is for theyr vngracyous lyfe. Yet somtyme I stryke where is none offence, Bycause I wolde proue men of theyr pacyence. But, nowe a dayes, to stryke I haue grete cause, Lydderyns so lytell set by Goddes lawes. Faders and moders, that be neclygent, And suffre theyr chyldren to haue theyr entent, To gyde them vertuously that wyll not remembre, Them or theyr chyldren ofte tymes I dysmembre; Theyr chyldren, bycause that they haue no mekenesse; 1950 I vysyte theyr faders and moders with sekenesse; And yf I se therby they wyll not amende, Then myschefe sodaynly I them sende; For there is nothynge that more dyspleaseth God Than from theyr chyldren to spare the rod Of correccyon, but let them haue theyr wyll; Some I make lame, and some I do kyll; And some[851] I stryke with a franesy; Of some of theyr chyldren I stryke out the eye; And where the fader by wysdom worshyp hath wonne, 1960 I sende ofte tymes a fole to his sonne. Wherfore of Aduersyte loke ye be ware, For when I come, comyth sorowe and care: For I stryke lordys of realmes and landys, That rule not by mesure that they haue in theyr handys, That sadly rule not theyr howsholde men; I am Goddys preposytour, I prynt them with a pen; Because of theyr neglygence and of theyr wanton vagys, I vysyte them and stryke them with many sore plagys. To take, syrs, example of that I you tell, 1970 And beware of aduersyte by my counsell, Take hede of this caytyfe that lyeth here on grounde; Beholde, howe Fortune of[852] hym hath frounde! For though we shewe you this in game and play, Yet it proueth eyrnest, ye may se, euery day. For nowe wyll I from this caytyfe go, And take myscheffe and vengeaunce of other mo, That hath deseruyd it as well as he. Howe, where art thou? come hether, Pouerte; Take this caytyfe to thy lore. 1980

_Here cometh in POUERTE._[853]

_Pouer._ A, my bonys ake, my lymmys be sore; Alasse, I haue the cyatyca full euyll in my hyppe! Alasse, where is youth that was wont for to skyppe? I am lowsy, and vnlykynge, and full of scurffe, My colour is tawny, colouryd as a turffe: I am Pouerte, that all men doth hate, I am baytyd with doggys at euery mannys gate; I am raggyd and rent, as ye may se; Full fewe but they haue enuy at me. Nowe must I this carcasse lyft vp: 1990 He dynyd with delyte, with Pouerte he must sup. Ryse vp, syr, and welcom vnto me.

_Hic accedat ad levandum MAGNYFYCENCE, et locabit eum super locum stratum._

_Magn._ Alasse, where is nowe my golde and fe? Alasse, I say, where to am I brought? Alasse, alasse, alasse, I dye for thought!

_Pouer._ Syr, all this wolde haue bene thought on before: He woteth not what welth is that neuer was sore.

_Magn._ Fy, fy, that euer I sholde be brought in this snare! I wenyd ones neuer to haue knowen of care.

_Pouer._ Lo, suche is this worlde! I fynde it wryt, 2000 In welth to beware, and that is wyt.

_Magn._ In welth to beware, yf I had had grace, Neuer had I bene brought in this case.

_Pouer._ Nowe, syth it wyll no nother be, All that God sendeth, take it in gre; For, thoughe you were somtyme a noble estate, Nowe must you lerne to begge at euery mannes gate.