Part 28

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

_Magn._ Syr, the longe absence of you, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon, Caused me of aduersyte to fall in subieccyon.

_Red._ All that he sayth, of trouthe doth precede; For where sad cyrcumspeccyon is longe out of the way, Of aduersyte it is to stande in drede.

_Sad Cyr._ Without fayle, syr, that is no nay; Cyrcumspeccyon inhateth all rennynge astray. But, syr, by me to rule fyrst ye began.

_Magn._ My wylfulnesse, syr, excuse I ne can. 2460

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

_Magn._ Sothely, to repent me I haue grete cause: Howe be it from you I receyued a letter,[871] Whiche conteyned in it a specyall clause That I sholde vse largesse.

_Sad Cyr._ Nay, syr, there a pause.

_Red._ Yet let vs se this matter thorowly ingrosed.

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

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

_Magn._ Largesse, syr, by his credence was his name. 2470

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

_Red._ To gyue so hasty credence ye were moche to blame.

_Magn._ Truth it is, syr; for after he wrought me moch shame, And caused me also to vse to moche lyberte, And made also mesure to be put fro me.

_Red._ Then welthe with you myght in no wyse abyde.

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

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

_Magn._ Surely my welthe with them was ouerthrow.

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

_Red._ Ye, and beware of vnhappy abusyon.

_Sad Cyr._ And kepe you from counterfaytynge of clokyd colusyon.

_Magn._ Syr, in goodhope I am to amende.

_Red._ Vse not then your countenaunce for to counterfet.

_Sad Cyr._ And from crafters and hafters I you forfende.

_Hic intrat PERSEUERAUNCE._

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

_Red._ What, brother Perceueraunce! surely well met.

_Sad Cyr._ Ye com hether as well as can be thought.

_Per._ I herde say that Aduersyte with Magnyfycence had fought.

_Magn._ Ye, syr, with aduersyte I haue bene vexyd; 2490 But goodhope and redresse hath mendyd myne estate, And sad cyrcumspeccyon to me they haue annexyd.[872]

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

_Magn._ Ye, syr, from hym my corage shall neuer flyt.

_Sad Cyr._ Accordynge to treuth they be well deuysyd.

_Magn._ Syrs, I am agreed to abyde your ordenaunce, Faythfull[874] assuraunce with good peraduertaunce.

_Per._ Yf you be so myndyd, we be ryght glad.

_Red._ And ye shall haue more worshyp then euer ye had.

_Magn._ Well, I perceyue in you there is moche sadnesse, 2500 Grauyte of counsell, prouydence, and wyt; Your comfortable aduyse and wyt excedyth all gladnesse. But frendly I wyll refrayne you ferther, or we flyt, Whereto were most metely my corage to knyt: Your myndys I beseche you here in to expresse, Commensynge this processe at mayster Redresse.

_Red._ Syth vnto me formest this processe is erectyd, Herein I wyll aforse me to shewe you my mynde. Fyrst, from your magnyfycence syn must be abiectyd, In all your warkys more grace shall ye fynde; 2510 Be gentyll then of corage, and lerne to be kynde, For of noblenesse the chefe poynt is to be lyberall, So that your largesse be not to prodygall.

_Sad Cyr._ Lyberte to a lorde belongyth of ryght, But wylfull waywardnesse muste walke out of the way; Measure of your lustys must haue the ouersyght, And not all the nygarde nor the chyncherde to play; Let neuer negarshyp your noblenesse affray; In your rewardys vse suche moderacyon That nothynge be gyuen without consyderacyon. 2520

_Per._ To the increse of your honour then arme you with ryght, And fumously adresse you with magnanymyte; And euer let the drede of God be in your syght; And knowe your selfe mortall, for all your dygnyte; Set not all your affyaunce in Fortune full of gyle; Remember this lyfe lastyth but a whyle.

_Magn._ Redresse, in my remembraunce your lesson shall rest, And Sad Cyrcumspeccyon I marke in my mynde: But, Perseueraunce, me semyth your probleme was best; I shall it neuer forget nor leue it behynde, 2530 But hooly to perseueraunce my selfe I wyll bynde, Of that I haue mysdone to make a redresse, And with sad cyrcumspeccyon correcte my vantonnesse.

_Red._ Vnto this processe brefly compylyd, Comprehendyng the worlde casuall and transytory, Who lyst to consyder shall neuer be begylyd, Yf it be regystryd well in memory; A playne example of worldly vaynglory, Howe in this worlde there is no seke[r]nesse, But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse; 2540 Nowe well, nowe wo, nowe hy, nowe lawe degre, Nowe ryche, nowe pore, nowe hole, nowe in dysease, Nowe pleasure at large, nowe in captyuyte, Nowe leue, nowe lothe, now please, nowe dysplease, Now ebbe, now flowe, nowe increase, now dyscrease; So in this worlde there is no sykernesse, But fallyble flatery enmyxyd with bytternesse.

_Sad Cyr._ A myrrour incleryd is this interlude, This lyfe inconstant for to beholde and se; Sodenly auaunsyd, and sodenly subdude, 2550 Sodenly ryches, and sodenly pouerte, Sodenly comfort, and sodenly aduersyte; Sodenly thus Fortune can bothe smyle and frowne, Sodenly set vp, and sodenly cast downe; Sodenly promotyd, and sodenly put backe, Sodenly cherysshyd, and sodenly cast asyde, Sodenly commendyd, and sodenly fynde a lacke, Sodenly grauntyd, and sodenly denyed, Sodenly hyd, and sodenly spyed; Sodenly thus Fortune can bothe smyle and frowne, 2560 Sodenly set vp, and sodenly cast downe.

_Per._ This treatyse, deuysyd to make you dysporte, Shewyth nowe adayes howe the worlde comberyd is, To the pythe of the mater who lyst to resorte; To day it is well, to morowe it is all amysse, To day in delyte, to morowe bare of blysse, To day a lorde, to morowe ly in the duste; Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste; To day fayre wether, to morowe a stormy rage, To day hote, to morowe outragyous colde, 2570 To day a yoman, to morowe made of page, To day in surety, to morowe bought and solde, To day maysterfest, to morowe he hath no holde, To day a man, to morowe he lyeth in the duste; Thus in this worlde there is no erthly truste.

_Magn._ This mater we haue mouyd, you myrthys to make, Precely purposyd vnder pretence of play, Shewyth wysdome to them that wysdome can take, Howe sodenly worldly welth dothe dekay, How wysdom thorowe wantonnesse vanysshyth away, 2580 How none estate lyuynge of hymselfe can be sure, For the welthe of this worlde can not indure; Of the terestre rechery we fall in the flode, Beten with stormys of many a frowarde blast, Ensordyd with the wawys sauage and wode, Without our shyppe be sure, it is lykely to brast, Yet of magnyfycence oft made is the mast; Thus none estate lyuynge of hym can be sure, For the welthe of this worlde can not indure.

_Red._ Nowe semyth vs syttynge that ye then resorte 2590 Home to your paleys with ioy and ryalte.

_Sad Cyr._ Where euery thyng is ordenyd after your noble porte.

_Per._ There to indeuer with all felycyte.

_Magn._ I am content, my frendys, that it so be.

_Red._ And ye that haue harde this dysporte and game, Jhesus preserue you frome endlesse wo and shame! Amen.

[779] _Magnyfycence, &c._] From the ed. printed by Rastell, n. d.;—in which the above list of characters is placed at the end of the drama.

[780] _Lyberte_] Enters, probably, towards the end of the preceding speech.

[781] _is_] Ed. “it.”

[782] _countyth_] Ed. “countyd.”

[783] _Se_] Ed. “So.”

[784] _the dogge_] Qy. “thé, dogge?” but see notes.

[785] _after none_] Here Felycyte goes out.

[786] _sensim retrocedat; at_] Ed. “sensū _retrocedat_ ad.”

[787] _animat_] Qy. “animet?”

[788] _By your soth_] Ed. prefixes “_Fansy_” to these words, and omits the prefix to the next speech.

[789] _intrat_] Qy. “intret?”—This stage-direction is not quite correct, for _Count._ _Count._ enters as _Fansy_ is going off, and detains him till v. 406.

[790] _to fyght_] Qy. “_to_ flyght”—scold (a word used elsewhere by Skelton), or “_to_ syght?” see next line but two.

[791] _hym_] Compare v. 1275.

[792] _I counterfet, &c._] This line seems to be corrupt.

[793] _famine multo_] Ed. “famina multa.”

[794] _Sure Surueyaunce, &c._] Ed. gives this line to _C. Count._, and the next speech to _Cr. Con._ Compare v. 652.

[795] _taste_] Qy. a line wanting to rhyme with this?

[796] _ye_] Ed. “we.”

[797] _Syr, the playnesse you tell me_] Ed. prefixes _Crafty Con._ to these words, and omits the prefix to the next line.—Qy., for the rhyme,—“you me tell?”

[798] _But, Counterfet, &c._] Ed. omits the prefix to this speech.

[799] _Cr. Con._] Ed. “_Cl. Col._”

[800] _praty men_] Here _Fansy_, _Crafty Conueyaunce_, and _Counterfet Conntenaunce_, go out.

[801] _exiat beretrum cronice_] Qy. “_exuat_ (or rather, _exueret_) _barretum_ (_i. e._ pileum) _ironice?_”

[802] _batowe_] Qy. “batone?”

[803] _By Goddes fote, &c._] Here the prefixes to the speeches are surely wrong: but as I am doubtful how they ought to be assigned, I have not ventured to alter them. Qy.

“_Court. Ab._ By Goddes fote, and I dare well fyght, for I wyll not start.

_Cl. Col._ Nay, thou art a man good inough but for thy false hart.

_Court. Ab._ Well, and I be a coward, ther is mo than I.

_Cl. Col_ Ye, in faythe, a bolde man and a hardy; A bolde man in a bole of newe ale in cornys.

_Court. Ab._ Wyll ye se,” &c.

[804] _Cr. Con._] Ed. “_Cl. Col._” Compare the next line, and v. 796.

[805] _Cl. Col._] Ed. “_Court. Ab._”

[806] _ye, thou woldest_] Qy., for the rhyme, “thou woldest, ye?”

[807] _they_] i. e. _Cloked Colusyon_ and _Crafty Conueyaunce_.

[808] _Eche man take a fe_] There seems to be some corruption of the text here.

[809] _tyll sone_] Here _Courtly Abusyon_ goes out.

[810] _crema_] If this be the right reading, I am unacquainted with the word. It can hardly be a misprint for “cremia:” qy. “crembalum?”

[811] _eye_] Ed. “eyen.”

[812] _dogge_] Ed. “hogge.”

[813] _hogge_] Ed. “dogge.”

[814] _myne_] Qy., for the rhyme, “my purse?”

[815] _fowle_] Qy. a line wanting to rhyme with this?

[816] _Latyn_] Ed. “lutyn.”

[817] _Est snavi, &c._] Between this line and the next, ed. has “_Versus_.”

[818] _kesteryll_] Ed. “besteryll.”

[819] _you_] Qy., for the rhyme, “_you_ there?”

[820] _Yes_] Ed. “Yet.”

[821] _for nowe thou hast lost_] Qy., for the rhyme, “for thou hast lost nowe?”

[822] _tappet_] Ed. “tap.” Compare p. 128, v. 75.

[823] _hym_] Compare v. 427, p. 239. Perhaps these inconsistencies may have arisen from contractions in the MS.

[824] _mo_] Ed. “more.”

[825] _wyt_] Ed. “whyt.”

[826] _slyght_] Ed. “shyfte.” Compare v. 687, p. 247, and v. 964, p. 256, where “slyght” (sleight) is the rhyme to “consayte.”

[827] _the mare_] Here _Foly_ and _Fansy_ go out.

[828] _hungre_] Ed. “hunger.”

[829] _craue_] Qy., for the rhyme, “craued?” unless something be wanting.

[830] _kay_] Ed. “bay.”

[831] _thou_] Qy. “you?” see note on v. 1275, p. 266.

[832] _another_] Qy. “_another_ time?”

[833] _For nowe, &c._] In ed. this speech is given to _Fansy_.

[834] _that_] Ed. “the.”

[835] _be sene_] Qy., for the rhyme, “beseme?”

[836] _Cypyo_] Ed. “typyo.”

[837] _leyre_] Ed. “heyre.”

[838] _occacyon of_] Ed. “accacyon or.”

[839] _candell_] Qy. “caudell?”

[840] _ye_] Ed. “he.”

[841] _ye_] Ed. “he.”

[842] _let se, for your selfe_] Qy., for the rhyme, “for your selfe, let se?”—unless “for your selfe” was intended to form the commencement of the next verse.

[843] _Here Mesure goth out of the place_] To this stage-direction ought to be added—“_with Courtly Abusyon, who, as he carries him off, exclaims_.” See what _Clokyd Colusyon_ says a little after,

“Cockes armes, howe Pleasure plucked hym forth!”

Pleasure is the assumed name of _Courtly Abusyon_.

[844] _then_] Qy. “them?”

[845] _hawkyng_] Ed. “howkyng.”

[846] _men_] Qy. “man?”

[847] _suruayour_] Ed. “superuysour:” compare v. 1414, p. 271; v. 652, p. 246, &c. _Cl. Col._ has just been made “superuysour:” see v. 1808, p. 284.

[848] _who_] Ed. “why.”

[849] _clokys_] Here _Fansy_ goes out.

[850] _to_] Qy. “with?” compare vv. 1927, 1934.

[851] _some_] Ed. “syme.”

[852] _of_] Qy. “on?”

[853] _Pouerte_] And _Aduersyte_ goes out.

[854] _stormy beten_] Perhaps “storm ybeten.”

[855] _Discedendo_] Ed. “Difidendo.”

[856] _bale_] Meant, perhaps, to rhyme with v. 2103.

[857] _pryde_] Qy. a line wanting to rhyme with this?

[858] _they_] Ed. “theyr.”

[859] _late_] Here _Lyberte_ goes out.

[860] _cleue_] Ed. “clene.” Compare p. 130, v. 133, and p. 194, v. 37.

[861] _Here cometh, &c._] Ed., besides omitting this stage-direction, leaves the two following lines unappropriated.

[862] _pysse_] Qy. a line wanting to rhyme with this?

[863] _thyther_] Qy. a line wanting to rhyme with this?

[864] _folowe_] Ed. “felowe.”

[865] _Mys._] Ed. “_Magn._”

[866] _gladium_] Ed. “gladio.”

[867] _sautes_] Ed. “fautes.”

[868] _to_] Qy. “by?”

[869] _neglygence_] Qy., did Skelton write, for the rhyme, “neglygesse?”

[870] _Fyrst, &c._] Ed. leaves this speech unappropriated.

[871] _a letter_] Qy. some corruption? This line ought to rhyme with the preceding line but one.

[872] _annexyd_] Ed. “amexyd.”

[873] _sentence_] Qy. some corruption? This line ought to rhyme with the preceding line but one.

[874] _Faythfull_] Ed. “Faythfully.”

COLYN CLOUTE.[875]

HERE AFTER FOLOWETH A LITEL BOKE CALLED COLYN CLOUTE, COMPYLED BY MAYSTER SKELTON, POETE LAUREATE.

_Quis consurget[876] mecum adversus malignantes? aut quis stabit mecum adversus operantes iniquitatem? Nemo, Domine!_