For, where I am occupyed and vsyd wylfully,
It can not contynew longe prosperyously;
As euydently in retchlesse youth ye may se,
Howe many come to myschefe for to moche lyberte; 2160
And some in the worlde theyr brayne is so ydyll,
That they set theyr chyldren to rynne on the brydyll,
In youth to be wanton and let them haue theyr wyll;
And they neuer thryue in theyr age, it shall not gretly skyll:
Some fall to foly them selfe for to spyll,
And some fall prechynge at the Toure Hyll;
Some hath so moche lyberte of one thynge and other,
That nother they set by father and mother;
Some haue so moche lyberte that they fere no synne,
Tyll, as ye se many tymes, they shame all theyr kynne. 2170
I am so lusty to loke on, so freshe, and so fre,
That nonnes wyll leue theyr holynes, and ryn after me;
Freers with foly I make them so fayne,
They cast vp theyr obedyence to cache me agayne,
At lyberte to wander and walke ouer all,
That lustely they lepe somtyme theyr cloyster wall.
_Hic aliquis buccat in cornu a retro post populum._
Yonder is a horson for me doth rechate:
Adewe, syrs, for I thynke leyst that I come to late.[859]
_Magn._ O good Lorde, howe longe shall I indure
This mysery, this carefull wrechydnesse? 2180
Of worldly welthe, alasse, who can be sure?
In Fortunys frendshyppe there is no stedfastnesse:
She hath dyssayuyd me with her doublenesse.
For to be wyse all men may lerne of me,
In welthe to beware of herde aduersyte.
_Here cometh in CRAFTY CONUEYAUNCE, [and] CLOKED COLUSYON, with a lusty
laughter._
_Cr. Con._ Ha, ha, ha! for laughter I am lyke to brast.
_Cl. Col._ Ha, ha, ha! for sporte I am lyke to spewe and cast.
_Cr. Con._ What has thou gotted in faythe to thy share?
_Cl. Col._ In faythe, of his cofers the bottoms are bare.
_Cr. Con._ As for his plate of syluer, and suche trasshe, 2190
I waraunt you, I haue gyuen it a lasshe.
_Cl. Col._ What, then he may drynke out of a stone cruyse?
_Cr. Con._ With, ye, syr, by Jesu that slayne was with Jewes!
He may rynse a pycher, for his plate is to wed.
_Cl. Col._ In faythe, and he may dreme on a daggeswane for ony
fether bed.
_Cr. Con._ By my trouthe, we haue ryfled hym metely well.
_Cl. Col._ Ye, but thanke me therof euery dele.
_Cr. Con._ Thanke thé therof, in the deuyls date!
_Cl. Col._ Leue thy pratynge, or els I shall lay thé on the pate.
_Cr. Con._ Nay, to wrangle, I warant thé, it is but a stone caste. 2200
_Cl. Col._ By the messe, I shall cleue thy heed to the waste.
_Cr. Con._ Ye, wylte thou clenly cleue[860] me in the clyfte with
thy nose?
_Cl. Col._ I shall thrust in thé my dagger—
_Cr. Con._ Thorowe the legge in to the hose.
_Cl. Col._ Nay, horson, here is my gloue; take it vp, and thou dare.
_Cr. Con._ Torde, thou arte good to be a man of warre.
_Cl. Col._ I shall skelpe thé on the skalpe; lo, seest thou that?
_Cr. Con._ What, wylte thou skelpe me? thou dare not loke on a gnat.
_Cl. Col._ By Cockes bones, I shall blysse thé, and thou be to bolde.
_Cr. Con._ Nay, then thou wylte dynge the deuyll, and thou be not
holde. 2210
_Cl. Col._ But wottest thou, horson? I rede thé to be wyse.
_Cr. Con._ Nowe I rede thé beware, I haue warned thé twyse.
_Cl. Col._ Why, wenest thou that I forbere thé for thyne owne sake?
_Cr. Con._ Peas, or I shall wrynge thy be in a brake.
_Cl. Col._ Holde thy hande, dawe, of thy dagger, and stynt of thy dyn,
Or I shal fawchyn thy flesshe, and scrape thé on the skyn.
_Cr. Con._ Ye, wylte thou, ha[n]gman? I say, thou cauell!
_Cl. Col._ Nay, thou rude rauener, rayne beten iauell!
_Cr. Con._ What, thou Colyn cowarde, knowen and tryde!
_Cl. Col._ Nay, thou false harted dastarde, thou dare not abyde! 2220
_Cr. Con._ And yf there were none to dysplease but thou and I,
Thou sholde not scape, horson, but thou sholde dye.
_Cl. Col._ Nay, iche shall wrynge thé, horson, on the wryst.
_Cr. Con._ Mary, I defye thy best and thy worst.
[_Here cometh in COUNTERFET COUNTENAUNCE._[861]]
_C. Count._ What, a very vengeaunce, nede all these wordys?
Go together by the heddys, and gyue me your swordys.
_Cl. Col._ So he is the worste brawler that euer was borne.
_Cr. Con._ In fayth, so to suffer thé, it is but a skorne.
_C. Count._ Now let vs be all one, and let vs lyue in rest,
For we be, syrs, but a fewe of the best. 2230
_Cl. Col._ By the masse, man, thou shall fynde me resonable.
_Cr. Con._ In faythe, and I wyll be to reason agreable.
_C. Count._ Then truste I to God and the holy rode,
Here shalbe not great sheddynge of blode.
_Cl. Col._ By our lakyn, syr, not by my wyll.
_Cr. Con._ By the fayth that I owe to God, and I wyll syt styll.
_C. Count._ Well sayd: but, in fayth, what was your quarell?
_Cl. Col._ Mary, syr, this gentylman called me iauell.
_Cr. Con._ Nay, by Saynt Mary, it was ye called me knaue.
_Cl. Col._ Mary, so vngoodly langage you me gaue. 2240
_C. Count._ A, shall we haue more of this maters yet?
Me thynke ye are not gretly acomberyd with wyt.
_Cr. Con._ Goddys fote, I warant you, I am a gentylman borne,
And thus to be facyd I thynke it great skorne.
_C. Count._ I can not well tell of your dysposycyons;
And ye be a gentylman, ye haue knauys condycyons.
_Cl. Col._ By God, I tell you, I wyll not be out facyd.
_Cr. Con._ By the masse, I warant thé, I wyll not be bracyd.
_C. Count._ Tushe, tushe, it is a great defaute:
The one of you is to proude, the other is to haute. 2250
Tell me brefly where vpon ye began.
_Cl. Col._ Mary, syr, he sayd that he was the pratyer man
Then I was, in opynynge of lockys;
And, I tell you, I dysdayne moche of his mockys.
_Cr. Con._ Thou sawe neuer yet but I dyd my parte,
The locke of a caskyt to make to starte.
_C. Count._ Nay, I know well inough ye are bothe well handyd
To grope a gardeuyaunce, though it be well bandyd.
_Cl. Col._ I am the better yet in a bowget.
_Cr. Con._ And I the better in a male. 2260
_C. Count._ Tushe, these maters that ye moue are but soppys in ale:
Your trymynge and tramynge by me must be tangyd,
For, had I not bene, ye bothe had bene hangyd,
When we with Magnyfycence goodys made cheuysaunce.
_Magn._ And therfore our Lorde sende you a very wengaunce!
_C. Count._ What begger art thou that thus doth banne and wary?
_Magn._ Ye be the theuys, I say, away my goodys dyd cary.
_Cl. Col._ Cockys bonys, thou begger, what is thy name?
_Magn._ Magnyfycence I was, whom ye haue brought to shame.
_C. Count._ Ye, but trowe you, syrs, that this is he? 2270
_Cr. Con._ Go we nere, and let vs se.
_Cl. Col._ By Cockys bonys, it is the same.
_Magn._ Alasse, alasse, syrs, ye are to blame!
I was your mayster, though ye thynke it skorne,
And nowe on me ye gaure and sporne.
_C. Count._ Ly styll, ly styll nowe, with yll hayle!
_Cr. Con._ Ye, for thy langage can not thé auayle.
_Cl. Col._ Abyde, syr, abyde, I shall make hym to pysse.[862]
_Magn._ Nowe gyue me somwhat, for God sake I craue!
_Cr. Con._ In faythe, I gyue the four quarters of a knaue. 2280
_C. Count._ In faythe, and I bequethe hym the tothe ake.
_Cl. Col._ And I bequethe hym the bone ake.
_Cr. Con._ And I bequethe hym the gowte and the gyn.
_Cl. Col._ And I bequethe hym sorowe for his syn.
_C. Count._ And I gyue hym Crystys curse,
With neuer a peny in his purse.
_Cr. Con._ And I gyue hym the cowghe, the murre, and the pose.
_Cl. Col._ Ye, for _requiem æternam_ groweth forth of his nose:
But nowe let vs make mery and good chere.
_C. Count._ And to the tauerne let vs drawe nere. 2290
_Cr. Con._ And from thens to the halfe strete,
To get vs there some freshe mete.
_Cl. Col._ Why, is there any store of rawe motton?
_C. Count._ Ye, in faythe, or ellys thou arte to great a glotton.
_Cr. Con._ But they say it is a queysy mete;
It wyll stryke a man myscheuously in a hete.
_Cl. Col._ In fay, man, some rybbys of the motton be so ranke,
That they wyll fyre one vngracyously in the flanke.
_C. Count._ Ye, and when ye come out of the shoppe,
Ye shall be clappyd with a coloppe, 2300
That wyll make you to halt and to hoppe.
_Cr. Con._ Som be wrestyd there that they thynke on it froty dayes,
For there be horys there at all assayes.
_Cl. Col._ For the passyon of God, let vs go thyther![863]
_Et cum festinatione discedant a loco._
_Magn._ Alas, myn owne seruauntys to shew me such reproche,
Thus to rebuke me, and haue me in dyspyght!
So shamfully to me theyr mayster to aproche,
That somtyme was a noble prynce of myght!
Alasse, to lyue longer I haue no delyght!
For to lyue in mysery it is herder than dethe: 2310
I am wery of the worlde, for vnkyndnesse me sleeth.
_Hic intrat DYSPARE._
_Dys._ Dyspare is my name, that aduersyte dothe folowe:[864]
In tyme of dystresse I am redy at hande;
I make heuy hertys with eyen full holowe;
Of faruent charyte I quenche out the bronde;
Faythe and goodhope I make asyde to stonde;
In Goddys mercy I tell them is but foly to truste;
All grace and pyte I lay in the duste.
What lyest thou there lyngrynge, lewdly and lothsome?
It is to late nowe thy synnys to repent; 2320
Thou hast bene so waywarde, so wranglyng, and so wrothsome,
And so fer thou arte behynde of thy rent,
And so vngracyously thy dayes thou hast spent,
That thou arte not worthy to loke God in the face.
_Magn._ Nay, nay, man, I loke neuer to haue parte of his grace;
For I haue so vngracyously my lyfe mysusyd,
Though I aske mercy, I must nedys be refusyd.
_Dys._ No, no, for thy synnys be so excedynge farre,
So innumerable and so full of dyspyte,
And agayne thy Maker thou hast made suche warre, 2330
That thou canst not haue neuer mercy in his syght.
_Magn._ Alasse, my wyckydnesse, that may I wyte!
But nowe I se well there is no better rede,
But sygh and sorowe, and wysshe my selfe dede.
_Dys._ Ye, ryd thy selfe, rather than this lyfe for to lede;
The worlde waxyth wery of thé, thou lyuest to longe.
_Hic intrat MYSCHEFE._
_Mys._ And I, Myschefe, am comyn at nede,
Out of thy lyfe thé for to lede:
And loke that it be not longe
Or that thy selfe thou go honge 2340
With this halter good and stronge;
Or ellys with this knyfe cut out a tonge
Of thy throte hole, and ryd thé out of payne:
Thou arte not the fyrst hymselfe hath slayne.
Lo, here is thy knyfe and a halter! and, or we go ferther,
Spare not thy selfe, but boldly thé murder.
_Dys._ Ye, haue done at ones without delay.
_Magn._ Shall I my selfe hange with an halter? nay;
Nay, rather wyll I chose to ryd me of this lyue
In styckynge my selfe with this fayre knyfe. 2350
_Here MAGNYFYCENCE wolde slee hymselfe with a knyfe._
_Mys._[865] Alarum, alarum! to longe we abyde!
_Dys._ Out, harowe, hyll burneth! where shall I me hyde?
_Hic intrat GOODHOPE, fugientibus DYSPAYRE et MYSCHEFE: repente GOODHOPE
surripiat illi gladium,[866] et dicat._
_Good._ Alas, dere sone, sore combred is thy mynde,
Thyselfe that thou wolde sloo agaynst nature and kynde!
_Magn._ A, blessyd may ye be, syr! what shall I you call?
_Good._ Goodhope, syr, my name is; remedy pryncypall
Agaynst all sautes[867] of your goostly foo:
Who knoweth me, hymselfe may neuer sloo.
_Magn._ Alas, syr, so I am lapped in aduersyte,
That dyspayre well nyghe had myscheued me! 2360
For, had ye riot the soner ben my refuge,
Of dampnacyon I had ben drawen in the luge.
_Good._ Vndoubted ye had lost yourselfe eternally:
There is no man may synne more mortally
Than of wanhope thrughe the vnhappy wayes,
By myschefe to breuyate and shorten his dayes:
But, my good sonne, lerne from dyspayre to flee,
Wynde you from wanhope, and aquaynte you with me.
A grete mysaduenture, thy Maker to dysplease,
Thyselfe myscheuynge to thyne endlesse dysease! 2370
There was neuer so harde a storme of mysery,
But thrughe goodhope there may come remedy.
_Magn._ Your wordes be more sweter than ony precyous narde,
They molefy so easely my harte that was so harde;
There is no bawme, ne gumme of Arabe,
More delectable than your langage to me.
_Good._ Syr, your fesycyan is the grace of God,
That you hath punysshed with his sharpe rod.
Goodhope, your potecary assygned am I:
That Goddes grace hath vexed you sharply, 2380
And payned you with a purgacyon of odyous pouerte,
Myxed with bytter alowes of herde aduersyte;
Nowe must I make you a lectuary softe,
I to mynyster it, you to receyue it ofte,
With rubarbe of repentaunce in you for to rest;
With drammes of deuocyon your dyet must be drest;
With gommes goostly of glad herte and mynde,
To thanke God of his sonde, and comforte ye shal fynde.
Put fro you presumpcyon and admyt humylyte,
And hartely thanke God of your aduersyte; 2390
And loue that Lorde that for your loue was dede,
Wounded from the fote to the crowne of the hede:
For who loueth God can ayle nothynge but good;
He may helpe you, he may mende your mode:
Prosperyte to[868] hym is gyuen solacyusly to man,
Aduersyte to hym therwith nowe and than;
Helthe of body his besynesse to acheue,
Dysease and sekenesse his conscyence to dyscryue,
Afflyccyon and trouble to proue his pacyence,
Contradyccyon to proue his sapyence, 2400
Grace of assystence his measure to declare,
Somtyme to fall, another tyme to beware:
And nowe ye haue had, syr, a wonderous fall,
To lerne you hereafter for to beware withall.
Howe say you, syr? can ye these wordys grope?
_Magn._ Ye, syr, nowe am I armyd with goodhope,
And sore I repent me of my wylfulnesse:
I aske God mercy of my neglygence,[869]
Vnder goodhope endurynge euer styll,
Me humbly commyttynge vnto Goddys wyll. 2410
_Good._ Then shall you be sone delyuered from dystresse,
For nowe I se comynge to youwarde Redresse.
_Hic intrat REDRESSE._
_Red._ Cryst be amonge you and the Holy Goste!
_Good._ He be your conducte, the Lorde of myghtys moste!
_Red._ Syr, is your pacyent any thynge amendyd?
_Good._ Ye, syr, he is sory for that he hath offendyd.
_Red._ How fele you your selfe, my frend? how is your mynde?
_Magn._ A wrechyd man, syr, to my Maker vnkynde.
_Red._ Ye, but haue ye repentyd you with harte contryte?
_Magn._ Syr, the repentaunce I haue, no man can wryte. 2420
_Red._ And haue ye banyshed from you all dyspare?
_Magn._ Ye, holly to goodhope I haue made my repare.
_Good._ Questyonlesse he doth me assure
In goodhope alway for to indure.
_Red._ Than stande vp, syr, in Goddys name!
And I truste to ratyfye and amende your fame.
Goodhope, I pray you with harty affeccyon
To sende ouer to me Sad Cyrcumspeccyon.
_Good._ Syr, your requeste shall not be delayed.
_Et exeat._
_Red._ Now surely, Magnyfycence, I am ryght well apayed 2430
Of that I se you nowe in the state of grace;
Nowe shall ye be renewyd with solace:
Take nowe vpon you this abylyment,
And to that I say gyue good aduysement.
_MAGNYFYCENCE accipiat indumentum._
_Magn._ To your requeste I shall be confyrmable.
_Red._ Fyrst,[870] I saye, with mynde fyrme and stable
Determyne to amende all your wanton excesse,
And be ruled by me, whiche am called Redresse:
Redresse my name is, that lytell am I vsed
As the worlde requyreth, but rather I am refused: 2440
Redresse sholde be at the rekenynge in euery accompte,
And specyally to redresse that were out of ioynte:
Full many thynges there be that lacketh redresse,
The whiche were to longe nowe to expresse;
But redresse is redlesse, and may do no correccyon.
Nowe welcome forsoth, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon.
_Here cometh in SAD CYRCUMSPECCYON, sayenge_,
_Sad Cyr._ Syr, after your message I hyed me hyder streyght,
For to vnderstande your pleasure and also your mynde.
_Red._ Syr, to accompte you the contynewe of my consayte,
Is from aduersyte Magnyfycence to vnbynde. 2450
_Sad Cyr._ How fortuned you, Magnyfycence, so far to fal behynde?
_Magn._ Syr, the longe absence of you, Sad Cyrcumspeccyon,
Caused me of aduersyte to fall in subieccyon.
_Red._ All that he sayth, of trouthe doth precede;
For where sad cyrcumspeccyon is longe out of the way,
Of aduersyte it is to stande in drede.
_Sad Cyr._ Without fayle, syr, that is no nay;
Cyrcumspeccyon inhateth all rennynge astray.
But, syr, by me to rule fyrst ye began.
_Magn._ My wylfulnesse, syr, excuse I ne can. 2460
_Sad Cyr._ Then ye repent you of foly in tymes past?
_Magn._ Sothely, to repent me I haue grete cause:
Howe be it from you I receyued a letter,[871]
Whiche conteyned in it a specyall clause
That I sholde vse largesse.
_Sad Cyr._ Nay, syr, there a pause.
_Red._ Yet let vs se this matter thorowly ingrosed.
_Magn._ Syr, this letter ye sent to me, at Pountes was enclosed.
_Sad Cyr._ Who brought you that letter, wote ye what he hyght?
_Magn._ Largesse, syr, by his credence was his name. 2470
_Sad Cyr._ This letter ye speke of, neuer dyd I wryte.
_Red._ To gyue so hasty credence ye were moche to blame.
_Magn._ Truth it is, syr; for after he wrought me moch shame,
And caused me also to vse to moche lyberte,
And made also mesure to be put fro me.
_Red._ Then welthe with you myght in no wyse abyde.
_Sad Cyr._ A ha! fansy and foly met with you, I trowe.
_Red._ It wolde be founde so, yf it were well tryde.
_Magn._ Surely my welthe with them was ouerthrow.
_Sad Cyr._ Remembre you, therfore, howe late ye were low. 2480
_Red._ Ye, and beware of vnhappy abusyon.
_Sad Cyr._ And kepe you from counterfaytynge of clokyd colusyon.
_Magn._ Syr, in goodhope I am to amende.
_Red._ Vse not then your countenaunce for to counterfet.
_Sad Cyr._ And from crafters and hafters I you forfende.
_Hic 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.