The playe called the foure PP. A newe and a very mery enterlude of A palmer. A pardoner. A potycary. A pedler. Made by Ioh[a]n Heewood Heywood, John, 1497?-1580? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A03177 of text S109760 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 13300). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 65 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 21 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A03177 STC 13300 ESTC S109760 99845405 99845405 10302 2248523249

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03177) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 10302) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 53:05) The playe called the foure PP. A newe and a very mery enterlude of A palmer. A pardoner. A potycary. A pedler. Made by Ioh[a]n Heewood Heywood, John, 1497?-1580? [40] p. In Fletestrete at the sygne of the George by Wyllyam Myddylton, [Imprynted at London : [1544?]] Imprint from colophon; publication date conjectured by STC. Woodcut illustration on title page. In verse. Signatures: A-E⁴. Some pages stained; some cropped at foot, affecting signatures. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng eebo The playe called the foure PP. A newe and a very mery enterlude of A palmer. A pardoner. A potycary. A pedler. Made by Ioh[a]n Heewood Heywood, John 1544 42 9758 28 0 0 0 0 0 28.69 C The rate of 28.69 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-11 Assigned for keying and markup 2006-03 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-03 Sampled and proofread 2007-03 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

The playe called the foure PP .

A newe and a very mery enterlude of A palmer . A pardoner . A potycary . A pedler .

Made by Iohn Heewood

❧ Palmer . NOwe god be here who kepeth this place Now by my fayth I crye you mercy Of reason I must sew for grace My rewdnes sheweth me no so homely Wherof your pardon axt and wonne I sew you as curtesy doth me bynde To tell thys whiche shal be begonne In order as may come beste in myndy I am a palmer as ye se Whiche of my lyfe much part hath spent In many a fayre and farre countre As pylgrymes do of good intent At Hierusalem haue I bene Before Chrystes blessed sepulture The mount of Caluery haue I sene A holy place ye may be sure To Iosephat and Olyuete On fote god wote I wente ryght bare Many a salt tere dyde I swete Before thys carkes coulde come there Yet haue I bene at Rome also And gone the stacions all arow Saynt peters shryne and many mo Then yf I tolde all ye do know Except that there be any suche That hath ben there and diligently Hath taken hede and marked muche Then can they speke as muche as I Then at the Rodes also I was And rounde about to amyas At saynt Toncomber and saynt Tronion At saynt Bothulph and saynt Anne of Buckston On the hylles of Armony where I see Noes arke With holy Iob and saynt George in Suthwarke At Waltam and at Walsyngam And at the good rood of dagnam At saynt Cornelys at saynt Iames in Gales And at saynt Wynefrydes well in Walles At our lady of Boston at saynt Edmundes byry And streyght to saynt Patrykes purgatory At rydybone and at the blood of Hayles Where pylgrymes paynes ryght muche auayles At saynt Dauys and at saynt Denis At saynt Mathew and saynt Marke in Venis At mayster Iohan shorne at Canterbury The graet god of Katewade at kynge Henry At saynt sauyours at our lady of Southwell At Crome at Wylsdome and at Muswell At saynt Rycharde and at saynt Roke And at our lady that standeth in the oke To these with other many one Deuoutly haue I prayed and gone Prayeng to them to pray for me Vnto the blessed trynyte By whose prayers and my dayly payne I truste the soner to obtaye For my saluacyon grace and mercy For be ye sure I thynke surely Who seketh sayntes for Crystes sake And namely suche as payne do take On fote to punyshe thy frayle body Shall therby meryte more hyely Then by any thynge done by man ☞ Pardoner . And when ye haue gone as farre as ye can For all your labour and gostely entente Yet welcome home as wyse as ye wente ☞ Palmer . Why syr dyspyse ye pylgrymage ❧ Pardoner . Nay for god syr then dyd I rage I thynke ye ryght well occupyed To seke these sayntes on euery syde Also your payne I nat disprayse it But yet I discomende your wit And or we go euen so shall ye If ye in this wyl answere me I pray you shew what the cause is Ye wente al these pylgrymages ❧ Palmer . Forsoth this lyfe I dyd begyn To rydde the bondage of my syn For whiche these sayntes rehersed or this I haue both sought and sene Iwys Besechynge them to be recorde Of all my payne vnto the lorde That gyueth all remyssyon Vpon eche mans contricyon And by theyr good mediacyon Vpon myne humble submyssion I trust to haue in very dede For my soule helth the better spede . ☞ Pardonar . Nowe is your owne confessyon lyckely To make your selfe a fole quyckely For I perceyue ye wolde obtayne No nother thynge for all your payne But onely grace your soule to saue Nowe marke in this what wyt ye haue To seke so farre and helpe so nye Euen here at home is remedy . For at your dore my selfe doth dwell Who coulde haue saued your soule as well As all your wyde wandrynge shall do Though ye wente thryes to Iericho Nowe syns ye myght haue spedde at home What haue ye wone by ronnyng at Rome . ❧ Palmer . If this be true that ye haue moued Then is my wyt in dede reproued But let vs here fyrste what ye are ❧ Pardonar . Truly I am a pardoner . ☞ Palmer . Truely a pardoner that may be true But a true pardoner doth nat ensew Ryght selde is it sene or neuer . That treuth and pardoners dwell together For be your pardons neuer so great Yet them to enlarge ye wyll nat let With suche lyes that oftymes Cryste wot Ye seme to haue that ye haue nat Wherfore I went my selfe to the selfe thynge In euery place and without faynynge Had as muche pardon there assuredly As ye can promyse me here doutefully Howe be it I thynke ye do but scofte But yf ye hadde all the pardon ye kepe of And no whyt of passion graunted In any place where I haue haunted Yet of my labour I nothynge repent . God hathe respect how eche tyme is spent And as in his knowlege all is regarded So by his goodnes all is rewarded ❧ Pardonar . By the fyrste parte of this laste tale It semeth you come late from the ale For reason on your syde so farre doth fayle That ye leue sonyng and begyn to rayle Wherin ye forget your owne parte clerely For ye be as vntrue as I And in one poynte ye are beyonde me For ye may lye by aucthoryte 〈…〉 that hath wandred so farre That no man can be theyr controller And where ye esteme your labour so muche I say yet agayne my pardons be suche That yf there were a thousande soules on a hepe I wolde brynge them all to heuen as good chepe As ye haue brought your selfe on pylgrymage In the leste quarter of your vyage Whiche is farre a thys syde heuen by god There your labour and pardon is od With smale cost and without any payne These pardons bryngeth them to heuen playne Geue me but a peny or two pens And as sone as the soule departeth hens In halfe an houre or thre quarters at moste The soule is in heuen with the holy ghost ❧ Potycary . Sende ye any soules to heuen by water ☞ Pardoner . ⚜ If we dyd syr what is the mater ❧ Potycary . By god I haue a drye soule shulde thyther I praye you let our soules go to heuen togyther So bysy you twayne be in soules helth May nat a potycary come in by stelth Yes that I wyll by saynt Antony And by the leue of thys company Proue ye false knaues bothe or we goo In parte of your sayenges as thys so Thou by thy trauayle thynkest heuen to gete And thou by pardons and relyques countest no lete To sende thyne owne soule to heuen sure And all other whome thou lyste to procure If I toke an accyon then were they blanke For lyke theues the knaues rob away my thanke All soules in heuen hauynge relefe Shall they thanke your craftes nay thanke myn chefe No soule ye knowe entreth heuen gate Tyll from the bodye he be separate And whome haue ye knowen dye hostlye Without helpe of the potycary Nay all that commeth to our handlynge Except ye happe to come to hangynge That way perchaunce ye shall nat myster To go to heuen without a glyster But be ye sure I wolde be wo If ye shulde chaunge to begyle me so As good to lye with me a nyght As hange abrode in the mone lyght There is no choyse to fle my hande But as I sayd into the bande Syns of our soules the multitude I sende to heuen when all is vewed Who shulde but I then all togyther Haue thanke of all theyr commynge thyther Pardoner . If ye kylde a thousande in an houre space When come they to heuen dyenge from state of grace ❧ Potycary . ❧ If a thousande pardons about your neckes were teyd When come they to heuen yf they neuer dyed ☞ Palmer . ⚜ Longe lyfe after good workes in dede Doth hynder mannes receyt of mede And deth before one dewty done May make vs thynke we dye to sone Yet better tary a thynge then haue it Then go to sone and vaynly craue it ❧ Pardoner . The longer ye dwell in communicacion The lesse shall you lyke thys ymagynacyon For ye may perceyue euen at the fyrst chop Your tale is trapt in such a stop That at the leste ye seme worse then we ☞ Potycary . By the masse I holde vs nought all thre ❧ Pedler . By our lady then haue I gone wronge And yet to be here I thought longe ❧ Potycary . Brother ye haue gone wronge no wyt I prayse your fortune and your wyt That can dyrecte you so discretely To plante you in this company Thou palmer and thou a pardoner I a potycary . ☞ Pedler . ❧ And I a pedler ❧ Potycary . Nowe on my fayth full well watched Were the deuyll were we foure hatched ☞ Pedler . That maketh no mater syns we be matched I coulde be mery yf that I catchyd Some money for parte of the ware in my packe ❧ Potycary . What the deuyll hast thou there at thy backe ☞ Pedler . Why dost thou nat knowe that euery pedled In euery tryfull must be a medler Specyally in womens tryflynges Those vse we chefe aboue all thynges Whiche thynges to se yf ye be disposed Beholde what ware here is disclosed Thys gere sheweth it selfe in suche bewte That eche man thynketh it sayth come bye me Loke were your selfe can lyke to be chooser Your selfe shall make pryce though I be looser Is here nothynge for my father Palmer Haue ye nat a want on in a corner For your walkyng to holy places By cryste I haue herde of as straunge cases Who lyueth in loue or loue wolde wynne Euen at this packe he must begynne Where is ryght many a proper token Of whiche by name parte shall be spoken Gloues , pynnes , combes , glasses vnspottyd Pomanders , hookes , and lasses knotted Broches , rynges , and all maner bedes Lace rounde and flat for womens hedes Nedyls , threde thymbell , shers , and all suche knackes Where louers be no suche thynges lackes Sypers swathbondes rybandes and sleue laces Gyrdyls , knyues , purses , and pyncases . ❧ Potycary . Do women bye theyr pyncases of you . ☞ Pedler . Ye that they do I make god a vow ⚜ Potycary . So mot I thryue then for my parte I be shrewe thy knaues nakyd herte For makynge my wyfe ys pyncase so wyde The pynnes fall out they can nat abyde Great pynnes must she haue one or other Yf she lese one she wyll fynde an other Wherin I fynde cause to complayne New pynnes to her pleasure and my payne ☞ Pardoner . Syr ye seme well sene in womens causes I praye you tell me what causeth this That women after theyr arysynge Be so longe in theyr apparelynge ❧ Pedler . Forsoth women haue many lettes And they be masked in many nettes As frontlettes , fyllettes , parlettes , and barcelettes And then theyr bonettes and theyr poynettes By these lettes and nettes the lette is suche That spede is small whan haste is muche . ❧ Potycary . An other cause why they come nat forwarde Whiche maketh them dayly to drawe backwarde And yet is a thynge they can nat forbere The trymmynge and pynnynge vp theyr gere Specyally theyr fydlyng with the tayle pyn And when they wolde haue it prycke in If it chaunce to double in the clothe Then be they wode and swereth an othe Tyll it stande ryght they wyll nat forsake it Thus though it may nat yet wolde they make it But be ye sure they do but defarre it For when they wolde make it ofte tymes marre it But prycke them and pynne them as nyche , as ye wyll And yet wyll they loke for pynnynge styll So that I durste holde you a ioynt Ye shall neuer haue them at a fall poynt ☞ Pedler . ⚜ Let womens maters passe and marke myne What euer theyr poyntes be , these poyntes be fyne Wherfore yf ye be wyllynge to bye Ley downe money , come of quyckely . ❧ Palmer . Nay by my trouth we be lyke fryers We are but beggers we be no byers ☞ Pardoner . Syr ye maye showe your ware for your mynde But I thynke ye shall no profyte fynde ❧ Pedler . Well though thys your ney acquyte no coste Yet thynke I nat my labour loste For by the fayth of my body I lyke full well thys company Vp shall this packe for it is playne I came not hyther al for gayne Who may nat play one day in a weke May thynke hys thryfte is farre to seke Deuyse what pastyme ye thynke best And make ye sure to fynde me prest ❧ Potycary . ☞ Why be ye so vnyuersall That you can do what so euer ye shall . ☞ Pedler . Syr yf ye lyste to appose me What I can do then shall ye se . ❧ Potycary . Than tell me thys be ye perfyt in drynkynge ☞ Pedler . Perfyt in drynkynge as may be wysht by thynkyng ❧ Potycary . Then after your drynkyng how fall ye to wynkyng ☞ Pedler . Syr after drynkynge whyle the shot is tynkynge Some hedes be swymmyng but myne wyl be synkynge And vpon drynkynge myne eyse wyll be pynkynge For wynkynge to drynkynge is alway lynkynge . ❧ Potycary· Then drynke and slepe ye can well do But yf ye were desyred therto I pray you tell me can you synge ☞ Pedler . ⚜ Syr I haue some syght in syngynge . ❧ Potycary . But is your brest any thynge swete . ☞ Pedler . ⚜ What euer my breste be , my voyce is mete , ❧ Potycary . That answere sheweth you a ryght syngynge man Now what is your wyll good father than . ❧ Palmer . ☞ What helpeth wyll where is no skyll ☞ Pardoner . ⚜ And what helpeth skyll where is no wyt . ❧ Potycary . ☞ For wyll or skyll what helpeth it Where frowarde knaues be lackynge wyll Leue of thys curyosytie And who that lyste synge after me . ☞ Here they synge . ❧ Pedler . Thys lyketh me well so mot I the. ☞ Pardoner . ❧ So helpe me god it lyketh nat me Where company is met and well agreed Good pastyme doth ryght well in dede But who can syt in dalyaunce Men syt in suche a variaunce As we were set or ye came in Whiche stryfe thys man dyd fyrst begynne Allegynge that suche men as vse For loue of god nat and refuse On for to goo from place to place A pylgrymage callynge for grace Shall in that payne with penitence Obtayne discharge of conscyence Comparynge that lyfe for the beste Enduccyon to our endles reste Vpon these wordes our mater grewe For yf he coulde auow them true As good to be a gardener As for to be a pardoner But when I harde hym so farre wyde I then aproched and replyed Sayenge this that this indulgence Hauyng the forsayd penitence Dyschargeth man of all offence With muche more profyt then this pretence I aske but two pens at the moste I I wys this is nat very great coste And from all payne without dyspayre My soule for his kepe euen his chayre And when he dyeth he may be sure To come to heuen euen at pleasure And more then heuen he can nat get How farre so euer he lyste to let Then is hys payne more then hys wit To wake to heuen syns he may syt Syr as we were in this contencion In came thys daw with hys inuencyon Reuelynge vs hym selfe auauntynge That all the soules to heuen assendynge Are most bounde to the potycary Bycause he helpeth most men to dye Before whiche deth he sayeth in dede No soule in heuen can haue hys mede ☞ Pedler Why do potycaries kyll men . ❧ Potycary . By god men say so now and then . ☞ Pedler . And I thought ye wolde nat haue myst To make men lyue as longe as ye lyste . ❧ Potycary . ⚜ As longe as we lyste , nay longe as they can . ☞ Pedler . So myght we lyue without you than . ❧ Potycary . Ye but yet it is necessary For to haue a potycary For when ye fele your conscyens redy I can sende you to heuen quyckly Wherfore concernynge our mater here Aboue these twayne I am best clere And yf he lyste to take me so I am content you and no mo Shall be our iudge as in thys case Whiche of vs thre shall take the best place ☞ Pedler . I neyther wyll iudge the beste nor worste For be ye bleste or be ye curste Ye know it is no whyt my sleyght To be a iudge in maters of weyght It behoueth no pedlers nor proctours To take on them iudgemente as doctours But yf your myndes be onely set To worke for soule helthe ye be well met For eche of you somwhat doth showe That soules towarde heuen by you do growe Then yf ye can so well agree To contynue togyther all thre And all you thre obey on wyll Then all your myndes ye may fulfyll As yf ye came all to one man Who shulde goo pylgrymage more then he can In that ye palmer as debite May clerely dyscharde hym parde And for all other syns ones had contryssyon Your pardons geueth hym full remyssyon And then ye mayster potycary May sende hym to heuen by and by . ❧ Potycary . ⚜ Yf he taste this boxe nye aboute the pryme By the masse he is in heuen or euen longe tyme My craft is suche that I can ryght well Sende my fryndes to heuen and my selfe to hell But syrs marke this man for he is wyse How coulde deuyse suche a deuyce For yf we thre may be as one Then be we lordes euerychone Betwene vs all coulde nat be myste To saue the soules of whome we lyste But for good order at a worde Twayne of vs must wayte on the thyrde And vnto that I do agree For bothe you twayne shall wayt on me What chaunce is this that suche an elfe Commaunded two knaues be , besyde hym selfe ❧ Pardoner . Nay nay my frende that wyll nat be I am to good to wayt on the. ☞ Palmer . ⚜ By our lady and I wolde be loth To wayt on the better on you both ❧ Pedler . Yet be ye sewer for all thys dout Thys waytynge must be brought about Men can nat prosper wylfully ledde All thynge decayes where is no hedde Wherfore doutlesse marke what I say To one of you thre twayne must obey And synnes ye can nat agree in voyce Who shall be hed , there is no choyse But to deuyse som● maner thynge Wherin ye all be 〈◊〉 connynge And in the same 〈…〉 do beste The other twayne 〈◊〉 make them preste In euery thynge 〈…〉 hys entente Holly to be at com●●●ndement And now haue I founde one mastry That ye can do indyfferently And is nother sellynge nor byenge But euyn only very lyenge And all ye thre can lye as well As can the falsest deuyll in hell And though afore ye harde me grudge In greater maters to be your iudge Yet in lyeng I can some skyll And yf I shall be iudge I wyll And be ye sure without flatery Where my consciens fyndeth the mastrye Ther shall my iudgement strayt be founde Though I myght wynne a thousande pounde ❧ Palmer . Syr for lyeng though I can do it Yet am I loth for to goo to it ☞ Pedler . Ye haue nat cause to feare to be bolde For ye may be here vncontrolled And ye in this haue good auauntage For lyeng is your comen vsage And you in lyenge be well spedde For all your craft doth stande in falshed Ye nede nat care who shall begyn For eche of you may hope to wyn Now speke all thre euyn as ye fynde Be ye agreed to folowe my mynde ☞ Palmer . ❧ Ye by my trouth I am contente . ☞ Pardoner . ⚜ Now in good fayth and I assente ❧ Potycary . If I denyed I were a nody For all is myne by goddes body . ☞ Here the potycary hoppeth . ❧ Palmer . ⚜ Here were a hopper to hop for the rynge But syr thys gere goth nat by hoppynge . ☞ Potycary . Syr in this hopynge I wyll hop so well That my tonge shall hop aswell as my hele Vpon whiche hoppynge I hope and nat doute it To hope so that ye shall hope without ❧ Palmer . ⚜ Syr I wyll n●●ther boste ne brawll But take suche fortune as may fall And yf ye wynne●●s maystry I wyll obaye you quietly And sure I thynk that quietnesse In any man is g●●●t rychesse In any maner company To rule or be rul'd indifferently . ☞ Pardoner . By that bost thou semest a begger in dede What can thy quietnesse helpe vs at nede Yf we shulde sta●e thou hast nat I thynke One peny to bye us one potte of drynke Nay yf rychesse myghe rule the roste Beholde what cause I haue to boste Lo here be pardons halfe a dosyn For gostely ryches they haue no cosyn And more ouer to me they brynge Sufficient succour for my lyuynge And here be relykes of suche a kynde As in this worlde no man can fynde Knele downe all fore and when ye leue kyssynge Who lyste to offre shall haue my blyssynge Frendes here shall ye se euyn anone Of all Hallows the blessyd iaw bone Kys it hardely with good deuocion ❧ Potycary . Thys kysse shall brynge vs muche promocyon Fogh , by saynt ●●●your I neuer kyst a wars Ye were as goo●●ysse all hallows ars For by all halows me thynketh That all halows breth stynketh ❧ Palmer . Ye iudge all halows breth vnknowen Yf any breth stynke it is your owne . ☞ Potycary . ⚜ I knowe myne owne breth from all halows Or els it were tyme to kysse the galows . ❧ Pardoner . Nay syrs beholde here may ye se The great toe of the trinite Who to thys toe any money voweth And ones may role it in his moueth All hys lyfe after I vndertake He shall be ryd of the toth ake . ☞ Potycary . ⚜ I praye you torne that relyke aboute Other the Trinite had the goute Or elles bycause it is .iii. toes in one God made it muche as thre toes alone . ❧ Potycary . Well lette that passe and loke vpon thys Here is a relyke that doth nat mys To helpe the leste aswell as the moste This is a buttocke bone of Pentecoste . ❧ Potycary . ⚜ By chryste and yet for all your boste Thys relyke hath be shyten the roste ☞ Pardoner . Marke well thys relyke here is awhipper My frendes vnfayned here is a slypper Of one of the seuen slepers be sure Doutiesse thys kys shall do you great pleasure For all these two dayes it shall so ease you That none other sauours shall displease you . ❧ Potycary . All these two dayes , nay all thys two yere For all the sauours that may come here Can be no worse for at a worde One of the seuen ●epers trode in a torde . ☞ Pedler . Syr me thynketh your deuocion is but smal ❧ Pardoner . Small mary me thynketh he hath none at all . ☞ Potycary . ⚜ What the deuyll care I what ye thynke Shall I prayse relykes when they stynke . ☞ Pardoner . Here is an eyetoth of the great Turke Whose eyes be on●s sette on thys pece of worke May happely lese parte of his eye syght But nat all tyll he be blynde out ryght . ❧ Potycary . ⚜ What so euer any other man seeth I haue no deuacion to Turkes teeth For all though I neuer sawe a greter Yet me thynketh I haue sene many better . ☞ Pardoner . Here is a box full of humble bees That stonge Eue as she sat on her knees Tastynge the frute to her forbydden Who kysseth the bees within this hydden Shall haue as muche pardon of ryght As for any relyke he kyst thys nyght . ❧ Palmer . ⚜ Syr I wyll kysse them with all my herte . ☞ Potycary . Kysse them agayne and take my parte For I am nat worthy , nay lette be Those bees that stonge Eue shall nat stynge me . ❧ Pardoner . Good frendes I haue yet here in thys glas Whiche on the drynke at the weddynge was Of Adam and Eue vndoutedly If ye honor this relyke deuoutly All though ye thurste no whyt the lesse Yet shall ye drynke the more doutlesse After whiche drynkynge ye shall be as mete To stande on your hede as on your fete ❧ Potycary . Ye mary now I can ye thanke In presents of thys the reste be blanke Wolde god this relyke had come rather Kysse that relyke well good father Suche is the payne that ye palmers take To kysse the pardon bowle for the drynke sake O holy yeste that loketh full sowr and stale For goddes body helpe me to a cuppe of ale The more I be holde the , the more I thurste The oftener I kysse the , more lyke to burste But syns I kysse the so deuoutely Hyre me and helpe me with drynke tyll I dye What so muche prayenge and so lytell spede ☞ Pardoner . Ye for god knoweth whan it is nede To sende folkes drynke but by saynt Antony I wene he hath sent you to muche all redy . ❧ Potycary . If I haue neuer the more for the Then be the relykes no ryches to me Nor to thy selfe excepte they be More benefycyall then I can se Rycher is one boxe of his tryacle Then all thy relykes that do no myrakell It thou haddest prayed but halfe so muche to me As I haue prayed to thy relykes and the Nothynge concernynge myne occupacion But streyght shulde haue wrought in operacyon And as in value I pas you an ace Here lyeth muche rychesse in lytell space I haue a boxe of r●●arb here Whiche is as deynty as it is dere So helpe me god and hollydam Of this I wolde nat geue a deam To the beste frende I haue in Englandes grounde Though he wolde geue me .xx. pounde For though the stomake do it abhor It pourget you 〈◊〉 from the color And maketh your stomake sore to walter That ye shall neuer come to the halter ❧ Pedler . Then is that ●●●ycyn a souerayn thynge To preserue a man from hangynge . ☞ Potycary . If ye wyll ●wprd● out thys crome that ye se If euer ye be ha●●ed neuer truste me Here haue I dia●●mpholicus A speciall oyntement as doctours discuse For a fistela or a canker Thys oyntement is euen shot anker For this medecyn helpeth one and other Or bryngeth them in case that they nede no other Here is syrapus de Byzansis A lytell thynge is Inough of this For euen the weyght of one scryppull Shall make you stronge as a cryppull Here be other as diosfialios Diagalanga and sticados Blanka manna diospoliticon Mercury sublyme and metridaticon Pelitory and arsefetita Cassy and colloquintita These be the thynges that breke all stryfe Betwene mannes sycknes and his lyfe From all payne these shall you deleuer And set you euen at reste for euer Here is a medecyn no mo lyke the same Whiche comenly is called thus by name Alikakabus or Alkakengy A goodly thynge for dogges that be mangy Suche be these medycynes that I can Helpe a dogge as well as a man Nat one thynge here partycularly But worketh vniuersally For it doth me as muche good when I sell it As all the byers that taste it or smell it Now syns my medycyns be so specyall And in operacion so generall And redy to worke when so euer they shall So that in ryches I am principall Yf any rewarde may entreat ye I besech your mashyp be good to me And ye shall haue a boxe of marmelade So fyne that ye may dyg it with a spade . ❧ Pedler . Syr I thanke you but your rewarde Is nat the thynge that I regarde I muste and wyll be indifferent Wherfore procede in your intente . ❧ Potycary . Nowe yf I wyst thys wysh no synne I wolde to god I myght begynne . ☞ Pardoner . I am content that thou lye fyrste ❧ Palmer . ⚜ Euen so am I and say thy worste Now let vs here of all thy lyes The greatest lye thou mayst deuyse And in the fewyst wordes thou can ❧ Potycary .

Forsoth ye be an honest man .

❧ Palmer . ⚜ There sayde ye muche but yet no lye . ☞ Pardoner . ❧ Now lye ye bothe by our lady Thou lyest in bost of hys honestie And he hath lyed in affyrmynge the ☞ Potycary . Yf we both lye and ye say true Then of these lyes your parte adew And yf ye wyn make none auaunt For ye are sure of one yll seruaunte Ye may perceyue by the wordes he gaue He taketh your mashyp but for a knaue But who tolde true or lyed in dede That wyll I knowe or we procede Syr after that I fyrste began To prayse you for an honest man When ye affyrmed it for no lye Now by our fayth speke euen truely Thought ye your affyrmacion true . ❧ Palmer . ⚜ Ye mary I for I wolde ye knewe I thynke my selfe an honest man . ☞ Potycary . What thought ye in the contrary than . ❧ Pardoner . ⚜ In that I sayde the contrary I thynke from trouth I dyd nat vary . ☞ Potycary . And what of my wordes . ❧ Pardoner . I thought ye lyed . ☞ Potycary . And so thought I by god that dyed Nowe haue you twayne eche for hym selfe layde That none hath lyed out but both reuelayd And of vs twayne none hath denyed But both affyrmed that I haue lyed Now syns both your trouth confes And that we both my lye so witnes That twayne of vs thre in one agree And that the lyer the wynner must be Who coulde prouyde suche euydens As I haue done in this pretens Me thynketh this mater sufficient To cause you to gyue iudgement And to gyue me the mastrye For ye perceyue these knaues can nat lye ❧ Palmer . Though nother of vs as yet had lyed Yet what we can do is vntryed For yet we haue deuysed nothynge But answered you and geuen hyrynge ☞ Pedler . Therfore I haue deuysed one waye Wherby all thre your myndes may saye For eche of you one tale shall tell And whiche of you telleth most meruell And most vnlyke to be true Shall most preuayle what euer ensew . ❧ Potycary . If ye be set in mer●alynge Then shall ye here a meruaylouse thynge And though in dede all be nat true Yet suer the most parte shall be new I dyd a cure no lenger a go But Anno domini millelimo On a woman yonge and so fayre That neuer haue I sene a gayre God saue all women from that lyknes This want on had the fallen syknes Whiche by dissent came lynyally For her mother had it naturally Wherfore this woman to recure It was more harde ye may be sure But though I boste my crafte is suche That in suche thynges I can do muche How ofte she fell were muche to reporte But her hed so gydy and her helys so shorte That with the twynglynge of an eye Downe wolde she falle euyn by and by But or she wolde aryse agayne I shewed muche practyse muche to my payne For the tallest man within this towne Shulde nat with ease haue broken her sowne All though for lyfe I dyd nat doute her Yet dyd I take more payne about her Then I wolde take with my owne syster Syr at the last I gaue her a glyster I thrust a thampyon in her tewell And bad her kepe it for a iewell But I knewe it so heuy to cary That I was sure it wolde nat tary For where gonpouder is ones fyerd The tampyon wyll no lenger be hyerd Whiche was well sene in tyme of thys chaunce For when I had charged this ordynaunce Sodeynly as it had thonderd Euen at a clap losed her bumberd Now marke for here begynneth the reuell This tampion flew .x. longe myle leuell To a fayre castell of lyme and stone For strength I knowe nat suche a one Whiche stode vpon an hyll full hye At fote wherof a ryuer ranne bye So depe tyll chaunce had it forbyden Well myght the regent there haue ryden But when this tampyon on thys castell lyght It put the castels so farre to flyght That downe they came eche vpon other No stone lefte standynge by goddes mother But rolled downe so faste the hyll In suche a nomber and so dyd fyll From botom to bryme from shore to shore Thys forsayd ryuer so depe before That who lyste nowe to walke therto May wade it ouer and wet no shoo So was thys castell layd wyde open That euery man myght se the token But in a good houre maye these wordes be spoken After the tampyon on the walles was wroken And pece by pece in peces broken And she delyuered with suche violens Of all her inconueniens I left her in good helth and luste And so she doth contynew I truste . ❧ Pedler . Syr in your cure I can nothynge tell But to our purpose ye haue sayd well . ☞ Pardoner . Well syr then marke what I can say I haue ben a pardoner many a day And done greater cures gostely Then euer he dyd bodely Namely thys one whiche ye shall here Of one departed within thys seuen yere A frende of myne and lykewyse I To her agayne was as frendly Who fell so syke so sodeynly That dede she was euen by and by And neuer spake with preste nor clerke Nor had no whyt of thys holy warke For I was thens it coulde nat be Yet harde I say she asked for me But when I bethought me howe thys chaunced And that I haue to heuen auaunced So many soules to me but straungers And coude nat kepe my frende from daungers But she to dy so daungerously For her soule helth especyally That was the thynge that greued me soo That nothynge coulde release my woo Tyll I had tryed euen out of hande In what estate her soule dyd stande For whiche tryall shorte tale to make I toke thys iourney for her sake Geue eare for here begynneth the story From hens I went to purgatory And toke with me thys gere in my fyste Wherby I may do there what I lyste I knocked and was let in quyckly But lorde how lowe the soules made curtesy And I to euery soule agayne Dyd gyue a beck them to retayne And axed them thys question than Yf that the soule of suche a woman Dyd late amonge them there appere Wherto they sayd she came nat here Then ferd I muche it was nat well Alas thought I she is in hell For with her lyfe I was so acqueynted That sure I thought she was nat saynted With thys it chaunced me to snese Christe helpe quoth a soule that ley for his fees Those wordes quoth I thou shalt nat lees Then with these pardons of all degrees I payed hys tole and set hym so quyght That strayt to heuen he toke his flyght And I from thens to hell that nyght To help this woman yf I myght Nat as who sayth by outhorite But by the waye of entreate And fyrst the deuyll that kept the gate I came and spake after this rate All hayle syr deuyll and made lowe curtesy Welcome quoth he thys smillyngly He knew me well and I at laste Remembred hym syns longe tyme paste For as good happe wolde haue it chaunce Thys deuyll and I were of olde acqueyntaunce For oft in the play of corpus Cristi He hath played the deuyll at Couentry By his acqueyntaunce and my behauoure He shewed to me ryght frendly fauoure And to make my returne the shorter I sayd to this deuyll good mayster porter For all olde loue yf it lye in your power Helpe me to speke with my lorde and your Be sure quoth he no tongue can tell What tyme thou coudest haue come so well For thys daye lucyfer fell Whiche is our festyuall in hell Nothynge vnreasonable craued thys day That shall in hell haue any nay But yet be ware thou come nat in Tyll tyme thou may thy pasporte wyn Wherfore stande styll and I wyll wyd Yf I can get thy saue condyt He taryed nat but shortely gat it Vnder seale and the deuyls hande at it In ample wyse as ye shall here Thus it began Lucyfere By the power of god chyefe deuyll of hell To all the deuyls that there do dwell And euery of them we sende gretynge Vnder streygyt charge and commaundynge That they aydynge and assystent be To suche a pardoner and maned me So that he may at lybertie Passe saue without hys ieopardy Tyll that he be from vs extyncte And clerely out of helles precincte And hys pardons to kepe sauegarde We wyll they lye in the porters warde Geuyn in the fornes of our palys In our hye courte of maters of malys Suche a day and yere of our reyne God saue the deuyll quoth I for playue I truste thys wrytynge to be sure Then put thy truste quoth he in euer Syns thou art sure to take no harme Thys deuyll and I walket arme in arme So farre tyll he had brought me thyther Where all the deuyls of hell togyther Stode in a ray in suche apparell As for that day there metely fell Theyr hornes well gylt theyr clowes full clene Theyr taylles well kempt and as I wene With Sothery butter theyr bodyes anoynted I neuer sawe deuyls so well appoynted The mayster deuyll sat in his iacket And all the soules were playnge at racket None other rackettes they hadde in hande Saue euery soule a good fyre brande Wherwith they played so pretely That Lucyfer laughed merely And all the resedew of the frendes Dyd laugh full well togytther lyke frendes But of my frende I sawe no whyt Nor durst nat axe for her as yet Anone all this rout was brought in silens And I by an vsher brought in presens Then to Lucyfer low as I coude I knelyd whiche he so well alowde That thus he beckte and by saynt Antony He smyled on me well fauoredly Bendynge hys browes as brode as barne durres Shakynge hys eares as ruged as burres Rolynge hys yes as rounde as two bushels Flashynge the fyre out of his nose thryls Gnashynge hys teeth so uaynglorousely That me thought tyme to fall to flatery Wherwith I tolde as I shall tell O plesant pycture O prince of hell Feuered in fashyon abominable And syns that is inestimable For me to prayse the worthyly I leue of prays vnworthy To geue the prays besechynge the To heare my sewte and then to be So good to graunt the thynge I craue And to be shorte thys wolde I haue The soule of one whiche hyther is flytted Deliuered hens and to me remitted And in thys doynge though al be nat quyt Yet some parte I shall deserue it As thus I am a pardoner And ouer soules as a controller Thorough out the erth my power doth stande Where many a soule lyeth on my hande That spede in maters as I vse them As I receyue them or refuse them Wherby what tyme thy pleasure is I shall requyre any part of thys The leste deuyll here that can come thyther Shall chose a soule and brynge hym hyther Nowe quoth the deuyll we are well pleased What is hys name thou woldest haue eased Nay quoth I be it good or euyll My comynge is for a she deuyll What calste her quoth he thou horyson Forsoth quoth I Margery coorson Now by our honour sayd Lucyfer No deuyll in hell shall witholde her And yf thou woldest haue twenty mo Were nat for iustyce they shulde goo For all we deuyls within thys den Haue more to do with two women Then with all the charge we haue besyde Wherfore yf thou our frende wyll be tryed Aply thy pardons to women so That vnto vs there come no mo To do my bane I promysed by othe Whiche I haue kepte for as the fayth goth At thys dayes to heuen I do procure Ten women to one man be sure Then of Lucyfer my leue I toke And streyght vnto the mayster coke I was hadde into the kechyn For Margaryes offyce was ther in All thynge handled there discretely For euery soule bereth offyce metely Whiche myght be sene to se her syt So bysely turnynge of the spyt For many a spyt here hath she turned And many a good spyt hath she burned And many a spyt full hoth hath tosted Before the meat coulde be halfe rosted And or the meate were halfe rosted in dede I toke her then fro the spyt for spede But when she sawe thys brought to pas To tell the ioy wherin she was And of all the deuyls for ioy how they Dyd rore at her delyuery And how the cheynes in hell dyd rynge And how all the soules therin dyd synge And how we were brought to the gate And how we toke our leue therat Be suer lacke of tyme sufferyth nat To reherse the .xx. parte of that Wherfore thys tale to conclude breuely Thys woman thanked me chyefly That she was ryd of thys endles deth And so we departed on new market heth And yf that any man do mynde her Who lyste to seke her there shall he fynde her ❧ Pedler . Syr ye haue sought her wonders well And where ye founde her as ye tell To here the chaunce ye founde in hell I fynde ye were in great parell . ☞ Palmer . ⚜ His tale is all muche parellous But parte is muche more meruaylous As where he sayde the deuyls complayne That women put them to suche payne By theyr condicions so croked and crabbed Frowardly fashonde so waywarde and wrabbed So farre in deuision and sturrynge suche stryfe That all the deuyls be wery of theyr lyfe This in effect he tolde for trueth Wherby muche muruell to me ensueth That women in hell suche shrewes can be And here so gentyll as farre as I se Yet haue I sene many a myle And many a woman in the whyle Nat one good cytye , towne , nor borough In cristendom but I haue ben through And this I wolde ye shulde vnderstande I haue sene women .v. hundred thousande And oft with them haue longe tyme maryed Yet in all places where I haue ben Of all the women that I haue sene I neuer sawe nor knewe in my consyens Any one woman out of paciens . ❧ Potycary . By the masse there is a greatlye ☞ Pardoner . ⚜ I neuer harde a greater by our lady ❧ Pedler .

A greater nay knowe ye any so great .

☞ Palmer . Syr whether that I lose or get For my parte iudgement shall be prayed . ☞ Pardoner . ❧ And I desyer as he hath sayd ❧ Potycary . Procede and ye shall be obeyed . ❧ Pedler . Then shall nat iudgement be delayd Of all these thre yf eche mannes tale In Poules churche yarde were set on sale In some mannes hande that hath the sleyghte He shulde sure sell these tales by weyght For as they wey so be they worth But whiche weyth beste to that now forth Syr all the tale that ye dyd tell I bere in mynde and yours as well And as ye sawe the mater metely So lyed ye bothe well and discretely Yet were your lyes with the lest truste me For yf ye had sayd ye had made fle Ten tampyons out of ten womens tayles Ten tymes ten myle to ten castels or iayles And fyll ten ryuers ten tymes so depe As ten of that whiche your ●a●●en stones dyde 〈◊〉 Or yf ye ten tymes had bodely Fet ten soules out of purgatory And ten tymes so many out of hell Yet by these ten bonnes I coulde ryght well Ten tymes sonner all that haue beleued Then the tenth parte of that he hath meued . ❧ Potycary . Two knaues before .i. lacketh .ii. knaues of fyue Then one and then one and bothe knaues a lyue Then two and then two and thre at a cast Thou knaue and thou knaue and thou knaue at laste Nay knaue yf ye try me by nomber I wyll as knauyshly you accomber Your mynde is all on your pryuy tythe For all in ten me thynketh your wit lythe Now ten tymes I beseche hym that hye syttes Thy wyfes .x. commaundementes may serch thy .v. wittes Then ten of my tordes in ten of thy teth And ten of thy nose whiche euery man seth And twenty tymes ten this wyshe I wolde That thou haddest ben hanged at ten yere olde For thou goest about to make me a slaue I wyll thou knowe yf I am a gentylman knaue And here is an other shall take my parte . ☞ Pardoner . ⚜ Nay fyrste I be shrew your knaues herte Or I take parte in your knauery I wyll speke fayre by one lady Syr I beseche your mashyp to be As good as ye can be to me . ❧ Pedler . I wolde be glade to do you good And hym also be he neuer so wood But dout you nat I wyll now do The thynge my consciens ledeth me to Both your tales I take farre impossyble Yet take I his father incredyble Nat only the thynge it selfe alloweth is But also the boldenes therof auoweth is I knowe nat where your tale to trye Nor yours but in hell or purgatorye But hys boldnes hath faced a lye That may be tryed euyn in thys companye As yf ye lyste to take thys order Amonge the women in thys border Take thre of the yongest and thre of the oldest Thre of the hotest and thre of the coldest Thre of the wysest and thre of the shrewdest Thre of the lowest and thre of the hyest Thre of the farthest and thre of the nyest Thre of the fayrest and thre of the maddest Thre of the fowlest and thre of the saddest And when all these threes be had a sonder Of eche thre two iustly be nomber Shall be founde shrewes excepte thys fall That ye hap to fynde them shrewes all Hym selfe for trouth all this doth knowe And oft hath tryed some of thys rowe And yet he swereth by his consciens He neuer saw woman breke paciens Wherfore consydered with true entente Hys lye to be so euident And to appere so euydently That both you affyrmed it a ly And that my consciens so depely So depe hath sought thys thynge to try And tryed it with mynde indyfferent Thus I awarde by way of iudgement Of all the lyes ye all haue spent Hys lye to be most excellent . ❧ Palmer . Syr though ye were bounde of equyte To do as ye haue done to me Yet do I thanke you of your payne And wyll requyte some parte agayne . ☞ Pardoner . Mary syr ye can no les do But thanke hym as muche as it cometh to And so wyll I do for my parte Now a vengeaunce on thy knaues harte I neuer knewe pedler a iudge before Nor neuer wyll truste pedlynge knaue more What doest thou there thou horson nody . ☞ Potycary . By the masse lerne to make curtesy Curtesy before and curtesy behynde hym And thenon eche syde the deuyll blynde hym Nay when I haue it perfytly Ye shall haue the deuyll and all of curtesy But it is nat sone lerned brother One knaue to make curtesy to another Yet when I am angry that is the worste I shall call my mayster knaue at the fyrste . ❧ Palmer . Then wolde some mayster perhappes clowtye But as for me ye nede nat doute ye For I had leuer be without ye Then haue suche besynesse aboute ye . ☞ Pardoner . So helpe me god so were ye better What shulde a begger be a ietter It were no whyt your honestie To haue vs twayne iet after ye . ❧ Potycary . ❧ Syr be ye sure he telleth you true Yf we shulde wayte thys wolde ensew It wolde be sayd truste me at a worde Two knaues made curtesy to the thyrde ☞ Pedler . Now by my trouth to speke my mynde Syns they be so loth to be assyned To let them lose I thynke it beste And so shall ye lyue best in rest ❧ Palmer . Syr I am nat on them so fonde To compell them to kepe theyr bonde And syns ye lyste nat to wayte on me I clerely of waytynge dyscharge ye . ☞ Pardoner . Mary syr I hertely thanke you . ❧ Potycary . ⚜ And I lyke wyse I make god auowe ☞ Pedler . Now be ye all euyn as ye begoon No man hath loste nor no man hath woon Yet in the debate wherwith ye began By waye of aduyse I wyll speke as I can I do perceyue that pylgrymage Is chyefe the thynge ye haue in vsage Wherto in effecte for loue of Chryst Ye haue or shulde haue bene entyst And who so doth with suche entent Doth well declare hys tyme well spent And so do ye in your pretence If ye procure thus indulgence Vnto your neyghbours charytably For loue of them in god onely All thys may be ryght well applyed To shewell you both well occupyed For though ye walke nat bothe one waye Yet walkynge thus thys dare I saye That bothe your walkes come to one ende And so for all that do pretende By ayde of goddes grace to ensewe Any maner kynde of vertue As some great almyse for to gyue Some in wyllfull pouetie to lyue Some to make hye wayes and suche other warkes And some to mayntayne prestes and clarkes To synge and praye for soule departed These with all other vertues well marked All though they be of sondry kyndes Yet be they nat vsed with sondry myndes But as god only doth all those moue So euery man onely for his loue With loue and dred obediently Worketh in these vertues vnyformely Thus euery vertue yf we lyste to scan Is pleasaunt to god and thankfull to man And who that by grace of the holy goste To any one vertue is moued moste That man by that grace 〈◊〉 one apply And therin serue god most plentyfully Yet nat that one so farre wyde to wreste So lykynge the same to myssyke the reste For who so wresteth hys worke is in vayne And euen in that case I perceyue you twayne Lykynge your vertue in suche wyse That eche others vertue you do dyspyse Who walketh thys way for god wolde fynde hym The farther they leke hym the farther behynde hym One kynde of vertue to dyspyse another Is lyke as the syster myght hange the brother . ❧ Potycary . For fere lest suche parels to me myght fall I thanke god I vse no vertue at all ☞ Pedler . ⚜ That is of all the very worste waye For more harde it is as I haue harde saye ●o begynne uertue where none is pretendyd Then where it is begonne the abuse to be mended How be it ye be nat all to begynne One syne of vertue ye are entred in As thys I suppose ye dyd saye true In that ye sayd ye vse no vertue In the whiche wordes I dare well reporte Ye are well be loued of all thys sorte By your raylynge here openly At pardons and relyques so leudly . ❧ Potycary . In that I thynke my faute nat great For all that he hath I auowe conterfete . ☞ Pedler . ⚜ For his and all other that ye knowe fayned Ye be nother counceled nor constrayned To any suche thynge in any suche case To gyue any reuerence in any suche place But where ye dout the truthe nat knowynge Beleuynge the be●● good may be growynge In iudgynge the best no harme at the leste In iudgynge the worste no good at the beste But beste in these thynges it semeth to me To make no iudgement vpon ye But as the churche doth iudge or take them So do ye receyue or forsake them And so be sure ye can nat erre But may be a frutfull folower . ❧ Potycary . Go ye before and as I am true man I wyll folow as faste as I can . ☞ Pardoner . ⚜ And so wyll I for he hath sayd so well 〈◊〉 wolde we shulde folowe hys counsell . ❧ Palmer . Then to our reason god gyue vs his grace That we may folowe with fayth so fermely His commaundementes , that we maye purchace Hys loue , and so consequently To byleue hys churche faste and faythfully So that we may accordynge to his promyse Be kepte out of errour in any wyse And all that hath scapet vs here by neglygence We clerely reuoke and forsake it To passe the tyme in thys without offence Was the cause why the maker dyd make it And so we humbly beseche you take it Besechynge our lorde to prosper you all In the fayth of hys churche vniuersall Finis .

Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the George by Wyllyam Myddylton ⸫

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