The enterlude of youth

❧ The Enterlude of Youth .

✿ Charite .

¶ Youth .

IEsu that his armes dyd sprede And on a tree was done to dead From all perils he you defende I desire audience til I haue made an ende For I am come from God aboue To occupie his lawes to your behoue And am named Charitie There maye no man saued be without the helpe of me For he that Charitie doth refuse Other vertues though he do vse Without Charitie it wyll not be For it is written in the faithe Q●im 〈◊〉 in charitate in deo moue I am the gate I tell the Of heauen that ioiful cytie Ther maie no man thider come But of charyty he must haue some Or he may not come iwis Vnto heauen the citie of blysse therfore charitie who wil him take Apure soule it wil him make Before the face of God In the. A.B.C. of bokes the least Yt is writen deus charitas est Lo charitie is a great thinge Of all vertues it is the kinge Whan God in earth was here liuinge Of chariti he found none endinge I was planted in his hart We two might not departe Out of his harte I did springe throughe the might of the heauen king And all preestes that be Maie not lyue without charitye And charitey to them they do not take they may not receiue him that did them make And all this worlde of noughte ✿ youth . A backe felowes and giue me roume Or I shall make you to auoyde sone I am goodlye of persone I am pereles where euer I come My name is youth I tell the I florysh as the vine tre Who may be likened vnto me In my youthe and Iolitye My hearre is royall and bushed thicke . My body plyaunt as a hasel styck Myne armes be bothe fayre And strong My fingers be both faire and longe My chest bigge as a tunne My legges v●foll lighte for to runne To hoppe and daunce and make mery By the masse I recke not a chery What so euer I do I am the heyre of my fathers lande And it is come into my hande I care for no more Charite Are you so disposed to doo To folowe vice and let vertue go Youthe . Ye sir euen so For nowe a dayes he is not set by Without he be vnthriftye Charite You had nede to aske God mercye Why do you so prase your body Youthe . Why knaue what is that to the Wilt thou let me to prayse my body Whi shuld I not praise it & it be goodli I will not let for the Charite what shal it be whan thou shalt flyt For the wealth into the pyt Therfore of it be not to boolde Least thou for think it whan the art old Ye maye be lykened to a tre In youth floryshyng with royallte And in age it is cut downe And to the fyre is throwne . So shalt thou but thou amende Be burned in hel without ende Youthe . Ye horson trowest thou so Be ware leaste thou thyder go Hence caytife go the way Or with my dagger I shal the slay Hens knaue out of this place Or I shal lay the on the face Sayest thou that I shal go to hel For euer more there to dwel I had leuer thou had euyll fare Charite ¶ A yet syr do by my rede And aske mercy for thi misdede And thou shalt be an herytoure of blysse Where al ioye and myrthe is Where thou shal se a glorius syght Of aungeles singing with saintes bright Before the face of God Youthe . ¶ what syrs aboue the sky I had nede of a ladder to climbe so hye But what and the ladder slyppe Than I am deceyued yet And if I fal I catche a quecke I may fortune to breke my necke And that ioynte is yll to set Nay nay not so Charite ¶ O yet remember cal to thi minde The mercy of God passeth al thyng For it is wryten by noble clerkes The mercye of God passeth all werkes That witnesseth holy scrypture sainge thus Miseratio domin● super omnia opera ●iu● Therfore doute not goddes grace Ther of is plenty in euery place Youthe . ¶ What me thynke ye be clerkyshe For ye speake good gibbryshe Syr I pray you and you haue any store Soyle me a question or ye caste out any more Least whan your connynge is all done My question haue no solucion Syr and it please you this Whi do men eate musterd with salt fishe Sir I praie you soile me this quistion That I haue put to your descrecyon Charite ¶ Thus question is but vanitie It longeth not to me Suche questions to assoyle youthe . ¶ Sir by god that me dere bought I se your conninge is litell or noughte And I shuld folowe your scole Sone ye wold make a fole Therfore crake no longer here Least I take you on the eare And make your head to ake Charite Sir it falleth not for me to fighte Nether by day ne be night therfore do my counsaile I saye Than to heuen thou shalt haue the wai Youthe . ✿ No syr I thinke ye will not fighte But to take a mans purs in the night Ye will not sai nay For suche holy caitifes Were wonte to be theues And such wolde be hanged as hye As a man may se with his eye In faith this same , is true Charite ¶ God saue euery christen body From such euell destroye And sende vs of his grace In heuen to haue a place youthe ¶ Nay nay I warrant the He hathe no place for the we nest thou he wyll haue suche fooles To syt on his gaie stooles Naie I warrant the naye Humily Well sir I put me in good is wyll Whether he wyll me saue or spyll And sir I pray you do so And truste in god what so euer ye do youthe . Sir I praye the holde thy peace And talke to me of no goodnes And soone loke thou go thy waye Lesse with my dagger I the slaie In faithe if thou meue my hatte Thou shalte be wearie of thy parte Or thou and I haue done Charite Thynke what God suffered for the His armes to be spred vpon a tree A knight with a speare opened his syd In his harte appeared a wounde wid That bought both you and me youthe . Goddes faste what is that to me Thou dawe wylte thou rede me In my youth to lose my ioylitie Hence knaue and go thy waye Or wyth my dagger I shall the slaye Charite O sir heare what I you tell , And be ruled of my counsell That ye might syt in heuen hye with God and his company Youthe . A yet of God thou wilte not ceasse Tyll I fyght in good earnesse On my fayth I tell the true yf I fyghte thou wylte it rue All the dayes of thy lyfe . Charite Syr I se it wyll none otherwise be I will go to my brother Humilitie And take good counsayle of him Howe it is best to be do therin youthe . ye mary syre I pray you of that Me thinke it were a good sight of your backe I wolde se your heles hither And your brother and you together Fettred fine fast I wis and I had the kay ye shulde singe wel away Or I let you lose Charite Fare well my maysters euerychone I wyll come againe anone And tel you howe I haue done youthe . And thou come hither againe I wyll send the hers in the dyuels nam What nowe , I maye haue my space To iet here in this place Before I might not stere Whan the churle charitie was here But nowe amonge al this chere I wold I had som company here I wis mi brother Riot wold helpe me For to beate charytye And his brother to Ryot . Huffa , huffa who calleth after me I am Riot ful iolite My heart as light as the wynde And all on Riot is mi minde . where so euer I go But wote ye what I do here To seeke youth my compere Faine of him I wolde haue a sight But my lyppes hange in my lyght God spede master youth by my fate youthe Welcom Ryot in the deuels waye Who brought the hither to day Ryot That dyd my legges I tell the We thought thou dyd me call And I am com now here To make roiall chere And tell the how I haue done Youthe What I wende thou hadst ben henged But I se thou arte escaped For it was tolde me heere You toke a man on the eare That his purse in your bosome did flie And so in Newegate ye dyd lye Ryot So it was I be shrewe your pate I come lately from Newgate But I am as readie to make good chere As he that neuer came there For and I haue spendyng I wyll make as mery as a kinge And care not what I do For I wyll not lie longe in prison But wyll get forthe soone For I haue learned a pollicie That wyll lose me lyghtlie And soone let me go Youthe . I loue well thy discrescion For thou arte all of one condicyon Thou arte stable and stedfast of mynde And not chaungable as the wynde But sir I praie you at the leaste Tell me more of that ieste That thou tolde me ryght nowe Morouer I shall tell the The mayre of London sent for me Forth of Newgate for to com For to preche at Ty●one . youthe . By our Lady he did promote the To make the preche at the galowe tre But syr how diddest thou scape Ryot Verely syr the rope brake And so I fell to the ground And ran away safe and sound Be the way I met with a courtiers lad And twenty nobls of gold in his purs he had I toke the ladde in the eare Besyde his horse I called hym there I toke his purs in my hande And twenty nobles therin I fande Lorde howe I was mery . youthe . Goddes fote thou diddest ynoughe there For to be made knyght of the colere . Ryot Ye syr I truste to God all myght At the next cessions to be dubbed a knight youthe . Now syr by this light That wolde I fayne se And I plight the so God me saue That a surer tolere thou shalt haue And because gold colers be so good chepe Vnto the roper I shal speke To make the one of a good price And that shal be of warrantyse . Ryot . Youth 〈◊〉 pray the haue a doo And to the ●a●●ene let vs go And we will drynke diuers wine And the cost shal be mine Thou shalt not pay one peny iwis Yet thou shalt haue a wenche to kysse whan so euer thou wilte youthe . Mary Riot I thanke the That thou wylt be stowe it on me And for the pleasure so be it I wold not charity shuld vs mete And turne vs agayne For ryght nowe he was with me And said he wolde go to Humilitie And come to me againe Ryot . Let him come if he will He were better to bide still And he gyue the croked laugage I will laye him on the visage And that thou shalt se sone Howe lightly it shall be doone And he wil not be ruled with knockes We shall set him in the stockes To heale his sore shinnes youthe . I shall helpe the if I can To dryue a waye that hang man Herke Riot thou shalt vnderstande I am heyre of my fathers land And nowe they be come to my hand Me thynke it were best therfore That I had one man more To waite me vpon Ryot . I can spede the of a seruaunte of price That wil do the good seruice I se him go here be side Some men call him mayster Pride I sweare by God in Trinitie I wyll go fetche him vnto the And that euen anone Hye the apace and come a gayne youthe And bringe with the that noble swayne Ryot Lo mayster youth here he is A prety man and a wyse He will be glad to do you seruyce In al that euer he may youthe Welcome to me good fellowe I prai the whence commest thou And thou wilt my seruaunt be I shall geue the golde and fee Pryde Syr I am content iwis To do you any seruis That euer I can do Youthe . By likelyhod thou shulde do well ynowe Thou art a lykely felowe Pryde Yes syr I warrant you yf ye will be rulde by me I shall you bringe to hyt degre youthe What shall I do tell me And I wyll be ruled by the Pryde Mary I shall tell you Considre ye haue good ynowe And think ye come of noble kinde Aboue all men exalte thy minde Put downe the pore and set nought by them Be in company with gentel men Iette vp and downe in the waye And your clothes loke they be gaye The pretye wenches wyll saie than Yonder goeth a gentelmen And euery pore felowe that goeth you by Will do of his cap and make you curteisie In faith this is true youthe . Sir I thanke the by the roode For thi counsell that is so good And I comm●● me ento nowe Vnder the techyage of Ryot and you Ryot ¶ Lo youth I tolde you That he was a lastye felowe youthe ¶ Mary syr I thanke the That you wolde bringe him vnto me Pryde . ¶ Syr it were expedyente that ye had a wife To liue with her all youre life Ryot ✿ A wife nay nay for God auowe He shall haue fleshe inoughe For by God that me dere bought Ouer muche of one thinge is nought The deuyl said he had leuer burne al his life than ones for to take a wife Therfore I saie so god me saue He shall no wife haue thou haste a sister fair and fre I knowe well his lemman she will be therfore I wolde she were here that we might go and make good there At the wine some where youthe ¶ I pray you hither thou do her bringe For she is to my likinge Pryde ¶ Syr I shall do my diligence To bringe her to your presence Youthe . ¶ Hye the apace and come agayn To haue a sight I wolde be faine Of that Lady ●re ryot ¶ Syr in faith I shall tell you true She is a freshe and fayre of hee And verye propre of bodye Men call her Lady Lechery Youthe ¶ My herte burneth by God of myght Till of that lady I haue a fyght Intret superbis cum luxur in et ditaf superbia Pryde ¶ Syr I haue fulfilled your entent And haue brought you in this present that you haue sent me for t youthe . ¶ thou art a redy messcogert Come hither to me my herte so dere ye dewelcome to me as the hert in my body Lecheri ✿ Sir I thanke you and at your pleasure I am ye be the same vnto me youthe . ✿ Maisters wyll ye to tauerne walke A worde with you there will I talke And giue you the wine Lecheri ¶ Gentle man I thanke you vtrely And I am all redye to waite you vpon Ryot . ¶ what sister lecherye ye be welcome to our companie Lecheri ¶ well wanton well , fye for shame So sone ye do expresse me name what if no man shuld haue knowne I wis I shal you bere , well wanton well Ryot . ¶ A lytell ꝓretye nyset Ye be well hi●e God wote ye be a lytell prety pie , iwis ye go ful gingerle Lechery wel I se your falsetye winketh on me full want only ye be full wanton iwis youthe . Pride I thanke you of your laboure That you had to fetch this fayre floure Pryde . Lo youth I tolde the that I wolde bringe her with me Sir I pray ●d● tell me nowe Howe doth she like you youthe . Verely wel she pleased me For she is courteis gentyll and see Howe do you fayre Ladye Howe fare you tell me Lecheri Syr if it please you , I do well ynowe And the better that you wyl wite youthe . Riot I wolde be at the tauerne fayne Least charitie vs mete and turne vs againe Than wold I be sory because of this farie ladi Ryot . Let vs go agayne be time That we maye be at the wyne Or euer that he come Pryde . Hie the apace and go we hence we wil let for none expence Youthe . Now we wil fil the cup and make good cher I trust I haue a noble here Herke sirs for God almighte Herest thou not howe they light In fayth we shall them part Yf there be any wine to sell They shall no longer together dwell No than I be shre we my herte Ryot . No syr so mote I the Let not thy seruantes fight within that For it is a carefull lyfe Euermore to liue in strife Therefore if ye wil be ruled by mi tale We will go to the ale And se howe we can do I truste to God that sitteth on hye To lese that lytell companye With in an houre or two Pryde . Now let vs goo for goddes sake And se howe merye we can make Ryot . Now lette vs go apace And I belast there I be shrewe my face youthe . Nowe let vs go that we were there To make this Ladye some chere Lecheri Verelye syr I thanke the That ye will bestowe it on me And whan it please you on me to call My heart is yours bodie and all youthe . Faire Ladye I thanke the On the same wyse ye shall haue me whan so euer ye please Pryde . Riot we tarye longe Ryot we wyl go euen now with a lusty songe Pryde In faith I will be rector chorye youthe . Go to it then hardely , and let vs be agate Charite Abide felowe a worde with the whether go ye tell me Abyd and here what I shall you tell And ruled by my counsel Pryde Naye no felowe ne yet mate I trowe thy felow be in Newgate Shal we tell the wether we go Nay iwis good Ihon a Pepo who learned the thou mistaught man To speake so to a gentylman Thoughe his clothes be neuer so thine Yet he is come of noble kinne Though thou giue him suche a mocke yet he is come of a noble stocke I let the well to wire Ryot What syr Ihon what say ye Wolde you be fetred nowe thinke nat to longe I pray you It maye fortune come sone ynow ▪ Yt shall thinke it a lytell soc●● Charite Yet syrs let this cease And let vs talke of goodnes youthe . He turned his tale he is aferde But faith he shal be skerd He weneth by flatteringe to please vs agayn But he laboureth all in vaine Charite Sir I pray you me not spare For nothynge I do care That ye can doe to me . Ryot . No horeson sayst thou so Holde him pride and let me go I shal fet a prayre of rynges That shall sit to his shinnes And that euen a none . Pryde . Hye the apace and come againe And bringe with the a good chaine To holde him here stil . Charite Iesu that was borne of Mare milde From all euyll he vs shielde And sende you grace to amende Or oure lyfe be at an ende For I tell you trewlye That ye lyue full wickedlye I pray God it amende . Ryot . Lo syrs loke what I bringe Is not this a ioly ringinge By my trouth I trowe it be I will go wyt of charitie How sayest thou maister charitie Dothe this geare please the. Charite They please me well in dede The more sorowe the more mede For God sayde whyle he was man Beati qui ꝑsecucionē patifitur propter iusticiam Vnto his apostles he sayde so To teache them howe they shulde do Pryde ¶ We shall se how they can please Sit downe sir and take youre ease Me thinke these same were full meete To go about your faire feete youthe . ¶ By my truthe I you tell They wolde become hym very well therfore hye that they were on Vnto the tauerne that we were gone Ryot ¶ That shall ye se anone Howe soone they shall be on And after we wyll not tary longe But go hence with a mery songe Pryde ¶ Let vs begyn all at once youthe . Nowe haue at it by cockes bones And soone let vs goo Charite ¶ Lo maisters here you maie se beforn that the wede ouergroweth the corne Nowe maie ye see all in this tide Howe vice is taken , & vertue set aside yonder ye maye see youth is not stable But euermore chaungeable And the nature of men is frayle that he wotteth not what may auaile Vertue for to make O good Lorde it is a pitifull case Syth God hath lent me wit and grace To chose of good and euyll that man shulde voluntarilie To suche thynges hym selfe applye that hys soule shuld spyll Humily Christ that was crucified & crowend with thorne And of a virgin for than was borne Some knoweledge sende to me Of my brother Charitie Charite Dere brother Humilitie ye be welcome vnto me Where haue ye be so longe humili. I shall do you to vnderstande That I haue sayd mine euensonge But sit I praye you tel me nowe Howe this case happened to you Charite I shall tell you anone The felowes that I tolde you on Haue me thus arayed Humily Sir I shall vndo the bandes From your feete and your handes Sir I praye you tell me anone Whether they be gone And when they come againe Charite Sir to the tauerne they begone And they wyll come againe anone And that shall you see humili. Then wyll we them exhorte Vnto vertue to resorte , & so forsake sin Charite I wyll helpe you that I can To conuert that wicked man youthe . Abacke galantes and loke vnto me And take me for your speciall For I am promoted to hye degree By right I am kinge eternall Neither duke ne lord , Baron ne knight that maye be likened vnto me they be subdued to me by ryght As seruantes to their masters shuld be humyli . Ye be welcome to this place here we thynke ye labour all in vaine wherefore your braynes we wyll stere And kele you a lytel againe youthe . Saiest thou my braines thou wylt stere I shall late the on the eare were thou borne in trumpyngton And brought vp at Hogges norton By my faith it semeth so well go knaue go Charite Do by our counsell and our rede And aske mercie for thy misdede And endeuer the for goddes sake For thy sinnes amendes to make Or euer that thou die Ryot Harke youth for god auowe He wolde haue the a sainte nowe But youth I shall you tell A yonge sainte an olde deuyll Therfore I holde the a foole And thou folowe his scole youthe . I warrant thee I wyll not do soo I wyll be ruled by you two Pryde Then shall ye do well yf ye be ruled by our counsell we wyll bringe you to hie degree And promote you to dignitie humili. Sir it is a pitifull case That ye wolde forsake grace And to vyce applye youthe . whie knaue dothe it greue thee Thou shall not answer for me when my soule hangeth on the hedge once Then take thou and caste stones As faste as thou wylte Charite Syr if it please you to do thus Forsake them and do after vs The better shall you do Ryot . Syre he shall do well inowe Thoughe he be ruled bi neither of you therfore crake no longer here Least thou haue on the eare And that a good knocke Pryde . Lyghtlye se thou auoyde the place Or I shall gyue thee on the face Youth I trowe that he wolde Make you holy or ye be olde And I swere by the rode It is time inoughe to be good Whan that ye be olde youthe . Syr by my truthe I the say I wyll make mery whiles I may I can not tell you howe longe Ryot . Ye sir so mote I thryue Thou art not certaine of thy life therfore thou were a starke foole to leue myrth and folowe their scole humili. Syr I shall hym exhorte Vnto vs to resorte And you to forsake Pryde Aske him if he wyll do so To forsake vs and folowe you two Nay I warrant you nay humili. That shall you se euen anone I will vnto him gone And se what he wyll saye Ryot Hardely go on thy waye I knowe well he will saye naye youthe . Ye syr by God that me dere bought Me thinke ye laboure all for nought Wenest thou that I wyll for thee Or they brother Charytie Forsake this good companye Pryde . Nay I warrant the No mayster I praye you of that For anye thinge for sake vs nat And all oure counsell rule you by Ye may be Emperour or ye dye youthe . while I haue life in my body Shall I be ruled by Riot and the Ryot . Sir than shall ye do well For we be true as stele Syr I can teache you to play at the dice At the quenes game and at the Iryshe The Treygobet and the hasarde also And many other games mo Also at the cardes I can teche you to play At the triumph and on and thirtye Post , pinion , and also aumsase And at an other they call dewsace Yet I can tel you mor & ye wyll con me thanke Pinke and drinke and also at the blanke And mane sportes mo youthe . I thanke the Riot so mote I the For the counsell thou haste geuen me I wyll folowe thy minde in euery thinge And guide me after thy learninge Charite youth leue that counsell for it is nought And amende that thou hast myswrought That thou maist saue that God hath boughte youthe . what saie ye maister Charitie what hath God bought for me By my trouth I knowe not whether that he goeth in white or blacke He came neuer at the stues Nor in no place where I do vse Iwis he bought not my cap Nor yet my ioylie hat I wot not what he hath bought for me And he bought any thinge of myne I wyll geue hym a quarte of wyne The nexte tyme I hym meete Charite Sir this he dyd for the When thou wast bond he made the fre And bought the wyth his bloud youthe Sir I praye you tell me Howe may this be That I knowe I was neuer bonde Vnto none in Englande Charite Sir I shall tell you Whan Adam had done greate trespas And out of paradise exiled was Then all the soles as I can you tell Were in the bondage of the deuyll of hel Tyll the father of heauen of his greate mercye Sent the seconde person in Trinitie Vs for to redeme And so with his precious bloude He bought vs on the roode And our soules dyd saue youthe Howe shulde I saue it tell me nowe And I wyl be ruled after you my soule to saue Ryot What youth wyll you forsake me I wyll not forsake thee humili. I shall tell you shortely Kneel downe and aske God mercie For that you haue offended Youth wylte thou do so Pryde Folowe them and let vs go Marye I trowe naye youthe . Here all synne I forsake And to god I me betake Good Lord I praie the haue no indignacion That I a sinner shulde aske saluacion Chariti Nowe thou muste forsake pryde And all Riot set aside Pryde I wyll not hym forsake Neither early ne late I wende he wolde not forsake me But if it wyll none otherwise bee I wyll go my waye youthe . Sir I praye God be your spede And helpe you at your nede Ryot I am sure thou wylt not forsake me Nor I wyll not forsake thee youthe . I forsak you also And wyll not haue with you to do Ryot . And I forsake the vtterlye Fie on the caytife lye Once a promise thou dyd me make That thou wolde me neuer forsake But nowe I se it is harde For to truste the wretched worlde Fare well masters euerycheone Humili For your synne looke ye morne And euyl creatures loke ye tourne For your name who maketh inquisition Sa yt it is good contricion That for sinne doth morne Charite Here is a newe araye For to walke by the waye your prayer for to saye humyli . ¶ Here be bokes for your deuocion And kepe you from all temptacion Let no vyce deuoure Whan ye se misdoing men Good counsell geue them And teach them to amende Youthe . ¶ For my synne I wyll morne All creatures I wyll turne And whan I see misdoinge men Good counsell I shall geue them And exhorte them to amende Charite Than shall ye be an heritour of blysse Where all ioye and myrth is Youthe . To the whiche eternall God bringe the persons all Here beynge Amen . humili. Thus haue we brought our matter to an ende Before the persons here present Wolde euery man be contente Leaste onother daye we be shente Charite We thanke all this presente Of their meeke audience Humili . Iesu that sytteth in heauen so hye Saue all this faire companye Men and women that here be Amen , Amen for charitie . ✿ Finis .