¶ Fyrst cometh in Mundue and syttyth down sayth nothynge and wyth hym Worldly affeccyon berynge a gown and cap and a gyrdyll for Man . ¶ Than cometh in Nature / Man / Reason / and Innocencye / and Nature syttyth down and sayth . ¶ Nature . ¶ Thalmyghty god / that made eche creature As well in heuen / as other place erthly By hys wyse ordynaunce / hath purueyd me nature To be as mynyster / vnder hym immedyately For th encheson / that I shold perpetually Hys creatures / in suche degre mayntayne as yt hath pleased / hys grace for theym to ordeyne ¶ To me yt longeth by naturall engendure thing to contynew / that hath spyryte of lyfe whyche / ne were my helpe shuld neuer endure But sodenly peryshe / and wax all caytyfe Atwyxt thesementys / that whylom were at stryfe I haue swaged / the old repugnaunce and knyt theym togeder / in maner of alyaunce ¶ The I haue ordeyned / the goddys Deane Lady of the see / / and euery freshe fontayn whyche comenly decreceth / whan she gynneth wane And waxeth abundant / whan she creceth agayne Of eb and flode / she ys cause certayne and reyneth as prynces / in euery yle and town That wyth the see / ys compassed enuyron ¶ I am causer / of suche impressyon as appereth wonderouse / to mannys syght As of flammes / that from the sterry regyon Semeth to fall / in tymes of the nyght Some shote sydelong / and some down ryght whyche causeth the ignorant / to stand in drede that sterrys do fall / yet falleth there none in dede ¶ What nedeth yt to speke / of thyngys here by low as fowles / bestys / and fysshes in theyre hynde Of trees / herbys / and stones how they grow In whyche / men sondry and meny vertuous fynde One thyng be ye sure / and thynk yt in your mynde No maner creature / may take on hy●…ure Of these works / but onely I nature ¶ And playnly there ys / in erthe no maner thynge That ys not partyner / of my influence I do prouyde / for euery beste lyuynge Of naturall foode / alway suffycence And geue theym also / a maner of prudence Wherby they may / naturallyensew Thyng that ys delectable / and thother exchew ¶ Who taught the cok / hys watche howres to obserue And syng of corage / wyth shyrll throte on hye who taught the pellycan / her tender hart to carue For she nolde suffer / her byrdys to dye Who taught the nyghtyngall / to recorde besyly Her strange entuny● / in sylence of the nyght Certes I nature / and none other wyght ¶ But yf that I / shold clepe to memorye Eche strange effecte / and euery great meruayll That I haue caused / I ensure you faythfully That rather tyme / than processe shuld me fayll yt were your payne / and to me but trauayll All suche maters / as now to bryng in place Wherfore I let passe theym / tell other tyme and space ¶ But yf ye couet / now to know th effecte Of thyngys naturall / by trew conclusyon Counsell with Arystotell / my phylosopher electe Whyche hath left / in bokys of hys tradycyon Now euery thyng / by heuynly constellacyon Is brought to effecte / and in what maner wyse As far as mannys wytt / may naturally compryse ¶ Wherfore syth god / of hys great largesse Hath thus enryched me / wyth dower of hys grace And made me as who seyth / a wordly goddesse Of duty I can / no lesse do in thys case But wyth hartis ioy / and entyere solace My selfe addresse / to do hys hygh pleasurs And to thys same / moue all other creaturs ¶ Enforce you therfore / hys creaturs eche on To honour your maker / wyth humble obeysance Nomely thow man / I speke to the alone Byfore all other / as chyef of hys creance Thynke how he / hath made the to thys semblance Pluck vp thyn harte / and hold thyn hed vpryght and euer more / haue heuen in thy syght ¶ Ouyde in hys boke / cleped the transformacyon among all other hys fables and poesyes Maketh specyall / mensyon of thy creacyon Shewyng how god / wonderously gan deuyse whan he the made / and gaue to the th empryse Of all thys world / and feoffed the wyth all as chyef possessyoner / of thyngys mortuall ¶ In token wherof / he gaue the vpryght vysage and gaue the in commaundement / to lyft thyn eye Up to warde heuen / only for that vsage Thow shuldest know hym / for thy lorde almyghty all other bestys / as thyngys vnworthy To behold th erth / wyth grouelyng countenaunce and be subdued / to thyn obeysaunce ¶ But as touchyng / the cause specyally wherfore I haue ordeyned the / thys nyght to appere It ys to put the / in knowlege and memorye To what entent / thow art ordeyned to be here I let the wyt / thou arte a passanger That hast to do / a great and longe vyage and through the world / most be thy passage ¶ Addresse the selfe / now towardys thys iournay For as now thou shalt / nolenger here abyde Lo here Reason / to gouerne the in thy way and sensualyte / vpon thyn other syde But reason I depute / to be thy chyef gyde wyth innocencye / that ys thy tender noryce Euermore to wene the / from th appetyte of vyce Man . ¶ O lord of lordes / my lord god immortuall To the be honour / and ioy euer to endure whose heuenly empyreshall neuer be fynall But world wythout end / remayne stable and sure whom heuen and hell / and erthly creature wyth one assent / and all wyth one accorde Honoureth / prayseth / and knowlegeth for theyre lorde ¶ To the myne hed / I humbly inclyne Thankyng thy grace / that fyrst hast ordeyned me To be as a syly creature of thyne and after that / of thy great bownte Thou hast me set / in souerayne degre and gyuen me the profettys / of euery erthly thynge aswell of frutys / as of bestys lyuynge and that that ys / also most precyouse thou hast me enspyred / wyth heuenly wysdome wherby I may / do worhys meruaylouse In euery place / where soeuer I come Of eche perfeccyon / thy grace hath sent me some So that I know / that creature no where Of whose vertue / I am not partyner ¶ I haue as hath / eche other element among other in thys world / a comen beyng wyth herbys and trees / contynuall noryshement that ys suffysant / to naturall lyuyng wyth sensuall bestys / I haue a maner of knowyng wherby I shuld / in good thyngꝭ delyte and flee the contrary / of myne appetyte ¶ And ouer all thys / thou hast gyuen me vertue Surmountyng all other / in hygh perfeccyon That ys vnderstandyng / wherby I may auew And well dyscerne / what ys to be done yet for all that / haue I fre eleccyon Do what I wyll / be yt euyll or well And am put in the hande / of myne own counsell ¶ and in thys poynt / I am halfe angelyke Unto thy heuenly spyrytys / almost egall albeyt in some parte / I be to them vnlyke For they be ordeyned / to endure perpetuall and I wretched body / shall haue my funerall When yt pleaseth / thy grace so to prouyde Man ys not ordeyned / alway here to abyde ¶ Wherfore vnto thy souerayne and hygh estate Most heuenly prynce / I make myne oryson Syth yt hath pleased / thy noble grace algate That I vnworthy / of so great renown In thys world / shall haue possessyon thou gyue me grace / my selfe to enure as may me profyte / and be to thy pleasure nature . ¶ God hath herd thy prayer / mankynd no dout In all thy requestys / and ryght full petycyon Now forth thy iournay / and loke well about that thou be not / deceyued by fals prodycyon Let reason the gouerne / in euery condycyon For yf thou do not / to hys rule inclyne yt wylle to thy great myschef and ruyne ¶ I wot well sensualyte / ys to the naturall And graunted to the / in thy furst creacyon But notwythstandyng / yt ought to be ouerall Subdued to reason / and vnder hys tuycyon Thou hast now lybertye / and nedest no maynmyssyon And yf thou abond the / to passyons sensuall Farewele thy lybertye / thou shalt wax thrall sensua lyte , ¶ What lady nature / haue I none intresse Aswell as reason / or innocency Thanke ye thys lady / a good processe That they are auaunced / and I let go by ye knowe ryght well / that I ought naturally Byfore all other / to haue of hym the cure I am the chyef perfeccyon of hys nature ¶ Alas what coulde / the sely body do Or how sholde yt lyue / ne were the helpe of me Certes yt could not well / crepe nor go At the lest wyse yt shuld / neyther fele here nor se But be as other / incensate bodys be In mouche wurscase / than wormes of the grownde In whyche vnneth / any tokyn of lyfe ys founde ¶ Mesemeth yt shuld / abhort hym for to here That I destrayned / shuld be in any wyse Standynge that I / was create to be hys fere Of all hys guydyng / to take th enterpryse And now ye put me out of hys seruyce And haue assygned / reason to be hys guyde Wyth innocencye hys noryse / thus am I set a syde ¶ ye clepe hym lorde / of all bestys lyuynge And nothyng worthy / as far as I can se For yf there be in hym / no maner of felynge Ne no lyuely quyknes / what lorde ys he A lorde made of clowtꝭ / or karued out of tre And fareth as an ymage / araued out of stone That nothyng ellys can do / but stande alone ¶ If ye intend / hymto contynew longe In honour / or worldly felycyte He most nedys folow / hys apetyte amonge And conferme hym selfe / to the more parte I tell you men / wyll haue no deynte to do seruyce / or homage to a block all the world wyll / thynk yt but a mock ¶ Suffer me therfore / to haue wyth hym a rome and to be wyth hym / as chyef counseyll and yf he do so / I thynk to dome He shall reygn in the world / as chyef gouerner But yf Reason / tykyll hym in the ere Or bere hym on hand the how ys wood He shall neuer be able / to do erthly good natur . ¶ My frend as I / sayd to you byfore a Rome shall ye haue / no man sayth nay But reason must be / preferred euermore For he can best lede hym to the way Of vertue and grace / wherby he may Longest contynue / to goddyshygh pleasure To the whych end / god hath ordeyned this hys creature ¶ Content thy selfe / now wyth Reason my frend And medyll the no further / than thou hast to do Thou hast brought many a man / to a wrecched end And so thou woldyst spyll / hys creature also But what so euer he say / take no hede therto wythout that Reason / wyll alow the same For who so doth the contrary / deserueth myche blame ¶ God and I Nature / haue set the in better case Than any creature / vnder the fyrmament Abuse not man / abuse not thy grace Of god almyghty / that from aboue ys sent Thou shalt be the fyrst / that shall repent If euer thou fle / Reason and sue foly whan onys thou felest / the sinert of mysery ¶ But be of confort / hardely god shall send Both gostly ayd / and worldly helpe also And I shall neuer / fayll vnto thy lyfꝭ end To mynyster vnto the / as me oweth to do To yender the world / whyche thou must nedys to Now shape the thyder / there ys no more to say Thy lord and myne / guyde the in thy way Then Nature goeth out . sensua ¶ Well lady nature leue / ye me in thys case Shall I haue of you / none other confort By cryst yet / wyll I not hyde my face For as sone as we / shall to the world resort I put no doubt / he wyll me support He hath ben my good mayster meny a day And he wyll not se me / thus cast away ¶ Reason . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wotyst not why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 body / wyll demean hym thus be sure thy mynde 〈◊〉 all erronyous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe well / and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whyche 〈◊〉 thyn and others confusyon sensua ¶ ye Reason syr ye speke 〈◊〉 a noble man but yet are ye take / wyth a 〈◊〉 of ouersyght What wold ye make me / stand as a sordan And not speke ane word / for myne own ryght I se yt well / that yf your lordshyp myght by meanes possyble / onys bryng yt about your selfe shuld be a ruler / and I but a cast owt Rea. ¶ A rular ? certes and so I owght to be and a lord also / though ye say yt in scorne sensua ¶ A lord ? whose lord . ¶ Rea. Thy lord sensua ¶ Nay so mote I the thou lyest / yt may no lengar be forborne thou camyst but to nyght / & mayst hap go to morne For yf thou be as haute / as thou begynnest thou shalt auoyd / myche sonar than thou wenuyst Rea. ¶ As for myne auoydaunce / how sone so euer yt be It shall not skyll / as for thys intent But he that fyrst fleeth / or forsaketh me He shall haue gretest / occasyon to repent It shal be to hys great trouble and turment that he hath lest Reason / and suyd hys own foly that therby ys fallen / to wreched penury ¶ But now as touchyng / the honour and degre that I am ordeyned to / I wyll thou vnderstand that almyghty god / of hys grace and bountye Of the and suche / hath gyuen me the ouer hand And wyll that I vse / the as a seruand to aduyse the and reforme the / whan thou gynst to erre And to clepe the homward / yf thou rayll to far ¶ And where thou sayst / thou art so necessary that man wythout the / can haue no lyuyng as in that poynt / we shall not myche vary I wote thou art necessary / to hys beyng But be thou sure / that ys not the very thyng That maketh hym / to appere so wonderouse and to be in hys nature so noble and precyouse ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thyng that doth 〈◊〉 far excede All other perfecc●●s / and vertuouse naturall For sensualyte / in very dede Is but a meane / whyche causeth hym to fall In to moche foly / and maketh hym bestyall So that there ys no dyfference / in that at the lest Bytwyxt man / and an vnresonable best ¶ But this other / cometh of great tenderaūce and spyrytuall loue / that god oweth to mankynde whom he hath create / to hys owne semblaunce and endued / wyth a wonderouse mynde wherby he may well dyscerne and fynde Suffysant dyfference / bytwyxt good and bad Whyche ys to be left / and whyche ys to be had ¶ Lo thys ys yt / that doth hym dygnyfye and causeth hym to be / reputed so excessent and of all thys / the chyef doar am I whyche from heuen in to erth by god am sent Only for that cause / and fynall intent That I shuld thys hys creature / demean and guyd● For the season that he doth in thys world abyde ¶ Now compare thy vertues / and myne togeder and say whyche ys / the wurthyar of theym to sensua ¶ Whyche ys the worthyar ? forsoth I trow neyther we be good felowys . ¶ Re. Nay my frend not so Thou ought to obey me / where so euer I go sensua ¶ Nay that shall I neuer do / for to dye I shal be thy felow be / loke thou neuer so hye ¶ And therfore hardely / be somwhat selowlyke Leue thyn hawt conceytys / and take a metely way For shame of the world man / let vs not styk at a mater of tyght noght / and trauers here all day Haue me in few wordys man / and hark what I say Medyll thou in no poynt / that belongeth to me and I shall promyse the / neuer to medyll wyth the ¶ And standyng the nonage / of thys gentylman On my parell / take no care therfore I shall demean yt / as well as I can tyll he be passyd . xl . yerys and more and reason then / yf ye wyll vndershore Hys croked old age / when lusty youth ys spent Than take vppon you . I hold me content ¶ For trust ye me / the very trouth ys thys thys man ys put / in hys owne lybertye And certaynly / the fre choyce ys hys Wheder he wyll be gouerned / by the or by me Let vs therfore put yt / to hys owne ieopardye and therin stande / to hys arbytrement To whyche of vs twayne / he had seuer assent Rea. ¶ Nar syrnot so / I know hys fraylte the body ys / dysposed for to fall Rather to the worse / than the better parte Butrt be holpen / by power supernall sensua ¶ yet Reason / whan thou hast sayd all yf thou se hym not / take hys owne way Call me cut / when thou metest me another day Rea. ¶ For cartayne yet / accordyng to myne offyce I must aduertyse / and counsell hym at the lest to hawnt vertue / and schew all vyce And therin assyst hym / to the vttermest and yf he wyll / algatys be a best And take none hede / to my lore and doctryne The parell and hurt / shal be hys and not myne Inno. ¶ Syrs I shall answere / for thys man as yet That he ys mayden / for all suche foly as shold dystayne nature / or dyshonour yt Brought vp wyth me / full well and tenderly wherfore I dare / the surelyar testyfye for innocencye / that he ys yet vyrgyn Both for dede / and eke consent of syn ¶ And lengar wyll not I be of hys acquayntaunce Than he ys vertuouse / and of good lyuyng for fleshly lust / and worldly plesaunce ys wyth innocencye / nothyng accordyng But yf hys behauyour / and dayly demeanyng Be of suche draught / as reason wyll alow I shall hym fauour / and loue as I do now sensua ¶ Well spoken and wysely / now haue ye all done ? Or haue ye ought ellys / to thys man to say Rea. ¶ O syr ye . ¶ Sensualy . pece no more of thys dysputacyd Here be many fantasyes / to dryue forth the day That one chatreth lyke apye / that other lyke aiay And yet whan they both / haue done what they can Māgry theym teeth / I shall rule the man ¶ Man . ¶ O blessyd lord / what maner stryf ys thys Atwyxt my reason / and sensualyte That one meneth well / and that all other amysse In one ys sekernes / and in tother great fraylte And both they be / so annexed to me That nedest I must / wyth one of theym abyde Lorde as thou thynkyst best / for me do prouyde ¶ For I am wonderously / entryked in thys case and almost brought / into perplexyte Not wythstandyng / thanked be thy grace as I dyd neuer assent / ne aggre To thynge that sholde / be contraryouse vnto the Of synfull ded / and thought all innocent Subduyd to reason / as hys obedyent Rea. ¶ Cryst graunt you therin / good contynuaunce to be euer / of the same mynde and intent But now wyll ye call / to your remembraunce For what cause / ye be hyder sent I hold yt well done / and ryght expedyent that ye were brough / vnto the worldys presence Man . ¶ Be yt so in goddys name / I pray you go we hens Rea. ¶ And wyll ye that I / shall for you declare Vnto the world / the cause of your comyng What ys your intent / and what parson ye are Man . ¶ ye I wold be glad / that euery thyng Be done euen / after your deuysyng sensua ¶ Shall I than stand / as I were tong tyde ¶ Man . ¶ ye hardely / tyll reason haue sayd Rea. ¶ Syr world / yt ys the mynde and also pleasure Of lady nature / as she bad vs to you tell that ye accept / and receyue thys her creature Wyth you for a season / here to dwell Despryng you hartely / to entreat hym well wyth all the fauour / that ye can deuyse Wherin ye shall do her / great pleasure and seruyce ¶ The worlde . ¶ Syrs ye be welcome / to vs hartely your messagye ys / to vs ryght acceptable Be ye assured / there ys nothyng erthly to vs so ioyfull / ne yet so delectable As to be acquaynted / wyth parsons honorable Namely souch / as ye seme to be Men of hygh honour / and of great dygnyte ¶ And as touchyng the message / that ye haue brought Haue therof / the full mynde and intent Assuryng you that our bysy thought Shal be to do / dame naturys commaundement and thereunto / we wyll be dylygent To do her pleasurys / in that we may And so we wold / ye shold to her say ¶ And were ye shew / vnto me that thys man Is ordeyned to reygne / here in thys empry I assent well / for or nature began To shape the world / the thought fynally to ordeyne man / therin to occupy He to take vppon hym / as myghty gouerner Hauyng all thyng / subdued to hys power . ¶ Wherfore I receyue / gretly hys comyng Mankynde syr / hartely welcom ye be ye are the parsone / wythout faynyng that I haue euermore / desyred to se Come let me kys you . O benedycyte ye be all naked / alas man why thus I make you sure / yt ys ryght perylous . ¶ Man . ¶ I thanke you / but I nede none other vesture Nature hath clothed me / as yet suffysantly Gyltles of syn / and as a mayden pure I were on me / the garment of innocencye Inno. ¶ ye hardely were that garment contynually It shall thy body / suffysantly sauegard From stormy weder my lyfe to ieopard ¶ The worlde . ¶ Be pece / fayre woman ye ar not very wyse Care ye not / yf thys body take cold ye must consyder / thys ys not paradyse Ne yet so temporate / by a thowsand fold Whose so lyueth here / be he yong or old He must suffer / both feruent cold and hete And be out of temperaunce / oft tyme in hys dyet ¶ Also he must nedys / do as the worlde doth That intendeth any whyle / here to reygne And folow the gyse that now a day goth As for as hys estate / may yt mayntayne And who doth the contrary / I wyll be playne He ys abyect / and dyspysed vtterly and standeth euer baneshed / from all good company ¶ Syth god therfore / had ordeyned thys body To dwell here / in thys erthly regyon Of conuenyence / he must hym selfe apply To worldly thyngꝭ / and be of suche condycyon As all men be / and leue eche fond opynyon That ys not approuable / of wysar men than he to take suche way / yt ys but vanyte . ¶ Take thys garment / man do as I you byd Be not ashamed / hardely to do yt on So so / now thys gurdell / haue gurd yt in the myd And thys for your hed / go set yt vppon By the charge of me / you be a goodly on As euer I saw / syth that I was borne Worth a thowsand / that ye were beforne . ¶ Gyue me your hand / be not in fere Sytdown / as ye ar borne to occupye thys place I gyue you here / auctoryte and power Ouer all thynge / that conceyued ys in the space Of all the erth / that rownd ys in compace To be as lord / of euery regyon and therof I gyue you / pessyble possessyon . ¶ Man . ¶ Blessyd be thou / my lord most bounteouse that of thy great / abundant cheryte Me thy wretched creature / hast honoured thus wyth naturall gyftys / and worldly dygnyte Now I beseke the / for thy great pyte Syth thou hast set me / in so noble way Suffer me not here after / wrechedly to decay ¶ For certes yt ys / myne hartys desyre So to demayn me / in thys lyfe present As may be most / vnto thy pleasure and vnto nature / not dysconuenyent Thys ys my wyll / and my chyef intent thys wyll I obserue / thy grace to borow though I therfore / suffer mouche worldly sorow Rea. ¶ Forsoth these wordys / be gretly to alow yf they from meke / and lowly hart procede Now mankynde / syth thou hast made thys vow Scape the therafter / thy lyfe to lede And set thy world / be cousyn to thy dede that ys to say / do thou none other wyse Inno. Than thou here openly / to god dost promyse ¶ ye syr and euer / loke that ye abstayne Not onely from dede / but also from the assent So that ye commyt / neyther of theym twayn yf ye wyll obserue / the hygh commaundement For surely ye may / not be cleped innocent Nor gyltles of syn / as for as I can fynde yf onys ye assent / to foly in your mynde . ¶ Mundus . ¶ Thys ys an harde word / syster that ye haue spoken An hard worde surely / and an heuy sentence But thynk ye goddys / commaundement broken For a lyght tryfull / and mater of insolence Alas haue ye suche a spyced conscyence That wyll be entryked / wyth euery mery thought Leue yt woman leue yt . For yt ys nought loquiad ho. ¶ And man as for you / ye shall not take that way That maner of obseruaunce / ys to hard and strayte ye must attempte the world / and therin assay Whether ye can lyue / after that endrayte These . ii . folk / harp both on refrayte and euer enbesyeth theym / to rebuke you of syn ¶ That neuer was spotted / ne fownd gylty therin take none hede of theym / theyre wordys be but wynde and as for thys tyme / I commaunde theym to sylence And set vs se now / how prately ye can fynde By sage polycy / and worldly prudence To mayntayne the state / in honour and reuerence that ye shall be in / whyle ye in the world dwell Speke of thys mater / and ponder yt well ¶ Fyrst me semeth necessary / to prouyde What maner folkys / your saruauntys shall be For surely ye ar / nothyng accompanyde accordyng / to a man of your degre ye haue here wyth you . ii . parsons or . iii. That pleaseth you happely / in the best wyse yet yt appereth not so / to euery mannys ges . ¶ What man ys thys ? ¶ Man . ¶ Reason syr my chyef conselour And thys innocency / my noryce hyderto And sensualyte that other / by whom I haue power To do / as all sensate bestys do But reason and innocency / chyefly these two Haue the hole rule / and gouerny of me To ●●●m eke ys subdued / my sensualyte sensua ¶ For cartayne syr / reason hath done me wrong More than euer he shal be able to recompense God knoweth syr I thought / the season very long Tyll we were brought / vnto your presence But now I pray you / to adnull the sentence That nature gaue vnto me / by reasons aduyse to my great hurt / and vttyr preindyce ¶ And syr I aske / none amendys erthly But that reason / may haue a chek mate A lytell knack / a lytell prayty congy Hys haut corage / some thynge to abate For hyderto / he hath kept great estate And had of me / the ouer hande and strengar But ye not dyspleased / I wyll suffer yt no lengar ¶ Mundus . ¶ Thou hast had great wrong / and that ys pyte For yf thou be the parson / that I take the fore thou sholdyst be / as honorable as he sensua ¶ Lord ye say well / but woldgod ye wold se Some maner helpe / and remedy for thys euyll And let me not alway / lyue thys lyke a dryuyll ¶ Mundus . ¶ Syr ye know well / that yf so yt were A man shold sodenly / come to a straunge place Wherin he ys / but alyand and straunger He must nedys be / compelled in that case to put hym selfe / in the fauour and grace Of some syngler person / that can shew hym the way Of all the behauour / and gyse in that contray ¶ So yt ys now / that ye be hyder sent thys contray as yet / to you vnknowen In myne opynyon / yt ys expedyent to take some other counsell than your awne Of well enured men / suche as haue growne In worldly experyence / and haue therof the dryft And can best for you / in tyme of nede skyft ¶ Homo . ¶ Certes ye moue / ryght well and prudently and I am well content / that yt so be But as yet / haue I not the polycy To know whyche men / haue most abylyte . Mun. ¶ Dare ye commyt / the mater vnto me homo . ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well / I am fully content That all thynge be done / by your assygnement Mun. ¶ Than thus I wyll / that aboue all thyng From hens forward / ye be lyke and conformable Vnto other parsones / in all your demeanyng Namely to suche / as be companable Be they neuer so vycouse / or abhomynable For euery man / clepyth hym wyse That doth after the comen gyse . ¶ And as for men / that shold do you seruyce I know dyuers persones / that be ryght honorable That can you serue / alway poynt deuyce In all the worlde / be there none so able So wyse / so polytyke / ne yet so profytable Lo here ys one of theym / that I speke fore and he hym selfe can tell you / where ye shall haue more ¶ Worldly affeccyon ys thys mannys name He ys well brayned / and wonderous of inuencyon afore castyng man / and payne of shame ye shall not fynde / in any crysten regyon a wyser felow / in thyngys to be done Specyally of maters / that be concernyng Worldly pleasure / that ys for you accordyng ¶ Suffer hym therfore / neuer to departe But yf yt be / for maters of great substaunce and for sensualyte / I pray you wyth all my harte To accept hym to your fauour and tendraunce He hath ben longe / of myne acquayntaunce and on my fayth / my harte can not but grudge To thynke that ye shold vse hym as a drudge ¶ Do as he aduyseth you / hardely now and than and dyspyse not / vtterly hys counsell Thynke that ye be here / a worldly man and must do as men / that in the world dwell ye ar not bounde / to lyue lyke an aungell Ne to be as god / alway immutable Mannys nature / of hym selfe ys full myserable ¶ I haue tolde you now / my counsell and aduyse And ye haue promysed / to be ruled therby Now set eche man / execute hys offyce and se how wysely / ye can theym occupy To encreace the world / and yt therto ye must apply Now addresse you therto / and demeane you thus I shal be to you euer good and prosperouse Man . ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thys curtesy ●…nde 〈◊〉 as yet , but be ye sure I sh●… 〈◊〉 selfe / endeuour bysyly to do that may be / to your pleasure And for the season / that I shall her endure I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 / and to my power mayntayne That vnto you in any wyse do partayne the wor. ¶ Than to bygyn wyth all I wyll aduyse you to put thys man / from your company I tell you / euery man wyll despyse you As long as ye / be ruled by innocency to folow suche counsell / yt ys but foly For he can neyther good neyther euyll and therfore he ys taken / but for a dryuyll Man . ¶ By my fayth / euyn as ye say It lyketh me not ryght well Wyth innocency longe to dwell therfore accordyng to your counsell I wyll not after thys day wyth hys company my selfe affere As me wet as yt were a gray frere I suppose there ys no man here what soeuer he be That could in in hys mynde be content all wayes to be called an innocent Wherfore yt ys myne intent to do as ye aduyse me the wor. ¶ ye hardely do euyn so Inno. ¶ Forsoth and I hold me well content to departe at your commaundement ye shall fynde me obedyent What soeuer ye byd me do ¶ Here innocencye goeth out , sensua ¶ So the company ys well amend Let hym go to the deuyll of hell He ys but a boy I warn you well and shuld ye folow hys counsell All myghty god defend yf euer ye sust to play the man It ys tyme that ye now bygan Mar● to play the boy now and than For your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It forceth not though ye do Wh●… ye may haue ●●ser therto And among I wyll helpe you also In due tyme and place the wor. ¶ ye that ye wyll indede But now syr wyll ye any thyng Commaund me byfore my departyng Man . ¶ Nothyng at all to my w●tyng But our lord haue you in hys kypyng And send you well to spede the wor. ¶ Worldly affeccyon come hyder / ye are polytyke and myche better enured / in thys world than I I pray you dyspose for me / as ye thynk most lyke That I may lyue here well and honorably the wor. ¶ ye syr I shall . Dout ye not hardely yf yt lyke you / to put me in so great trust And I trew ye shall fynde me / trew and iust Man . ¶ I wote well I shall . Surely you be bound To the world / that hath gyuen you so great cōmendacy●● the wor. ¶ ye syr some men had leuer than a thowsand pound They myght be commended / of the same fassyon But syr set passe / all thys commendacyon and answere to me / I pray you frutefully In that I shall meue you / substancyally ¶ Syr at few wordys / I you exhorte Syth that ye be come to your own Cast your selfe to bere suche a porte That as ye be / ye may be knowen Eke yt ys necessary / for that behoue that there be made / some maner of puruyaunce Wherby / ye may here out your countenaunce ¶ Wyll yt lyke you therfore that I suruey And se th extent / of all your land and there vppon / in all the hast puruey Both for you and yours / all maner of vyand wyth other vtensyttys / redy at your hand So that ye be purueyd / all tymes erely and late Of eche thyng / that belongeth to your estate Man . ¶ your counsell ye good / do as ye thynk best I commyt all suche thyng / to your dyscrecyon ¶ I shall do my trew / bysynes at the lest To bryng all thyngys / to good conclusyon Man . ¶ Abyde 〈◊〉 affeccyon / ye made no mencyon Who shuld awayt / and gyue attendaunce I must haue mo seruauntys / what so euer chaunce w. aff. ¶ What ye havue Sensualyte / 〈◊〉 neuer other counsell Of suche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can you best aduyse He knoweth where / all suche maner parsons dwell as be moste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worldly saruyce sensua . ¶ Then he goeth out . ¶ ye on my ●●rell syr / I shall take the enterpryse Of all suche maters / and loke where I fynde any man of pleasure / on hym set your mynde Lo wyll ye se lo / here cometh one Man . Euen the last man / that was in my thought ¶ What ys he . ¶ Sensua. ye shall se anon a well drawen man ys he / and a well taught That wyll not gyue hys hed for nought And therto goodly / as ye shall se in a day pry . co . As well apparelyd / at eche poynt of hys aray ¶ Who dwelleth here / wyll no man speke Is there no fole nor body peke Now by the bell yt were almys to breke Some of these knaues brows A gentylman comys in at the dorys That all hys dayes hath worn gylt sperys And none of thys knaues nor cutted horys Byddys hym welcom to house . ¶ Wote ye not how great a lord I am Of how noble progeny I cam My fader a knyght my my moder callyd madame Myne aunceters great estatys . And now the lyuelod ys to me fall By both theyre dethes naturall I am spoken of more than they all Hens to parys gatys . ¶ How say ye fyrst by myne aray Doth yt please you ye ornay In the best wyse I dare well say By that ye knowe me a whyle And one thyng I put you out of dout I haue wherwyth to bere yt out As well as any man here about Wythin these hundreth myse . 〈◊〉 scold capp 〈…〉 〈◊〉 yt cost hym 〈…〉 he 〈◊〉 there Pryde had a pull ¶ I loue yt well to haue 〈◊〉 here 〈◊〉 a wote byneth myne ere For euer more I stande in fere That myne nek shold take cold I knyt yt vp all the nyght and the day tyme kemb yt downryght And then yt cryspeth and shyneth as bryght as any pyrsed gold ¶ My doublet ys on laced byfore A stomacher of saten and no more Rayn yt snow yt neuer so sore Me thynketh I am to hote Than haue I suche a short gown Wyth wyde sleues that hang a down They wold make some lad in thys town a doublet and a cote ¶ Som men wold thynk that this were pryde But yt ys not so / ho ho abyde I haue a dagger by my syde yet therof spake not I I bought thys dagger at the marte A sharp poynt and a tarte He that had yt in hys hart Were as good to dye ¶ Than haue I a sworde or twayn To bere theym my selfe yt were a payne They ar so heuy that I am fayne to puruey suche a sad Though I say yt a praty boy It ys halfe my lyues ioy He maketh me laugh wyth many a toy The vrchyn ys so mad ¶ I begate the horson in bast It was done all in hast ye may se there was no wast Sometyme he serueth me at borde sometyme he bereth my two hand sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loke 〈◊〉 thy faders face ¶ But now to be that I com fore And of these thynges to speke no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me longeth fore To here some newelie I here say there ys a great state Com in to thys contray late And ys dysposed algate an housholder to be ¶ Fathers soule syrs / ye shall vnderstand That yf he kepe houshold in thys land I wyll threst in one hand who so euer say nay what so euer the man intend To appayre the world or to amend I wyl be wyth hym at that one end Hap what hap may ¶ I mete worldly affeccyon ere wyle From thys town skant a myle and he hath she wed me a praty whyle If I may put yt in vre He tellys me that Sensualyte Begynnys a great rular to be and yf yt be so / care not for me The mater ys cok sure ¶ Ey good lord what man ys that Fathers soule thys ys some great wat garcius . ¶ Thys ys he that ye seeke Pryde ¶ Se thys brat Thys boy ys passyng taunte Com behynd and folow me Set out the better leg I warne the garcius . ¶ yes in the best wyse trust ye me ale seygniour ale vouse auant Pryde ¶ Saluus to you syr . ¶ Man . into you also Whens are ye Pryde ¶ I shall tell you or I go But fyrst wold I speke a worde in no mo wyth thys saruant of yours sensua ¶ Wyth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye speke wyth me Pryde ¶ 〈◊〉 for god 〈◊〉 not Sensualyte sensua ¶ ●…es 〈◊〉 Pryde 〈◊〉 such a gentylman ye seme to be sensua ¶ your pox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all ●…owus ¶ Then Pryde speketh to Sensua. / in / hys ere that all may here Pryde

〈◊〉 Syr I vnderstand that this gentylman is borne to great 〈◊〉 and intendeth to inhabyt herein the contray . And I am a gentylman that alway hath be brought vp wyth great estatys and affeed wyth them and yf I myght be in lyke fauour wyth this gentylman I wold be glad therof / & do you a pleasure .

sensua ¶ Where ys your dwellynge Pryde ¶ I dwell her by sensua ¶ What ys your name Pryde ¶ Pryde sensua ¶ Pryde ? Pryde ¶ ye sykerly But I am cleped worshyp comenly In placys where I dwell . sensua ¶ Worshyp now in fayth ye saw trew ye be radix viciorum . Rote of all vertew . Pryde ¶ ye ye man ye wolde say so yf ye me knew . sensua ¶ Turd I know you well Syr ye are welcom as I may say I shall bryng you in seruyce yf I may And yf one man stand not in the way . Pryde ¶ One man what the deuyll ys he sensua ¶ By god one that loueth not the Nor me neyther . Pryde ¶ I pray the tell me what maner of man he ys And I shall gyue hym a lyft as I gesse sensua ¶ Wylt thou so doubtlesse . Pryde ¶ ye and that wythin a short processe In fayth I wyll not mysse . sensua ¶ Surely I can not spy the wayes how Pryde ¶ Let me alone I shall do well ynow Aquaynt me wyth that man and care not thou The mater shall spede sensua ¶ Hark cosyn fyrst spede thys mater And yf yender man make the not good chere As ony man that euer cam here Pryde ¶ Syr I shall tell the how / whan I am in To thy maysters seruyce I wyll fyrst begyn To set hys hart on a mery pyn And byd hym make good chere I wyll byd hym / thynk how he ys create To be a worthy potestate And eke that he ys predestynate to be a prynces pere And other thyngys more than thys I shall bryng that hart of hys To be more ho wt than yt ys By a dewys ase Specyally I wyll commend hys wyt That no man can amend yt And that he ys able therby to syt as a iuge in comen place And when I prayse hym thys wyse I thynke hys hart wyll begyn to ryse and after that vtterly despyse any opray counsell to here He shall trust all to hys own brayne and than wold Reason neuer so fayne Though he come and suche opry twayn He shal be neuer the nere sensua ¶ Surely thys conseyt ys well found I shall bryng the in seruyce for twaynty pound Pryde ¶ Gramercy brother I thynk me mych bound To the forthy curtesy But syr abyde here on thyng I wyll not be knowen that yt ys my sekyng sensua ¶ No more wold I for . xl . shelyng Let me alone hardely sensua ¶ Syr yf yt please you here ys come a straunge●… That neuer was aquaynted wyth you ere Somwhat shame fast and halfe in fere To put hym selfe in prese A goodly parsone be ye sure Both of countenaunce and of feature If he were drawn in portrayture And a good man doubtles ye and a wyse man at all Wyll yt please you that I hym call to s●…che wyth you . ¶ Ma. hyd h●…m com . ¶ S●… . I shall 〈◊〉 wyll ye come nere . sensua ¶ Syr hyd hym welcome for the maner sake Another day I am sure he wyll crake And say suche a gentylman dyd hym make ●…ery great chere Desyre hym for to dwell wyth you I tell you he ys a man for your prow And knoweth the world well I now No man better than he Man . ¶ Syr ye be welcom to thys place Pryde ¶ I thanke you syr / but I do you trespace to come thus homly . ¶ Sensua. ye a parlous case God wote ye are welcom heder On my fayth by my wyll ye shall dwell wyth vs styll Go nere to hym and task your fyll I leue you togeder ¶ ●…e goeth forth . Man . ¶ Now syr what haue ye to say to me Pryde ¶ No great thyng syr / but I come to se And to know what maner man ye be That all men prayseth so mouche Man . ¶ Prayse whom prayse they . ¶ Pryde . Mary you Man me . ¶ Pryde . ye syr I make myne auow They gyue you a praysyng good I now I harde neuer none suche and surely ye be ryght wurthy I se well now they do not ly and therefore I dyd my hyder hy To acquaynt me wyth you ●…ut ye may say that I am bold Man . ¶ Nay ye ar worth thy weyght of gold Me thenketh me to you myche behold I pray you what ys your name Pryde ¶ My name ys wurshyp . ¶ Man . Wurshpp now surely The world told me yt was my destyny To come to wurshyp or I dye Pryde ¶ Truly I am the same Man . ¶ Now wurshyp I pray you me tell your wysedom and also counsell ye can aduertyse me passyng well In thyngys that I haue to do Pryde ¶ In good sayth any thyng that I May do to your pleasure yt ys redy I am your own and pray you hartely That ye accept me so But where ye aske counsell of me Me semeth ye saue not your honeste Man . ¶ Myne honesty . Wherfore let se I pray you shew me why Pryde ¶ Mary syr for yt ys ryght fyttyng That a man of your behauyng Shuld haue alway suffycyent conyng Of worldly wyt and polycy To guyde hym selfe euery where And not to be led by the ere And beg wyt here and there Of euery iak a pye ye are well complexyond be ye sure And nature hath done on you here cure As myche as vpon any creature that euer I saw wyth myne eye And by lykylyhod syr I I wys ye haue wyt accordyng to all thys Dressys nature hath wrought a mysse And that ys not lykely Man . ¶ Now certayne thanked be heuen kyng I haue a ryght quyk vnderstandyng If ye shew me any thyng I can sone perceyue yt But I was forbyd by reason On myne own fantasye to ron Or to take any presumpcyon Of myne own wyt Pryde ¶ Sayd reason so . Mary fy on him knaue yt were better the hāgman where in his graue than euer the lewd fole shold haue the gouernaunce of you Man . ¶ Certayn nature aduysed me to folow reason what tyme that she Put me fyrst in auctoryte that I stand in now Pryde ¶ Alas alas man ye be mad I se well ye be but a very lad On my fayth I was very glad Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…e ha●… 〈◊〉 wyth a why●… 〈◊〉 vpon the b●…re hyp If I shuld you not greue He that wold lordshyp enioy And ●…laye euer styll the old boy Me semeth he doth but make a toy And ye wyll me beleue Man . ¶ ●…urshyp for goddys sake greue ye no●… Pryde ¶ I I wys ye ar but an ydeot I pray you syr make not me a sot I am no tryfler I haue bene in honour here to forne ye alow the counsell of a ●…arse borne Byfore myne I haue ytin scorne It ys a thyng I can not bere Man . ¶ Whom meane ye Reason Pryde ¶ ye that same daw Man . ¶ What ys he a wyse man Pryde ¶ ●…e ys astraw Bycause he kepys you vnder aw ye be therin blynd Man . ¶ And so doth he wythout faynyng for hyderto I myght do nothyng but after hye wyll and by ddyng And that groged my mynde Pryde ¶ Grouge 〈◊〉 yt ys no maruell hardely 〈◊〉 shall greue me certaynly As longe as I am in your cumpany To se you deme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wyse ye be now in good way but in fayth I lyke not your aray It ys not the fassyon that goth now a day For now there ys a new guyse It ys now●… Sayes a gon Syth that men bygan thys fassyon And euery knaue had yt anon Therfore at thys season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man th●…t setteth the●…eby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…wn honesty Man . ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certa●…nly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fre●…her than I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 re●…son ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in worldly affec●… Sensua. sensua ¶ 〈◊〉 ●…od and no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ye shall do 〈◊〉 ●…et ●…s ●…go To some tauern here bysyde Co●…on I can bryng you there and let theym alone wyth all thys ge●…e 〈◊〉 ye nothyng for the mater but let theym here abyde And ye wyll suffer and set theym alone ye shall se them deuyse you a new fassyon ●…hat all the world shall wonder theron Man . ¶ By god that wyll I do goodly but I pray you syrs do your dylygence for thys aray and spare none expence and for a whyle I wyll go hens And come agayne shortly ¶ ●…ere Man and Sensualyte go out . w. aff. ¶ Brother Pryde now the weyght Of all thys mater resteth in the Pryde ¶ Thus he thou shalt se me deuyse it euen streyght It ys but tapes that gere wyth me I haue none other study a dayes parde but how I may new fassyons fynde and theron I set all my labour and mynde ¶ Syr our mayster shall haue a gown That all the galandys in thys town Shall on the fassyon wonder It shall not be sowed but wyth a face by twyxt euery some a space Of two handfull a sonder ¶ Than a doublet of the new make Close byfore and open on the bak No sleue vpon hys arme Vnder that a shyrt as soft as sylk and as whyte as any mylk to kepe the carcas warm ¶ Than shall hys hosen be stryped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ And wh●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men wyll say 〈◊〉 huf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall se these fol●…s on hym gase and muse as yt w●…reon a mase New brought into the land w. aff. ¶ Ha ha ha now by the mary vyrgyn Thys wyll set hym on a mery pyn Euen as yt shuld be But euer I am in great fere That Reason wyll whyster hym in the ere and tome hys mynd clene fro thys gere Thys thynge fereth me Pryde ¶ Reason nay nay hardely He ys forsaken vtterly Syth I cam to hys company He wold not onys appere Neuerthelesse for a surte Worldly affeccyon I aduyse the as shortely as euer yt may be For spede of the mater To bryng hym shortly in acquayntaunce Wyth all the company of myne affyaunce and settheym gyue contynuall attendaunce Euery man bysyly after the propertye of hys offyce Than shall ye se hym vtterly dospyce Reasons counsell on waran●…yse and forsake hym vtterly sensua ¶ Nay nay syrs care ye nothynge That mater ys sped well and fyne Pryde ¶ Is yt so . ¶ Sensua. ye by heuen kyng . Euen as we sat togeder at the wyne w. aff. ¶ Thou shalt haue goddys blessyng and myne but ys yt true sensua ¶ ye syr by thys day Our mayster and Reason haue made a great fray Pryde ¶ Now so sensua ¶ 〈◊〉 farth we sat together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shuld come together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and margery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you ●…rde so pra●…ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last mornyng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whyle 〈◊〉 say ●…pyng Pryde ¶ I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye ●…ne well I now 〈◊〉 that ys nothyng to thys purpose 〈◊〉 on thy tale for god auow sensua ¶ I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had I wypt my nose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I spyde theym anon I rose an●… called theym vnto me by name And wythout more taryeng anon they came ¶ And sat down with vs / & made nothyng straung as they be full curteys / ye know yt well And anon our maysters colour bygan to chaunge wherof yt cam / I can not tell Hys chere was appalled / euery dell and scant that he coulde speke to me one word But s●…ert hym euen vp and rose fro the bord ¶ He sayd he wold go / ly down on a bed and prayd me for the maners sake That margery myght com hold hys hede Whyche as he told me / bygan to ake And so she hath hym vndertake To make hym hole / in an houre or twayne whan soeuer he hath any suche soden payn ¶ What yt meaneth I wote neuer But he syketh her phy●…yk so well That I trow the deuyll of hell Can not theym two dysseuer ¶ Lo thys haue I done / and what trow ye more yet can I tell you better tydyng ¶ Worldly aff. what ys that . sensua ¶ Mary Reason that ye two spake of byfore Ca●… euen to vs as we sat so drynkyng And gaue our mayster an hete worth an hangyng Bycause that margery sat on hys kne whyle that other hore sat talkyng wyth me ¶ My mayster saw that he coulde haue no rest Neuer be ryd of thys controllyng He prayed the man and thought yt best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ut more ta●…yeng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason so 〈◊〉 the hed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ruayll but he be now dede w. aff. ¶ 〈◊〉 ●…an fyll all t●…e cuppes at ones 〈◊〉 thys be trew sensua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer a word Pryde ¶ Trowyst thou yt ys no fayned stryfe Bytwyxt theym two sensua ¶ No on my lyfe . For whan they faught I ran bytwene and cryed kepe pece and leue debate But ye wold haue laughed had ye sene How I departed theym / and for all that Sometyme I clapped Reason on the pate and cryed kepe the pece as fast as I coude Tyll I was horse I cryed so loude w. aff. ¶ But can our master play the man now and fare wyth thys gere sensua ¶ ye make god auow And beware ye of one thyng Medyll ye no more wyth margery For by cokkys precyouse body If our mayster may yt espy Or haue an vnderstandyng That ye vse her company I tell you he wyll be angry He ys so full of ielosy As euer I knew man w. aff. ¶ Ielosy pece man be styll He can therof no maner of skyll sensua ¶ No but say what ye wyll I am sure he can ¶ He ys now as famylyer Wyth bodely lust as euer ye were ye and therto as great a swerer Whan tyme requyres Knew I neuer of hys age A man of better corage To do all maner of outrage After our desyres ¶ Syth Reason and he were thus at varyaunce He hath be full of suche dalyaunce And both called to hys fauour and a●…quayntaunce ●…ur 〈◊〉 by and by ●…uy wreth glotony and co●…se Slouth and lechery become to hys ser●…yce And vtterly he hatyth theyre 〈◊〉 And that he professeth o●…enly w. aff. ¶ And be these folke of hys retynue sensua ¶ ye euerychon on I tell you trew But mary there names be chaunged new For to blere hys eye I tell you he ys a serefull man For Reason styrreth hym now and than And therfore do we what we can It ys lytell I now hardely ¶ Syr a there ys fyrst Pryde as ye wot well The swete darlynge of the deuyll of hell How hys name ys chaunged ye can tell w. aff. ¶ ye mary on the best wyse Wurshyp I wene ys now hys name sensua ¶ ye by the rode euen the same And couetyse to eschue all blame Doth hys name dysgyse And calleth hym selfe worldly polycy Wreth bycause he ys somwat hasty Is called manhode . Then ys there enuy and he ys called dysdayn Glotony for good felyshyp ys taken and slouth hys old name hath forsaken And as fayre a name hath he shapen as euer man coulde ordayn He ys called ease ryght confortable to the blod Specyally for theym that luste to do no good and amonge all other I wold ye vnderstode That lechery ys called lust Lo these be fayre names parde Both good and honest as semeth me as for theyre condycyons what they be ye know well w. aff. ¶ ●…ery iust I know theyre condycyons on the best wyse yf they kepe styll theyre old gyse sensua ¶ yes that they do on warantyse w. aff. ¶ But yet I haue gr●…t maruay●… that couetyse shuld dwell in hys company sensua ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trouth so / and so haue I But one thyng I ensure you faythfully And that I haue espyed well that 〈◊〉 ●…derto our mayster setteth no store By hys councell nor hys lore Mary whan hys hed waxeth hore than shal be good season To folow couetyse and hys way ye tyme I now another day Euen so I hard our mayster say w. aff. ¶ By my fayth he sayd but reason but all the remanent be well retayned sensua ¶ ye be ye sure yt ys mater vnfayned And wote ye who ys gretely dysdayned With our mayster now Pryde ¶ Who sensua ¶ By god euen shamfastnes whan he shall do any suche excesse No shame can fere hym doubtles I may say to you Pryde ¶ No than the craft were nought but now syrs well bethought Syth the mater ys hereto brought It ys tyme for me To go and make some prouysyon Of garmentys after the new inuencyon As he commaunded me to be don therto must I se For yt ys commytted to my neglygence And yf he come hyder whyle I am hens I pray the excuse myne absens sensua ¶ ye and myne also Pryde ¶ Why wylt thou go wyth me sensua ¶ Wyll I ꝙ a ye parde It ys accordyng for Sensualyte Wyth Pryde for to go w. aff. ¶ Now the mater ys all most in good case After the world ys mynde and pleasure there ys no more / but now must I cupace Wyth all my wyt and besy endeuure how it may be stablysshed & contynued sure For a lytell fantasy of mannys own wyll May quayll thys mater and vtterly yt spy●… And yf he vary agayne of scrypyll ymagynacyon Or ellys by the suggestyon Of the forsayd reason One thyng I am certayne He wyll no lengar me support And that were a shrewd crank dor●… Therfore yt ys best that I resort to my maysters presence And se of what demeanour he ys I am gretely to blame I I wys For that I saw hym not or thys Syth he departed hens . ¶ ¶ He goeth out and Reason cometh in . Rea. ¶ O good lord / to whom shall I complayn And shew the sorowes of my mynde and nothyng for myne own cause certayn But onely for the decay of mankynde whyche now of late ys waxen so blynde That he hath dyspysed and forsaken me And foloweth euery mocyon of hys sensualyte ¶ What aduayled at the begynnyng that Nature comytted me to hys seruyce and charged me that byfore all thyng Of all hys gydyng I shuld take th enterpryse when he lusteth not to folow myne aduyse but foloweth thappety●… of hys sensuall affeccyon As a brute best that lakketh reson ¶ And yet not wythstandyng that he doth me dysdayn I wyll resort to hym agayn And do my labour and bysy payn To assay yf I can hym refrayn ●…ro suche bestly lyuyng but fyrst wyll I stande hereby In secrete maner to espy Some token of grace in hym wherby I may dyscerne and fynde that he hath any shamfastnes After hys great surfet and excesse And yf yt be so doubtles It sha●… content my my●… ¶ Man cometh in . ¶ I say syrs where ys wurshyp can ye tell In thys place I left hym last w. aff. ¶ Syr I warand you he ys occupyed well In ordeynyng your garmentys full fast He departed fro me in great hast For that intent / and so he desyred That I wold tell you whan nede requyred ¶ He shewed me hys mynde or he went How he had deuysed your garment And yf yt be made after that intent as he told me Whan ye were on that vestour Euery man shall do your honour as becummeth a man of your hauyour And so yt shuld be Man . ¶ ye but what wyll Reason say Whan he seeth me in that aray w. aff. ¶ Reason . Mary let hym go play To the deuyll of hell He promysed me at the begynnyng That ye wold no more be vnder hys gydyng Man . ¶ No but yet yt were accordyng To haue therin hys counsell Man wythout reson ys but blynde And yf I shuld speke after my mynde I can well a dyfference fynde Bytwyxt man and a beste Whan he hath Reason in presence and duely obeyeth hys saw and sentence w. aff. ¶ Why haue ye suche a spyced conscyence Now wythin your brest that chaungeth your mynde so sodenly I am sory and ashamed truely On your behalf Man . ¶ No force hardely Thouledest me all wrong and therfore wyll I no more folow the w. aff. ¶ Not worldly affeccyon ? Man . ¶ Nparde Nor yet thy brother Sensualyte I haue folowed you to long w. aff. . ¶ Is that your mynde Man . ¶ ye doubtles And now wyll I seke shamefastnes By whom I trust I shall redresse All my mysded w. aff. ¶ And syth thou wylt nedys to shame bowe I pray god send the shame I now and yet I trust make god auow Ones thou shalt haue nede To call me agayn to thy seruyce Man . ¶ Nay nay on warantyse Now syrs who can me aduyse what ys best to do ¶ Shamfastnes . ¶ Syr yf ye lust to haue myne acquayntaunce I am redy to geue you attendaunce Happely my seruyce shall you aduaunce I am called shamfastnes Man . ¶ By your trouth are ye the same sham . ¶ ye forsoth that ys my name Almys dedys I can attame And help for to represse whan ye haue done offence or syn yf ye wyll mercy and grace wyn wyth shame fastnes ye must bygyn Thys way must ye take Man . ¶ ye be the man wythout faynyng That I wysshed for / or ye cam here and glad am I now of your comyng Prayng you wyth hart entere whan I haue nede thus to com nere sham . ¶ So wyll I do ye may trust yt veryly Whan soeuer ye call ye shall fynde me redy ¶ He goeth out Rea. ¶ Syr ys yt your mynde to do as ye say Man . ¶ ye that ys yt as god me spede Hard ye all thys mater ye or nay Rea. ¶ yes that I dyd in very ded Man . ¶ O gostly reson I haue greter nede Of your help than euer I had byfore Help me now & I shall neuer forsake you more Syth I forsoke your cumpany I haue commytted myche foly I am ashamed certaynly when I thynke theron Bu●… now haue I refused 〈◊〉 All suche maner of cumpany and thre haue I done veryly Of myne own mocyon Rea. ¶ Than my help shal be redy as oft as ye me ta●… It ys my duety so for to do And of your offencys wyll I make no rehersall But what soeuer ye haue done hyderto To me ward set yt passe and go Agaynst god your offence ys great Of the whych mater I wyll not longe treat ¶ But thys confort of me ye shall haue yf ye be contryte as ye pretend God ys mercyable yf ye lust to craue Call for grace and sone he wyll yt send And be not in purpose hereafter to offend accustom your selfe in the wayes of vertue And be not in doubt grace wyll ensue Man . ¶ Syr yt ys my mynde and intent Hereafter to be your true obedyent and neuer more to assent To suche foly agayn Rea. ¶ And vpon that condycyon I take the vnto my tuycyon wyth all hartys affeccyon Neuer to part at wayn And for thys seson Here we make an end Lest we shuld offend Thys audyence / as god defend It were not to be don ye shall vnderstand neuerthelesse That there ys myche more of thys processe wherein we shall do our besynes and our true endeuure To shew yt vnto you after our guyse whan my lord shall so deuyse It shal be at hys pleasure ¶ Thus endeth the fyrst parte .