Of gentylnes and nobylyte A dyaloge betwen the marchaut the knyght and the plowman dysputyng who is a verey gentylman [et] who is a noble man and how men shuld come to auctoryte, compiled in maner of an enterlude with diuers toys [et] gestis addyd therto to make mery pastyme and disport.

¶ Of Gentylnes and Nobylyte .

A dyaloge betwen the Marchaut the Knyght and the plowman dysputyng who is a verey Gentylman & who is a Noble man and how men shuld come to auctoryte / compilid in maner of an enterlude with divers toys & geftis addyd therto to make mery pastyme and disport .

The marchaunt O what a gret welth and prosperyte It is to any reme where marchauntes be Hauing fre lyberte and entercours also All marchaundyse to conuey to and fro Whych thyng I haue vsed and the verey fet found And thereby gotton many a thousand pownd Wherfore now be cause of my grete ryches Thoroughowt this land in euery place doubtles I am magnyfyed and gretly regardyd And for a wyse and noble man estemyd The knyght Maister marchaunt I here you ryght well But now in presumpsion me thynk ye excell To call yourself noble in presence here I I wys men know what your auncestours were And of what grete stock descendid ye be Your fadyr was but a blacke smyth perde March . ¶ Why syr what than what be you I pray you Knyght ¶ Mary I am a gentylman I wold ye know And may dispend yerely v. C. mark land And I am sure all that ye haue in hand Of yerely rent is not worth v. markys M ¶ But I wold thou knewist for all thy krakkys I am able to bye now all the land That thou hast and pay for it out of hand Whych I haue got by myn own labour and wit K ¶ Yet art thou but a chorle and I haue a skorn Thou shuldist compare with me a gentylman born M ¶ Why what callyst thou a gentylman tel me K ¶ Mary I call them gentylmen that be Born to grete landys by inherytaunce As myn auncestours by contynuaunce Haue had this v. C. yere of whom now I Am desendid and commyn lynyally Beryng the same name and armys also That they bare this v. C. yere agoo Myn auncestours also haue euer be Lordys Knyghtes and in grete auctoryte Capteyns in the warr and gouerners And also in tyme of pease gret rulers And thyn were neuer but artysycers As smythꝭ masonꝭ carpentars or weuars M ¶ All that is trewth I wyl not denye now Yet I am more gentylman born than thou For I call hym a gentylman that gentilly Doth gyf unto other men louyngly Such thing as he hath of hys own pper But he that takith ought away from a nother And doth gyf hym no thyng agayn therfore Owght to be callyd a chorle euermore But myn auncestours haue giffyn alwey To thyn auncestours such thyng as they By their labours did trewly get and wyn For myn auncestours bildid howsis wherein Thyne auncestours haue had their dwellyng place Also myn auncestours haue made tolis To all maner crafti men belongyng Wherby clothis and euery other thyng Where of thyn auncestours nede haue had With the same tolys haue euer be made So myn auncestours haue gyffin their labours Euer to confort and help thyn auncestours K ¶ I deny that euer th auncestours of thyne Did euer gif to the auncestours of myne At any tyme any thyng except that they Gafe some what therfor other ware or money M ¶ Mary god a mercy Iohn for that now That is euyn a pyg of our own sow How can lordys & estatis haue ought in store Except th artyfycers do get it before For all metalis be dyggyd furst by myners And after wrought by the artyfycers woll fell and euery other thyng That is necessary to mannys coueryng And all other thyngis that men vse & were Is al wey made by the artyfycer K I graunt that the artyfycers do make it But be cause comenly they haue lytell wyt Gentylmen that haue landys & domynyon Of all such ryches haue most possessyon For reason wyll euer it shuld so be wyse men to haue folys in captyuyte M Mary as for wyt & subtell inuencyou Myne auncestours wyth thine may make cōꝑison For though my fader were a smyth what than yet was he a meruelous quyk wyttyd man And coud work as well for hys ꝑt As any in this land vsyng that art And deuyse new fassyons in chynges that he made That euery man to bye hys ware was glad And carue & graue in yron & stele Both Image & letters meruelously wele And ther on ley gold & gylt it also Fyne & pure as any gold smyth coud do My grauntfader also was a mason Of grete wyt as any in thys regyon And coud byld a castell & tour ryght well In whych some of thy kynnysmen now do dwell where in aperyth ryght good masonry wyth Immagys & armys wrought curyously My grete graundfadyr lo was a weuer Of wollyn yarn & of other gere And made meruelous pleasaunt workis to behold Lynyn dyaꝑ sylk & cloth of gold All such subtell thyngis as I haue rehersyd lo Myne auncestours by theyr wyttis coud work & do And as for thyne auncestours I know no thyng Thei coud do bi their wittis worth of praisyng But vse occupi & wast euer more Such thyngis as myn auncestours 〈◊〉 before And thou & thie auncestours 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 Of such thingis wrought 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 Of other men oughtist not be praysed therfore But the prayse ought to be gyuen euer more To the artyfycer whych by hys wyt It deuysyd and so connyngly wrought it wherefore yf thou sey that wyt & polesy Be the thyngꝭ perteynyng to gentry Thyn auncestours may neuer compare wyth , mine For theyr actis proue them wyser than thyne For thyn dyd neuer no thyng in theyr days Concernyng quyk wyt that was worthy prays K yes I wis lewd Iauell I wold thou knewist it Myn auncestours haue had more wysedome & wyt Than thyne haue had & coud do also Many thynges that thyne coud neuer do for in the contrey at sessyons and syse They haue be electe to be Iustyce And for theyer wyt and grete dyscressyon They haue Iuggyd and donne correccyon Uppon thyne auncestours artyfycers That haue made false warys & ben dysseyuers And holpe for to maynteyn euery thynge That ys to the comyn weith pteynyng They haue ben also in tyme of warr Both in thys land & other courreys farr Dukrs & leders of the hole army And by theire wyttis & warly polycy Study forecast & dilygent trauayle Haue won many a grete fyld & batayle And thyne auncestours that were there were neuer able to bere shyld nor spere And were neuer but soldyars & pyoners Nor neuer had wysdome to be rulers But because myn auncestours haue euer be Dyscrete & wyse they haue had anctoryte M Nay nay thyne auncestours cam neuer all To auctoryte for wysdome p̄ncypall For though some were wise yet some of them agayn Had small discression lytyll wyt or brayn But because of the long contynuannce Of theyr grete possessions by enherytaunce By the folysh maner of the worlde we see For that cause euer they haue had auctorite K And I say that good reason agreth to it For though the fader haue no grete wyt The sone that is wyse shuld neuer the more Lose hys land or auctoryte therfore For he that by study dylygens & payn Grete landys or possessyons doth attayn Hys owne lyfe is to shorte & to lyte For to take the frute of his meryte Reason wolde therfore that after hys lyfe Hys heyrs before straungers haue p̄rogatyfe And the contynuaunce of such possessyons Makyth noble men & gentyll condycyons And they whos blode hath long contynued As gentylmen so they shuld be honoured And so myn auncestours long tyme haue be Grete possyssyoners and in auctoryte Therefore consyderyng my grete lynage My blode my noble byrth and parentage Thou art not able to compare with me Nother in gentylnes nor in nobylyte ¶ Here the plouman commith in with a short whyp in hys hand & spekyth as folowith Plow . ¶ Nowhere is bybbyll babbyll clytter clatter I hard neuer of so folysh a matter But by goddys body to speke the troth I am better than other of you bothe K Auaunt kanker de chorle fro whens commyst thou P Mary folysh peuysh daw euen fro my plow Now sayst woldyst any thyng there withall M ye mary thou lewyd vyllayn & rud raskall It is for the full yll besemyng To ꝑturb any gentylmens talkyng P ¶ Gentylmen ye gentylmen Iak heryng Put your shone in your bosome for weryng I accompt myself by goddys body Better than you bothe and more worthy K Auaunt knaue get the out of the gate Or I shall lay my sworde on thy pate P That shall I proue I make god auow Neuer in better tyme haue at the now Et verberat eos M Now holde thy hand felow I the pray And harkyn what I shall to the say P Sey knaue say what canst sey M Holde thy hand I pray the & com no narr I am a marchaunt & no man of warr K Thou art not honest I tell the playnly To make any quarrel here so sodaynly To ꝑturb our communycacyon P Here ye may se syrs by goddys passyon Two proude folys make a crakkyng And when it commyth to poynt dare do no thyng M Our commyng hyder & our entent ys not to fyght but by way of argument Euery man to shew hys oppinyon To see who coude shew the best reason To proue hym self noble & most gentylman P By god all the reasons syth ye began That ye haue made therof be not worth a fly K ¶ No syr I pray the than tell me why P ¶ Furst as touchyng noblenes I say Ther is nother of you both dyd proue or lay Ony of your actys wherby that ye Shulde in reason proue you noble to be Or therby deserue any maner praysyng But all the effect of your arguyng To proue your noblenes was but only Of the deddys & actis of your auncestry And of the actis that your auncestours did before ye at the nobler neuer the more K ¶ As touchyng my self I dare make compison Of as noble dedys as he hath any done For I am & haue ben one of the cheualry At the commaundement of my prynce euerredy And euery tyme of warr haue be captayn And leder of a . M. men or twayne And with hors & harnes spere and sheld Haue Ioydyd my body in euery felde The rentis of my landys haue spende lyberally And kept a grete house contynually And holp to ponyssh theuys & brybers alwey To the grete tranqaylyte of my contray And you maister merchaunt wyt neuer take labour Except it be for your proffet and lucoure Plow . Go to go to now master marchaunt There is a reason that gyuyth you a taunt I trow more than you can answere well M ¶ Nay I I wys pyvysh & rude Iak Iauell I can make an answere so substancyally wher to nother of you is able to reply K If thou canst answere my reason do M That can I well doo . P. Then go to fole go to M I say the comyn well of euery land In fete of marchauntdyse doth pryncypally stand For if oure commoditees be vtteryd for nought In to strange landis and no ryches brought Hydyr therfore / we shuld come to beggary And all men dryffyn to lyf in mysery Then we noble marchauntis that in this reame be what a grete welth to thys land do we we vtter our warys & by theyrs good chepe And bryng them hyder that grete proffet And pleasure dayly commyth to this regyon Too all maner people that here do won Forthermore ye see well with youre eyes That of straynge landis the commodytees we haue such nede of them that be there That in no wyse we may them for bere As oyle sylkis frutis & spyces also Golde syluer yryn & other metall is moo All drāmys & druggys longyng to physyke whych men must nedes haue when they be seke whych in thys reame can not well grow Our contrey is to colde & not hote I now with out whych thyngis we shulde lyfe in mysery And oft tymes for lak of them we shulde dye And I spende my studi & labour contynually And cause such thyngis to come hyder dayly For the comfort of thys land & commen welth And to all the people grete , pffer & helth And for such noble dedys reason wyll than That I ought to be callyd a noble man And nother of you both that here now be In noblenes may accompare with me P Now well hit by goddes body well hit Of one that hath but lyttyll wyt Answere me one worde furst I pray the what is the noblest thynge that can be K what saist thou therto thi self let see P Is not that the noblyst thyng in dede That of all other thyngis hath lest nede As god which beynith etern in blysse Is not he the noblest thyng that is K yes mary no man in reason can that deny P ¶ well than there is no reason therof why But because he is the thyng omnipotent And is in him self so suffycyent And nedyth the helpe of no nothyr thyng To the helpe of hys gloryous beyng But euery other thyng hath nede of his ayde M ¶ Mary that is very trouth & well sayde P And lykwyse that thynge that hath most nede Is the thyng that is most wreched So suffycyency is euer noblenes And necessyte is euer wrechydnes And he that hath more nede of that thyng For the preteruacyon of hys lyuyng Then his felow hath his felow must nedis be By thys same reason more noble than he what than . P. by the same reason it prouith lo ye be but caytyffꝭ & wrechis both two And by the same reason proue I shall That I am the noblyst man of vs all For I haue nede of no maner thyng That ye can do to help of my lyffyng For euery thyng whereby ye do lyf I noryss it & to you both do gyf I plow I tyll & I ster the ground wherby I make the corn to habounde whereof ther is made both drynk & bred wych the which dayly ye must nedis be fed I noryss the catell & fowlys also Fyssh & herbis & other thyngie mo Fell herr & woll whych the bestis do bere I noryssh & preserue which ye do were which yf ye had not no dowt ye shuld Starue for sak of clothis because of colde So both you shulde die or lyue in necessite If ye had not confort & help of me And as for your fyne cloth & costly aray I cannot see whi ye ought or mai Call your self noble because ye were it which was made bi other menis labour & wit And also your dilicate drinkis & viand Bi other menis labours be made so pleasand Therefore mayster marchaunt now to you I sei I can not see but I am able & mai Lyf wythout you or your purueaunce Lyue wythout you or your purueyaunce For of fode & cloth I haue suffisaunce Of my self for lyffing necessary And now sir knyght to you I sey playnly I see not that ye can any thyng do For the commyn well or ought longyng therto But ech man beyng in auctoryte Hauyng wit may do it as well as ye Therfore to spek now of necessyte Ther is nother of you both but ye be In more nede than I therfore I sey playn I am more noble than other of you twayn Now that is a folysh reason so god me saue For by the same reason thou woldyst haue Eueri best fyssh & other foule than To be more noble of birth than a man For man hath more nede of bodely coueryng Than they haue for they nede no thinge The bestis haue herr & also a thik skin The fissh skalis or shelis to kepe theyr bodyes in The foulis fethirs & so eueri thing Bi nature hath his proper couering Saue man himself which is born all nakyd And therfore he shuld be than most wrechyd P ¶ Mary no man can make a better reason For that is a sure & a trew conclusyon For if a child when he is furst born were not holp & coueryd he were sone lorn He hath no strenght to help hym neuer a dell yet bestis haue power to help them self well ¶ So consideryng manns body in dede A best is more noble & man more wrechyd Be cause he hath nede of many mo thyngis Than bestis haue to help of theyer lyffyngis Also man must dayly labour & swete To get hym sustynaunce as drynk & mete The grownd he must dyg & the bestis kyll For brede and mete his bodi to fyll Grapis frutis and herbis norssh dyligently To make good drynkis to refressh his body But all brut bestis haue coueryng natural Sufficyent to couer their bodyes with all And fynd theyr fode euer on the grownd redy with out any payn labour or study So eueri man by reason of hys body Is more wrechyd & in more mysery Than bestis be / yet thus not wythstandyng Man is most noble of creaturis lyuyng Not by hys body for that is impotent But by hys soule beyng so excellent For by reason of hys soule intyllectyue He subde wyth all other bestis alyue And compellyth all other bestis that be By hys wit to releue his necessyte But bestis haue no wyt them self to defende Nor can get no more than god hath them send For take any best that weryth heer And do clyp it of bare agayns wynter That best hath no maner of polecy To get other coueryng for hys body Of cloth nor skyns nor hath no wyt To put it vppon hym though one haue made it Nor can byld no house nor kyndyl no fyre To warme hys body yf nede shuld requyre But yet a man hath wyt & vnderstandyng For to help hym self in euery such thyng So man for his soule intellectuall Is most noble creature of bestis all M ¶ That is a verey good & preguant reason yet me thynkith thou makist a degression From the argument that we furst began which was to proue who was most gentylman whych we disputyd I wold thou haddist hard it P ¶ Tussh I hard what ye seyd everi whit K ¶ Then shew thy reason therin or thou go P ¶ Nay be god I haue some what ells to do I must go by me a halporth of gresse The spokes of my cart therwith to dresse Trow ye that I wyll leue my bysynes For your babelyng pomp & folysshnes Nay by sent mary I wyll not do so For I can now to the merket goo And for an haipeny as much gresse by As shall cost me in our town a peny And I tell the playnly with out any bost A halpeny is as well sauid as lost P ¶ Straw for an halpeny therin is no wast Tary with vs a while phapps thou mast By our acquayntaunce now here get more Than thou gatist with thy cart this monyth before P ¶ Straw for thi councell torde a fart Trowist I wyll gyf up my plow or cart And folow thy folish appityte and mynde Nay I am not yet so mad nor so blynd For when I am at my cart of plow I am more meryer than other of you I wold not chaunge my lyf nor my lyffyng For to be made a grete lorde or a kyng There is no ioy nor pleasure in this world here But hyll bely fyll and make good chere Be if prynce lorde gentilman or knaue Hit is all the ioy that here be can haue But these couetous and ambicious wretches They set there myndys in honoure and ryches So much that they be neuer content So they lyf euer in payn and torment But a man that can this meanys fynd To haue fode and cloth and a mery mynde And to desyre no more than is nedefull That is in this worlde the lyf most ioyfull Which lyfe in this worlde no man shall acquire Till he subdew his insaciat desyre M ¶ I see well thou has a curst apysh wit Then yf thou wylt depart I pray the yet Come agayn when thy bisines is doo P ¶ For what intent now shuld I do so M ¶ For we will in owre olde argument prosede Who shulde be callyd a gentylman in dede And we wolde be glade to here thy reason P ¶ I wyll come agayn uppon a condicion That ye wyll wayt uppon me both twayn And be not out of the way when I come agayn K ¶ We wyll not be farr hens P. then I wil not fayle M ¶ Then I pray the let not the pmise quaile P ¶ Lo here is my fynger now trust me well I will come agayn yf I haue my hele For by god I promyse you one thyng I am as trew of my worde as the Kyng But if I fynde you not here then by my trough I shall call you oppenly false knauys both M ¶ Thou shalt fynde us trew in euery thyng P ¶ I thynk so / except lyeng and stelyng K Then far well for a season a dew Then fare ye well both I dare say as trew As some that be tyede in newgate M well now he is gone god speed well his gate But what shall we do now the meane season K Let us take now some recreacyon And come agayn here and keep our poyntment M Now therto I am ryght well content And in the meayn wyle good lord of thy grace Preserue all the people here in this place Amen Finis prime partis

¶ Secunda pars The Plouman P Here I may walk and wander to and fro But I se not them whych I wold speke to M Yes by rode here we be both twayn To whom thou dydyst promys to mete here agayn To dyspute the questyon that we began whych of us coud proue hym most gentylman K Thou seydest thou hardyst our argumentes all P so dyd I nother good nor substancyall For thy folysh and pyuysh oppynyon was because of the grete domynyon Of the landis and rentis wher to thou wast bore whych thyn auncestours had long tyme before Thou thynkyst thy self a gentylman to be Ant that is a folysh reason semyth ne For when adam dolf and eue span who was then a gentylman But then cam the churl and gederyd good And ther began furst the gentyll blood And I thynk verely ye do beleue That we cam all of adam and eue Then to speke by reason grete possessions Make no gentylmen but gentyl condycyons That is the cause and best reason why One shuld be callyd a gentylman truly And forthermor mark well this reason then If a mannis auncestours haue be gentylmen And verteous and good to commyn well That ought to be reputyd neuer adell To the prayse of the chylde whych doth refuse Such good condycyons & the contrary vse But he ought to be dyspraysyd the more Because hys auncestours hath shewid hym before A precedent of gentylnes & vertew whych good example he dothe not infew For the gentylnes of hysblode clery In hym doth decay & vtterly dye So he that vsyth condycyons verteous Though that hys auncestours were vycyous Ought not to be dyspraysyd therfore But ought to be honoryd & praysyd the more K yet me thynkyth more honor shulde be gyffyn To hym whych ys of noble blood & kyn P Then yf thou wylt loke honoured to be Be cause of thy blod then mark well & see The vylyst beggar that goth by the dore Had ye not both one god & creature ye cam of one furst stok & progenye Both of adam & eue ye wyll not denye The beggar & thou wer both do wtles Lonseyuyd & born infylth & vncleannes Thy blood & the beggars of one colour be Thou art as apt to take seknes as he yf thou be in the body woundyd Thy flessh is as yll as his to be helyd Alas I haue knowen many or thys So proud of theyr byrth that all theyrlyffys wold gyf them to no labour nor lernyng whych brought them to myserable endyng That in pouerte wrechydly dyd dye Or fallyn to theft & hangyd therfore full hye So I sey vertew & good condycyons than Is that whych makyth the very gentylman And though the fadyr may bequeth to hys son Hyts ryches hys land & hys possess yon yet may he nothyr gyf nor vequeth Unto hym in no wyse after hys deth Hys vertew nor hys gentyl cōdyeyons They can not descend as other possessyons And yf thou wylt be a gentylman nedys Thou must than vse vertew & gentyll dedys K Why desyre men then prayse euermore Of the actis of theyr auncestours done before P One cause ther of ys for lak of lernyng They ꝑseyue not the reason of the thyng Another is be cause ther be many That call them self gentylmen vnworthy whych lyfe voluptuously & bestyall And do no good in the world at all But lyse in pryde slouth & vnthrystynes And be cause they haue no maner goodnes Nor properte nor vertew in them wher by Any man shulde thynk them any prayse worthy Therfore they seke for commendacyon Of the actis that theyr auncestours haue done M Then Imeruell men desyre to be callyd Of the blode of them that excellyd In worldly honour as kyngis & emperours where some were tyrantꝭ some were conquerours And few desyre to be callyd of theyr blod whych haue ben callyd Iust men verteous & good And vsyd indifferent Iustyce & equyte Mekenes abstynens or wylfull pouerte P yf I shuld tell the the verey cause trew It is because they loue no such vertew whych vertew & gentyll condycyons shuld be Longyng to gentylmen of properte K If gentyl condycyons be the cause lo Tken wyll I compare with both you two For I haue vsyd euer gentyll maner And so haue myn auncestours that before were For fursto : all when thys worlde began Long after ther were but few people than Men had suffycyent of euery thyng wyth oute gret labour for fode & clothyng All thyng was in commyn among them doutles But after warde when people dyd increse Ich man to increse hys pleasure & volupte Of goodis & landes desyryd properte wereof grete sttyf & debate dyd aryse Then such as mie auncestours were that werewyse Did studi to make laws how the people myght be Lyssyng to gedyr in pease & vnyte And agayns enmiys alwey defendyd The people that tyllyd the ground & laboryd The people pseyuyng than theyr goodnes Theyr gret wyt dyscressyon & gentylnes were content to gyfe them ꝑt of the proffet Comyng of theyr landis whych they dyd get As corn catell & such thynꝭ as they wan But after when that coyn of money began They chaungid those seuenuse & were content To gyfe them in money an ānyell rent So for theyr good & vetteous condycyons They cam furst to landꝭ & possessyons So possessyons began & were furst found Uppon a good & resonable ground P By goggꝭ swete body thou lyest falsely All possessions began turst of tyranny For when people began furst to encrese Some gafe them self all to Idylnes And wold not labour but take by vyolence That other men gat by labour & dylygence Than they that labouryd were fayne to gyfe Them ꝑt of theyr gettingꝭ in peas of lyfe Or ellis for theyr landis money a porcyon So possessyons began by extorcyon And when such extorsyoners had oppressyd The labouryng people than they ordeynyd And made laws meruelous strayte & hard That theyr heyris myght inioy it afterward So the law of inhetyaunce was furst begon whych is a thyng agayns all good reason That any inherytaunce in the world shuld be K That is a shamefull opynyon semyth me For when I haue labouryd & by grete study Gat & purcheysyd landys truly It is good reason that I haue lyberte To gyfe those landis to whom it lyketh me Or ellis to let them descend lynyyally To my chyld or cosyn of my blod most nye For inherytaunce must nedys be a good thyng Because so much good therof is procedyng Euery man to hys blod such loue doth bere Because the land shall descend to hys heyre Be wyll byld theron & the land improw And make corn & grasse to encrese & grow Graft frute set trecs & norysh tymber And to incresse fyssh make pondys wyth water Stok busshis & wedes whych dystroy herbage And all baren ground bryng to tyllage And amend the hye wayes that be ther about And do many other good dedis no dowt For the profet of hys heyrys that shal be And for the commyn welth of his countre which thyngꝭ surely he wold neuer intend yf the land shuld not to hys heyre descend P ¶ By thy reason no nothyr thyng is ment But a good dede vppon an yuell intent when men for loue or pryd do such good dedis The dyuell therfore shall quyt them theyr medys K whyder god or the deuyll quyt them therfore Is now to our purpose neuer the more For theyr myndis & intentꝭ no man can tell But touchyng in herytaunce thys I wot well Much good commyth therof & dayli doth grow P Nay mych Ill commyth therof I shall proue how For these men that be of gret possessyons Unto theyr blod haue such affeccyons Yf any land lyke them that lyeth nye them Of theyr pore neghbors they wyll distroy them Or by extort meanys they wyll them compell The land for half the worth to them to sell And when they lake money they wyl alwey Euer borow & neuer wyllyng to pay And when they shall dye ye see the experience Few of them haue remors of consyens To make any maner restytucyon Of any land so wrongfully gotton K Thou hast spoke fore agayns gentylmen But what seyst thou of marchaundꝭ then P Many be good and worshipful also And many charitable dedis they do Byld churchys & amend the hye ways Make almys howsys & help many decays But some be couerous & full falsely Get theyr good is by dysseyt & vsury And when they haue a . M. li. in theyr cofers They wyll rathyr suffer theyr neyghbers To sterue for hunger & cold & to dye Or they wyll gyfe to help them a peny And yet more ouer when any of them be Promotyd to rule or auctoryte They dysdayn all lernyng law & reason And Iugge all by wyll & affeccyon M Thou art but a rayler to speke so sore Agayne gentylmen & marchauntis euermore Be not plowmen & other that dryfe the cart And such rusticall felows as thou art Fals shrews & lyfe as vycyously also As gentylmen of landis & marchauntis do K yes this vylleyn carters almost echon Haue nother conscyens nor deuocyon For brybe & stele euery thyng they wyll If they may secretly come theruntyll And as for prayer & dyuyne seruyce They loue them in no maner wyse Nor neuyr wolde labour nor work do If nede of lyffyng drofe them not therto P yet gentylmen & the rych marchauntis that be Use mych more vyce & iniquyte M why thynkyst all marchauntis & gentylmen nought P Nay I sey not so that is not my thought I am not yet so folysh nor so mad For I know many good though some be bad yet some wyll suffer hys dettis vnpayd to be And dye and Ieoꝑd hys soule rather than he wyil any of hys landis mynysh and empayre That shuld after hys deth come to hys heyre And some of them so proud be of theyre blod And vse small vertew and doo lytyll good But gyfe all theyre myndys and theyre study To opprese the pore people by tyrrany And some of them thynk thys for a surete It is the most honour to them that can be To the able for to doo extorcyon And to mayntayn it wythout punycyon K Bi goggrs swet bodi thou art a stark knaue Noble men and gentylmen so to depraue P what thou proud horeson fole whom dost thou knaue I trow thou woldist a good blowe or two haue wyth a good whypstoke to tech the curtesy K Auant beggerly knaue I the defye P what wylt thou wage battell by & by now That shall I proue strayght I make god auowe Et hic verberat eos M Kepe the peace masters hold your handys for shame To make thys besynes ye be gretely to blame ye wyll dysturb all thys hole company P Nay mary it is a cause to make them mery To walke such a proude foole is but sport & gāe K By cokkys body were not for wordly shame I shuld cut thy flesh or ellis see thy herte blode M Sir hold your tong your wordis be nothyng good we lose here with thys lewyd altereacyon Mych good pastyme and recreacyon P why what better pastyme her canst thou haue Then to here one to call an other knaue And see such a proud foole walkyd with a whyp M But I loue it not therfore of felyshyp Leue thys brablyng and with good argument Trye the matter that is nost conuenyent P Nay I wyll trye it how so euer he wyll Be it with wordys or dedis I wyll answere hym styll For be god yf he wyll not be content To be concludyd by good argument I wyll conclud hym one way or that I goo Or I shall proue it on hys pate that shall I doo K Thow spekyst lyk a clerk that hath lyttyll wyt when a case is put yf he can not soyle it By no maner reason that he can ley Then wyll he answere hym thys wyse & sey Beware what ye sey syr now I aduyse you for it is treason or herysy that ye spek now To th entent to rebuke hym opynly Before the vnlernyd people that stand therby And if he can no colour of such thyng fynd Then wyll he vex and chafe in hys mynd And cast owt some lewd wordis of quarelyng To torn the hole matter to chydyng & fyghtyng And so dost thou now lyke one that were mad P Nay I wold thou knewist thou folysh lad I am nother mad nor dronken yet For myn oppynyon I haue well prouyd it By substancyall reason and argument That enherytaunce is not conuenyent And shewyd better reasons than thou canst doo K Nay thy reasons may soone be answered vnto For god defende that estates of enherytaunce Shuld be dystroyed for by that good ordynaunce Gentylmen of landes vndoutydly Brynge vp theyr chyldren full honourably Some put to the scole to lerne connynge To instruct the people in vertuous lyuynge Some made to be actyfe in marcyall dedis Able to defend the land when nede is And the rustycall people that haue no land Such thyngꝭ be not able to take in hand wherfore yf we shuld dystroy enherytaunce we shulde destroy all good rule and ordynaunce P But such men as haue gret rentis and landis And no estate but terme of theyr lyuys And euery thyng theron wyll norysh and saue For the grete zele & loue that they only haue To the commyn welth of theyr contrey And for god sake lo these people be they That be worthy to haue possessyons And such people of vertuouse condycyons And no nother shuld be chosyn gouernours & thei shuld haue landꝭ to maintain their honours Terme of theyr lyuys as long as they take payn For the commyn welth thys is good reason playn So that noman owght to haue any land But such as be apt and haue charge in hand For the commyn welth as pryncys and rulers Bysshoppis curatis prechers and techers Iugges mynysters and other offycers That of the commyn welth be executers And valyant men of the chyualry That be bounde to defende the people dayly Such men as be apt to all such thyngꝭ Shuld haue landis to mayntayne theyr lyffyngꝭ So enherytaunce is not besemynge To let them haue landis that can do no such thing Nor I thynk it not resonable nother One man to lyf by labour of an nother For ych man is borne to labour truly As a byrde is to fle naturally Nor a man ought not to haue such lyberte To lefe landis to hys chyld wher by that he Shall lust for to lyfe in slouth & gloteny Compellyd to do nought but lyfe voluptuously M There is alway good remedy for that That is to compell them to do som what So that ych man hauyng enherytaunce Haue some auctoryce and gouernaunce wherein he shulde take payne and besynes To coustrayn hym to eschew Idelnes P Then thys grete myschef shuld folow of hit Oft tymes they shuld rule that haue lyttyll wyt Or disposyd to be proud & couetous Or to lyfe after theyr lustis voluptuous which yf such men had auctoryte Many thyngꝭ no dowte mys orderyd shuld be where Iustyce shuld be / there wold be tyranny where peas shuld be warr debat & enuy So there is no good reason that I can se To proue that any enherytaunce shuld be K yes that shall I proue by good auctoryte For rede in the byble and thou shalt therin see God sayd to abraham tibi dabo Terram hanc et semine tuo whych is as much to say to expounde yt trew I shall gyfe thys land to the and thyn yssew Here is a good proue that it was goddes wyll . That Abraham and his blode shulde continew styl As possessyoners and haue the gouernaunce Of that lande as theyr propre enherytaunce P Thou answerest me now euen lyke a fole As some of these fonde clarkes that go to scole when one putteth of them a subtyll questyon Of phylozophy to be prouyde by reason whan they haue all theyr wyttes & reason spende And can not tell how theyr parte to defende Than they wyll aledge some auctoryte Of the lawes or elles of deuynite whiche in no wyse men may denye And yet ye knowe well that of phylozophy The pryncyples oft contraryant be Unto the very groundꝭ of deuynite For the phylozophers agre here vnto Quod mundus fuit semper ab eterno And deuynys quod in principio oim Creauit deus terram et celum But thou dydest promyse openly euen now Onely by naturall reason to proue how That enherytaunce ought for to be had M ¶ By gogges body syrs I holde you bothe mad ye be lyke some woman that I knowe well when they wolde any matter vnto a man tell They wyll tell .xx. talys by the way Nothynge to purpose to the matter that they Dyd furst intend to tell and declare And in lyke maner now both ye do fare For ye dyspute now whytheyr enherytaunce Be a resonable thyng or a good ordynaunce whych is a matter no thyng perteynyng To the questyon mouyd at the begynnying For the questyon was whych of vs all thre Coud proue hymselfe most gentylman to be K As touchyng that we haue all spoke & sayd Ich man for hys ꝑt as much as can be sayd P Nay I haue yet reasons last wherby I can proue my selfe of vs all most gentylman That nother of you both can voyde by reason M If thou haue ought ellis to say now speke on P Then to you both answer me thys short clause Is not gentyll condycyons the most princypall cause To make one to be a gentylman K Paraduenture it may be so what than peraduenture qd a Nay I shall proue that by examples many on For musyke makyth one a musycyon Grammer to be good gram̄areon And also geomytry a godd geometryeyon And chorlysh condycyons a chorle for to be And so of euery other estate & degre And where gentyll condycyons be doutles In any person there is gentyllnes Than as vertew makyth a good man So gentyl condycyons a gentylman M All those poyntis I thynk must nedys grauntyd be what arguyst more therot forth let vs see P How seyst than to pryde wrath & ennuy K They be nought & euyll I thynk verely P what is mekenes pacyens & charyte K Euerychone a gentyll & good ꝓꝑte P what is couetous & lyberalyte K The furst good the other nought for surete P what is gloteny sloth & lechery K They be nought all who can that deny P what abstynens good besynes & chastyte K Uerteous & gentyll propertees they be P Syth ye haue graūytyd thys I shall proue playn I am a gentylman so is none of your ●●ayn Furst for pryde your rayment shewyth what ye be L. i. For ye wyll neuer be content except that ye Haue the fynest cloth & sylke for to were Of oryent colours & all your gere So costly / your housys gylt gloryously As though ye wold therin your self deyfy ye couet euermore goodis landis & rent what so euer ye get yet neuer content wrathfull ye be mouyd to anger anon And enuyous dysdaynyng euery man And as for me I am content alwey wyth a pore cotage & symple aray I dysdayn no man & yet pacyently Can suffer to be callyd knaue and not angry Somtyme I call hym knaue agayn in hast And when I haue sayd my anger is past ye haue your beddys so pleasaunt & soft wherein ye ease your self to long and to oft whych makyth your bodyes so tender to be that ye can not endure labour lyke me wyth no maner course fode ye wyll be fede But wyth pleasand wynys & most whytest brede wyth flesh & fysh most dylycate & fat All frutis & spyces that can be gat And when ye haue had such pleasaunt refeccyons To aswage your carnall insurreccyons what so euer she be wyfe wedow or mayde If she come in the way she shal be assayd M Thou liest sklāderours chorle for I think of troth Thou vsyst sych vyse more then we both P Nay by cokkꝭ body I vse no sych lyfe For I am content wyth blak maud my wyfe Trow ye that I care for these nise proude prīmys These paintyd popagays that hold vp their chynnꝭ And loke so smoterly as who say they wold Haue euery man woo them that doth them behold Tote man for all sych venereall werk As good is the foule as the fayre in the derk K Thou sayst trew / drafe is good Inough for swyne P yet thou answerest to no reson of myne K Thy reasons all ryght well answere I can For I sey it be commeth a noble man To have rych apperel & clothyng And goodly housys of costly byldyng And that ych man accordyng to hys degre Be knowyn from other and what they be For yf such costly thyngꝭ were not made work for pore peple coud neuer be hade And many folkis than shuld fall to Idylnes whych is the moder of vyce and wretchydnes P ye but I delyte noo such vanytese worldly I delyte nother in sloth nor gloteny I dyg and delfe & labour for my lyvyng Neuer ydyll but somewhat euer doyng Dayly I ren and go bere swete & swynk I ete broun brede and drynk small drynk Content with cours meat what so euer it be so it quench the hunger it suffysyth me These poyntes I use whych I haue rehersyd now Be not these gentyl condycyons I pray you M If thou use them nede compellyth the therto For if thou coudist hardli thou wold other wise do P what I wold doo then ye can not tell It is not to purpose but thys I wot well Syth that I use my lyfe in such good maner whyth such gentyll condycyons expressyd here More than ye both do styll contynuyng And syth that gentyll condycyons is the thyng To make a gentylman the cause pryncypall wherin I vse my life most of vs all who can by any reason deny than But that I am of us all most gentylman K In feyth yf thou be gentylman therfore Thou art a gentylman agaynt thy wyll full sore M Syth I se he standyth in his own consait so well That opynyon we shall neuer expell From hym by no argument nor reason Therfore now for a lytyll season Let vs deꝑt from hym I hold it best Then we shall haue with hym some rest K I agre therto for caton sayth this Contra verbosas noli cotendere verbis Contend nor argu neuer in no matter with hym that is full of words and clatter M wherefore for a season let us both deꝑt K I am agreid therto with all myn hart P why sirs than wyll ye deꝑt & be gon M ye that we wyll farewel for a season For to tarry here lenger we see no grete cause Et exeant Then fare ye well as wyse as two dawys And I pray god sende you such grace both twayn To be stark cockcoldꝭ or ye come agayn Now masters they be both gone away Therefore one worde now harke what I sey wee see well now by playne experience when a man is set in a wyllfull credens All to fortefye hys owne opynyon If god hym selfe than wold wyth hym reason In effect it shall no more auayle Than with a whyp to dryfe a snayle Therfore no remedy is that I can see For yuell men that be in auctoryte But let them alone tyll god wyll send A tyme tyll our gouernours may intend of all enormytes the reformacyon And bring in theyr handis the rod of coreccyon And the reformyng of iniuryes them self see And wyll say precysely thus it shall be For exortacyons techyng and prechyng Gestyng and raylyng they mend no thyng For the amendement of the world is not in me Nor all the grete arguments that we thre Haue made syth we resonyd here to gedyr Do not preuayle the weyght of a fether For the helpyng of any thyng that is amys we can not help it then syth it so is I wyll let the world wagg & home wyll I goo And dryf the plowgh as I was wont to do And praye god send us peas I wyl no farr mell Therfore masters all now fare ye well Hic miles & mercator iterum intrant K Now by my troth I am glad that is he gon M And so am I by swete seynt Iohn I hard not a chorll thys seuyn yere Shew so curst reasons as he hath done here For the mayntenaunce of hys oppynyon yet he hys desseuyd for all hys reason For it is necessary that rulers be To haue posseyons to mayntayn theyr degre And those few to dryfe the multytude all of the other people to labour to fall For yf the rulers drof them not therto The peple wold be ydyll & nothyng doo And most reason is that gouernaunce Shuld come to such rulers by inherytaunce Rather than to haue them chose by eleccyon Oft tymys by drede mede and affeccyon Men of euyll conscyens that grete tyraunts be Rede old cronyclys the proue ye shall see And though they haue grete wyt and lernyng Yet so proud they be therof they fere nothyng Nother god nor man but euermore styll with out councell or aduyse folow theyr own wyll But they that by inherytaunce rulers be Though they haue no grete lernyng yet we see yet makyth them more ferefull & better content To folow wyse mens councell and aduysement And syth that yt hath ben so long contynned Enherytours to haue rule and so long usyd And that they haue ruled by as dyscressyon As the other that haue be chose by eleccyon If that order of rule by successyon of blode Shuld be dystroyd it shuld doo hurte & no good M That reason is so grete no man can debarr Neuertheles that churllysh knaue that carter After hys fond oppynyon thynkyth thus Hymselfe more gentylman than us K And therin he lyeth for by expiens we see That gentyl condycyons most com̄enly be In them that be of noble blode borne For take .xx. carters whych neuer were beforne Aquayntyd let them be to gyder Take .xx. straynge gentylmen in lyke maner These churlysh carters I dare well say wyll not agre to gyder skant one day with out chydyng quarrellyng or fyghtyng ychone wyll stele from other and be pykyng And stryfe whych of them at the skot shall pay lest And indeuer them who can play the knaue best But these gentylmen I warant you wyll study who can shew to other most curtesy And of theyr gentylnes wyll pfer to pay For the other and shew what pleasurs they may So touchyng gentylnes I say surely Men of grete byrth vse it most com̄ynly M There can be no truer saying nor sentence And the cause therof we see by expience For these pore wretches that haue no thyng Must be nygardys churlyth and spayryng But gentylmen be taught to be lyberall And so they may be for they haue where with all K And as touchyng noblenes that argument whych the plowman made late puyth euydent That gentylmen borne to land must nedys be For suffyency of most nobylyte For besyde goddys gyfts of grace & of nature As wyt and bodely stryngh yet they be sure Of other ryches as of land and rent To auoyd nede so they be more suffycyent of them self than other pore people doutles Then yf nede of straunge helpe cause wrechydnes And suffysauns be cause wrechydnes M A better reason no man can deuyse And yet farther I thynk lykewyse He that hath grete haboundance of ryches May vse lyberalyte and gentylnes And also it is euer necessary That some lyfe in welth and some in mysery And let churllys bable and say what they wyll Hit hath ben so euer and wyll be so styll For it is almyghty goddys purueaunce wyse men of folys to haue the gouernaunce And they that rule well I beseech Ihesu Send them good lyfe & long to contynew Amen .

The Philosopher ye soferayns all dyscrete & excellent Before whom thys dyalog shewyd hath be Touchyng iii. poynts by wey of argument Furst what is gentylnes & what nobylyte And who shulde be chose to hye auctoryte Thys questyons they be so hye and sottell Few dare presume to dyffyne them well ¶ Yet I thynk now under your coreccyons The thyng that makyth a gentylman to be ys but vertew & gentyll condycyons whych as well in pore men oft tymys we se As in men of grete byrth of hye degre And also vycious churlyssh condycyons May be in men born to grete possessyons ¶ And forther as touchyng nobylyte yet standyth much ꝑt I thynk doutles An suffycyencye reason doth agre But that suffysaunce makyng noblenes Must nedys he annexid vnto goodnes For suffysauns is not the cause pryncypall That god his noble but hys goodnes wythall ¶ So vertue is euer the thyng pryncypall That gentylnes & noblenes doth insue Then these hedys rulers & gouernours all Shuld come therto be cause of theyr vertue And in auctoryte they ought not contynue Except they be good men dyscrete & wyse And haue a loue & zele vnto Iustyce ¶ wherfore souereyns all that here present be Now marke well these reasons here brought in Both agayns men of hye & of low degre For thys intent only to rebuke syn For the best wey that is for one to begyn To conuert the people by exortacyon ys to perswade them by naturall reason ¶ For when that a man by hys owne reason Iuggyth hymselfe for to offend That grudgyth his conscyens & gyffyth compuncyon Into hys herte to cause hym amend But such blynd bestis that wyl not intend To here no good councell nor reason Ought by thee law to haue sharp coreccyon ¶ But then yf the laws be not suffycyent whych haue be made & ordeynyd before To gyfe ther fore condygne ponyshment The pryncys & gouernours be bound euermore To cause new laws to be made therfore And to put such men in auctocyte That good men Iust & indyfferent be ¶ But because that men of nature euermore Be frayle & folowyng sensualyte yt is impossyble in a maner therfore For any gouernouss that be in auctoryte At all tymys Iust & indyfferent to be Except thes be brydelyd & therto compellyd By some strayt laws for them deuysyd ¶ As thus that no man such rome ocupye But certayn yerys & than to be remouyd yet that whyle bound to attend dylygently And yf he offend & surely prouyd wyth out any fauour that he be ponyhysshyd For the ponysshment of a Iuge or offycer Doth more good than of thousand other ¶ And vntyll that such orders be deuysyd Substauncyally / and put in execucyon Loke neuer to see the world amended Nor of the gret myschefes the reformacion But they that be bounde to see the thyngꝭ done I pray god of his grace put in theyr myndys To reforme shortly suche thynges amys ¶ And though that I my selfe now prase Thus myn oppynyon haue publysshed Or any of my felowes hare in this place In any poynt here haue vs abused we beseche you to holde vs excused And so the auctour hereof requyreth you all And thus I commyt you to god eternall . AMEN . Iohens rastell me fieri fecit Cum priuilegio regali .