[A mery playe bothe pytthy and pleasaunt of albyon knyghte] Albion, knight. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A15979 of text S121986 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 275). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 22 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 7 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A15979 STC 275 ESTC S121986 99857140 99857140 22818 2240889893

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A15979) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 22818) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 164:4) [A mery playe bothe pytthy and pleasaunt of albyon knyghte] Albion, knight. [12+] p. Printed by Thomas Colwell, [London : 1566?] Title from Stationers' Register entry, A132r (ca. August 1565). Imprint from STC. Known only from a fragment consisting of B1, its conjugate (presumably B4), and all of quire C. First line, B1r: Nay, I will taste of other assayes. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. B1, its conjugate (presumably B4) and quire C only. eng eebo [A mery playe bothe pytthy and pleasaunt of albyon knyghte] [no entry] 1566 14 3333 9 0 0 0 0 0 27 C The rate of 27 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2003-06 Assigned for keying and markup 2003-06 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-07 Sampled and proofread 2003-07 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
Nay , I will taste of other assayes And space our dame for holy daies So that for very neede shee must vse her feate With other of her house , and such as she can geate , Yet is she not much to blame Though shee increase her husbandes name Such chyldren ●o brynge as now ye see mee Tall men as I am vnworthie though I bee . Iustice Thou spekest lyke a Lorell full larg & full lewdly And not lyke a childe gotten of true matrymony And yet though thy person enduce no lykelyhode That in thee shuld be any manhode Yet besyde that thou seemest of manhode frayle Because so abused is thy lyght apparaile . Iniuri . Apparell , good syr , what faulte is that Though grey be her cote why blame ye the wild cat Why shuld ye hym deme of nature frayle Though as wyse as ye wolde were a Fox tayle Or a cote after the comen vsage Or haue by nature a mad vysage These be no wytnesse for Iustyce to dyserne Nor certayne knowledge of nature to lerne And christ taught you syr how ye shuld iudge men S●yenge Noli●e iudicare secundum faciem . And yet in nature better knowledge shuld bee Then is in apparell ye know perdie . Iustice O yet in apparell is great abusion If it be framed without dyscretion For in apparell there may a great token bee Of fraylenes , of pryde , and instabylytie , If commen assyse therin vse no mesure For then is apparell a wanton foolysh pleasure And foly , best mede is of presumpcyon When nature or reason vsed resumpcyon , And therfore Chryst taught a great wyse prose Sayenge Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos . Iniuri . Yet with the same text I pray you wipe your nose Hee said not Ex vestibus eorum cognoscetis eos . Albion . Yet freindes I pray you once agayne To seate your trauice that breedes disdayne And hartely both I do you pray That both your frendshyps haue I may . Iniury Syr as for myne ye shall not mysse But thys gentleman I thinke wyll go pysse . Iustice Nay syr Albyon I wyll not draw backe If that of mee ye haue lacke , So that I were in perfyte suertie That this man here shuld manhode bee . Iniury Now Chrystes benedycyte How Albion and Iustyce hath forgot mee Because of mee they had no exercyse Of long tyme by any enterpryse Wherfore sithen ye can not know me by experience I wote not how ye shuld knowe me but by my credence Therfore by my trouth & by my honestie Beleue mee , for manhode trulie I am hee . Albion . Then by your othe I am content To haue your frendshyp with good assent And Iustice I pray you to do the same . Iustice Syr if manhod be hys name As hee hath sworne I wolde be glad That hys frenshyp also I had . Albion . Then Iustyce I pray you bothe Let mee knyt you both vpon hys othe . And then he taketh both their hands togither saieng Now freindes I trust we be all three And with this knot I pray you contented to bee Iustice Syr ye ought to be contented best of all Where iustice is treited with due equitie And where no fauour nor mede shuld bee And when reason hath tried there euerie deale That such an acte were good for the comen weale If therin anie losse may bee To the disaduauntage of Principaltie Such an acte leseth all hys sute With a lytle indoysing of reason astute And if it touche the Lordes sprytuall Or be disauauntage to the Lordes temporall Fare well , go bett , this bill may keepe As well as through the parlyament creepe And if that Marchauntes be moouid with all Or anie multitude of the comen hall This is not for vs say they than This bill is naught but for to wype a pan And this is all your new equitie And for all your message , yet thus will it bee . Albion . Alas if this may not reformed bee I shall neuer be sure of prosperitie . Iniuri . Ye and what foloweth hereof maister Albion To your person vniuersall derysion Albion .

Why to mee derision .

Iniuri . For all other straunge nacions They will raile on you with open proclamacions Saienge whosoeuer do as he dose Is halfe a man and halfe a wild goose . Albion .

Why halfe a man and halfe a wyld goose .

Iniuri . For with hie reason they saie ye can dispute And trie out perils with labourous sute And eke the treasure for the comen vaile As farr as wit or reason can assaile But when all is done and your statute made Then foorth ye go in a wise trade To brynge it all to good conclusion And put it neuer in execucyon Then speke they further in steede of a mocke They haue made a statute lyke a woodkoeke That hath but one eye and the other blynde And it wyll turne with euery wynde And for because ye study but for the begynnynge And neuer prouide for a sure endyng Begynnyng lyke a man ye take great assay At last lyke a wyld goose euen but to flye awaye . Iustice Well if thys be true it is more pytie Yet let vs endeuer both ye and I To taste our message that it were done To helpe here of some reformacyon . Albion . Ye that to do I pray you bothe And to you two I promyse by othe I shall mee endeuer with the commynaltie Theyr hole allegyaunce to keepe in vnytie . Iustice

Then God be your spede for I wil forth my way

Albion .

And I will after god guyde vs that best may .

Iniuri . And I wyll tarye no longer whyle But as I see you ouer the style . Then departeth Albion & Iustice both . Iniuri . Now here begynneth a game ywys For manhode they wene my name is But trust mee syrs if I shuld not lye My name is called Iniury Whych name to hyde I thought it polysie And turne it to manhode , and wote ye why ? It is a parte of our new experyence When I agaynst ryght make styffe defence That Iustyce in hys seate may not be enstabled Then am I Iniury manhode called O than of mee craketh euery man How lyke a Lorde this fellow stere can The lawe to defend without a fall For all theyr pledyng in Westminster hall , Or say what they wyll and bable there Yet mayntenaunce and I wyll kepe the chere If it come once to the countree Then as I wyll so shall it bee A very cause syrs why I hyde my name Was , they shuld not suspect my fame Because I wolde spye all theyr intent To chaunge theyr purpose after my iudgement And so wyll I do , for thys is theyr pretence By meane of Iustice to brynge in experyence That peace shuld continew the people amonge And so by that meane to banysh mee wronge But trust me syrs I wyll none of that But rather by theyr faces I wyll them scrat And mee to mayntaine in this opynion I haue an olde mate called Dyuycion That shal be of my counsayle in thys case Whych I truste wyll not turne hys face Tyll Peace be dryuen clene from Albyon And then let Iustyce and mee alone For I trust or hee and I haue done He shall go whystle in a mary bone As for any ryghtfull iudgement That after this shall folow hys intent And now syrs will I goo my waye My felow to seke , fynde him if I may . Here Iniury goeth out , & then Diuision cometh in with a byll , a sword a buckler , & a dagger . Diuisyon Haue in the ruske Out of the buske A lustye Captayne , A Boore with a tuske A sturdie Luske Any battaile to detaine A stalyon stoute To beare it out In euery wheare , And neuer to Loute For a knaues cloute though my hed it beare . As styffe as a stake Battayle to make As neuer aferde . I can awake These knaues and take Them fast by the berde . For Peace is bent Nor 〈◊〉 intent To lyue at ease , Shall not preuent Let of my iudgement To 〈◊〉 in dysease . Such can I haue To coniure a knaue Out of his skynne , Though Iustyce raue To hange or saue Fye on hym horson . Here cometh Iniury in agayne . Iniuri . Mary fye on hym horeson What art thou mad agayne . Diuisyon What 〈◊〉 olde freinde Iniury How were other hanged and 〈…〉 Iniury By god because I tooke delaye ▪ For lacke of thee to bee myne 〈…〉 . Diuisyon What horson woldest thou haue mee Be trussed vp in stede of thee . Iniury Ye by god , but euen for a saye That I might lerne of you to know the playe . diuision . To play horson , what menist thou by that Iniuri . By god me thought euen now ye were in a snare Or els an huntyng to catche an bare But harke I say , do togither and spell Beware euer amonge of the frery clarkes bell . Diuisyon . It is doubtfull to mee all that thou spekest I pray thee spell it thy self & tell me what thou menest Iniuri . But woldest thou nedes so fayne know it I tell thee with Albion and Iustyce I am knyt Therfore it were wysdome for thee To beware what thou sayest before mee diuision . What horeson then thou hast forsaken mee . Iniuri . Nay I had leuer ye were skynned all three For I haue turned the wronge syde of my hood And tolde them my name was manhode And now by god in any wyse For both our eases I must haue thyne aduyse . diuision . What hast thou now chaunged thyne olde copy To Iustyce and Albyon to be a comen hoby , Or art thou a ferde of thy olde name That in euery place is had in fame And is supported in such suffrentie From the lowest vnto the hyest degree . Iniuri . Nay by god I was not aferd It was but for to claw theyr berde Or rub it of all that they ment That I myght know all theyr intent Wherof the matter is to longe to tell For the tyme that we dyd mell But shortly to shew thee for a conclusyon Theyr mynde is to brynge vs both to confusyon . diuision . I pray thee by what meane . Iniuri . Albyon hath sent Iustyce to Pryncypaltie To haue assystence , and mee to suffreyntie Of the Lordes temporall to haue theyr ayde That Iustyce in no wyse shuld be delayde . And this thou knowest well inough perdye Thus they meane to destroy thee and mee And as for Iustyce foorth is gone Speede as he can , but I taryed alone And yet I wolde no messenger bee Tyll I had the aduyce of thee Therfore how sayest thou now in thys case Wee shall not be idle to play at thys bace . diuision . Tush as for this I care not a puddyng prycke For wee two wyll go thorow thyn and thycke Maygresse theyr heades euerychone Though they be as harde as rocke or stone Iniury I pray thee tell mee howe diuision . Fyrst I my selfe wyll enterpryse That peace shall haue no exersyse Betweene the comons and Pryncypalitie Nor betweene lords spiritual & lords of the temporaltie Iniury Or thou go ani further tel me by what mene diuision . I haue two spyes of great exercyse The one is called double deuyce Hym wyll I sende I may tell thee Unto the court to Pryncypalytye , And hym wyll I charge that wyth hys prouisyon Pryncypalytye and the comons to set at dyuysyon The seconde spye is called olde debate A synguler felow with a ballyd pate Hym wyll I send to the lordes spirituall To cause them to wrangle with the lords temporall . Iniuri . What shall they vse in their deuise . diuision . The one to principalytie shall surmyse That the comons hartes do aryse Against him , when that he doth aske In tyme of neede , our money for taske , His harte to mooue with such vnkyndnes . Then the same spye shall vse lyke doublenes And go to the comons and to them tell That Principalytie with equtie doth rebell More to hys lucre in euerie deale Applyeng his affection then to the comen weale And how that he of neglygence Doth not apply for theyr defence , Neither by Sea nor by londe Neither by hye wayes , neither by stronde But theues and raueners and murders eke Dayly true men they pursue and seke And that his lawes indifferently Be not vsed , but maintenaunce and brybary Is suffred alone without reformacion That the poore comons is in altercation Of this matter and wote not what to say Bringing them in opinion that they ought not to pay To pryncypalytie theyr duety of very desarte Except lyke duetie be mynistred on hys parte . Iniuri . I make god a vowe this is a souerayne bayte To brynge our purpose to a narow strayte But what shall the other spye then do A felowshyp tell me that also . diuision . Mary he shall enfourme the lordes temporall That the spyrytuall men wolde rule all And saye it were shame to them by the rood That ben dyscended from the noble blood To suffre any other of such powre to bee To haue the gouernaunce about principalytie Sythen they inheritoures are borne to bee Of the hye counsell by blood and dygnytie Which medycyne I trow wyll not lyghlie starte Till it hath tyckled them all by the harte Then shall the same spye tast the other parte And turne to them the wronge side of the carte And say that god of his hye great grace To them hath geuen good fortune and space By lerning sadnes and grauitie And for theyr due reward in honour to bee And bere to them boldly in hand That they ought by reason to rule thys land Because the powre of temporaltie Hath no knowledge in conning perdie Neyther in youth will labour the passage Of paine for vertue to rule in age So that if they rulers wold bee They know not how , for in suffycientie Thus will I deuide by thys proper trayne That peace amongst them shall not rayne . Iniuri . Mary thys is a cast of a new horse combe To rub any on the nauyll that hath a tickle wombe This gere will worke after my fantasye To make of an olde grudge a new frenesie And this openeth the gate euen for mee That both the one and the other degree Shall wrastle with them selfe in such afflictions That euerychone shal disdaine at other iurisdictions diuision . What wilt thou do them let me here thy cast Iniuri . This gentle sede will I sowe at the last When Peace by thee is in perplexitie And wore not in what parte quyete to bee Then Iustice must euer be in doubt Which parte at nede shall bere hym out So that for my part he shall stand styll Whyle I ronne at large and haue all my wyll . diuision . But to what conclusion wylt thou bryng it then Iniuri . Why knowest not thou , then harke me man This Iustice is a felow of a farr cast And dryueth such dryftes to rule all at the last And Peace is hys brother of one degree Which hath a fayre doughter that is called plentie And Albion as longe as rest him treates Hee loueth fayre flesh of all meates And it is a comen saieng that Iustice Peace & hee Will conclude a maryage with fayre dame plentie And then wyll Albyon that olde soot With rest and peace so on her do ot That than shee by her and her freindes Shall sayle in stormes at all wyndes . diuision . By gods bread thou sayest trouth But this to help we must not vse slouth . Iniuri : No , and therfore harke me to an ende Thou and I shall thys matter defende For thou shalt to Albyon a messenger bee And say thou were present when principalitie With Iustyce fell at great debate When that his message he dyd delate From Albion , & tel him that principalitie in no wyse His will with equ●ti● will graunt to exercyse But that the law shuld be out after his lykyng And euery wryt after hys entytelyng And that his will who euer lyst to stryfe Shuld be the best part for hys prerogatyfe And than they both sodeinly vppon thys In great rages departed wys Wherfore Iustice said I am in such confusyon That I am ashamed to turne againe to Albyon And when this message thou hast done soberly Tell hym thy name is Polysy . diuision . What the deuill menest thou by that Shuld I decemble from a wyld cat That euer before thys haue vsed patchyng And now to play the wise man & leaue scratching . Iniuri . Why horson it is a poynt of hye madnes For a tyme to desemble sadnes , And though thou be all redy as mad as a harte Yet will I make thee madder then thou arte diuision .

Well say on then .

Iniuri . Mary then euen thus I say When that to Albion thou hast taken thy way And done thy message as I thee bad He wyll for a while be pensife and sad And hee will aske thyne aduise Then must thou dissemble thy selfe wyse . diuision . I make god a vowe that is vnpossyble That I and wysdome shuld knyt in one quyneble Or in my braine to print such abusyon That wysdome and I shuld be in one conclusion For when I was yonge my mother charged mee And said beware wyt son though thou neuer thee . Iniuri . & I am not disposed to chaunge much your lyue But here me speke an end though you neuer thriue diuision . Well say on then and tell mee what counsell I shall giue Albion that may sound dwell To both our profits that wolde I know . Iniuri . Thou shalt teche him a wronge crosse row And tell him best it is after thine aduise With myrth and Prodigalitie him to exercyse And take of his owne good while he maye Lest all at last be brybid awaye