University of Virginia Library

The first Satyr.

[As late I walked vp and downe]

Aucthor.
As late I walked vp and downe,
in Powles for my repast,
And there (as many woont to doo)
about the Church had traste
Long tyme alone to view the rowse,
and great confused noyse,
With pleasaunt chat (a world to see)
at length I heard a voyce.
And casting backe mine eye, I spyde
a pretie wymble lad,
Who saluing of his mate, dyd aske
what newes were to be had.
His fellowe (lyke a gentle swaine,
and ioly headed chylde)
Conioyned handes, and sighing, sayde
a slaue hath me beguilde.
But scarcely had he spoken this,
or eare his faithfull seere
Faste claspte his arme, and him besought,
to be of better cheere:
And let not chaunce (quoth he) afright,
nor so molest your minde,
As thus to seeme a Wight that hath
his woonted ioy resygnde.

Bertulph.
Tell tell, quoth Bertulph (so he hight)
By whome you are beguylde
And eke what cause and cruel chaunce
your comfort hath exylde.

Paule.
O friende (sayde Paule) full soone would I
expresse to thee my griefe,
But so peruersely falles it foorth
that I see no reliefe.
But yet sith thou so vrgent arte
and earnest of the case,
I graunt thereto if thou attende
and walke about the place.
Content is pleasde, quoth Bertulph tho,
and then they walckte yfeere,

Aucthor.
And I perceyuing all their talcke,
approched very neere:
And ioyning close vnto their side,
I walckt with equall pace
(Without offence as I suppose
their talcke had such a grace.)

Paule.
Then Paule began with visage pale
and handes conioyned fast,
To fettle forth him selfe to speake,
and thus he spake at last.
The highest God that syttes aboue
For aye in heauenly Throne,
That Prince of might that rules the heauens
and Welkin weeldes alone,
He knowes if I do falsely speake,
or (mooued through affect)
If I through hate or fauor, lye
in any one respect.
But first, before my tale begyn,
Ile tell you howe the slaue
Hath many one beguyled earst
that sought the same to haue.
His name also I wyll not sticke
to tell you with the rest.
And to be short, He Nummus hight
(a passing proper guest,)
He lodgeth ofte with Marchauntmen
and eke with men of Lawe,
And lightly where be bosteth, there
are people kept in awe.
Ile eke declare howe that as he
doth often men beguyle,
Euen so him selfe is often catcht,
with fraude and filthy wyle.
And howe ofte tymes by force they wrest
and wring him to their handes
And howe from fooles he often flyes
and breakes his tynsell bandes,

Aucthor.
Now, whiles yt Paule was speaking thus,
his mate gan me espye.
He knewe my minde, I gaue a becke,
he wynked with his eye
And helde his fynger on his mouth,
suspecting sore the man:
He thought that fancies fed his braine,
his visage lookte so wan
And wordes so voyde of woonted sence.
But yet (for that he hight,
And promisde had to heare the ende)
his hest he kept aright.

Paule.
And forth proceeded Paule at large.
This Nummus nowe (quoth he)
Is straightly watchte, and hardly kept
with men of each degree.
He wanteth none to wayte for him,
although he scapt from mee.
The Laytie and the Clergie bothe,
if haply him they see:
Will talke with Vobis eare he parte,
theyle plucke a Crowe with him.
Theyle shut him vp, or sende him forth,
some greater gaine to wyn.
Or else to worke their neighbors woe,
by waginge sutes at Lawe,
To bring them selues in prease and price,
and to be had in awe.

Clergie.

But as for Clergie, some of them,
they knowe his nature well,
They knowe his false corrupting force,
with him they will not mell,
Except it be where neede requires,
and for a iust intent.
And surely some, though not the swaye,
right so to gaine are bent.
Although that some againe doo seeke
excessiuely the same,
And some do hoorde it vp in store,
to their rebuke and shame.
But (if I should vprightly speake)
Their lyuinges are so lopt,
That from th'inferiour Clergie men,
long since syr Nummus hopt.
I meane not pompous Prelates here,
nor Chaplens of degree.
These flaunting fellowes by your leaue,
will haat ift had maye bee
I meane, I meane poore Ministers,
some plaste and some disperst.
Whome powling Patrons and such lyke,
haue greeuously amerst.
And yet forsoothe our Baldockes bleate,
and say they keepe no cheere.
They catche syr Nummus from them still,
and yet would haue him heere.
But well they are no small fooles nowe,
that robbe the Clergies meede.
Wherfore to sylence were I best,
such wordes may rancor breede.
And here you must aduert it well,
that iustly men maye seeke
For Nummus to releeue their neede,
if so their fancie leeke.
And also how that they right well
the same may styll retaine,
So that they doo not boord him vp
for sole intent to gaine.
But such as I shall here recite,
cannot without offence
The same or seeke, or keepe, or spend
what so be their pretence.
Bicause their mindes are all peruerse:
they spende for spyte or gaine:
And through the lust of lawlesse hoords,
the same doo they retaine.
And what are they that seeke it so?
Euen most men now a dayes.
In Countrey, Citie and each where
they finde sinister wayes
T'obtaine the same, and spende it yll,
or else to keepe it worse:
And euer aye their mindes are bent
to fyll their farsed Purse.
But nowe, for that the scope is large
where we may finde them out,
And time but short, I rather meane
to leaue the Country rout,
And medle with our Townish lade
in London sole precinct,
Except (as neede) the Suburbs must
be with the Citie Linckt.
Wheras, when I haue reckned vp
of them the most estates,
Then tell howe many kindes of folcke
ne lyue within the rates
And bounds of honest seeking store.
of spending well the same,
Of closely couching vp their hoord
as bedle

Bertulph.
Why syr (quoth Bertulph) now me thinks
you talke not of the man
That seru'de you of that sluttish touch
of late I wot neare whan.

Paule.
O Friende (quoth Paule) is this the faith
and this thy late behest?
I stickt not to begin my tale
at thy alone request:
And thou therefore didst promise mee
thy silent eare to giue.
And yet thou interruptst my tale.
Howe should I thee beleue?
Of friendly faith attende a while,
and marke me to the ende:
Then shalt thou thinke that I disclose
to thee as to a Friende.