 | The Castell of Perseverance |  |
SCENE III
CARO.
I byde as a brod brustun-gutte abouyn on þese tourys.
Euerybody is þe betyr þat to myn byddynge is bent.
I am Mankyndys fayre Flesch, florchyd in flowrys.
My lyfe is wyth lustys and lykynge ilent.
Wyth tapytys of tafata I tymbyr my towrys.
In myrthe and in melodye my mende is iment.
Þou I be clay and clad, clappyd vndir clowrys,
Ȝyt wolde I þat my wyll in þe werld went,
Ful trew I ȝou behyth.
I loue wel myn ese,
In lustys me to plese;
Þou synne my sowle sese
I ȝeue not a myth.
Euerybody is þe betyr þat to myn byddynge is bent.
I am Mankyndys fayre Flesch, florchyd in flowrys.
My lyfe is wyth lustys and lykynge ilent.
Wyth tapytys of tafata I tymbyr my towrys.
In myrthe and in melodye my mende is iment.
Þou I be clay and clad, clappyd vndir clowrys,
Ȝyt wolde I þat my wyll in þe werld went,
Ful trew I ȝou behyth.
I loue wel myn ese,
In lustys me to plese;
Þou synne my sowle sese
I ȝeue not a myth.
In Glotony gracyous now am I growe;
Þerfore he syttyth semly here be my syde.
In Lechery and Lykynge lent am I lowe,
And Slawth, my swete sone, is bent to abyde.
Þese thre are nobyl, trewly I trowe,
Mankynde to tenyn and trecchyn a tyde.
Wyth many berdys in bowre my blastys are blowe,
Be weys and be wodys, þorwe þis werld wyde,
Þe sothe for to seyne.
But if mans Flesch fare wel
Bothe at mete and at mel,
Dyth I am in gret del
And browt into peyne.
Þerfore he syttyth semly here be my syde.
In Lechery and Lykynge lent am I lowe,
And Slawth, my swete sone, is bent to abyde.
Þese thre are nobyl, trewly I trowe,
Mankynde to tenyn and trecchyn a tyde.
Wyth many berdys in bowre my blastys are blowe,
Be weys and be wodys, þorwe þis werld wyde,
11
But if mans Flesch fare wel
Bothe at mete and at mel,
Dyth I am in gret del
And browt into peyne.
And aftyr good fare in feyth þou I fell,
Þou I drywe to dust, in drosse for to drepe,
Þow my sely sowle were haryed to hell,
Woso wyl do þese werkys iwys he schal wepe
Euyr wythowtyn ende.
Behold þe Werld, þe Deuyl, and me!
Wyth all oure mythis we kyngys thre
Nyth and day besy we be
For to distroy Mankende
If þat we may.
Þerfor on hylle
Syttyth all stylle
And seth wyth good wylle
Oure ryche aray.
Þou I drywe to dust, in drosse for to drepe,
Þow my sely sowle were haryed to hell,
Woso wyl do þese werkys iwys he schal wepe
Euyr wythowtyn ende.
Behold þe Werld, þe Deuyl, and me!
Wyth all oure mythis we kyngys thre
Nyth and day besy we be
For to distroy Mankende
If þat we may.
Þerfor on hylle
Syttyth all stylle
And seth wyth good wylle
Oure ryche aray.
| The Castell of Perseverance | |