Robin Conscience :: :: University of Virginia Library

[This way with God's word will not agree.]

Heere beginneth Mother Newgise to talk with Robin her Sonne, onely for the ease and pleasvre of this world. Uery necessary to be read and marked of all newfangled women, that they may auoide the desires therof.

Heere Prowd Beautye beginneth to talke with Robin her Brother, for her proud fancye and wanton dallying: Very necessary to be read and marked of all Maydens that seeke the vaine glory of this world, and the vncomly trickes therin, that they may auoide the dangers therof: for feare of condemnation.

[epilogue]

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

Father.
What, Robin, me thinks thov hast little wit;
Doost thov think scorne to come to promotion:
For to marry with gentills I trow it is fit,
Hauing with them of money a good portion;
What thovgh it be gotten by craft and extortion,
By the Masse, it is all my delight and pleasvre

Beware of extorcion.

To haue heere abovndance of worldly treasvre.

Robin.
By extortion, Father? mary, God it forefend,
That any Christian man therin shovld delight:
Father, giue me no stolne goods my welth to amend,

228

Vnlesse I doo liue by the poore man's right,
As I feare that some doo, both Lorde and Knight.
Wherfore, good Father, in time heere repent,
And haue a respect vnto Christ's Testament.

Father.
Ah, Robin, I perceiue now, so God me saue,
That thov wilt be bvt a meane gentleman,
Seeing yov be svch a Conscionable knaue;

A shameless answer for a Parent.

Goe seeke thov thy liuing where that thov can;
Tvsh, what care I, thovgh the people me ban.
By the Masse, it is all my delight and pleasvre
To haue heere abovndance of worldly treasvre.

Robin.
Oh! Father, seeke first heere the kingdome of Heauen,
And gather yov vp of God's treasvre therin to lay:
And not wicked Mammon to fvlfill the sinnes seuen,
For that were a uery right damnable way;
Remember, father, that yov be bvt earth and clay.
Wherfore, good father, I pray yov yet repent,
And haue a respect vnto Christ's Testament.

Father.
Robin, wovldst thov not haue me to bvy and sell?
Nor yet to keepe in store for to doo me good?

229

By the masse, if I follow thee or the gospell,

Men may buy and sell and keepe in store, so it be doon lawfully, and in a right caus.

At the length I might chance to lye in my hood.
Tvsh, I will be covnted heere for a lvsty blood,
Seeing it is all my delight and pleasvre:
I will haue abovndance of worldly treasvre.

Robin.
Father, yov haue enovgh, if yov haue not too mvch,

Be liberal vnto the poore.

For this I dare be bolde heere to auow:
Yo haue ten times more grovnd and money in yovr hvtch,
Then euer had my Grand-sire, yov will this allow;
Yet he kept a better hovse then euer did yov.
Wherfore, good father, amend and repent,
And haue a respect vnto Christ's Testament.

Father.
Tvsh, Robin, thy talke is foolish and fond,
I know thy minde what thov goest abovt:
Thov wovldst haue me to liue only by my land,
And to keepe open hovse for euery Jack lovt;
No, I will feast none bvt the rvfling rovt.
For it is all my delight and pleasvre
To haue heere abovndance of worldly treasvre.

230

Robin.
Father, I wovld haue yov liue so that God may be pleased,
And for yovr good life God will giue yov meede:
Father, spend yovr goods so that the poore may be eased,
For yovr riches be lent yov to doo svch a deede,
And not to spende all on the rich, for they haue no neede.
Wherfore, good father, in time yet repent,
And haue a respect vnto Christ's Testament.

Father.
By the masse, Robin, I think thov art mad,
Shovld I feast beggers? mary, fie for shame,

The bread of the needfull is the life of the poore. Eccles. 34.

I dare say it wovld make some gentlemen sad,
That all rich men shovld haue svch a name.
Yea, I my selfe will confesse the same,
Seeing it is my whole delight and pleasvre,
To haue heere abovndance of worldely treasvre.

231

Robin.

Father.
What gvppe, Robin, gvppe boy, gvppe hereticke and fole!
Now Goddes dere cvrse I geve the and mine.
Mary, syr, ye haue gone to longe to schole
A gaynst my riches and welth to repyn;
By the masse, yf thov to the Scriptvre incline,

The rebuke and admonicion of the generacyon of Satan.

Be svre that I wyll neuer do the pleasor
Nor yet neuer helpe the, with none of my treasor.

Robin.
O father, father, yet arise vp and awake
Ovt of thys slepe of cvrsed couetovs snare.
God wyllynge, I wyll neuer Godes worde forsake,
Nether for yov, nor for worldlye welfare,
Good father, now leaue here yovr carpe and care:
For you haue ynovgh; wherfore be content,
Onles yov [wyll] be dampned at the daye of ivdgement.

Father.
What, dampned, Robin? mary, that were a toye.
Tvsshe, a dewe, farwell: for I mvst departe.
Ah, Robin, Robin, thov art a shrovd boy,
For thy wordes pearceth me euen to the hart:
Well, yet I wyll go walke downe vnto my cart,

Where a mans hart is, there is his God.

For [I do] nothyng, Robin, bvt for my pleasor,
Oh, howe my hart is styll vpon worldlye treasor.

232

Robin.
Repent, father, repent, for yovr goodes is yovr God:
Repent, or els yov be for euer in a dampnable case.
Be ware, father, for our Lorde wyll stryke wyth his rod,
God knoweth how, or in what time or space.
Father, God wyllynge, I will home to yovr place,
To covnsell my mother also to repent,
For bothe of yov be neye uoyde of all grace,
Wherfore applye yov in tyme to be penytent.
[And to haue a respect vnto Christ's Testament.]

Finis.

Here endeth Robin and his Father.