 | The Castell of Perseverance |  |
8
SCENE I
MUNDUS.
Worthy wytys in al þis werd wyde,
Be wylde wode wonys and euery weye-went,
Precyous prinse, prekyd in pride,
Þorwe þis propyr pleyn place in pes be ȝe bent!
Buske ȝou, bolde bachelerys, vndyr my baner to abyde
Where bryth basnetys be bateryd and backys ar schent.
Ȝe, syrys semly, all same syttyth on syde,
For bothe be see and be londe my sondys I haue sent,
Al þe world myn name is ment.
Al abowtyn my bane is blowe,
In euery cost I am knowe,
I do men rawyn on ryche rowe
Tyl þei be dyth to dethys dent.
Be wylde wode wonys and euery weye-went,
Precyous prinse, prekyd in pride,
Þorwe þis propyr pleyn place in pes be ȝe bent!
Buske ȝou, bolde bachelerys, vndyr my baner to abyde
Where bryth basnetys be bateryd and backys ar schent.
Ȝe, syrys semly, all same syttyth on syde,
For bothe be see and be londe my sondys I haue sent,
Al þe world myn name is ment.
Al abowtyn my bane is blowe,
In euery cost I am knowe,
I do men rawyn on ryche rowe
Tyl þei be dyth to dethys dent.
Assarye, Acaye, and Almayne,
Cauadoyse, Capadoyse, and Cananee,
Babyloyne, Brabon, Burgoyne, and Bretayne,
Grece, Galys, and to þe Gryckysch See,
I meue also Masadoyne in my mykyl mayne,
Frauns, Flaundrys, and Freslonde, and also Normande,
Pyncecras, Parys, and longe Pygmayne,
And euery toun in Trage, euyn to þe Dreye Tre,
Rodys and ryche Rome.
All þese londys at myn avyse
Arn castyn to my werdly wyse.
My tresorer, Syr Coueytyse,
Hath sesyd hem holy to me.
Cauadoyse, Capadoyse, and Cananee,
Babyloyne, Brabon, Burgoyne, and Bretayne,
Grece, Galys, and to þe Gryckysch See,
I meue also Masadoyne in my mykyl mayne,
Frauns, Flaundrys, and Freslonde, and also Normande,
Pyncecras, Parys, and longe Pygmayne,
And euery toun in Trage, euyn to þe Dreye Tre,
Rodys and ryche Rome.
All þese londys at myn avyse
Arn castyn to my werdly wyse.
My tresorer, Syr Coueytyse,
Hath sesyd hem holy to me.
Þerfor my game and my gle growe ful glad.
Þer is no wythe in þis werld þat my wytte wyl me warne.
Euery ryche rengne rapyth hym ful rad
In lustys and in lykyngys my lawys to lerne.
Wyth fayre folke in þe felde freschly I am fadde.
I dawnse doun as a doo be dalys ful derne.
What boy bedyth batayl or debatyth wyth blad
Hym were betyr to ben hangyn hye in hell herne
Or brent on lyth leuene.
Whoso spekyth aȝeyn þe Werd
In a presun he schal be sperd.
Myn hest is holdyn and herd
Into hyȝe heuene.
Þer is no wythe in þis werld þat my wytte wyl me warne.
Euery ryche rengne rapyth hym ful rad
In lustys and in lykyngys my lawys to lerne.
Wyth fayre folke in þe felde freschly I am fadde.
I dawnse doun as a doo be dalys ful derne.
9
Hym were betyr to ben hangyn hye in hell herne
Or brent on lyth leuene.
Whoso spekyth aȝeyn þe Werd
In a presun he schal be sperd.
Myn hest is holdyn and herd
Into hyȝe heuene.
| The Castell of Perseverance | |