 | Wisdom |  |
SCENE III
MYNDE.Lo, me here in a new aray!
Wyppe, wyrre, care awey!
Farwell perfeccyon!
Me semyt myselff most lyghly ay.
It ys but honest, no pryde, no nay.
I wyll be freshest, by my fay,
For þat acordyt wyth my complexccyon.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ande haue here one as fresche as yow!
All mery, mery, and glade now.
I haue get goode, Gode wott how.
For joy I sprynge, I sckyppe.
Goode makyt on mery, to Gode avowe.
Farewell consyens, I know not yow!
I am at eas, hade I inow.
Truthe on syde I lett hym slyppe.
WYLL.
Lo, here on as jolye as ȝe!
I am so lykynge, me seme I fle.
I haue atastyde lust: farwell chastyte!
My hert ys euermore lyght.
I am full of felycyte.
My delyght ys all in bewte.
Þer ys no joy but þat in me.
A woman me semyth a hewynly syght.
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Ande thes ben my syngler solace:
Kynde, fortune, and grace.
Kynde nobley of kynrede me yewyn hase,
Ande þat makyt me soleyn.
Fortune in worldys worschyppe me doth lace.
Grace yewyt curryus eloquens, and þat mase
That all oncunnynge I dysdeyn.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
And my joy ys especyall
To hurde wppe ryches, for fer to fall,
To se yt, to handyll yt, to tell yt all,
And streight to spare.
To be holde ryche and reyall
I bost, I avawnt wer I xall.
Ryches makyt a man equall
To hem sumtyme hys souereyngys wer.
WYLL.
To me ys joy most laudable
Fresche dysgysynge to seme amyable,
Spekynge wordys delectable
Perteynynge onto loue.
It ys joy of joys inestymable
To halse, to kys þe affyable.
A louer ys son perceyvable
Be þe smylynge on me, wan yt doth remove.
MYNDE.
To avaunte thus me semyth no schame,
For galontys now be in most fame.
Curtely personys men hem proclame.
Moche we be sett bye.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
The ryche covetouse wo dare blame,
Off govell and symony thow he bere þe name?
To be fals, men report yt game;
Yt ys clepyde wysdom, ‘Ware þat!’ quod Ser Wyly.
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Ande of lechory to make avawnte
Men fors yt no more þan drynke atawnt.
Thes thyngys be now so conversant,
We seme yt no schame.
MYNDE.
Curyous aray I wyll euer hante.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ande I falsnes, to be passante.
WYLL.
Ande I in lust my flesche to daunte.
No man dyspyes thes; þey be but game.
MYNDE.
I rejoys of thes; now let ws synge!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ande yff I spar, ewell joy me wrynge!
WYLL.
Haue at, quod I, lo, howe I sprynge!
Lust makyth me wondyr wylde.
MYNDE.
A tenowr to yow bothe I brynge.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
And I a mene for ony kynge.
WYLL.
And but a trebull I owtwrynge,
The Deuell hym spede þat myrthe exyled!
Et cantent
MYNDE.
How be þis trow ye nowe?
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
At þe best, to God avowe.
WYLL.
As mery as þe byrde on bow,
I take no thought.
MYNDE.
The welfare of þis worlde ys in ws, I ma vowe.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Lett eche man tell hys condycyons howe.
WYLL.
Begynne ye, ande haue at yow,
For I am aschamyde of ryght nought.
MYNDE.
Thys ys a cause of my worschyppe:
I serue myghty lordeschyppe
Ande am in grett tenderschyppe;
Therfor moche folke me dredys.
Men sew to my frendeschyppe
For meyntnance of her schendeschyppe.
I support hem by lordeschyppe.
For to get goode þis a grett spede ys.
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And I vse jorowry,
Enbrace questys of perjury,
Choppe and chonge wyth symonye,
And take large yeftys.
Be þe cause neuer so try,
I preue yt fals, I swere, I lye,
Wyth a quest of myn affye.
The redy wey þis now to thryfte ys.
WYLL.
And wat trow ȝe be me?
More þan I take spende I threys thre.
Sumtyme I yeff, sumtyme þey me,
Ande am euer fresche and gay.
Few placys now þer be
But onclennes we xall þer see;
It ys holde but a nysyte.
Lust ys now comun as þe way.
MYNDE.
Law procedyth not for meyntnance.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Trowthe recurythe not for habundance.
WYLL.
And lust ys in so grett vsance,
We fors yt nought.
MYNDE.
In vs þe worlde hathe most affyance.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Non thre be in so grett aqweynttance.
WYLL.
Few þer be outhe of owr allyance.
Wyll þe worlde ys thus, take we no thought!
MYNDE.
Thought! nay, þerageyn stryve I.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
We haue þat nedyt vs, so thryve I.
WYLL.
And yff þat I care, neuer wyve I.
Let them care þat hathe for to sewe!
MYNDE.
Wo lordschyppe xall sew must yt bye.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Wo wyll haue law must haue monye.
WYLL.
Ther pouert ys þe malewrye,
Thow ryght be, he xall neuer renewe.
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Wronge ys born wpe boldly,
Thow all þe worlde know yt opynly,
Mayntnance ys now so myghty,
Ande all for mede.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
The law ys so coloryde falsly
By sleyttys and by perjury,
Brybys be so gredy,
Þat to þe pore trowth ys take ryght nought a hede.
WYLL.
Wo gett or loose, ye be ay wynnande.
Mayntnance and perjury now stande.
Thei wer neuer so moche reynande
Seth Gode was bore.
MYNDE.
Ande lechery was neuer more vsande
Off lernyde and lewyde in þis lande.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
So we thre be now in hande.
WYLL.
Ya, and most vsyde euerywere.
MYNDE.
Now wyll we thre do make a dance
Off thow þat longe to owr retenance,
Cummynge in by contenance.
Þis were a dysporte.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Therto I geve acordance
Off thow þat ben of myn affyance.
WYLL.
Let se bytyme þe meyntnance.
Clepe in fyrst yowr resorte.
Here entur six dysgysyde in þe sute of MYNDE, wyth rede berdys, and lyouns rampaunt on here crestys, and yche a warder in hys honde; her mynstrallys, trumpes. Eche answere for hys name.
MYNDE.
Let se cum in Indignacyon and Sturdynes,
Males also and Hastynes,
Wreche and Dyscorde expres,
And þe sevente am I, Mayntennance.
Seven ys a numbyr of dyscorde and inperfyghtnes.
Lo, here ys a yomandrye wyth loweday to dres!
Ande þe Deule hade swore yt, þey wolde ber wp falsnes
Ande maynten yt at þe best. Þis ys þe Deullys dance.
Males also and Hastynes,
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And þe sevente am I, Mayntennance.
Seven ys a numbyr of dyscorde and inperfyghtnes.
Lo, here ys a yomandrye wyth loweday to dres!
Ande þe Deule hade swore yt, þey wolde ber wp falsnes
Ande maynten yt at þe best. Þis ys þe Deullys dance.
Ande here menstrellys be convenyent,
For trumpys xulde blow to þe jugemente;
Off batell also yt ys on instrumente,
Yevynge comfort to fyght.
Therfor þey be expedyente
To þes meny of meyntement.
Blow! lett see Madam Regent,
Ande daunce, ye laddys! yowr hertys be lyght.
For trumpys xulde blow to þe jugemente;
Off batell also yt ys on instrumente,
Yevynge comfort to fyght.
Therfor þey be expedyente
To þes meny of meyntement.
Blow! lett see Madam Regent,
Ande daunce, ye laddys! yowr hertys be lyght.
Lo, þat other spare, thes meny wyll spende.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ya, wo ys hym xall hem offende!
WYLL.
Wo wyll not to hem condescende,
He xall haue threttys.
MYNDE.
They spyll þat law wolde amende.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Yit mayntnance no man dare reprehende.
WYLL.
Thes meny thre synnys comprehende:
Pryde, Invy, and Wrathe in hys hettys.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Now wyll I than begyn my traces.
Jorowrs in on hoode beer to facys.
Fayer speche and falsehede in on space ys.
Is it not ruthe?
The quest of Holborn cum into þis placys.
Ageyn þe ryght euer þey rechases.
Off wom þey holde not, harde hys grace ys.
Many a tyme haue dammyde truthe.
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WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Let se fyrst Wronge and Sleyght;
Dobullnes and Falsnes, schew yowr myght;
Now Raveyn and Dyscheyit;
Now holde yow here togydyr.
Thys menys consyens ys so streytt
That þey report as mede yewyt beyght.
Here ys þe quest of Holborn, an euyll entyrecte.
They daunce all þe londe hydyr and thedyr,
And I, Perjury, yowr fownder.
Now dance on, ws all! The worlde doth on ws wondyr.
Dobullnes and Falsnes, schew yowr myght;
Now Raveyn and Dyscheyit;
Now holde yow here togydyr.
Thys menys consyens ys so streytt
That þey report as mede yewyt beyght.
Here ys þe quest of Holborn, an euyll entyrecte.
They daunce all þe londe hydyr and thedyr,
And I, Perjury, yowr fownder.
Now dance on, ws all! The worlde doth on ws wondyr.
Lo, here ys a menye loue wellfare.
MYNDE.
Ye, þey spende þat tru men spare.
WYLL.
Haue þey a brybe, haue þey no care
Wo hath wronge or ryght.
MYNDE.
They fors not to swere and starre.
WYLL.
Though all be false, les and mare.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Wyche wey to þe woode wyll þe hare
They knewe, and þey at rest sett als tyghte.
Some seme hem wyse
For þe fadyr of vs, Covetyse.
WYLL.
Now Meyntnance and Perjury
Hathe schewyde þe trace of þer cumpeny,
Ye xall se a sprynge of Lechery,
Þat to me attende.
Here forme ys of þe stewys clene rebaldry.
They wene sey sothe wen þat þey lye.
Off þe comyn þey synge eche wyke by and by.
They may sey wyth tenker, I trow, ‘Lat amende.’
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WYLL.
Cum slepers, Rekleshede and Idyllnes,
All in all, Surfet and Gredynes,
For þe flesche, Spousebreche and Mastres,
Wyth jentyll Fornycacyon.
Yowr mynstrell a hornepype mete
Þat fowll ys in hymselff but to þe erys swete.
Thre fortherers of loue; ‘Hem schrew I!’ quod Bete.
Thys dance of þis damesellys ys thorow þis regyn.
MYNDE.
Ye may not endure wythowt my meyntenance.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
That ys bought wyth a brybe of owr substance.
WYLL.
Whow, breydest þou vs of þin aqueyntance?
I sett þe at nought!
MYNDE.
On þat worde I woll tak vengeaunce.
Wer vycys be gederyde, euer ys sum myschance.
Hurle hens thes harlottys! Here gyse ys of France.
Þey xall abey bytterly, by hym þat all wrought!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ill spede þe ande þou spare!
Þi longe body bare
To bett I not spare.
Haue the ageyn!
WYLL.
Holde me not! let me go! ware!
I dynge, I dasche! þer, go ther!
Dompe deuys, can ye not dare?
I tell yow, outwarde, on and tweyn!
Exient
MYNDE.
Now I schrew yow thus dansaunde!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ye, and ewyll be þou thryvande!
WYLL.
No more let vs be stryvande.
Nowe all at on!
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Here was a meny onthryvande.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
To þe Deull be þey drywande.
WYLL.
He þat ys yll wywande,
Wo hys hym, by þe bon!
MYNDE.
Leue then þis dalyance
Ande set we a ordenance
Off better chevesaunce
How we may thryve.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
At Westmyster, wythowt varyance,
Þe nex terme xall me sore avawnce,
For retornys, for enbraces, for recordaunce.
Lyghtlyer to get goode kan no man on lyue.
MYNDE.
Ande at þe parvyse I wyll be
A Powlys betwyn to ande thre,
Wyth a menye folowynge me,
Entret, juge-partynge, and to-supporte.
WYLL.
Ande euer þe latter, þe leuer me.
Wen I com lat to þe cyte
I walke all lanys and weys to myn affynyte;
And I spede not þer, to þe stews I resort.
MYNDE.
Ther gettys þou nouhte, but spendys.
WYLL.
Yis, sumtyme I take amendys
Off hem þat nought offendys,
I engrose vpe here purs.
MYNDE.
And I arest þer no drede ys,
Preve forfett þer no mede ys,
Ande take to me þat nede ys;
I reke not thow þey curs.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Thow þey curs, never þe wers I fare.
Thys day I endyght them I herde of neuer are;
To-morow I wyll aqwyt them, yff nede were.
Thys lede I my lyff.
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Ye, but of vs thre I haue lest care.
Met and drynke and ease, I aske no mare,
Ande a praty wenche, to se here bare;
I reke but lytyll be sche mayde or wyffe.
MYNDE.
Thys on a soper
I wyll be seen rycher,
Set a noble wyth goode chere
Redyly to spende.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
And I tweyn, be þis feer,
To moque at a goode dyner.
I hoope of a goode yer,
For euer I trost Gode wyll send.
WYLL.
And best we haue wyne,
Ande a cosyn of myn
Wyth ws for to dyne.
Thre nobles wyll I spende frely.
MYNDE.
We xall acorde well and fyne.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Nay, I wyll not passe schylyngys nyne.
WYLL.
No, þou was neuer but a swyn.
I woll be holdyn jentyll, by Sent Audre of Ely.
I woll be holdyn jentyll, by Sent Audre of Ely.
Ande now in my mynde I haue
My cosyn Jenet N., so Gode me save;
Sche mornyth wyth a chorle, a very knaue,
And neuer kan be mery.
I pley me þer wen I lyst rawe;
Than þe chorle wyll here dysprawe.
Who myght make hym thys to lawe,
I wolde onys haue hym in þe wyrry.
My cosyn Jenet N., so Gode me save;
Sche mornyth wyth a chorle, a very knaue,
And neuer kan be mery.
I pley me þer wen I lyst rawe;
Than þe chorle wyll here dysprawe.
Who myght make hym thys to lawe,
I wolde onys haue hym in þe wyrry.
MYNDE.
For thys I kan a remedye:
I xall rebuk hym thus so dyspytuusly
Þat of hys lyff he xall wery
And qwak for very fere.
I xall rebuk hym thus so dyspytuusly
Þat of hys lyff he xall wery
And qwak for very fere.
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Ande yff he wyll not leve þerby,
On hys bodye he xall abye
Tyll he leue þat jelousy.
Nay, suche chorlys I kan lere.
On hys bodye he xall abye
Tyll he leue þat jelousy.
Nay, suche chorlys I kan lere.
WNDYRSTONDYNG.
Nay, I kan better hym qwytte:
Arest hym fyrst to pes for fyght,
Than in another schere hym endyght,
He ne xall wete by wom ne howe.
Haue hym in þe Marschalsi seyn aryght,
Than to þe Amralte, for þey wyll byght,
A preuenire facias than haue as tyght,
Ande þou xalt hurle hym so þat he xall haue inow.
WYLL.
Wat and þes wrongys be espyede?
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Wyth þe crose and þe pyll I xall wrye yt
That þer xall neuer man dyscrey yt
Þat may me appeyere.
MYNDE.
Ther ys no craft but we may trye yt.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Mede stoppyt, be yt neuer so allyede.
WYLL.
Wyth yow tweyn wo ys replyede,
He may sey he hathe a schrewde seyer.
MYNDE.
Thow woldyst haue wondyr of sleyghtys þat be.
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Thys make sume ryche and summe neuer the.
WYLL.
Þey must nedys grett goodys gett þe.
Now go we to þe wyne!
MYNDE.
In trewþe I grante; haue at wyth þe!
WNDYRSTONDYNGE.
Ande for a peny or to, I wyll not fle.
WYLL.
Mery, mery, all mery þan be we!
Who þat ws tarythe, curs haue he and myn!
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