 | Three Laws |  |
72
Incipit Actus Secundus
Naturae Lex
The lawe in effect is a teacher generall—
What is to be done, and what to be layed asyde:
But as touchynge me, the first lawe naturall,
A knowledge I am whom God in Man doth hyde,
In hys whole workynge to be to hym a gyde,
To honour hys God and seke hys neybers helth,
A great occasyon of peace and publyque welth.
What is to be done, and what to be layed asyde:
But as touchynge me, the first lawe naturall,
A knowledge I am whom God in Man doth hyde,
In hys whole workynge to be to hym a gyde,
To honour hys God and seke hys neybers helth,
A great occasyon of peace and publyque welth.
A sore charge I have, Mankynde to over se,
And to instruct hym hys lorde God to obaye.
That lorde of heaven graunt I may so do my dewtie
That he be pleased, and Man brought to a staye.
Hys bryttle nature, hys slyppernesse to waye,
Moch doth provoke me; but if God set to hande
He shall do full wel, for non maye hym withstande.
And to instruct hym hys lorde God to obaye.
That lorde of heaven graunt I may so do my dewtie
That he be pleased, and Man brought to a staye.
Hys bryttle nature, hys slyppernesse to waye,
Moch doth provoke me; but if God set to hande
He shall do full wel, for non maye hym withstande.
[Enter Infidelitas as a pedlar, singing.]
Infidelitas
Brom, brom, brom, brom, brom.
Bye brom, bye, bye.
Bromes for shoes and powcherynges,
Botes and buskyns for newe bromes.
Brom, brom, brom.
Bye brom, bye, bye.
Bromes for shoes and powcherynges,
Botes and buskyns for newe bromes.
Brom, brom, brom.
73
Marry, God geve ye good even,
And the holyman saynt Steven
Sende ye a good newe yeare.
I wolde have brought ye the paxe,
Or els an ymage of waxe,
If I had knowne ye heare.
And the holyman saynt Steven
Sende ye a good newe yeare.
I wolde have brought ye the paxe,
Or els an ymage of waxe,
If I had knowne ye heare.
I wyll my selfe so handle
That ye shall have a candle
Whan I come hyther agayne.
At thys your soden mocyon,
I was in soch devocyon,
I had nere broke a vayne.
That ye shall have a candle
Whan I come hyther agayne.
At thys your soden mocyon,
I was in soch devocyon,
I had nere broke a vayne.
Naturae Lex
That myght have done ye smart.
Infidelitas
No, no, it was but a fart:
For pastyme of my hart
I wolde ye had it forsoth
In serupp or in sowse,
But for noyaunce of the howse
For easement of your toth.
For pastyme of my hart
I wolde ye had it forsoth
In serupp or in sowse,
But for noyaunce of the howse
For easement of your toth.
Now have I my dreame in dede,
God send me wele to spede
And swete saynt Antony;
I thought I shuld mete a knave,
And now that fortune I have
Amonge thys cumpany.
God send me wele to spede
And swete saynt Antony;
I thought I shuld mete a knave,
And now that fortune I have
Amonge thys cumpany.
Naturae Lex
Why dost thu call me knave?
Infidelitas
I sayd I wolde be your slave,
Yf your grace wolde me have,
And do your worke anon.
I wolde so rubbe your botes
Therofe shuld from the rotes
Whan ye shuld do them on ...
Naturae Lex
Thu art dysposed to mocke;
Sone mayst thu have a knocke,
If thu with me so game.
Infidelitas
Your mouth shall kysse my docke,
Your tonge shall it unlocke—
But I saye, what is your name?
74
I am the lawe of Nature.
Infidelitas
I thought so by your stature,
And by your auncyent gature,
Ye were of soch a rature,
Whan I first heard ye speke.
Ye commoned with God lately,
And now ye are hys bayly,
Mankynde to rule dyscretely;
Welcome, syr huddypeke.
Naturae Lex
If thu use soch vyllanye,
I shall dysplease the, trulye.
Infidelitas
By the masse, I the defye,
With thy whole cuckoldrye,
And all that with the holde.
Naturae Lex
Why dost thu me blaspheme,
And so ungodly deme?
Infidelitas
For by thys blessed boke
I went ye had bene a coke
And that made me so bolde.
I went ye had bene a coke
And that made me so bolde.
For a coke ones havynge age,
With a face demure and sage
And auncyent to beholde,
As yow have here in place,
With a bearde upon your face,
What is he but a coke-olde?
With a face demure and sage
And auncyent to beholde,
As yow have here in place,
With a bearde upon your face,
What is he but a coke-olde?
Naturae Lex
Ye are dysposed to dallye,
To leape and oversallye
The compasse of your wytte:
I counsell ye yet in season,
Sumwhat to folowe reason,
And gnawe upon the bytte.
Infidelitas
Then after our great madnesse,
Lete us fall to some sadnesse,
And tell me what ye intende.
Naturae Lex
God sent me unto Man
To do the best I can
To cause hym to amende.
To do the best I can
To cause hym to amende.
Soch creatures as want reason
My rules obye yche season
And that in every bordre;
The sunne and mone doth move
With the other bodyes above
And never breake their ordre;
My rules obye yche season
And that in every bordre;
75
With the other bodyes above
And never breake their ordre;
The trees and herbes doth growe,
The see doth ebbe and flowe,
And varyeth not a nayle;
The floudes and wholsom sprynges
With other naturall thynges
Their course do never fayle;
The see doth ebbe and flowe,
And varyeth not a nayle;
The floudes and wholsom sprynges
With other naturall thynges
Their course do never fayle;
The beastes and byrdes engendre,
So do the fyshes tendre
Accordynge to their kynde;
Alonlye man doth fall
From good lawes naturall
By a frowarde wycked mynde.
So do the fyshes tendre
Accordynge to their kynde;
Alonlye man doth fall
From good lawes naturall
By a frowarde wycked mynde.
Infidelitas
Now wyll I prove ye a lyar,
Next cosyne to a fryar,
And on the gall ye rubbe.
Ye saye they folowe your lawe,
And varyee not a strawe,
Whych is a tale of a tubbe.
Next cosyne to a fryar,
And on the gall ye rubbe.
Ye saye they folowe your lawe,
And varyee not a strawe,
Whych is a tale of a tubbe.
The sunne ones in the clyppes,
Awaye the clerenesse slyppes,
And darkened is the daye;
Of the planetes influence
Aryseth the pestylence
To manye ones decaye.
Awaye the clerenesse slyppes,
And darkened is the daye;
Of the planetes influence
Aryseth the pestylence
To manye ones decaye.
Doth not the see so rage,
That non can it aswage,
And swellowe in towne and streate?
The ayre whych geveth breathe
Sumtyme infecteth to deathe
By hys most pestylent heate.
That non can it aswage,
And swellowe in towne and streate?
The ayre whych geveth breathe
Sumtyme infecteth to deathe
By hys most pestylent heate.
The beastes oft undemure,
Whych were left to mannys cure,
Wyll hym sumtyme devoure:
Thus are your rules forgote
As thynges of slendre note
In creatures daye and houre.
Whych were left to mannys cure,
Wyll hym sumtyme devoure:
Thus are your rules forgote
As thynges of slendre note
In creatures daye and houre.
76
It is the wyll of God
To use them as a rod
Of hys just ponnyshment,
Whan Man doth not regarde
The lorde nor hys rewarde,
Nor to hys lawes consent.
To use them as a rod
Of hys just ponnyshment,
Whan Man doth not regarde
The lorde nor hys rewarde,
Nor to hys lawes consent.
They never are so ronnysh
But whan God doth Man ponnysh
For hys unhappynesse.
From God they never fall,
Nor from lawes naturall,
Doynge hys busynesse.
But whan God doth Man ponnysh
For hys unhappynesse.
From God they never fall,
Nor from lawes naturall,
Doynge hys busynesse.
Infidelitas
And yow are the same lawe
That kepe them undre awe
By your most polytyke wytt?
Naturae Lex
God hath appoynted me
Mankynde to overse
And in hys hart to sytt;
Mankynde to overse
And in hys hart to sytt;
To teache hym for to knowe
In the creatures hygh and lowe
Hys gloryouse mageste,
And on hys name to call
Or power celestyall
In hys necessyte;
In the creatures hygh and lowe
Hys gloryouse mageste,
And on hys name to call
Or power celestyall
In hys necessyte;
To thynke hym everlastynge
And wonderfull in workynge,
And that he createth all,
Both governe and conserve.
From them he never swerve
That to soch fayth wyll fall.
And wonderfull in workynge,
And that he createth all,
Both governe and conserve.
From them he never swerve
That to soch fayth wyll fall.
Infidelitas
In dede here is good sport:
But why do yow resort
Unto thys present place?
Naturae Lex
Man alwayes to exhort
To seke all helth and confort
Of the only God of grace;
To seke all helth and confort
Of the only God of grace;
First in the hartes rejoyce,
And than with open voyce
To worshypp hym alone,
Knowledgynge hys deyte,
Hys power and eternyte,
Whan he shall make hys mone.
And than with open voyce
To worshypp hym alone,
77
Hys power and eternyte,
Whan he shall make hys mone.
Infidelitas
I shall kepe ye as well from that
As my grandame kept her cat
From lyckynge of her creame.
Naturae Lex
What wylt thu kepe me fro?
Tell me ere thu farther go:
Me thynke thu art in a dreame.
Infidelitas
From causynge of Mankynde
To geve to God hys mynde
Or hys obedyence.
Naturae Lex
What is thy name? Tell me.
Infidelitas
Marry, Infydelyte,
Whych never wyll agre
To your benyvolence.
Naturae Lex
Thu cannyst not kepe me from man.
Infidelitas
Yet wyll I do the best I can
To trouble ye now and than,
That ye shall not prevayle.
I wyll cause ydolatrye,
And most vyle sodomye
To worke so ongracyouslye
Ye shall of your purpose fayle.
Naturae Lex
I defye the, wycked fynde,
With thy whole venemouse kynde.
God putteth now in my mynde
To fle thy cumpanye.
Infidelitas
Ye are so blessed a Saynt,
And your self so wele can paynt,
That I must me acquaynt
With yow, no remedye.
Naturae Lex
Avoyde, thu cruell enemye!
I wyll non of the trulye,
But shurne thy cumpanye
As I wolde the devyll of hell.
Exit [Naturae Lex.]
78
And are ye gone in dede?
Small wyttam be your spede;
Except ye take good hede
I wyll be next of your counsell.
Small wyttam be your spede;
Except ye take good hede
I wyll be next of your counsell.
Now wyll I worke soch masterye,
By craftes and sutyle polycye,
The lawe of nature to poyson
With pestylent ydolatrye
And with most stynkynge sodomye,
That he shall have no foyson.
By craftes and sutyle polycye,
The lawe of nature to poyson
With pestylent ydolatrye
And with most stynkynge sodomye,
That he shall have no foyson.
Where are these vyllen knaves,
The devyls owne kychyn slaves,
That them I can not se?
I conjure yow both here,
And charge ye to apere,
Lyke two knaves as ye be!
The devyls owne kychyn slaves,
That them I can not se?
I conjure yow both here,
And charge ye to apere,
Lyke two knaves as ye be!
Sodomismus
[offstage.]
Ambo is a name full cleane.
[as] Monachus
Knowe ye not what I meane,
And are so good a clarke?
Infidelitas
By Tetragrammaton,
I charge ye, apere anon
And come out of the darke.
Intrant simul [Sodomismus and Idololatria.]
Sodomismus
Have in than, at a dash,
With swash, myry annet swash;
Yet maye I not be to rash
For my holy orders sake,
Idololatria
Nor I, sonne, by my trouth.
[as] Necromantic
Cha caute a corage of slouth,
And soch a comberouse couth,
Ych wote not what to do.
Infidelitas
At Christmas and at Paske
Ye maye daunce the devyll a maske
Whyls hys great cawdron plawe.
Yow soch a prati mynyon,
And yow now in relygyon,
Soch two I never sawe.
79
Sodomismus
Yes, an wholsom woman verelye,
And wele seane in phylosophye;
Mennys fortunes she can tell.
She can by sayenge her Ave Marye,
And by other charmes of sorcerye,
Ease men of toth ake by and bye,
Yea, and fatche the devyll from hell.
And wele seane in phylosophye;
Mennys fortunes she can tell.
She can by sayenge her Ave Marye,
And by other charmes of sorcerye,
Ease men of toth ake by and bye,
Yea, and fatche the devyll from hell.
She can mylke the cowe and hunte the foxe,
And helpe men of the ague and poxe,
So they brynge moneye to the boxe,
Whan they to her make mone.
She can fatch agayne all that is lost,
And drawe drynke out of a rotten post,
Without the helpe of the holye Ghost:
In workynge she is alone.
And helpe men of the ague and poxe,
So they brynge moneye to the boxe,
Whan they to her make mone.
She can fatch agayne all that is lost,
And drawe drynke out of a rotten post,
Without the helpe of the holye Ghost:
In workynge she is alone.
Infidelitas
What, sumtyme thu wert an he!
Idololatria
Yea, but now ych am a she,
And a good mydwyfe per De,
Yonge chyldren can I charme,
With whysperynges and whysshynges,
With crossynges and with kyssynges,
With blasynges and with blessynges,
That spretes do them no harme.
Infidelitas
Then art thu lyke to Clisthenes,
To Clodious and Euclides,
Sardinapalus and Hercules,
Whych themselves oft transfourmed
Into a womannys lyckenes,
With agylyte and quyckenes,
But they had Venus syckenes,
As writers have declared.
Sodomismus
Lete her tell fourth her matter.
Idololatria
With holye oyle and watter,
I can so cloyne and clatter,
That I can at the latter,
Manye suttyltees contryve.
I can worke wyles in battle,
If I do ones but spattle,
I can make corne and cattle,
That they shall never thryve.
I can so cloyne and clatter,
That I can at the latter,
Manye suttyltees contryve.
I can worke wyles in battle,
If I do ones but spattle,
I can make corne and cattle,
That they shall never thryve.
80
Whan ale is in the fatt,
If the bruar please me natt,
The cast shall fall downe flat,
And never have any strength.
No man shall tonne nor bake,
Nor meate in season make,
If I agaynst hym take,
But lose hys labour at length.
If the bruar please me natt,
The cast shall fall downe flat,
And never have any strength.
No man shall tonne nor bake,
Nor meate in season make,
If I agaynst hym take,
But lose hys labour at length.
Their wellys I can up drye,
Cause trees and herbes to dye,
And slee all pullerye
Where as men doth me move.
I can make stoles to daunce,
And earthen pottes to praunce,
That non shall them enhaunce,
And do but cast my glove.
Cause trees and herbes to dye,
And slee all pullerye
Where as men doth me move.
I can make stoles to daunce,
And earthen pottes to praunce,
That non shall them enhaunce,
And do but cast my glove.
I have charmes for the plowgh,
And also for the cowgh;
She shall geve mylke ynowgh,
So longe as I am pleased.
Apace the mylle shall go,
So shall the credle do,
And the musterde querne also,
No man therwith dyseased.
And also for the cowgh;
She shall geve mylke ynowgh,
So longe as I am pleased.
Apace the mylle shall go,
So shall the credle do,
And the musterde querne also,
No man therwith dyseased.
Infidelitas
Than art thu for me fytt.
Sodomismus
The woman hath a wytt,
And by her gere can sytt,
Though she be sumwhat olde.
It is myne owne swete bullye,
My muskyne and my mullye,
My gelover and my cullye,
Yea, myne owne swetehart of golde.
Infidelitas
I saye yet not to bolde.
Idololatria
Peace, fondelinge, tush a button.
Infidelitas
What wylt thu fall to mutton,
And playe the hungry glutton,
Afore thys cumpanye?
Ranke love is full of heate;
Where hungry dogges lacke meate
They wyll durty puddynges eate
For want of befe and conye.
81
As good is draffe as honye,
Whan the daye is whote and sonnye,
By the blessed rode of Kent.
Sodomismus
Saye fourth your mynde, good mother,
For thys man is non other
But our owne lovynge brother,
And is very wele content.
Idololatria
I never mysse but paulter
Our blessed ladyes psaulter
Before saynt Savers aulter,
With my bedes ones a daye.
And thys is my commen cast,
To heare Masse first or last,
And the holy frydaye fast,
In good tyme mowt I it saye.
Our blessed ladyes psaulter
Before saynt Savers aulter,
With my bedes ones a daye.
And thys is my commen cast,
To heare Masse first or last,
And the holy frydaye fast,
In good tyme mowt I it saye.
With blessynges of saynt Germyne,
I wyll me so determyne
That neyther foxe nor vermyne
Shall do my chuckens harme.
For your gese seke saynt Legearde,
And for your duckes saynt Lenarde,
For horse take Moyses yearde,
There is no better charme.
I wyll me so determyne
That neyther foxe nor vermyne
Shall do my chuckens harme.
For your gese seke saynt Legearde,
And for your duckes saynt Lenarde,
For horse take Moyses yearde,
There is no better charme.
Take me a napkyn folte,
With the byas of a bolte,
For the healynge of a colte,
No better thynge can be.
For lampes and for bottes
Take me saynt Wylfrides knottes,
And holy saynt Thomas lottes,
On my lyfe I warande ye.
With the byas of a bolte,
For the healynge of a colte,
No better thynge can be.
For lampes and for bottes
Take me saynt Wylfrides knottes,
And holy saynt Thomas lottes,
On my lyfe I warande ye.
For the cowgh take Judas eare,
With the parynge of a peare,
And drynke them without feare
If ye wyll have remedy.
Thre syppes are for the hyckock,
And six more for the chyckock;
Thus maye my praty pyckock
Recover by and by.
With the parynge of a peare,
And drynke them without feare
If ye wyll have remedy.
Thre syppes are for the hyckock,
And six more for the chyckock;
Thus maye my praty pyckock
Recover by and by.
82
If ye can not slepe but slumber,
Geve otes unto saynt Uncumber,
And beanes in a serten number
Unto saynt Blase and saynt Blythe;
Geve onyons to saynt Cutlake,
And garlyke to saynt Cyryake,
If ye wyll shurne the head ake,
Ye shall have them at Quene hythe.
Geve otes unto saynt Uncumber,
And beanes in a serten number
Unto saynt Blase and saynt Blythe;
Geve onyons to saynt Cutlake,
And garlyke to saynt Cyryake,
If ye wyll shurne the head ake,
Ye shall have them at Quene hythe.
A dramme of a shepes tyrdle,
And good saynt Frances gyrdle,
With the hamlet of an hyrdle,
Are wholesom for the pyppe.
Besydes these charmes afore,
I have feates many more
That I kepe styll in store
Whome now I over hyppe.
And good saynt Frances gyrdle,
With the hamlet of an hyrdle,
Are wholesom for the pyppe.
Besydes these charmes afore,
I have feates many more
That I kepe styll in store
Whome now I over hyppe.
Infidelitas
It is a spoart I trowe
To heare how she out blowe
Her witche craftes on a rowe;
By the Masse I must nedes smyle.
Now, I praye the, lete me knowe
What sedes that thu cannyst sowe
Mankynde to over throwe,
And the lawe of nature begyle.
Sodomismus
My selfe I so behave,
And am so vyle a knave
As nature doth deprave
And utterlye abhorre.
I am soche a vyce trulye
As God in hys great furye
Ded ponnysh most terryblye
In Sodome and in Gomorre.
And am so vyle a knave
As nature doth deprave
And utterlye abhorre.
I am soche a vyce trulye
As God in hys great furye
Ded ponnysh most terryblye
In Sodome and in Gomorre.
In the fleshe I am a fyre,
And soch a vyle desyre,
As brynge men to the myre
Of fowle concupyscence.
We two togyther beganne
To sprynge and to growe in manne,
As Thomas of Aquyne scanne
In the fort boke of hys sentence.
And soch a vyle desyre,
As brynge men to the myre
Of fowle concupyscence.
We two togyther beganne
To sprynge and to growe in manne,
As Thomas of Aquyne scanne
In the fort boke of hys sentence.
83
I dwelt amonge the Sodomytes,
The Benjamytes and Madyanytes
And now the popysh hypocrytes
Embrace me every where.
I am now become all spyrytuall,
For the clergye at Rome and over all
For want of wyves, to me doth fall,
To God they have no feare.
The Benjamytes and Madyanytes
And now the popysh hypocrytes
Embrace me every where.
I am now become all spyrytuall,
For the clergye at Rome and over all
For want of wyves, to me doth fall,
To God they have no feare.
The chyldren of God I ded so move,
That they the doughters of men ded love,
Workynge soch wayes as ded not behove,
Tyll the floude them over went.
With Noes sonne Cham I was half joyned,
Whan he hys dronken father scorned;
In the Gomorytes I also reigned,
Tyll the hand of God them brent.
That they the doughters of men ded love,
Workynge soch wayes as ded not behove,
Tyll the floude them over went.
With Noes sonne Cham I was half joyned,
Whan he hys dronken father scorned;
In the Gomorytes I also reigned,
Tyll the hand of God them brent.
I was with Onan not unacquaynted,
Whan he on the grounde hys increase shed;
For me hys bretherne Joseph accused,
As Genesis doth tell.
David ones warned all men of us two,
‘Do not as mules and horses wyll do;
Confounded be they that to ymages go,
Those are the wayes to hell.’
Whan he on the grounde hys increase shed;
For me hys bretherne Joseph accused,
As Genesis doth tell.
David ones warned all men of us two,
‘Do not as mules and horses wyll do;
Confounded be they that to ymages go,
Those are the wayes to hell.’
Both Esaye and Ezechiel,
Both Hieremy and Daniel,
Of us the abhomynacyons tell,
With the prophetes everychon;
For us two God strake with fyre and watter
With battayle, with plages and fearfull matter,
With paynefull exyle than at the latter,
Into Egipt and Babylon.
Both Hieremy and Daniel,
Of us the abhomynacyons tell,
With the prophetes everychon;
For us two God strake with fyre and watter
With battayle, with plages and fearfull matter,
With paynefull exyle than at the latter,
Into Egipt and Babylon.
As Paule to the Romanes testyfye,
The gentyles after Idolatrye
Fell to soch bestyall Sodomye
That God ded them forsake.
Who foloweth us as he confesse
The kyngedom of God shall never possesse,
And as the Apocalyps expresse
Shall synke to the burnynge lake.
The gentyles after Idolatrye
Fell to soch bestyall Sodomye
That God ded them forsake.
Who foloweth us as he confesse
The kyngedom of God shall never possesse,
And as the Apocalyps expresse
Shall synke to the burnynge lake.
84
We made Thalon and Sophocles,
Thamiras, Nero, Agathocles,
Tiberius and Aristoteles,
Themselves to use unnaturallye:
I taught Aristo and Fulvius,
Semiramis and Hortensius,
Crathes, Hyliscus, and Pontius
Beastes to abuse most monstruouslye.
Thamiras, Nero, Agathocles,
Tiberius and Aristoteles,
Themselves to use unnaturallye:
I taught Aristo and Fulvius,
Semiramis and Hortensius,
Crathes, Hyliscus, and Pontius
Beastes to abuse most monstruouslye.
Infidelitas
Marry, thu art the devyll hymselfe!
Idololatria
If ye knewe how he coulde pelfe,
Ye wolde saye he were soch an elfe,
As non under heaven were els.
Infidelitas
The fellawe is wele decked,
Dysgysed and wele necked,
Both knavebalde and pyepecked,
He lacketh nothynge but bels.
Sodomismus
In the first age I beganne,
And so perseverde with manne,
And styll wyll if I canne,
So longe as he endure.
If monkysh sectes renue,
And popysh prestes contynue,
Whych are of my retynue,
To lyve I shall be sure.
And so perseverde with manne,
And styll wyll if I canne,
So longe as he endure.
If monkysh sectes renue,
And popysh prestes contynue,
Whych are of my retynue,
To lyve I shall be sure.
Cleane marryage they forbyd,
Yet can not their wayes be hyd;
Men knowe what hath betyd,
Whan they have bene in parell.
Oft have they buryed quycke
Soch as were never sycke;
Full many a propre trycke,
They have to helpe their quarell.
Yet can not their wayes be hyd;
Men knowe what hath betyd,
Whan they have bene in parell.
Oft have they buryed quycke
Soch as were never sycke;
Full many a propre trycke,
They have to helpe their quarell.
In Rome to me they fall,
Both byshopp and cardynall,
Monke, fryre, prest and all,
More ranke they are than antes.
Example in Pope Julye,
Whych sought to have in hys furye
Two laddes, and to use them beastlye,
From the Cardynall of Nantes.
Both byshopp and cardynall,
Monke, fryre, prest and all,
More ranke they are than antes.
Example in Pope Julye,
Whych sought to have in hys furye
Two laddes, and to use them beastlye,
From the Cardynall of Nantes.
85
Well yow two are for my mynde,
Steppe fourth and do your kynde;
Leave never a poynt be hynde
That maye corrupt in man
The lawe wryt in hys hart:
In hys flesh do thy part,
Ad Sodo.
Steppe fourth and do your kynde;
Leave never a poynt be hynde
That maye corrupt in man
The lawe wryt in hys hart:
In hys flesh do thy part,
And hys sowle to pervart
Ad Idol.
Do thu the best thu can.
Here have I pratye gynnes,
Both brouches, beades and pynnes,
With soch as the people wynnes
Unto ydolatrye
Take thu part of them here,
Ad Idol.
Both brouches, beades and pynnes,
With soch as the people wynnes
Unto ydolatrye
Take thu part of them here,
Beades, rynges, and other gere,
And shortlye the bestere
To deceyve Man properlye.
And shortlye the bestere
To deceyve Man properlye.
Take thys same staffe and scryppe,
With a God here of a chyppe,
And, good beldame, forewarde hyppe,
To set fourth pylgrymage.
Set thu fourth sacramentals,
Ad Sodo.
With a God here of a chyppe,
And, good beldame, forewarde hyppe,
To set fourth pylgrymage.
Set thu fourth sacramentals,
Saye dyrge, and synge for trentals,
Stodye the Popes decretals,
And mixt them with buggerage.
Stodye the Popes decretals,
And mixt them with buggerage.
Here is a stoole for the
A ghostlye father to be
To heare Benedicite,
A boxe of creame and oyle.
Here is a purse of rellyckes,
Ad Idol.
A ghostlye father to be
To heare Benedicite,
A boxe of creame and oyle.
Here is a purse of rellyckes,
Ragges, rotten bones, and styckes,
A taper with other tryckes,
Shewe them in every soyle.
A taper with other tryckes,
Shewe them in every soyle.
Sodomismus
I wyll corrupt Gods Image
With most unlawfull usage,
And brynge hym into dottage,
Of all concupyscence.
Idololatria
Within the flesh thu art,
But I dwell in the hart,
And wyll the sowle pervart
From Gods obedyence.
86
Spare non abhomynacyon,
Nor detestable fashyon,
That mannys ymagynacyon
By wytt maye comprehende.
To quycken our spretes amonge
Synge now some myry songe,
But lete it not be longe,
Least we to moch offende.
Post cantionem Infidelitas alta voce dicet—
Oremus. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui ad imaginem
et similitudinem nostram formasti laicos, da quaesumus
ut sicut eorum sudoribus vivimus ita eorum uxoribus,
filiabus et domicellis perpetuo frui mereamur. Per dominum
nostrum Papam.
[Exeunt Sodomismus and Idololatria.]
Infidelitas
Now are these whoresons forth;
It wyll be somwhat worth
To se how they wyll wurke,
The one to poyson the hart,
The other the outwarde part
Ingenyously wyll lurke.
It wyll be somwhat worth
To se how they wyll wurke,
The one to poyson the hart,
The other the outwarde part
Ingenyously wyll lurke.
The lawe of Nature they wyll
Infect, corrupt and spyll
With their abhomynacyon,
Idolatry with wyckednesse,
And Sodomy with fylthynesse,
To hys most utter dampnacyon.
Infect, corrupt and spyll
With their abhomynacyon,
Idolatry with wyckednesse,
And Sodomy with fylthynesse,
To hys most utter dampnacyon.
These two wyll hym so use,
Ich one in their abuse,
And wrappe hym in soch evyll,
That by their wycked cast
He shall be at the last
A morsell for the devyll.
Ich one in their abuse,
And wrappe hym in soch evyll,
That by their wycked cast
He shall be at the last
A morsell for the devyll.
Now underneth her wynges
Idolatry hath kynges
With their nobylyte,
Both dukes, lordes, knyghtes and earles,
Fayre ladyes with their pearles,
And the whole commenalte.
Idolatry hath kynges
With their nobylyte,
Both dukes, lordes, knyghtes and earles,
Fayre ladyes with their pearles,
And the whole commenalte.
87
Within the bownes of Sodomye
Doth dwell the spirytuall clergye,
Pope, cardinall and pryst,
Nonne, chanon, monke and fryre,
With so many els as do desyre
To reigne undre Antichrist.
Doth dwell the spirytuall clergye,
Pope, cardinall and pryst,
Nonne, chanon, monke and fryre,
With so many els as do desyre
To reigne undre Antichrist.
Detestynge matrymonye,
They lyve abhomynablye,
And burne in carnall lust.
Shall I tell ye farther newes?
At Rome for prelates are stewes
Of both kyndes: thys is just.
They lyve abhomynablye,
And burne in carnall lust.
Shall I tell ye farther newes?
At Rome for prelates are stewes
Of both kyndes: thys is just.
The lawe of Nature, I thynke,
Wyll not be able to wynke
Agaynst the assaultes of them,
They havynge so hygh prelates,
And so manye great estates
From hens to Hierusalem.
Wyll not be able to wynke
Agaynst the assaultes of them,
They havynge so hygh prelates,
And so manye great estates
From hens to Hierusalem.
Pause now a lyttle whyle;
Myne eares doth me begyle
If I heare not a sounde.
Yon folke hath sped, I gesse—
It is so, by the Messe!
Awaye now wyll I rounde.
Myne eares doth me begyle
If I heare not a sounde.
Yon folke hath sped, I gesse—
It is so, by the Messe!
Awaye now wyll I rounde.
Exit.
[Enter Law of Nature afflicted with leprosy]
Naturae Lex
I thynke ye marvele to se soch alteracyon
At thys tyme in me, whom God left here so pure.
Of me it cometh not, but of mannys operacyon,
Whome dayly the devyll to great synne doth allure,
And hys nature is full bryttle and unsure.
By hym have I gote thys fowle dysease of bodye,
And as ye se here, am now throwne in a leprye.
At thys tyme in me, whom God left here so pure.
Of me it cometh not, but of mannys operacyon,
Whome dayly the devyll to great synne doth allure,
And hys nature is full bryttle and unsure.
By hym have I gote thys fowle dysease of bodye,
And as ye se here, am now throwne in a leprye.
I wrought in hys hart, as God bad ernestlye,
Hym oft provokynge to love God over all
With the inner powers. But that false Idolatrye
Hath hym perverted by slayghtes dyabolycall,
And so hath Sodomye through hys abuses carnall,
That he is now lost, offendynge without measure,
And I corrupted, to my most hygh dyspleasure.
Hym oft provokynge to love God over all
With the inner powers. But that false Idolatrye
Hath hym perverted by slayghtes dyabolycall,
And so hath Sodomye through hys abuses carnall,
That he is now lost, offendynge without measure,
And I corrupted, to my most hygh dyspleasure.
88
I abhorre to tell the abusyons bestyall
That they daylye use whych boast their chastyte;
Some at the aulter to incontynency fall,
In confessyon some full beastly occupyed be.
Amonge the close nonnes reigneth thys enormyte—
Soch chyldren slee they as they chaunce for to have,
And in their prevyes provyde them of their grave.
That they daylye use whych boast their chastyte;
Some at the aulter to incontynency fall,
In confessyon some full beastly occupyed be.
Amonge the close nonnes reigneth thys enormyte—
Soch chyldren slee they as they chaunce for to have,
And in their prevyes provyde them of their grave.
Ye Christen rulers, se yow for thys a waye:
Be not illuded by false hypocresye;
By the stroke of God the worlde wyll els decaye.
Permyt prestes rather Gods lawfull remedye,
Than they shuld incurre most bestyall Sodomye.
Regarde not the Pope, nor yet hys whorysh kyngedom
For he is the master of Gomor and of Sodome.
Be not illuded by false hypocresye;
By the stroke of God the worlde wyll els decaye.
Permyt prestes rather Gods lawfull remedye,
Than they shuld incurre most bestyall Sodomye.
Regarde not the Pope, nor yet hys whorysh kyngedom
For he is the master of Gomor and of Sodome.
With Man have I bene whych hath me thus defyled
With Idolatrye and uncleane Sodomye,
And worthye I am from God to be exyled.
Pytie me yet, Lorde, of thy most bownteouse mercye:
I wyll fourth and mourne tyll thu sende remedye.
Promyse hast thu made to a gloryouse lyberte
To brynge heaven and earth: than wylt thu, I trust, restore me.
With Idolatrye and uncleane Sodomye,
And worthye I am from God to be exyled.
Pytie me yet, Lorde, of thy most bownteouse mercye:
I wyll fourth and mourne tyll thu sende remedye.
Promyse hast thu made to a gloryouse lyberte
To brynge heaven and earth: than wylt thu, I trust, restore me.
[Exit.]
[Finit Actus Secundus.]
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