 | Three Laws |  |
89
Incipit Actus Tertius
[Enter Moseh Lex.]Moseh Lex
The lorde perceyvynge hys first lawe thus corrupted
With uncleane vyces, sent me, hys lawe of Moses,
To se hym for synne substancyallye corrected,
And brought in agayne to a trade of godlynes.
For I am a lawe of rygour and of hardenes:
I strayghtly commaunde, and if it be not done,
I thretten, I curse, and slee in my anger sone.
With uncleane vyces, sent me, hys lawe of Moses,
To se hym for synne substancyallye corrected,
And brought in agayne to a trade of godlynes.
For I am a lawe of rygour and of hardenes:
I strayghtly commaunde, and if it be not done,
I thretten, I curse, and slee in my anger sone.
To God I requyre a perfyght obedyence,
Condempnynge all soch as do it not in effect.
I shewe what synne is; I burden sore mannys conscyence;
To hym am I death whan hys lyfe is infect.
Yet if he take hede, to Christ I hym dyrect,
Forgevenesse to have, with lyght, helth and salvacyon,
Least he shuld dyspayre and fall into dampnacyon.
Condempnynge all soch as do it not in effect.
I shewe what synne is; I burden sore mannys conscyence;
To hym am I death whan hys lyfe is infect.
Yet if he take hede, to Christ I hym dyrect,
Forgevenesse to have, with lyght, helth and salvacyon,
Least he shuld dyspayre and fall into dampnacyon.
[Enter Infidelitas laughing.]
Infidelitas
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
A pastyme, quoth a! I knowe not the tyme nor whan
I ded laugh so moch sens I was an honest man.
Beleve me and ye wyll, I never sawe soch a sport.
I wolde ye had bene there that ye myght have made the fort.
Moseh Lex
Where woldest have had me? Tell me, good brother myne.
Infidelitas
At the Mynorasse, ser, late yester nyght at complyne.
Moseh Lex
At the Mynorasse? Why, what was there ado?
Infidelitas
For soch an other wolde I to Southampton go.
In dede yester daye it was their dedycacyon,
And thydre in Gods name came I to se the fashyon.
An olde fryre stode forth with spectacles on hys nose
Begynnynge thys Anteme —a my fayth, I do not glose—
[Sings.]
Lapides preciosi.
Moseh Lex
And what ded folowe of thys?
Infidelitas
I shall tell ye, ser, by Gods blys.
Then came Dame Isbell, an olde nonne and a calme,
Crowynge lyke a capon, and thus began the Psalme:
[Sings.]
Saepe expugnaverunt me a iuventute mea.
90
And what includeth thys mysterye?
Infidelitas
A symple probleme of bytcherye.
Whan the fryre begonne, afore the nonne,
To synge of precyouse stones,
‘From my youth,’ sayt she, ‘they have confort me,’—
As it had bene for the nones.
Moseh Lex
I assure the playne, I set not by soch gaudes;
Thy usage shewe the to be brought up amonge baudes.
Infidelitas
It was a good world whan we had soch wholsom storyes
Preached in our churche on sondayes and other feryes.
Preached in our churche on sondayes and other feryes.
With us was it merye
Whan we went to Berye,
And to Our Lady of Grace,
To the bloude of Hayles,
Where no good chere fayles,
And other holye place.
Whan we went to Berye,
And to Our Lady of Grace,
To the bloude of Hayles,
Where no good chere fayles,
And other holye place.
Whan the prestes myght walke,
And with yonge wyves talke,
Than had we chyldren plentye;
Than cuckoldes myght leape
A score on a heape;
Now is there not one to twentye.
And with yonge wyves talke,
Than had we chyldren plentye;
Than cuckoldes myght leape
A score on a heape;
Now is there not one to twentye.
Whan the monkes were fatte
And ranke as a ratte,
With bellyes lyke a bore;
Then all thynges were dere,
Both befe, breade, and bere
Now grudge the jourers sore.
And ranke as a ratte,
With bellyes lyke a bore;
Then all thynges were dere,
Both befe, breade, and bere
Now grudge the jourers sore.
Whan byshoppes myght burne,
And from the truth turne
The syllye symple sowle,
Than durst no man creake,
Open mouthe nor speake
Of Christ nor yet of Powle.
And from the truth turne
The syllye symple sowle,
Than durst no man creake,
Open mouthe nor speake
Of Christ nor yet of Powle.
Now are the knaves bolde
With Scriptures to holde,
And teache them every where,
The carter, the sowter,
The bodger, the clowter,
That all wyll awaye, I fere.
With Scriptures to holde,
And teache them every where,
The carter, the sowter,
The bodger, the clowter,
That all wyll awaye, I fere.
91
At us so they pulle,
Our lyvynges are dulle,
We are now lyke to fall;
If we do not fyght
For the churches ryght,
By the messe we shall lose all.
Our lyvynges are dulle,
We are now lyke to fall;
If we do not fyght
For the churches ryght,
By the messe we shall lose all.
But I praye ye, ser, tell me: what is your name?
Moseh Lex
The lawe of Moses: to lye I were to blame.
Infidelitas
In these same partyes what do ye now intende?
Moseh Lex
Mankynde to refourme, that he hys lyfe amende.
I shewe what synne is and what thynge pleaseth God;
I confort the just, and the yll I ponnysh with rod.
The commen people have thought it commodyouse
Dyverse Goddes to have with rytes superstycyouse;
My commaundement is to seke one God alone,
And in all their nedes to hym make their mone.
Amonge the gentyles was it thought non injurye,
If a man wer hurt, to slee hys adversarye:
Thys thynge I forbyd, and saye, ‘Thu shalt not kyll:
Lawe is the revenger, the man maye do no yll.’
Some persones there are that inordynatlye love;
Those are perswaded all thynges them to behove
Whych I inhybyte, saynge contynuallye,
‘No rape shalt thu do nor yet commyt advouterye;
Thu shalt do no theft nor covete that is not thyne;
Agaynst thy neyber shalt thu not falsely dyffyne.’
Infidelitas
We maye do nothynge if we be pynned in thus;
Neyther yow nor God to that harde trade shall brynge us.
We must have one God, and worshypp hym alone?
Marry, that in dede wolde make a Turke to grone.
If we be stryken, we maye not stryke agayne?
A proper bargayne, and dyscretelye uttered playne!
For cumpanyes sake ye saye we maye not love:
I defye your worst, and to yow there is my glove!
Moseh Lex
What, thu wylt not fyght? Thy wyttes are better than so.
Infidelitas
In the quarell of love, I shall prove ye ere I go;
By the messe, I thynke to put ye to your fence.
Moseh Lex
Thu were moch better to kepe thy pacyence.
Infidelitas
Naye, by cockes sowle, frynd, I must lay ye on the coate.
In loves cause to fyght ye maye sone have me a floate.
Naye, have at your pylche! Defende ye, if ye maye.
Moseh Lex
Soch a fole art thu as seke thyne owne decaye.
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Dedyst thu never hear that lawe sleath in hys wreath?
Infidelitas
By the blessed lorde, than wyll I playe Robsons part.
Moseh Lex
Whye, what part wylt thu playe?
Infidelitas
By cockes sowle, geve over so sone as I fele smart.
Moseh Lex
It wyll be to late if I ones cupple with the.
Infidelitas
Then lete me alone, and we shall sone agre,
And I shall be glad to be acquaynted with ye.
Moseh Lex
Acquayntaunce, good fellawe? Thu mayst sone have of me.
Infidelitas
The worst fault I have, I am hastye now and than;
But it is sone gone, I toke it of a woman.
But what meane those tables that ye have in your hande?
Moseh Lex
Kepe sylence a whyle and thu shalt understande.
Thre thynges I declare, the first are the preceptes morall,
Next the lawes judycial, and last the rytes ceremonyal.
The morall preceptes are Gods commaundementes ten,
Whych ought evermore to be observed of all men.
The lawes of Nature the morall preceptes declare,
And the plesaunt workes to God they teache and prepare.
They sturre man to fayth, and provoke hym also to love,
To obeye, to serve, and to worshypp God above.
In two stonye tables God wrote them first of all,
That they shuld remayne as thynges contynuall.
The first hath but thre, whych tende to Gods hygh honour;
Seven hath the seconde, and they concerne our neybour.
The first doth expounde the first lawe naturall;
The next the other, makynge them very formall.
In sprete is the first, that we shuld God honour and love;
To outward workynge the seconde doth us move,
Forbyddynge all wronges, preservynge just marryage,
Norryshynge true peace and other godly usage.
Infidelitas
What is the effect of your lawes judycyall?
Moseh Lex
Soch thynges to commaunde as are cyvyle or temporall.
From vyce to refrayne and outwarde injurye,
Quyet to conserve and publyque honestie:
These are to support the lawes of the seconde table.
Ceremonyall rytes are also commendable,
In holy dayes, garmentes, temples and consecracyons,
Sacryfyces and vowes, with offerynges and expiacyons,
Whych are unto Christ as fygurs, types and shadowes.
As Paule doth declare, in hys pystle to the Hebrues,
These are only fygures and outwarde testymonyes,
No Man is perfyght by soch darke ceremonyes:
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Of the Sabboth daye, tyll Christ the lorde be present,
In hys death endyng the whole Judaycal presthode.
Infidelitas
Good dayes myght ye have, ye speake it full wele by the rode.
A am a poore lad, and by my trouth bent ernestlye
To wayte upon ye and to be your very lackye.
Moseh Lex
What art thu called, I praye the hartelye?
Infidelitas
Graye fryre am I non —by the messe I can not flatter.
I am Infydelyte, to tell the truth of the matter.
Moseh Lex
And hast thu so longe dyssembled thus with me?
Infidelitas
Yea, for advauntage, to smell out your subtylyte.
Moseh Lex
Avoyde hens I saye, thu false Infydelyte.
Infidelitas
Naye, that I wyll not, by Yngham Trynyte.
Moseh Lex
Wylt thu not in dede? Than wyll I fet hyther the poure
Of judges and kynges to subdue the within thys houre.
Exit.
Infidelitas
Soch knyghtes wyll I have as shall confounde them all,
As Sadducees and Scrybes with the sect pharysaycal.
By helpe of my chyldren Idolatry and Sodomye
The lawe of Nature I kest ones in a leprye.
I have yet two more, Ambycyon and Covetousnes,
Whych wyll do as moch to the lawe of Moses.
Where are my whoresons that they come not awaye?
[Enter Avaritia and Ambitio.]
Avaritia
Yea, whoreson, on thy face, even in thy best araye!
[as] Jurisconsultus
I wyll thu knowe it, I am a worshypfull doctour,
A Scrybe in the lawe, and a profytable proctour.
Infidelitas
Goppe with a vengeaunce! How comest thu so aloft?
Avaritia
I shall tell the, man, if thu wylt commen more soft,
By fayned flatterye and by coloured adulacyon;
Ambycyon here also rose out of a lyke foundacyon.
Infidelitas
Come, axe me blessynge, lyke praty boyes apace.
Ambitio
I wyll not bowe sure to soch a folysh face.
Infidelitas
Axe blessynge, I saye, and make me no more ado.
Ambitio
Unsemelye were it we prelates shuld do so.
Avaritia
For no compulsyon wyll I do it, by swete Marye.
Infidelitas
I must fatche ye in, there is no remedye.
A, noughty whoresons, have I brought ye up hytherto?
And knowe not your father? Ye shal drynke both ere I go!
[Infidelitas beats them.]
Ambo
simul.
Nomore at thys tyme! Forsoth we crye a mercye.
Infidelitas
Downe on your knees than, and axe me blessyng shortely.
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Blesse me, gentyll father, for swete saynt charyte.
Infidelitas
Aryse noughty knaves; God lete ye never to thee!
Though amonge our selves, we murmour, bragge, and face,
Somtyme for lucre, somtyme for the hyghar place,
Yet for advauntage, in thys we all agre,
To blynde the rulers, and deceyve the commynalte.
Avaritia
Art advysed of that? By the messe we are in dede;
Yet of our knaveryes, the foles wyll never take hede.
Yet of our knaveryes, the foles wyll never take hede.
To labour with a spade
Our colour wolde it fade;
We maye not with that trade,
We love so moch our ease.
We must lyve by their sweate,
And have good drynke and meate,
Whan they have not to eate
The substaunce of a pease.
Our colour wolde it fade;
We maye not with that trade,
We love so moch our ease.
We must lyve by their sweate,
And have good drynke and meate,
Whan they have not to eate
The substaunce of a pease.
We leade them in the darke,
And so their conscyence marke,
That sturdy they are and starke,
In every wycked evyll.
We teache ydolatrye,
And laugh full merelye
To se ych cumpanye
Ronne headlondes to the devyll.
And so their conscyence marke,
That sturdy they are and starke,
In every wycked evyll.
We teache ydolatrye,
And laugh full merelye
To se ych cumpanye
Ronne headlondes to the devyll.
If we maye have the tythynges,
And profytable offerynges,
We care not to what doynges
They customablye fall.
We are soch mercenaryes,
And subtyle propryetaryes
As from the flock all carryes
The wolle, skynne, flesh and all.
And profytable offerynges,
We care not to what doynges
They customablye fall.
We are soch mercenaryes,
And subtyle propryetaryes
As from the flock all carryes
The wolle, skynne, flesh and all.
In our perambulacyons
We loke for commendacyons
And lowlye salutacyons
In temple, howse, and strete.
Our lowsye Latyne howres,
In borowes and in bowres,
The poore people devowres,
And treade them undre fete.
We loke for commendacyons
And lowlye salutacyons
In temple, howse, and strete.
Our lowsye Latyne howres,
In borowes and in bowres,
The poore people devowres,
And treade them undre fete.
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I am Ambycyon, Whose dysposycyon
Is honour to appete.
I gape for empyre, And worshypp desyre,
As Minos ded in Crete.
Is honour to appete.
I gape for empyre, And worshypp desyre,
As Minos ded in Crete.
I loke up aloft, And love to lye soft,
Not carynge for my flocke.
Have I ones the flese, With pygges, lambes and gese,
They maye go turne a socke.
Not carynge for my flocke.
Have I ones the flese, With pygges, lambes and gese,
They maye go turne a socke.
Lucifer I made So hyghly to wade,
To God he wolde be equall.
Of Adam and Eve I slewe the beleve,
And caused them to fall.
To God he wolde be equall.
Of Adam and Eve I slewe the beleve,
And caused them to fall.
What nede I rehearce The gyauntes most fearce,
With the buylders of Babell?
Nemrod the tyraunt With them there applyaunt
Agreed to my counsell.
With the buylders of Babell?
Nemrod the tyraunt With them there applyaunt
Agreed to my counsell.
From me wolde not go Cruell Pharao
No more wolde Amalech,
Saul, Achitophel, Absolon, Jesabel,
Nor Adonisedech.
No more wolde Amalech,
Saul, Achitophel, Absolon, Jesabel,
Nor Adonisedech.
I made Roboam And Hieroboam,
With Nabuchodonosor,
Triphon, Alchimus, And Simon Magus,
To abuse them evermor.
With Nabuchodonosor,
Triphon, Alchimus, And Simon Magus,
To abuse them evermor.
In pryde I excede, And no people fede,
But with lyes for advauntage.
As Mantuane tell, To leade men to hell
Is my most commen usage.
But with lyes for advauntage.
As Mantuane tell, To leade men to hell
Is my most commen usage.
Hygh thynges I attempt, And wyll me exempt
From prynces jurysdyccyon.
I am soch an evyll As brynge to the devyll
Without anye contradyccyon.
From prynces jurysdyccyon.
I am soch an evyll As brynge to the devyll
Without anye contradyccyon.
Infidelitas
Here is a prelate even for myne owne touth;
Soch an other is not in the whole south.
Clappe thu somwhat more as thu hast begunne;
I lyke wele your talkynge, by the holy nunne!
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I Covetyse am, The devyll or hys dam,
For I am insacyate.
I ravysh and plucke, I drawe and I sucke,
After a wolvysh rate.
For I am insacyate.
I ravysh and plucke, I drawe and I sucke,
After a wolvysh rate.
Father nor mother, Syster nor brother,
I spare not in my moode.
I feare neyther God, Nor hys ryghtfull rod,
In gatherynge of goode.
I spare not in my moode.
I feare neyther God, Nor hys ryghtfull rod,
In gatherynge of goode.
Both howse and medowe From the poor wydowe
I spare not for to take;
Ryght heyres I rob, And as bare as Job
The fatherles I make.
I spare not for to take;
Ryght heyres I rob, And as bare as Job
The fatherles I make.
With me toke Nadab, Nabal and Achab,
With all the clergye of Bell;
Judas and Giezi, With the sonnes of Heli,
And the sonnes of Samuel.
With all the clergye of Bell;
Judas and Giezi, With the sonnes of Heli,
And the sonnes of Samuel.
Jannes and Jambres, Also Diotrephes
Wrought wylfull wyckednesse;
So ded Menelaus, With false Andronicus,
And all for covetousnesse.
Wrought wylfull wyckednesse;
So ded Menelaus, With false Andronicus,
And all for covetousnesse.
Ambitio
With vyces seven I close up heaven,
And speare up paradyce;
I oppen hell By my counsell,
Maynteynynge every vyce.
Avaritia
For sylver and golde With falsehed I holde,
Supportynge every evyl.
I have it in awe For to choke the lawe,
And brynge all to the devyll.
Infidelitas
By the blessed trynyte, No men more fyt for me
To do my busynes;
Ambycyon to begyle, And Avaryce to defyle
The lawe of Moyses.
To do my busynes;
Ambycyon to begyle, And Avaryce to defyle
The lawe of Moyses.
Tell me first of all what wylt thu do Ambycyon?
Ambitio
I am thyne owne chylde, thu knowest my dysposycyon;
I wyll sure do as ded the Phylystynes.
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Why, what ded those knaves?
Ambitio
They stopped up Abrahams pyttes, as Genesis diffines,
With mudde and with myre, and left them full uncleane.
Infidelitas
By that same practyse tell me what thu dost meane.
Ambitio
With fylthy gloses and dyrty exposycyons
Of Gods lawe wyll I hyde the pure dysposycyons.
The keye of knowledge I wyll also take awaye
By wrastynge the text to the scriptures sore decaye.
Infidelitas
And what wylt thu do, my fellawe Covetousnes?
Avaritia
A vayle wyll I sprede upon the face of Moses,
That non shal perceyve the clerenes of hys contenaunce,
Whych is of the lawe the meanyng and true ordynaunce.
Infidelitas
Why, what wyll ye saye unto the ten commaundementes?
Ambitio
We must poyson them with wyll workes and good intentes.
Where as God doth saye, ‘No straunge goddes thu shalt have,’
With sayntes worshyppynge that clause we wyll deprave.
And though he commaunde to make no carved ymage,
For a good intent yet wyll we have pylgrymage.
Though he wyll us not to take hys name in vayne,
With tradycyons yet therunto wyll we constrayne.
No Sabboth wyl we with Gods worde sanctyfye,
But with lyppe labour and ydle ceremonye.
To father and mother we maye owe non obedyence,
Our relygyon is of so great excellence.
Though we do not slee, yet maye we heretykes burne
If they wyll not sone from holy scripture turne.
What though it be sayd, ‘Thu shalt do no fornycacyon,’
Yet wyll we mayntene moch greatter abhomynacyon.
Though theft be forbyd, yet wyll we contynuallye
Robbe the poore people through prayer and purgatorye.
God hath inhybyted to geve false testymonye,
Yet we wyll condempne the Gospell for heresye.
We shuld not covete our neybers howse nor wyfe,
Hys servaunt nor beast, yet are we therin most ryfe.
Of men make we swyne by the draffe of our tradycyons,
And cause them nothynge to regard but superstycyons.
As dogges unresonable on most vyle carren fede,
So wyll we cause them seke ydolles in their nede;
And alwayes their grounde shall be for a good intent.
Infidelitas
More myscheves I trowe the devyll coulde not invent
Than yow two can do; by the messe, ye are alone!
Lyttle coulde I do, were ye ones from me gone
To the corruptynge of the lawe of Moyses;
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Avaritia
With superstycyons the Jewes ceremonyall lawes
I wyll so handle they shall not be worth two strawes.
The lawes judycyall through cawtels and delayes
I wyll also drowne to all ryghteouse mennys decayes.
To set thys forwarde we must have sophystrye,
Phylosophye and logyck, as scyence necessarye.
The byshoppes must holde their prestes in ignoraunce
With longe Latyne houres, least knowledge to them chaunce;
Lete them have longe mattens, longe evensonges and longe masses;
And that wyll make them as dull as ever were asses;
That they shall never be able to prophecye,
Or yet preach the truth to our great injurye.
Lete the cloysterers be brought up ever in sylence,
Without the scriptures in payne of dysobedyence.
Se the laye people praye never but in Latyne;
Lete them have their crede and servyce all in Latyne
That a Latyne beleve maye make a Latyne sowle:
Lete them nothynge knowe of Christ nor yet of Powle.
If they have Englysh lete it be for advauntage
For pardons, for dyrges, for offerynges and pylgrymage.
I recken to make them a newe crede in a whyle,
And all in Englysh, their conscyence to begyle.
Infidelitas
Rehearce unto me the artycles of that crede.
Avaritia
The artycles are these, geve eare and take good hede:
First they shall beleve in our holy father Pope;
Next in hys decrees and holy decretals;
Then in holy church, with sencer, crosse and cope,
In the ceremonyes and blessed sacramentals;
In purgatory then, in pardons and in trentals,
In praynge to sayntes, and in Saynt Frances whoode,
In Our Lady of Grace, and in the blessed roode.
Next in hys decrees and holy decretals;
Then in holy church, with sencer, crosse and cope,
In the ceremonyes and blessed sacramentals;
In purgatory then, in pardons and in trentals,
In praynge to sayntes, and in Saynt Frances whoode,
In Our Lady of Grace, and in the blessed roode.
They shall beleve also in rellyckes and relygyon,
In Our Ladyes psalter, in fre wyll and good wurkes,
In the ember dayes, and in the Popes remyssyon,
In bedes and in belles not used of the Turkes,
In the golden masses agaynst soch spretes as lurkes
With charmes and blessynges. Thys crede wyll brynge in moneye;
In Englysh therfor we wyl it clarkely conveye.
In Our Ladyes psalter, in fre wyll and good wurkes,
In the ember dayes, and in the Popes remyssyon,
In bedes and in belles not used of the Turkes,
In the golden masses agaynst soch spretes as lurkes
With charmes and blessynges. Thys crede wyll brynge in moneye;
In Englysh therfor we wyl it clarkely conveye.
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Yea, and burne the knaves that wyll not beleve that crede,
That into the dytche the blynde the blynde maye lede.
Ambitio
Then I holde it best that we alwayes condempne
The Byble readers least they our actes contempne.
Infidelitas
Yea, never spare them, but evermore playe the bytar,
Expressynge alwayes the tropes and types of thy mytar.
Ambitio
Why, what dost thu thynke my mytar to sygnyfy?
Infidelitas
The mouth of a wolfe, and that shall I prove by and by—
If thu stoupe downewarde, loo, se how the wolfe doth gape.
Redye to devoure the lambes, least any escape.
But thy wolvyshnesse by thre crownes wyll I hyde,
Makynge the a Pope, and a captayne of all pryde,
That whan thu doest slee soch as thy lawes contempne
Thu mayst saye, ‘Not I, but the powers ded them condempne.’
These labels betoken the lawes of se non and can non.
Ambitio
I trowe thu woldest saye the two lawes cyvyle and canon.
Infidelitas
As I spake, I thought, and styll thynke, by Saynt Johan.
Yea, persecute styll the instructers of the people,
And thu, Covetousnesse, lete no bell rynge in steple
Without a profyght. Tush, take moneye every whear,
So nygh clyppe and shave that thu leave never a heare.
Avaritia
I caused the Pope to take but now of late
Of the graye fryres to have canonyzate
Franciscus de Pola thre thousand duckates and more;
And as moch besydes he had not longe afore
For a cardynall hatte of the same holy order—
Thus drawe we to us great goodes from every border.
Pope Clement the Seventh payed ones for hys papacye
Thre hondred thousand good duckates of lawful monye.
Infidelitas
I marvele how he coulde come to so moch good.
Avaritia
Yes, yes, by pollage, and by shedynge Christen blood.
Crosers and mytars in Rome are good merchandyce,
And all to lyttle to maynteyne their pompe and vyce.
Ambitio
The Pope for whoredom hath in Rome and Viterbye
Of golde and sylver a wonderfull substaunce yearlye.
Tush, they be in Englande that moch rather wolde to dwell
Whores in their dyoceses than the readers of Christes Gospell.
Infidelitas
They do the better for by them they maye have profyght;
As for the other, do trouble them daye and nyght.
Well now steppe forewarde and go do your busynes
To the corruptynge of the lawe of Moyses.
Avaritia
Doubt not but we shall make hym a crepple blynde.
100
Synge then at our farwel to recreate our mynde.
Finita cantiuncula exeunt ambo.
Infidelitas
Now am I left alone, And these two merchauntes gone,
Their myschefes to conclude,
I thynke within a whyle They wyll trappe and begyle
The worthy lawe of Jude.
Their myschefes to conclude,
I thynke within a whyle They wyll trappe and begyle
The worthy lawe of Jude.
Ambycyon first of all With hys rytes bestiall
Wyll make the people swyne.
In draffe wyll he them lede, And with tradycyons fede
Where they shall suppe or dyne.
Wyll make the people swyne.
In draffe wyll he them lede, And with tradycyons fede
Where they shall suppe or dyne.
Covetousnes wyll warke That many one shall barke
Lyke dogges agaynst the truth.
Some shall Gods worde defyle And some wyll it revyle,
Soch beastlynesse ensuth.
Lyke dogges agaynst the truth.
Some shall Gods worde defyle And some wyll it revyle,
Soch beastlynesse ensuth.
Ambycyon hath thys houre All the whole spirytuall poure
And maye do what hym lust.
Now Covetousnesse doth rule, And hath both horse and mule,
All matters by hym dyscust.
And maye do what hym lust.
Now Covetousnesse doth rule, And hath both horse and mule,
All matters by hym dyscust.
Now byshopryckes are solde And the Holy Ghost for gold
The Pope doth bye and sell.
The truth maye not be tolde Undre paynes manyfolde
With sendynges downe to hell.
The Pope doth bye and sell.
The truth maye not be tolde Undre paynes manyfolde
With sendynges downe to hell.
The people prestes do famysh And their goodes from them ravysh,
Yea, and all the worlde they blynde.
All prynces do they mock, And robbe the syllye flocke,
Nothynge they leave behynde.
Yea, and all the worlde they blynde.
All prynces do they mock, And robbe the syllye flocke,
Nothynge they leave behynde.
On the face of Moyses A vayle they have cast doughtles,
The lyght of the lawe to hyde,
Least men to Christ shuld comme From ceremonyes domme
As to their heavenly gyde.
The lyght of the lawe to hyde,
Least men to Christ shuld comme From ceremonyes domme
As to their heavenly gyde.
The lawe can never be At anye lyberte
Where soch two enemyes raigne.
Now is it tyme to walke; Of thys more wyll I talke
Whan I come hyther agayne.
Where soch two enemyes raigne.
Now is it tyme to walke; Of thys more wyll I talke
Whan I come hyther agayne.
Exit.
101
Moseh Lex
If pytie maye move your gentyll christen hartes
Lete it now sturre ye to mourne thys heavye chaunce.
Two enemyes with me have played most wycked partes
And left me starke blynde, God knoweth to my sore grevaunce,
And I thynke also to your more hynderaunce.
To leade yow to Christ somtyme a gyde I was;
Now am I so blynde I can not do it, alas!
Lete it now sturre ye to mourne thys heavye chaunce.
Two enemyes with me have played most wycked partes
And left me starke blynde, God knoweth to my sore grevaunce,
And I thynke also to your more hynderaunce.
To leade yow to Christ somtyme a gyde I was;
Now am I so blynde I can not do it, alas!
Most rygorouslye those enemyes now of late
Ded fall upon me and spoyle me of my syght.
One was Ambycyon whych ever ought me hate,
And Covetousnesse the other enemye hyght.
Now for soth and God, in their most cruell spyght
The one made me blynde, the other made me lame.
And whan they had done, ther at they had great game.
Ded fall upon me and spoyle me of my syght.
One was Ambycyon whych ever ought me hate,
And Covetousnesse the other enemye hyght.
Now for soth and God, in their most cruell spyght
The one made me blynde, the other made me lame.
And whan they had done, ther at they had great game.
Thus a blynde crypple I wander here alone,
Abydynge the tyme and grace of restauracyon
By the Sonne of God, to whom I make my mone,
My cause to pytie and graunt me supportacyon;
Least I be left here to utter desolacyon
And extreme decaye, without any remedye,
If he ded not helpe, of goodnesse and of mercye.
Abydynge the tyme and grace of restauracyon
By the Sonne of God, to whom I make my mone,
My cause to pytie and graunt me supportacyon;
Least I be left here to utter desolacyon
And extreme decaye, without any remedye,
If he ded not helpe, of goodnesse and of mercye.
Ye christen prynces, God hath geven yow the poure
With scepture and swerde all vyces to correct.
Let not Ambycyon nor Covetousnesse devoure
Your faythfull subjectes, nor your offycers infect.
Have to your clergye a dylygent respect,
And se they do not corrupt the lawes of God,
For that doth requyre a terryble heavye rod.
With scepture and swerde all vyces to correct.
Let not Ambycyon nor Covetousnesse devoure
Your faythfull subjectes, nor your offycers infect.
Have to your clergye a dylygent respect,
And se they do not corrupt the lawes of God,
For that doth requyre a terryble heavye rod.
God gave me to man, and left me in tables of stone,
That I of hardenesse a lawe shuld specyfye;
But the Pharysees corrupted me anone
And toke from me cleane the quyvernesse of bodye
With clerenesse of syght and other pleasures manye.
Now wyll I to Christ, that he maye me restore
To more perfeccyon than ever I had afore.
That I of hardenesse a lawe shuld specyfye;
But the Pharysees corrupted me anone
And toke from me cleane the quyvernesse of bodye
With clerenesse of syght and other pleasures manye.
Now wyll I to Christ, that he maye me restore
To more perfeccyon than ever I had afore.
[Exit.]
Finit Actus tertius.
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