HUMANITY

¶Oh excellent prince and great lord nature I am thine own child and formed instrument I beseech thy grace take me to thy cure And teach me such scyens thou thikyst expedye ̄ to ¶Oh glorious lord and prince most Pleasant Greatly am I now hold n unto the So to illumyne my mind that was yngnorant with such noble doctrine as thou hast here showed me wherefore I promise upon my fidelity My diligence to do to keep in memory And the for to honour Still ꝑpetually ¶what than go forth with thine argument That reason proves the earth at the lest One ways to be Round I cannot gain say As for to account From the est to the west But yet not withstanding all that it may Less his rowndenesse by some other way Now would to God I had y to man now here For the contembtacyon of my mind Then might I say you were to me right kind ¶Those thyngꝭ to know for me be full expedie ̄ to But yet I ̄ those poyntꝭ which nature late showed me My mind in them as yet is not continued ̄ tent For I can no manner wise parceyue nor see Nor prove by reason why the earth should be In the myddꝭ of y e firmament hengyng so small And the earth with the water to be rou ̄ de with all ¶Thine argument in y e point does me continued ̄ fou ̄ de That thou hast made but yet it ꝓuytht not right That the earth by reason should be round For though y e firmament with his sterris bright Compass about the earth eke day and night yet the yerthe may be plain ꝑaduentnre Quadrant triangle or some other figure ¶Sir he looketh like and honest man Therefore I merueyll that you can This wise him deprave. why sir I say what man be you Than I cannot see the contrary But you are for me full necessary And right convenient. As for that I know well nay Sir I pray you be content It is not utterly mine intent your company to exile But only to have continued ̄ munycacyon And a pastime of recreation with this man for a while ¶Be cause you Say so I you ꝓmyse That I have mused & studied such wise Me thinketh my wits weary My nature desireth some refreshing And also I have been so long fasting That I am somewhat hungry ¶I am content so for to do if that you will not from me go But keep me company Still ¶Marry I thank you for that oath ¶you no force let this matter pass But saidst evi ̄ now thou knewest where was A good tavern to make solas where is that I prey the tell ¶I prey the than call for him now I care not so God me save So that it be wholesome to eat I would we had a good stewed capon if she be fat that will do well Thou art a mad gest be this light. I pray the tell me what Sir I pray the let such fanteses be And come header never & hark to me And do after my bidding. Goo p ruey us a dinner even of the mos Of all manner dishes both sod and roast That thou canst get spare for no cost if thou make three course ¶what horson woldyst thou purvey Bran draff & stinking dreggꝭ I Say I hold the mad I trow ¶Three course dishes quoth a what mad ole thou mys takest me clean I see well thou wotest not what I mean And understandest a mys I mean this wise I would have the To purvey meet so great Plenty That thou sholdyst of necessity Serve them at three coursys ¶That is to understand at one rde Thou shouldst bring them unto y or At three several times ¶That is true and so would I gladl If I knew any to find ¶you ¶Now be it so thou art saunce peer ¶why what should I else do ¶Marry I prey the do so ¶if you will let us goo by and by At thy discressyon I force nat whither it be Sudden or rost ¶So I require the heartily And in any wise specially Let us have a cup of new wine ¶But that is nothing for my delight ¶well I trust the well Inowe ¶you I ꝓmyse the get the hens And in this matter do thy diligence And I shall well reward the ¶what thing is that I the prey ¶well let all such matters pass I Say And get the hens and goo thy way About this other matter ¶Gods lord S is't not who is here now what study ꝰ desire what newis with you ¶But I S y who is this here in presence ¶Experyens why is this he Sir you ar right welcome unto me And shall be ever more ¶Sensual apetyte I prey the Let pass all such trifles and vanity For a wy e it shall not long be And depart I the require For I would talk a word or two with this man here or he hens go For to satysfy my desire ¶I care not greatly if I do that is but a tavern matter ¶Spare not if thou Wilt go thy weigh For I will here tarry ¶So I understand he hath Good science And that he hath by plain exꝑience Learned many a strange cause ¶One weigh it is round I must consent For this man proved it evident Toward the eest and occydent It must needs round be That point to prove were sum ̄ than ̄ ke worth ¶Now that is the ꝓperist conclusion That ever I herd for by reason No man may hit deuye But sir if that amam sail far Upon the see will than that star Do there as on the ground Me thinketh your argume ̄ to so ̄ what hard ¶Thereto I you require ¶Just you say that is clear Nay I can not say the contrary But y I had Much myryer company At the tauer e than in this place By my troth I care not greatly For I am indifferent to all company whither it be here or there ¶Now by the weigh that God did walk It continued ̄ forth mine Heart to here the talk Thy manche was never sayen ¶And I prey the heartily also And so I will by heaven King If they other dance or sing Have a monge them by this day I see well such company ever more As sensuell appetite is gone before will please well this audyens Now have a monge you by this light This dance would do Much better yet if we had a kyt or taberet But alas there is none here There with I am right well content Now if that sensual appetite Can ̄ find Any good mynstrellꝭ after his mind Doubt not we shall have good sport Then let us some lusty ballet sing Pes man pryksong may not be dispysy For there with God is well pleased Honoured praised & served In the church oft times among Then a feleshyp let us here it ¶Than Begin and care no oh ¶Sir I trust I have done nothing That should be contrary to your pleasing Nor never was mine intent ¶For I have followed the counsel clear As you me bade of studyouse desire And for necessity a monge Sometime sensual appety ꝭ counsel For without him you now right well My life can not endure long And we shall follow the anon without any tarrying ¶yes I thank the thereof every dell For we have fared marvelously well And had good continued ̄ munycacyon ¶As for mine own ꝑte I care not Dress what meet thou love spare not what so ever thou dost best think ¶why so I prey you tell ¶you by the road even with the greatest Oh sir you know right well this That when any man is In other men's company He must nedꝭ follow the appyte Of such thyngꝭ as they delight Some time among perdy Merry quod a / no I make God avow But I pray y e master hark on word now And answer this thing whither thought you it better cheer At the tavern where we were ere Or ellꝭ to clatter with these knaves here Of their foolish cunning