COVETOUS

AT Black heath field where great Goliath was slave, The Moon lying in child bed of her last Son: The Tiborne at warwick was then King of Spain, By whom the land of Canaan then was won. It happened between Peterborough and Pentecost, About such time as Ivy was made of Wormwood: That Child's work in Basil wood with fire was lost, And all through the treason of false Robin Hood. That saw Sir Guy of Warwick, and Colebrand, Which fought against the Sun and stopped his light: Yea (quoth Hobgoblin ) let me take them in hand, Children, children not able to resist my might A wunderful bloodshed was in those days, For Saint Steephen fought against the golden Knight: In so much that Peeter was fain to give his Keys, To those God knows that had to them no right. With the grief of that, all the Saints in Heaven, Proclaimed open wars at Barnard in the field: They fought from six of the clock to eleven, Or ever the Traitors would give over and yield. But to say there was triumph, in faith there was, Saint Steephen the yunger was made Captain of the Guard: Wunderful it was to see such things he brought to pass, As I am sure the Like of them you never herd. By gisse (quoth Saint Steephen ) it was time to trudge, Fryer Francis took his flight to Pauls steeple: In faith he was even with them for and old grudge, For he carried away the Weathercock in spite of the people. Then was I dubbed Knight at Kinistone, And made Officer of all Courts and laws: I gave Offices and livings many a one, Marry in deed you may say, it was for a cause. In faith the same day that Midsummer was married, I never laughed better in my life: For even suddenly away Saint Uncumber carried, Both the Bridgroome and the Bride his wife. No remedy on Gods name but I must bear them continued ̄ pany, Cheer, in faith there was, cheer in houles: And who was minstrel but Saint Anthony, He made melody for all Christian souls. A quarter of a year we tarried there in the tent, Wherein we had Capricorn baked Like read Déer: I tarried so long till I was shent, Jesu how they cried out of me there. Well, I must abroad among my Friends, Every hour till I come they think a day: I will go among then to fulfil their minds, Fare you well Gossip I must needs away. What mine own Brother Temerity: I rejoice to see you, I swear by the Trinity. And I pray you where have you three sought for Me? I perceive well it must be my chance: Above all your kinsfolk you to inhance. Your place is at Saint Thomas awatrings: Or else at Wapping beyond Saint Katherins. There will I dub you Knights of the Halter: Among your mates there strongly to talter. You are Knaves to use such salutation: Speak what you will, even with you I can make. Speak you in mirth, and in mirth I do it take. But by the mass and if you go about me to flout: I will make the better of all you three a Lout. Sancte Blaci, you make me much to muse: Passion of me Sirs, why what news? What doth he? Benidicite is this true? Body of me Precipitation, fetch me my gown: My Cap, and my Chain, I will to the Town. Marry Sir, in deed it is time to stir Coals: I will go near to fetch some of the ̄ out of their holes. Now by the mass, of one that should have sapie ̄ ce, I never herd none utter such a foolish sentence. Know you not that when so ever a Sinner doth repent: That God forgives him his wickedness incontinent. Body of me, but for shame thou shouldst bear me a rap. Whoreson that f, the Devil in Helthée choke: What meanest thou foolish knave to bring my Cloak. Body of me, you are Knaves all three: Take Gown, Chain, Cap and all for me. I will be eve ̄ with you all I swear by Gods mother: Choose you shift how you can one for and other. Be going out. I warrant you I shall be able to shift for my self: Or else you may say I were a foolish elf. Yea but I would not have you your fool me to make. Come in again For you know well enough that of you all three: I am worthy the governor and Ruler to be. Covetous (says the wise man) is the root of all evil: Therefore Covetous is the chiefest that continued ̄ meth from y e devil. But this is that Knave I mean Precipitation: But I will be even with him I swear by the Passion. Nay faith I am and Ale cunner, or some drunken fool: I am no better but your courage I will cool. He fights with them both with his Dagger. That witless knave to, Inconsideration, He was beginner of this disputation. But it is no matter once or Christmas day: I will be even with you, be as be may. I would do for you Sirs, for I Love you all three, Marry then I look that as I am you should accept me Marry then on good feloship let us Like Friends agree: Will you help then to make me gay? Will you concent to show unto me reverence? Will you take me for your master and head? And do you say as you think in very deed? First to help on my gown some pains do you take And then I will see what curtsy you can make. Say you so? then how Like you this countenance? Then all is well, come, come do your duty: Body of me, that same will mar all: When ̄ in continued ̄ pany I come if Covetous you do me call Well, hold your peace, then let me alone: And I will devise names for you every one, study Sira, nay you gape at me: You will have it or I have it, will you? Sira, thy name shall be. study. A shame take Thee unmannerly Lout: Thou camest so hastily thou hast put me out, Nay, that maid looks on me: study Come hither Inconsideratio ̄ , I have a name for thee Nay by the mass, it is gone again: Yea, but you must tarry till I have it: A shame take the ̄ I have them now all three: speak to Inco ̄ side ration Counterfeit ̄ e hither brother I will tell you what your nam ̄ e shall be. You know y e men now a days to reason do trust: Therefore Reason, your self from ̄ hence forth name you must. Temerity, I know well thy quality: Thou art heady, thou shalt be called Agility. I study a name for Precipitation if it may hit: Let me see, by my truth, y to shalt be called Ready wit. Well masters I have chosen names for eke one of you: But mine own name I know not I make God a vow. How if I call my name Wit or Policy? Truth, for what shall the worldly man do with you three? Except to maintain you, he take in Me. Little worth is Reason, ready wit and Agility: Except to maintain them there be a Policy. Sirs you tell me the worldly man is converted: For ever (quoth he) would, would, would, no, no I warra ̄ to Thee I What this geer means full well I do espy. Tush he purposes to go both to heaven and to hell: And feth news from thence to the people to tell. He will be a Prophet that was wunt to be a devil: Now Sirs I will tell you, this is all my drift, To get the worldly man hither by some shift. Temerity thou shalt with him thy self acquaint: And what thou canst do, to him forth y u shalt paint Virtue is made and error by Temerity: For stoutly he stands against the verity. For Temerity learned men do say: Is a quality to do all things without delay. So that if thou mayest get into his habitation: He will soon be weary of enough and contentation. Then with him shall work Precipitation: Who is of this property and inclination. To see and to do all with out forecast: Not thinking of things to come or of things passed. Therefore after that Temerity doth once enter: Thou shalt put thy service in adventer. Then Inconsideration shall get into his mind Who is a quality much of the same kind. He waieth neither the time, person nor place: Neither (as they say) the tail nor the the face Thus if you three within him once be placed: You shall see y to Enough of him shall soon be disgraced Under the name of Policy to enter I do not doubt: And I being entered Enough shall be cast out. For where Covetous in any place doth remain: There content with enough cannot abide certain. So that he shall run hedling into the pit: Doing all things hedling without modesty or wit. Lo, her to you my mind I have disclosed: All have I said that I have now purposed. In all the haste go thou and be thou disguised. Marry now there comes and other thing to my reme ̄ braunce Are none of you acquainted with ghostly Ignorance? I would speak with him so much the rather. For diverse causes that I do consither: My brother and thou shall depart hence together. Look you make you trim as fast as you can: And then in haste seek to speak with the worldly man. Inconsideration to ghostly Ignorance, thou shalt resort: And this message from me to him thou shalt report. First that he name him self devotion: And we will help him to dignity and promotion. Charge him not to be out of the way: For we porpose to send for him this present day. Well, hie you a pace, that you were gone: Precipitation and I will tarry her alone. Nay hear you? God be with you, will you begone? Body of me you are no better then knaves every one. Fare well Covetous? nay fare well good Lob: Be going out You have even as manners as hath a Dog. Come in Plain Covetous? this is according to promise is it not? Well what I intend to do for it, I wot what I wot. Nay I take it even thus, soon ripe soon rotten. I am no body with you, but by him I swear: I look the greatest stroke amongst you to bear. Yea marry, this is some what Like the matter: Fare you well both, give me your hands one after and other: I Love you as dearly as the Children of my mother. How sayest thou Precipitation? how likest thou this matter? Thou thinkest as truth is in very deed: I intend no less if my device may likely speed. There will I begin and if error once rage in religion: I warrant thee in public wele will soon be division. Lupus est in fabulam, no more words. To work wisely with him I see we had needs: Body of me he is marvelous forgone: We shall have somewhat to do with him anon. I pray you are you not acquainted with this gentleman? I would fain speak with him a word or twain alone: I beseech you help me to my request if you can, For I have haste on my way I must needs be gone. Yea forsooth sir? O Sir, o good Sir, o, o, o my heart will break: O, o, for sorrow God wot I cannot speak. Weep Whow, nay I would to God that were the worst: But I shall have ill will, I think I am accursed. Covetous, covetous, every man says you be: A shame take them all prattling knaves for me. I am of such a nature as no man is but I: To hear my friend ill spoken of I had rather die. Yea wiss man, you are called even so: All the country of you speak both shame and woe. He was wunt (says one) to keep a good house: but now (says and other) thereis no livi ̄ g for a mouse Yea God wot, it is none other, it is none other: I Love you as well as mine own born brother. Think you y to it grieveth me not to hear eke boy and Girl: To say that the worldly man is become a Churl? Nay hear you, this grieveth me worst so God me save: pluck him back. They say you keep company w to every beggarly knave Nay but hear you, is Enough his name? Saint Dunstone, a man would not judge it by his coat: Now truly I would not take him to be worth a groat, Hark you, hark you, in faith know you not me? Did you never hear him speak of one Policy? I am he verily and this your Friend Ready wit: With whom to be acquainted for you it is fit. I perceive that against us two you do grutch: Can a man of policy and ready wit have to much? The noble king Salomon was rich & had wisdom great store Yet he seized not daily to pray to God for more. Are we? you faith there of you may be sure: We are they which your wealth shall procure. Enough is not enough without us two: For having not us, what can enough do? Enough is maintained by wisdom and policy: Which is contained of a ready wit naturally. He says well by Lady, yea and Like and honest man, But yet Sir, riches to be good, well prove I can. For every man is not called after one sort: But some are called to prophecy, some to preach & exhort. And he by that means Heaven joys to win: But every man knoweth not that way to walk in. Therefore every man (as his vocation is) must walk: I am sure that against this you will not talk. You may see what a trusty friend he is: Passion of me it was time to look about: They would quite have undone you, or else without doubt. But I trow, I trow, if you will be ruled by me: What I will do for you, or ere it be long you shall see. A thousand, thousand, thousand ways I can invent: To fetch in double as as you have spent. And do you my brother Reason perfectly know? Say you so? by the mass give me your hand: Come go with me, let us no longer idle stand. go out all. iii, together and make you re die straight ways. What is the matter? let me know it at once: I have somewhat else to do then hear to tread the stones. By my truth I can do nothing here in: And so God help me I esteem no such matters worth a pin. Ber Lady Sir you have had it a fair season: And y to a man should make what he can of his own it is reason ̄ I warrant you, therbe enough that that rend will give: Well, care not you for that, if you he a wise man: You were best to get one better cheap where you can For I know that so much for it, have he may: Yea, if it stood empty even this present day. Thou art a foolish fellow, here of to me to complain: For I meddle with no such matters I tell you plain. Whither the Devil wilt thou? into mouth me think. Foe Gods ames, how he smells all of drink. Body of me, what a beggarly knave is heear? Why, canst thou not forbear thy money one year? Why? I meddle not with such things y to dost know No faith I am but master receiver: I take in all, but by gisse I am no payer. About your affairs I have business this way. And behold Sir as I traveled the Street: With these two fellows I chanced for to meet. Who told me that they had and earnest suit to you One for his house that he dwells in now. Wherein (he says) you go about to do him much wrong: For he says that he hath dwelled in it very long. The other said, you owe him a piece of money: he wrought with you half a year & had never a penny And thus they took on with me before you did come: And now have I showed you the whole circumstance & some. Thou must be answered father, there is no remedy: By Saint Anne me think he speaks very reasonably. I warrant you if you will be ruled by Reason and policy: You shall have all the world to sue to you shortly. Set men a work with it as soon as you can: If you lack room, make more you may than. Who the Devil put that into your mind? Why, and are you afraid, and amazed at that? I see well you have a heart Like a Gnat. O Sira, marry Gods blessing on his heart: Full honestly he teaches you Sir, their part. Yes that we will I warrant, you needs not to fear: We will be her again or a Horse can lick his ear. Come Sir Nicolas, come sir Nicolas, come Sir Nicolas come A pestilence take Thee, haste thou not enough yet? Come in y e knaves name you must expou ̄ worser a matter Tush fellow thou must expound a piece of Scripture And thou Wertenberg to good for them all I trow. And I pray Thee heartily what was it? let me hear: For out of deut a worthy piece of learning it is. Even as thou sayest, in faith much of a kind: For they place the scriptures as feathers in y e wind. Peace body of me, our master is a sleep: To whom speak you to Sir? to him or to me? For my life Deuosion he is haunted with the Mare: I hold a Crown he is not very well: We will wake him out of that troublesome sleep: How do you good master? is he a sleep or a wake? Me thought you dreamed, for to your self you did talk Tush a straw, upon them never set your mind. He that to dreams gives any confidence or trust: Without doubt very unquietly live he must. What would you have Sir? tell us what you lack. Dead? body of me, do you rocken to die this year? Hold your peace I warrant you, you needs not to fear. Lo, see you not how the worldly man showeth his kind? As sick as he is, on his goods is all his mind. Body of me Aquam vitae, Vinagre, needs help he will depart. Saint Uncumber be with us, and the blessing of S. Anthony: Help, help our Lady of Uvalsingham and all her holy continued ̄ pany Body of me help, he is gone else and that verily Master Flebishiten, should I say, M. Physician, I pray you look in his bum Nay, I told you before he was passed remedy. Jesu mercy, lo how busy master Phesicion is: Be besy and daw him as though he were at dying. Her you Sir? is it not best you look on his pis. Good fellow? goodman whoball, I will make you change your note Before that for your labour you get the valve of a groat. Marry Sir, master Flebishiten, Physician is come & it was he Why? foolish Physician he knew that well enough before. What the devil dost thou here? then get Thee away: Gentleman go as you came, you are not so much in my favour By my truth this is wunderfully well invented: As you have said, I warra ̄ to you it shall be frequented. Body of me, down with the paper, away with the Ink: Nay hold him that will, the Devil hold him for me: Canst thou not tell? no more can I, I make God avow. Sira her was a trim end that he did make: Thou never heardst him the name of God in his mouth take. This is the end always where I begin: For I am the root of all wickedness and sin. I never rest to teach and instruct men to evil: Till I bring them both body and soul to the Devil. As we have done this worldly man here as you see: Come therefore Ignorance, wait thou upon me. The Devil and I, thou shalt see will not leave: Till we have made the greatest part to us to cleve. Come, let us go hence, her is no more to be said: Farewell my Master's our parts we have played. Well let me alone I will go near, To cause him of his company to be weary: I have done as great acts thrice this year, I am not to learn to row in Illirans Very. I will go to him and thou shalt wait upon me, Thou shalt hear what a take to him I will tell: God speed you Sir, I pray you might I be so bold, As to have a word or two with you in your ear? I cannot choose, o, o, I cannot choose: Whow? I Can ̄ not choose if my life I should lose. To hear that I hear, o well it is no matter: O, o, o, I am not he that any man will flatter. In faith it shall cost me and my Friends a fallen, But you shall be twice as rich as you were before: We will do it to spite them even with all, Though we do hundreds wrong therefore. I have set some aloft in a high place, Which had rather die I dare well say: Then one inch of their state should fallen or abase, But rather to climb up higher if they may. Whow, of this world I rule the whole state, Yea faith I govern all laws, rites and order: I, at my pleasure raise war, strife and debate, And again I make peace in all Costs and borders Nay, yet a much more marvel then that, Behold, see you this little pretty hand? This is and Arm of steel for it overthroweth flat, The strongest walls and towers in a whole land, Power I have laws to altar and make, And all laws made are guided by me: All that is done, is done wholly for my sake, What strength I have by this you may see. More over I have in this little hand, The hearts of all men & women upon Earth: I rule them both by Sea and by land, Plenty I make and I make also dearth. Whow, it is wunderful that is done by policy, While you live take heed strive not against policy: The best of them all are glad of Policy, Yea in Westminster hall they use much policy. I have been about it my self all this week: Ready wit all the Laws for to delay doth seek. We will have it I warrant you by hook or by crook: Tush I warrant you for such odd ends daily we look. Yes make sure work of that while as you be here: God speed you, what mean you? would you speak with me? Your Chaplain can tell you, for he is very well seen. You shall have a new lofe, at the maids next baking.