HELP

¶By the mass sirs so where he is. ¶Good master Courage most heartily good even. Salute courage ¶Tush man none of us can do amiss, For we do always take time while time is. And where ever we go Like counsel we give, Telling all men that here they shall not still live. ¶Indeed hurtful Help, that is my name, But I would not that all men should know the same. For I am a broker the truth is so, Wherefore if men in me hurtfulness should know, There are few or none that with me would deal, Therefore this word hurtful I never reveal. My name I say, plain Help to be, Wherefore each man for help does come unto me, Good master Help, help to that or this, And of good reward you shall not miss. ¶Good sir hold your hand, and bear with his rudeness, ¶To be our master wilt thou take in hand, Why we are as good as thou, thou shalt understand. ¶And what can courage do without help, As much as a Kitling or suckling whelp. ¶It is folly with Thee thus to contend, We are as good as thou, and so I do end. ¶What Courage I say thy hand now stay. ¶There is no remedy but we must consent, Sometime it is good a fools mind to content: Therefore I am content to be thine inferior, And I will from henceforth take Thee for superior. ¶By my troth, and of that opinion am I, And in that opinion I mean for to die. ¶Doubt not but that I to thee will be cleaving, Therefore proceed and show him thy meaning. ¶I will do for him what lies in me. ¶Marry sir it is much the better for that, For if thou werte more strange, and born out of the land. Thou shouldst sooner have it I dare take in hand, For among us now, such is our country zeal, That we love best with strangers to deal. To fell a lease deer, whosoever that will, At the french, or dutch Church let him set up his bill. And he shall have chapmen, I warrant you good store, Look what and English man bids, they will give as much more. We brokers of strangers, well know the gain, By them we have good rewards for our pain. Therefore though thou be strange, the matter is not great, For thy money is English, which must work the feat. ¶I dare say each man would be glad at his heart, To have all his Neighbours such as thou art. What matter is it, if thou thy self be sped, Though thou take thy neighbours house over his head. ¶It is time I trow. Exiunt. ¶So are we in deed, and what of that? Who is it that with by would any thing have? ¶Therein we can help you if your pleasure it be, And will do or else we were greatly to blame, Provided always that to our pains you do see, And also put in a good pawn for the same. ¶You shall have it sir so soon as you will, And therein you shall be friendly used, For in friendly using this fellow hath skill, pointing to Fur theraunce. Therefore his counsel must not be refused. He is servant unto a Merchant man, Who is partly ruled after his mind. ¶Why sir no diligence in us shall be lacking, For we are ready, if that you be so. ¶Nay now let him shift for himself if he will, Since I am paid the thing I did seek: Alas good Gentleman, he is served but ill, In faith he is in now by the week. He hath nought but that, for which he hath paid, The lone of his money he hath dearly bought, I warrant you it might be boldly said, His cards being told, he hath won right nought. ¶Yea but of them both, I had my bribes, My masters, the Broker can play of both sides. He is almost paid as well for his trotting. As is the Scribe, for his writing or blotting. Yea and yet both parties are not content, For I dare say the gentleman, his bargain does repent. ¶Doubt not, you need not that for to fray. You shall see that day, or that it be long. ¶Marry sir, this day whereof we do entreat, Is a day of some notable show. When the Courtiers in their bravery shall be, Before their Prince, some show to make: If such a day, Welthinesse might see, He hopeth then, some money to take. For without cost, they may not be brave, And many lack money, as he does suppose: Wherefore at some, a good hand he would have, I warrant Thee, by none he hopeth to loose. ¶Why that is the way sir to come aloft, Great wealth thereby, I know you do get. ¶Why sir, and will you arrest them there? While they at sermon preaching be. ¶I know no partly I have of thine, Therefore of me thou gettest no partly. ¶When the residue do thereto agree, Then will I also give Thee a part: But if they no partly will give unto Thee, If I give Thee any, beshrew my heart. ¶What hold thy hand man, art thou so mad, ¶A part thou shalt have, when home we do come. ¶I would have counted him greatly unwise, If he were so foolish, as himself he made: Fools they are, which such pleasure despise, But I knew that therein he would not wade. And truly I am right glad to see, That so good and agreement between you is: For truly where couples do so well agree, It may not be chosen, but there is great bliss. I am sorry that thus we must part you fro, Courage it is time for us to depart. ¶Then be sure I will help in with a share. THough Wastfulnesse and wantonness, Some men have us two nam: Yet pleasantness and plyauntnesse, Our names we have now framed. For as I one is pleasant, to kiss and to cully, The other is plyaunt as ever was holly. As youth would it have, So will we be brave. ¶To live in bliss, we will not miss, What care we for men's ayings: What joy is this, to sport and kiss, But hurt comes in delayings. The one is full ready to the others becking, Between us there is neither chiding, nor checking. As youth will it have, &c. ¶Full brave and full fine, we pass the time, Take time while time is biding: What joy is thine, the same is mine, My mind shall not be sliding. Our goods are our own, why should we spare, Or for time to come, why should we care. As youth would it have. &c. ¶Tush help hath excuse, to colour that care. ¶Why then you were best go without a song. ¶Nay sirs you two shall not go alone, For I do mean to bear you company, And so shall we be even a whole trinity. Therefore Courage adowe. They three go out. ¶Lo Thee Neighbourhood, where Courage does stand. ¶Truly sir you do wisely therein, For what good of hoarding ensues: Undoubtedly I think it a sin, And beasts they are, which the same do use. ¶Serra, he stands bound forty pounds to pay, But little more then thirty away he did bear, For what with the merchants duty for lone, Item for writing unto the scribe: The third partly into my pouch is gone, And the merchants man, hath not lost his bribe. So that amongst us four, almost ten pounds, Is clearly dispersed and spent: The Gentleman sweareth, heart, blood, and wounds, Repenting that after thy council he went. ¶Tush man for that matter, set thy heart at rest, For that which we have, thou shalt not be without, But syrra, seest thou not who does yonder appear, By my troth me thinks two knaves they are. ¶But here we found Thee, a Knave most of all, And so we leave Thee, as thou dost us call.