JUVENTUS

Nothing but have a dance or two, To pass the time away in pleasure, Why sir, are you angry because I have spoken so By the mass it is alone for my apety My name is called Ivuentus doubtless Say what you will I will give you the hearing. No, no, hardly none of mine, If I would live so straight, you might cou ̄ to me a fool Let them keep thouse rules, which are doctors divine And have be brought up all their days in scole. I am to young to understand his documents, Wherefore did all they stand before his presence? What? am I bound as well as the clergy, To learn and follow his precepts and law? It is as true a saying as ever I herd, Therefore your name I pray now tell, For by my truth your continued ̄ munication I Like wonders well A good counsyl, new it does appear. That God never rejects the humbles petycion, Sir, I will be so bold by your delyberation To opyn my mind unto you now, Trusting that by your good exhortation, I shall learn those things, which I never knew: This one thing chiefly I would learn of you How I may my life in these my vocation lead. According as God hath ordained and decreed, Why should I then in Good works delight? Sing I shall not be saved by them I will gladly receive your godly admonitions, But yet I pray you show me the cause, that they being men of great discretions Did not instruct me in gods laws, According to his will and ordinance Oh Lord deliver me from wicked teachers, That I be not deceived with their false doctrine. Surely that I will from the bottom of my heart, And I the ̄ ke y e living God whyth hath given me y e know ledge To know his doctryng from ̄ the false & peruarce I being yet young and full tender of age: And that he hath made me partaker of y e heavenly in heri tage Of his one mercy and not of my deserving For hell I have decerued by my sinful working. I know right well my elders and parents. Have of a long time deceuid be, With blind hypocrisy and superstitious intents, Trusting in their own works, which is nothing but vanity Their steps shall not be followed for me, Therefore I pray you show me a brief conclusion, How I ought to live in Christian religion, To love my neybour as my self, I Can ̄ not be to kind I pray you tell me, what mean you I pray God give me grace so for to do That unto his will I may be obedient. And I will never forsake your company While I live in this world Here en treth the Devil, O o all to late I trow this gear will come to nought For I perceive my pour does a bore For all the policy that ever I have wrought, Many and sundry ways I have sought, To have the word of God deluded utterly, O for sorrow yet it will not be. I have done the best that I can, And my ministers also in every place, to rote it clean from the heart of man, And yet for all that it flourisheth a pace: I am soar in dread to show my face, My authority and works are so greatly despised My inventions, and all that ever I have devised O o, full well I know the cause, that my estimation does thus decay, the old people would believe still in my laws, But the younger sort lead them a contrary way they will not believe they plainly say, In old traditions and made by men, But they will live as the scripture teaches the ̄ . Out I cry upon them, they do me open wro ̄ g, to bring up their children thus in knowledge, For if they will not follow my ways when ̄ they are young that is harden turning them when they come to age: I must needs find some means this matter to suage, I mean to turn their hearts from the scripture quite, that in carnal pleasures they may have more delight. Well I will go taste to enfect this youth through the enticement of my son hypocrysie, And work some proper feat to stope his mouth that he may lede his life carnally: I had never more need my matters to apply, O my child hypocrisy, where art thou? I charge y to of my blessing, appear before me now O o quod he, keep again the sow, I come as fast as I can, I warrant you, Here en treth high pocrysie. Hipocry sye. Where is he that hath the sow to fell? I will give him money if I like her well, weather it be sow or hog, I do not greatly care For by my occupation I am a bochare, For your gentelnes, sir. most heartily I thank you But yet you must hold me some what excused, For to my simple knowledge I never knew That you and I to gether were acquainted, But nevertheless, if you do it renew, Old acquaintance will some be remembered Whither were I better to be ignorant and blind And to be dampened in hell for infidelity? Or to learn godly knowledge, wherein I shall find The right path way to eternal felicity? I would gladly in your compane go But if my companions should chance to see They would report full evil by me: And peradventure if I would it use. My company they would clean refuse. And then her master & mistress will be at the preaching I purposed my self there to have be, But this man provoked me to the contrary And told me that we should have merry company. Now by the mass I perceive that she is a galland What will she take pains to come for us hither? I trust in me she will think no danger. For I love well the company of fair women. yes by the mass that I would, I could find in my heart to kiss you in your smock By dogs precious wounds y to was some horson vyllain I will never eat meat that shall dome good, Tell I have cut his flesh by gods precious Blood, Tell me I pray you who it was. And I will tryme the knave by the blessed mass Why, should I not and if my cause be right What, and if a knave do me beguile? Shall I stand crouching Like and owl, No, no, then you might count me a very cow, I know what belongeth to gods law as well as you what old hoorson, art thou a chiding? I will play a spyrt, why should I not? I set a myte by thy chekyng what hast thou to do, and if I loose my coat: I will trill the bones while I have one groat, And when there is no more ink in the pen, I will make a shyfe as well as other men. your mind therein I do well understand. you go about my lyueng to despise, But you will not see the beams in your own eyes, I marvel why you do this report me, Wherein do I my life abuse? By the mass if thou tell not truth, I will not be behind To touch you as well again. Herein this place I will fall down desperate, He lies down, To ask for mercy, now I know it is to late Alas alas, that ever, I was begat, I would to God I had never be born. All faithful me ̄ that behold this wretched state May very iusty laugh me to scorn: They may say my time I have evil spent and worn, Thus in my first age, to work my own destruction, In the eternal pains is my part and portion. Oh sir, this state is so miserable the which I lie in, That my comfort and hope from me is separated, I would to God I had never be. Woe worth the time that ever I was created. Alas sir, I am in such heaviness, That his promises I can not remember Then must I give neither credit nor faith, Unto Saint Pauls saying, which this man did allege these comfortable sayings does me greatly move to arise from this wretched place. Good counsel, Now in faith I cry you mercy, I am sorry that I have you thus offended, But I pray you bear with me patiently, And my miss behaviour shall be amended, I know my time I have rudely spended, Following my awn lust, being led by ignorance. But now I hope of better knowledge through your a quaintance. Sir, I thank you for your hearty oration And now I pray you show me your aduisemet How I may live in this my vocation, According to Gods will and commandment. Oh Lord grant me of thy infinite mercy, he The true knowledge of the law and will, And illumine my heart with spirit continually That I way be apt thy holy precepts to fulfil: Strengthen me, that I may parseuer still. Thy commandments to obey. And then shall I never slip nor fall away, he riseth. you are to blame this me to calenge Then I pray let us reason no longer I am glad to see that you be merry, By mi troth I had almost you forgotten, By long absence brought out of memory, My intention is to go hear apreachyng Full great I do abhor this your wicked saying, For no doubt they increase much sin and vice, Therefore I pray you show not your meaning, For I delight not in such foolish fantesies Why should not you as well as other men? if I may be so bold by your deliberation Tush, what he will say I know right well, He will say that God is a good man, He can make him no better, and say the best he can I know that, but what then? The more that Gods word is preached and taught The greater the occasion is to all Christian men, To forsake their livings, both wicked, vile & naum ght And to repent their former evils, which they have wrou ght Trusting by Christ's death to be redeemed. And he that this does, shall never be disceyued. No, it is not a boat for to look on, I grant I am bound to obey my parents In all things honest and lawful. Now by my troth you are merrily disposed By the mass that meat I love above all thing: To say the same to you, your ge ̄ tlenes does me bind And I thank you heartily for your kindness To be in her company my heart is set, Full greatly I do delight to kiss your pleasau ̄ to mouth he kysseth abhomi nabl livi ̄ g I am not able your kinds to recompense, I long to talk w to you secretly, therefore let us go hence. I agree to that, for I would not for .xx. pence, That it were known where I have be Nay nay my friend stop there that is not you that shall have her away, She Shall go with me, and if she go to day. And I thank Jesus Christ my saviour, That he is come to my company. It seemeth to me that this your meaning, That when ̄ I observe gods commau ̄ deem ̄ tes & y e works of charity They shall prevail unto me nothing, Except I believe to be saved thereby. Now I know where about you have be. My elders never taught me so before. Now for this godly knowledge, which you would rought me to I beseech the living God reward you again From your company I will never depart nor go So long as in this life I do remain: For in this book I see manifest and plain That he that followeth his own lusts & imagynacyon Keepeth the ready path to euerlast damnation. And he that leadete a godly conversation Shall be borught to such quietness, joy and peace Which in comparison passes all worldly gloriation Which can not endure, but shortly cease Both the time and hour I may now bless That I met with you father good council to bring me to the knowledge of his heueuenly Gospel With all my heart, power and mind, The living God hath him hither assined: Oh sinful flesh, thy pleasures are but vain, Now I find it true, as the scripture does say, Broad & pleasant is the path, which leadeth unto pain, But unto eternal life, full narrow is the way, He that is not led by Gods spirit, surely goes astrayer And all that ever he does, shall be clean abhorred Although he brag & boast never so much of Gods word, Oh subtle Satan, full deceitful is thy snare, Who is able thy falsehood to disclose? What is the man that thou dost favour or spare And dost not tempt him eternal joys to loose? Not on the world, surele I suppose, Therfoore happy is the man, which does truli wait, Always to refuse thy decetful and crafty bait When I had thought to live most christanly And followed the steps of knowledge & good council, Ere I was beware thou hadst deceived me And brought me into the path which leads unto hell: And of and earnest professor of christ's gospel Thou madest me and ypocrite, blind and pervert, And from virtue unto vice, y u hadst clea ̄ e turned mi heart First by hypocrysie thou didst me move, The mortification of the flesh, clean to forsake, And wanton desire to embrace and love, Alas to think of it, my heart does quake, Under the title of friendship to me he spoke, And so to wicked feloshyp did me bring, Which broughe me clean to abominable living Thus I say. Satan did me disceyue, And wrapped me in sin many afould, The steps of good counsel, I did forsake and laeue, And forgot the words, which be before to me he told: The fruits of a true Christan, in me waxed cold I folewed mine one lusts, the flesh I did not tame, And had them in derision, which would not do the same. yet it hath pleased God of his endless mercy To give me respite my life to a mend. From the bottom of my heart, I repent my iniquity. I will walk in his laws unto my lives end: From his holy ordinance I will never dicende. But my whole delight shall be to live therein, Utterly abhorring all filthiness and sin. All Christian people, which be here present, May learn by me hypocrysye to know With the which the devil, as w to a poison most pestilent Daily seeketh all men to over throw: Credit not all things unto the out ward show, But try the ̄ w to Gods word, that squire a rule most joust Which never deceived them that in him put their trust Let not flattering from ̄ dship, nor yet wicked company Parswade you in no wise, Gods word to a buse But see that you stand steadfastly unto the verity And accordi ̄ g to the rule thereof, your doings frame & use Neither kindred nor fellowship shall you excuse When you shall appear before the judgement seat But your own secret concyence shall the ̄ give and audite All you that be young, whom I do now represent, Set your delight both day & night on Christ's testament if pleasure you tickele, be not fikle, & suddenly slide, But in Gods fear eueriwhere, see that you abide In your tender age, seek for knowledge, & after wisdom ru ̄ ne & in jour old age, teach your famili, to do, as you have du ̄ your bodies subdue, unto virtue, delight not in vaniti Say not I am the ̄ g, I shall live long lest jour dais short ̄ ed be Do not incline, to spend y e time in wanton joys & nice For idleness does increase much wickedness and vice, Do not delay the time, and say my end is not never For w to short warning, the lords continued ̄ mi ̄ g shall sode ̄ lie apere God give us grace, his word to e ̄ brace, & to live thereafter That be thesame, his holy name, may be prased ever. It were much better for me, then to return From ̄ my faith in Christ, & the profession of his word. The sermon will be done ere I can come there, I care not greatly whither I go or no, And yet for my promise, by God I swear, There is no remedy but I must needs go: Of my companions there will be more And I promised them by gods grace Also, let us for all the nobility of this realm, And namely for those, whom her grace authorised, To maintain the public wealth over us & them, That they may see his gracious acts published, And they, being truly admonished, By the complaint of them, which are wrongfulli oppressed May less a reformation, and see it redressed. Who dare be so bold us to despise? And if I may hear a knave speak one word, I will run thorough his cheeks with my sword