ARTIFICER

God speed you both masters heartily forsooth, My coming hither is to talk with a Pedlar, He promised me here, this day to keep a booth, For in many things he makes himself a great meddler. I was at my neighbours house the last night, And there was a Pedlar selling many things, Somewhat he had whereof we might have no sighed: But good store he had of points, pins, and rings. I think surely that he is some Conjurer, For I never laughed better in all my life, My neighbours says plainly that he is a sorcerer, But Lord how he angered the old wife. At the first she made him much of her counsel, And showed him certain Images which she did keep, I wiss quoth she, I love these better then the new Gospel, And for pure love unto them, she began to weep: The false knave stood still and nought did say, A pair of beads under her Apearne she had: On these quoth she, I say our Ladies Salter every day, And at them the Pedlar railed as he had be mad. What he hath I cannot tell, But thus he played on such condition. I think he hath not be a Pedlar long, But he will go near to tell what you have done: For any thing I can see, he will do no man wrong, But he make good shift where he become. I would advise not over much with him to scoff, For tame enough you are Like him to find. Friend, dispraise no further then you may dispraise, For what he does man, neither you nor I do know. He can rehearse all this in Latin, & a great deal more, And will do it, if you do it of him gently require. Although perchance some hath offended, Yet you ought not the whole company to defame: He runneth far that cannot be amended, For one men faults, you may not all men blame. I supposed that our Fortune's thou couldst have told, Such talk as this who would regard? I love none of these lying Poets indeed, I marvel what favour to them, men can have: For they do nothing else, but men's minds with vanities feed, And hinder our faith, which should our souls save. By such shifts he uttereth much beware: I have herd him say now, more then ever I herd him say. If things amiss were by penance amended, The plagues of God devised, he would wihhold: The Pedlar in my judgement hath not offended, In that of plagues to come he hath us told. The devil of lie that is, such a number of Alians, And that of all nations are come him to dwell, As he said, even Jews and Barbarians, So that the Realm is Like to another hell. Surely I am afraid with the prophecy, Which in holy scripture I have learned: The threats of God, by Isaiah and Jeremy, Hath all the whole world sufficiently warned, But I marvel of one thing brother Pedlar, That in all your talk you allege no scripture, For he that in prophecies will be a meddler, By the word of God must his matters assure. I would gladly get my living by mine Art, But Aliants chop up houses so in the City, That we poor crafts men must needs depart, And beg if they will, the more is the pity. Of the Gospel we do boast, and do it profess, But more honest fidelity is among Turks, Oh the boasting, the pride, and the fleshly excess, Among us is neither true faith, nor yet good works. All things spoken here, I wish for my partly That they were trodden under the Table: For he hath uttered nothing but the fancies of his heart, Who can let a man merrily to fable. I know the Pedlar can sing pleasantly, Both upon the book, and also without. You shall disappoint them both at this season, You shall go home with me and take such as I have. You have a marvelous meaning by the tool I am sure, I would you should show me there of the signification This Pedlar makes me marvellously to muse, I think God hath revealed to him things to come, To the ignorant, they appear marvelous news, But of ancient sayings they appear to be a some. Well I will tarry here till his return again, I will hear how with the Mariner and the traveller he hath sped, Although his counsels they do disdain, Yet it is good by wisdom always to be led. I beseech you landlord to show me some favour, You know that of the house I have bestowed cost, All this time you have known my behaviour, Therefore I pray you let not all my labour be lost: I and mine ancestors in the house long time have dwelled, And I trust I have always paid my rend: Both sweet and Sour, joy and pain, there we have felt, And always to deal honestly was our intent. You know that I have good evidence to show, If any pity be in you, I pray you hear my boon: If you put me out of my house, my days will be few, And both I and my family quite undone; Therefore I pray you tell me what you will require? And I shall be contented my lease to renew. O what a wretched world is this for poor men, O unreasonable covetousness of Landlords at this day, Of the house whereof I have years threescore and ten, I must out, except beyond all reason I will pay. Oh what wretches are at these days alive, To their utter undoing other men's houses to take: I am sure he shall never be able to thrive, I know what he is able thereof to make. You have broken promise, you said you would not fable, But now I perceive you are very unstable. There is no such thing be your sure, For all that he speaks is under a figure. Hearest thou Pedlar? come away I pray thee heartily, For things are wrought against thee secretly. A heinous complaint of thee, my Landlord have made, And with other things they purpose thee to lade. They say that with Nigromansie thou art a meddler, Wherefore by my counsel thou shalt be no longer a Pedlar. Tush, tush, for that take thou no care. When thou comest home to my house, then I will see. A straw for points, by them thou canst have no lose.