CONSCIENCE

Indeed I fear the worst, for every man does sew and comes from countries' strange and far, of her to have view. Although they ought to seek true Love and Conscience clear: but Love and Conscience few do Like, that eane on Lucars chair. Men ought be ruled by us, we ought in them bear sway: so should each neighbour live by other in good estate always. You say the truth, yet God I trust will not admit it so, that Love and Conscience by Lucars lust shall catch and overthrow. God grant that Conscience keep within the bounds of right, and that vile Lucar do not daunt her heart with deadly spite. Pass on good Fame, your steps do frame, on you we will attend, and pray to God that holds the rod, our states for to defend. What Fraud, Dissimulation, Usury, and Simony, How dare you for shame presume so boldly, As once to show your selves before Love and Conscience, Not yielding your lewd lives first to repentance? Think you not that God will plague your wicked practises, If you intend not to amend your lives so far amiss? Think you not God knows your thoughts words and works, And what secret mischiefs in your hearts there lurks? then how dare you offend his heavenly majesty, With your dissembling deceit, your flattery, and your Usury? Why, what art thou? o I know thou art simplicity. No, I may have no fools to dwell with me. With right good will, for their sights likes not me. What is't? I doubt not but 'tis some wise thing if it be for you, Be these your letters? what would you have me do, and how shall I call you? And from whence came you? God be blessed Sincerity, for the good comfort I have of thee, I would it lay in us to pleasure such believe me. We will do what we can: But ultra posse non e to esse, you know, It is Lucar that hath brought us poor souls so low. For we have should our house, we are brought so poor, And fear by her shortly to be shut out of door. Yet to subscribe our name we will with all our heart, Perchance for our sake some thing she will impart: Come hither Simplicity, let me write on thy back. I ave done sir, I was setting my hand to a letter to Lucar for our friend Sincerity. But I would lady Love were here too. I pray you heartily, and it shall suffice that turn well enough: Good Simplicity, once more thy body do bow. Here take thy letters Sincerity, & prosperous be they to thee. Thanks my good f iend Hospitality. But tell me sir, have you invited to dinner any strangers? There is no body at all be you sure, I know certainly well. You say truth, take possession when you please, good leave have Doubt you not, there is neither man, woman, nor child, that will or shall hinder you. Who is more bold than Usury to venture? He makes the matter dangerous where is no needs at all, But he thinks it no pe illous to seek every men fallen: Both he and Lucar hath so pinched us, we know not what to do, Were it not for Hospitality, we knew not whither to go. Great is the misery that we poor ladies abide, And much more is the cruelty of Lucar and Usury beside. Oh Conscience, thou art not accounted of, Oh Love, thou art little set by, For almost every one, true love, and pure conscience does deny: So hath Lucar crept into the bosom of man, woman and child, That every one does practice his deer friend to beguile. But God grant Hospitality be not by them over pressed, In whom all our stay and chiefest comfort does rest But Usury hates Hospitality and cannot him abide, Because he for the poor and comfortless does provide. Here he comes, that hath undone many and honest man, And daily seeks to destroy, deface, and bring to ruin if he can. Now sir, have you took possession as your deer lady wild you I pray you heartily let us stay there, and we will be content to give you ten pound a year, which is the old rend. Well, sith we are driven to this hard and bitter drift, We accept it, and are contended to make bore and hard shift. We must have patience perforce, seeing there is no remedy. What lamentable cry was that I herd one make? why, what wilt thou do with him Usury? Oh dost thou not remember that thou shalt dearly answer for Hospitality that good member, reframe it therefore. For Gods sake spare him, for country sake spare him, for pity sake spare him; for Love sake spare him, for Conscience sake forbear him. But yet Usury, consider the lamentable cry of the poor, For lack of Hospitality, fatherless children are turned out of door. Consider again the complaint of the sick, blind and lame, That will cry unto the Lord for vengeance on thy head in his name. Is the fear of God so far from thee that thou hast no feeling at all? Oh repent Usury, leave Hospitality, and for mercy at the Lords hand call. Alas I would help thee, but I have not the power. Oh help, help help some good body. Out alas thy fellow Usury hath killed Hospitality. what Lucar, thou lookest Like a whore full of deadly hate. Alas Lucar, I am sorry for thee that thou canst no honesty keep: But such as thou art, such are thy attenders on thee, As appears by thy servant Usury, that hath killed that good member Hospitality. Well well Lucar, udeo & tace , I see and say nothing: But I fear the plague of God on thy head it will bring. Well Lucar well, you know pride will have a fallen: What avails it thee to win the world, and loo e thy soul withal Yet better it is to live with little, and keep a conscience clear. Which is to God a sacrifice, and accounted of most deer. What remedy Simplicity? I cannot do withal: But what shall we go do? or whereto shall we fallen? If I go lie in and Inn, it will grieve me to see, The deceit of the Ostler, the powling of the Tapster, as in most houses lodging they be, If in a brewers house, at the ver plenty of water, and scarceness of mal I should grieve, whereby to enrich themselves, all other with unsavoury thin drink they deceive. If in a eannets house, with his great deceit in tanning, If in a Weavers house, with his great cozening in weaving. If in a Bakers house, with light bred, and very evil working. If in a Chandlers with deceitful weights, false measures, selling for a halfpenny that is scant worth a farthing. And if in and A lehouse, with the great resort of poor unthrifts, that with swearing at the Cards consume their lives, Having greater delight to spend a shilling that way, than a groat at home to sustain their needy children and wives. For which I judge it best form to get some solitary place, where I may with patience this my heavy cross embrace, And learn to fell broom, whereby to get my living, Using that as a quiet mean to keep my self from begging wherefore Simplicity if thou wilt do the Like, ettle thy self it, and with true labour thy living do seek. What Usury, it is great pity thou art unhanged yet. Believe me Usury it grieves me thou wast not hanged long ago For if thou hadst been hanged before thou slewest Hospitality, Thou hadst not made me and thousands more to feel the Like poverty. Alas Lucar, wilt thou continue a harlot all days of thy life? Alas Lucar, me thinks it is no pain to thee that thou still platest the whore. Then give me a shilling, and with a good will have them you shall. I think you led the world in a string, for every body follows you, And sith every one does it, why may not I do it too: For that I see your free heart and great liberality, I marvel not that all people are so willing to follow you. My good lady Lucar, I will fulfil your mind in every kind of thing. So that you shall be welcome at all hours, whosoever you bring. And all the dogs in the town shall not bark at your doings I trow, For your full pretence and intent I do thoroughly know, Even so well as if you had opened the very secrets of your heart, For which I doubt not but to rest in your favour by my desert. But here comes your man Usury. I have told the crowns, and here are joust so many as you to me did say. I'll make speed, and where I have with brooms ofttimes been roaming. I mean henceforth not to be seen, but sit to watch your coming. What should I say, nay what would I say in this our naughty living. My good Lord I have no way to excuse my self, She hath corrupted me by flattery, and her accursed self: What need further trial, sith I Conscience am a thousand witnesses, I cannot choose but condemn us all in living amiss Such terror does affright me, that living, I wish to die: I am afraid there is no spark left for me of Gods mercy. It was put into my bosom by Lucar: Willing me to keep secret our lascivious living, I cannot but condemn us all in this thing. When Hospitality had his throat cut up Usury, He oppressed me with cruelty, and brought me to beggary: Turning me out of house and home, and in the end, my gown to pait my rend, to him I did send; So driven to that extremity, I have fallen to that you see, Yet after judgement I hope of Gods mercy.