SINCERITY

Good coossen Simplicity do something for me. Alas I am not able to give thee a new. Lady, my name is Sincerity. I came from Oxford, but in Cambridge I studied late, Having nothing, thought good if I could, to make better my state. But if I had in stead of Divinity, the Law, Astronomy, Astrology, Phislognomie, Palmistry, Arithmetic, Logic, Mass cke, Phis cke, or any such thing, I had not doubted then, but to have had some better living. But Divines that preach the word of God sincerely and truly, Are in these days little or nothing set by. God grant the good Preachers be not taken away for our unthankfulness There was never more preaching and less following, the people live so amiss: But what is he that may not on the Saba that day attend to hear Gods word? But we will rather run to bowls, fit at the alehouse, than one hour afford: Telling a tale of Robin hood, sitting at Cards, playing at kettles, or some other vain thing, That I fear Gods vengeance on your head it will bring. God grant amendment, but Lady Conscience I pray, In my behalf unto Lucar do what you may. I yield you most hearty thanks my good lady. Dissimulation, out upon him, he shall be no spokeman for me. You shall have, but what? a living that is blown down with the wind. Nay cossen Simplicity I God my living hardly but yet I hope joust And with good Conscience too although I am restrained from my lust. But this it is cousin Simplicity, I would request you do for me: Which is, to get Lady Love, and Lady Conscience hand to latter: That by their menes I may get some benefice to make me live the better I behold they are ready drawn, if assined they were. Seeing thou wilt have it, here receive it, but it grieves my har that this dissembling wretch should speak on my partly. Thou art a kin to the lawyer, thou wilt do nothing without a fee, But thou, Fraud, Usury, nor yet Simony shall have nothing of me. And thou wilt do it, do it, and thou wilt not choose: Both thee and their dealing I hate and refuse. Thou speakest the truth Simplicity, for flatterers now a days, live Gentlemen-like, and with prating get praise. Lady, I shall never get his goodwill for want of ability, For he will do nothing except one bring money. And if you grant it not, then it is passed all doubt, I shall be never the nearer, but go quite without. Thou mayest well be Simplicity for thou shewest thy folly. I have a parsonage, but of what? of saint Nihil, and Nihil is nothing. Then where is the Church, or any Bells for to ring? Thou understandest her not, she was set for to out, I thought coming in their names I should go without, 'Tis call to see that Lucar oves not Love and Conscience: But God I trust will one day yield her joust recompense. Good Simplicity hold thy peace, my state is yet nought, I will help thee sure, if ever I get ought. But here comes sir Nicholas Nemo, to him I will go, And see if for their sakes he will any thing bestow. What if thou canst not get it, then how wilt thou eat? why his name was Nemo, and Nemo hath no being. Good Simplic tie content thee, I am never the better for this, But of force must leave off, seeing how vain it is: Nor boots it sincerity to look for relief. So few regard that to me is a grief. This was Nicholas Nemo, and no man hath no place. then how can I speed well in this kind of case? And no man bid me to dinner, when shall I dine? Or how shall I find him, where, when, and at what time? wherefore the relief had and to be had is small, But to speak truth, the relief is nothing at all. But come Simplicity, let us go see what may be had, Sincerity in these days was sure born to be sad.