sig: [A1] | |
Here-after foloweth a litel boke called Colyn_Cloute compyled by mayster Skelton poete Laureate. | |
Quis consurg[e]tconsurget] consurgat K, resurgat H [mihi] aduers[u]s malignantes. aut quis stabit mecum aduersus operantes iniquitatem. Nemo dominemihi] mecum K, M; H omits | |
sig: [A1v] [page blank] | |
sig: A2 | |
WHat can it auayle | |
To dryue forth a snayle | |
Or to make a sayle | |
Of an herynges tayle | |
5 | To ryme or to rayle |
ref.ed: 247 | |
To wryte or to indyte | |
Eyther for delyte Eyther] Other G | |
Or elles for to despyte for to despyte] to desyte G, for despite M, for to desyte H | |
Or bokes to compyle | |
10 | Of dyuers maner style |
Uyce to reuyle | |
And synne to exyle | |
To teche or to preche | |
As reason wyll reche | |
15 | Say this and say that |
His hed is so fat | |
He wotteth neuer what | |
Nor wherof he speketh | |
He cryeth and he creketh | |
20 | He pryeth and he peketh peketh] preketh G, peketh M, prekythe H |
He chydes and he chatters | |
He prates and he patters prates] prayeth G, prates M, pratythe H | |
He clytters and he clatters | |
sig: [A2v] | |
He medles and he smatters | |
25 | He gloses and he flatters |
Or yf he speake playne | |
Than he lacketh brayne | |
He is but a fole | |
Let hym go to scole | |
30 | A thre-foted stole |
That he may downe syt | |
For he lacketh wyt | |
And yf that he hyt | |
The nayle on the hede | |
35 | It standeth in no stede |
The deuyll they say is dede | |
The deuell is dede | |
It may well so be | |
Or els they wolde se | |
40 | Otherwyse and fle |
From wordly vanyte | |
And foule couetousnesse | |
And other wretchednesse | |
Fyckell falsenesse | |
45 | Uaryablenesse |
sig: [A3] | |
With vnstablenesse | |
ref.ed: 248 | |
¶And if ye stande in doute | |
Who brought this ryme aboute | |
My name is Colyn_Cloute | |
50 | I purpose to shake oute |
All my connyng bagge | |
Lyke a clerkely hagge | |
For though my ryme be ragged | |
Tattered and iagged | |
55 | Rudely rayne-beaten |
Rusty and moughte-eaten moughte] moche G, moothe M, mothe H | |
If ye talke well ther-with talke] take G, H, talke M | |
It hath in it some pyth | |
For as farre as I can se | |
60 | It is wronge with eche degre |
For the temporalte | |
Accuseth the spiritualte | |
The spirituall agayne spirituall] spirytualte G, spirituall M | |
Dothe grudge and complayne | |
65 | Upon the temporall men |
Thus eche of other bloder bloder] blother G, M | |
The tone agayn[st] the tother agaynst] agayng K, against G, M | |
sig: [A3v] | |
Alas they make me shoder | |
For in hoder_moder | |
70 | The churche is put in faute |
The prelates ben so haut | |
They say / and loke so hy | |
As though they wolde fly | |
Aboue the sterry skye | |
75 | Laye-men say in-[d]ede dede] hede K, dede G, M |
How they take no [h]ede hede] dede K, hede G, M | |
[T]heyr sely shepe to fede Theyr] Sheyr K, Theyr G | |
But plucke away and pull | |
The fleces of theyr wull The fleces of theyr wull] Theyr fleces of wull G | |
80 | Unethes they leue a locke |
Of wull amonges theyr floc[k]e flocke] floche K, flocke G | |
And as for theyr connynge | |
A glommynge and a mummynge | |
And make ther-of a iape | |
85 | They gaspe and they gape |
All to haue promocyon | |
There is theyr hole deuocyon | |
ref.ed: 249 | |
With money / if it wyll hap | |
To catche the forked cap | |
sig: [A4] | |
90 | Forsothe they are to lewd |
To say so all beshrewd. | |
¶What trow ye they say more | |
Of the bysshoppes lore | |
How in matters they be rawe | |
95 | They lumber forth the lawe |
To herken Iacke and Gyll | |
Whan they [p]ut vp a byll put] but K, put G, M | |
And iudge it as they wyll | |
For other mennes skyll | |
100 | Expoundyng out theyr clauses |
And leue theyr owne causes | |
In theyr pryncypall cure | |
They make but lytell sure | |
And meddels very lyght | |
105 | In the churches ryght |
But Ire and venire | |
And sol fa / so a lamyre | |
That the premenyre | |
Is lyke to be set a_fyre | |
110 | In theyr iurisdictions |
Through temporall afflictions | |
sig: [A4v] | |
Men say they haue prescriptions | |
Agaynst the spirituall contradictions | |
Accomptynge them as fyctions | |
115 | And whyles the heedes do this |
The remenaunt is amys | |
Of the clergy all | |
Bothe great and small | |
I wot neuer how they warke | |
120 | But thus the people carke |
And surely thus they say | |
Bysshoppes if they may | |
Small houses wolde kepe houses] housholdes G, houses M; wolde] woll G, wold M | |
But slombre forth and slepe | |
125 | And assay to crepe |
With-in the noble walles | |
Of the kynges halles | |
ref.ed: 250 | |
To fat theyr bodyes full | |
Theyr soules lame and dull | |
130 | And haue full lytell care |
How euyll theyr shepe fare | |
¶The temporalyte say playne | |
sig: [A5] | |
Howe bysshoppes dysdayne | |
Sermons for to make | |
135 | Or suche laboure to take |
And for to say trouth | |
A great parte is f[or] slouth for] full K, G, ful M, for H | |
But the greattest parte | |
Is for they haue but small arte | |
140 | And ryght sklender connyng |
With-in theyr heedes wonnyng | |
But this reason they take | |
How they are able to make | |
With theyr golde and treasure | |
145 | Clerkes out of measure |
And yet that is a pleasure | |
Howe-be-it some there be | |
Almost two or thre | |
Of that dygnyte | |
150 | Full worshypfull clerkes |
As appereth by theyr werkes | |
Lyke Aaron and Ure | |
The wolfe from the dore | |
To wary and to kepe | |
155 | From theyr goostly shepe |
sig: [A5v] | |
And theyr spirituall lammes | |
Sequestred from rammes | |
And from the berded gotes | |
With theyr heery cotes | |
160 | Set nought by golde ne grotes |
Theyr names if I durst tell | |
¶But they are loth to mell | |
And loth to hang the bell | |
Aboute the cattes necke | |
165 | For drede to haue a checke |
They ar fayne to play / deuz decke | |
ref.ed: 251 | |
How-be-it they are good men | |
Moche herted lyke an hen | |
Theyr lessons forgotten they haue | |
170 | That becket them gaue That becket them gaue] That Saynt Thomas of Canterbury gaue G, That Becket them gaue M |
Thomas manum mittet ad forcia | |
Spernit damna spernit opprobria | |
Nulla Thoma[m] frangit iniuria Thomam] Thoman K, Thomam G | |
But nowe euery spirituall father | |
175 | Men say they had rather |
Spende moche of theyr share | |
Than to be combred with care | |
sig: [A6] | |
¶Spende / nay but spare | |
For let se who that dare | |
180 | Sho the mockysshe mare |
They make her wynche and keke | |
But it is not worth a leke | |
Boldnesse is to seke | |
The churche for to defend | |
185 | Take me as I intende |
For lothe I am to offende | |
In this that I haue pende | |
I tell you as men say | |
Amende whan ye may | |
190 | For vsqe ad montem sare |
Men say ye cannot appare | |
For some say ye hunte in parkes ye] they G, ye M, H; in parkes] partrykes G, in parkes M | |
And hauke on hobby larkes | |
And other wanton warkes | |
195 | Whan the nyght darkes |
What hath lay-men to do | |
The gray gooes for to sho | |
Lyke houndes of hell | |
They crye and they yell | |
sig: [A6v] | |
200 | Howe that ye sell |
The grace of the holy gost | |
Thus they make theyr bost | |
Through euery cost | |
Howe some of you do eate | |
205 | In lenton season fleshe-mete |
ref.ed: 252 | |
Fesauntes partryche and cranes | |
Men call you therfor prophanes | |
Ye pycke no shrympes nor pranes | |
Saltfysshe / stocfysshe nor heryng | |
210 | It is not for your werynge |
Nor in holy lenton season | |
Ye wyll netheyr benes ne peason | |
But ye loke to be let lose lose] losse K, lose G | |
To a pygge or to a gose | |
215 | Your gorge not endewed |
Without a capon stewed | |
Or a stewed cocke | |
Under her surfled smocke | |
And her wanton wodicocke | |
220 | And howe whan ye gyue orders |
In your prouinciall borders | |
sig: [A7] | |
As at sicientes | |
Some are insufficientes | |
Some parum sapientes | |
225 | Some nichil intelligentes |
Some valde negligentes | |
Some nullum sensum habentes | |
But bestyall and vntought | |
But whan thei haue ones caught | |
230 | Dominus vobiscum by the hede |
Than renne they in euery stede | |
God wot with dronken nolles | |
Yet take th[e]y cure of soules they] thy K, they G, M; cure] cures M | |
And woteth neuer what thei rede | |
235 | Pater-noster nor Crede |
Construe not worth a whystle | |
Nether gospell nor pystle | |
Theyr mattyns madly sayde | |
Nothynge deuoutly prayde | |
240 | Theyr lernynge is so small |
Theyr prymes and houres fall | |
And lepe out of theyr lyppes | |
Lyke sawdust or drye chyppes | |
I speke not nowe of all | |
sig: [A7v] | |
245 | But the moost parte [i]n generall in] en K, in G |
Of suche vacabundus | |
ref.ed: 253 | |
Speketh [t]otus Mundus totus] otus K, totus G, M | |
Howe some synge letabundus | |
At euery ale-stake | |
250 | With welcome hake and make |
By the brede that god brake | |
I am sory for your sake | |
I speke not of the good wyfe | |
But of theyr apostles lyfe theyr] her G, their M, ther H | |
255 | Cum ipsis vel illis |
Qui manent in villis | |
Est vxor vel ancilla | |
Welcome Iacke and Gylla | |
My prety Petronylla | |
260 | And you wyll be stylla |
You shall haue your wylla | |
Of suche Pater-noster-pekes | |
All the worlde spekes | |
¶In you the faute is supposed | |
265 | For that they are not apposed |
By iust examinacyon | |
sig: [A8] | |
In connyng and conuersacyon | |
They haue none instructyon | |
To make a true constructyon | |
270 | A preest without a letter |
Without his vertue be gretter | |
Doutlesse [were] moche better were] where K, were G, M | |
Upon hym for to take | |
A mattocke or a rake | |
275 | Alas for very shame |
Some can not declyne their name | |
Some can not scarsly rede | |
And yet he wyll not drede | |
For to kepe a cure | |
280 | And in nothyng is sure |
This dominus vobiscum | |
As wyse as Tom_a_thrum Tom] Iacke G, Tom M | |
A chaplayne of trust | |
Layth all in the dust | |
285 | Thus I colyn_cloute This line inset and followed by a blank line |
As I go aboute | |
ref.ed: 254 | |
And wandrynge as I walke | |
I here the people talke | |
sig: [A8v] | |
Men say for syluer and golde | |
290 | Myters are bought and solde |
There shall no clergy appose | |
A myter nor a crose | |
But a full purse | |
A strawe for goddes curse | |
295 | What are they the worse |
For a symonyake | |
Is but a hermoniake | |
And no more ye make | |
Of symony men say | |
300 | But a chyldes play |
¶Ouer this the foresayd laye | |
Reporte howe the pope may | |
A holy anker call | |
Out of the stony wall | |
305 | And hym a bysshop make |
If he on hym dare take | |
To kepe so harde a rule | |
To ryde vpon a mule | |
With golde all betrapped | |
310 | In purple and paule be_lapped |
sig: B1 | |
Some hatted and some capped | |
Rychely be_wrapped | |
God wot to theyr great paynes | |
In rotchettes of fyne raynes | |
315 | Whyte as morowes-mylke morowes] mares G, morowes M, marys H |
Theyr tabertes of fyne sylke | |
Theyr styrops of myxt gold begared begared] begared G, begarded M, be_gloryd H | |
There may no cost be spared | |
Theyr moyles golde dothe eate | |
320 | Theyr neyghbours dye for meate |
What care they though gil sweate | |
Or Iacke_of_the_Noke | |
The pore people the[y] yoke they] the K, they G, M | |
With sommons and citacyons | |
325 | And excommunycacyons |
ref.ed: 255 | |
About churches and market | |
The bysshop on his carpet | |
At home full softe dothe syt | |
This is a [farly] fyt farly] fearfull K, G, fearful M, ffarly H | |
330 | To here the people iangle |
Howe warely they wrangle | |
Alas why do ye not handle | |
sig: [B1v] | |
And them all [to_]mangle to_mangle] mangle K, G, M | |
Full falsely on you they lye | |
335 | And shamefully you ascrye |
And say as vntruely | |
As the butterflye | |
A man myght saye in mocke | |
Ware the wether-cocke | |
340 | Of the steple of Poules |
And thus they hurte theyr soules | |
In sclaunderyng you for truthe | |
Alas it is great ruthe | |
Some say ye syt in trones | |
345 | Lyke [princeps] aquilonis princeps] prynces K, M, princeps G |
And shryne your rotten bones | |
With perles and precyous stones | |
But howe the commons grones | |
And the people mones | |
350 | For prestes and for lones |
Lent and neuer payd | |
But from day to day delayde | |
The commune-welth decayde | |
Men say ye are tonge-tayde | |
355 | And therof speke nothynge |
sig: [B2] | |
But dyssymulyng and glosyng | |
Wher-fore men be supposyng | |
That ye gyue shrewd counsell | |
Agaynst the commune-well | |
360 | By poollynge and pyllage |
In cytyes and vyllage | |
By taxyng and tollage | |
Ye make monkes to haue the culerage make] haue M | |
For couerynge of an olde cottage an] and K, an G | |
365 | That commytted is a collage |
In the charter of dottage | |
ref.ed: 256 | |
Tenure par seruyce de sottage | |
And not par seruyce de socage | |
After olde seygnyours | |
370 | And the lernyng of Lytelton tenours |
Ye haue so ouerthwarted | |
That good lawes are subuerted | |
And good reason peruerted | |
¶Relygous men are fayne | |
375 | For to tourne agayne |
In secula seculorum | |
And to forsake theyr corum | |
sig: [B2v] | |
And vacabundare per forum | |
And take a fyne meritorum | |
380 | Contra regulam morum |
Aut blacke monacorum | |
Aut canonicorum | |
Aut Bernardinorum | |
Aut crucifixorum | |
385 | And to synge from place to place |
Lyke apostataas | |
And the selfe-same game | |
Be_gone and nowe with shame | |
Amongest the sely nonnes | |
390 | My lady nowe she ronnes |
Dame Sybly our abbesse | |
Dame Dorothe and lady Besse | |
Dame Sare our pryoresse | |
Out of theyr cloyster and quere | |
395 | With an heuy chere |
Must cast vp theyr blacke vayles | |
And set vp theyr fucke-sayles fucke sayles] flucke sayles G, fucke sayles M, fulke saylys H | |
To catch wynde with their ventales | |
What Colyne there thou shales | |
400 | Yet thus with yll hayles |
sig: [B3] | |
The lay-fee people rayles | |
¶And all [the faute] they lay the faute] K, M omit, the faute G | |
In you prelates / and say In] On M, In G, H | |
Ye do them wrong and no ryght them ] M omits, them G | |
405 | To put them thus to flyght |
No matyns at mydnyght | |
ref.ed: 257 | |
Boke and chalys gone quyte | |
Plucke awaye the leedes | |
Ouer theyr heedes | |
410 | And sell away theyr belles |
And all that they haue elles | |
Thus the people telles | |
Rayles lyke rebelles | |
Rede[s] shrewdly and spelles Redes] Rede K, G, M | |
415 | And with foundacyons melles |
And talke[s] lyke tytyuelles talkes] talke K, G, M | |
Howe ye brake the dedes wylles | |
Turne monasteris in-to water-milles | |
Of an abbay [ye] make a gra[u]ng ye] they K, ye G, M, to H | |
420 | Your workes they saye are stra[u]ng |
So that theyr founders soules | |
Haue lost theyr beade-rolles | |
sig: [B3v] | |
The mony for theyr masses | |
Spent amonge wanton lasses | |
425 | The[yr] diriges are forgotten Theyr] The K, M, H, Theyr G |
Theyr founders lye there rotten | |
But where theyr soules dwell | |
Therwith I wyll not mell | |
What coulde the turke do more | |
430 | With all his false lore |
Turke / sarazyn / or iew | |
I reporte me to you | |
¶O mercyfull Iesu | |
You supporte and rescue rescue] rescite M | |
435 | My style for to dyrecte |
It may take some effecte | |
For I abhorre to wryte | |
Howe the lay-fee dyspyte | |
You prelates that of ryght | |
440 | Shulde be lanternes of lyght |
Ye lyue they say in delyte | |
Drowned in deliciis | |
In gloria et diuiciis | |
In o admirabile honore | |
sig: [B4] | |
445 | In gloria et splendore |
Fulgurantes haste | |
Uiuentes parum caste | |
ref.ed: 258 | |
Yet swete-meate hath soure sauce | |
For after gl[o]ria laus gloria] glyria K, gloria G, M | |
450 | Chryst by cruelte |
Was nayled vpyn a tre | |
He payed a bytter pencyon | |
For mannes redemcyon | |
He dranke eysell and gall | |
455 | To redeme vs withall |
But swete ypocras ye drynke | |
With let the cat wynke | |
Iche wot what yche [do] thynk yche do] yche other K, yche do G, eche other M | |
Howe-be-it per assimule | |
460 | Some men thynke that ye |
Shall haue penalyte | |
For your ini[q]uyte | |
Nota what I say Nota what I say] Note whayte I say H, Note well what to say L | |
And bere it well a_way | |
465 | If it please not theologys not theologys] not theologi H, the not onely L |
It is good for astrologys | |
For Ptholome tolde me | |
sig: [B4v] | |
The sonne somtyme to be | |
In Ariete | |
470 | Ascendent a degre a degre] a dextre H, ad dextram L |
Whan Scorpion descendynge | |
Was so then pretendynge | |
All fatall for one A fatall fall] All fatall K, M, A fatall fall G, Affatuall fall L | |
That shall syt on a trone shall syt] shuld sytte H, syttys nowe L | |
475 | And rule all thynges alone |
Your teth whet on this bone whet on] whetten G, whet on M, whette on H | |
Amongest you euerychone | |
[A]nd let Collyn_Cloute haue none And] Fnd K, And G; haue none] alon H, alone L | |
Maner of cause to mone | |
480 | Lay salue to your owne sore |
For els / as I sayd before | |
After gloria laus | |
May come a soure sauce | |
Sory therfore am I | |
485 | But trouth can neuer lye |
¶With language thus poluted | |
Holy churche is bruted | |
And shamfully confuted | |
ref.ed: 259 | |
My penne nowe wyll I sharpe | |
sig: [B5] | |
490 | And wrest vp my harpe |
With sharpe twynkyng trebelles | |
Agaynst all suche rebelles Agaynst] Agayne G | |
That laboure to confounde | |
And bryng the churche to the grounde | |
495 | As ye may dayly se |
Howe the lay-fee | |
Of one affynyte | |
Consent and agre | |
Agaynst the churche to be | |
500 | And the dygnyte |
Of the bysshoppes [s]ee see] fee K, G, M | |
And eyther ye be to bad | |
Or els they ar mad | |
Of this to reporte | |
505 | But vnder your supporte |
Tyll my dyenge day | |
I shall bothe wryte and say | |
And ye shall do the same | |
Howe they are to blame | |
510 | You thus to dyffame |
For it maketh me sad | |
Howe the peop[l]e are glad the people] the the peope K, the people G | |
sig: [B5v] | |
The churche to depraue | |
And some there are that raue | |
515 | Presumynge on theyr owne wyt owne] M omits |
What there is neuer a whyt | |
To maynteyne argumentes | |
Agaynst the sacramentes | |
Some make epylogacyon | |
520 | Of hyghe predestynacyon |
And of resyde[u]acyon resydeuacyon] resydenacyon K, G, residenation M | |
They make interpretacyon | |
Of an aquarde facyon | |
A[n]d of the prescience | |
525 | Of dyuyne assence |
And what Ipostacis | |
Of Christes manhode is | |
Suche logyke men wyll chop | |
And in theyr fury hop | |
ref.ed: 260 | |
530 | When the good ale-sop |
Dothe daunce in theyr fore-top | |
Bothe women and men | |
Suche ye may well knowe and ken | |
That agaynst preesthode agaynst] agayn M | |
sig: [B6] | |
535 | Theyr maly[c]e sprede abrode malyce] malyee K |
Raylynge haynously | |
And dysdaynously | |
Of prestly dygnytes prestly] prrestly K | |
B[y] theyr malygnytes By] But K, M, By G | |
540 | And some haue a smac[ke] smacke] smacek KThis line inset with a blank line following |
Of Luthers sacke | |
And a brennyng sparke | |
Of Luthers we[r]ke werke] weike K, warke G, M | |
And are some-what suspecte | |
545 | In Luthers secte |
And some of them bar[ke] barke] barek K | |
Clatter and carpe | |
Of that heresy arte | |
Called wytclyftista wytclyftista] wicleuista M | |
550 | The deuelysshe dogmatista |
And some be hussyans | |
And some be arryans | |
And some be pollegians | |
And make moche varyans | |
555 | Bytwene the clergye |
And the temporaltye | |
sig: [B6v] | |
¶Howe the church hath to mykel | |
And they haue to lytell | |
And bryng in ma[t]erialites in materialites] in maierialites K, in materyalytes G, him in maierialities M | |
560 | And qualyfyed qualytes |
Of pluralytes | |
Of tryalytes | |
And of tot-quottes | |
They commune lyke sottes sottes] scottes M, sottes G, H | |
565 | As cometh to theyr lottes |
Of prebendaries and deanes | |
Howe some of them gleanes | |
And gathereth vp the store gathereth] gathered M; the] in G, the M | |
For to catche more and more | |
ref.ed: 261 | |
570 | Of persons and vycaryes |
They make many out-cryes | |
They can not kepe theyr wyues | |
From them for theyr lyues | |
And thus the loselles stryues | |
575 | And lewdely sayes by Christ |
Agaynst the sely preest | |
Alas and well_away | |
What ayles them thus to say | |
They mought be better aduysed | |
sig: [B7] | |
580 | Then to be so dysgysed |
But they haue enterprysed | |
And shamfully surmysed | |
Howe prelacy is solde and bought | |
And come vp of nought | |
585 | And where the prelates be |
Come of lowe degre | |
And set in maieste | |
And spirituall dygnyte dygnyte] dyngnyte K | |
Farewell benygnyte | |
590 | Farewell symplici[te] symplicite] sympliciet K |
Farewell humylyte | |
Farewell good charyte | |
Ye are so puffed with pryde | |
That no man may abyde | |
595 | Your hygh and lordely lokes |
Ye cast vp then your bokes | |
And vertue is forgotten | |
For then ye wyll be wroken | |
Of euery lyght quarell | |
600 | And call a lorde a iauell |
A knyght a knaue to make to] ye G, H, to M | |
sig: [B7v] | |
Ye bost / ye face / ye crake | |
And vpon you take | |
To rule kynge and kayser | |
605 | And yf ye may haue layser ye] you M |
Ye wyll brynge all to noyght | |
And that is all your thought | |
For the lordes temporall | |
Theyr rule is very small | |
610 | Almost nothyng at all |
ref.ed: 262 | |
Men saye howe ye appall | |
The noble blode royall | |
In ernest and in game | |
Ye are the lesse to blame | |
615 | For lordes of noble blode |
If they well v[n]derstode vnderstode] vnderstand M | |
How connyng myght them auaunce | |
They wold pype you another daunce | |
But noble-men borne | |
620 | To lerne they haue scorne |
But hun[te] and blowe an horne hunte] hunet K | |
Lepe ouer lakes and dykes | |
Set nothyng by polytykes | |
Ther-fore ye kepe them bace | |
sig: [B8] | |
625 | And mocke them to theyr face |
This is a pyteous case | |
To you that ouer the whele | |
Lordes must crouche and knele crouche] couch M, crouche G, cruche H | |
And breke theyr hose at the kne | |
630 | As dayly men may se |
And to remembraunce call | |
Fortune so turneth the ball | |
And ruleth so ouer all | |
That honoure hath a great fall | |
635 | Shall I tell you more / ye shall |
I am loth to tell all | |
But the communalte ye call | |
Ydolles of Babylon | |
De terra zabulon | |
640 | De terra Neptalym |
For you loue to go trym | |
Brought vp of poore estate | |
With pryde inordinate | |
Sodaynly vpstarte | |
645 | From the donge-carte |
The mattockes and the shule shule=shovel, sv OED | |
To reygne and to rule | |
sig: [B8v] | |
And haue no grace to thynke | |
Howe [ye] were wonte to drynke ye] they K, M, H, thy G | |
650 | Of a lether botell |
With a knauysshe stoppell | |
ref.ed: 263 | |
Whan mamockes was your meate | |
With moulde brede to eate | |
Ye wolde none other gete wolde] coude G, would M, cowde H | |
655 | To chewe and to gnawe |
To fyll therwith your mawe | |
Lodged in the strawe | |
Couchyng your drousy heddes | |
Somtyme in lousy beddes | |
660 | Al[l] this is out of mynde All] Alas K, M, All G, H |
Ye growe nowe out of kynde | |
Many one [ye] haue [vnt]wynde ye haue vntwynde] haue but wynde K, G, haue but winde M | |
And make the commons blynde | |
But qui se existimat stare | |
665 | Let hym well beware |
Lest that his fote slyp | |
And haue suche a tryp | |
And fal[l]e in suche dekay falle] false K, fall G, H, falle M | |
That all the worlde myght say | |
670 | Come downe on the deuyll way. deuyll] diuels M, deuyll G, H |
sig: C1 | |
¶Yet ouer all that | |
Of bysshops they chat | |
That though ye round your hear | |
An ynche aboue your ear | |
675 | And [haue] aures patentes haue] K, M omit, haue G |
And parum intendentes | |
And your [tonsors be croppyd] tonsors be croppyd] coursers betrapped K, G, coursers be trapped M | |
Your eares they be stopped | |
For maister adulator | |
680 | And doctour assentator |
And blandior blandiris | |
With mentior mentiris | |
That ye can not espye In G this line appears after 'And so ... your eye'; in M it is transposed with the following line | |
They folowe your desyres | |
685 | And so they blere your eye |
Howe the male dothe [wrye] wrye] wryte K, M, wrye G, H | |
¶Alas for goddes wyll | |
Why syt ye prelates styll | |
And suffre all this yll | |
690 | Ye bysshops of estates |
Shulde open the brode gates | |
ref.ed: 264 | |
For your spirituall charge | |
sig: [C1v] | |
And [com forthe] at large com forthe] conforte K, G, confort M | |
Lyke lanternes of lyght | |
695 | In the peoples syght |
In pullpettes attentyke | |
For the wele publyke | |
Of preesthode in this case | |
And alwayes to chase | |
700 | Suche maner of sysmatykes |
And halfe-heretykes | |
That wolde intoxicate | |
That wolde conquinate | |
That wolde contemminate | |
705 | And that wolde vyolate |
And that wolde derogate | |
And that wolde abrogate | |
The churche hygh estates | |
After this maner rates | |
710 | The which shulde be |
Both franke and free | |
And haue theyr lyberte | |
A[s] of antiquyte As] And K, G, M | |
It was ratefyed | |
715 | And also gratifyed |
sig: [C2] | |
This leaf is torn and the text, where lacunose, is corrected by comparison with G and M | |
By holy synodalles | |
And bulles papalles | |
As it is res certa | |
Conteyned in magna Carta | |
720 | ¶But maister Damyan |
Or some other man | |
That clerkely is / and can | |
Well scrypture expounde | |
And textes grounde textes] hys textes G, M omits | |
725 | His benefyce worthe ten pou[nde] |
Or skante worth twenty ma[rke] | |
And yet a noble clerke | |
He must do this werke | |
As I knowe a_parte | |
730 | Some maisters of arte |
Some doctours of lawe | |
Some lernde in other sawe | |
ref.ed: 265 | |
As in dyuynyte | |
That hath no dygnyte | |
735 | But the pore degre |
Of the vnyuersyte | |
Or els frere Frederyck[e] | |
sig: [C2v] | |
Or els frere Dominike | |
Or frere Hugulinus | |
740 | Or frere Agustinus |
Or frere Carmelus | |
[T]hat gostly can heale vs | |
[Or e]ls yf we may | |
[Gette a] frere graye | |
745 | [Or el]s of the order |
[Upo]n Grenewyche border | |
[Calle]d obseruaunce | |
[And a] frere of Fraunce | |
[Or els] the poore scot | |
750 | [It mu]st come to his lot |
[To sho]te forthe his shot | |
[Or of B]abuell_besyde_Bery | |
[To post]ell vpon a kyry | |
[That] wolde it shulde [be] noted be] K omits, be G, M | |
755 | [How] scripture shulde be coted |
[And so] clerkely promoted | |
[And yet] the frere doted | |
[But [men say] your a]uctoryte But men say] Men say / But K, G, ML. 758 indented, followed by blank line | |
sig: [C3] | |
And your noble se se] fee M, see H | |
760 | And your dygnyte |
Shulde be imprynted better | |
Then all the freres letter | |
For if ye wolde take payne | |
To preche a worde or twayne | |
765 | Though it were neuer so playne |
With clauses two or thre | |
So as they myght be | |
Compendyously conueyde | |
These wordes shuld be more weyd These] Those M | |
770 | And better perceyued |
And thankfully receyued thankfully] thankefullyer G, thankfully M | |
And better shulde remayne | |
Amonge the people playne | |
ref.ed: 266 | |
That wold your wordes retayne | |
775 | And reherce them agayne |
Than a thousand thousande other | |
That blaber / barke and bloder bloder] blother G, M | |
And make a walshmans hose | |
Of the texte and of the glose | |
780 | ¶For protestatyon made |
sig: [C3v] | |
That I wyll not wade | |
Farther in this broke | |
Nor farther for to loke | |
In deuysynge of this boke | |
785 | But answere that I may |
For my-selfe alway | |
Eyther analogice | |
Or els cathagorice | |
So that in diuinite | |
790 | Doctors that lerned be |
Nor bachelers of that faculte | |
That hath taken degre | |
In the vniuersite | |
Shall not be obiected for me for] by G, for M, at by H | |
795 | But doctour bullatus |
Parum litteratus litteratus] littteratus K | |
Domi[n]us doctoratus Dominus] Domimus K | |
At the brode gatus | |
Doctour daupatus | |
800 | And bacheler bacheleratus |
Dronken as a mouse | |
At the ale-house | |
sig: [C4] | |
Taketh his pyllyon and his cap | |
At the good ale-tap | |
805 | For lacke of good wyne |
As wyse as Robyn_swyne | |
Under an notaryes sygne an] a G, M, H | |
Was make a dyuyne | |
As wyse as waltoms calfe | |
810 | Must preche a goddes halfe |
In the pulpyt solempnely | |
More mete in a pyllory | |
For by saynt Hyllary | |
ref.ed: 267 | |
He can nothyng smatter | |
815 | Of logyke / nor scole-matter |
Neyther sylogysare | |
Nor of [enthymemare] enthymemare] emptimeniare K, M, emptymeniare G, entimemare H | |
Nor knoweth his el[enke]s knoweth] knoweth not G, knoweth M; elenkes] eloquens K, G, eloquence M | |
Nor his predicamen[te]s predicamentes] predicamens K, predicamentes G, predicamence M | |
820 | And yet he wyll mell |
To amend the gospell | |
And wyll preche and tell | |
What they do in hell | |
And he dare not well neuen | |
825 |
sig:
[C4v]
|
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
830 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
835 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
840 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
845 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
850 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
855 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
860 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
865 | [..............................................] |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
[..............................................] | |
sig: [C5v] | |
870 | Wyll knowe a Rauen from a rayle |
A qualye, the raile and the olde rauen and] G omits, and M | |
Sed libera nos a malo Amen. | |
And by Dudum theyr clementine | |
Agaynst curates [they] repyne they] K, M omit, they G, H | |
875 | And say propreli they ar sacerdotes |
To shryue / assoyle and reles and] and to G, and M | |
Dame mergeres soule out of hell | |
But when the freare fell in the well | |
He coud not syng him-selfe therout | |
880 | But by the helpe of christyan_clout |
Another clementyne also | |
How frere Fabian / with other mo | |
Exiuit de paradiso | |
Whan they agayn theder shal come | |
885 | De hoc petimus consilium |
And through all the world they go | |
Wit Dirige and placebo | |
But nowe my mynd ye vnderstand | |
For the[y] must take in hande they] the K, they G, M | |
890 | To prech and withstande |
sig: [C6] | |
All maner of abiections | |
For bysshops haue protections | |
They say to do corrections | |
But they haue no aff[e]ctions affections] afflictions K, affections G, M, affeccions H | |
895 | To take the sayd dyrections the sayd] sadde G, the sayd M |
ref.ed: 269 | |
In such maner of cases | |
Men say they bere no faces | |
To occupye suche places | |
To sowe the sede of graces sowe] saue G, sow M, sowe H | |
900 | Theyr hertes are so faynted |
And they be so attaynted | |
With coueytous and ambycyon and] G, H omit, and M | |
And other superstycyon | |
That they be deef and dum | |
905 | And play scylens and glum |
Can say nothynge but mum | |
They occupye them so | |
With syngyng placebo | |
They wyll no farther go | |
910 | They had leuer to please |
And take their worldly ease | |
Than to take on hande | |
sig: [C6v] | |
Worship[fully] to withstande. Worshipfully] Worship K, Worshyp G, M | |
Such temporall warre and bate This line is inset and followed by a blank line | |
915 | As nowe is made of late |
Agaynst holy churche estate | |
Or to maynteyne good quarelles | |
The lay-men call them barelles | |
Full of glotony | |
920 | And of hypocrysy |
That counterfaytes and payntes | |
As they were very sayntes | |
In matters that them lyke | |
They shewe them polytyke | |
925 | ¶Pretendyng grautye |
And sygnyoryte | |
With all solempnyte | |
For theyr indempnyte | |
For they wyll haue no losse | |
930 | Of a peny / nor of a crosse |
Of theyr predyall landes | |
Th[a]t cometh to theyr handes That] Thut K | |
And as farre as they dare set | |
sig: [C7] | |
All is fysshe that cometh to the net the] M, H omit | |
935 | Buyldyng royally |
Theyr mancyons curyously | |
ref.ed: 270 | |
with turrettes and with toures | |
With halles and with boures | |
Stretchynge to the starres | |
940 | With glasse wyndowes and barres |
Hangynge aboute the walles | |
Clothes of golde and palles | |
Arras of ryche aray | |
Fresshe as flours in May | |
945 | With dame Dyana naked |
Howe lusty Uenus quaked | |
And howe Cupyde shaked | |
His darte / and bent his bowe | |
For to shote a crowe | |
950 | At her tyrly_tyrlowe |
And howe Parys of Troy | |
Daunced a lege_de_moy lege_de_moy] lege moy G, lege de moy M | |
Made lusty sporte and ioy | |
with dame Helyn the quene | |
955 | With suche storyes by_dene |
Their chambres well be_sene be_sene] sene G, be_seen M | |
sig: [C7v] | |
With triumphes of Cesar | |
And of his Pompeyus war | |
Of renowne and of fame | |
960 | By them to get a name. |
¶How all the worlde stares | |
How they ryde in goodly chares | |
Conueyed by Olyphantes | |
With lauryat garlantes | |
965 | And by vnycornes |
With their semely hornes | |
Upon these beestes rydynge | |
Naked boyes strydynge | |
With wanton wenches winkyng | |
970 | Nowe truly to my thynkynge |
That is a speculacyon | |
And a mete meditacyon meditacyon] meditacynon K | |
For prelates of estate | |
Their courage to abate | |
975 | From worldly wantonnesse |
Theyr chambre thus to dresse | |
ref.ed: 271 | |
With suche parfetnesse | |
And all suche holynesse | |
sig: [C8] | |
Howbeit they let downe fall | |
980 | Their churches cathedrall. |
¶Squyre / knyght and lorde | |
Thus the churche remorde | |
With all temporall people | |
They ru[n]ne agaynst the steple runne] rune K, renne G, runne M | |
985 | T[h]us talkynge and tellyng Thus] Tus K |
Howe some of you are mellyng | |
Yet softe and fayre for swellyng | |
Beware of a quenes yellyng | |
It is a besy thyng | |
990 | For one man to rule a [k]yng kyng] gyng K, kynge G, kyng M, H |
Alone / and make rekenyng | |
To gouerne ouer-all | |
And rule a realme royall | |
By one mannes wyt | |
995 | Fortune may chaunce to flyt |
And whan he weneth to syt | |
Yet may he mysse the quysshon | |
For I rede a preposycyon | |
[C]um regibus amicare Cum] Sum K, G, M | |
1000 | Et omnibus dominare |
sig: [C8v] | |
Et supra te [g]rauare grauare] prauare K, M, grauare G | |
Wherfore he hathe good vre | |
That can hymselfe assure | |
Howe fortune wyll endure | |
1005 | Than let reason you supporte |
For the communalte [reporte] reporte] K, M omit, reporte G, dothe reporte H | |
That they haue great wonder | |
That [y]e kepe them so vnder ye] we K, ye G, M, H | |
Yet they meruayle so moche less[e] lesse] lessr K | |
1010 | For ye play so at the chesse |
As they suppose and gesse | |
That some of you but late | |
Hath played so checkemate | |
With lordes of great [est]ate estate] steate K, estate G, M | |
1015 | After suche a rate |
That they shall mell nor make | |
ref.ed: 272 | |
For vpon them take | |
For kynge nor kayser sake | |
But at the playsure of one | |
1020 | That ruleth the rest alone |
¶Helas / I say helas | |
Howe may this come to passe | |
sig: D1 | |
That a man shall here a masse | |
And nat so hardy on his hede | |
1025 | To loke on god in forme of brede |
But that the parysshe-clerke | |
There-vpon must herke | |
And graunt hym at his askyng | |
For to se the sacryng | |
1030 | And how may this accorde |
No man to our souerayne lorde | |
So hardy to make sute | |
Nor to execute | |
His comma[u]ndement | |
1035 | Without the assent |
Of [y]our presydent your] our K, M, your G | |
Nor to expresse to his parson | |
Without your consentacyon your consentacyon] G omits, your assentacion M, george gascone H | |
Graunt hym his lycence | |
1040 | To preas to his presence |
Nor to speke to hym secretly | |
Openly nor preuyly | |
Without his presydent be by | |
Or els his substytute | |
sig: [D1v] | |
1045 | Whom he wyll depute |
Neyther erle ne duke | |
Permytted by saynt Luke | |
And by swete saynt Marke | |
This is a wonderous warke | |
1050 | That the people talke this |
Some-what there is amysse | |
Ye deuil can not stop their mouthes | |
But they wyl talke of such vncouthes | |
All that euer they ken | |
1055 | Agaynst all spirituall men |
¶Whether it be wrong or ryght | |
Or els for dyspyght | |
ref.ed: 273 | |
Or howe-euer it hap | |
Theyr tonges thus do clap | |
1060 | And through suche detractyon |
They put you to your actyon | |
And whether they say trewly | |
As they may abyde therby abyde] byde G, abide M | |
Or els that they do lye | |
1065 | Ye knowe better then I |
But nowe / deb[e]tis scire debetis] debatis K, debetis G, M | |
sig: [D2] | |
And groundly audire | |
In your conuenire | |
Of this premenire | |
1070 | Or els in the myre |
They saye they wyll you cast | |
Therfore stande sure and fast | |
Stande sure and take good fotyng | |
And let be all your motyng | |
1075 | Your gasyng and your totyng |
And your parcyall promotyng | |
Of those that stande in your grace | |
But olde seruauntes ye chase | |
And put them out of theyr place | |
1080 | Make ye no murmuracyon |
Though I wryte after this facion | |
Though I Colyn_Cloute | |
Among the hole route Among] Amongest G, Among M | |
Of you that clerkes be | |
1085 | Take vpon me |
Thus copyously to wryte | |
I do it not for no despyte | |
Wherfore take no dysdayne | |
sig: [D2v] | |
At my style rude and playne | |
1090 | For I rebuke no man |
That vertuous is / why than | |
Wreke ye your anger on me | |
For those that ver[t]uous be vertuous] veruous K, vertuous G, M | |
Haue no cause to say Haue] Hath G, Haue M, H | |
1095 | That I speke out of the way |
¶Of no good bysshop speke I | |
Nor good preest I escrye I escrye] of the clargy M, I escrye G | |
Good frere / nor good chanon | |
ref.ed: 274 | |
Good nonne / nor good canon | |
1100 | Good monke / nor good clercke |
Nor of no good werke | |
But my recountyng is | |
Of them that do amys | |
In spekyng and rebellyng | |
1105 | In hynderyng and dysauaylyng |
H[o]ly churche our mother Holy] Hyly K | |
One agaynst another | |
To vse suche despy[t]yng despytyng] despysyng K, dispising M, dysputyng H | |
Is all my hole wrytyng | |
1110 | To hynder no man |
sig: [D3] | |
As nere as I can | |
For no man haue I named | |
Wherfore sholde I be blamed | |
Ye ought to be ashamed | |
1115 | Agaynst me to be gr[am]ed gramed] greued K, G, M, H |
And can not tell no cause why not] M, H omit | |
But that I wryte trewly | |
Then yf any ther be | |
Of hygh or lowe degre | |
1120 | Of the spiritualte |
Or of the temporalte | |
That dothe thynke of wene | |
That his conscyence be not clene | |
And feleth hym-selfe sycke | |
1125 | Or touched on the quycke |
Suche grace god them sende | |
Them-selfe to amende | |
For I wyll not pretende | |
Any man to offende | |
1130 | Wherfore as thynketh me |
Great ydeottes they be | |
sig: [D3v] | |
And lytell grace they haue | |
This treatyse to depraue | |
Nor wyll here no prechyng | |
1135 | Nor no vertuous techyng |
Nor wyll haue no resytyng | |
Of any vertuous wrytyng | |
ref.ed: 275 | |
Wyll knowe none intellygence | |
To refourme theyr neglygence | |
1140 | But lyue styll out of facyon |
To theyr owne dampnacyon | |
To do shame / they haue no shame | |
But they wold no man shulde them blame | |
They haue an euyl name | |
1145 | But yet they wyll occupy the same |
¶With them the worde of god | |
I counted for no rod | |
They counte it for a raylyng | |
That nothyng is auaylyng | |
1150 | The prechers with euyll hayling |
Shall they daunt vs prelates daunt] taunt G, daunt M, teche H | |
That be theyr prymates | |
Not so hardy on theyr pates | |
sig: [D4] | |
Herke howe the losell prates | |
1155 | With a wyde wesaunt |
Auaunt syr Guy of gaunt | |
Auaunt lewde preest auaunt | |
Auaunt syr doctour deuyas deuyas] dyuers M, De[u]yas G, Deuias H | |
Prate of thy matyns and [thy] masse they] they K, thy G, M | |
1160 | And let our maters passe |
Howe darest thou daucocke mell | |
Howe darest thou losell | |
Allygate the gospell | |
Agaynst vs of the counsell | |
1165 | Auaunt to the deuyll of hell |
¶Take hym wa[r]deyne of the flete wardeyne] wadeyne K, wardeyn G, warden M | |
Set hym fast by the fete | |
I say lyeutenaunt of the toure | |
Make this lurdeyne for to loure | |
1170 | Lodge hym in lytell ease |
Fede hym with beanes and pease | |
The kynges benche or marshalsy | |
Haue hym thyder by and by | |
The vyllayne precheth openly | |
1175 | And declareth our vyllany |
sig: [D4v] | |
And of our f[e]e-symplenesse fee] fre K, M | |
He sayes that we are rechelesse | |
ref.ed: 276 | |
And full of wylfulnesse | |
Shameles / and mercylesse | |
1180 | Incorrigible and insaciate |
And after this rate | |
Agaynst vs dothe prate This line inset and followed by a blank line | |
At Poules_crosse / or els-where | |
Openly at westmynstere | |
1185 | And saynt_Mary_spyttell |
They set not by vs a whystell whystell] shytell G, whistel M, shetyll H | |
At the Austen fryers At] And at G, At M | |
They count vs for lyers | |
And at saynt_Thomas_of_akers | |
1190 | They carpe vs lyke crakers carpe] carpe of G, carpe M |
Howe we wyll rule all at wyll | |
Without good reason or skyll | |
And say how that we be | |
Full o[f] par[c]yalyte of parcyalyte] or paryalyte K, of pacyallyte G, of parcialitie M | |
1195 | And howe at a pronge |
We tourne ryght into wronge | |
sig: [D5] | |
Delay causes so longe | |
That ryght no man can fonge | |
They say many matters be born | |
1200 | By the ryght of a rambes-horne |
Is not this a shamfull scorne | |
To be teared thus and torne? | |
¶How may we thus indure | |
Wherfore we make you sure | |
1205 | Ye prechers shall be yawde |
Some shall be sawde | |
As noble Ezechyas | |
The holy prophet was | |
And some of you shall dye | |
1210 | Lyke holy Ieremy |
Some hanged / some slayne | |
Some beaten to the brayne | |
And we wyll rule and rayne | |
And our matters mayntayne | |
1215 | Who dare say there-agayne |
Or who dare dysdayne | |
At [our] pleasure and wyll our] your K, M, our G, owur H | |
For be it good / or be it yll or] G omits, or M | |
ref.ed: 277 | |
sig: [D5v] | |
As it is / it shall be styll | |
1220 | For all master doctour of cyuyll |
Or of diuinite / or doctour d[r]yuyll diuinite] diuine M, Diuynyte G; dryuyll] deyuyll K, Dryuyll G, dryuil M, Oryll H | |
Let hym cough / rough / or sneuyll | |
Renne god renne deuyll | |
Renne who may renne best | |
1225 | And let take all the rest |
We set not a nut-shell | |
The way to heuen or to hell | |
¶Lo / this is the gyse now-a_dayes | |
It is to drede men sayes | |
1230 | Lest they be s[e]duces seduces] scduces K, Seduces G, saducies M, Adusayes H |
As they be [sad] sayne sad] sayd K, sad G, sayd M | |
Whiche determyne playne | |
We shulde not ryse agayne | |
At dredefull domis-day | |
1235 | And so it semeth they play |
Whiche hate to be cor[r]ected corrected] coreected K | |
Whan they be infected | |
Nor wyll suffre this boke | |
By hoke ne by croke | |
1240 | Prynted for to be |
sig: [D6] | |
For that no man shulde se | |
Nor rede in any scrolles | |
Of theyr dronken nolles | |
Nor of theyr noddy-polles | |
1245 | Nor of theyr sely soules |
Nor of some wytles pates | |
Of dyuers great estates | |
As well as other men | |
Now to withdrawe my pen | |
1250 | And now a whyle to rest |
Me semeth it for the best | |
¶The fore-castell of my shyp | |
Shall glyde and smothely slyp | |
Out of the wawes wod | |
1255 | Of the stormy flod |
Shote anker and lye at rode | |
And sayle not farre a_brode | |
Tyll the cost be clere | |
ref.ed: 278 | |
That the lode-starre appere | |
1260 | My shyp nowe wyll I [st]ere stere] pere K, M, stere G, H |
Towarde the porte-sa[lue] porte salue] porte sauel K, porte salue G, port salu M | |
Of our sauyour Iesu | |
sig: [D6v] | |
Suche grace that he vs sende | |
To rectyfye and amende | |
1265 | Thynges that are amys |
Whan that his pleasure is | |
¶Amen. | |
In opere imperfecto In opere semper perfecto Et in opere plusquam perfecto | |
¶Imprinted at London by me Rycharde_Kele dwellyng in the powltry at the long shop vnder saynt_Myldredes. chyrche. | |
sig: [D7] |