A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 55

MANHOOD. But I must have sporting of play.

CONSCIENCE. Sickerly,[246] Manhood, I say not nay: But good governance keep both night and day, And maintain meekness and all mercy.

MANHOOD. All mercy, Conscience: what may that be?

CONSCIENCE. Sir, all discretion that G.o.d gave thee.

MANHOOD. Discretion I know not, so mot I the.

CONSCIENCE. Sir, it is all the wits that G.o.d hath you send.

MANHOOD. Ah, Conscience! Conscience! now I know and see Thy cunning is much more than mine: But yet I pray thee, sir, tell me, What is most necessary for man in every time?

CONSCIENCE. Sir, in every time beware of folly: Folly is full of false flattering; In what occupation that ever ye be, Alway, ere ye begin, think on the ending for blame.

Now farewell, Manhood, I must wend.

MANHOOD. Now farewell, Conscience, mine own friend.

CONSCIENCE. I pray you, Manhood, have G.o.d in mind, And beware of folly and shame.

MANHOOD. Yes, yes: yea, come wind and rain, G.o.d let him never come here again.

Now he is forward, I am right fain, For in faith, sir, he had near counselled me all amiss.

Ah, ah! now I have bethought me, if I shall heaven win, Conscience teaching I must begin, And clean forsake the kings of sin, That the world me taught; And Conscience' servant will I be, And believe, as he hath taught me, Upon one G.o.d and persons three, That made all things of nought: For Conscience clear I clepe my king, And his knight in good doing: For right of reason, as I find, Conscience teaching is true: The world is full of boast, And saith he is of might most: All his teaching is not worth a cost; For Conscience he doth refuse.

But yet will I him not forsake, For mankind he doth merry make: Though the world and Conscience be at debate, Yet the world will I not despise, For both in church and in cheaping,[247]

And in other places being, The world findeth me all thing, And doth me great service.

Now here full prest I think to rest, Now mirth is best.

FOLLY. What, heigho! care away!

My name is Folly, I am not gay.

Is here any man that will say nay That renneth in this rout?

Ah, sir, G.o.d give you good eve.

MANHOOD. Stand utter,[248] fellow, where dost thou thy courtesy preve?

FOLLY. What, I do but claw mine a.r.s.e, sir, by your leave.

I pray you, sir, rive me this clout.

MANHOOD. What, stand out, thou sained[249] shrew!

FOLLY. By faith, sir, there the c.o.c.k crew; For I take record of this rew My thedom[250] is near past.

MANHOOD. Now, truly, it may well be so.

FOLLY. By G.o.d, sir, yet have I fellows mo, For in every country, where I go, Some man his thrift hath lost.

MANHOOD. But hark, fellow, art thou any crafts-man?

FOLLY. Yea, sir, I can bind a sieve and tink a pan, And thereto a curious buckler-player I am.

Arise, fellow, will thou a.s.say?

MANHOOD. Now truly, sir, I trow thou canst but little skill of play.

FOLLY. Yes, by c.o.c.k's bones, that I can.

I will never flee for no man, That walketh by the way.

MANHOOD. Fellow, though thou have cunning, I counsel thee leave thy boasting, For here thou may thy fellow find, Whether thou wilt, at long or short.

FOLLY. Come, look and thou darest, arise and a.s.say.

MANHOOD. Yea, sir, but yet Conscience biddeth me nay.

FOLLY. No, sir, thou darest not in good fay, For truly thou failest no[w], false heart.

MANHOOD. What sayest thou? have I a false heart?

FOLLY. Yea, sir, in good fay.

MANHOOD. Manhood will not that I say nay.

Defend thee, Folly, if that you may, For in faith I purpose to wete what thou art.

How sayest thou now, Folly, hast thou not a touch?

FOLLY. No, i-wis, but a little on my pouch.

On all this meyne[251] will me vouch That standeth here about.

MANHOOD. And I take record on all this rew, Thou hast two touches, though I say but few.

FOLLY. Yea, this place is not without a shrew: I do you all out of due.

MANHOOD. But hark, fellow, by thy faith, where was thou bore?

FOLLY. By my faith, in England have I dwelled yore, And all mine ancestors me before.

But, sir, in London is my chief dwelling.

MANHOOD. In London? where, if a man thee sought?

FOLLY. Sir, in Holborn I was forth brought, And with the courtiers, I am betaught, To Westminster I used to wend.

MANHOOD. Hark, fellow, why dost thou to Westminster draw?

FOLLY. For I am a servant of the law.

Covetise is mine own fellow: We twain plete[252] for the king, And poor men that come from upland, We will take their matter in hand, Be it right or be it wrong, Their thrift with us shall wend.

MANHOOD. Now hear, fellow, I pray thee, whither wendest thou than?

FOLLY. By my faith, sir, into London I ran, To the taverns to drink the wine: And then to the inns I took the way, And there I was not welcome to the ostler, But I was welcome to the fair tapester, And to all the household I was right dear, For I have dwelled with her many a day.

MANHOOD. Now I pray thee, whither took thou then the way?

FOLLY. In faith, sir, over London bridge I ran, And the straight way to the Stews I came, And took lodging for a night: And there I found my brother lechery.