The Ship of Fools 1494
The Ship of Fools 1494
TRANSLATED BY
ALEXANDER BARCLAY
flnwe
VOLUME FIRS T
IT isnecessary
the Ship oftoexplain
Fools, that
with a in the
view topresent
editionof
both philological
andbibliographicalinterests,the text, evento the punctua-
tion, has been printed exactlyas it standsin the earlier
impression(Pynson's),the authenticityof which Barclay
himself thus vouchesfor in a deprecatoryapology at the
endof his labours(II. 330) :-
"... somewordesbe in my boke amys
For though that I my selfedyd it correct
Yet with some fautis I knowe it is infect
ADVOCATES'
LIBRARY,
EDINBURGH,
December1873.
Page
INTRODUCTION, Vol. I. ix
BARCLAY'SWILL, ,, Ixxxvi
CHAPTERI. OFTHEORIGINAL(GERMAN),AND
OF THE LATIN, AND FRENCH VERSIONS
OFTHE SHIP OFFOOLS, 347
INTRODUCTION.
IF literary
popularity beSebastian
effort, taken
asthe measure
Brandt's ofsuccess
" Ship in
of Fools"
must be considered one of the most successful books
recordedin the wholehistory of literature. Publishedin
editionafter edition (the first dated 1494), at a time, but
shortly after the inventionof printing, when bookswere
expensive, and their circulationlimited; translatedinto the
leadinglanguages of Europeat a time whentranslationsof
new works were only the resultof the mostsignal merits,
its successwas then quite unparalleled. It may be said, in
modernphrase,to havebeenthe rageof the readingworld
at the endof the fifteenth and throughoutthe sixteenth
centuries. It was translatedinto Latin by one Professor
(Locher,1497),anc^instatedin the samelanguageandunder
the sametitle, by another(Badius Ascensius,1507); it
appearedin Dutch andLow German,andwastwice trans-
lated into English,andthree timesinto French; imitations
competedwith the originalin FrenchandGerman,aswell as
Latin, andgreatestand most unprecedented distinctionof
all, it waspreached,but, weshouldopine,only certainparts
of it, from the pulpit by the best preachers
of the time as
a newgospel. The Germans proudlyawardit the epithet,
"epoch-making,"and its long-continuedpopularityaffords
good,if not quite sufficient,groundfor the extravagant
-t*-
Introduction.
eulogies
theylavishuponit. Trithemius
callsit " Divina
Satira,"and doubtswhetheranythingcouldhavebeen
writtenmoresuitedto the spirit of the age; Lochercom-
paresBrandtwith Dante,and Hutten styleshim the new
law-giverof Germanpoetry.
A morerecent
andimpartial
critic(Muller," Chipsfrom
a German_Workshop,"
Vol.III.),thussuggestively
setsforth
thevariedgrounds
ofBrandt'swonderful
popularity:-" His
satires,it is true, are not very powerful,nor pungent,nor
original. But hisstyleis freeandeasy. Brant is not a pon-
derouspoet. He writesin shortchapters,andmixeshis fools
in sucha mannerthat we alwaysmeetwith a variety of new
faces. It is true that all this would hardly be sufficient
to secure a decided success for a work like his at the
searching,
andthat, insteadof hismanyallusionsto classical
fools(for hisbookis full of scholarship),
he hadgivenus
a little moreof the chronique
scandaleuse
of his own time.
But he wastoo gooda manto do this,andhis contempo-
rarieswereno doubtgratefulto him for his forbearance."
Brandt's satire is a satire for all time. Embodied in the
language
of the fifteenthcentury,coloured
with the habits
and fashions of the times, executed after the manner of
workingof the period,andmotivedby the eagerquestioning
spirit and the discontentwith "abusions"and "folyes"
which resulted in the Reformation, this satire in its morals
or lessonsis almostasapplicableto the year of grace1873
asto the yearof gracelessness
1497. It nevercan grow
old; in the mirror in which the menof his time sawthem-
selvesreflected,the men of all times can recognisethem-
selves; a crew of " able-bodied " is neverwantingto man
this old, weather-beaten,
but everseaworthy
vessel.The
thoughtful,
penetrating,
conscious
spiritof theBasle
professor
passing
by,for themost
part,local,temporary
or indifferent
points,seized
uponthenever-dying
folliesof hitman
nature
andimpaled themontheprintedpagefor theamusement,
the edification,
and the warningof contemporaries
andpos-
terityalike. No pettywriterof laborious
versdesociete
to
raisea laughfor a week,a month,or a year,andto be
xii Introduction.
Hydraof poperyandmonasticism,
to combatwhichthe
Herculesof Wittenberghadnot yet kindledhis firebrands.
But the poet'sobjectwasnot merelyto reproveand to
animadvert;he instructsalso,andshowsthe foolsthe way
to the land of wisdom; and so far is he from assumingthe
arrogantair of the commonplace
moralist,that he reckons
himselfamongthe numberof fools. The styleof the poem
is lively, bold, and simple, and often remarkablyterse,
especiallyin his moralsayings,andrendersit apparentthat
the authorwas a classicalscholar,without howeverlosing
anythingof his Germancharacter."
Brandt's humour, which either his earnestnessor his
mannerbanishedfrom the text, took refugein the illustra-
tions andthere disporteditself with a wild zestand vigour.
Indeed to their popularity several critics have ascribed
the successof the book, but for this there is no sufficient
authority or probability. Cleverasthey are,it is morepro-
bablethat they ran, in popularity,but anequalracewith the
text. The preciseamountof Brandt'sworkmanshipin them
hasnot beenascertained,but it is agreedthat " mostof them,
if not actually drawn, were at least suggestedby him."
Zarnckeremarksregardingtheir artistic worth, "not all of
the cutsare of equalvalue. One can easilydistinguishfive
differentworkers,andmorepractised
eyeswouldprobablybe
able to increase the number. In some one can see how the
outlines, heads, hands, and other principal parts are cut
with the fine stroke of the master, and the details and
shading left to the scholars. The woodcuts of the most
superior master,which can be recognizedat once, and are
abouta third of the whole, belongto the finest,if they are
not, indeed, the finest, which were executedin the fifteenth
Introduction. xvii
isheardto riseandringthroughthelongexposure
of abuse
andinjustice,
andhadtheauthorshipbeenunknown it would
mostcertainlyhavebeenascribed to a Langlandeof the
period. Everywherehe takeswhat we would call the
popularside, the side of the peopleas againstthosein
office. Everywhere he standsup boldlyin behalfof the
oppressed,andsparesnot the oppressor, evenif he be of
his ownclass. He appliesthe cudgelasvigorously to the
priest'spateasto the Lolardesback. But he dislikedmodern
innovationas muchasancientabuse,in this also faithfully
reflectingthe mind of the people,andhe is as emphaticin
his censure of the one as in his condemnation of the other.
In morerecenttimeshowever,
Barclayhas,probably
in
part,fromaccidental
circumstances,
cometo be relegated
to a positionamongthe Englishclassics,
thoseauthors
whomeveryone speaksof but few read. That modern
editions of at least his principal performancehave not
appeared,canonly be accountedfor by the great expense
attendantuponthe reproductionof so uniquelyillustrated
a work,an interesting
proofof which,givenin the evidence
before the Select Committee of the House of Commons on
the Copyrightactin 1818, is worthquoting. Amongstnew
editionsof standardbut costlyworks,of which the tax then
imposedby the act upon publishersof giving elevencopies
of all their publications free to certain libraries prevented
"
the publication,is mentioned,Barclay's" Ship of Fools;
regardingwhich Harding,the well knownbookseller,is
reportedto havesaid, " We havedeclinedrepublishingthe
'Ship of Fools,'a folio volumeof great rarity andhigh price.
Our probabledemandwould not havebeenmore than for
a hundredcopies,at the price of 12 guineaseach. The
deliveryof elevencopiesto the public libraries decidedus
againstenteringinto the speculation."
A wider and moreeagerinterestis nowbeingmanifested
in our early literature,and especiallyin our early popular
poetry, to the satisfactionof which, it is believed, a new edi-
tion of this bookwill beregardedasa mostvaluablecontribu-
tion. Indeed,as a graphic and comprehensivepicture of the
socialconditionof pre-Reformation
England;asan important
influence
in the formationof our modernEnglishtongue;
and as a rich and unique exhibition of early art, to all
of which subjectsspecialattention is being at presentdi-
rected, this medixval picture-poemis of unrivalled interest.
NOTICE
theybelonged,
especially
if theywroteout of their own];
whereasthe readerwill quickly see,that in his addressto
the young gentlemenof Englandin the l Mirror of Good
Manners/hetreatsthemashiscountrymen,")hasremarked,
" It seemsa little strange that in those days a Scot should
obtainsogreatreputationin England,especiallyif it be con-
sidered from whence our author's rose,viz., from his enrich-
ing and improvingthe English tongue. Had he written
in Latin or on the sciences,the thing had been probable
enough,but in the light in which it now stands,I think it
very far from likely." From which it is evident that the
biographerunderstoodnot the versatilenatureof the Scot
andhis ability, especiallywhencaughtyoung,in " doingin
Rome as the Romansdo.'' Barclay'sEnglish educationand
foreign travel,togetherextendingoverthe mostimpression-
able yearsof his youth, couldnot havefailedto rub off any
obvious national peculiaritiesof speechacquiredin early
boyhood,had the differencebetweenthe EnglishandScot-
tish speechthen beenwider thanit was. But the language
of Barbourand Chaucerwasreally one and the same. It
will then not be wondered at that but few Scotch
xxx Life andWritings
wordsarefoundin Barclay's
writings. Still, thesefeware
not without their importancein strengtheningthe argument
asto nationality.Thefollowing
from" TheShipof Fools,"
indicateat once the clime to which they are native,
"gree,"' " kest," " rawky," "ryue," " yate," " bokest,"
"bydeth," " thekt,"and "or," in its peculiarScottishuse.
That anyEnglishman, especially
a Southor West of Eng-
land Englishman,shoulduse wordssuchas those,particu-
larly at a time of hostility andof little intercoursebetween
the nations,will surelybe admittedto be a far moreunlikely
thing than that a Scotchman born,thoughnot bred,should
become,after the effectsof an Englisheducationandresi-
dence had efficiently done their work upon him, a great
improverand enricherof the Englishtongue.
But perhapsthe strongestand most decisiveargument
of all in this much-vexed controversyis to be foundin the
panegyricof Jamesthe Fourthcontained
in the "Ship of
Fools," an eulogyso highly pitched andextravagantthat
no Englishman
of that timewouldeverhavedreamed
of it or
daredto pen it. Nothing could well be more conclusive.
Barclay precedesit by a long and high-flowntribute to
Henry, but when he comesto "Jamys of Scotlonde,"he,
so to speak, out-HerodsHerod. Ordinary versesuffices
not for the greatnessof his subject,which he must needs
honour with an acrostic,-
"In prudenceperelesis this mostecomelykynge
A nd as for his strengthand magnanymyte
C oncernyngehis noble dedesin euery thynge
O ne founde or groundelyke to hym cannot be
B y byrth borne to boldnesand audacyte
V nderthe boldeplanetof Mars thechampyon
S urely to subduehis ennemyesechone."
of Alexander
Barclay. xxxi
There, we are convinced, speaksnot the prejudiced,Scot-
hatingEnglishcritic, but the heartbeatingtrue to its father-
land and loyalto its nativeSovereign.
That l'he wasborn beyondethe cold river of Twede,"
about the year 1476, as shallbe shownanon,is howeverall
the length we can go. His training was without doubt
mainly,if not entirely English. He must havecrossedthe
border very early in life, probablyfor the purposeof pur-
suing his educationat one of the Universities,or, even
earlier than the period of his University career, \vith
parents or guardiansto reside in the neighbourhoodof
Croydon,to which he frequentlyrefers. Croydonis men-
tioned in the followingpassages in EclogueI. :
" As thericheShepheard
that wonedin Mortlake."
" As if diuerswayeslayevntoIslington,
To Stow on the Wold, Quauenethor Trompington,
To Douer, Durham, to Barwike or Exeter,
To Grantham,Totnes,Bristow or good Manchester,
To Roan, Paris, to Lions or Floraunce.
CORIDON.
Thoumighthauebroughtoneandsetbyourvillage.
CORNIX.
" For if one can flater, and beare a Hauke on his fist,
He shalbemdeparsonof Honington or Clist."
In the comfort,quiet,andseclusion
of the pleasantDevon-
shireretreat,the "Ship" wastranslated
in the year1508,
when he would be about thirty-two," by Alexander
BarclayPreste; and at that tyme chaplenin the sayde
College," whenceit maybe inferredthat he left Devon.
eitherin that yearor theyearfollowing,whenthe " Ship"
waspublished, probablyproceedingto Londonfor the pur-
of AlexanderBarclay. xxxix
poseof seeingit through thepress. Whetherhe returned
to Devonshirewe do not know; probably not, for his patron
andfriend Cornish resignedthe wardenshipof St Mary
Otery in 1511, and in two years after died, so that
Barclay'sties andhopesin the West wereat an end. At
any rate we next hear of him in monastic orders, a monk
of the order of S. Benedict,in the famousmonasteryof Ely,
where, as is evident from internal proof, the Eclogues
were written and where likewise,asappearsfrom the title,
was translated" The mirrour of good maners,"at the
desireof Syr GilesAlington, Knight.
It is about this periodof his life, probablythe periodof
the full bloomof his popularity,that the quiet life of the
poet and priest was interruptedby the recognitionof his
eminencein the highest quarters,and by a requestfor his
aid in maintainingthe honour of the countryon an occasion
to which the eyesof all Europewere then directed. In a
letter of Sir Nicholas Vaux, busiedwith the preparationsfor
the meetingof Henry VIII., andFrancisI., calledthe Field
of the Cloth of Gold, to Wolsey,of date loth April 1520,
he begs the cardinalto "send to them . . . Maistre
Barkleye,the BlackMonkeandPoete,to devisehistoires
andconvenientraisonsto florisshethe buildingsandbanquet
housewithal" (RollsCalendars of LettersandPapers,Henry
VIII., in. pt. i.). No doubt it wasalsothought that this
would be an excellentopportunityfor the eulogistof the
Defenderof the Faith to againtake up the lyre to singthe
gloriesof his royalmaster,but no effortof hismuseon the
subject
of thisgreatchivalric
pageant
hasdescended
to usif
any wereever penned.
Probablyafter this employment
he did not return to
xl Life andWritings
Ely; with his positionor surroundings
therehe doesnot
seemto havebeenaltogethersatisfied(" theremanya thing
is wrong," see p. Ixix.) ; and afterwards,though in the
matter of date we are somewhatpuzzledby the allusion
of Bulleyn, an Ely man, to his Franciscanhabit, he
assumedthe habit of the Franciscansat Canterbury,
(' Bale MS. Sloan,f. 68,') to which changewe may
owe,if it be reallyBarclay's,
"The life of St Thomasof
Canterbury.1'
Autumnhad now cometo the poet, but fruit hadfailed
him. The advanceof age and his failure to obtain a
suitable position in the Church began gradually to weigh
upon his spirits. The bright hopeswith which he had
started in the flush of youth, the position he was to obtain,
the influence he was to wield, and the work he was
to do personally,andby his writings,in the field of moral
and social reformation were all in sad contrast with the
actualities around. He had never risen from the ranks,
the army was in a state of disorganisation,almost of
mutiny, and the enemy was more bold, unscrupulous,
and numerous than ever. It is scarcely to be wondered
at that, though not past fifty, he felt prematurelyaged,
that his youthful enthusiasm which had carried him
on bravelyin manyan attempt to instruct and benefit his
fellowsat lengthforsookhim and left him a preyto that
weakness of body,andthat hopelessness of spirit to which
he sopatheticallyalludesin the Prologueto the Mirror of
good Manners. All his best work, all the work which has
survivedto our day,wasexecutedbeforethis date. But the
penwastoo familiarto his handto be allowed
to drop.
Hisbiographers
tell us"that whenyearscame onhespent
of AlexanderBarclay. xli
his time mostly in pious matters,and in readingand writing
historiesof the Saints." A goodlypictureof a well-spent
old age. The harnessof youth he had no longer the
spirit and strength to don, the garments of age he
gatheredresignedlyandgracefullyabouthim.
On the violent dissolution of the Monasteriesin 1539,
when their inmates,the good and bad, the men of wisdom
andthe " fools," werealike castadrift upon a rock-bound
and stormy coast,the value of the patronagewhich his
literary and personalpopularity had brought him, was put
to the test,andin the endsuccessfully,
thoughafterconsider-
able, but perhapsnot to be wonderedat, delay. His great
patrons, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Kent, Bishop
Cornish, and probably also Sir Giles Alington, were
all dead, and he had to rely on newer and necessarily
weaker ties. But after waiting,till probably somewhat
dispirited, 'fortune smiled at last. Two handsomelivings
were presentedto him in the sameyear,both of which he
apparently held at the same time, the vicarage of Much
Badew in Essex,by the presentationof Mr John Pascal,to
which he was instituted on February yth, 1546, holding it
(accordingto the LansdowneMS. (980 f. 101), in the
British Museum)till his death; and the vicarageof S.
Mathew at Wokey, in Somerset,on March joth of the
sameyear. Wood dignifieshim with the degreeof doctor
of divinity at the time of his presentationto these
preferments.
That he seemsto haveacceptedquietlythe gradualpro-
gressof the reformedreligionduring the reign of Edward
VI., has been a cause of wonder to some. It would cer-
tainly havebeenastonishinghad onewho wassounsparing
d
xlii Lift and
in his exposureof theflagrantabuses
of the RomishChurch
doneotherwise. Though personallydisinclinedto radical
changeshiswritingsamplyshowhis deepdissatisfaction
with
things as they were. This rendersthe moreimprobable
the honoursassignedhim by Wadding (ScriptoresOrdinis
Minorum, 1806, p. 5), who promoteshim to be Suffragan
Bishopof BathandWells, andBale,who,in a slanderous
anecdote,the localeof whichis alsoWells,speaks of him
asa chaplainof QueenMary's,thoughMarydidnotascend
the thronetill the yearafter his death. As thesestate-
ments are nowhereconfirmed,it is not improbablethat
their authorshavefallen into error by confoundingthepoet
Barclay,
withaGilbertBerkeley,
whobecame
Bishop
ofBath
andWellsin 1559. Onemoreundoubted,but tardy,piece
of preferment
wasawardedhim whichmaybe regardedas
an honour of somesignificance. On the 3OthApril 1552,
the Dean and Chapterof Canterbury,London,presented
him to the Rectory of All Hallows, Lombard Street, but the
well-deserved
promotioncametoo late to be enjoyed. A
few weeks after, and before the loth June, at which date
his will wasproved,"he died, ashis biographerssay, " at a
very advancedage ; at the good old age of seventy-six,
as shall be shown presently,at Croydon where he had
passedhis youth, and there in the Church he was buried.
"June loth 1552,AlexanderBarkleysepult," (Extract
fromthe ParishRegister, in Lyson'sEnvironsof London).
A copyof hiswill, anextremely
interesting
andinstructive
document,hasbeenobtainedfrom Doctors'Commons, and
will be found appended. It bears in all its details those
traitsof character
which,fromall thatweotherwise
know,
we are led to associatewith him. In it we seethe earnest
of AlexanderBarclay. xhii
conscientious
ministerwhosefirst thought is of the poor,the
loyal churchmanliberalin his supportof the houseof God,
the kind relative in his numerousand consideratebequests
to his kith and kin, the amiable,much loved man in the
gifts of remembranceto his many friends, and the pious
Christian in his wishesfor the prayers of his survivors " to
Almightie God for remission
of my synnes,andmercyupon
my soule."
Barclay's career and character, both as a churchmanand
a man of letters, deserveattention and respect from every
studentof our early history and literature. In the former
capacityhe showedhimselfdiligent,honest,andanxious,at
a time when these qualities seemedto havebeen so entirely
lost to the churchasto form only a subjectfor clericalridi-
cule. In the latter, the samequalities are also prominent,
diligence,honesty, bold outspokenness,an ardent desire for
the pure, the true, and the natural, and an undisguised
enmityto everythingfalse,self-seeking,and vile. Every-
thing he did wasdonein a pure way, andto a worthy end.
Bale standsalone in casting aspersionsupon his moral
character,asserting,as Ritson puts it, " in his bigoted
and foul-mouthedway," that " he continueda hater of
truth, and underthe disguiseof celibacya filthy adulterer
to the last; " and in his Declaration of Bonner's articles
(1561,fol. 81), he condescends
to an instance
to the effect
that " DoctoureBarkleyehaddegreateharmeonesof suche
a visitacion,at Wellys, beforehe wasQueneMaryesChap-
Jayne.For the womanwhomehesoreligiouslye
visiteddid
light him of all that hehad,sauingehisworkingetolas. For
the whicheactehe hadher in prison,andyet couldenothing
recoueragaine." Whetherthisstorybe true of anyoneis
xliv Life andWritings
perhaps
doubtful,and,if trueof a Barclay,weareconvinced
thathe is not our author. 11mayhavearisenaswehaveseen
from a mistakeasto indentity. But apartfromthe question
of identity,we havenothingin supportof the slanderbut
Bale's" foul-mouthed"assertion,whileagainstit wehavethe
whole tenor and aim of Barclay's published writings.
Everywhere
he inculcates
the highestand purestmorality,
and where even for that purposehe might be led into
descriptions
of vice,his disgustcarrieshim past what most
otherswouldhavefelt themselves justifiedin dealingwith.
For example,in the chapter of " Disgysyd folys" he
expresslypassesover aslightly as possiblewhat might to
othershaveproveda temptingsubject:
" They disceyuemyndeschasteand innocent
With dyuerswayeswhiche I wyll nat expres
Lyst that whyle I labour (his cursyd gyseto stynt
I myght to them mynysterexampleof lewdnes
And therfore in this part I shall say les
Than doth my actour."
Elsewhere he declares :
Aye rennynge
asfranatykeno reasonin his mynde
He hath no constaunce nor ease within his herte
His iyenar blynde,his wyll alwayeinclyned
To louyspreceptesyetcannathe departe
The Net is stronge,the fole caught cannat starte
The darteis sharpe,who euer is in the chayne
Can nat his sorowein vysagehyde nor fayne"
So smallestpersonshauesmall rewardealway
But men of worship setin authoritie
Musthauerewardes
greataftertheir degree."-ECLOGUE
I.
" And sosuchthingeswhichprincesto theegeue
To thee be as sure as water in a siue
" » t *
The everlasting
conceitof musical
humanityis very
truthfully hit off.
" This is of singerstheverypropertie
Alway theycoueytdesiredfor to be
of AlexanderBarclay. xlvii
And when their frendeswould heareof their cunning
Then are they neuerdisposedfor to sing,
But if they begin desiredof no man
Then shewethey all and more then they can
And neuerleauethey till men of them be wery,
So in their conceyttheir cunningthey setby."-ECLOGUEII.
Pithy sayingsare numerous. Comparing citizenswith
countrymen, the countryman says:-
" Fortune to them is like a mother dere
" Each man for himself, and the fende for us all."
" They robbe SaintPeter therwith to clothe SaintPowle."
" For might of water will not our leasurebide."
" Once out of sight and shortly out of minde.''
" For children brent still after drede the fire."
Assuredly
a muchmorelaudable
wayof employing
leisure
then than now, unlessthe translatorprudentlystopshortof
print. The modesty andsingleness
of aimof the manare
strikinglyillustrated
byhisthusdevotinghistimeandtalents,
not to originalwork ashe waswellabletohavedonehadhe
beendesirousonlyof glorifyinghis ownname,but to the
translationandadaptationor, better, "Englishing" of such
foreignauthorsashe deemedwould exercisea wholesome
andprofitableinfluenceuponhis countrymen. Suchwork,
however,mouldedin his skilful hands,becameall but original,
little being left of his author but the idea. Neither the
Ship of Fools,nor the Ecloguesretain perceptibletracesof a
foreignsource,andwere it not that they honestlybeartheir
authorshipon their fore-front,they might be regardedas
thoroughly,evencharacteristically,
Englishproductions.
The first knownwork from Barclay'spenappearedfrom
the pressof De Worde, so early as 1506, probably
immediatelyon his return from abroad,and was no doubt
the fruit of continentalleisure. It is a translation,in seven
linestanzas,
of the popularFrenchpoetPierreGringore's
Le Chateaude labour (1499)-the most ancientwork of
Gringorewith date,andperhapshis best-under the title
of " The Castellof labourewhereinis richesse,
vertu,and
honour;"in whichin a fancifulallegory
of somelength,
of AlexanderBarclay. liii
a somewhatwearisomeLady Reasonovercomesdespair,
poverty and other such evils attendant upon the fortunes
of a poormanlatelymarried,the moralbeingto show:-
" That idleness,
motherof all adversity,
Her subjectsbringethto extremepoverty."
The generalappreciationof this first essayis evidenced
by the issueof a secondedition from the pressof Pynson
a few yearsafter the appearance of the first.
Encouragedby the favourablereceptionaccordedto the
first effort of his muse,Barclay,on his retirement to the
easeand leisure of the College of St Mary Otery, set
to work on the "Ship of Fools," acquaintance with which
Europe-famous satire he must have made when abroad.
This, his magnum
ofus, hasbeendescribedat somelength
in the Introduction, but two interesting personal notices
relative to the compositionof the work mayhere be added.
In the executionof the great task, he expresseshimself,
(II. 278), asunderthe greatestobligationsto his colleague,
friend, and literary adviser,Bishop :-
" Whiche was the first ouersear of this warke
Pynson,
in hiscapacity
of judicious
publisher,
fearing
lest
the book should exceedsuitable dimensions,also receives
duenoticeat p. 108of Vol. I., wherehe speaks
of
" thechargePynsonhatheon melayde
With manyfolysour Nauy not to charge."
The concludingstanza,
or colophon, is alsodevotedto
immortalising
the great bibliopolein terms,it must be
admitted,not dissimilarto thoseof a moderndraper'spoet
laureate :-
" BesidenobleHenrywhichnowedepartedlate,
Spectacle
of vertueto eueryhyeestate,
of Alexander
Barclay. Ivii
The patroneof peaceand primateof prudence,
Which on GodsChurchhathdonesogreatexpence.
Of all theseprincesthe mercyand pitie,
The loue of Concorde,iusticeand equitie,
The purenesof life and giftes liberal!,
Not lessevertuousthen the saidprincesall.
And Henry the eyght mostehye and triumphant,
No gifte of vertue nor manlinesdoth want,
Mine humble spechand languagepastorall
If it were able should write his actes all:
" This shall be, this is, and this hath euer bene,
That boldestheartesbe nearestieopardie,
To dye in battayleis honour as men wene
To sucheas haueioy in hauntingchiualry.
The followingselections
illustrativeof the customsand
mannersof the times will serveas a sample of the over-
flowing cask from which they are taken. The condition
of the country peopleis clearlyenoughindicatedin a de-
scriptionof the villageSunday,the mannerof its celebration
being depictedin languagecalculatedto makea modern
Sabbatarian's hair stand on end :-
Again :
" What fishe is of sauor swete and delicious,-
Rested or sodden in swete hearbes or wine ",
Or fried in oyle,mostsaporous
andfine.-
The pastiesof a hart.-
The crane,the fesant,the pecockeand curlewe,
The partiiche,plouer, bittor, and heronsewe-
Seasoned so well in licour redolent,
That the hall is full of pleasauntsmell and sent."
. At a feast at court :-
"
.... Methinkes no mirth is scant,
Where no reioysingof minstrelciedoth want:
The bagpipeor fidle to vs is delectable."
He saysthatminstrels
andsingers
arehighlyfavoured
at
court,especially
thoseof the Frenchgise. Also jugglers
and pipers.
The personalreferences
throughoutthe Eclogues,
in
additionto thosealreadymentioned,though not numerous,
are of considerable interest. The learned Alcock,
Bishopof Ely (1486-1500),
andthe munificentfounderof
JesusCollege,Cambridge,standsdeservedly high in the
esteemof a poet andpriest,so zealousof good works as
Barclay. The poet'shumourthusdisguises him.-(Eclogue
I., A iii., recto.) :-
Eclogue V.
The first three Ecloguesare paraphrases or adaptations
from the Miseria?Curialium, the most popular of the
works of oneof the mostsuccessful literary adventurersof
the middle ages,.ZEneasSylvius (Pope Pius II., who died
in 1464}. It appearsto have been written with the view
of relievinghis feelingsof disappointment
and disgustat his
receptionat the court of the Emperor, whither he had
repaired,in the hopeof political advancement.The tone
andnatureof the work may be gatheredfrom this candid
exposure of the adventurer'smorale: " Many things
thereare which compelus to persevere,but nothing more
powerfully than ambition which, rivalling charity, truly
beareth all thingshowevergrievous,that it may attain to
the honoursof this world and the praiseof men. If we
werehumbleandlabouredto gainour ownsoulsratherthan
hunt aftervainglory,few of us,indeed,wouldenduresuch
annoyances." He details,withquerulous humour,all the
grievances of his position,from the ingratitude
of the
princeto thesordour of thetable-cloths,
andthe hardness
of the black bread. But hardest of all to bear is the con-
Ixxii Life andWritings
tempt showntowardsliterature. "In the courtsof princes
literary knowledgeis held a crime; andgreat is the grief
of men of letters when they find themselvesuniversally
despised, andseethe mostimportantmattersmanaged, not
to saymismanaged,
by blockheads,
who cannottell the
numberof their fingersandtoes."
Barclay'sadaptationis so thoroughlyEnglished,andcon-
tainssuchlarge additionsfrom the storesof his own bitter
experience,asto makeit evenmoretruly his own thanany
other of his translations.
The fourth andfifth ecloguesareimitations,-though no
noticethat they are so is conveyedin the title, as in the
caseof thefirst three,-of the fifth andsixth of the popular
ecloguewriter of the time,Jo. BaptistMantuan,whichmay
havehelpedto give riseto the generallyreceivedstatement
noticedbelow, that all the ecloguesare imitations of that
author. The fourth is entitled " Codrusand Minalcas,
treatingof the behauourof RichemenagaynstPoetes,"and
it maybejudgedhow far it is Barclay'sfrom the fact that
it numbersabout twelvehundredlines,including the elegy
of the Noble Howard, while the original, entitled, " De
consuetudine
Divitum ergaPoetas,"containsonlyabouttwo
hundred. The fifth is entitled " Amintas and Faustus, of
the disputationof citizensandmenof the countrey." It
containsover a thousandlines,and the original, " De dis-
ceptatione rusticorum et civium," like the fifth, extends to
little more than two hundred.
In the Prologuebeforementionedwe are told (Cawood's
edition) :-
" ThatfiueEgloges
thiswholetreatise
jioth holde
To imitation of other Poetes olde,"
of AlexanderBarclay. Ixxiii
Which appears to be a correction of the printer's upon
the original, as in Powell's edition : -
" That X. eglogesthis hole treatysedothe holde."
The followingonslaught
in Barclay's
Fourth Eclogue,is
evidentlylevelledat the abominable
Skelton:
of AlexanderBarclay. Ixxxi
" Another thing yet is greatly more damnable:
Of rascoldepoetesyet is a shamfull rable,
Which voyde of wisedomepresumethto indite,
Thoughtheyhauescantlythecunningof a snite;
And to what vicesthat princesmosteintende,
Those dare these fooles solemnize and commende
Then is he decked as Poete laureate,
When stinking Thais madehim her graduate:
When Muses rested,she did her seasonnote,
And shewith Bacchusher camousdid promote.
Suchrascoldedrames,promotedby Thais,
Bacchus,Licoris, or yet by Testalis,
Or by sucheother neweforged Musesnine,
Thinke in their mindes for to haue wit diuine;
They laudetheir verses,they boast,they vaunt and iet,
Though all their cunningbe scantlyworth a pet:
If they haue smelledthe artestriuiall,
They count them Poeteshye and heroicall.
Suchis their foly, so foolishly they dote,
Thinking that none can their playne errour note;
Yet be they foolishe,auoydeof honestie,
Nothing seasoned with spiceof grauitie,
Auoydeof pleasure,
auoydeof eloquence,
With manywordes,andfruitlesse
of sentence
;
Unapt to learne,disdayningto be taught,
Their priuatepleasurein snarehath them so caught;
And worst yet of all, they count them excellent,
Thoughtheybe fruitlesse,rasheandimprouident.
To suchambages who doth their mindeincline,
They countall otheraspriuateof doctrine,
And that the faultes which be in them alone,
And be common in other men eche one.
Bulleyn'srepeatedallusionsto Barclay(seeabove,pp.
xxvii., liv.), apart from the probabilitythat, as contempor-
ariesresidentin the sameprovincialtown, Ely, they were
well acquaintedwith each other, leavelittle doubt that the
two werepersonalfriends. Bulleyn'sfigurativedescription
of the poet, quotedat p. xxvii., is scarcelycompletewith-
out the followingverses,which are appendedto it by way
of summaryof his teachings(similar versesare appended
to the descriptionsof Chaucer,Gower, &c.) :-[Barclay
appears]saying
" Who entreth the court in yong and tederage
Are lightly blinded with foly and outrage:
But sucheas enter with witte and grauitie,
Bow not so sone to such enormitie,
But ere thei enter if thei hauelerned nought
AfterwardesVertue the least of theyr thought."
DialogueagainsttheFeverPestilence.
A certainportion of uncertainpaper."
MAJESTY'SCOURTOF PROBATE.
In thePrerogativeCourtof Canterbury.
NOTES.
P. XXIX.-BARCLAY'S NATIONALITY.
P. LXXXI1I.-BULLEYN'S DIALOGUE.
BARCLAY'S WORKS.
L
CONTENTS.
X. HAYTHON'S CRONYCLE.
I. THE CASTELLOF LABOURE.-Wynkyn
de Worde.
1506. Small Quarto. Black letter.
The title, " The castell of laboure," is within a scroll above a
woodcut of men over a tub : on the verso, a cut of a man
sittingat a desk. At sign,a ii. (rtcto) " Herebegynneth
the
prologue of thispresent treatyse." [The Brit. Mus.copyhas
this on the versoof the title insteadof the cut,a peculiaritywhich
mayentitleit to becalleda separate
edition,thoughit appears
to agreeotherwisewith thecopy described.] There aremany
curiouswoodcuts. Colophonon the reverseof sign,i iii. (5 ib):
" Thus endeththe castellof labour,wherin is rychesse,vertue,
andhonour. Enpryntedat Londonin Fletestrete
in the sygne
of the sonne.by Wynkyn de worde. Anno dni M.ccccc.vi."
There is no indicationof authorship. Signatures: a b c d e f
g h, alternately8s and 45,i 4 ; 52 leaves,not numbered. The
British Museumand Cambridge
UniversityLibrary copiesof
this book havebeencollated,but as the former endswith H 3
and the latter wants the last leaf, that leaf must remain unde-
scribed. Mr Bradshaw,
however,says," it almostcertainly
contained a woodcut on the recto, and one of the devices on
the verso."
A copyof this veryscarcebookwassoldamongMr. West'sbooks
in 1773 for £2.
l.a. THE CASTELLOF LABOURE.-Pynson. No date.
Small Quarto. Black letter.
The title, " Here begynneththe castell of laboure," is over a
woodcut; and on the reverse is a woodcut; both the
sameas thosein the previousedition. In the body of
the work there are 30 woodcuts,which differ from thoseof
the first edition,oneof these(at G 6) is a repetitionof that
on the title page. Colophon: " Thus endeththecastellof
labour wherin is rychesse,vertue and honoure. Enpryntcd
bemeRichardePynson." After the colophon comesanother
leaf(I 6), on the rectoof which is the printer'sdevice,and
on the verso a woodcut representinga city on the banksof a
river. Without indicationof authorship. Signatures: A, 8
leaves ; B-I, in sixes.
" NeitherAmesnorHerbertappearto haveseenthisrarevolume;
which is probablya reprintof Wynkyn deWorde'simpres-
sion of 1506." (Dibdin's Typ. Antiq., II. 557.) There
isa copyin theLibraryof H. Huth,Esq.
xcvin Jl Bibliographical
Catalogue
II. THE SHYPOF FOLYSOF THE WORLDE.-Pynson.
1509. Folio.
On the recto of the first leaf there is a large woodcut of Pynson's
arms, or device No. VII., similar to that which is on the
reverse of the last leaf of each of the volumes of his edition of
Lord Berners' translation of Froissart's Chronicles ; on the
back of the first leaf is the translator's dedication to " Thomas
Cornisshe,bishopof Tine, and suffraganbishopof Bath;" on
the next leaf begins" The regyster or table of this present
bokein Englyshe,"(all as on pp. cxiii.-cxx.), succeeded
by a Latin table. Then on sign, a i. and fol. i. a large
woodcut, the same as is used for the title page of Ca-
wood's edition (and on p. 313, Vol. II.), with a Latin de-
scriptionin the margin. Beneathis the title in Latin.
On the back,"Alexander Barclay excusyngethe rudeness
of his translacion," followed with " An exhortacion of
Alexander Barclay." Then on fol. ii., etc., follow in
Latin, " Epigramma," " Epistola" in prose, and various
" Carmina." On the back of fol. v. "The exhortacion of
Brant to the fools" in Latin verse,followed by Barclay'sver-
sion with the heading" Barclaythe Translatourtho the Poles."
On fol. iiii. the " Prokgus Jacobi Locher . . . incipit,"
followed by its translationinto English. On fol. ix., etc.,
" Hecatastichon
in proludiumauctoris
et Libelli Narragonici"
and the English translation," Here begynneththe prologe."
On xii. "The Argument" in Latin and English, and then
on xiii. commences the first chapter," De inutilibuslibris," in
Latin, and then in English, which is the older throughout,
with the cutsat the beginningof eitherthe oneor otheras the
pagesuited. The book concludeswith a ballad in honour
of the virgin Mary, consistingof twelve octavestanzas: at
the end of which is the colophonin a stanzaof sevenlines.
On the versoof the last leaf is the printer'sdevice, No. v.
The Latin is uniformlyprinted in the Roman type, and the
Englishin theGothic. Herbertsupposes
thediphthongs
to be
" the first perhapsusedin this kingdom."
The cuts are rude,coarse,English imitationsof thosein the original
editions.Theyare,includingthepreliminary one,118in num-
ber. The cut illustratingthechapter," Of themthat correct
other,"etc., fol. Iiii. hasbeenexchangedwith thecut of the suc-
ceeding
chapter. The cut illustrating" The unyuersallshyp
andgeneral!Barke,"fol. cclxii.,is repeated
at the succeeding
chapter. The one illustratingBarclay'snew chapter" Of
folys that ar ouer worldly " is an imitation of the illustration
of " De singularitatequorundamnovorumfatuorum" in the
Latin editionof March 1497. The cut illustratingtheballad
of theVirginappears
in theoriginalat theheadof " Excusatio
of Barclays Works. xcix
JacobiLocher Philomusi,"and illustrates,accordingto the
margin, " Derisio bonioperis.1'
The word " Folium" is on the left hand page,and the number,
in Roman capitals, on the right throughoutthe book ; the
lastiscclxxiiii. Includingthededication
andtable(4 folios)
there are 283 folios. The numbering is a model ot
irregularity: iiii. is repeatedfor vi., xx. standsfor xv.,
xviii. is repeated,xx. is wanting, xxii. is repeated,xxiv.
is wanting, xxx. is repeated,xxxvi. is wanting, xxxix.
is repeatedin place of xliv., xlviii. is wanting,xlix. is
repeated,Ivii is repeatedafter Ixi., Iviii follows twice, lix., lx.,
Ixi. being repeatedin successionafter Iviii., Ixvii., Ixviii. are
repeated
after Ixviii., Ixxxii. is wanting,Ixxxiii. is repeated,
Ixxxii. standsfor Ixxxvii., Ixxxiii. succeedsfor Ixxxviiii,
cclxv. succeedsfor Ixxxix., Ixxxxii. is repeatedfor Ixxxxvii.,
[in the Grenville copy this leaf is correctlynumbered],
cxxxiiis wanting,cxl. standsfor cxxxviii., cxlxi. stands for
cxlvi., clxxiv. is wanting, clxxxxxi. standsfor cci., ccxii. is
repeatedfor ccxvii., ccxxxviii. is wanting, cclx. stands for
ccl., cclviii. is repeatedfor cclx.
The numeration bysignatures is asfollows: + iiij; a, 8 ; b-p, 6 s ;
q, 7 ; r,s,t,v,x,y,z,&, 6 s ; A-Y, 6 s.
The book is extremelyrare. There is a fine copy in the Bodleian
Library among Selden'sbooks,another in the British Mu-
seum,GrenvilleCollection,andanotherin the Library of St.
John's College, Oxford.
The following are the more notable prices: Farmer, 1798,
£2. 45.; Sotheby's, 1821, £28; Dent, £30. 95.; Bib.
Anglo-Poetica,£105; Perkins, 1873, £130.
The following amusingnote on prices is taken from Renouard's
" Catalogued'un Amateur." "Les premieresEditionslatines
de ce singulier livre, celles destraductionsfranchises,toutes
egalement
rempliesde figuresen bois,ne deplaisent
pasaux
amateurs,
maisjamaisils nelesont payeesun haulprix. La
traduction angloisefaite en i509, surle francois,et avecdes
figuresen bois, plusmauvaises
encoreque leursmodules, se
payeen Angleterre25, 30 et meme60 guinees ; c'estla, si
Tonveut,du zelepatriotique,de 1'esprit
national."
II.#. STULTIFERA NAUIS. . . . THE SHIP OF FOOLES.. . .
With diuersother workes. . . . very profitable and
fruitfull for all men. . . . Cawood. 1570. Folio.
A large cut of vessels
filled with fools(thesameas on p. 313,
Vol. II.) is insertedbetween
the Latin andEnglishtitles.
This edition omits the ballad to the Virgin at the end.
The Englishis in black letter,and the Latin in Roman,in
the sameorder as in the precedingedition. On the recto
Bibliographical
Catalogue
of leaf 259 : Thus endeththe Shipof Fooles,translated.
..
by AlexanderBarclayPriest,at that time Chaplenin the
Colledgeof S. Mary Oteryin the Countieof Deuon. Anno
Domini 1508. On the back " Excusatio lacobi Locher
Pbilomusi,"in Sapphicverse. On the next pagefive stanzas
by Barclay " excusingthe rudenesof his Translation."
Lastly, an Index in Latin, and then in English. Then
follow the "diuersother workes," theMirrour of goodmaners,
and the Egloges. Colophon: Imprinted at London in Paules
Church-yarde
by lohn CawoodPrinterto the Oueenes
Maies-
tie. Cum Priuilegio ad imprimendumsolum.
The woodcuts, including the one on the title-page,number117.
They are the sameas thoseof Pynson'sedition,but show
occasionaltraces of the blocks having been chipped in the
course
of their preservation
in a printer'sofficefor 60 years
or so. The bordersonly differ,being of a uniform type, while
thoseof the previous
editionarewoodcutsof severalpatterns.
The numberingis a little irregular ; the preliminaryleaves(12) are
unnumbered. The folios are numberedin figures on the
left hand page,'folio' beingprefixedto the first six, 16 is
repeatedfor 17, 13 standsfor 31, [in one of the Adv. Lib.
copiesthe latterirregularityis found,thoughnot the former;
in the other,17 and 31 are numbered correctly],96 is re-
peated for 99, 188 for 191, 100for 200,and 205 for 201.
The last numberis 259, and thereare threeextra leaves,thus
making274 for the Ship. The supplementary works are not
numbered.The signatures
areas follows: TheShip,^f six
leaves; ^ six leaves; A to U u, in sixes; X x, four leaves;
Mirrour of goodmanners,A-G, in sixes; Egloges,A to D,
in sixes; in all 680 pp.
This book was licensed to Cawood in 1567-8, and is said to
bethe onlybookhe hadlicensefor. It is nowveryrare.
Prices: Digby,1680,45.4d. Bernard,1698,13.lod. Gulston,
1783, £i, i6s. White Knights, £8, 12s. Roxburghe,£g,
193.6d FonthilJ,£13, 135. Bib. Anglo-Poet,£12, Izs.
Heber, £8, 12s. Sotheby's,1873, £48, 10s.
" Herebegynneth
theEgloges
of Alexander
Barclay,
priest,where-
of the first thre conteineth the miseriesof couriers and
courtes,of all Princesin general.
. . In thewhichethe inter-
loquutorsbe,
Comix,andCoridon."
Concludes:
"Thusendeth
the thyrdeandlastEglogue
of the Miseryof Courteand
Couriers,Composedby AlexanderBarclaypreest,in his
youth. Jmpiinted
at LondonbyHumfrey
Powell."Con-
tainsonlyEclogues
I.-III. Collation
: Title, A I ; sig.
A to P2, in fours; 58 leavesnot numbered.
Thisisaneditionof extreme
rarity. It isverywellprinted,
and
the tille is surrounded
with a woodcutborderwith orna-
menicd
pillarsatthesides.Herbertconjectures
thedatelo
be 1549,the Bib.Anglo-Poelica,
Lowndes, andCorser,
1548.There isacopyintheCambridge
University
Library,
andanother
in thepossession
of DavidLaing,Esq.
Prices
: Inglis,
£6.28.6d.;Bright,1845,
£*°- los.;Bib.Anglo-
Poetica, £15.
civ A Bibliographical
Catalogue
\\\.e. CERTAYNE EGLOGESOF ALEXANDERBARCLAY
PRIEST.-Cawood. 1570.Folio. Blackletter.
Appendedto Cawood's
editionof the Shipof Fools. No title-
page,cuts, or pagination. The aboveheadingon A i.
Colophon: Thus endeththe fifth and last Eglogeof Alexander
Barclay, of the Citizen and the manof the countrey. Im-
printed at London in PaulesChurch-yardeby lohn Cawood,
Printer to theQueenesMaiestie. CumPriuilegioad impri-
mendum solum.
Contains A-D, in sixes.
VI. CRONYCI.E
compyledin Latyn, by the renowned
Sallust.-Pynson. No date. Folio.
"' Here begynneththe famouscronycleof the warre,which the
romaynshad agaynstJugurth,vsurperof the kyngdome of
Numidy. which cronycleis compyledin latyn by the re-
nowmedromayne Salust. And translatedinto englyssheby
syr AlexanderBarclaypreest,at comaundemem of the right
hye and mighty prince: Thomasduke of Northfolke."
There are two editionsby Pynsonof this book.
I. In this edition the lowerhalf of the title pagehasa square
enclosedby doublelinescontainingtheNorfolk arms,a lion
rampant, holding a shield in his paws,on which is another
lion, a cut which alsoappearson the title of The Introductory.
Thereis a full pagecut of the royalarmswith portcullis,&c.,
on the back,followedby fivepagesof Table. The preface
to hispatron,in English,-together with a Latin dedicationto
BishopVeysy,in parallelcolumns,-beginson theversoof
signatureA iiii, undera cut of the authorpresentinghis
of Barclays Works. cvii
book to him, the sameas that which appearson the title of
The myrrourof goodmaners. [See the cut prefixedto the
Notice of Barclay'slife, which is confinedhoweverto a repro-
ductionof thetwo principalfiguresonly,twootherfigures,
evi-
dentlyof servants, and someadditionalornamentation of the
roombeingomitted.] At theendof thispreface isanothercut
of theauthor,writingat adesk;alsoonthebackof theleafisa
cutofthedisembarking of anarmy. Therearenoothercuts,but
thevolumeis adornedthroughoutwith veryfinewoodcutinitials.
Catchwordsare given irregularlyat the beginning,but regu-
larly towardstheend,atthebottomof the left handpageonly,
but the prefacehas them to everycolumn. Colophon:-
" Thus endeththe famouscronycleof the war. . . imprented
at London by RychardePynsonprinter vnto the kyngesnoble
grace: with priuylegevntohym grained by our saydsouerayne
lorde the kynge." On the back of the last leaf is Pynson's
device,No. v. The dateis erroneouslyconjecturedin Moss's
Classical
Bib.to be 1511. It wasprobably1519,certainly
between1519 and 1524. Contains92 numbered leaves,
andone leafunnumbered, besides
eight leavesof preliminary
matter: numbering quiteregular: signatures;
a 8, A-O,
6 s, P, Q, 4 s. In the British Museum,Grenville Collec-
tion,the Bodleian,andthePublicLibrary at Cambridge.
Prices: Roxburghe,£23, 12s.; Sykes,£8, I2s.; Heber, £5,
155. 6d.; Sotheby's,1857, £10.
II. In this edition,the title pageis the sameas in the otherwith the
exceptionof a semicolon
for a full pointafter Numidy,the
succeedingwhich having an e added, and romayne being
withoutthe e, but on the back insteadof a cutof the royal
armsThe tablecommences ; the prefacebeginson the recto of
sign, a 4, under the cut of the author presentinghis book
to the Duke of Norfolk, and endswithout the leaf of wood-
cuts which is appendedto the prefaceof the first edition.
Pynson'sdeviceat the end of the book is alsowantingin this
edition. It containsonly fol. Ixxxvi., with six leavesof
preliminary matter; the paginationis a little irregular, xxi.
and xxii. are wanting but xxiii. is given three times, and
Ixxvii. is repeated
for Ixxviii. ; the British Museumcopyis
deficientin folios Ixii. and Ixv. : signatures
; a 6, A-N, 6 s,
and O, P, 4 s. The initials are the sameas those in the first
edition in the great majority of cases,but appearmuch more
worn. Therearecatch-words
onlyat the endof everysigna-
ture throughoutthe book, except to the preface,which has
them to every column. In the British Museum, and the
PublicLibrary,Cambridge.
Both editionshavethe Latin in Romanletter in the margins,
and running-titles. Ames mentions an edition with cuts,
which must be the same as the first of these.
cviii A Bibliographical
Catalogue
VI.a. CRONICLEOF WARRE. Compiled in Laten by
Saluste. Corrected by Thomas Paynell. Waley,
'557- Quarto.
" Here begynneth
the famousCronicle of warre, whyche the
RomayneshaddeagaynstJugurth vsurper of the kyngedome
of Numidie : whiche Cronicle is compiled in Laten by the
renowmedRomayneSaluste:and translatedinto englyshe
by syr alexanderBarklayeprieste. And nowe perusedand
correctedby ThomasPaynell. Newely.Imprintedin the
yere of oure Lorde God M.D.L vij." On the versoof the
title beginsPaynell'sdedication-" To the ryghtehonorable
LordeAntonyeVycounteMountegue, Knyghteof the ryghte
honorableorder of the garter, and one of the Kynge and
QueenesMagesties
pryuie counsayle." "The prologue"
beginson a i. Barclay'sprefaceand dedicationare omitted,
as well as the Latin of Sallust. Col. : " Thus endeth the
famouse
Cronicleof the warre. . . againstJugurth. : . trans-
lated.. . by syr AlexanderBarkeley,
prieste,at commaunde-
menteof. . . Thomas,duke of Northfolke, And imprinted
at London in Fosterlane by Jhon Waley." Signatures;
H h, 4 s, besidestitle and dedication, two leaves:the pag-
inationcommences on a 4, at " The fyrstechapter,"the last
folio beingcxx.; xxi. is repeatedfor xxii., xxiii. for xxiv.,
xix., standsfor xxix., Ivii. is repeated,
andIxxiv. is repeated
for Ixxv.
This editionformsthe secondpartof a volumehavingthefollowing
generaltitle page: The Conspiracieof Catiline,written by
Constancius Felicius Durantinus, and translated bi Thomas
Paynell: with the historyeof Jugurth,writenby the famous
RomaineSalust,andtranslatedinto Englysheby Alexander
Barcklaye.
X. HAYTHON'S
CRONYCLE.Pynson. No date Folio.
Black letter.
"Here begynneth
a lytell Cronycle,translated& imprintedat the
cost & charge of Rycharde Pynson,by the comaundement
of the ryght high and mighty prince,Edwarde duke of Buck-
ingham,yerle of Gloucestre,Staffarde,and of Northamton,"
over a largewoodcut. Colophon:"Here endeth,[£5V.]
Imprintedby the sayd RichardsPynson,printer unto the
Kinges noblegrace." Date conjecturedto be between1520
and 1530. Pynson'sdevice, No. 5, at the end. Collation:
A-E, andH, in sixes; F andG, andI, in fours;forty-
eight leaves.
On the verso of fol. 35, "Here endeth ye boke of thistoris of
thoriet partescopyledby a relygiousman frere Hayton
frere of Premostreorder, sotymelorde of court & cosyn
germanto the kyngof Armenyvponye passage of the holy
lande. By the comaudement of yc holy faderye apostle
of Rome Clemet the V. in ye cite of Potiers which boke I
Nicholas Falcon, writ first in French ... I haue traslated it
in Latyn for our holy fatherye pope. In the yere of our
lordegodM.CCC.VII. in ye monethof August. Deo gras."
" The travelsof Hayton intothe Holy Land and Armenia,and
his historyof Asia, is one of the mostvaluableof the early
accounts of theeast. The present is theonly translation
into
English,and from the circumstances of its beingprintedby
Pynsonand havingbeen(whenin Mr Heber'scollection)
bound with two other works (Mirrour of good Maners and
Sallust)both translatedby Barclay,wasprobablyalsotrans-
lated by him. It is a book of extraordinaiy rarity, no perfect
copy that can be tracedhavingpreviously
occuredfor sale."
(Bibliotheca
Grenvilliana,
vol. I.)
Heber'scopy(theoneabovementioned), £40. 95.6d.
THE SHIP OF FOOLS.
Venerandissimo
in Cbristo Patri ac Domino: dominoThome
Cornissbe
Tenenensh pontificlac diocesis
Badonensis
Suffraganio
vigilantusimo,
suepaternitattsCapellanus
humilimusAlexanderBarclaysuiipsiusrecommenda-
cionemcumomnisummissione,
et reuerentia.
Tametsi
crebrisnegocijs
: varioqueimpedimeniorum
genere
fatigatuspaulodiutiusquamvoluerama studioreuulsus eram.
Attamenobseruandissime presul: Stultiferamclassem
(vt sum
tuepaternatipollicitus)lamtandemabsoluietimpressam ad te
destinaui. Nequetamencertumlaborempro incertoprcmio
(hitmano.j.) meisimpossuissem
bumeris: nisi Seruianumillud
dictum(longeanteaqaminceperani) admonuisset.Satinsesse
non incipere quam inceptiimminus perfectumrelinquere.
Completotamenopere: neequemqua?n magisdignumquam
tua sit paternitasexisthnaui
cui id dedicarem
: turnquia salu-
berrima tua prudentia, morumgrauitas, vite sanctitasdoc-
trinequeassiduitas : errantesfatuosmumdanis ab illecebris
ad
"virtutistramites: difficile*licet: possintreducere:turn vero:
quiasacros
ad ordines
per te subiunatus
etpromotus,
multisque
aliis tuis benejlciis
ditatusnonpotui tibi meumobsequium
non
coartare. Opus igitur tue paternitati dedicaui: meorum
primiciaslaborumqui in lucemeruperuntAtque vt tua
consuluerit
paternatis
: antoris carminacummeis-uulgaribus
rithmicis vna alternatim coniunixi: et quantuma vero car-
minumsensuerrauerim,tueautoritatisindiciumerit. Fateor
equid<;m
multo
pluraadiecisse
quamademisse:
partimad
[ cxvi ]
"uiciaque hac nostrain redoneabundantius
pullulantmor-
daciuscarpcnda: partimqueob Ritbmi difficultatem. Adicci
et'mmquatdcimBiblie aliorumqueautorumconcordancias in
margine notatasquosingulamagislectoribusillucescant: Simul
ad inuidorum caninoslatratus pacandos
: et rabida ora obstru-
cnda: qui vbi quidfacinorum: quoif si scatent; reprebensum
audicrint.continwpatulogutture liuida cuomunt dicta,scripta
diLicerant.dignascombrisac thus carminarecensent : sedhi
si pcrgantmaledicere: vt stultiuagicomitesc/assem instliant.
At tu vencrandeP resid Discipuli tui exiguummuniisculum:
hiliiri frontc accipito,Classemque nostram(si quid vagi/m,si
quid erromum: si quid denique superfluumcmineat : optimam
in parteminterpretando : ab inuidorumfaucibus: tueautori-
ttitis clipcotucaris. Vale. Ex Imprcssoria offic-naRichardi
Pymon. iij. Idus Dccembris.
[VOLUME I.]
Of vngoodlymaners,anddysordred, . . 62
Of the hurtynge of frendshyp, ... 66
Of dispysersof holy scripture, . . . 71
Of folys inprouydent, . . . -75
Of disordred & veneriousloue, . . 79
Of them that synne trustynge vpon the mercy of
almyghty god, .... 84
Of folysyl begyngreatbyldyngewithoutsufficient
prouysion, ....
Of glotons,anddroncardes, . 92
Of rychesvnprofytable, . . 98
Of folysthat wyl seruetwo lordesboth togyther, 103
Of superfluespeche, ... 107
Of them that correctother, themself culpablein the
samefaut, . . . . 111
Of folysthat fyndeothersgood,nat restorynge
the
same to the owner, . . . 115
C The sermonor doctryneof wysdom, . . 119
Of Folys bostyngthemin fortune, . . 124
Of the superfluecuryosyteof men, . . 129
Of greatborowers,& slackepayers, . . 133
Of vnprofitable vowers & peticions, . . 137
Of negligentstodyers, . . . .142
Of themthat folvsshlyspekeayenstthe workesof god, 148
Of lewdeJugesof othersdedes, . . 152
Of pluralyteesof benefyces, . . .156
Of synnersthat prolongefromdaye to dayto amende
theyr myslyuyng, . . . . 162
Of men that ar Jelous, . . .. 166
Of auoutry,and speciallyof sucheas ar bawdesto
theyrwynes, . . . . 171
Tabula. cxix
An exhortacionof AlexanderBarclay.
But ye that shalredethis boke: I you exhorte.
And you that ar herarstherof alsoI pray
Where as ye knowethat ye be of this sorte:
Amendeyour lyfe andexpellethat vyceaway.
Slombernatin syn. Amendeyou whyleye may.
And yf ye so do andensueVertue andgrace.
Wythin my Shypye get no rowmene place.
Barclaythe translatourtho the Poles.
Blasphemers
of Chryst; Hostlers; andTauerners:
Crakarsandbosterswith Couriersauenterous,
Bawdes and Pollers with comon extorcioners
Ar takennoweadayes
in theworldemoste
glorious.
But thegyftesof graceandal wayesgracious
Wehaueexcluded.Thuslyuewecarnally
:
Utterlysubdued
to al lewdnes
andFoly.
To tenderyouthmymyndeis to auayle
That theyeschewe
mayall lewdenesandoffence
Whichedoththeyrmyndes oftensoreassayle
Closynge the iyenof theyrintellygence
But if I halt in meteror errein eloquence
Or be to largein langage I prayyou blamenat me
For mymateris sobadit wyll noneotherbe.
[ The Argument. ]
Here after foloweththe Boke namedthe Shypof Foles
of the world : translatedout of Laten, French and Doche
into Englyssein the Colegeof saynt Mary Otery By me
AlexanderBarclayto the feliciteandmosteholsominstruc-
cion of mankyndethe whicheconteynethal sucheaswandre
from the way of trouth andfrom the openPath of holsom
vnderstondynge and wysdom: fallyngeinto dyuers blynd-
nessesof ye mynde,folysshesensualytees, and vndlawful
delectacions of the body. This present Bokemyght haue
ben callydnat inconuenyently the Satyr (that is to say) the
reprehencion of foulysshnes,
but the neweltyeof the name
wasmoreplesantvnto the fyrst actourto call it the Shypof
foles: For in lyke wyseasolde PoetesSatyriensin dyuers
Poesyesconioynedrepreuedthe synnesand ylnes of the
pepleat that tyme lyuynge: so andin lyke wysethis our
Bokerepresentedvnto the iyenof theredarsthe statesand
condicionsof men: so that eueryman may behold within
the samethe coursof his lyfe andhismysgouerned maners,
as he sholde beholdethe shadoweof the fygure of his
visagewithin a bright Myrrour. But concernynge the trans-
lacionof this Boke: I exhort ye redersto take no displesour
for y* it is nat translatedword by wordeacordingeto ye
versesof my actour. For I hauebut only draweninto our
modertunge,in rude langagethe sentences of the versesas
nere asthe parcyteof my wyt wyl suffer me, sometyme
addynge, somtymedetractinge and takinge away suche
thingesa semethmenecessary
andsuperflue. wherforeI
desyreof you reders pardonof my presumptuous
audacite
18 TheArgument.
trustynge
thatyeshallholdemeexcused
if yeconsyder
ye
scarsnes
of my wyt and my vnexpertyouthe. I hauein
manyplacesouerpasseddyuerspoeticaldigressions
and
obscurenes
of Fablesandhaueconcludedmy worke in rude
langage
asshalaperein my translacion.But the speciyl
cawsethat mouetheme to this besynesis to auoydethe
execrable
inconuenyences of ydilneswhyche(as saintBer-
nardsayth)is moderof al vices: andto the vtter derision
of obstynatmendelityngethemin folyesandmysgouernance.
But bycausethe nameof this boke semethto the redar to
precedeof derysion: andby that meanthat the substance
therof shuldenat be profitable: I wyl aduertiseyou that
this Bokeis namedthe Shyp of foles of the worlde: For
this worldeis noughtelsbut a tempestous se in the whiche
we daylywanderandarecastein dyuerstribulacionspaynes
andaduersitees : someby ignoraunceandsomeby wilfulnes:
wherforesuche doersar worthyto be calledfoles.synsthey
gydethemnatby reason ascreatures resonableoughtto do.
Therforethe fyrst actourewillyngeto deuydesuchefoles
fromwysemen andgodelyuers: hatheordeyned vponthe
seof thisworlde
thispresent
Shypto contayne
thesefolysof
ye worlde,whichear in greatnomber. So that who redeth
it perfytely
consyderynge
his secrete
dedys,he shallnot
lyghtlyexcuse
hymselfeoutof it, whatsoeuergoodname
yl hehathoutwarde
in themouthof thecomontye,Andto
theentent yl this mylabouremaybe the morepleasaunt
vntolettredmen,I haueadioynedvntothesameye verses
ofmyActour
withdyuerse
concordaunces
of theBybyllto
fortyfymywrytynge
by the same,
andalsoto stopthe
enuyous
mouthes
(If anysucheshalbe)of themthatby
malyce
shallbarke
ayenst
thismybesynes.
Here begynneth the foles and first
inprofytablebokes.
Perchaunce
thouthynkestthatgodtakethno hede
To mannes
dedys,nor workesof offence
Yescertaynly
heknowesthy thoughtanddede
No thyngeissecrete,
norhydfromhispresence
Whereforeif thouwyltgydetheby prudence
Or thou gyueJugementof materlesseor more
Takewyse
mennys
reade
andgoodcounsayle
before
Of Euyl Coum~eHours. 27
Loke in what Balance,what weyght andwhat mesure
Thou seruest other, for thou shalt serued be
Therforeye yongeStudentes
of the Chauncery
:
(I spekenat to the olde the Cure of them is past)
Rememberthat Justycelongehath in bondagebe
28 Of £uy! Counsel/ours.
Reduceye hir nowevnto lybertyeat the last.
Endeueryou hir bondesto louseor to brast
Hir raunsome is paydeandmoreby a thousandepounde
And yet alasthe ladyJustycelyeth bounde.
Amongeinfernallflodestedyousandhorryble
Let sewhatauayleththan all his ryches
Ungracyously gotyne,his paynesar terryble
Than\voldehe amendebut it is inpossyble
In hell is no ordernor hopeof remedy
Butsorowe
vponsorowe,
andthateuerlastyngly.
He thatis symple,
andon thegroundedothlye
And that canbe contentwith ynougheor suffisaunce
Is surerby mochethanhe that lyeth on hye.
Nowe vp nowedownevnsureasa Balaunce.
But sothlyhe that setwyll his plesance
Onely on wysdomand styl therrbre labour.
Shalhauemoregoodethan all erthly tresour.
By couetyse
Crassus
broughtwasto his ende.
By it theworthyRomayns
losttheyrname.
Of thisoneyl a thousand
yllesdothdescende.
Besydeenuy,Pryde,wretchydnes andShame.
Crates
thePhilosopher
dydCouetyse
soblame
:
Thatto haue
hismynde
vntohisstody
fre.
He threwehis Tresourall hole into the see.
andProdygalyte. 33
But shortly to conclude. Both bodelybondage.
And gostlyalso: procedethof this couetyse.
The souleis damnedthe body hath damage
As hunger,thyrst, andcoldewith other prejudice.
Bereftof the ioyesof heuenlyParadyse.
For goldewastheyr god andthat is left behynde
Theyr bodyesberyedthe soulecleneout of mynde
Sometheyrneckescharged withcolers,andchaynes
As golden
withtthes
: theyrfyngersful of rynges
:
Theyrneckes
naked : almostevntotheraynes
Theyrsleues
blasingelyketo a Cranyswynges
Thusbythisdeuysinge
suche counterfayted
thinges
Theydysfourme
thatfigurethatgodhymselfe
hathmade
Onprydeandabusionthusartheyrmyndeslayde
Of newe
fassions
anddisgised
garmentes.
j7
Than the Courierscarelesthat on theyr maysterwayte
Seingehym his Uesturein suchefourmeabuse
Assayeth sucheFassionfor them to counterfayte.
And so to sue Pryde contynually they muse.
Thanstelethey, or Rubbethey. Forsoththeycannatchuse.
For without Londe or Labour harde is it to mentayne.
But to thynke on the Galows that is a careful payne.
To ShypGalauntescomenereI sayagayne.
Wyth your set BusshesCurlyngeasmenof Inde.
Ye counterfaytedCourterscomewith your fleingebrayne
Expressedby thesevariableGarmentesthat ye fynde.
To tempt chastDamselsandturne themto your mynde
Your bresteye discouerandnecke. Thus your abusion
Is the Fendesbate. And your soulesconfusion.
38 Of'newe
fass'wnsanddisgised
garmentes.
Comeneredisgysed foles: receyueyourFolesHode.
And ye that in sondrycoloursar arayde.
Ye gardedgalantes wastingethusyourgoode
Comenerewith your Shertes brodered anddisplayed.
In fourmeof Surplys. Forsothit maybe sayde.
That of yourSortright feweshalthryuethis yere.
Or that yourfaderswerithsucheHabytein the Quere.
But yeproudeGalaundes
that thusyourselfe
disgise
Be ye asshamed.
beholdevnto your Prynce.
Consyder
his sadnes
: His honestye
deuyse
His clothyngeexpressethhis invvardeprudence
Ye seno Exampleof sucheInconuenyence
In his hyghnes: but godly wyt andgrauyte.
Ensuehym : andsorowefor your enormyte.
40 Of'newe
fasslonsanddlsglsed
garments
s
Away with this pryde,this statelynes
let be
Redeof the Prophetisclothynge or vesture
And of Adamfirste of your ancestrye
Of Johnn the Prophete,theyr clothyngewasobscure
Uyle and homly, but nowe what creature
Wyll theneusue,sothlyfewe by theyr wyll
Therforesuchefolysmy nauy shallfulfyll
Of old folys that is to saythe longer they
lyue the more they ar gyuen to foly.
Awakeagealaswhatthynkestthoube
AwakeI sayout of thy blyndederkenes
Remembrestthou nat that shortly thou shalt dye
Arysefrom synneamendethy folysshenes
Thoughthy youthretedwerein vyciousnes
Aryse in ageis full tyme to leue it
Thy graueis openthy onefote in the pyt
Whatthingeis moreabhomynable
in goddes
syght.
Thanviciousage: certaynlyno thynge.
It isekeworldlyshame,
whanthy corage
andmycht
Is neredekayed,
to kepethy lewdelyuynge.
Andby example
of the,thy yongechildren
to brynge.
Into a viciouslyfe : andall goodnesto hate.
Alas age thus thou art the Fendesbate.
Of the erudicionof neglygentfaders
anensttheyr chyldren.
Thatfulethatsuffreth
hisChyldefor to offende
Wythoutrebukynge, blame,andcorreccion.
And hymnatexhorteth,hymselfe to amende.
Of suchefawtesasby hymar done,
Shalit sorerepent: godwotehowcsone
For oft the fadersfoly, fauour,andneglygence
Causeththe Chylde for to fall to greatoffence
46 Of theerudicwn
of negligent
fciders
A myserable Poleeuermoreshalhe be.
A wretchevnauysed, anda Catyf blynde.
Whichehis chyldrenfawtesforsethnat to see
Hauyngeno carefor to inducetheyr mynde
To godly vertue: andvyceto leue behynde.
For whyletheyar yongeferefulandtenderof age
Theyrevyceandfolyis easyto asswage.
Twodyuers
sortes
of these
folesmaywefynde.
By whome
theyrchyldrenar broughtto confusion.
Theoneis neglygent.
theotheris starkeblynde.
Nat wyllyngeto beholde
hischildesyl condicion.
Whyle he is in youthe: But for a conclusion
He isa Folethatwylnatsetheyrvyce.
Andhethatseyth:andwylit natchastyce.
Alas thou art a cursedcounselloure
To wantonyouththattenderisof age
To letthemwanderwithoutgouernoure
Orwysemayster,
in youthes
furiousrage
Getthemamayster
theyrfolyto asswage
Forasaherdles
flocke
strayth
inJepardy
Sochildren
without
gydewandreth
infoly.
Tomoche
lyberty
pleasoure
andlycence
Gyuen vntoyouth,
whetherit beorage
Rightoften
causyth
great
inconuenyence
Asryotmysrule
withothersoredamage
Theyr
londe
andgoodes
solde
orlayde
togage
Butthoufolysshe
fatherartredyto excuse
Thyyonge children
of theyrsynneandabuse
theyrchildren. 47
Thou saystthey ar ouer tenderto eschewe
Theyr folysshemanersand they haueno skyll
To knowe the wayes of goodnesor vertue
Nor to discernewhat is gode,what is yll
Thou blyndedodartthesewordesholdethou styll
Theyr youth cannat excusethy folysshenes
He that canyll aswell myght lerne goodnes
Thefedermade
butsmal
shyftorprouysion.
Toinduce
hisSonbyvertuous
doctryne.
Butwhanheisdtdeandpast:moche
lesshaltheson
Tostody
ofgrace
hismynde
orhertinclyne.
Butabuse
hisreason:
andfromalgood
declyne.
Alasfolysshe
faders
gyueyouraduertence
ToCrates
comphynt
comprysed
in thissentence.
If it were
graunted
tometoshewe
mythought
Yefollysshe
faders
Caytifes
I myght
youcal
Whiche
gather
riches
tobrynge
your
chylde
tonought.
Gyuynge
himoccasion
fortobeprodigal.
Butgoode
norcunnynge
shewe yehymnoneatall.
Butwhan
yedrawe
toage,
yethan
mostecomonly.
Sorowe
foryour
suffrance.
Butwithout
remedy.
Anensttheyrchildren. 5i
An olde sore to hele is oft halfe incurable
THE ENUOY.
Therforeye bacbyters
that folkethusdyffame
Leueof your lewdnesandnote wel this sentence.
WhichCryisthymselfsayd: to greatrebukeandshame
Unto them that sclandretha man of Innocence.
Wo be to themwhychby malyuolence
Slandrethor dyffamethany creature.
But wel is hym that wyth paciencecanindure.
Of hym that wyll nat folowe nor ensue
good counsell,and necessary.
The Bybyllwytnessyth
howethe propheteThoby
Gaue his dere sone in chefe commaundement
That if he woldelyue sure without ieoperdy
He sholdesuethe counsayle of men wyseandprudent
The story of Roboamis alsoeuydent
Whiche for nat suyngeof counseyllandwysdome
Lost his Empyre, his scepterandkyngdome
Thusar thesewretchyd
caytyfes
fullyblynde
All menandwymenthat goodar doth themhate
But hethatwithgoodmaners
endueth
hismynde
Auoydeth this wrath hateredand debate
His dedes
pleaseth
bothcomontyandestate
And namelysucheasar goodandlaudable
Thynkethhisdedesright andcommendable
Of dlsordred
andvngoodly
maners. 65
As wysemensayth: both vertueandcunnynge
Honoureandworshypgraceandgodlynes
Of worthy manerstake theyr begynnynge
And fere alsoasswagythwantones.
Subduyngethe furour of youtheswylfulnes
But shamefastnestrouth Constance
andprobyte
Both yongeandolde bryngeth to great dignyte.
Theseforesaydevertueswith chariteandpeas.
Together assembled stedfastin mannysmynde.
Cawsethhis honourand worthynesto encreas.
And his godly lyfe a godly endeshalfynde
But theselewdecaytyfswhich doth theyr myndesblynde
With corrupt manerslyuyngevnhappely.
In shamethey lyue andwretchedlythe} dye.
Of brekynge
andhurtynge
of amyte
and
frendshyp.
Ye cruellfolysfull of ingratitude.
Arysebe asshamyd of your iniquyte
Mollyfy your hertesvnkyndestuberneandrude
Graffynge
in themtrueloueandamyte
Consyder
thisprouerbeof antyquyte
And your vnkyndnes
weraybanandcurse
Forwhether thoubeof hyor lowedegre
Betteris afrendein courtethana penyin purse
Of contempt, or dispisynge of holy
scripture.
If anymysfortuneaduersyteor wo
As often hapnyth, to suchea fole doth fall
Than saythhe I thoughtit woldenat hauebe so
But than ouer late is it agayneto call
It is nat ynoughthou fole to sayI shall
For this one daye prouyde me by wysdome
A wysemanseythperyll longebeforeit come
He is vnwyseandof prouysyonpore
That noughtcansebeforehe hauedamage
Whan the stedeis stolynto shyt the stabledore
Comyssmallpleasoure profyteor vauntage
But he that cansuchefolysshenes asswage
Begynnynge by counsayll,andfore prouydence
Is sureto escapeall inconuenyence
HeredrawewefoJysmad togytherbounde
Whom Uenuscaughthathin hyr neta snare
Whoseblyndehertesthis forourdothconfounde
Theyr lyfe consumynge
in soroweshameandcare
Manyonesheblyndethalasfewecanbeware
Of hyr darteshedyd with shameand vylany
But he that is wondyd can skantyndc remedy
80 Of disordred
loueandveneryous.
O cruel Uenus forsoth who doth insue
Thy flateryngegylysandproudecommaundement
And hastyth nat the dartis to eschewe
Of blynde Cupidobut folowyshisintent
Suchefolys enduremochesoroweandturment
Wastyngetheyr goodesdishonestynge their name
As pastfere of god andsekyngeafter shame
WhatshallI wrytethegreuous
forfayture
Of Sodom
andGoraorsynsthe Bybylldothtell
Of their synnesagaynstgod andnature
For whichethey sankealyuedowneinto hell.
Thusit aperithwhatpunysshement
cruell.
Our lordehath takenboth in the olde laweandnewe
For this synne: whichesholdevs moueit to eschewe
Qfdisordredhueandveneryous. 83
Somesowedronke,swaloyngemetewithout mesure
Somemawdelayne dronke,mournyngelowdly andhye
Somebeyngedronkeno lengercanendure
Without they gyuethemto bawdyrybawdry
Somesweretharmysnaylesherte and body.
Teryngeour lord worse,than the Joweshym arayed
Somenoughtcanspeke,but harkenythwhat is sayd.
Somespue,somestackersomevtterlyar lame
Lyengonthegrounde
withoutpowerto ryse
Somebostthemof bawdryferyngeof no shame
Somedumme, andsome speketh.
ix. wordes
atthryse
Somecharge theyrbelywithwynein suche
wyse
Thattheyrleggesskantcanberevpthebody
Hereis a sortto drowne
a holenauy.
Ofglotons
anddronkardes. 97
To manyonerychesis mochenecessary
Whiche canit orderright asit ought to be
But vnto other is it vtterly contrary
Whiche thenvith disdaynethto socourepouerte.
Nor them relefe in theyr aduersyte
Sucheshallour lorde sorepunysshefynally
And his petycionrightwyslydeny
IO2 Ofrychesvnprofytable.
Ye greatestatisandmenof dignyte
To whomegodin this lyfe hath sentryches
Haueye compassion,on paynfullpouertye
And themconfortein theyr carefullwretchydnes
God hym loueth and shall rewarde doutles
Whicheto the nedyfor hym is charitable
With heuenlyioy, whichetreasouris endeles
So shallthy richesto the be profytable.
Of hym that togyder wyll serue
two maysters.
With greatthoughtes
he troublethsorehisbrayne
Hismyndevnstable,
hiswyt alwaywandrynge
:
Noweherenowetherehisbodylabours
in payne
And in no placeof stedfast
abydynge.
Noweworkynge
nowmusynge
nowrenynge
nowrydynge
Nowonseenoweonlonde,thanto seagayne
Somtyme
to Fraunce,
andnowetoFlaunders
orSpayne
Of hymthatwyll seruetwomaysters.105
Thus is it paynfullandno thyngeprofytable
On manylaboursa manto set his mynde
For noutherhis wyt nor body canbe stable
Whiche wyll his body to dyuerschargisbynde
Whyle onegoth forwardethe otherbydesbehynde
TherforeI the counseyllfor thyneownebehoue
Let go this worlde and seruethy lorde aboue
Ye bablyngebrybours,endeueryou to amende
Mytygat by mesure,your prowdehastylangage
Kepewell your tungesso, shallye kepe your frende
For hastyspecheingendrethgreatdamage
Whan a wordeis nat sayd,the byrde is in the cage
Also the housis surestwhanthe dorysbe barryde
So whanthy wordeis spokynandout at large
Thou arte nat mayster,but he that hath it harde
If thou take hedeandsettherto thy brayne
In this worldthou shaltfyndethyngesthre
Whicheonespast,cannatbe callydagayne.
The firsteis (tymelost)by mannes
symplycyte
The seconde(youth) reuokedcannat be
Thethyrde(a wordespoken)
it goothoutin thewynde
And yetis thefourth,that is (virginyte)
My forgetfullmynde,hadlefteit nerebehynde
Of them that correct other and yet them
selfedo nought and synneworse than
they whom they so correct.
Theymockeandmoweat anothers
smalloffence
And redy ar a fautein themto fynde
But of theyrownefoly andinconuenyence
They seno thynge,for fully ar they blynde
Nat notyngethe vyce rotyd in theyr owne mynde
Theyr greuouswoundesand secretemalady
For theyr owne yll they seke no remedy
In goddys
lawesgroundyd
in scripture
And blameall synnessparyngeno degre
Whyle ye rebukethus theyr enormyte
Lyuesothat nonemaycausehaueyou to blame
And if ye do nat: it is to your greatshame
Somefyndethtreasoursothermennys good
And in theyrownevsesuchegoodtheyoccupy.
Whicheof theyrmyndes ar soblyndeandwode.
And soretedin theyrerrourandfoly
Thatofttheysay(say)yeanddarebydeby
Thatsome sayntwhome theyworshyppedhaue
Hauesende,themthesame theyrhonestee
to saue
Theyhaue
noforcenorcare,northeynonehauewyll
Towhometheryches
solostedydeapertayne
Thatfortune
hathgyuen
theyholde
fastandkepestyll
Neuerhauyngemynde it to restore
agayne
Suche
folysferenothynge euerlastynge
payne
Nornotenat,thatwithouttruerestytucion
It small
auayleth
tohaue
made
confessyon.
Heremefolewiththyimmoderate
mynde
Heremeanddothyhertetherto
aply
If thoubyfortune
anyryches
fynde
Callynge
it thyne
: thoulyest
therin
falsly
If thou
haue wytthoucanst
natwelldeny
Butthatgode
natgyuen,
norgottyn
bylaboure
Can
natberightwyse
: thus
mende
thyblynde
erroure
Oughtof another
mannys. ii7
If thou ought fyndethat longethnat to the
Than is it anothers,the caseis clereand playne
Wherfor thou ought of laweandof dewte
Unto the ownerit sooneto yeldeagayne
But if he be dede,to whomeit dyd attayne
Thou ought nat yet to kepeit nerethe more.
But to his sectoursor heyresit restore
Ye falseexecutours
whomeall the worlderepreuys
And ye that fyndemennesgoodesor treasoures
I call you asbadasrobbersor theuys
For ye by your falshodeandmanyfoldeerrours
Kepefalslythatthyngewhicheis noneof yours
And wastherethe goodesof hymthat is past
Thesoulelyethin payne,
yetakeyourpleasours.
With hisryches,damnynge
yourownesouleat the last
Of the sermonor erudicion of wysdome
bothe to wyse men and folys.
Lernemortallmen,stodyenge
day andnyght
To knowemewysdome, cheferote of chastyte
My holydoctryne
thy herteshallclereandlyght
My tungeshallshewethe ryght andequyte
Chaseout thy foly, causeof aduersyte.
And sekeme wysdomewhiche shall endewethy mynde
With helth and welth wherby thou lyfe shalt fynde
No manerJowellis to melykecertayne
Ne so profytableto mortallcreature
I passe
all rychesandcausea manrefrayne
His myndefrom synne,andof his endebe sure
Thereisnotreasoure
norprecious
stonesopure
CarbuncleRubyne adamondin londenorsee
Nor otherlapydarycomparable
to me:
Both to wysemenandjolys. 121
And shortly to spekewysdomeis morelaudable
Than all the worldeor otherthyngemundayne
There is no treasoure:to wysdomecomparable
But it alone is a vertue mostesouerayne
Hauyngenoughtlyke in valourenor worth certayne
No fole is so ryche,nor hye of dignyte
But that a wysemanporeis moreworthy than he
Wysdomepreseruethmenin auctoryte
Pryncespromotyngeby counseyllprouydent
By it poremensomtyme,andof lovvedegre
Hath had the hole worlde to them obedyent
It gydeth Cyteesand countreesexcellent
And gouerneththe counseyllof pryncelordeandkynge
Strengthyngethe body the herteenlumynynge
Therforemankynde
setthy myndeandintent
To me wysdometo be subiectandseruaunt
To mypreceptis
be thouobedyent
And heuenlyioy thou shaltnat lackenor want
For doutles
theyar madandignoraunt
Andfolysblyndyd
whosoeuertheybe
That wyll natgladlybe seruauntes
vntome
Bothto wysemenandfolys. 123
He is a fole whichesettythconfydence
On frayle fortune vncertayneand mutable
His myndeexakyngein pryde and insolence
Becausethat shesomtymeis fauorable
As if she wolde so be perdurable
Suchefolys oft whanthey thynke them most sure
All sodaynlygreatmysfortune
endure
Ofhauynge
confydence
infortune. 125
Amongeour fblys he ought to hauea place
And so he shall for it is resonable
Whanthefoulefende,fatherof vnhappynes
Poremanpurposythby falshodeto begyle
He sendeth
hymwelthworldly,andfalsryches
And causeth
fortune,awhyleon hymto smyle
Whichewithhir blyndenes
dothmankynde
sodefyle
That whyle they trust in hir fauourto sore.
They dammetheyr soulesin hell for euermore
Of hauynge
confidence
infortune. 127
By large examplesthou echeday maystese
The chaungeof fortune and the endevncertayne
Wherfore to bostethe of hyr commodyte
It is great foly andalsothyngein vayne
From this lewdnesthy myndetherforerefrayne
And be content with fortune moderate
We hauein storyesmanyexamplesgreat
Shewyngethe lewdeendeof this curyosyte.
I redeof Alexanderthat dyd often sweate
In great peryls to augmenthis dignyte
He wasnat contentwith europeandasye
Nor all the groundeunderthe fyrmament
At the last ende,cowdenat his myndecontent
A manthat is besybotheuynandmorowe
With rauysshyngeclawysandinsaciable
Of his frendesand neyghboursto beggeand to borow
To the deuouryngewolfeis mostlykeor semblable
Suchein our shypshallnat wanta babyll
Forhethatstyllborowes
shallskanthymquyteor telde
And as a wretchethe asseshall hym ouertrcdde
134 Of themthatar alwayborowynge.
That fole thathymselfea dettourdothmake
To dyuerse men,andis borowynge alway
Rightponderous chargeson hymdothtake
Borowynge of oneanothertherwithto pay
Thoughehe be gladto hauelongetermeandday
To hym assygnedto makehis payment
It noughtauayleth,for soonethe tymeis spent
Therforein thissatyresuche
wyll I repreue
And nonethatborowenor leneon amyte
Thevsurers:falscristen
menin theyrbyleue
Folowethewarenwayof theyriniquyte
Prohybyte
byJaweiustyce
andequyte
Theyrvnclene
hertes,
andmynde,
vnhappely
Onlucresettynge,
comyngebyvsury
Of themthatar alwayborowynge.135
They hepetheyr synnein quantytehorryble
Labowryngethat lewdeburthengretter to make
And that soreweght tedyoseand terryble
With a greatrope vpontheyr shulderstake
The weyghtvp takenall theyr hole ioyntesquake
Thus thesecaytyfswith this rope andburthyn heuy
Them selfehangedamnyngetheyr souleeternally
Thoufolemysmyndyd
to largeof sconscyence
To the I spekethat art a lewde dettour
Borowethouno thynge,noblegrotene pens.
Morethanthoumaystagaynepaythy credytour
Rightsoendeuerthe to paythy sauyour
Hisrightanddewty,witha gladwyll andfayne
That is trueseruyce,
with glory andhonour
Thanshaltthousurely
escape
infernall
payne.
Of inprofytable and vayneprayersvowes
and peticyons.
Agaynstgodgrutche,but euerydayandhoure
Magnyfyethe dedysof god his creatoure
Somemakeexchanges andpermutacions
Sometake to ferme,andsomelet out agayne
Other folysfor hopemakeresignacions
And somefor one god scosythgladly twayne
Somelyueth longein hungerandin payne
And in the somerday skarslydrynkethtwyse
Sparynge
monaytherwithto by a benefyce
I 60 Of themwhiche
charge
themselfe
Somefor no wagesin court doth attende
With lorde or knyght, andall for this polecy
To get of his lorde a benefyceat the ende
And in the meanetyme ensuethrybawdry
And somtymelabourethby chraft of symony.
He playetha falscast,nat cessyngeto coniure
Tyll of somebenefycehe at the last be sure
He that eraserassyngeth
with the crowe
Deferryngethe tyme of his amendement
Amongeourfolys,in thisour shypshallrowe
For his presumpcion,
dull myndeand blynde intent
What knowethesefolyswhethergodomnypotent
Wyll grauntthemto lyuevntyll anotherday.
Wheiforeweoughtto mendevs whylewemay.
Of thame
thatprolonge,
&c. 163
If vnto any almyghtygod doth sende
From heuen aboue by inspyraciondyuyne
Wyll andgodemyndehis synnesto amende
And with his gracehis thoughtes enlumyne
If that synner wyll nat therto enclyne
But doth dyffer anddryue fromeday to day
A fole he is, no wyse man wyll denay
For whereasperchaunce
theyr wyfesar chasteandgoode
By mannysvnkyndnesthey chaungeandturne theyr herte
So that the wyfe must nedesgyue them a hode
But to be playnesomewymenar esyto conuert
For if onetake them wherethey cannat start.
What for theyr husbondesfolyssheJelowsy
And theyr ownepleasour: they scarscanought deny
Be meke,demure,bocsome,andobedyent,
Gyuenoneoccasyonto menby your foly
If oneought asshe,deny it incontynent
And euer after auoyde his company
170 Ofhym thatis Jelonsonerhiswyfe.
Beware of comes,do nat your erys aply
To pleasauntwordesnor letters eloquent
If that Helenahadso donecertaynly
Shehadnat venrauysshedby handesviolent
Of auoutry, and specially of them yf ar
bawdesto their wyues,knowynge and
wyll nat knowe, but kepecounseyll,for
couetyse,and gaynesor auauntage.
Yet is anotherthyngemorelothsome
andvyle
Thatmanyhusbondes
knowynge
theyrwyues
syn
Absentthemselfe
andstoptheyriyenthe whyle
Kepyngethe dorewhyle the auoutreris within
Theyforsenothyngesotheymaymoney
wyn
Lyuynge
asbawdes,
andthatto theyrowne
wyues
O cursyd
money,
thismadnesthoucontryuys
Ofauoutry. 173
O cursyd husbondethou ought to be asshamyd
To set so greatfors for sylueror for golde
That thou for them thy wyfe wyll se difFamyd
And helpetherto: ye : andthe dedebeholde
Blameit blyndedryuyll: by the laweso thou sholde
And nat therat to gyggyll lagheandJest
It is a lewdebyrde that fyleth his ownenest
Theysemoche
nought
lernynge,
andhauynge
nodelyte
In wysdome
normaners
vertuenorgoodnes
Theyrtymeisloste,without
wysdome
or profyte
Withoutgrace,or otherholynes
But whyletheylabourthuswithbesynes
If theyseoughtnewe,
or anyfolysshe
toy
Thatlyghtly
theylerne,
andsettheron
theyrioy.
jind noughtwyll Ierne. 177
By this desyrefolys may knowenbe
For wytles menof fleyngemyndeandbrayne
Ar best pleasydwith thyngesof neweltye
And themto haue,they spareno costnor payne
To dyuerslondesto renbut all in vayne
And so they labour alway from londe to londe
To seall wonders,but noughtthey vnderstonde
O vnauysyd,vnwyseandfrowardeman
Greatcausethou hastto mornesoreandcomplayne
Whan no goodnesvertue nor wyt thou can
And yet to lernethou hastscorneanddysdayne
Alas manmende,and spareno maner payne
To get wysdome, andit thou shaltnat want
Hym that noughtwyll knowe,god wyll nat knowecertayne
Wo is hym that wylfully is ignorant.
Of great wrathe, procedynge of small
occasyon.
Comenere,yewrathfullmen,takeyourrowme
andplace
Within our shyp,andto slakeour hastynes
Mount on an Assesloweof hir gate andpace
Synstroublouswrath,in you,styreththismadnes
Oftenlackeof myghtasswagyth cruelnes
To a wyldecowegoddothshorthornyssende
Wrath is greatfoly, wheremyght may nat extende
This manmalycious
whichetroubledis with wrath
Nought els soundethbut the hoorseletter R
Thougheall be well, yet he noneanswerehath
Sauethe dogges
letter,glowmynge
with narnar
Suche labour nat this mad rancour to defar
Nor yethismalyceto mytygateor asswage
But ioyethto be dredeof menfor thisoutrage
In stormywyndeslowesttreesar mostsure
And howsyssurestwhichear nat byldyd hye
Where ashye byldyngesmay no tempestendure
Without they be foundydsure andstedfastly
So gretestmenhauemostefere andieopardy
Better is pouertyethoughit be hardeto bere
Than is a hye degrein ieopardyandfere,
Thusasmethynkeit is no thyngelawdable
On fortuneswhele,for oneto clymto hye
Syns the swyft cours therof is so vnstable
And all mustweleuewhanwe departanddye
Of our shortlyfe hauewe no certayntye
For lachesys
(whanthat thouhastlefte drede)
Of thy lyue dayesshallshortlybreke the threde.
Of themutabylyte
offortune. 189
Atropos is egall to pore man and estate
Defarwyll nat deth by prayerne request
No mortallmanmayhis furour mytygate.
Nor of hym haueoneday longerhereto rest:
Contentthe with measure(therfore) for it is best
Coueytnat to mochein honourto excell
It is a fowle fall to fall from erth to hell
Obstynatfrowardeor inobedyent
Ought he nat be, but with a pacyentmynde
Sheweall his soristruly playneand euydent
To the Phesicianif he wyll socourfynde.
And thoughehis saluysin paynes
hym sorebynde.
Let nat for that, but after his wyll the gyde
Bettera shortepayne,than that doth longeabyde
And alsosuchebostersandcrakerscomonly
Whichedoththeyrmyndein hastywordesdeclare
Of other menar lytell or noughtsetby
And by theyr wordes,full often yll they fare
A manalsomay ryght easelybe ware
Of folyswhichethustheyrcounsell
out expres
Whose thretenyngsto theyr foesis armourand harnes
Of oneropen
takynges
of counsell.
199
But hymcallI wyseandcraftyof counsell
Whiche kepethclosethe secretisof his mynde
And to no man\vyll themdisclosenor tell
To mannor woman,ennemynor yet frynde
But do his purposewhanhe best tyme canfynde
Without worde spekynge,and somay his intent
Best cometo ende,his foo, beyngeinprouydent
We sethe mockyngescorneandderysyon
That folyshath ofte tyme whanthey offende
We setheyr losse,theyr, shameandtheyr confusion
Howe be it all this can cause vs to amende
We fyndeHystorieswryten longeandample
In dyuersbokesof greatauctoryte
The hole Bybyll shewethto vs example
Howe they werepunysshedthat lyuyd in cruelte
I fyndealsowryten in bokesof Poetrye
Howe that Phetonwasbrent with the lyghtnynge
For his presumpcion,agaynsta myghty kynge
204 Qff°^s thatcannat beware
We haue examplealso by Icarus
Whiche contraryvnto the commaundement
Of his craftyfathernamed
Dedalus
By fleyngeto hye hiswyngesandfethersbrent
And so descendydandin the sewasdrent
Thus thesetwo endyngeby theyr lewdnesin care
By theyr examplesholdecausevs to beware
We dayly sebeforeour syghtand our presence
What mysauenture to manyonedoth fall
And that worthelyfor theyr synneandoffence
Yet ar we blynde,andar nat ware at all
But in our synneslyue vnto themegall
And whereby synnewe se onecometo shame
We wyllyngly (alas)ensuethe same
Therfore who sethe a mad fole come to wo
If poetisthat somtymevyceblamydanddiscommendyd
And holy Prophetiswhichealsodyd the same
To suchevayneandmortallwordeshad intendyd
They sholdenat hauedurst the peoplesvyceto blame
So sholdethey hauelost their honourandgoodname
Theyr fameandmeryt,but nowethey hauenat so
But spredtheyr fame,whicheneuerawayshallgo
208 Of themthatfor cethor careth
Forsoth nonelyueth within the worldewyde
Suchemekeso holy, so wyseor pacyent
Whiche can hym selfeat euerytymeso gyde
To pleaseechefole, for nonecan somecontent
Forsothhe myght be namedexcellent
Happy and blessydandlyuein welth andeas
Whiche eueryman cowdeseruecontentandpleas
If by mysfortunea rightwysemanoffende
He gladly suffreth a iuste correccion
And hym that hym techythtaketh for his frende
Hym selfeputtyngemekelyvnto subieccion
Folowyngehis preceptisandgooddyreccion
But if that one a Fole rebuke or blame
He shallhistecher,hate,sclaunder,
anddyffame
Of mockers,
scorners,
andjalseaccusers.
213
Howbeit his wordes,oft turne to his owne shame
And his ownedartis retourneto hym agayne
And so is he sore woundydwith the same
And in wo endyth,greatmyseryandpayne
It alsoprouyd full often is certayne
That they that on mockesalwaytheyr myndescast
Shall of all other be mocked at the last
To foloweryot, delytysandenormyte.
He lept hedelynge
into the flamyngefyre
Of a brennyngehyll whichecallydis Ethnay
To knowethetrouth,andnatureto enquyre
Whetherthatsameflamewereveryfyreor nay
Sowith hisdeththe trouthhe dyd assay
But whothatwoldehymdrawen
outof thathyll
Hadbena fole, synsit washis ownewyll
228 Of them
thatwyllynge
andknowingly
For why his myndewasblyndydsocertayne
Thatthoughe
a manhadhymdelyuered
than
The sameperyllwoldehe haueprouedagayne
As mad as he forsoth is euery man
That is at eas,and hym nat soholdecan
And alsohe that putteth hymselfein drede
Or fere and peryll, whereashe hath no nede
With syghtisodyousandabhomynable
Yet in the way ar folkesinnumerable
Alas manremembreheuensblyssednes
And thoughthe way be hardethat lyeth therto
Forsokeit nat for all that greatsharpnes
For at the endeis lyfe andrest also
Euerlastynge
glorywith otherioyesmo
But whothat takeththe otherwaycertayne
Shallfyndeat the endeeternallpayneandwo
Thoughe
thewaythether
beeasystreyght
andplayne
Of the yll exampleof eldersgyuyn vnto
youth.
I redehowethe PhylosopherDiogenes
Saydeby a childewhichedronkenwaswith wyne
That his Father was in that case doutles
Whanhe it gate,sohishye wyt dyuyne
Knewethat the childesmanersdyd inclyne
Vnto his Fathers, and so was it founde trewe
By themwhichewell that childesfaderknewe
238 Of theyll example
of elders.
But thoughthe Father andmotheralsobe nought
Without dout this onethyngeaperethplayne
That the childe is sucheas it is vp brought
And nat lyghtly chaungydwithout greatchargeor payne
Therfore let euery manhym selferefrayne
Within his housfrom all thyngeworthy blame
Than shall his children and seruautes do the same
Wantonwastfullandvaynevoluptuosyte
Oft blyndethattysyngevnto inconuenyence
Manythat ar rude,for theyrsymplycyte
And them as shepesleethfor all theyr innocence
But othersomeit kepythwith myghtandviolence
As bullesboundesureto enduregreatcare
And otherasbyrdesit tanglethin hir snare
240 Of bodely
pleasouror
Drawe nereye folys to you I crye andcall
Whiche ar of graceclenedestytuteand bare
Folowyngeyour lust andpleasourcorporall
But for your souleye take no thought ne care
To whomemay I this shamefulllust compare
Saueto a harlat faynynge,fals andcouetous.
Of whomecomythshameand bytesvenemous
Amendemadmenyour blyndemysgouernaunce
Subduenat yournecketo the captyuyte
Of flysshelylust andcorporallpleasaunce
Nor to blyndeVenuswith hir lasciuyte
(If ye it note) ye dayly here and se
The mysfortuneof themthat it ensue
And certaynly no man can sauedbe
By carnall lust, but by godly vertue
Of folys that cannat kepe secretetheyr
owne counsel!.
His ennemyes
murdredandhym selfealso
Amphiarausa Pryncemosteexcellent
Shortened
the dayesof his poredoutfulllyfe
For shewyngethe preueteesof his intent
By his ownefoly to his disceytfullwyfe
And thoughehe longeescaped had the stryfe
And war of Thebeswhichehe dyd longedefende
Yet at the leesthis tunge washis owneende
Theyrownecounsel!. 245
Thus olde storyesdoth oft recordeandtell
By theyr examples whichethey vnto vs gyue
That wymenar no keparsof councell
It goeththrough themaswater trough a syue
Wherfore let themthat quyetly woldelyue
No moreof theyr counsellto any womanshowe
Than that they woldethat euerymandyd knowe
Suchefolysshewordessholdeall be foundevntrewe
Let neuer man to suche his counsell shewe
For of onewordethesefolys makyth twayne
Whiche tournethmanyto losserebukeandpayne
246 Offolysthatcannatkepetheyrcounsel
I.
Wherfore if thou wylt that thy pryuete
Be kept secreteandnat comeout at large
Be nat so folyssheto showeit vnto me
Or any other if it be thyngeof charge
And if thou do thou shalt be in this barge
For howewylt thou thynke that anotherman
Cankepethy counsell
synsthouthy selfene can
If the kyngeAchab had nat vttred andtolde
Vnto his wyfe his wyll andmyndeso playne
By hir fals treason,and dysceytmanyfolde
VnrightwyslyNabot hadnat ben slayne
But for the same,Achabsuffredgreatpayne
By deth in batayle,andfor a punysshment
His wyfe with houndeswasall to torne andrent
Thus it apereththat he is wyseandware
Whiche can his counsellkepewithin his hart
For by that meanmay he escapegreatcare
And suerlylyue without yll wyllys dart
The Propheteseyngewhat dyuerspaynessmart
Comyth oft to them whiche doth theyr secret tell
Eche man exortyth to kepe closehis counsell.
Butif I sholde
wryteallthevnhappynes
Thewrathdiscordeandthegreatdeuysyon
Wherintheylyue,thatmaryforryches
And nat for loue. I neuersholdehauedone
WherforethissayI for a conclusyon
Thatheshallneuerthryuenecometo hisbehoue
That weddytha wyfefor godeandnat for loue
To theyrivyues
for fheyrryches. 25I
Yet ar mo folyswhichegreatlythemdelyte
In otherslosse,and that by fals enuy
Wherby they suchevnrightwysly bacbyte
The dartis of sucheouer all the wordly fiye
And euerin fleyngetheyr fethers multyply
No statein erth therfro can kepehym sure
His sedeencivasyth
asit woldeeuerendure
Of enuyous
folys. 253
Wastyngeenuyoft styrethto malyce
Folysnat a fewe whichear therto enclynyd
Pryckyngetheyr frowardehertesvnto vyce
Of othersdamagereioysyngein theyr mynde
Enuyesdartedoth his begynnyngefynde
In wrathfull hertes, it wastyth his owne nest
Nat suffryngeother to lyue in easandrest
Suchehauesuchepleasour in theyrmadfolysshe
pype
That they dispyseall othermelody.
They leuerwoldedyefolysthan: bydea strype
For theyrcorreccyonandspecyall remedy
And without dout noneother Armony
To suchefolysis halfe so delectable
As is their folysshe
bagpypeandtheyrbabyll
Thesefrantykefolyswyllbydeno punysshement
Nor smalecorreccion, for theyrsynneandoffence
No frendlywarnyngecanchaunge theyryll intent
For to abydeit, they haueno pacyence.
Theyhereno wysdome but fle fromhir presence
And so it hapnyththat in the worldebe
Mo folysthanmenof wyt andgrauyte
258 Of impatient
folys
O mortall fole remember well what thou art
Thou art a man of erth madeandof clay
Thy dayesar short andnedethou must depart
Out of this lyfe, that canstthou nat denay
Yet hast thoureasonandwyt wherbythou may
Thy selfeheregydeby wysdome
ferineandstable
Wherby thou passestall bestisvnreasonable
Correccyon
shallthe vntowysdome brynge
Whicheis moreprecious thanall erthlyryches
Thanlondesrentisor anyotherthynge
Why dost thou bost the of byrth or noblenes
Of ryches,strengthbeautyor fayrnes
Theseoftenar causeof inconuenyence.
Whereasall goodcomythby wysdome
andprudence
thatwyll nat abyde
correction. 259
A wysemanonelyaswe often fynde
Is to be namedmosterycheandof mostmyght
Here thou his wordesandplant them in thy mynde
And folowethe samefor they ar sureandright.
Betteris to endure,thougheit be nat lyght
To suffera wysemanthe sharplyto repreue
Thana flaterynge
fole to clawethe by the sleue
Thoughesharpecorreccyon
at the first the greue
Thou shaltthe endetherof fyndeprofytable
It oft apereth,therforeI it byleue
That man also forsoth is fortunable
Whiche herein fere lyueth sureandstable
And in this lyfe is cleneof his intent
Feryngethe sharpepayneof hellyspunysshement
He mayhym selferight happy call also
Whiche is correctin his first tenderage
And solernyth in goodeslaw to go
And in his yocke,whichedoth all yll asswage
But thesefolys bydyngein theyr outrage
Whicheof correccyon in thislyfe hathdysdayne
May fereto be correctin hell with endlespayne
THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Ye obstynatefolys that often fall in vyce
Howe longeshallye kepe this frowardeignoraunce
Submytyourmyndes,andsofromsynnearyse
Let mekenesslakeyour madmysgouernaunce
Rememberthat worldly payne it greuaunce
To be compared to hell whichehath no pere
There is styll payne,this is a short penaunce
Wherfore correctthy selfewhyle thou art here.
Of folyssheFesycyans
and vnlernedthat
onelyfoloweparactykeknowyngenought
of the speculacyon
of theyr faculte.
SayththePhesycyan
whanhehathhisrewarde
Abydea whyletyll I mybokesouerse
WherbyI mayrelyuethy paynesharde
Thanfromthe pacyenthomewardedepartythhe
To sehis bokesbut if the pacyentdye
In that meanespacethe medycyneis to late
Somayhe lay it to hisownefolysshepate
Suchewytchesboldly dareaffermeandsay
That with oneherbethey hele caneuery sore
Under euerysyneplenete,houreandday
Yet besydethis they boldly daresaymore
That it that helyth a managedandhore
Shall helpe also a womanor a childe
Thus manythousandes
oft ar by thembegyled
QffolyssheFesycyans. 263
They sayalsoin this our chargeor cure
What nedesit note the synesor fyrmament
The causeof thynges,or the strengthof nature
Whether that the seke be stronge or impotent
They gyueone medesynto euerypacyent
And if it fortune it be to colde or warme
The faythleswylchein handegoth with hir scharme
So I concludebycauseof breuyte
That if one sought the worlde large and wyde
Therm sholde be founde no maner of dere
That canalwayin onecasesuerlybyde
Strength,honour,richescunnyngeandbeautye
All thesedecay,dayly: thoughewe complayne
Omniafert etas,both helth and iolyte
We all shalldye: cemonde
estcboce
vayne.
Of predestynacion.
THENUOY OF BARKLAY.
In dyuersbokesexamples
we mayfynde
HowemanyCyteeshygh and excellent
Agaynstall laweandreasonwere vnkynde
To sucheasdyd theyrdignyteaugment
O vnkynde rome thou was of this intent
Whiche hast Camyllusexyledin greatpayne
Thoughehe euer labouredthy honourto mentayne
THENUOY OF BARKLAY.
Remembermanthe greatpreemynence
Gyuenunto the by goodomnypotent
Bytwenethe andAngelsis lytell difference
And all thyngeerthly to the obedyent
Fysshebyrde and bestevnderthe fyrmament
Saywhat excusemaystthou nowelay or fynde
Synsthou art madeby god so excellent
But that thou oughtestagayneto hym be kynde.
In gyftis of graceasbeautyeandscyence
Of strength,godemaners,vertue,andeloquence
But thoughethey standein theyr owneconceytis
Nought is sauefoly within theyr folysshepatis
It is forsotha manerfemynyne
And nat for man to be so elegant
To suchetoyeswantonwymenmay inclyne
A yongemaydemay at her forhedehauependant
The vaynemyrrour to sehir shapepleasant
Man sholdenoughtset by to norysshehis beautye
But onelymanhodestrengthandaudacyte
To it comyschildren,maydesandwyues.
And flaterynge
yongemento seto hauetheyrpray
The handein handegreatfalshodeoft contryues
The oldequeanalsothis madnes wyll assay
And the oldedotardetlioughehe skantlymay
For age and lamenesstere outher fote or hande
Yet playethhe the fole with other in the bande
Of lepynges
anddauncis. 295
Thanlepe they about asfolke pasttheyr mynde
With madnesamasydrennyngein compace
He mosteis commendydthat can moste lewdnesfynde
Or can most quyckly ren about the place
There ar all manersvsydthat lackegrace
Mouyngetheyr bodyesin synesfull of shame
Whiche doth theyr hertesto synneright soreinflame
THENUOY OF BARKLAY
Amongethesebeggersalsois comonly
Braulyngedebatehateredandchydynge
Greatothes,mockesfalshodeand enuy
And onewith other euermorefyghtynge
As for theyrdronkennes
andvnsureabydynge
Theyr rebaudryboth in dedeandcommunycacion
Thesear chefepoyntisof theyr occupacion
Offolysshe
baggers
andof they
r vanytees.
305
If the beggerhauehis staf and his hode
One baggebehyndeandanotherbefore
Than thynkeshe hym in the myddesof his goode
Thoughethat his clothesbe raggydandto tore
His body nerebarehe hath no thought therfore
And if someman cloth them well to day
To moroweit shallagaynebe soldeaway
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