But as if for example you wil say Women ought to be â—shamed to be séen bibbing wine in common Tauernes or to be séen at common lasciuious and bawdie Stage Playes therfore they are ashamed therof This is an argument gathered from posse to estâ— to wit from should or ought to be to is simply and hath not any necessitie nor firmitie and that shall you see if you will goe with me to London this next Terme How be it you séem to inforce your antecedenâ— by the honorable existimation wherin I am bound to haue the Magistrate and Officer and therby you think that of dutie I ought to graunt it you for the shamefull consequencâ— whiche necessarily ensueth vpon the deniall therof Truely that notwithstanding me thinketh all this but a very bare and naked proof ¶ Simon maintaineth his assertion by authoritie of holy Scripture and diuersitie taken between the reward of Vertue Learning and Knowledge and the hire of seruile trauaile and labour Cap. 7. CAll you this a bare and naked proof Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoast if you denye this proof quoth hée you reuerse ouerthrow all humain societie which is maintained and vpholden by giuing vnto God that which is due vnto God and vnto man that which is due vnto man But vnto God what can wée giue saue honor praise glory first and immediatly vnto him self and secondly vnto his Deputies and Lieutenants to wit Magistrates Officers whose calling and appointing therunto as it is of God so must and ought wée to think that it is for their godlynes and vertues for God him selfe hath said them that honor me I will honor and they that dishonour mée I wil dishonour wherfore our wise and reuerend Elders and Forefathers in their assessing these great fées and charges did mean to honor them whome God honoured And therfore vnto their callings appoiÌ„ted they great and honorable reuenues knowing that their gain is the punishment of vice and the rewarde of Vertue and that the part portion of all the godly is therin knowing also that there is not so great Incouragement vnto Vertue and Godlynes as the liberall rewarde therof and that all vngodlynes and vnthankfulnes is measured by the greatnes of thy goodnes and benefit receiued either at the haÌ„ds of God or man Lastly knowing that they might not prosecute but persecute the causes occasioÌ„s of these gains as hath alredy béen prooued and therfore I say abooue all common reason and discretion they assessed these Fées and reuenues that the gains might be great and yet the causes therof few quite contrarie to all other estates and faculties for what other reason is there that one man shall labour sore a whole day at night shall receiue twelue pence or eight peÌ„ce for his hire Another for half or a quarter of an houres easie trauail shall receiue xx shillings or sometime more what is thâ— cause of this diuersitie euen this the one is a hire and a pricâ— of a seruile labour and trauell and is receiued in proper aâ—d priuat vse the other is an honor doone vnto vertue Godlâ—nes and knowledge which doo receiue nor holde or accouâ—t any so base things proper or priuate or can be so basely mâ—nded as to ioy therin further then they may glorify God theâ—by what other reason is there that one man in the returne of a Reame of paper shall gaine xij pence or xvi peâ—ce cléer and yet where he layd out ij pence the other laid ouâ— x. shillings And after the same rate in Wax that one â—an shall sell more for vi pence then an other shall sell for viij pound which neuerthelesse bought as déer as he within â—ij pence at xx shillings waring and both laid out more monâ—y longer looked for the return therof I say there is no reaâ—on other then is already made ¶ Pierce denyeth the calling to office to be such as Simon hath alleaged Cap. 8. NEighbour Simon quoth Pierce whâ—ras you maintaine your assersion by the wâ—orthines of the Magistrate and Officer and doo insist thervpon alledging that they are â—alled by God and that for their godlines anâ— vertue The first part I greatly dout for thâ—t many of them buy their offices and pay very déerly therfâ—re yea some sell their very inheritaunces for that purpose I mean to buy offices now did I neuer read that euer God receiued Money for an office how be it I referre my self héerâ—n to my Maisters that are learned The next part that they are called for their Vâ—rtue and Godlines surely then I verily suppose some of theâ— are called for the things that neuer were in them before â—nd then were the caller deceiued which God cannot be eâ—cept you will say that God of his méere goodnes and mercy called them for the vertues and godlynes which he meaneth to call them vnto and in this order beginneth to woork I meane in bestowing vpon theÌ„ so liberally and by that meanes to charge them with his expectation in respect of their great Tallent committed vnto them which thing you séem to alledge as no small cause and consideration of the high assessing of the fées and charges aforesaid and that so great mercies graces bestowed vpon them by God and so liberall reward appointed vnto them by men should suffise to make them godly and vertuous from thence foorth what so euer they were or had béen before All which arguments although they be godly and probable yet as I said before they stand doubtful for the olde Prouerb Honors chaunge manners I beléeue the godly and the learned doo dout whether it be taken in the better part or in the wursse for I am very sure that many are wurse disposed and much more vngodly in high and honorable calling then while they were in meane estate and degree Neighboure Pierce quoth our Hoste there is no rule so generall that it admitteth not exception albeit I dout not nor euer did that honours chaunge manners is and euer was meant in the better parte For the wiseman saith He that is vngodly in welth how much more vngodly would he be in pouertie The examples are many that doo prooue that honors chaunge men to the better namely of Saule of whome it is said that béeing called from a simple boy after his Inauguration he felt him selfe suddainly chaunged and as the book saith he felt a new hart in him The like example we haue of many Kings and Prophets in the Scripture But to come néerer both for the time and also the place in our English History we read of that noble King H. the fifth who in his Fathers life was of euil gouernment and kept company with riotors and vnthrifts so that there was small hope of him but after the death of H. the fourth when this yung man was placed in his kingdom he sent for all his olde companions who were not a little glad therof but when they weare come into his presence he
Before whome thou hast set a Candle light Of Nurture and of Education By men of base and mean condition ¶ Which some for that cause wil estéem the lesse Hauing respect vnto the circumstaunce The great apparaunce of vnliklynesse Waying all others in their owne ballaunce As if that God could not reserue a few Such as him list his glory for to shew ¶ For what though this age vniuersally Séemeth geuen ouer to corruption Séemed it not so in the dayes of Elie When yet God had reserued many a one So hath he now that are not gon aside Nor solde them selues to Couetise and Pride ¶ As thou haste well shewed in this History What by thine owne proofe and experience What by thine Hoste Simons authoritie Which for mine owne parte I doo reuerence And therfore I say thank come to thy hand That haste it geuen vs to vnderstand ¶ And puttest vs in hope that Charitie Is not stark dead though she be wounded sore By Pride and Couetise her enemy And that our God yet kéepeth some in store That both in déed and woord doo séek his praise God let them wax and giue them happy daies FINIS ¶ The Reporter to his Book My little Book where so thou chaunce to dwel God giue thee fauour in thy Readers sight Whom if thou please all thou must quit thee well And better then I feare is in thy might For that dooth seldome chaunce to any one Better or wursse without exception ¶ If any man or woman chalenge thee For any woord or any argument Come not to seek thy defence at mee For I am not thine Author Verament Get thee into the North to Rippon Town And there enquire for Pierce that woorthy clown ¶ And eke for Simon Certain at the Signe Of the Greek Omega there dooth hee dwell where welcome thou shalt be as I diuine Aske them whether thou hast reported well Their conference according to the trueth If they say yea of others haue no rueth FINIS How the Author comming homeward out of Scotland through Yorkshire chaunced to lodge in Rippon At what signe the name of the Hoste the order and maner of the House and famelye And his entertaiment there Chap. 1. IN my last return from Edenborough in Scotland comming homeward through Yorkshire I traueled somewhat out of â—he common high London way of purpose tâ— sée the Cuntrie And one day among othâ—rs toward euen I chaunced to come to a little through fare Towne called Rippon where at the â—ery entring into the town I met a poore olde Woman of whom I asked if there were any good lodging in the town She answered mee that there was good lodging at the signe of tâ—e Gréek Omega The Gréek Omega quoth I What doo yoâ— meane by that Nothing said she but that there is good lodging and honest entertainment which I suppose is all thaâ— you require Then I asked her what was the good mans â—ame of the house His name quoth she is Simon Certain we call him commonly Sim Certain Sim Certain quoth Iâ— surely these are very strange names and so bidding her faâ—ewell I departed into the towne warde much more desire is to be come to my lodging for the strangenes of the names aswell of the Signe as also of the Good man of the House By that time I had entred a little way into the Town I wâ—s ware of a very faire Gréek Omega hanging foorth as a câ—mmon Signe euen as the olde woman had tolde me before And thether I went and entring into the house I founâ— in the Hall the Good man his two Sonnes his Chamberlâ—in and his Hostler singing the Ciiij Psalme of Dauid very â—istinctly and orderly The Goodwife with her two Daughâ—ers sat spinning at their Whéeles a little distaunce from thâ—m All which things when I beheld I thought with my seâ—fe that these things were yet more strange to beholde theâ— were either the Signe or els the good mans name to heare So I bad them God spéed The Hoste very curteously arose and bad me welcome so did the wife also and asked mée whether I meant to tary all night I answered yea Then he asked mée if I would sée my Chamber No gentle Hoste quoth I I will not hinder so much your good exercise for I am sure I cannot be lodged amisse in this house Not so sir quoth he but ye shall haue the best that we haue and welcome I gaue him harty thanks Then hée enquired of mée of whence I was where I had béen and whether I was bound I tolde him I was a Southern man borne and dwelling and that I had béen at Edenborough in Scotland and was thus farre in my way homeward In good time sir quoth hée and yée are hartely welcome into this part of Yorkshire I thank you gentle Hoste quoth I. The comming thether of Pierce Plowman beeing newly come from London His request to the Hoste to lend him fiue pound vpon a paune The refusall of the Hoste the question thereupon moued beeing the matter of the conference Chap. 2. BY that time we had talked scant half an houre there came in a Cuntrie man a Neighboure a iolly olde fatherly man bringing vnder his arme a fardell of Bookes as many as hée might well holde vnderneath one of his armes he gaue vs the time of the day What Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste welcome from London Sir quoth he to me this Neighboure of mine is lately come from where you are going God willing Truely qooth I and this is happily met by grace of God and as I verily suppose néere in the mid way betwéene Edenborough and London With that Neighbour Simon quoth this Pierce Plow man for that was his name I am come to desire your help What is the matter Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste Neighbour quoth hée to lend mée fiue pound for half a yéer for truely quoth hée I haue spent all my mony at London and haue not left my self so much as to buy my séed Wheat wherwith to sowe my land this season No haue neighbour Pierce quoth hée that was very ill handled ye shâ—ould alwaies so vse your matters that the main stock be sauâ—d whole Fye neighbour Simon quoth he speak no more of thâ—t for the reuerence of God for truely I am ashamed of my self but what remedy now saue patience and to learne to â—e wiser héeafter What meanes all these paper Books quoth our Hoste Mary neighbour quoth Pierce they shal be sâ—retie vnto you for the repaiment of your fiue pound With that they were vnbound and béeing opened and looked vpon tâ—ey were Billes Answers Replications Reionders Coppieâ— of Depositions and such like Some out of one Court some out of an other When our Hoste had séen them all why Neighbour quoth hée doo you think to méet with any man that is so mad to lend v. pence vpon such trash Trash Neighbour quoth Pierce they stand me in aboue fiftie pound Peradventure so
ten pound fréely towards the erecting building of a bridge and that such charitable déeds as this are no new things vnto him I sooner wil beléeue this quoth Pierce hauing of a man learned in the Lawes and whom Vertue and Learning haue prefferred then of the others that Fishen for Offices with the golden hook and neuer wist what Learning ment Simons returne to his matter again declareth of an other rich Officer in the Law who had two Farmers one rich and the other poore and how he delt with them Chap. 20. WIth that our Hoste took holde again saying that hée had yet one other matter to tell and therwith he would conclude I was an other time quoth hée at the house of an other rich Officer towards the Law who dâ—elleth in Kent also and is a man of great wâ—lth and one time of my béeing at his house as I thank hiâ— I haue béen very many times There were two of his Tenaunts come to take new leases of their Farmes the landâ— béeing of equall rent value but yet the Farmers not equal in welth the one hauing béen blessed as it should seem abouâ— the other for the one of them was very welthie and vpheld hâ—s Tenament in very good repaire offered the Lord at the â—irst woord forty pound for a fine for one and twenty yéers The other was poore and yet his tenament in decay neâ—ther was hée able to giue fiue pounds for a fine wherof the Landlord hauing challenged him and warning him to look to it therafter willed the other to lay down his forty pounds which hée did without delay The Gentleman when hée had counted it put it into a bagge and fréely gaue it vnto the poor man with these woords one of you beare an others burdâ—n wherwith the other was so farr from béeing ill content that hée humbly praised God and gaue the Gentleman right hartie thanks therfore and so he sent them away bothe very well contented Since which time I héer of the poore man that hée is growen to great welth and of such benignitiâ— and hospitalitie as are not many Owners or Landlords dwelling néer him Thus quoth our Hoste I haue confirmed my first Assertion and haue sufficiently auoyded your reasons and examples alleadged in disproof of the same and these haue I doon by Example and demonstrations dothe moe in number then yours are and also more euident apt and propâ—r vnto the purpose That is not so Neighbour quoth pierce for admitting that your Examples were all or any of them true which for the moste parte I will not graunt yet are they perticuler and cannot make any generall Conclusion besides that you tender mée an issue vpon two affirmatiues which is against the grounds of law as I haue learned by mine owne experience déerly bought For I haue alleadged against you the penerall Corruption of liues and manners béeing the effect of libertie vnto excesse and dissolution which I also haue alleadged and prooued to be an effect of priuate desire to pouch to purchase and to wax rich from al which causes and effects conuertly my Argument is necessary and infallible and therfore béeing alleadged affirmatiuely it demaundeth a direct generall trauerse to the effects which effects béeing not disprooued the causes therof cannot be denied against all which matters you haue answered in the affirmatiue also alleadging the examples of some good men which whether they be true or not I doo not greatly force without a generall denyal of that which I haue alleadged although that for euery example alleadged you had brought fiftéen and so is my first Assertion maintained and standeth fast and yours vtterly disprooued The Conclusion of the Conference and the preparation to the Questions beeing the second Book Chap. 21. BY this time it was waxeÌ„ euen dark night and our Hoast speaking vnto Pierce said vnto him Neighbour Pierce quoth hée wée haue reasoned so very long to and fro that the night is stolen vpon vs and the purpose of your comming hither vtterly forgoten through our earnest disputation in these matters Truely Neighbour ê™ Pierce I cannot think this time ill spent I would I had neuer spent time wursse if it had pleased God and therfore quoth he if it please you â—o lend mée this v.l. I will be gon home for I knowe the way at midnight Neighbour Pierce quoth our Hoste your v.l. is redy and ye shall haue it with you but not to nighâ— for hence shal ye not departe before to morowe God willing and namely for this strangers sake whome I wil desire yoâ— to accompany for this night for in his Cuntry I haue reâ—eiued many folde humanitie as partly ye haue heard and therfore I gladly would doo him some héere to my power and therfore this night or a conuenient part therof wée will inâ—euour our selues to spend together in honest mirth and exercises And therwithall I spake and geuing our Hoste harty â—hanks desired Pierce that it might so be Who at my requeâ—t did soone condiscend and was very wel contented therwithâ—ll Then quoth I séeing that we haue so wel speâ—t the fore part of the night wherin I my self haue doon nothing but harkened let vs agrée vpon some meane to passe the time with all after supper vntil bed time no wursse then we haue doon the time before Now verily Gentleman quoth our Hoste and that is very well spoken I be shrewe him that disagreeeth therunto if it be my self Amen quoth Pierce Plowman if it â—e I. Very well then quoth I this is my order if it may please you After Supper euery man shall put his question and â—el his tale in order by course wherunto eche of the others shall speak to wit vnto the question shall giue an answere of â—issolution of the saying and vnto the tale shall shew their good or il likeing and hée that telleth the best and wisest tale to wit of highest and best sentence and putteth the sharpest and â—isest question moste tending to vertue and edifying of the â—earers or giues the wisest and best solution hée shall haue his breakfast héer to morrow at the charges of the other twain Content withall my hart quoth our Hoste Content quâ—th Pierce Plowman But to whose Iudgement shal we stand héerin ê™ hée Truely ê™ I euen to the â—oome of our Hostesse fit please her to take it vpon her wherupon shée béeing calleâ— very wilingly vndertook it so was the matter fully agréeâ—d and on hands giuen there vpon And then was the fable couered for supper our Hoste hauing him sell first giueÌ„ thanks to God to supper wée went where wée fared right wel were mery and when wée had supped the Cloth béeing remooued and thanks likewise giuen After wée had sitten stil and reposed our selues a little while â— my self began as followeth The end of the first Book The Second Book declaring the Questions and Answers between the Author the Hoste and Pierce Plowman 1 THe