As some that be tyede in newgate M well now he is gone god speed well his gate But what shall we do now the meane season K Let us take now some recreacyon And come agayn here and keep our poyntment M Now therto I am ryght well content And in the meayn wyle good lord of thy grace Preserue all the people here in this place Amen Finis prime partis ¶ Secunda pars The Plouman P Here I may walk and wander to and fro But I se not them whych I wold speke to M Yes by rode here we be both twayn To whom thou dydyst promys to mete here agayn To dyspute the questyon that we began whych of us coud proue hym most gentylman K Thou seydest thou hardyst our argumentes all P so dyd I nother good nor substancy all For thy folysh and pyuysh oppynyon was because of the grete domynyon Of the landis and rentis wher to thou wast bore whych thyn auncestours had long tyme before Thou thynkyst thy self a gentylman to be Ant that is a folysh reason semyth ne For when adam dolf and eue span who was then a gentylman But then cam the churl and gederyd good And ther began furst the gentyll blood And I thynk verely ye do beleue That we cam all of adam and eue Then to speke by reason grete possessions Make no gentylmen but gentyl condycyons That is the cause and best reason why One shuld be callyd a gentylman truly And forthermor mark well this reason then If a maÌ„nis auncestours haue be gentylmen And verteous and good to commyn well That ought to be reputyd neuer adell To the prayse of the chylde whych doth refuse Such good coÌ„dycyons the coÌ„trary vse But he ought to be dyspraysyd the more Because hys auncestours hath shewid hym before A precedent of gentylnes vertew whych good example he dothe not infew For the gentylnes of hysblode clery In hym doth decay vtterly dye So he that vsyth coÌ„dycyons verteous Though that hys auncestours were vycyous Ought not to be dyspraysyd therfore But ought to be honoryd praysyd the more K yet me thynkyth more honor shulde be gyffyn To hym whych ys of noble blood kyn P Then yf thou wylt loke honoured to be Be cause of thy blod then mark well see The vylyst beggar that goth by the dore Had ye not both one god creature ye cam of one furst stok ê“genye Both of adam eue ye wyll not denye The beggar thou wer both do wtles Lonseyuyd born infylth vncleannes Thy blood the beggars of one colour be Thou art as apt to take seknes as he yf thou be in the body woundyd Thy flessh is as yll as his to be helyd Alas I haue knowen many or thys So proud of theyr byrth that all theyrlyffys wold gyf them to no labour nor lernyng whych brought them to myserable endyng That in pouerte wrechydly dyd dye Or fallyn to theft hangyd therfore full hye So I sey vertew good coÌ„dycyons than Is that whych makyth the very gentylman And though the fadyr may bequeth to hys son Hyts ryches hys land hys possess yon yet may he nothyr gyf nor vequeth Unto hym in no wyse after hys deth Hys vertew nor hys gentyl coÌ„dyeyons They can not descend as other possessyons And yf thou wylt be a gentylman nedys Thou must than vse vertew gentyll dedys K Why desyre men then prayse euermore Of the actis of theyr auncestours done before P One cause ther of ys for lak of lernyng They ê‘seyue not the reason of the thyng Another is be cause ther be many That call them self gentylmen vnworthy whych lyfe voluptuously bestyall And do no good in the world at all But lyse in pryde slouth vnthrystynes And be cause they haue no maner goodnes Nor ê“perte nor vertew in them wher by Any man shulde thynk them any prayse worthy Therfore they seke for coÌ„mendacyon Of the actê that theyr auncestours haue done M Then Imeruell men desyre to be callyd Of the blode of them that excellyd In worldly honour as kyngê emê‘ours where some were tyrantê some were coÌ„querours And few desyre to be callyd of theyr blod whych haue ben callyd Iust meÌ„ verteous good And vsyd indifferent Iustyce equyte Mekenes abstynens or wylfull pouerte P yf I shuld tell the the verey cause trew It is because they loue no such vertew whych vertew gentyll coÌ„dycyons shuld be Longyng to gentylmen of ê“perte K If gentyl coÌ„dycyons be the cause lo Tken wyll I compare with both you two For I haue vsyd euer gentyll maner And so haue myn auncestours that before were For fursto all when thys worlde began Long after ther were but few people than Men had suffycyent of euery thyng wyth oute gret labour for fode clothyng All thyng was in coÌ„myn among them doutles But after warde when people dyd increse Ich man to increse hys pleasure volupte Of goodê landes desyryd ê“perte wereof grete sttyf debate dyd aryse TheÌ„ such as mie auÌ„cestours were that werewyse Did studi to make laws how the people myght be Lyssyng to gedyr in pease vnyte And agayns enmiys alwey defendyd The people that tyllyd the ground laboryd The people pseyuyng than theyr goodnes Theyr gret wyt dyscressyon gentylnes were coÌ„tent to gyfe them ê‘t of the ê“ffet Comyng of theyr landê whych they dyd get As corn catell such thynê as they wan But after when that coyn of money began They chauÌ„gid those seuenuse were coÌ„tent To gyfe them in money an aÌ„nyell rent So for theyr good vetteous coÌ„dycyons They cam furst to laÌ„dê possessyons So possessyons began were furst found Uppon a good resonable ground P By goggê swete body thou lyest falsely All possessions began turst of tyranny For when people began furst to encrese Some gafe them self all to Idylnes And wold not labour but take by vyolence That other men gat by labour dylygence Than they that labouryd were fayne to gyfe Them ê‘t of theyr gettingê in peas of lyfe Or ellê for theyr landis money a porcyon So possessyons began by extorcyon And when such extorsyoners had oppressyd The labouryng people than they ordeynyd And made laws meruelous strayte hard That theyr heyrê myght inioy it afterward So the law of inhetyaunce was furst begon whych is a thyng agayns all good reason That any inherytaunce in the world shuld be K That is a shamefull opynyon semyth me For when I haue labouryd by grete study Gat purcheysyd landys truly It is good reason that I haue lyberte To gyfe those landis to whom it lyketh me Or ellê to let them descend lynyyally To my chyld or cosyn of my blod most nye For inherytaunce must nedys be a good thyng Because so much good therof is ê“cedyng Euery man to hys blod such loue doth bere Because the land shall descend
¶ Of Gentylnes and Nobylyte A dyaloge betwen the Marchaut the Knyght and the plowman dysputyng who is a verey Gentylman who is a Noble man and how men shuld come to auctoryte compilid in maner of an enterlude with divers toys geftis addyd therto to make mery pastyme and disport The marchaunt O what a gret welth and prosperyte It is to any reme where marchauntes be Hauing fre lyberte and entercours also All marchaundyse to coÌ„uey to and fro Whych thyng I haue vsed and the verey fet found And thereby gotton many a thousand pownd Wherfore now be cause of my grete ryches Thoroughowt this land in euery place doubtles I am magnyfyed and gretly regardyd And for a wyse and noble man estemyd The knyght Maister marchaunt I here you ryght well But now in presumpsion me thynk ye excell To call yourself noble in presence here I wys men know what your auncestours were And of what grete stock descendid ye be Your fadyr was but a blacke smyth perde March ¶ Why syr what than what be you I pray you Knyght ¶ Mary I am a gentylman I wold ye know And may dispend yerely v. C. mark land And I am sure all that ye haue in hand Of yerely rent is not worth v. markys M ¶ But I wold thou knewist for all thy krakkys I am able to bye now all the land That thou hast and pay for it out of hand Whych I haue got by myn own labour and wit K ¶ Yet art thou but a chorle and I haue a skorn Thou shuldist coÌ„pare with me a gentylman born M ¶ Why what callyst thou a gentylman tel me K ¶ Mary I call them gentylmen that be Born to grete landys by inherytaunce As myn auncestours by coÌ„tynuaunce Haue had this v. C. yere of whom now I Am desendid and commyn lynyally Beryng the same name and armys also That they bare this v. C. yere agoo Myn auncestours also haue euer be Lordys Knyghtes and in grete auctoryte Capteyns in the warr and gouerners And also in tyme of pease gret rulers And thyn were neuer but artysycers As smythê masonê carpentars or weuars M ¶ All that is trewth I wyl not denye now Yet I am more gentylman born than thou For I call hym a gentylman that gentilly Doth gyf unto other men louyngly Such thing as he hath of hys own pper But he that takith ought away from a nother And doth gyf hym no thyng agayn therfore Owght to be callyd a chorle euermore But myn auncestours haue giffyn alwey To thyn auncestours such thyng as they By their labours did trewly get and wyn For myn auncestours bildid howsis wherein Thyne auncestours haue had their dwellyng place Also myn auncestours haue made tolis To all maner crafti men belongyng Wherby clothis and euery other thyng Where of thyn auncestours nede haue had With the same tolys haue euer be made So myn auncestours haue gyffin their labours Euer to coÌ„fort and help thyn auncestours K ¶ I deny that euer thauncestours of thyne Did euer gif to the auncestours of myne At any tyme any thyng except that they Gafe some what therfor other ware or money M ¶ Mary god a mercy Iohn for that now That is euyn a pyg of our own sow How can lordys estatis haue ought in store Except thartyfycers do get it before For all metalis be dyggyd furst by myners And after wrought by the artyfycers woll fell and euery other thyng That is necessary to mannys coueryng And all other thyngis that men vse were Is al wey made by the artyfycer K I graunt that the artyfycers do make it But be cause comenly they haue lytell wyt Gentylmen that haue landys domynyon Of all such ryches haue most possessyon For reason wyll euer it shuld so be wyse men to haue folys in captyuyte M Mary as for wyt subtell inuencyou Myne auncestours wyth thine may make coÌ„ê‘ison For though my fader were a smyth what than yet was he a meruelous quyk wyttyd man And coud work as well for hys ê‘t As any in this land vsyng that art And deuyse new fassyons in chynges that he made That euery man to bye hys ware was glad And carue graue in yron stele Both Image letters meruelously wele And ther on ley gold gylt it also Fyne pure as any gold smyth coud do My grauntfader also was a mason Of grete wyt as any in thys regyon And coud byld a castell tour ryght well In whych some of thy kynnys men now do dwell where in aperyth ryght good masonry wyth Immagys armys wrought curyously My grete graundfadyr lo was a weuer Of wollyn yarn of other gere And made meruelous pleasaunt workis to be hold Lynyn dyaê‘ sylk cloth of gold All such subtell thyngis as I haue rehersyd lo Myne auncestours by theyr wyttis coud work do And as for thyne auncestours I know no thyng Thei coud do bi their wittis worth of praisyng But vse occupi wast euer more Such thyngis as myn auncestours 〈◊〉 before And thou thie auncestours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of such thingis wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of other men oughtist not be praysed therfore But the prayse ought to be gyuen euer more To the artyfycer whych by hys wyt It deuysyd and so coÌ„nyngly wrought it wherefore yf thou sey that wyt polesy Be the thyngê perteynyng to gentry Thyn auncestours may neuer coÌ„pare wyth mine For theyr actê proue them wyser than thyne For thyn dyd neuer no thyng in theyr days Concernyng quyk wyt that was worthy prays K yes I wis lewd Iauell I wold thou knewist it Myn auncestours haue had more wysedome wyt Than thyne haue had coud do also Many thynges that thyne coud neuer do for in the contrey at sessyons and syse They haue be electe to be Iustyce And for theyer wyt and grete dyscressyon They haue Iuggyd and donne correccyon Uppon thyne auncestours artyfycers That haue made false warys ben dysseyuers And holpe for to maynteyn euery thynge That ys to the comyn weith pteynyng They haue ben also in tyme of warr Both in thys land other courreys farr Dukrs leders of the hole army And by theire wyttis warly polycy Study forecast dilygent trauayle Haue won many a grete fyld batayle And thyne auncestours that were there were neuer able to bere shyld nor spere And were neuer but soldyars pyoners Nor neuer had wysdome to be rulers But because myn auncestours haue euer be Dyscrete wyse they haue had anctoryte M Nay nay thyne auncestours cam neuer all To auctoryte for wysdome pÌ„ncypall For though soÌ„e were wise yet some of theÌ„ agayn Had small discression lytyll wyt or brayn But because of the long coÌ„tynuannce Of theyr grete possessions by enherytaunce By the folysh maner of the worlde we see For that cause euer they haue had auctorite K And I say that good reason agreth to it For
I can For I sey it be coÌ„meth a noble man To have rych apê‘ell clothyng And goodly housys of costly byldyng And that ych man accordyng to hys degre Be knowyn from other and what they be For yf such costly thyngê were not made work for pore peple coud neuer be hade And many folkê than shuld fall to Idylnes whych is the moder of vyce and wretchydnes P ye but I delyte noo such vanytese worldly I delyte nother in sloth nor gloteny I dyg and delfe labour for my lyvyng Neuer ydyll but somewhat euer doyng Dayly I ren and go bere swete swynk I ete broun brede and drynk small drynk Content w t cours meat what so euer it be so it quench the hunger it suffysyth me These poyntes I use whych I haue rehersyd now Be not these gentyl condycyons I pray you M If thou use them nede compellyth the therto For if thou coudist hardli thou wold other wise do P what I wold doo then ye can not tell It is not to purpose but thys I wot well Syth that I use my lyfe in such good maner whyth such gentyll condycyons expÌ„ssyd here More than ye both do styll contynuyng And syth that gentyll condycyons is the thyng To make a gentylman the cause pryncypall wherin I vse my life most of vs all who can by any reason deny than But that I am of us all most gentylman K In feyth yf thou be gentylman therfore Thou art a gentylman agaynt thy wyll full sore M Syth I se he staÌ„dyth in his own coÌ„sait so well That opynyon we shall neuer expell From hym by no argument nor reason Therfore now for a lytyll season Let vs deê‘t from hym I hold it best Then we shall haue w t hym some rest K I agre therto for caton sayth this Contra verbosas noli cotendere verbis Contend nor argu neuer in no matter w t hym that is full of words and clatter M wherefore for a season let us both deê‘t K I am agreid therto w t all myn hart P why sirs than wyll ye deê‘t be gon M ye that we wyll farewel for a season For to tarry here lenger we see no grete cause Et exeant Then fare ye well as wyse as two dawys And I pray god sende you such grace both twayn To be stark cockcoldê or ye come agayn Now masters they be both gone away Therefore one worde now harke what I sey wee see well now by playne exê‘ience when a man is set in a wyllfull credens All to fortefye hys owne opynyon If god hym selfe than wold wyth hym reason In effect it shall no more auayle Than w t a whyp to dryfe a snayle Therfore no remedy is that I can see For yuell men that be in auctoryte But let them alone tyll god wyll send A tyme tyll our gouernours may intend of all enormytes the reformacyon And bring in theyr handis the rod of coreccyon And the reformyng of iniuryes them self see And wyll say pÌ„cysely thus it shall be For exortacyons techyng and pÌ„chyng Gestyng and raylyng they mend no thyng For the amendement of the world is not in me Nor all the grete arguments that we thre Haue made syth we resonyd here to gedyr Do not pÌ„uayle the weyght of a fether For the helpyng of any thyng that is amys we can not help it then syth it so is I wyll let the world wagg home wyll I goo And dryf the plowgh as I was wont to do And praye god send us peas I wyl no farr mell Therfore masters all now fare ye well Hic miles mercator iterum intrant K Now by my troth I am glad that is he gon M And so am I by swete seynt Iohn I hard not a chorll thys seuyn yere Shew so curst reasons as he hath done here For the mayntenaunce of hys oppynyon yet he hys desseuyd for all hys reason For it is necessary that rulers be To haue posseyons to mayntayn theyr degre And those few to dryfe the multytude all of the other people to labour to fall For yf the rulers drof them not therto The peple wold be ydyll nothyng doo And most reason is that gouernaunce Shuld come to such rulers by inherytaunce Rather than to haue them chose by eleccyon Oft tymys by drede mede and affeccyon Men of euyll conscyens that grete tyraunts be Rede old cronyclys the proue ye shall see And though they haue grete wyt and lernyng Yet so proud they be therof they fere nothyng Nother god nor man but euermore styll w t out councell or aduyse folow theyr own wyll But they that by inherytaunce rulers be Though they haue no grete lernyng yet we see yet makyth them more ferefull better coÌ„tent To folow wyse mens councell and aduysement And syth that yt hath ben so long coÌ„tynned Enherytours to haue rule and so long usyd And that they haue ruled by as dyscressyon As the other that haue be chose by eleccyon If that order of rule by successyon of blode Shuld be dystroyd it shuld doo hurte no good M That reason is so grete no man can debarr Neuertheles that churllysh knaue that carter After hys fond oppynyon thynkyth thus Hymselfe more gentylman than us K And therin he lyeth for by expiens we see That gentyl coÌ„dycyons most comÌ„enly be In them that be of noble blode borne For take .xx. carters whych neuer were beforne Aquayntyd let them be to gyder Take .xx. straynge gentylmen in lyke maner These churlysh carters I dare well say wyll not agre to gyder skant one day w t out chydyng quarrellyng or fyghtyng ychone wyll stele from other and be pykyng And stryfe whych of them at the skot shall pay lest And indeuer them who can play the knaue best But these gentylmen I warant you wyll study who can shew to other most curtesy And of theyr gentylnes wyll pfer to pay For the other and shew what pleasurs they may So touchyng gentylnes I say surely Men of grete byrth vse it most comÌ„ynly M There can be no truer saying nor sentence And the cause therof we see by expience For these pore wretches that haue no thyng Must be nygardys churlyth and spayryng But gentylmen be taught to be lyberall And so they may be for they haue where w t all K And as touchyng noblenes that argument whych the plowman made late puyth euydent That gentylmen borne to land must nedys be For suffyency of most nobylyte For besyde goddys gyfts of grace of nature As wyt and bodely stryngh yet they be sure Of other ryches as of land and rent To auoyd nede so they be more suffycyent of them self than other pore people doutles Then yf nede of straunge helpe cause wrechydnes And suffysauns be cause wrechydnes M A better reason no man can deuyse And yet farther I thynk lykewyse He that hath grete haboundance of ryches May vse lyberalyte and gentylnes And also
though the fader haue no grete wyt The sone that is wyse shuld neuer the more Lose hys land or auctoryte therfore For he that by study dylygens payn Grete landys or possessyons doth attayn Hys owne lyfe is to shorte to lyte For to take the frute of his meryte Reason wolde therfore that after hys lyfe Hys heyrs before straungers haue pÌ„rogatyfe And the coÌ„tynuaunce of such possessyons Makyth noble men gentyll condycyons And they whos blode hath long contynued As gentylmen so they shuld be honoured And so myn auncestours long tyme haue be Grete possyssyoners and in auctoryte Therefore consyderyng my grete lynage My blode my noble byrth and parentage Thou art not able to compare w t me Nother in gentylnes nor in nobylyte ¶ Here the plouman coÌ„mith in with a short whyp in hys hand spekyth as folowith Plow ¶ Nowhere is bybbyll babbyll clytter clatter I hard neuer of so folysh a matter But by goddys body to speke the troth I am better than other of you bothe K Auaunt kanker de chorle fro whens coÌ„myst thou P Mary folysh peuysh daw euen fro my plow Now sayst woldyst any thyng there wtall M ye mary thou lewyd vyllayn rud raskall It is for the full yll besemyng To ê‘turb any gentylmens talkyng P ¶ Gentylmen ye gentylmen Iak heryng Put your shone in your bosome for weryng I accompt myself by goddys body Better than you bothe and more worthy K Auaunt knaue get the out of the gate Or I shall lay my sworde on thy pate P That shall I proue I make god auow Neuer in better tyme haue at the now Et verberat eos M Now holde thy hand felow I the pray And harkyn what I shall to the say P Sey knaue say what canst sey M Holde thy hand I pray the com no narr I am a marchaunt no man of warr K Thou art not honest I tell the playnly To make any quarrel here so sodaynly To ê‘turb our coÌ„munycacyon P Here ye may se syrs by goddys passyon Two proude folys make a crakkyng And when it coÌ„myth to poynt dare do no thyng M Our coÌ„myng hyder our entent ys not to fyght but by way of argument Euery man to shew hys oppinyon To see who coude shew the best reason To proue hym self noble most gentylman P By god all the reasons syth ye began That ye haue made therof be not worth a fly K ¶ No syr I pray the than tell me why P ¶ Furst as touchyng noblenes I say Ther is nother of you both dyd ê“ue or lay Ony of your actys wherby that ye Shulde in reason ê“ue you noble to be Or therby deserue any maner praysyng But all the effect of your arguyng To proue your noblenes was but only Of the deddys actê of your auncestry And of the actê that your auncestours did before ye at the nobler neuer the more K ¶ As touchyng my self I dare make compison Of as noble dedys as he hath any done For I am haue ben one of the cheualry At the coÌ„maundement of my prynce euerredy And euery tyme of warr haue be captayn And leder of a M. men or twayne And w t hors harnes spere and sheld Haue Ioydyd my body in euery felde The rentê of my landys haue spende lyberally And kept a grete house contynually And holp to ponyssh theuys brybers alwey To the grete tranqaylyte of my contray And you maister merchauÌ„t wyt neuer take labour Except it be for your ê“ffet and lucoure Plow Go to go to now master marchaunt There is a reason that gyuyth you a taunt I trow more than you can answere well M ¶ Nay I wys pyvysh rude Iak Iauell I can make an answere so substancyally wher to nother of you is able to reply K If thou canst answere my reason do M That can I well doo P. Then go to fole go to M I say the comyn well of euery land In fete of marchauntdyse doth pryncypally stand For if oure coÌ„moditees be vtteryd for nought In to strange landis and no ryches brought Hydyr therfore we shuld come to beggary And all men dryffyn to lyf in mysery TheÌ„ we noble marchauntis that in this reame be what a grete welth to thys land do we we vtter our warys by theyrs good chepe And bryng them hyder that grete ê“ffet And pleasure dayly coÌ„myth to this regyon Too all maner people that here do won Forthermore ye see well w t youre eyes That of straynge landis the coÌ„modytees we haue such nede of them that be there That in no wyse we may them for bere As oyle sylkis frutis spyces also Golde syluer yryn other metall is moo All draÌ„mys druggys longyng to physyke whych men must nedes haue when they be seke whych in thys reame can not well grow Our coÌ„trey is to colde not hote I now w t out whych thyngis we shulde lyfe in mysery And oft tymes for lak of them we shulde dye And I spende my studi labour contynually And cause such thyngis to come hyder dayly For the comfort of thys land coÌ„men welth And to all the people grete pffer helth And for such noble dedys reason wyll than That I ought to be callyd a noble man And nother of you both that here now be In noblenes may accompare w t me P Now well hit by goddes body well hit Of one that hath but lyttyll wyt Answere me one worde furst I pray the what is the noblest thynge that can be K what saist thou therto thi self let see P Is not y t the noblyst thyng in dede That of all other thyngis hath lest nede As god which beynith etern in blysse Is not he the noblest thyng y t is K yes mary no man in reason can that deny P ¶ well than there is no reason therof why But because he is the thyng omnipotent And is in hun self so suffycyent And nedyth the helpe of no nothyr thyng To the helpe of hys gloryous beyng But euery other thyng hath nede of his ayde M ¶ Mary that is very trough well sayde P And lykwyse y t thynge that hath most nede Is the thyng that is most wreched So suffycyency is euer noblenes And necessyte is euer wrechydnes And he that hath more nede of that thyng For the pÌ„teruacyon of hys lyuyng Then his felow hath his felow must nedê be By thys same reason more noble than he what than P. by the same reason it ê“uith lo ye be but caytyffê wrechis both two And by the same reason ê“ue I shall That I am the noblyst man of vs all For I haue nede of no maner thyng That ye can do to help of my lyffyng For euery thyng whereby ye do lyf I noryss it to you both do gyf I plow I tyll I ster the ground wherby I make the corn to habounde whereof ther is made both