benefite but of the apple in his mouth he getteth nothing of his promocions but onely one litle benefice yet his master wil snatche at that either to saue the wol or laÌ„ And so he hath onely the shels or glorious tittes of promocion but the geuer hath the swete kernels God ameÌ„de this good wife The third is one whiche sheweth the state of learned men labouring loÌ„g time in studie and diuine vertue whiche are wrapped in pouertie wanting the golden Rake or gaping mouth This man hath very fewe to preferre hym to that promocion he smiteth himself vpoÌ„ the breast he wepeth and lamenteth that vice should thus be exalted ignoraunce rewarded with glorie coueteous men spoilyng the Churche by the names of Patrones and geuers whiche are extorcioners and sellers thei care not to whoÌ„ so that it be raked Well well God of his mercie amende this euill Market Vxor. Upon that wall is painted a mans skin and tanned coloured like vnto Leather with the skin of the handes and feete nailes and heere remainyng and the skin is spred abrode in the whiche is written certain wordes whiche I doe not vnderstaÌ„de Ciuis Wife I wishe more soche leather or els fewer soche carcases as soche leather hath conteined in it It is the Skin of a wicked Iudge a Lawier whiche plaied on bothe handes This geÌ„tleman loued gold aboue God and crueltie aboue Iustice bothe his eares were stopped his iyen open he had respect of persones specially who brought in lucre and made hym humble curtesies them he would defend although their causes in righteousnesse deserued it not The innocent he oppressed that waÌ„ted and vndid many a maÌ„ His maister being a great prince in the whole multitude of the people and specially of the Lawiers to certifie them And to decline from euill and doe good to haue the eares open to heare both riche and poore alike in the seate of iudgemente to haue lame handes in takyng of money which is the roote of al euill emoÌ„g them Commaunded his Skin to be flain from his fleshe he beyng yet liuyng roaryng with blood runnyng from his bodie and died in a case moste miserable Uppon whose Skin is this writyng hangyng in the Iudgemente halle before the place of Iustice. Iudex qui non queret veritatem debet excoriari A Iudge whiche will for lucre not seke out the truthe in the lawe ought to haue his Skin flaine from his bodie Vxor. Here standeth a woman of moste excellent forme in shape and fairenes in beautie with a croune of riche gold with seuen precious stones fixed in the border of her croune couered with a costely mantell froÌ„ her pappes dounward her breastes naked the right brest geueth milke vnto y e mouth of the yong child on the right side And froÌ„ the left brest floweth blood into the mouthe of an other child what meaneth this Ciuis It is a goodly picture and signifieth the estate of an vniuersitie or multitude of scholers which cometh to be nourished in lerning Whiche mother the vniuersitie beyng crouned with the seuen liberall artes fixed in her croune and as many as taste of her doctrine in the better part in vertue to this ende to doe well be blessed thei do tast vpon the right breast but the left breaste yeldeth forthe doctrine of Errours Magiches Papistrie c. To this ende to persecute robbe and spoile Christes Churche God graunt that bothe these brestes maie geue good milke to nourishe the people of God in one holy doctrin to eche vocacioÌ„ to agrée in vnitee like brethreÌ„ and that the vniuersitees maie teache the learned actes â—ne true religion in this Christ our lorde Vxor. What is that picture whiche graffeth a golden Impe vpon a Leaden stocke with a bagge of money of greate bignesse hangyng aboute his necke Ciuis It should seme to be a pitifull case it is a noble couetous Senior whiche for goldes sake doe make dispargiment of his blood mariyng and sellyng his sonne and heire vnto some Extorcioner or shamelesse vsurers doughter whose fruites are so infected on the mothers side that thei will become as counterfecte craftie compounded mettall and neuer come to the true touch stone again The fine mettal is so corrupted through coueteousnesse and naturalâ—e coniunccion as we doe se graffes of trees fixe yong Impes although the Impe bee of a fine Pippin and graffed into an euill stocke You shall knowe that fruite by the tree a plague prepared for gentlemen for their abuse Vxor. Upon that Table before you is painted a naked manne liyng doune wounded vpon whom feedeth many Flies with fulle bealies and there commeth an other man whiche with a greene braunche of Rosemarie beate them awaie Ciuis It should appere by the circumstaunce that it is not hurtfull to keepe officers still in place for when thei haue filled their purses and haue all thinges accordinglie thei are well and if thei be remoued eftesones the newe hongrie Flies will vere the bodie of the common wealth and neuer cease vntill thei be also satisfied c. Vxor. Yet what is that man I praie you that sitteth in a riche throne a slepe and one dooe blowe in his care with a paire of golden bellowes and an other do picke his purse Ciuis That same is a mightie person ouercome with adulacioÌ„ or flatterie carelesse swimmyng in pleasure and vainglorie whom his men doe vse like an home Combe and daiely spoile hym of his riches by sondrie fraudes whiche he perceiueth not Vxor. And what meaneth yonder Mule holding his hedde so lowe with a plain black foote clothe shodde with golden shooes Ciuis Wife silence now is beste I will saie nothyng to the matter The Mule carieth a Maister that will dooe nothyng but for gold and the fooles of the worlde that loue debate and strief must shooe this Mule Vxor. Here is a rowe of pictures like Prelates painted one by an other in the border in three partes The first are barefooted men barehedded long garmentes and bookes in their handes some of them are bloodie The seconde companie are mitred shode with Shepherdes hookes in one hand and bookes in the other hande The third sort haue Swâ—ordes in their handes crouned with triple crounes clothed in kyngly robes with frounyng faces and bookes vnder their feete and nexte after them sitteth an olde mangie slaue naked with a triple croune makyng or patchyng of a Nette from whom goeth as it wer menne laden with tounes wooddes and treasure Ciuis Wife this is the true Churche of God and the malignaunte Sinagoge of Antichrist figured first the true Preachers and martyres of Gods churche simple menne whiche folowed moste nerest the testameÌ„t of Christe After this persecucion then entred Confessours good men whiche liued welle and accordyng to the Apostles doctrine were good Shepherdes withstoode the Wolues of heresies c. Kepte hospitalitee and
euery man taketh parte with herbes trees and plantes The seconde parte of the soule is named sensible in this part man and beast are bothe a like in mouing c. The thirde parte is more whiche is racionall or hauing reason And this part of reason hath both acte to doe well and power to do euil And these ij are called Intellectiue whiche learneth deserueth and iudgeth in euery thing that maie be seen felt heard or vnderstanded but the power vnreasonable as sodaine raging criyng c. Is ascribed vnto the Lion Horse Hogge c. How like you this maner of talke yet here is no scripture but Aristotle I assure you Antonius Then it should appere that the soule hath vertues how many I praie you Medicus The first vertue is called Intellectual froÌ„ whiche springeth wisedome science prudence And the .ij. is called moral which is the mother of many good thinges as chastitee liberalitee humanitee good maners Antonius What is the cause of these twoo vertues in the soule Medicus The vertue Intellectual ingendereth and is nourished by learning of good tutours and men of experience or readyng of good bookes of Philosophie whiche is a secrets vertue in the soule And also the morall cometh by good custome and not by nature as if one manne had twoo soonnes the one brought vp in keping cattelle the other in daily learning good lessons although nature did frame their bodies like in shape yet thei should not bee like in condicions morall prouideth that naturall thinges in them bothe can not bee moued by contrarie custome For stones naturally though thei be cast neuer so high by arte yet must thei naturally fall doune againe Euen so of fire being driuen doune yet it will caste his flames vpwarde so vertue is not in vs by nature but onely by power to receiue theim for euery thing that is in vs by nature first it is in vs bi powers after coÌ„meth to acte as it commeth to the senses of mankinde For none can deny but firstâ— manne hath power to heare see feele c. So the power doeth preuente and cometh before the acte in nature Antonius Then if power goeth before thacte then a man is called honest good or chaste before either nonestie goodnesse or chastitie appereth in him Medicus In thinges morall euermore the acte goth before the power An example a Schoole-maister is called a Teacher because of his learnyng whiche is the worke goyng before the power And the cause of a good maÌ„ is his good woorkes and so of the eiuill whose woorke is either dronkennesse aduitrie thefte c. thei make him euill Antonius Then it should appere that this thyng called Actus or woorke bringeth vertue and vice in man Medicus What els doeth not euery man that liueth eate But if he eate to moche or to little doeth it not bring sicknesse Euen so of to moche laboure or idlenesse of to moche boldnesse or cowardnesse are not these actes vicious and euill And dooeth not one meane moderate them bothe Extreames are euer hurtfull Antonius What remedie then I praie you Medicus Nothyng is better then a meane called temperaunce whiche is gouerned by prudence whiche is euer contente betwene bothe and reioyseth in it Antonius So then if a man felle into extreme aduersitie and sustaine it paciently in his sickenesse pouertie or cause of grief call you this a meane or no. Medicus In euery woorke or sufferyng there is pleasure or displeasure If a manne doe reioyce in trouble in chastitie in bearyng of cruell wordes or slauÌ„der the same is a prudent manne and his suffering maketh it a meane to him but other men that are chastised and will suffer outwardlie and it greueth theim in so doyng thesame is vicious and lacketh meane or prudence Antonius Hath the soule any delites in her or no Medicus Yes trulie in three thinges The firstâ— profitable wherof springeth housebandrie to nourishe the yearth as also Phisicke to help the bodie knighthod to go to battel c The seconde is delectable as taking pleasure in thinges doen which is chiefly nourished of the soule in whiche consisteth alâ— the pleasures of the worlde The thirde is called good that is to be vertuous louing sober pacieÌ„t and also to the soule or minde are enioyned habite power and passion Antonius Haue yong childreÌ„ the soule in al poinctes as womeÌ„ haue or no in operacioÌ„ or eleccioÌ„ Medicus Aristotle saieth that operacion of the will of the soule is common to children but the eleccion or choice be not in them to will Antonius What is will in the soule Medicus The will is the entente but eleccion is the antecedent to the entente for eleccion goeth before operacion or woorke and the worke doeth followe thesame as doyng of thinges buiyng selling and all the artes and sciences are so to be considered Frste by eleccion then by operacion as by art I doe proue you to haue the pestilence experience hath taught me whiche yong children can not knowe as Gramer Rethorike Musicke Phisicke before thei haue lerned theÌ„ or begun with their principles Antonius Now I will stoppe and laie a strawe and commen as yet no more of the matters of the soule but onely of the body and namely in this poinct of the pestilence What is the cause of thesame good Maister doctor Medicus That whiche we doe se we do testifie and â—hat which we do testifie is true Therfore no man ought in matters which apperteineth to the estate of life to write fables or lies but that which is of great aucthoriteâ— and of good experience This pestilent feuer saith Hipocrates is in two partes coÌ„sidered the first is common to euery man by the corrupcion of aire The seconde is priuate or particular to some men through euill diet replecion which bringeth putrifaccion and finally mortificacion And Galen in the diffrences of feuers doth affirme thesame saiyng Vnam aerem viciatum ac putridum alteraÌ„ homoree corporis virioso victu colectos ad putrescenduÌ„ paratos Auicen also Tractus quartus de febribê° pestilentialibus cap. i. WheÌ„ there doeth come a sodain alteracion or chaunge in the qualitie of water froÌ„ cold to heate or transmutacion froÌ„ swetenes to stincke as it chaunceth in waters through corrupted mixture of putrified vapour infâ—ctyng bothe aire water whiche of their own simplicitie are cleane but through euill mixture are poisoned or when strong windes doe cary pestileÌ„t fume or vapours from stinkyng places to the cleane partes as bodies dedde of the plague vnburied or mortalitie in battail death of cattell rotten fennes coming sodainly by the impression of aire creping to the harte corrupting the spirites this is a dispersed pestilence by the inspiracion of aire Also by replecion Uenus bathyng or openyng the pores rotten foode fruiâ—t moche Wine or immoderate laboure or the time being hote and moiste These are greate
hande he semeth to be a proper gentlemanne and a studious he is leane an handsome clenlie man Me thinke he haue on eche side of his goune a bagge and his hande in theim Medicus Euery man haue his grace and gesture I promise you I durste committe a greate secrete vnto him Oh he is a peragon Crispine What meaneth he by winckyng like a Goose in the raine and biting of his lippe Medicus Doe you note that It is a good signe of a constante man marke it when you will he is a wittie fellowe and one that is in greate estimacion fit for maister Antonius his name is Ambodexter Goe dounâ— with spede and saie you haue geuen maister Antonius his purgacion and this daie he haue no leasure to speake with any maÌ„ and also how that he is amended for if the curate were here for the soule wee for the bodie Auarus for the purse here wer but a madde company we should neuer agree together but fall into discordes Dispatche them with spede fare ye well I wil goe and cause him to bee letten blood and kepe him from slepe then shall he bee purged to morowe in the morning Bring the pouder against the plague with you Crispine GOD geue you good morowe gentille maister Auarus what maister Ambodexter how fare you bothe maister Antonius did moche desire to haue spoken with you eight howers paste In deede within this twoo houres sauyng your worshippes he hath taken a purgacion whiche haue caste suche aire abrode that I was not hable to abide in the chamber I had forgotten my perfumes to make all well Auarus What thinke you of hym shall he escape or no Who is with hym I praie you tell me Crispine None but Doctor Capistranus whiche also desire your absence because he haue hym in cure and truste to make hym slepe after his lacke of rest and to morowe take your pleasure with hym Auarus Fare ye well we haue drawen and ingrossed his bookes commende vs to maister Doctour it were a good pastyme â—o take the foote clothe from his Mule for .ij. or three houres in pastyme Ambodexter I had rather haue the Mule Auarus What the deuill doeth this doctor here If this purgyng wer not we would clense and erpulse with our resettes that whiche should serue our tourne well enough Ambodexter I warraunt you the Doctour doe make woorke for vs bothe wee shall bryng our matters to passe in good time take no care man for the matter we will preuente the doctor to morowe when he cometh hether with a presente and bring him some pretie thinges wherin he deliteth we shall finde soche meanes to perswade with him by little and little to be executors of his will according to his old promise Further he wil take it kindely that we dooe claime kinred on hym by his mothers side whiche was a kinde harted woman and full of metrix ha ha ha She was in deede of those qualitees her sonne is like the mother as seemeth by one in the house Auarus I feare that damosell will marre all together she doeth rule the rost she ware thâ— keâ—es He caÌ„ neuer haue her out of his sight yet Reinold his man thinketh hymself in more estimacioÌ„ with her then his maister Ambodexter The last yere I counterfeeted a sickenes of purpose as I can when I lust I framed my Phisicion to my phantasie no manne thought that I should haue liued twoo dayes when I was a lone I laughed You remember whom I made myne executor euen Antonius Mantuanus I then prouidentlie by three thynges did foresee this tyme and cause The first was his greate surfeictes in banquetyng the seconde his watchyng at Chesse and Cardes the third you knowe what Auarus Well well be as be maie is no baÌ„ning â–ª I doe feare many thinges First the medicines maie chaunce recouer him then wee shall haue nothyng Well Reinolde and the damosel be euer in presence and watch him she cheares her maister with a louing countenaunce Reinold saies that he hath doen true seruice a long time c. Well I smelle an other padde in the strawe when all this is doen the curate is a craftie Rhetorician well can he perswade and reherse Gods vengeaunce threates and plagues by examples moste fearfull like thonderboltes describing the scalding hous of hel ve ve ve with the storie of Diues and Pauper and the daie of iudgement reading the Homelie of death criyng out al is but vanitie vanitie and vexacion of minde damnacion except repentaunce and true confession froÌ„ the harte restitucion of wronges he will kepe a stire and bring our cosin into a fooles paradise It is he that will raise vp all the beggers in the toun he wil crie geue with your own hand for the daie you are a man to morowe yearth ashes Ambodexter First let vs be sober and seme to bée sorowfull for him desiring nothing but onely his life If he stand in great daunger the doctor shall haue his leaue and tary no loÌ„ger with him in whoÌ„ I thinke he haue no hope to recouer let him be well rewarded Secondly let Reinold be sent into the couÌ„tree to the debtours for money tell hym it shall tourne to his greate profite and how his maister doeth inteÌ„de to take him as his sonne and will trust none but onely hym to fetche the money in the couÌ„tree Thirdly I will seme to fantasie the minion wishyng her to bee my wife alledging what broken slepes she hath caused me to haue and the cause of my commyng hether onely for her staie Then I wil practise for the keies of the greate blacke cheste and of the steele caskette Fourthlie maister Curate shalbe gently saluted with a Barnardes blowe wee will commende him wee will praie with him and also receiue the Communion with our cosin that he maie haue a good opinion in vs and deliuer hym a bagge with fiue pound in pence to geue to the poore in whose absence peraduenture our Scribe and wée shall frame the wille how like you this practise If this will not serue I haue a shifte of descante in store that I learned in Bosomes Inne Auarus The Deuill take altogether so that wée had the gold practise this I praie you you haue a good witte by my troth I could not slepe all this night for this matter if you were not I could doe nothyng but stande like a shepe Ambodexter I warrant you I haue had long experience in this trade euerywhere within this Realme I can doe the like with the helpe of Auarus whiche is a verie good penne man close and honest he writeth sonderie handes and is a liuelie grauer of Seales hymself also is a kinde harted fellowe for he will not sticke to lende his frend an othe if néede doe require Auarus The worlde is full of starting holes meÌ„ maie skant knowe how to trust men now a daies but for the good report that I doe