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
it is euer necessary That some lyfe in welth and some in mysery And let churllys bable and say what they wyll Hit hath ben so euer and wyll be so styll For it is almyghty goddys purueaunce wyse men of folys to haue the gouernaunce And they that rule well I beseech Ihesu Send them good lyfe long to contynew Amen The Philosopher ye soferayns all dyscrete excellent Before whom thys dyalog shewyd hath be Touchyng iii. poynts by wey of argument Furst what is gentylnes what nobylyte And who shulde be chose to hye auctoryte Thys questyons they be so hye and sottell Few dare pÌ„sume to dyffyne them well ¶ Yet I thynk now under your coreccyons The thyng that makyth a gentylman to be ys but vertew gentyll condycyons whych as well in pore men oft tymys we se As in men of grete byrth of hye degre And also vycious churlyssh coÌ„dycyons May be in men born to grete possessyons ¶ And forther as touchyng nobylyte yet standyth much ê‘t I thynk doutles An suffycyencye reason doth agre But that suffysaunce makyng noblenes Must nedys he aÌ„nexid vnto goodnes For suffysauns is not the cause pryncypall That god his noble but hys goodnes wythall ¶ So vertue is euer the thyng pryncypall That gentylnes noblenes doth insue Then these hedys rulers gouernours all Shuld come therto be cause of theyr vertue And in auctoryte they ought not contynue Except they be good men dyscrete wyse And haue a loue zele vnto Iustyce ¶ wherfore souereyns all that here present be Now marke well these reasons here brought in Both agayns men of hye of low degre For thys intent only to rebuke syn For the best wey that is for one to begyn To coÌ„uert the people by exortacyon ys to ê‘swade them by naturall reason ¶ For when that a man by hys owne reason Iuggyth hymselfe for to offend That grudgyth his coÌ„scyens gyffyth coÌ„puncyon Into hys herte to cause hym amend But such blynd bestê that wyl not intend To here no good councell nor reason Ought by thee law to haue sharp coreccyon ¶ But then yf the laws be not suffycyent whych haue be made ordeynyd before To gyfe ther fore coÌ„dygne ponyshment The pryncys gouernours be bound euermore To cause new laws to be made therfore And to put such men in auctocyte That good men Iust indyfferent be ¶ But because that men of nature euermore Be frayle folowyng sensualyte yt is impossyble in a maner therfore For any gouernouss that be in auctoryte At all tymys Iust indyfferent to be Except thes be brydelyd therto compellyd By some strayt laws for them deuysyd ¶ As thus that no man such rome ocupye But certayn yerys than to be remouyd yet that whyle bound to attend dylygently And yf he offend surely prouyd wyth out any fauour that he be ponyhysshyd For the ponysshment of a Iuge or offycer Doth more good than of thousand other ¶ And vntyll that such orders be deuysyd Substauncyally and put in execucyon Loke neuer to see the world amended Nor of the gret myschefes the reformacion But they that be bounde to see the thyngê done I pray god of his grace put in theyr myndys To reforme shortly suche thynges amys ¶ And though that I my selfe now prase Thus myn oppynyon haue publysshed Or any of my felowes hare in this place In any poynt here haue vs abused we beseche you to holde vs excused And so the auctour hereof requyreth you all And thus I coÌ„myt you to god eternall AMEN IoheÌ„s rastell me fieri fecit Cum priuilegio regali
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