be most grose and lowyst in degre ¶ How dare men presume to be callyd clerkê Dysputynge of hye creaturis celestyall As thyngys inuysyble and goddê hye warkys And know not these vysyble thyngys inferyall So they wolde know hye thyngê know nothiÌ„ge at all Of the yerth here wheron they dayly be Nother the nature forme nor quantyte ¶ wherfore it semyth nothynge conuenyent A man to study and his tyme to be stowe Furst for the knowlege of hye thyngê excellent And of lyght matters beneth nothynge to know As of these .iiij. elementis here below whose effectis dayly appere here at eye Such thiÌ„gê to know furst were most mete study ¶ whiche matter before your presence shortly In this interlude here shall be declaryd without great eloquence iÌ„ ryme rudely Because the compyler is but small lernyd This worke with rethoryk is not adournyd For perhappis in this matter muche eloquence Sholde make it tedyous or hurt the sentence ¶ But because some folke be lytyll disposyd To sadnes but more to myrth and sport This phylosophycall work is myxyd with mery conseytis to gyue men coÌ„fort And occasyon to cause them to resort To here this matter wherto yf they take hede Some lernynge to them therof may ê“cede ¶ But they that shall nowe this matter declare Openly here vnto this audyence Be holde I prey you see where they are The pleyers begyn to appere in presence I se well it is tyme for me to go hens And so I wyll do therfore now shortly To god I coÌ„myt all this hole company ¶ Hic intrat natura naturata Humanyte Studyous desire portaÌ„s figuraÌ„ ¶ Natura Naturata THe hye myghty most excellent of all The fouÌ„tayn of goodnes verteu coÌ„nyng whiche is eterne of power most potencyall The ê‘feccyon and furst cause of euery thynge I meane that only hye naâ—tuâ—e naturynge Lo he by his goodnes hath ordeynyd and create Me here his mynyster callyd nature naturate ¶ wherfore I am the verey naturate nature The inmedyate mynyster for the preseruacyon Of euery thynge in his kynde to endure And cause of generacyon and corrupcyon Of that thynge that is brought to distruccyon A nother thynge styll I brynge forth a gayne Thus wondersâ—y I worke and neuer in vayne ¶ The great worâ—d be holde â—o deuydyd woÌ„dersly In to two regyons wherof on I call The etheriall region with the heuyns hye Conteynynge the planettys sterris speris all The lower region callyd the elementall Conteynynge these .iiij. elementis be loo The fyre the ayre the water and yerth also ¶ But yet the elementis and other bodyes all Beneth take theyr effectys and operacyons Of the bodyes in the region ethereall By theyr influens and constellacyons They cause here corrupcyons and generacyons For yf the mouyngâ— a boue sholde onys cease Beneth sholde be nother inâ—râ—se nor decrese ¶ These elementis of them selfe so syngle be Unto dyuers formys can not be deuydyd yet they coÌ„myx to gyder dayly ye sâ—e wherof dyuers kyndes of thyngê be ingenderyd whiche thyngê eftsonys whan they be corruptyd yche element I reduce to his â—urst estate So that nothynge can be vtterly adâ—yâ—helate ¶ For though the forme and facyon of any thyng That is a corporall body be distroyed yet euery matter remaynyth in his beynge wherof it was furst made and formyd For corrupcyon of a body coÌ„myxyd ys but the resolucyon by tyme and space Of euery element to his owne place ¶ For who that wyll take any body corporall And do what he can it to distroy To breke it or grynde it into â—ouder small To washe to drown to bren it or to dry yet the ayre and fyre therof â—aturally To their owne ê“per places wyll ascende The water to the water the yerth to the yerth tende ¶ For yf hete or moysture of any thynge certayne By fyre or â—e water â—e consâ—â—â—yd yet yerth or asshes on yerth wyll remayne So the elementis can neuer be distroyed For essencyaliy ther is now at this tyde As muche fyre ayre water yerth as was Euer before this tyme nether more nor las ¶ wherfore thou man now I speke to the Remembre that thou art compound and create Of these elementis as other creaturis be yet they haue not all lyke noble estate For plantis and herbys growe and be insensate Brute bestis haue memory and their wyttê fyue But thou hast all those and soule intellectyue ¶ So by reason of thyne vnderstandynge Thou hast domynyon of other bestis all And naturally thou sholdyst desire coÌ„nynge To knowe straunge effectê and causys naturall Foâ— he that studyeth for the lyfe bestyall As voluptuous pleasure and bodely rest I account hym neuer better than a best ¶ Humanyte ¶ O excellent prynce and great lorde nature I am thyne owne chylde and formyd instrument I beseche thy grace take me to thy cure And teche me suche scyens thou thikyst expedyeÌ„t ¶ Nature ¶ Than syth thou art so humble and beneuolent That thynge that is mete for thy capasyte And good for thy knowlege I shall Instructe the ¶ Furst of all thou must consyder and see These elementis whiche do yche other penetrate And by contynuall alteracyon they be Of them selfe dayly corruptyd and generate The yerth as a poynt or center is sytuate In the myddê of the worlde with the water Ioyned with the ayre fyre rounde hole inuyronyd ¶ Thâ— yerth of it selfe is ponderous and heuy Colde and dry of his owne nature ê“per Some parte lyeth dry contynually And parte therof coueryd ouer with water Somâ— with the salt see some with freshe ryuer whiche yerth and the water to gyder with all So Ioynyd make a rounde fygure sperycall ¶ So the water whiche is colde moyst is fouÌ„de In and vppon the yâ—rth fyllynge the holâ—nes In dyuers partis liynge with the yerth rounde yet thâ— hyllys and mountâ—yns of the yerth excesse Take nothynge of hit a way the roundnes In comparyson bycause they be so small No more than the prikkê do that be on a gall ¶ The ayre whiche is hote and moyst also And the fyre whichâ— is euer hote and dry A bout thâ— yerth and water Ioyntly they go And compasse them euery where orbycularly As the whyte a boute the yolke of an egg doth lye But the ayre in the lower parte moste remaynyth The fyre naturally to the hyer tendyth ¶ The ethâ—ryall region whiche conteynyth The sterrys and planettys and â—uery spere A bout the elementis dayly mouyth And coueryth them rounde a bout euery where Euery sterre and spere in straunge maner Uppon his owne poles mouyâ—h-dyuersly whiche now to declare were to longe to tary ¶ The fyre and the ayre of their naturys be lyght Therfore they moue by naturall prouydence The water bycause it is ponderous in weyght Mouyth not naturally but by vyolence Of the stâ—rris and planâ—ttê by whose influence The see is compellyd to ebbe and flowe dayly And freshe
¶ A new interlude and a mery of the nature of the .iiij. elementê declarynge many proper poyntê of phylosophy naturall and of dyuers straunge landys and of dyuers straunge effectê causis whiche interlude yf the hole matter be playd wyl conteyne the space of an hour and a halfe but yf ye lyst ye may leue out muche of the sad mater as the messengers ê‘te and some of naturys parte and some of experyens ê‘te yet the matter wyl depend conuenyently and than it wyll not be paste thre quarters of an hour of length ¶ Here folow the namys of the pleyers ¶ The messengere Nature naturate Humanyte Studyous desire Sensuall appetyte The tauerner Eyperyence yngnoraunce Also yf ye lyst ye may brynge in a dysgysynge ¶ Here folow dyuers matters whiche be in this interlude conteynyd ¶ Of the sytuacyon of the .iiij. elementê that is to sey the yerth the water the ayre and fyre of theyr qualytese and propertese and of the generacyon corrupcyoÌ„ of thyngê made of the coÌ„myxion of them ¶ Of câ—rtâ—yn ê¯clusions ê“uynge yâ— the yerth must 〈…〉 rouÌ„de yâ— it hâ—ngyth in the myddê of the fyr 〈◊〉 that it is in circuÌ„fereÌ„ce a boue .xxj. M. myle 〈◊〉 Of 〈◊〉 ê¯clusions â—â—ynge that the see lyeth 〈◊〉 vppon 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—â—â—osmography as how 〈…〉 of â—yuers strauÌ„ge 〈◊〉 â—landys and whiche wey thâ—y lyâ—â— and of 〈◊〉 nâ—w founde landys and the maner of the people 〈…〉 cause of stone mâ—tall 〈…〉 ¶ 〈…〉 cause of well spryngê 〈…〉 of the cause oâ— hote fumys that come 〈…〉 of yâ— yâ—rth and of the cause of the bathys 〈…〉 in the yerth whiche be ê‘petually hote ¶ Of thâ— cause of thâ—â—bbe and flode of the see ¶ Oâ— the cause of rayne snowe and hayle ¶ Oâ— thâ— cause of the wyndâ—s and thonder â— Of thâ— cause of the lyghtnynge of blasyng sterâ—ys and flamys fleynge in the ayre ¶ The messenger THabouÌ„dant grace of the power deuyne whiche doth illumyne the world inuyron Pâ—eserue this audyeÌ„ce and cause them to inclyne To charyte this is my petycyon For by your pacâ—â—ns and supportacyon A lytyll inâ—erlude late made and preparyd Before your presence here shall be declaryd ¶ whiche of a fâ—w conclusyons is contriuyd And poyntê of phylosophy naturall But though the mattâ—r be not so well declaryd As a great clerke coude do nor so substancyall yet the auctour hereof requiryth you all Though he be yngnorant and caâ— lytyll skyll To regarde his only intent and good wyll ¶ whiche in his mynde hath oft tymes ponderyd what nombre of bokê in our tonge maternall Of ioyes and tryfellys be made and impryntyd And few of thâ—m of matter substancyall For though mâ—â—y make bokê yet vnneth ye shall In our englyshe tonge fynde any warkê Of connynge that is regardyd by clerkê ¶ The grekâ— thâ— romayns with many other mo In their moder tonge wrot warkê excellent Than yf clerkê in this râ—almâ— wolde take payn so Consyderyng that our tonge is now suffycyent â—o expoun any hard sentence euydent â—hey myght yf they wolde in our englyshe tonge â—rytâ— workys of grauyte somtyme amonge ¶ For dyuers prâ—â—gnaunt wytt◠〈◊〉 this lande â—s well of noble men as of meane estate 〈◊〉 â—othynge but â—nglyshe can vnderstand◠〈◊〉 yf connynge laten bokys were translate 〈◊〉 englyshe wâ—l corrâ—â—t and appâ—obate 〈…〉 in englyshe myght be lâ—rnyd 〈…〉 othâ—r people in their owne tongê dyd â—But now so iâ— is that in our englyshe tonge 〈◊〉 one thâ—râ— is that can but rede wryte 〈…〉 wyll oft presume amonge 〈…〉 to compyle and balatê to indyte Some oâ— loue or other matter not worth a myte Some to opteyn fauour wyll flatter and glose Some wryte curyous termê nothyng to purpose ¶ Thus euery man after his fantesye wyll wryte his conseyte be it neuer so rude Be it vertuous vycyous wysedome or foly wherfore to my purpose thus I conclude why shold not thâ—â— the auctour of this interlude Utter his ownâ—â—antesy and conseyte also As well as dyuers other now a dayes do ¶ For wysâ—domâ— and foly is as it is takyn For the one callyth wysedome a nother callyth foly yâ—t amonge moste folke that man is holdyn moste wyse whiche to be ryche studyeth only But he that for a coÌ„myn welth bysyly Studyeth and laboryth and lyuyth by goddê law Except he wax ryche men count hym but a daw ¶ So he that is ryche is euer honouryd All though he haue got it neuer so falsely The pore beynge neuer so wyse is reprouyd This is the oppynyon moste coÌ„mynly Thorowe out the worlde and yet no reason why Therfore in my mynd whan that all suche dawis Haue babelyd what they caÌ„ no force of .ii. strawis ¶ For euery man in reason thus ought to do To labour for his owne necessary lyuynge And than for the welth of his neyghbour also But what dyuylish mynd haue they which musiÌ„g And labouryng all their lyffê do no nother thyng But briÌ„ge ryches to their owne possessyon Nothyng regardiÌ„ge their neyghbours distruccioÌ„ ¶ yet all the ryches in the worlde that is â—ysyth of the grounde by goddys sendynge And by the labour of pore mennys handys And though thou rychâ— maÌ„ haue therof the kepynge yâ—t is not this â—yches of thy gettynge Nor oughtyst not in reason to be preysyd the more For by other meÌ„nys labour it is got before ¶ A great wytted man may sone be enrychyd That laboryth and studyeth for ryches only But how shall his coÌ„scyens than be discharged For all clerkê afferme that that man presysely whiche studyeth for his owne welth pryncypally Of god shall deserue but lytyll rewarde Eâ—cept he the coÌ„myn welth somwhat regarde ¶ So they sâ—y that that man occupyed is For a coÌ„myn welth whiche is euer laborynge To relâ—ue pore people with temporall goodys And that it is a coÌ„myn good act to brynge People from vyce and to vse good lyuynge Lyke wyse for a coÌ„myn welth occupyed is he That bryngyth them to knowlege the yngnoraÌ„t be ¶ But man to knowe god is a dyffyculte Except by a meane he hym selfe inure whiche is to knowe goddê creaturys that be As furst them that be of the grosyst nature And than to know them that be more pure And so by lytyll and lytyll ascendynge To know goddê creaturys meruelous werkiÌ„ge ¶ And this wyse man at the last shall come to The knowlege of god and his hye mageste And so to lerne to do his dewte and also To deserâ—e of his goodnes partener to be wherfore in this work dâ—claryd shall ye see Furst of the element is the sytuacyon And of their effectis the caule and generacyon ¶ And though some meÌ„ thynâ—e this matter to hyâ— And not mete for an audyence vnlernyd Me thynke for man nothynge more necessary Than this to know though it be not vsyd Nor a matter more lowe can not be arguyd For though the elementis goddys creaturis be yet they
full ere Ta. ¶ yes I warrant you do not fere ¶ Exeat Tauerner Hu. ¶ Goddis lorde sâ—ist not who is here now what studyâ—ê° desire what newis with you Stu ¶ ye shall knowe syr or I go Sen. ¶ what art thou here I se well I The mo knâ—â—ys the worse company Stu. ¶ Thy lewde condycyons thou doest styll occupy As thou art wont to do Hu. ¶ But I sâ—y who is this here in presence Stu. ¶ Syr this is the man callyd experiens That I spake of before Hu. ¶ Experyens why is this he Syr ye ar ryght welcome vnto me And shall be euer more Expe. ¶ Syr I thanke you therof hertely But I assure you feythfully I haue small courage here to tary As longe as this man is here Sen. ¶ why horson what eylyst at me Ex. ¶ For thou hast euer so leude a ê“perte Science to dispyse and yet thou art he That nought canst nor nought wylt lere Sen. ¶ Mary auauÌ„t knaue I make god auowe I thynke my selfe as coÌ„nynge as thou And that shall I proue shortly I shall put the a questyon now come nere Let me se how well thou canst answere How spellest this worde tom Couper In trewe aâ—tografye Ex. ¶ Tom coâ—per qd a a wyse quâ—styoÌ„ herdly Sen. ¶ ye I tel yâ— agayne yet tom couê‘ how spellyst it Lo he hath for gotten ye may se The furste worde of his a b c. Harke fole harke I wyll teche the P. a. pa. t. â— r. â—er do to gyther tom couper ys not this a sore matter Loo here ye may se hym ê“uyd a fole He had more nede to go to scole Than to come hyther to clatter Stu. ¶ Certeyne this is a solucyon Mete for suche a boyes questyon Hu. ¶ Sensuall apetyte I prey the Let passe all suche tryfles and vanyte For a wyâ—e it shall not longe be And departe I the require For I wolde talke a worde or two with this man here or he hens go For to satysfy my desyre Sen. ¶ why goggis soule wyll ye so shortly Breke poyntment with yonder company where ye shulde come to supper I trust ye wyll not breke ê“mys so Hu. ¶ I care not greatly yf I do yt is but a tauerne matter Sen. ¶ Than wyll I go shew them what ye sey Hu. ¶ Spare not if thou wylt go thy wey For I wyll here tary Sen. ¶ ThaÌ„ a dew for a whyle I tel you playne But I ê“myse you whaÌ„ I come a gayne I shall make yonder knauys twayne To repent and be sory Ex. ¶ Nowe I am full glad that he is gone Stu ¶ So am I for good wyll he do none To no man lyuynge But this is the man with whome ye shall I trust be well content with all And glad of his coÌ„mynge ¶ For he hath expownyd connyngly Dyuers poyntes of Cosmogryfy In fewe wordes and shorte clause Hu. ¶ So I vnderstand he hath gode science And that he hath by playne exê‘ience Lernyd many a straunge cause Stu. ¶ ye syr and I say for my ê‘te He is the coÌ„nyngest man in that arte That euer I coude fynde For aske what questyon ye wyll do Howe the yerth is rounde or other mo He wyll satysfye your mynde Ex. ¶ why what doute haue ye therin founde Thynke ye the yerth shulde not be rounde Or elles howe suppose ye Hu. ¶ One wey it is rounde I must consent For this man prouyd it euydent Towarde the eest and occydent It must nedis rounde be Ex. ¶ And lykewyse from the south to north Hu. That poynt to proue were suÌ„ thaÌ„ke worth Ex. ¶ yes that I can well proue For this ye knowe as well as I ye se the north starre in the skye Marke well ye shall vnethe it spye That euer it doth remoue ¶ But this I assure you if you go Northwarde an hundreth myle or two ye shall thynke it ryseth And how that it is nere aproched The poynt ouer the top of your hed whiche is callyd your zenyth ¶ yet yf ye go the other wey Southwarde .x. or .xii. dayes Iorney ye shall then thynke anon It discended and come more nye The sercle ê‘tynge the yerth and skye As ye loke streyght with your eye whiche is callyd your oryson ¶ But ye may go southwarde so farre That at the last that same starre wyll seme so farre downe ryght Clere vnder neth your oryson That syght therof can you haue non The yerth wyll stop your syght ¶ This ê“uyth of necessyte That the yerth must nedis rounde be This conclulsyon doth it trye Hu. ¶ Nowe that is the ê“perist conclusyon That euer I herde for by reason No man may hit deuye But sir if that aman sayle farre Upon the see wyll than that starre Do there as on the grounde Ex. ¶ ye doutles saylâ— northward ryse it wyl And sayle southwarde it falleth styl And that prouyth the see rounde Stu. ¶ So dothe it in myne oppynyon But knowe you any other conclusyon To proue it rounde saue that alone Ex. ¶ ye that I knowe ryght well As thus marke well whan yâ— see is clere That no storme nor wawe theroÌ„ doth pere This maryners can tell ¶ Than if a fyre be made on nyght Upon the shore that gyueth great lyght And a shyp in the see farre They in the toppe the fyre se shall And they on hache nothynge at all yet they on haches be nerrÌ„ ¶ Also on the see where men be saylynge Farre frome lande they se nothynge But the water and the skye yet whan they drawe the lande more nere Than the hyll toppes begyn to apere Styll the nere more hye and hye As though they were styll growynge faste Out of the see tyll at laste whan they come the shore to They se the hyll toppe fote and all whiche thynge so coude not be fall But the see lay rounde also Hu. Me thynketh your argumeÌ„t soÌ„what hard Ex. ¶ Than ye shall haue it more playnly declared If ye â—aue great desyre For here loo by myne instrumentis I can shew the playne exê‘imentê Hu. ¶ Therto I you requyre Ex. ¶ with all my herte it shall be done But for the furst conclusyon That I spake of the fyre Be this the sâ—ey that is so rounde And this the fyre vpon the grounde And this the shyp that is here ye knowe well that a mannes syght Can neuer be but in a lyne ryght Hu. ¶ Iust you say that is clere Ex. ¶ Marke well than may not that maÌ„nis eye ¶ with argyng here theyr foâ—yâ—â—◠〈◊〉 That is not worth iij. strawes ¶ I loue not this horeson losophers Nor this great coÌ„nyng extromers That tell how far it is to the sterres I hate all maner connyng I wolde ye knew it I am Ignorance A lorde I am of gretter pusans Than the kynge of yngland or fraunce ye the grettyst lord lyuyng ¶ I haue seruauÌ„tê at my retynew That longe to me I assure you Here with in