The hye way to the spyttell hous Copland and the porter. Who so hath lust, or wyll leaue his thryft ...

¶Here begynneth the casualyte Of the entraunce in to hospytalyte

[illustration]

TO wryte of Sol in his exaltacyon Of his solstyce or declynacyon Or in what sygne, planet, or degre As he in course is vsed for to be Scorpio, pisces, or sagyttary Or whan the moone her way dooth contrary Or her eclypse / her wane / or yet her full It were but lost / for blockysh braynes dull But playnly to say / euen as the tyme was About a fourtenyght after Halowmas I chaunced to come by a certayn spyttell Where I thought best to tary a lyttell And vnder the porche for to take socour To byde the passyng of a stormy shour For it had snowen / and frosen very strong With great ysesycles on the eues long The sharp north wynd hurled bytterly

And with blacke cloudes / darked was the sky Lyke as in wynter / some days be naturall With frost and rayne / and stormes ouer all So styll I stode / as chaunced to be The porter of the hous / stode also by me With whome I reasoned of many dyuers thynges Touchyng the cours of all suche wetherynges And as we talked / there gatered at the gate People as me thought / of very poore estate With bag and staf / both croked / lame / and blynde Scabby & scuruy / pocke eaten flesh and tynde Lowly and scalde / and pylled lyke as apes With scantly a rag / for to couer theyr shapes Brecheles / bare foted / all stynkyng with dyrt with. M. of tatters / drabblyng to the skyrt Boyes / gyrles / and luskysh strong knaues Dydderyng & dadderyng / leaning on their staues Sayng good mayster / for your moders blyssynge Gyue vs a halfpeny / toward our lodgyng The porter sayd what nede you to craue That in the spyttell shall your lodgyng haue Ye shall be entreated / as ye ought to be For I am charged / that dayly to se The systers shall do theyr obseruaunce As of the hous is the due ordynaunce.

¶Copland.

¶Porter sayd I / gods blyssyng and our lady Haue ye for spekyng so curteysly To these poore folke / and god his soule pardon That for theyr sake / made this foundacyon But syr I pray you / do ye lodge them all That do aske lodgyng in this hospytall?

¶Porter.

¶Forsoth yea / we do all suche •…•…olke in take That do aske lodgyng for our lordes sake And in dede it is our custome and vse Somtyme to take in / and some to refuse.

¶Copland.

¶Than is it comyn to euery wyght How they lyue all day, to lye here at nyght •…•…s losels / myghty beggers / and vacabonds And tre wands that walke ouer the londs Mychers, hedgecrepers / fylloks and luskes That all the somer kep•…•… dyches and buskes Lewtryng and wandryng fro place to place And wyll not work / but the bypaths trace And lyue with Haws, and hunt the blakbery And with hedge brekyng make themself mery But in the wynter they draw to the towne And wyll do nothyng / but go vp and down And all for lodgyng that they haue here by nyght Me thynk that therin ye do no ryght Nor all suche places of hospytalyte To confort people of suche iniquyte. But syr I pray you / of your goodnes and fauoue Tell me which yeleaue / & which ye do socour? For I haue sene at sondry hospytalles That many haue lyen dead without the walles And for lacke of socour haue dyed wretchedly Unto your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on / I thynke contrary Moche people resorte here / and haue lodgyng But yet I maruell greatly of one thyng That in the nyght so many lodge without? For in the watche whan that we go about Under the stalles, in porches and in doores

〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they be theues or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ut surely euery nyght there is found •…•…ne or other ly•…•…ng by the pound In the shepe cootes / or in the hey loft And at saynt Barthylmews chyrch doore full 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And euen here alway by this brycke wall We do them fyud, that do bothe •…•…hyde and •…•…rall •…•…nd lyke as beastes / togyder they be throng Bothe lame and seke / and hole them among And in many corners where that we go 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & wondre greatly why they do so But 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whan that they vs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do ren̄e a great deale faster than we.

¶Porter.

¶〈◊〉〈◊〉 folkes be they that we do abiect 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are not bound to haue •…•…o them aspect 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be mychers, that lyue intre 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Hespytalyte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them alway despyse.

¶Copland.

¶Syr I pray yo•…•…, who hath of you 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶Porter.

¶Forsoth they that be at suche myschefe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sor theyr lyuyng can do no labour And haue no frendes to do them socout As old p•…•…ople / seke / and impotent Poore w•…•…men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue here easement 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men sore wounded by great vyolence And sore men eaten with pockes and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And honest folke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in great pouerte By myschaunce or other infyrmyte Way faryng men, and maymed souldyours Haue theyr relyef in this poore hous of our•…•…

And all other which we seme good and playne Haue here lodgyng for a nyght or twayne Bedred fo•…•…ke / and suche as can not craue In these places / moost relyef they haue And yf they hap / within our place to dye Than are they buryed / well and hones•…•…ly But not euery vuseke stoborne knaue For than we shold ouer many haue,

¶Copland.

¶How say you by these comyn beggers tha•…•… •…•…rye Dayly on the worlde / and in the hye wayes lye At westmynster•…•… and at say•…•…t Poules And in all stretes they syt as desolate soules Me thynke it it a very well done dede With deuocyon suche people to fede

¶Porter.

¶Where ony gyueth almesse with good entent The rewarde can not be no wyse mysspent

¶Copland.

¶Ye but syr I wyll not lye by my soule As I walked to the chyrche of saynt Poule There sate beggers: on eche syde the way two As is seen dayly, they be wont to do Syr one there was, a myghty stoburne slaue That for the other began to beg and craue Now mayster, in the way of your good spede To vs all four / behold where it is nede And make this farthyng worth a halfpeny For the fyue ioyes of our blyssed lady Now turne agayn for saynt Erasmus sake And on my bare knees here a vowe I make Our ladyes psalter thre tymes euen now

Now turne agayn / as god shall turne to you Now mayster, do that no man dyd this day On yone poore wretch / that rotteh in the way Now mayster for hym that dyed on tre Lete vs not dye for lacke of charyte Thus he prated / as he full well can Tyll at last an honest seruyng man 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the way / and by compassyon Of his wordes / dyd his deuocyon Whan he was gone a lytell fro thens I sawe the begger pull out. xi. pens Saying to his felaws. se what here is Many a knaue haue I called mayster for this Lete vs go dyne / this is a symple day By mayster therwith shall I scantly pay 〈◊〉〈◊〉 these folkes hyther good mayster porter?

¶ Porter.

¶ No in sothe / this hous is of no such supporter They haue houses / and kepe full yll gestyng And to the resorte all the hole ofspryng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Berbycan / and in Turnmyll strete In Houndesdyche / and behynd the Flete And in twenty places mothan there Where they make truell and gaudy chere 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fyll the pot fyll / go fyll me the can ••ere is my peny / I am a gentylman 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there they byd / and fyll as dooth a gull And whan that they haue theyr heades full ••han ••hey fall out / and make reuyiyng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this wyse make the dronken rekenyng Thou beggerly knaue, bag nor staf hast thou none But as I am fayne dayly to lend the one

Thou getest it no more / though it lye and rote Nor my long cloke / nor my new patched cote This ru•…•…e make they / euery day and nyght Tyll lyke as swyne they lye slepyng vpryght Some beggerly churles to whome they resorte Be the maynteners of a great sorte Of myghty lubbers / and haue them in seruyc•…•… Some iourney men / & some to theyr prentyce And they walke to eche market and fayre And to all places where folke do repayre By day on styltes / or stoupyng on crowches And so dyssymule as fals le 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…owches With bloody clowtes all about theyr legge And play sters on theyr skyn whan they go beg Some countrefayt lepry / and other some Put sope in theyr mouth to make it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And fall do wue as saynt Cornelys euyll These dysceyts they vse wors than euy deuyll And whan they be in theyr owne company They be as hole as eyther you or I But at the last / wha•…•… sekenes cometh in dede Than to the spyttell hous must they come nede

¶ Copland.

¶ Ah Iesu mercy / what man coud coniect The mysery of suche a wretched 〈◊〉〈◊〉 None honest man, but yet I you hertyly pray Tell me of other that come these way Come here ony of these maysterles men That euery where do go and ren That haue serued the kyng beyond these And now that they out of wages be They must beg / or els go brybe and steale

Me thynk it is a great soule heale To hel•…•… them tyll they were pouruayd Into som•…•… seruyce for yf they were arayd Some of them were propre men and tall And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to go why•…•… they shall

¶ Porter.

¶ That is trouth, but they vse one yll thyng For they do were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 clothyng And so beggyng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…lke ouer all For they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 moost in generall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 abyde no laborous subiection 〈◊〉〈◊〉 honest persones vader correction For whan they be wery they wyll 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a way And parcha•…•… cary with them what they may And so whan a man wold bryng them to thry•…•… They wyll hym rob / and fro his good hym 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶ Copland.

¶ Though some so do they do not all so •…•…or so•…•… myght chaunce well as many one do.

¶ Porter.

¶ That is true / but it hath ben seen long agone That many haue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the wors for one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 two sortes moo•…•… comynly The one of them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by open 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…gged and lowsy with bag / dysh / and staf 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haunteth among such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 raf Our tyme to this 〈◊〉〈◊〉, another to that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and pochyng to get somwhat 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doore / lumpes of bread or meat For 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the staf in his hand ones catche heat Than farwell labour / & hath suche delyte That thryft and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fro hym is quyte

And in suche mysery they lyue day by day That of very nede they must come this way

¶ Copland.

¶ Of the other now what is theyr estate

¶ Porter.

¶ By my fayth nyghtyngales of newgate These ben they that dayly walkes and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 In theyr hose trussed rounde to theyr do dowblett•…•… And say / good maysters of your charyte Helpe vs poore men that come from the se From the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we were cast to lande God it knowes as poorly as we stande And sōty me they say that they were take in Fraūce And had ben there. vii. yeres in duraunce In Muttrell / in Brest / in Tourney or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 In Morlays / in Cleremount or in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And to theyr countrees they hau•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to gone And amonge them all peny haue they none Now good menues bodyes wyll they say then For goddes sake helpe to kepe vs true men Or elles they say they haue in pryson be In newgat / the kynges benche or marchalse As many true men take by suspecyon And were quitte / by proclamacyon And yf ony axe what co•…•…ntrey men they be And lyke your maystershyp / of the north all thre Or of Chesshyre / or elles nygh Cornewale Or where they lyst for to gabbe and rayle And may parchaunce the one is of London The other of yorke / and the thyrde of Hampton And thus they lewter in euery way and strete In townes and chyrches where as people mete

In lanes and patthes / and at eche crosse / way There do they prate / bable lye and praye But yf ye be clenly and haply come alone your purce & clothynge may fortune to be gone But at no dore for brede / drynke / nor potage Nor scoules of meat / nor no suche bagage They none desyre / to put in bagge nor male But very whyte threde / to sewe good ale And whan they haue goten what they may Than to theyr lodgynge / they do take theyr way In to some aley / lane / or blynde hostry And to some corner or hous of bawdry Where as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 solke of theyr affynyte Brothelles / and other suche as they be And there they mete / and make theyr gaudy chere And put on theyr clothynge and other gere •…•…heyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and boclers / & theyr short daggebs And there they reuell as vnthryfty braggers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 horyble othes / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as they were wood Armes / nayles / woundes / herte soule and blood 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / fote / masse / flesshe / bones / lyfe / and body With all other wordes of blasphemy Bostyngethem all in dedes of theyr myschefe And thus passe the tyme / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 daūce hore / pipe thefe The hang man shall lede the daunce at the ende For noue other ways they do not pret•…•…nde An•…•… whan that they can gete nothyng by beggyng To maynteyne suche lyfe they fall to stelyng And so this way the come at the last 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on the galowes make a tomlyng cast

¶ Copland.

¶ More pyte / to se our owne nacyon

For to behaue them on suche facyon Surely there is an act of parlyament That y fony strong vacabond be hent To be set in a payre of stockes openly Certayn days / with bread and water onely And than to be banysht from town to town I thynk that act is not yet put down If it were execute / as to my reason Men shold not se within a lytell scafon So many of them / nor ydle slouches And myghty beggers / w^t theyr pokes & crouches But they be mayntened by this noughty sect That all this land is with them infect I meane these bawdy brybrous knaues That lodgeth them that so powles and shaues It were almes that they were loked on For they be wors than ony thefe or felon ¶ But to our purpose / cometh not this way Of these Rogers? that dayly syng and pray With Au•…•… regina / or De profundis Quem terra ponthus / and Stella maris At euery doore there they toot and frydge And say they come fro Oxford or Cambrydge And be poore scolers / and haue no maner thyng Nor also frendes, to kepe them at lernyng And so do lewtre only for crust and crum with staffe in hand / and fyst in bosum Passyng tyme so bothe day and yere As in theyr legend I purpose shall appere An other tyme after my fantasy

¶ Porter.

¶ Suche folkes of trouth cometh here dayly

And ought of ryght this hous for to vse In theyr a•…•…ge / for they fully do refuse The tyme of vertuous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wherby they shold vnto honour aryse

¶ Copland.

¶ Syr yet there is another company Of the same sect / that lyue more subtylly And be in maner as mayster wardayns To whome these Rogers obey as capytayns And be named •…•…lewners, as I here say

¶ Porter.

¶ By my sothe all fals harlots be they And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of people ouerall In the countree moost of them fynd ye shall They say that they come fro the vnyuersyte And in the scoles haue taken degree Of preesthod / but frendes haue they none To gyue them ony exhybytion And how that they forth wold passe To theyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and syng theyr fyrst masse And there pray for theyr benefactours And serue god all tymes and houres And so they lewtre in suche rogacyons Seuen or eyght yeres walkyng theyr stacyons And do but gull / and folow beggery Feynyng true doyng by ypocrysy As another tyme shalbe shewed playne ¶ But yet there is of a lyke maner trayne Of fals brybours, deceytfull and fraudelent That among people call themselfs Sapyent These ryde about in many sondry wyse And in straunge aray / do themself dysguyse

Somtyme in maner of a physycyan And another tyme as a hethen man Countrefaytyng theyr owne tongue and speche And hath a knaue that doth hym englysh teche With, me non spek englys by my fayt My seruaunt spek you what me sayt And maketh a maner of straunge countenaunce With admyracyons his fallnes to auaunce And whan he cometh there as he wold be Than wyll he feyne merueylous grauyte And so chaunceth his hostes or his hoost To demaund, out of what straunge land or coost Cometh this gentylman: forsothe hostesse This man was borne in hethennesse Sayth his seruaunt. and is a connyng man For all the seuen scyences surely he can And is sure in Physyk and Palmestry In augury, sothsay•…•…ng, and vysenamy So that he can ryght soone espy If ony be dysposed to malady And therfore can gyue suche a medycyne That maketh all accesses to declyne But surely yf it were knowen that he Shold medle with ony infyrmyte Of comyn people, he myght gete hym hate And lose the fauour of euery great estate Howbeit of charyte / yet now and then He wyll mynyster his cure on pore men No money he taketh, but all for gods loue Which by chaunce ye shall se hym proue ¶ Than sayth he / qui speke my hostesse Graund malady make a gret excesse

Dys infant rumpre 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 By got he ala mort / tuk vnder thum What sayth he? sayth the good wyfe Nostesse he swereth, by his soule and lyfe That this chyld is vexed with a bag In his stomacke, as great as he may wag So that or two or thre days come about It wyll choke hym withouten dout But than he sayth / except ye haue his read This chyld ther with wyll sodeynly be dead Alas sayth she / yf she loue it well Now swete may ster / gyue me your counsell For gods sake I aske it, and our lady And here is twenty shyllyngs by and by Quid est, sayth he? Forsoth she dooth offre Uiginti solid•…•…, pour fournir vostre coffre To do your help / sayth this fals seruyture Non poynt dargent layth he / par deu ie non cure He wyll no money / hostesse I you prompt For gods sake / he dooth it eche whyt Than calleth he anone for his casket That f•…•…antly is worth a rotten basket And taketh out a powdre of experyence That a carte lode is not worth two pence And in a paper he dooth fayre fold it vp Fastyng thre days / he byddeth that to sup Than for a space he taketh lycence God wot as yet he payd for none 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And so departeth and on the next day One of his felawes wyll go the same way To bolster the matter of his fals 〈◊〉〈◊〉 He sytteth down / and maketh good 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Which in lyke wyse loketh on the chylde Saying / that heuenly vyrgyn vndefylde Our lady Mary, preserne this chyld now For it is seke / hostesse I tell it you For or thre days / but our lorde hym saue I ensure you it wylbe in a graue Good syr sayth she / alas and weleaway Here was a gentylman euen yesterday That tolde the same accesse and dysease Hostesse sayth he / yf that it woid you please What maner man was it? I pray you tell Good syr she sayth / in sothe I know not well But englysh speche / in dede he can none And is a Jewe / his man told vs echone Yea was, sayth he / I knowe hym well in de•…•… I wolde I had spoke with hym or he ye•…•…. But hostesse, in faythe toke he ony thyng By my trouth sayth she / not one fart•…•…yng I wote sayth he / but I maruell that he wol•…•… But of charyte, in suche a meane houshold Do say so moche / for yfgreat estates it knew His company than wold they all eschewe Good syr sayth she / yet of your gentylnes Help this poore chylde, of this sayd sekene And hereis. xx. shyllyngs for your payne And your exspence for a weke or twayne Well hostesse sayth he. I wyll do more than 〈◊〉〈◊〉 For you. but I shall tell you what For my labour I aske nothyng at all But for the drogges / that occupy he shall The which be dere / and very precyous And surely I wyll neuer out of your hous

Tyll he be hole as eyther you or I Than gooth his knaue to a town to bye These drogges that be not worth a torde And there they lye / at fourtenyght at borde With these good folkes / and put them to cost Bothe meat and money clerely haue they lost Yet god wote what waste they made and reuell So at the last departeth this Iauell With the money / and streyght rydeth he Where the thefe his felaw / and dyuers other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And there they prate / and make theyr auaunt Of theyr deceytes / and drynk adew taunt As they lyue / I pray god them amend Or as they be / to bryng them to an end For the spyttell is not for theyr estate Howbeit they come dayly by the gate

¶Copland.

¶ A shrewd sorte by our lady / and a comberous Jesus kepe them out of euery good mans hous But cometh ony pardoners this way?

¶Porter.

¶ Yea syr, they be our {pro}ctours / & fayn they may Chyrs•…•…y syth theyr fals popery was knowen And theyr bullysh indulgence ouerthrowen They be all nought / reken eche with other Subtilte is theyr father / & falshod theyr mother For by l•…•…ttres they name them as they be P. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pardoner. Clewner a. C. B. a Roger. A an Iurium / and a Sapyent. S. Thus they know eche other doubtles But whan theyr iuggelyng oores do fayle They ren̄e ashore / and here stryke sayle

¶Copland.

¶ By my sothe I am wery to here of theyr lyuyng Wherfore I pray you / yf ye be pleasyng Tell me shortly of all folke in generall That come the hye way to the hospytall

¶Porter.

IT is tedyous / but for your mynde As nye as I can / I wyl shew the kynds Of euery sorte / & which by lykelynes To the spyttell his way dooth adres But as for ordre I promyse none to kepe For they do come as they were scattered shepe Wandryng without reason / rule / or guyde And for other lodgyng do not prouyde ¶ But to our purpose. there cometh in this vyage They that toward god haue no courage And to his worde gyue none aduertence Eke to father and mother do not reuerence They that despyse folke in aduersyte They that seke stryfe and iniquyte They that for themself do kepe nothyng And suche as hate other in theyr well doyng They may be sure or euer they dye Lest they lacke lodgyng here for to lye.

¶ Preestes and clerkes that lyue vycyously Not caryng how they shold do theyr duty Unruly of maners / and slacke in lernyng Euer at the alehous for to syt bybyng Neglectyng the obedyence to them dew And vnto Chrystes flocke take none auew But lyke as wolues that rauysh the folde

These people do this ryght way holde

¶yong heyres that enioy theyr herytage Rulyng themself / or they come to aege Occupyeng vnthryfty company Spendyng vp theyr patrymony Whyles they be yong, & vse dyssolute playes Of very nede they must come these wayes

¶All suche people as haue lytell to spend Wastyng it, tyll it be at an end And whan they be seke / and haue nothyng Toward the spyttell than they be comyng

¶They that haue small londes and tenements wearyng dayly costly garments That at the last they must be fayne To sell theyr rentes / themself to sustayne Whiche is a token of veray experyence This way for to come by consequence

¶Bayllyfs, stuardes, caters, and renters Pay maysters, credytours, and receyuers That beneclygent to make rekenyngs Delyueryng and trustyng without wrytyngs Uncaryng for to ren̄e in ar•…•…rage By this way they must nede make passage

¶Landlordes that do no reparacyons But leue theyr landes in desolacyons' Theyr housyng vnkept wynd and water tyght Letyng the pryncypals rot down ryght

And suffreth theyr tenauntes to renne away The way to our hous we can them not denay

¶They that sew / in the court dayly For lyttell besynesse and spendeth largely With grete gyftes and yet theyr labour lost This way they come to seke for theyr cost

¶Fermours and other husbandmen that be In grete fermes / and dooth not ouer se Theyr housbondry / but leteth theyr corne rote Theyr hey to must / theyr shepe dye in the cot•…•… Theyr land vntyld / vndunged / and vnsowen Theyr medowes not defenced and vnmowen Theyr fruyt to perysh / hangyng on the trees Theyr catell scater / and lose theyr hony bees

¶All yong heyres borne in a ryche estate And wold lyue styll after the same rate Beyng yong brethren of small possybylyte Not hauyng wher with to mayntene suche degr•…•… But make shyftes / and borow ouerall Suche trace pryson to be theyr hospytall

¶Selfwylled people that can not be in rest But in the lawe do euer wrythe and wrest And wyll not fall to ony agrement Tyll in theyr neckes is layd by Jugement The costes and charges / & so are made full bare Lodgyng for suche folke we do euer spare

¶People that alway wyll be at dystaunce

And on theyr neyghbours euertake vengeaunce Beyng auengyng on euery small wrong From this way they cannot be long

¶They that wyl medle in euery mans matter And of other folkes dedes dooth alway clatter Mayntenyng theyr own sayeng to be true And is no•…•… beleued / they can not eschue But they must nedes come hytherward For by moche medlyng theyr credence is mard

¶Marchaunts that beyond the see bye dere A•…•…d lend it good chepe whan they be here A•…•…d be neuer payed / but by the lawe Her•…•… haue no beddyng / but lye on the strawe

¶They that sell good cheap in despyte L•…•…tyng all theyr gaynes for to go quyt•…•… Byeng ware deare / and s•…•…ll for a lytell They be very gestes to lye in our spyttell

¶Craftes men that do worke day and nyght Hauyng great charge and theyr gaynes lyght Wastyng theyr tooles / and can them not renew Full well may saye / farwell good thryft adew ¶He that wynneth moche / & whan he hath doone with waste and games spendeth it soone Leauyng not wherwith agayn to begyn In this hye way he hasteth to ryn

¶He that hath a good occupacyon And wyll lyue on the courtly facyon

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Wenyng for to lyue more •…•…asyly Somtyme dooth make an vnthryfty chaunge With bag & staf in our parke to raunge

¶Rufflers / and masterles men that can not werke And slepeth by day / and walketh in the derke And with delycates / gladly doth fede Swerynge and crakynge an easy lyfe to lede With comyn women dayly for to haunt Makynge reuell and drynke a dieu taunt Saynge make we mery as longe as we can And drynke a pace / the d•…•…uyll pay the malt man Wyne was not made for euery haskerde But bere and ale / for euery dasterde And whan theyr money is gone and spent Than this way is moost conuenyent

¶Tauerners that kepe bawdry and pollyng Marryng wyne with brewyng & rollyng ¶Inholders that lodge hoores an•…•… theues Seldon theyr getyng ony way preues So by reason / theyr gayues be geason This way they ren̄e many a season

Bakers & brewers / that with musty grayne Serue theyr customers, must take it agayne And many tymes haue they no vtteraun•…•… For theyr weyght & measure is of no substaunce And lose bothe theyr credence and good Come this way by all lykelyhood For they do infect that shold be mans food.

〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 And wyll pay more than they of ryght be set for to be named a man 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And in maner he hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at all Suche foly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 facers whan theyr good is spent To the spyttell warde they renne incontynent

¶ yonge folke that wedde or they be wyse And alway charges on theyr haud dooth ryse Hous rent and chyloren / and euery other thyng And can do nothyng for to gete theyr iyuyng And haue no frendes them for to sustayne To com this way / at last they must be fayne

They that sell away all theyr rentes and landes And bestoweth it for to be merchandes And auentreth tyll then haue all lost And turmoyleth alway fro pyler to post And euer leseth all that they go about Cometh this way amonge the other rout

¶ They that in hope to haue theyr frendes dye Wyll do nothynge / but lyue wantonly Trust ynge to haue the treasour that is left But many tymes it is them bereft And haue nothyng and nothynge can do Suche come this way with other to

¶ They that dooth to other folkes good dede And hath themselfe of other folke more nede And quencheth the fyre of another place And leueth his owne, that is in wors ca•…•…e

Whan it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not where to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 To the spyttell than must he nedes hye

¶ They that wyll not suffre theyr clothe hole But iag and cut them with many a hole And payeth more for makyng than it cost Whan it is made / the garment is but lost Patchyng them with colours lyke a fole At last they be ruled after our scole

¶ They that do make to moche of theyr wyues Suffryng them to be nought of theyr lyues Letyng them haue ouermoche of theyr wyll Clothyng them better than they can fulfyll Letyng them go to feestes / daunces / and plays To euery brydale / and do nothyng on days And gyueth them all the soueraynte Must nedes come this way / for they cannot pthe

¶ Copland.

¶ Come hyther ony of these wofull creatures That besore wounded / and moche wo endures With a shrewd wyfe / and is neuer quyet Bycause that she wold haue all her dyet But bralle and •…•…hyde / babble / crye and fyght Euer vncontented bothe day and nyght

¶ Porter.

¶ C•…•…ine this way quod a: yes I warraunt you Of them alway come this way ynow We haue chambres purposely for them Or els they shold be lodged in Bedlem

¶ Copland.

¶ Mary god forbyd it shold be as ye tell

¶ Porter.

¶ By good fayth, the very deuyll of hell I trowe to my mynd hath not moche more payne One were in a maner as good be slayne For there is no idye / but euer anguysh On bothe sydes they do always languysh For the one gooth hyther, and the other thyder Bothe they spend, and ly nothyng togyder So at the last of very necessyte Hyther they come / to aske lodgyng of me

¶ Copland.

¶ I do knowe it is the ryght facyon A realme stryuyng in it self gooth to desolacyon God amend all / I haue herd what it is Tell of some other / I am wery of this

¶ Porter.

¶ Ill maysters that lete theyr seruaunts play Fedyng them deyntyly euery day And dooth cloth and pay them as they shold be Beyng ne••lygent theyr worke to ouerse Suffryng them waste / and theyr good spyll In theyr presence to do theyr lewd wyll And all those that pay not theyr hyre Uengeaunce of god it dooth desyre Th••se on bothe partes do eche other wrong This way they come with a great throng

¶ All suche seruaunts as be neclygent In theyr seruyce / and wylnot be content To do theyr werk / but slacke theyr besynes Brybe and conuey fro mayster and maystres Chaungyng maysters, and ren fro town to towne

And are late rysyng / and betyme lye downe Playeng by nyght / and try 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by day Of ryghtousnes they do here stay

¶ Suche folke as take on them great rent In soyles for them inconueny ent Unto theyr faculte, and often do remeue Entreprysyng that they cannot acheue Doyng curyous labours, and haue small wage Unto our hous they come for hostage

¶ They that borow on theyr garments and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And do not fetche them agayn shortly But lete them be worn / and than pay the som̄e In to our hye way they be far com̄e.

¶ They that borow, and purpose not to pay Tyll•…•…n pryson they spend all away And do forswere that is theyr dew ¶ They that lawe for a debt vntrew And receyueth money in another mans name Not beyng content to restore the same ¶ They that forget that to them is ought They that stryue with all folke for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ¶ And they that lend / and set no tyme to pay Reason wyll dryue them to come this way

¶ Old folkes that all theyr goodes do gyue Kepyng nothyng wheron to lyue And put fro theyr hous whan they haue nede Toward our hous fast do they spede ¶ They that gyue chyldren money to spend

And causeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 attend But dooth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them in theyr lewdnes And f•…•…o syne wyll them not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 In ydle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them to be Nor teache them vertuous faculte Are the cause that wha•…•… they be olde To take the way toward our houshold

¶ They that euermore haue a delyte To fede, and make feastes at theyr appeiyte With costly dysshes, and deynty drynke Letyng theyr stocke euermore shrynke Makyng a great porte, and be lytell worth To come hyther they come streyght forth

¶ They that take no hede to theyr houshold But lete theyr implements molde Theyr hangyngs rot, theyr napery vnclene Theyr furres and wollen not ouersene Theyr vessell mar / and theyr goodes decay Cannot chuse / but nedes come this way

¶ Lechours / for•…•…ycatours / and aduouterers Incestes / harlots / bawdes / and bolsterers Applesquyers / entycers / and rauysshers These to our place haue dayly herbegers

¶ Copland.

¶ No maruell of them / and happy they be If they do end in so honest degre For surely theyr endyng is fayrest If that with pouerte they be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 For I do fynd wryten of aduoutry That these fyue sorowes ensueth therby

¶ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 patietur quisquis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Aut erit hic pauper / hic aut subito morietur Aut aliquod 〈◊〉〈◊〉 casu vulnere perdet Aut erit infamis / per quod sit carcere vinctus.

¶ Eyther they shall be poore / or dye sodeynly Or lese by wound / some membre of the body Or to be s•…•…launored to suffre sharpe pryson Therfore pouerte is fayrest by reason And yet besyde that / they be so beaten That with great pockes theyr lymmes be eaten

¶ Now say ye by these horryble swerers These blasphemers / and these god terers Come there ony this way to haue socour?

¶ Porter.

¶ Do they? yea / I warraunt euery hour All rotten and torne / armes, heades, & legges They are the moost sorte that ony where begges And be the people that moost anoy vs.

¶ Copland.

¶ I beleue well, for I fynd wrytenthus

•…•…ir multū iurans replebitur iniquitate, & a do: moei{us} non recedet plaga. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, xxii.

¶ A great swerer is full of iniquyte And fro his hous the plage shall neuer be In the commaundements is wryten playn Thou shalt not take the name of god in vayn For who sow dooth vse it customably The stroke of god can not eschew truly.

That be so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and lyther That care not how the world dooth go Neyther halydays / nor workyng days also But lye in bed tyll all masses be doone Lew•…•…ryng theyr worke tyll it pas noone And so enioye to lynger and to slepe And to theyr lyuyng they take no maner kepe

¶ Porter.

¶ These folkes come in so great nombre That all the ways they do encombre And with them dothe come all these folke that spare To assay theyr frendes for theyr d•…•…vne welfare But folow theyr owne myndes alway Nor to theyr fr•…•…ndes in no wyse wyll obay And of theyr promesses / they be nomore set by But to this way they must them nedes apply

¶ Copland.

¶ And how by these people so full of coueytyse That all the worldes good can them not suffyse But by vsury / rapyne / and extorcyon Do poull•…•… the pore folke of theyr porcyon And they that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 newes by tyranny Upon poore mens landes fraudelently And lyke as wolues the shepe dooth take and tease For theyr owne lucre / and to lyue in ease And day by day / in euery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 degre They do prolonge theyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶ Porter.

¶ As for with them we haue to do nothyng Unto the lawe it is all be longyng Now be it yf they chaunce to be poore

Then often in dede they do come by our doore

¶ Copland.

¶ But then I pray you how say ye by these That breke this precept (Non furtum facies) Theues & murtherers / & these watchers of wayes That robbe & steale / bothe by nightes and dayes And that delyte in murder and in theft Whose condycyons in no wyse can be left Do not they oft tymes come hyther by you?

¶ Porter.

¶ Of them there cometh dayly ynow But they be led / and comenly fast bounde Bycause theyr lodgyng may soner be founde And ben conueyed by men of charyte Where that they haue hospytalyte And ben well kept / and wrapped surely And whan tyme cometh that they must dye They be buryed aloft in the ayre Bycause dogs shall not on theyr graues repayre.

¶ Copland.

¶ Almyghty Iesu of his mercy defende Euery good mānes chylde from suche and ende And how say ye by all these grete dronkardes That suppe all of / by pottes and tankardes Tyll th•…•…y •…•…e so dronke / that they can not •…•…rande That is but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsed in this lande Except it be among duche folke or flemynges For englysshe men knowe not of suche rekēinges

¶ Porter.

No do: yes yes. I ensure you hardely They can do it as well as ony body With dowble beare / be it wyne or ale

They ceas not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 With 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 An ortkyn / or an half 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yea rather than fayle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 With fyll the pot ones agayn round about Gyue vs more drynke / for sparyng of bread Tyll theyr cappes be wyser than theyr head And so syt they / and spend vp all theyr thryft And after come here / they haue no other 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶ Copland.

¶ How say ye by these folkes full of yre That bren̄e in wrath / hoter than fyre And neuer be quyet / but chyde and brall With wrath and anger fretyng hert and gall Way ward / wode / furyous / and fell For where they be / quyetnes cannot dwell But alway stryfe / mystrust / and great dysease And in no wyse none man can them please

¶ Porter.

¶ Hyther they come / and I wyll tell you why None can lyue by thē / well nor quyetly But with eche one they fall out and make bate Causyng people them for to hare And wyll suffre them to dwell nowhere But are fayne for to remayne here

¶ Copland.

¶ It may well be so, for where is none agre Neyther 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nor welfare cannot be But I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it be not betwene man and wyfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pyte / and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a sory lyfe For 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is no peas at bed nor at borde I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 theyr thryft is not worth a torde

But of these people that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 That in welth and wo bere it so out That pryde wyll not suffre them for to fall Me thynke this way they come not all

¶ Porter.

¶ O yes yes / god wote of them be not fewe For here all day they assemble in a rewe And here they crake / bable and make grete boste And amonge all other wolde rule the ro•…•…te With stande backe y^u lewd vylayne beggerly knaue I wyll that thou knowe my wyfe and I haue Spent more in a day with good honeste Than thou in thy lyfe euer was lyke to be For I tell the I haue kept or now suche reporte That all my neyghtbours dyd to me resorte And haue or now kept a grete housholde And had ynough of syluer / and of golde In all our parysshe was none better decked And I thynke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for to be thus checked Of suche lewde persones that neuer had good And eke I am borne of as good a blood As ony in this towne / and a gentylman But yf I had as moche as I wyst whan I shold make a meyny of these poore carles to know What maner thyng a gentylman is I trowe

¶ Copland.

¶ Lo here one may se that there is none wors Than is a proude herte and a beggers purs Grete boost and small roost / this is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 For a proudo hert well neuer be shent ¶ But good porter I pray you be so kynde To tell me of them out of mynde

As for the enuyous I lete them dwell For theyr hospytall is the depe pyt of hell

¶ Porter.

¶ How say ye by this lewd Ipocrysy? That is vsed so superstycyously I cry god mercy yf I make ony lye Of them that deuout prayers se me to occupy As yf god fro the cros by them shold be vndone And syt in the chyrche tyll it be noone Neuer speakyng in ony folkes presence But it soundeth to vertue and reuerence Yet whan they be moeued to anger and wrath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we to my mynde / that other folke hath Not half the spyte, vengeaunce and rygour As they wyll haue to theyr poore neyghbour For some of them / yf they myght be a lorde Wold hang another / they be of suche dyscorde And where they ones take hatred or enmyte Duryng theyr lyfe haue neuer charyte And who that hath no charyte nor loue Can neuer please the amyte aboue And so this way they be fayne to come.

¶ Copland.

¶ I beleue well / for truely there be some That neyther haue loue to one nor other For I beneyfit yf it were syster or brother They wolde nomore pyte them nor rewe (They be so fell) / than on a thefe or Jewe For whan ye to haue them moost in reason 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 theyr hertes full of deadly poyson 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in theyr fury they be so vyolent That they wyll bryng one to an exegent.

And neuer pardon / nor no man forgyue Tyll theyr neyghbour hath nothyng on to lyue And so they make by theyr own consyence Betwene god and the deuyll no dyffrence ¶ But hey alas / do none this way trace That 〈◊〉〈◊〉 take wyues of small 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Which cannot get / bestow / nor yet saue And to go gay they wyll spend and craue Makyng men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that they loue them alone 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fals vnto them echone 〈◊〉〈◊〉 theyr goodes without ony care Without good gownes / but not of hoodes 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶ Porter.

¶ They must come hyther / for they cannot chuse For they that wyll them selfe so vse The one to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and the other spend And whan all is brought to an end 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they come to haue conforte Syr I beshrew all the hole sorte Suche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kepeth many one lowe Theyr husbandes must obey as dog to bowe Alas 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men•…•…ye are yll at ease These deynty huswyues for to fede and please For so they syt and sew half an hour on a clout Theyr hole dayes worke is patched out And so by theyr 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and lyuyng nought With other meanes they be hyther brought

¶ Copland.

¶ Well good porter / I pray you let them alone Fyr happy is he that hath a good one I pray you shewe me of other gestes For agaynst women I loue no iestes

the showre is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and I haue fer to go Come none of these pedlers this way also With pak on bak / with theyr bousy speche Iagged and ragged / with broken hose & breche

¶Poster.

¶I now, ynow / with bousy coue maund nace Coure the patryng coue in the darkman cace Docked the dell for a coper meke His watch shall feng a prounces nobchete Cyarum by salmon / and thou shalt pek my iere In thy gan-for my watch it is nace gere For the b•…•…ne bouse / my watch hath a wyn And thus they babble tyll theyr thryft is thyn I wote not what / with theyr pedlyng frenche But of the spyttle / they haue a party stenche And with them comes gaderers of cony skynnes That chop with laces / poyntes / nedles / & pyns

¶Copland.

¶Come ony maryners hyther of Cok lorels bote

¶Porter.

¶Euery day they be alway a flote We must them receyue / & gyue them costes fre And also with them the fraternyte Of vnthryf•…•…es / which do our hous endewe And neuer fayle with brethren alway newe ¶Also here is kept / and holden in degre With in our hous the ordres. viii. tyme thre Of knaues onely / we can them not kepe out They swarme so thyke as bees in arout And chyef of all that dooth vs encombre The ordre of fooles / that be without nombre For dayly they make suche preas and cry

That scant our hous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉

¶Copland

¶yet one thyng I wonder that ye do not tell Come there no women this way to dwell?

¶Porter.

¶Of all the sortes that be spoke•…•… of afore I warraunt women ynow•…•…n store That we are wery of them euery day They come so thycke that they stop the way The systerhod of drabbes / sluttes and callets Do here resorte / with theyr bags and wallets And be parteners of the confrary Of the maynteners of yll husbandry

¶Copland.

¶Alewd sorte is of them of a surety Now mayster porter / I thank you hertyly Of your good talkyng / I must take my leue The shoure is done / and it is toward eue Another tyme / and at more leaser I wyll for you do as great a pleaser

¶Porter.

¶There be a. M. mo than I can tell But at this tyme I byd you farwell.