Volume Ii Part 1 (2/2)

What shall it be, when thou shalt flit Fro thy wealth into the pit?

Therefore of it be not too bold, Lest thou forethink[7] it, when thou art old: Ye may be likened to a tree, In youth flouris.h.i.+ng with royalty, And in age it is cut down, And to the fire is thrown: So shalt thou, but thou amend, Be burned in h.e.l.l without end!

YOUTH.

Ye wh.o.r.eson, trowest thou so?

Beware, lest thou thither go!

Hence, caitiff, go thy way, Or with my dagger I shall thee slay!

Hence, knave, out of this place, Or I shall lay thee on the face!

Sayest thou that I shall go to h.e.l.l, For evermore there to dwell?

I had liever thou had evil fare.[8]

CHARITY.

Ah, yet, sir, do by my reed, And ask mercy for thy misdeed, And thou shalt be an heritor of bliss, Where all joy and mirth is; Where thou shalt see a glorious sight Of angels singing, with saints bright, Before the face of G.o.d.

YOUTH.

What, sirs, above the sky?

I had need of a ladder to climb so high!

But what, and the ladder slip?

Then I am deceived yet, And if I fall, I catch a queck; I may fortune to break my neck, And that joint is ill to set: Nay, nay, not so.

CHARITY.

Oh, yet remember, and call to thy mind, The mercy of G.o.d pa.s.seth all thing.

For it is written by n.o.ble clerks, The mercy of G.o.d pa.s.seth all works; That witnesseth Holy Scripture, saying thus: _Miseratio domini super omnia opera ejus_: Therefore doubt not G.o.d's grace; Thereof is plenty in every place.

YOUTH.

What, methink ye be clerkish, For ye speak good gibb'ris.h.!.+

Sir, I pray you, and you have any store, Soil[9] me a question, ere ye cast any more, Lest when your cunning is all done, My question have no solution.

Sir, and it please you this, Why do men eat mustard with salt fish?

Sir, I pray you soil me this question That I have put to your discretion.

CHARITY.

This question is but a vanity; It longeth not to me Such questions to a.s.soil.

YOUTH.

Sir, by G.o.d, that me dear bought, I see your cunning is little or nought; And I should follow your school, Soon ye would make me a fool!

Therefore crake no longer here, Lest I take you on the ear, And make your head to ache!

CHARITY.

Sir, it falleth not for me to fight, Neither by day, ne by night; Therefore do by my counsel, I say, Then to heaven thou shalt have thy way.

YOUTH.

No, sir, I think ye will not fight; But to take a man's purse in the night Ye will not say nay; For such holy caitiffs Were wont to be thieves, And such would be hanged as high As a man may see with his eye: In faith, this same is true.

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