Part 19 (2/2)
And serchynge hym dyd wander and compas Those lothsome flodys and wayes tenebrous Ferynge no paynes of that dysordred place Nor obscure mystes or ayres odyous Tyll at the laste by his wayes cautelous And Hercules valyaunt dedes of boldnesse He gat Perothus out of that wretchydnesse.
Alas where ar suche frendes nowe a dayes Suerly in the worlde none suche can be founde All folowe theyr owne profyte and lewde wayes None vnto other coueytys to be bounde Brekers of frendshyp ynough ar on the grounde Whiche set nought by frendshyp so they may haue good All suche in my shyp shall haue a folys hode
THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Ye cruell folys full of ingrat.i.tude.
Aryse be a.s.shamyd of your iniquyte Mollyfy your hertes vnkynde stuberne and rude Graffynge in them true loue and amyte Consyder this prouerbe of antyquyte And your vnkyndnes weray ban and curse For whether thou be of hy or lowe degre Better is a frende in courte than a peny in purse
Of contempt, or dispisynge of holy scripture.
[Ill.u.s.tration: He that gyueth his erys or credence To euery folys talys or talkynge Thynkynge more wysdome and fruytfull sentence In theyr vayne talys than is in the redynge Of bokes whiche shewe vs the way of G.o.dly lyuynge And soulys helth: forsoth suche one is blynde And in this shyp the anker shall vp wynde.]
Suche as dispyseth auncyent scripture Whiche prouyd is of great auctoryte And hath no pleasoure felycyte or cure Of G.o.dly Prophetis whiche wrote of veryte A fole he is for his moste felycyte Is to byleue the tales of an olde wyfe Rather than the doctryne of eternall lyfe
The holy Bybyll grounde of trouth and of lawe Is nowe of many abiect and nought set by Nor G.o.dly scripture is nat worth an hawe But talys ar louyd grounde of rybawdry And many blynddyd ar so with theyr foly That no scripture thynke they so true nor G.o.de As is a folysshe yest of Robyn hode.
He that to scripture wyll not gyue credence Wherin ar the armys of our tuycion And of our fayth foundacion and defence Suche one ensueth nat the condycion Of man resonable, but by abusyon Lyuyth as a best of conscyence cruell As saue this worlde were neyther heuen nor h.e.l.l.
He thynketh that there is no G.o.d aboue Nor n.o.bler place than is this wretchyd grounde Nor G.o.ddes power suche neyther fere nor loue With whom all grace and mercy doth abounde Whiche whan hym lyst vs wretches may confounde Alas what auayleth to gyue instruction To suche lewde folys of this condycion.
It nought auayleth vnto them to complayne Of theyr blyndnes, nor enfourme them with vertue Theyr cursed lyfe wyll by no mean refrayne Their viciousnes, nor their erroure eschewe But rather stody theyr foly to renewe Alas what profytis to suche to expresse.
The heuenly ioy, rewarde of holynesse.
Alas what auayleth to suche to declare The paynes of h.e.l.l, wo dissolate and derke No wo nor care can cause suche to beware From their lewde lyfe corrupt and synfull warke What profyteth sermons of any n.o.ble clarke Or G.o.dly lawes taught at any Scolys For to reherse to these myscheuous folys.
What helpeth the Prophetis scripture or doctryne Unto these folys obstynate and blynde Their hertis ar harde, nat wyllynge to enclyne To theyr preceptis nor rote them in theyr mynde Nor them byleue as Cristen men vnkynde For if that they consydred heuen or h.e.l.l They wolde nat be so cursed and cruell
And certaynly the trouth apereth playne That these folys thynke in theyr intent That within h.e.l.l is neyther car nor payne Hete nor colde, woo, nor other punysshement Nor that for synners is ordeyned no turment Thus these mad folys wandreth euery houre Without amendement styll in theyr blynde erroure
Before thy fete thou mayst beholde and se Of our holy fayth the bokys euydent The olde lawes and newe layde ar before the Expressynge christes tryumphe right excellent But for all this set is nat thyne intent Theyr holy doctryne to plant within thy brest Wherof shold procede ioy and eternall rest
Trowest thou that thy selfe wyllyd ignoraunce Of G.o.dly lawes and mystycall doctryne May clense or excuse thy blynde mysgouernaunce Or lewde erroure, whiche scorne hast to inclyne To theyr preceptis: and from thy synne declyne Nay nay thy cursed ignoraunce sothly shall Drowne thy soule in the depe flodes infernall
Therfore let none his cursydnes defende Nor holy doctryne, nor G.o.dly bokes dispyse But rather stody his fawtes to amende For G.o.d is aboue all our dedes to deuyse Whiche shall rewarde them in a ferefull wyse With mortall wo that euer shall endure Whiche haue dyspysyd his doctryne and scripture
BARCLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Out of your s...o...b..r folys I rede you ryse.
Scripture dyuyne, to folowe and inbrace Be nat so bolde it to leue nor dispyse But you enforce it to get and purchase Remember mannys consort and solace.
Is holy closyd within the boke of lyfe Who that it foloweth hath a speciall grace But he that doth nat a wretche is and caytyfe
Of folys without prouysyon.
[Ill.u.s.tration: He is a fole forsoth and worse That to his saddyll wolde lepe on hye Before or he haue gyrt his horse For downe he comys with an euyll thee But as great a fole forsoth is he And to be lawghed to derysyon.
That ought begynneth without prouysyon]
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