Part 32 (2/2)

We dayly se the fallys innumerable And greuous deth aswell of youth as age Thus is this wretchyd worlde moche vnstable Wherfore me thynke it is a great outrage To trust therto, or for an vnsure stage Or hye place of welth or worldly honour The presence to despyse of our sauyoure

But without doute the tyme shall come and houre Whan all mankynde shall se hym euydent Some to theyr ioy, some to wo and doloure None shall eskhape that rightwyse iugement.

But eche be rewardyd as he his tyme hath spent So they that vertuously haue lyuyd here Despysynge this worlde shall gladly there apere

But they that here haue led theyr lyfe in vyce For to depart ar wo in herte and mynde And ferefull to byde that sentence of iustyce Syns of theyr synne excuse they can none fynde But to conclude forsoth that fole is blynde That for worldly welth, from G.o.d wolde hym deuyde And for vayne clay, the hye heuyn set a syde

THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

O blynde man whiche hast thy moste felycyte On worldly thinges, alas make clere thy mynde What fyndest thou here, but great aduersyte Wylt thou for it leue y^t heuenly ioy behynde And where thou myght euerlastynge ryches fynde Where as is helth, endles lyfe and all goodnes Wylt thou forsake it for worldly wretchydnes

Wylt thou heuyn compare with his paynfull lyfe There on to thynke thou art vnwyse certayne There is concorde, here is no thynge but stryfe There is all rest, and here is care and payne There is true loue: here is scorne and disdayne There is all goodnes, here all yll and offence Nowe chuse the best: here is great difference

Of them that make noyses rehersynges of talys and do other thynges vnlaufull and dishonest in y^e chirche of G.o.d.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A fole is he, and hath no mynde deuoute And gyueth occasyon to men on hym to rayle.

Whiche goth in the chirche, his houndes hym aboute Some rennynge, some fast tyed to his tayle A hawke on his fyst suche one withouten fayle Better were to be thens, for by his dyn and cry He troublyth them that wolde pray deuoutly:]

Yet of mo folys fynde I a great nomber Whiche thynke that it is no shame nor vylany Within the chirche, the seruyce to encomber With theyr lewde barkynge roundynge dyn and cry And whyle good people ar praynge stedfastly Theyr herte to good, with meke mynde and deuout Suche folys them let, with theyr mad noyse and shout

And whyle the prestis also them exercyse.

In matyns ma.s.se sermon or prechynge dyuyne Or other due thynges that longe to theyr seruyce.

Techynge the people to vertue to enclyne Than these folys as it were rorynge swyne With theyr gettynge and talys of vycyousnes Trouble all suche seruyce, that is sayd, more and les

In to the churche than comys another sote Without deuocyon gettynge vp and downe Or to be sene, and to showe his gardyd cote Another on his fyst a Sparhauke or fawcon Or els a c.o.kow, and so wastynge his shone Before the auters he to and fro doth wander With euyn as great deuocyon as a gander

In comys another his houndes at his tayle With lynes and leshes and other lyke baggage.

His dogges barkyth, so that withouten fayle The hole churche is troubled by theyr outrage So innocent youth lernyth the same of age And theyr lewde sounde doth the churche fyll.

But in this noyse the good people kepe them styll.

One tyme the hawkys bellys Jenglyth hye Another tyme they flutter with theyr wynges And nowe the houndes barkynge strykes the skye Nowe sounde theyr fete, and nowe the chaynes rynges They clap with theyr handes, by suche maner thynges They make of the churche, for theyr hawkes a mewe And Canell to theyr dogges, whiche they shall after rewe

So with suche folys is neyther peas nor rest Unto the holy churche they haue no reuerence But wander about to see who get may best In rybawde wordes pryde and insolence As mad men they fere nat our sauyours presence Hauynge no honour vnto that holy place Wherin is gyuen to man euerlastynge grace

There ar handlyd pledynges and causes of the lawe There ar made bargayns of dyuers maner thynges Byenges and sellynges scant worth a hawe And there ar for lucre contryued false lesynges And whyle the prest his Ma.s.se or matyns synges These folys whiche to the Churche do repayre Ar chattynge and bablynge as it were in a fayre

Some gygyll and lawghe and some on maydens stare And some on wyues with wanton countenaunce As for the seruyce they haue small force or care But full delyte them in theyr mysgouernaunce Some with theyr slyppers to and fro doth prance Clappynge with their helys in churche and in quere So that good people can nat the seruyce here

What shall I wryte of maydens and of wyues Of theyr roundynges and vngoodly comonynge Howe one a sclaundre craftely contryues And in the churche therof hath hyr talkynge The other hath therto theyr erys lenynge And than whan they all hath harde forth hir tale With great deuocyon they get them to the ale.

Thus is the churche defylyd with vylany And in stede of prayer and G.o.dly oryson Ar vsyd shamefull bargayns and talys of rybawdry Jettynges and mockynges and great derysyon There fewe ar or none of perfyte deuocion And whan our lorde is consecrate in fourme of brede Therby walkes a knaue, his bonet on his hede

And whyle those wordes of consecracion Ar sayde of the preste in G.o.ddes owne presence Suche caytyfs kepe talys and communycacion Fast by the auter, thynkynge it none offence And where as the angels ar ther with reuerence Laudynge and worshyppynge our holy sauyour These vnkynde caytyfs wyll scantly hym honour

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