Part 39 (2/2)
A great company of folys may we fynde Amonge beggers, whiche haue theyr hole delyte In theyr lewde craft: wherfore I set my mynde In this Barge theyr maners, brefely for to write For thoughe that nede them greuously do byte.
Yet is theyr mynde for all theyr pouerte To kepe with them of children great plente
And though that they myght otherwyse well lyue And get theyr lyuynge by labour and besynes Yet fully they theyr myndes set and gyue To lede this lyfe alway in wretchydnes The clerke, frere, or monke, whiche hath store of ryches For all his lyfe. if he it gyde wysely.
Wyll yet the beggers offyce occupy
Suche oft complayne the charge of pouerte In garmentis goynge raggyd and to rent But yet haue they of ryches great plente Whiche in G.o.de vse can neuer of them be spent Almys is ordeyned by G.o.d omnypotent And holy churche: for to be gyuyn in dede Vnto good vse, and suche as haue moste nede
Almes is ordeyned by G.o.d our creatour For men that lyue in nede and wretchydnes Therwith their paynfull lyues to socour And nat for ryche that lyues in viciousnes But yet suche caytyfs boldly in dare pres For their lewde lyfe without all maner drede This almes takynge from them that haue most nede
The abbot, the Pryour, and also theyr couent Ar so blyndyd with vnhappy couetyse That with theyr owne can they nat be content But to haue more, they alway mean deuyse Ye: in so moche that some haue founde a gyse To fayne theyr bretherne tan in captyuyte That they may begge so by auctoryte
They fayne myracles where none were euer done And all for lucre: some other range about To gather and begge with some fayned pardon And at the alehows at nyght all drynkyth out So ren these beggers in company rowt By stretis tauernes townes and vyllagys No place can well be fre of theyr outragys
Some begge for byldynges, some for relyques newe Of holy sayntis of countreys farre and strange And with theyr wordes faynyd and vntrewe For cause of Lucre, about they ren and range But in a sympyll vyllage, ferme or grange Where as these beggers moste sympyll men may fynde With theyr fals bonys as relykes they them blynde
Other beynge stronge and full of l.u.s.tynes And yonge ynoughe to labour for theyr fode Gyuyth theyr bodyes fully to slewthfulnes The beggers craft thynkynge to them moost good Some ray theyr legges and armys ouer with blood With leuys and plasters though they be hole and sounde Some halt as crypyls, theyr legge falsely vp bounde
Some other beggers falsly for the nonys Disfygure theyr children G.o.d wot vnhappely Manglynge theyr facys, and brekynge theyr bonys To stere the people to pety that pa.s.se by There stande they beggynge with tedyous shout and cry There owne bodyes tournynge to a strange fa.s.sion To moue suche as pa.s.se to pyte and compa.s.syon
Suche yonge laddys as l.u.s.ty ar of age Myghty and stronge, and wymen in lyke wyse Wanton and yonge and l.u.s.ty of cowrage Gyueth them selfe vtterly to this gyse The cause is that they labour do despyse For theyr mynde is in ydylnes to be styll Or els in vyce to wander at theyr wyll
They paciently theyr prouertye abyde Nat for deuocion of herte or of mynde But to the intent that at euery tyde Other mennys G.o.des sholde them fede and fynde.
But if they a whyle haue ron in the wynde And in theyr hande the staf some hete hath caught They neuer after shall leue the beggers craft
Amonge these beggers also is comonly Braulynge debate hatered and chydynge Great othes, mockes falshode and enuy And one with other euer more fyghtynge As for theyr dronkennes and vnsure abydynge Theyr rebaudry both in dede and communycacion These ar chefe poyntis of theyr occupation
If the begger haue his staf and his hode One bagge behynde and another before Than thynkes he hym in the myddes of his goode Thoughe that his clothes be raggyd and to tore His body nere bare he hath no thought therfore And if some man cloth them well to day To morowe it shall agayne be solde away
And if these caytyfes fortune to begge or cry For mete or money, on woman or on man If one to them that, that they aske deny And so depart: anone these beggers than Whan he is gone, doth wary curse and ban And if another gyue them ought of pyte At the next alestake dronken shall it be
But if that I sholde gather in my barge All folysshe beggers, and labour or intende To note all theyr vyces, to sore sholde be the charge And as I suppose I neuer sholde make an ende.
Wherfore I counsell them shortly to amende Or els theyr lewdnes, synne, and enormyte Shall cause men withdrawe theyr almes of charyte
THENUOY OF BARCLAY THE TRANSLATOUR.
O people vnthrifty gyuen to ydlenes Spendynge your youth this wyse in vanyte What ioy haue ye to lyue in wretchydnes Where ye myght come to better rowme and degre By worke, and labour: and so auaunsyd be Yet begge ye styll hauynge your ioy therin Amende your foly, and lerne ye this of me That G.o.ddes good sholde nat be spent in syn
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