The play of the wether. A newe and very mery enterlude of all maner wethers made by Iohn Heywood. The players names. Iupiter a god. Mery reporte the vyce. The gentylman. The marchant. The ranger. The water myller. The wynde myller. The gentylwoman. The launder. A boy the left that can play Heywood, John, 1497?-1580? 1544 Approx. 77 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 24 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2006-06 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A03181 STC 13305.5 ESTC S114935 99850156 99850156 15342

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03181) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 15342) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1488:04) The play of the wether. A newe and very mery enterlude of all maner wethers made by Iohn Heywood. The players names. Iupiter a god. Mery reporte the vyce. The gentylman. The marchant. The ranger. The water myller. The wynde myller. The gentylwoman. The launder. A boy the left that can play Heywood, John, 1497?-1580? [48] p. W. Middleton, [London : 1544?] Imprint and suggested publication date from STC. In verse. Title page line 3 ends: "of". Signatures: A-F⁴. Formerly STC 13307a. Identified as STC 13307a on UMI microfilm. Imperfect; lacks all after F3. Reproduction of the original in the Cambridge University Library.

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 eng Interludes, English -- Early works to 1800. Weather in literature -- Early works to 1800. 2005-11 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-02 Sampled and proofread 2006-02 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

❧The play of the wether. ¶A newe and very mery enterlude of all maner wethers made by Iohn Heywood.

¶The players names. ☞Iupiter a god. ☞Mery reporte the vyce. ❧The gentylman. ☞The marchant. ❧The ranger. ¶The water myller. ☞The wynde myller. ¶The gentylwoman. ☞The launder. ☞A boy the leſt that can play.
¶Iupyter, RYght farre to longe as nowe were to recyte The anciēt eſtat wherin our ſelfe hath reyned What honoure what laude gyuen vs of very ryght What glory we haue had duty vnfaīd Of eche creature which duty hath cōſtrayned For aboue all goodes ſyns our fathers tale We Iupyter were euer princypale. ☞Yf we ſo haue ben as truth it is in dede Beyonde the compas of all comparyſon Who coulde preſume to ſhewe for any mede So that it myght appere to humayne reaſon The hye renoume we ſtande in at thys ſeaſon For ſyns that heuen and erthe were fyrſt create Stode we neuer in ſuche tryumphant eſtate. ❧As we nowe do where of we wolde reporte Suche parte as we ſe mete for tyme preſent Chefely concernynge your perpetuall conforte As the thynge ſelfe ſhall proue in experymente Whiche hyely ſhall bynde you on knees lowly beute Soolly to honour our hyenes day by day And nowe to the mater gyue eare and we ſhall ſay. ☞Before our preſens in our hye parlyament Bothe goddes and goodeſſes of all degrees Hath late aſſembled by comen aſſente For the redres of certayne enormytees Bred amonge them thorowe extremytees Abuſede in eche to other of them all Namely to purpoſe in theſe moſte ſpecyall. ¶Our foreſayde fathers Saturny and Phebus Eolus and Phebe theſe foure by name Whoſe natures nat onely ſo farre contraryous But alſo of malyce eche other to defame Haue longe tyme abuſed ryght farre out of frame The dewe courſe of all theyr conſtellacyons To the great damage of all yerthly nacyons. ¶Whiche was debated in place ſayde before And fyrſt as became our fether moſte aunciente With berd e whyte as ſnowe, his lockes both cold & hote Hath entred ſuche mater as ſerued is intent Laudynge his froſty manſyon in the fyrmament To ayre and yerth as thynge moſte precyous Pourgynge all humours that are contagyous. ¶Howe be yf he alledgeth that of longe tyme paſte Lyttell hath preuayled his great dilygens Full oft vpon erthe his fayre froſt he hath caſt All thynges hurtfull to banyſhe out of preſens But Phebus entendynge to kepe him in ſylens When he hath labored all nyght in his powers His glarynge beames maryth all in two houres, ☞Phebus to this made no manere anſwerynge Where vpon they bothe then Phebe defyed Eche for his parte leyd in her reprouynge That by her ſhowres ſuperfluous they haue tryed In all that ſhe may theyr powers be denyed Where vnto Phebe made anſwere no more Then Phebus to Saturne had made before. ☞Anone vpon Eolus all theſe dyd fle Complaynynge theyr cauſes eche one a rowe And ſayde to compare none was ſo euyn as he For when he is dyſpoſed his blaſtes to blowe He ſuffreth neyther ſonne ſhyne, rayne nor ſnowe They eche agaynſte other, and he agaynſt all thre Thus can theſe foure, in no maner agre. ¶Whiche ſene in them ſelfe and further conſyderynge The ſame to the redres was cauſe of theyr aſſemble And alſo that we euermore beynge Beſyde one puyſant power of deite Of wyſedome and nature ſo noble and fre From all extremytees the meane deuydynge To peale and plente eche thynge attemperynge. ☞They haue in concluſyon holly ſundryd Into our handes as muche concernynge All maner of wethers by them engendryd The full of theyr powers for terme euerlaſtynge To ſet ſuche order as ſtandeth with our pleaſynge Whiche thynges of our parte no parte requyred But of all theyr partes ryght humble deſyred. ☞To take vpon vs whereto we dyd aſſente And ſo in all thynges with one voyce agreable We haue clerely fynyſhed our foreſayde parleamente To your great welthe whiche ſhalbe fyrme and ſtable And to our honour farre ineſtimable For ſyng theyr powers as ours addyd to our owne Who can we ſaye knowe vs as we ſhulde be knowne. ☞But nowe for fyne the reſt of our entente Wherfore as nowe we hyther are deſcended. Is onely to ſatyſfye and content All maner people whiche haue ben offendyd By any wether mete to be amendyd Vpon whoſe complayntes declarynge theyr grefe We ſhall ſhape remedy for theyr relefe. ¶And to gyue knowledge for theyr hyther reſorte We wolde this afore proclaymed to be To all our people by ſome one of this ſorte Whome we lyſte to choſe here amongeſt allye Wherfore eche man auaunce and we ſhall ſe Whiche of you is moſt mete to be our eryer. ☞Here entreth Mery reporte ☞Mery reporte. ❧Brother holde vp your torche a lytell hyer Nowe I beſeche you my lorde loke on me furſte I truſt your lordſhype ſhall not fynde me the wurſte. ☞Iupyter. ☞Why what arte thou that approcheſt ſo nye. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Forſothe and pleaſe your lordſhype it is I. ¶Iupyter. ¶All that we knowe very well, but what I. ☞Mery reporte. ☞What I, ſome laye I am I perſe I But what maner I ſo euer be I I aſſure your good lordſhype I am I. ¶Iupyter. ¶What maner man arte thou ſhewe quyckely. ☞Mery reporte. ☞By god a poore gentylman dwelleth her by. ☞Iupyter. ☞A gentylman thy ſelfe bryngeth witnes naye Bothe in thy lyght behauour and araye But what art thou called where thou doſt reſorte. ☞Mery reporte. ❧Forſothe my lorde mayſter Mery reporte. ¶Iupyter. ¶Thou arte no mete man in our beſynes. For thyne apparence is of to muche lyghtnes. ¶Mery reporte. ☞Why can not your lordſhype lyke my name Myne apparell nor my name nother. ¶Iupyter. ❀To none of all we haue deuotion. ¶Mery reporte. ¶A proper lycklyhod of promocyon Well than as wyſe as ye ſeme to be Yet can ye ſe no wyſdome in me But ſyns ye diſprayſe me for ſo lyght an elft I praye you gyue me leue to prayſe my ſelfe And for the fyrſte parte I wyll begyn In my behauour at my commynge in Wherin I thynke I haue lytell offendyd For ſewer my curteſy coulde nat be amendyd And as for my ſeure your ſeruaunte to be Myght yll haue ben myſt for your honeſtie For as I be ſaued yf I ſhall nat lye I ſawe no man ſewe for the offyce but I Wherfore yf ye take me nat or I go Ye muſt anone whether ye wyll or no And ſyns your entente is but for the wethers What ſkyis our appyrell to be fryſe or fathers I thynhe it wyſdome ſyns no man forbad it With this to ſpate a better yf I had it And for my name reportynge all waye truely What hurte to reporte a ſad mater merely As be occaſion for the ſame entente To a certayne wedowe this day was I ſente Whoſe huſbande departyd without her wittynge A ſpeciall good louer and ſhe his owne ſwettynge To whome at my commynge I caſte ſuche a fygure Mynglynge the mater accordynge to my nature That whan we departyd aboue all other thynges She thanked me hertely for my mery tydynges And yf I had nat handled it merely Perchaunche ſhe myght haue take it heuely But in ſuche facyon I coniured and bounde her That I lefte her meryer then I founde her What man may compare to ſhewe the lyke comforte That dayly is ſhewed by me Mery reporte And for your purpoſe at this tyme ment For all wethers I am ſo indyfferent Without affeccyon ſtandynge ſo vp ryght Son lyght, mone lyght, ſter lyght, twy lyght, torche lyght, Colde hete moſt drye, hayle rayn froſt ſnow, lightnīg thūd Cloudy, myſty, wyndy, fayre, foule aboue heed or vnder Temperate or diſtemperate what euer it be I promyſe your lordſhyp all is one to me. ☞Iupiter. ❧Well ſon conſyderynge thyne indyfferency And partely the reſt of thy declaracyon We make the our ſeruaunt and immedyatly Well wolde thou departe and cauſe proclamacyon Publyſhynge our pleaſure to euery nacyon Whiche thynge ones done with all deligens Make thy returns agayne to this preſens. ❀Here to receyue all ſewters of eche degre And ſuche as to the may ſeme moſte metely We wyll thou brynge them before our maieſte And for the reſte that be nat ſo worthy Make thou reporte to vs effectually So that we may here eche maner ſewte at large Thus ſe thou departe, and loke vpon thy charge. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Nowe good my lorde god our lady be with ye Frendes, a felyſhype let me goo by ye Thynke ye I maye ſtande thruſtynge amonge you there Nay by god I muſte thruſte aboute other gere ☞Mery reporte goeth out. ¶At thende of this ſtaf the god hath a ſonge played in his torne or Mery reporte come in. ☞Iupyter. ¶Nowe ſyns we haue thus farre ſet forthe our purpoſe A whyle we woll withdrawe our godly preſens To enbolde all ſuche more playnely to diſcloſe As here wyll attende in our foreſayde pretens And nowe accordynge to your obediens Reioyce ye in vs with ioye moſte ioyfully And we our ſelfe ſhall ioye in our owne glory ☞Mery reporte cometh in. ☜Mery reporte. ¶Nowe ſyrs take hede for here cometh goddes ſeruaūt Auaunte cartely keytyfs auaunt Why ye dronken horeſons wyll it nat be By your feaythe haue ye nother cap nor knee Nat one of you that wyll make curteſy To me that am ſquyre for goddes body Regarde ye nothynge myne authoritie No welcome home nor where haue ye be Howe be it yf ye axyd I coulde nat well tell But ſure I thynke a thouſande myle from hell And on my faythe I thynke on my conſcience I haue ben from heuen as farre as heuen is hens At Louyn, at London, and in Lumbardy At Baloocke, at Barforde, and in Barbary At Canturbery, at Couentre, at Colcheſter At Wanſworth, and at Welbecke, at Weſtcheſter At Fullam, at Faleborne, and at Fenlowe At wallyngeforth, at wakefelde, and at waltanſtowe At Tawcon, at Typtre, and at Totnam At Glouceter, at Gylforde, and at Gotham At Hartforde, at Harwyche, at Harcowe on the hyll At Sutbere, at Suthampton, at ſhoters hyll At Wallyngham, at wittam, and at werwycke At Boſton, at Bryſtowe, and at Berwycke At Grauelyn, at Graueſende, and at Glaſtenbery Ynge Gyngyange Iabyerde the paryſhe of Butlbery The deuyll him ſelfe without more leaſure Coulde nat haue gone halfe thus muche I am ſure But nowe I hane warned them let them euen choſe For in faythe I care nat who wynne or loſe. ❧Here the Gentylman before he cometh in bloweth his horne. ¶Mery reporte. ☞Nowe by my trouth this was a goodly herynge I wonte it had ben the gentylwomens blowynge But it is nat ſo as I nowe ſuppoſe For womens hornes ſoundes more in a mannes noſe. ¶Gentylman. ¶Stande ye mery my frendes euerychone. ☞Mery reporte. ❀Say that to me and let the reſte alone Syrye he welcome and all your meyny. ¶Gentylman. ¶Nowe in good ſothe my frende god a mercy And ſyns that I mete the here thus by chaunce I ſhall requyre the of further acqueyntaunce And preuely to ſhewe the thys is the mater I come to ſewe to the great god Iupiter For helpe of thynges concernynge my recreacyon Accordynge to his late proclamacyon, ☞Mery reporte. ☞Mary I am he that this muſt ſpede But fyrſte tell me what be ye in dede. ¶Gentylman. ¶Forſothe good frende I am a gentylman. ¶Mery reporte. ¶A goodly occupacyon by ſaynte Anne On my fathe your maſhype hath a mery lyfe But who maketh all theſe hornes your ſelfe or your wyfe Nay euen in erneſte I aſke you this queſtion. ¶Gentylman. ¶Nowe by my truth thou arte a mery one. ¶Mery reporte. ☞In fatyhe or vs bothe I thynke neuer one ſad For I am nat ſo mery but ye ſeme as mad But ſtande ye ſtylt and take a lytell payne I wyll come to you by and by agayne Nowe gracious god yf your wyll ſo be I praye ye let me ſpeke a worde with ye, ¶Iupyter. ¶My ſonne ſay on let vs here thy mynde. ¶Mery reporte. ¶My lorde there ſtandethe a ſuter euen here behynde A gentylman in yonder corner And as I thynke his name is mayſter horner A hunter he is and cometh to make you ſporte He wolde hunte a ſow or twayne out of this ſorte. ¶Here he pointeth to the women ❧Iupyter. ☞What ſo euer his mynde be, let him appere. ☞Mery reporte. ¶Nowe good mayſter horner I praye you come nere, ¶Gentylman. ❧I am no horner knaue I wyll you knowe it. ¶Mery reporte. ¶I thought ye had, for when ye dyd blowe it Harde I neuer horeſon make horne ſo go As lefe ye kyſt myne ars as blowe my hole ſo Come on your way before the god Iupyter And there for your ſelfe ye ſhalbe ſewter. ☜Gentylman. ¶Moſte myghty prynce and god of euery nacyon Pleaſeth your hyghnes to vouchſaue the herynge Of me whiche accordynge to your proclamacyon Dothe make apparaunce in way of beſechynge Nat ſole for my ſelfe but generally, For all came of noble and auncient ſtocke Whiche forte aboue all doth moſte thankefully Dayly take payne for welth of the comen flocke With delygent ſtudy alway deuyſynge To kepe them in order and vnyte In peace to laboure the encres of theyr lyuynge Wherby eche man may proſper in plente Wherfore good god this is our hole deſyrynge That for eaſe of our paynes at tymes vacant In our recreacion whiche chefly is huntynge It may pleaſe you to ſende vs wether pleaſaunte Drye and nat myſty the wynde calme and ſryll That after our houndes yournynge ſo merely Chaſynge the dere ouer pale and hyll In herynge we may folowe and to comforte the cry ¶Iupyter. ¶Ryght well we do perceyue your hole requeſt Whiche ſhall not fayle to reſte in memory Wherfore we wyll ye ſet your ſelfe at reſt Tyll we haue harde eche man indifferently And we ſhall take ſuche order vnyuerſally As beſte may ſtande to our honour infynyte For welth in cōmune and eche mannes ſynguler profyte ¶Gentylman. ¶In heuen and erthe honoured be thy name Of Iupyter whome of his godly goodnes Hath ſet this mater in ſo goodly frame That euery wyght ſhall haue his deſyre doubtles And fyrſt for vs nobles and gentylmen I doute nat in his wyſdome to prouyde Suche wether as in our huntynge nowe and then We may bothe tayſe and receyue on euery ſyde Whiche thynge ones had for our ſayde recrearyon Shall greatly preuayle you in proferrynge our helth For what thynge more nedefull then our preſeruacyon Beynge the weale and heddes of all comen welth ¶Mery reporte. ❀Nowe I beſeche your maſhype whoſe hed be you. ¶Gentylman, ¶Whoſe hed am I, thy hed what ſayſt thou nowe. ¶Mery reporte. ☞Nay I thynke it very true ſo god me helpe For I haue euer ben of a lyttell whelpe So full of fanſyes and in ſo many fyttes So many ſmall reaſons and in ſo many wyttes That euen as I ſtande I pray god I be dede If euer I thought them all mete for hede But ſyns I haue one hed more then I knewe Blame nat my reioyſynge I loue all thynges newe And ſure it is treaſour of heddes to haue ſtore One feare can I nowe that I neue coulde before. ❧Gentylman. ☜What is that. ¶Mery reporte. ¶By god ſyns ye came hyther I can ſet my heed and my tayle togyther This hed ſhall ſaue mony by ſaynt Mary Frome hensforthe I wyll no Potycary For at all tymes when ſuche thynges ſhall myſter My newe hed ſhall gyue myne olde tayle a glyſter And after all this then ſhall my hedde wayte Vpon my tayle and there ſtande at receyte Syr for the reſte I wyll not nowe moue you But yf we lyue ſhall ſmell howe I loue you And ſyr touchynge pour ſute, here departe when it pleaſe you For be ye ſure as I can I wyll eaſe you. ☞Gentylman. ☞Then gyue me thy hande that promyſe I take And yf for my ſake any ſute thou do make I promyſe thy payne to be requyred More largely than nowe ſhall be recyted. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Alas my necke, goddes pyty where is me hed By ſaynte Yue I fere me I ſhall be ded And yf I were me thynke it were no wonder Syns my hed and my body is ſo farre a ſonder Mayſter perſon nowe welcome by my lyfe I praye you howe doth my mayſtres your wyfe ¶Entreth the Marchaunt. ¶Marchaunt. ☜Syr for the preſthode and wyfe that ye alledge I ſe ye ſpeke more of dotage then knowledge But le pas ſyr I wolde to you be ſuter To brynge me yf ye can before Iupyter. ☜Yes mary can I, and wyll do it in dede Tary and I ſhall make way for your ſpede In faythe good lord yf it pleaſe your gracyous godſhype Mery re. I muſt haue a worde or twayne with your loldſhyhe Syr yonder is another manin place Who maketh greate ſute to ſpeke with your grace Your pleaſure ones knowen he cometh by and by. ☜Iupyter. ¶Brynge him before our preſens ſone hardely ¶Mery reporte. ❧Why where be you ſhall I nat fynde ye Come away I pray god the deuyll blynde ye. ¶Marchaunt. ☜Moſte myghty prynce and lorde of lordes all Ryght humbly be ſecheth your maieſtie Your marchaunt men thorowe the worlde all That it may pleaſe you of your benygnite In the dayly daunger of our goodes and lyfe Fyrſt to conſyder the deſert of our requeſt What welth we brynge the reſte to our great care & gryfe And then to rewarde vs as ye ſhall thynke beſt What were the ſurpluſage of eche comodyte Whiche groweth and encreaſeth in euery lande Excepte exchaunge by ſuche men as ye be By way or entercours that lyeth on our hande We fraught frome home thynges wherof there is plents And home we brynge ſuche thynges as there be ſcant Who ſhulde afore vs Marchauntes accompted be For were nat we, the worlde ſhulde wyſh and want In many thynges, which nowe ſhall lack reherſall And preuely to conclude we beſeche your hyghnes That of the benefyte proclaymed in generall We may be parte takers for comen entres Stably ſhynge wether thus pleaſynge your grace Stormy nor myſty the wynde meſurable That ſauely we may paſſe frome place to place Berynge our ſelles for ſpede moſte valeable And alſo the wynde to chaunge and to turne Eaſt, Weſt, North, and South, as beſt may be ſet In any one place nat to longe to ſoiourne For the lengthe of our viage may leſe our market. ¶Iupyter. Ryght well haue ye ſayde and we accepte it ſo And ſo ſhall we rewarde you or we go hens But ye muſt take paciens tyll we haue harde mo That we may indifferently gyue ſentens There maye paſſe by vs no ſpot of neglygence But iuſtely to iudge eche thynge ſo vpryght That eche mans parte may ſhyne in the ſelfe ryght ☜Mery reporte. ☜Nowe ſyr by your faythe yf ye ſhulde be ſworne Harde ye euer god ſpeke ſo ſyns ye were borne So wyſe to gelitelly his wordes be ſhowd. ❧Marchaunte ☜I thanke his grace my ſewt is well beſtod. ¶Mery reporte. ❧Syr what vyage entende ye nexte to go. ☜Marchaunte. ☜I truſte or inydlent to be at Syo. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Ha ha is it your mynde to ſayle at Syo Nay then when ye wyl, by lady ye may go And let me alone with this, be of good chere Ye may truſte me at Syo as well as here For though ye were fro me a thouſande myle ſpace I wolde do as muche as ye were here in place For ſyns that from hens it is ſo farre thyder I care nat though ye neuer come agayne hyther. ❀Marchaunt. ¶Syr yf ye remember me when tyme ſhall come Though I requyte nat all, I ſhall deſerue ſome. Exeat Marchaunt. ¶Mery reporte, ¶Nowe fare you well & god thanke you by ſaynte Anne I pray you marke the faſſhyon of this honeſte manne He putteth me in more truſte at this metynge here Then he ſhall fynde cauſe why this twenty yere. ¶Here entreth the Ranger. ¶Ranger. ¶God be here, nowe Chryſt kepe this company. ¶Mery reporte. ❧In fayth ye be welcome euen very ſkantly Syr for your comynge what is the mater. ☜Ranger. ❧I wolde fayne ſpeke with the god Iupyter. ¶Mery reporte. ¶That wyll nat be but ye may do this Tell me your mynde I am an offycer of his ¶Ranger. ¶B ye ſo, mary I cry you mercy Your mayſterſhype may ſay I am homely But ſyns your mynde is to haue reportyd The cauſe wherfore I am nowe reſortyd Pleaſeth it your mayſterſhype it is ſo I come for my ſelfe and ſuche other mo Rangers and kepers of certayne places As foreſtes, parkes, purlewes and chaſes Where we be charged with all maner game Smale is our profyte and greate is our blame Alas for our wages what be we the nere What is fourty ſhyllynges or fyue marke a yere Many tymes and ofte where we be flettynge We ſpende fourty pens a pece at a ſyttynge Nowe for our vauntage whiche chefely is wyndefale That is ryght nought there bloweth no wynde at all Whiche is the thynge wherin we fynde moſte grefe And cauſe of my commynge to ſewe for relefe That the god of pyty all this thynge knownuge May ſende vs good rage of bluſterynge and blowynge And yf we can not get god to do ſome good I wolde hyer the deuyil to runne thorowe the wood The rootes to turne vp, the toppes to brynge vnder A myſchyefe vpon them and a wylde thunder. ☜Mery reporte. ❧Very well ſayde I ſet by your charytie As muche in a maner as by your honeſtie I ſhall ſet you ſom what in eaſe anone Ye ſhall put on your cap when I am gone For I ſe well ye care nat who wynne or leſe So ye may fynde meanes to wynne ȳour fees ¶Ranger. ¶Syr as in that ye ſpeke as it pleaſe ye But let me ſpeke with the god yf it maye be I pray you let me paſſe ye. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Why nay ſyr by the maſſe ye ☜Ranger. ¶Then wyll I leue you euen as I founde ye. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Go when ye wyll no man here hath bounde ye. ❧Here entreth the water myller and the Ranger goeth out. ¶Water myller. ❧What ye deuyll ſhulde ſkil though al ye world were d • ̄ Syns in all our ſpekynge we neuer be harde We crye our for rayne the deuyll ſped drop wyll cumme We water myllers be nothynge in regarde No water haue we to grynde at any ſtynt The wynde is ſo ſtronge the rayne can nat fall Whiche kepeth our myldams as drye as a flyn • We are vndone we grynde nothynge at all The greatter is the pyte as thynketh me For what auayleth to eche man his corne Tyll it be grounde by ſuche men as we be There is the loſſe yf we be forbonre For tourhynge our ſelues we are but drudges And very beggers ſaue onely our tole Whiche is ryght ſmall and yet many grudges For grynden of a buſſhell to gyue a quarte bole Yet were nat reparacyons we myght do wele Our mylſtons, our whele, with her kogges, & our tryndyl Our floodgate, our mylpole, our water whele Our hopper, our extre, our yren ſpyndell In this and muche more ſo great is our charge That we wolde not recke though no water ware Saue onely it toucheth eche man ſo large And eche for our neyghbour Chryſt byddeth vs care Wherfore my conſcience hath prycked me hyther In this to ſewe accordynge to the cry For plente of rayne to the god Iupyter To whoſe preſence I wyll go euen boldely. ☜Mery reporte. ¶Syr Idoute nothynge your audacite But I fere me ye lacke capacite For yf ye were wyſe ye myght well eſpye Howe rudely ye erre frome rules of curteſye What ye come in reuelynge and reheytynge Euen as a knaue myght go to a beare beytynge. ¶Water myller. ¶All you bere recorde what fauoure I haue Herke howe familearly he calleth me knaue Doutles the gentylman is vniuerſall But marke this leſſon ſyr you ſhulde neuer call Your felowe knaue nor your brother horeſon For nought can ye get by it when ye haue don. Mery reporte. ¶Thou arte nother brother nor felowe to me For I am goddes ſeruaunte mayſt thou nat ſe Wolde ye preſume to ſpeke with the great god Nay diſcrecyon and you be to farre od Byr lady theſe knaues muſt be tyed ſhorter Syr who let you in, ſpake ye with the porter. ¶Water myller. ¶Nay by my trouth nor with none other man Yet I ſawe you well when I fyrſt began Howe be it ſo helpe me god and holydam I toke you but for a knaue as I am But mary nowe ſyus I knowe what ye be I muſt and wyll obey your authorytie And yf I may nat ſpeke with Iupyter. I beſeche you be my ſolyciter, ☜Mery reporte? ¶As in that I wyll be your well wyller I perceyue you be a water myller And your hole deſyre as I take the mater Is plente of rayne for encres of water The let where of ye affyrme determynately As onely the wynde your mortall enemy. ☜Water myller. ¶Trouth it is for it bloweth ſo alofte We neuer haue rayne or at the moſte nat ofte Wherfore I pray you put the god in mynde Clerely for euer to banyſhe the wynde. ❧Entreth the wynde myller. ¶Wynde myller. ¶Howe is all the wether gone or I come For the paſſyon af god helpe me to ſome I am a wynde myller as many mo be No wretche is wretchydnes ſo wretchyd as we The holde ſorte of my crafte be all marde at ones The wynde is ſo weyke it ſturrerh nat our ſtones Nor ſkantly can ſhatter the ſhytren ſayle That hangeth ſhaterynge at a womans tayle The rayne neuer reſteth ſo longe be the ſhowres Frome tyme of begynnynge tyll foure and twenty houres And ende whan it ſhall at nyght or at none Another begynneth as ſone as that is done Suche reuell of rayne ye knowe well ynough Deſtroyeth the wynde be it neuer ſo rough Wherby ſyns our mylles be come to ſtyll ſtanddynge Nowe may we wynde myllers go euyn to hangynge A myller with a moryn and a myſchyefe Who woulde be a myller, as good be a thefe Yet in tyme paſt when gryndynge was plente Who were ſo lyke goddes felowes as we As faſte as god made corne we myllers made meale Whiche myght be beſte forborne for comone weale But let that gere paſſe for I feare our pryde Is cauſe of the care whiche god dothe vs prouyde Wherfore I ſubmyt me entendynge to ſe What comforte may come by humylitie And nowe at this tyme they ſayde in the crye The god is come downe to ſhape remedy. Mery reporte. No doute he is here euen in yonder trone But in your mater he truſteth me alone Wherin I do perceyue by your complaynte Oppreſſion of rayne doth make the wynde ſo faynte That ye wynde myllers be elene caſte awaye. ¶Wynde myller. ¶Yf Iupyter helpe nat it is as ye ſaye But in fewe wordes to tell you my mynde rounde Vpon this condicion I wolde be bounde Day by day to ſay our ladyes ſauter That in this worlde were no drope of water Nor neuer rayne but wynde continuall Then ſhulde we wynde myllers be lordes ouer all. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Come on and aſſay howe you twayne can agre A brother of yours a myller as ye be. ❀Water myller. ¶By meane of your crafte we may be brothers But whyles we lyue ſhall we neuer be louers We be of one crafte but nat of one kynde I lyue by water, and ye by the wynde. ¶Here Mery reporte goeth out. And ſyr as ye deſyre wynde continuall So wolde I haue rayne euer more to fall Whiche two in experience ryght well ye ſe Ryght ſelde or neuer togyther can be For as longe as the wynde ruleth it is playne Twynty to one ye get no drope of rayne And when the Element is to farre oppreſt Downe commeth the rayne and ſetteth the wynde at reſt By this ye ſe we can nat both obtayne For ye muſt lacke wynde or I muſt lacke rayne Wherfore I thynke good before this audiens Eche for our ſelfe to lay or we go hens And whome is though weyken when we haue fynyſht Leue of his ſute and content to be banyſht. ☜Wynde myller. ¶In fayth agreed but then by your licens Our mylles for a tyme ſhall hange in ſuſpens Syns water and wynde is chiefly our ſute Whiche beſte may be ſpared we wyll fyrſt diſpute Wherfore to the ſee my reaſon ſhall reſorte Where ſhyppes by meane of wynde try frome port to port From lande to lande in diſtaunce many a myle Great is the paſſage and ſmale is the whyle So great is the profyte as to me doth ſeme That no mans wyſdome the welthe can exteme And ſyns the wynde is conueyer of all Who but the wynde ſhulde haue thanke aboue all. ¶Water myller. ¶Amitte in this place a tree here to growe And therat the wynde in great tage to blowe When it hath all blowen this is a clere caſe The tree remoueth no heare bred from his place No more wolde the ſhype blowes the beſt it coude All though it wolde blowe downe bothe maſt & ſhrowde Excepte the ſhype flete vpon the water The wynde can ryght nought do a playne mater Yet may ye on water without any wynde Rowe forth your veſſell where men wyll haue her ſynde Nothynge more reioyceth the maryner Then meane cooles of wynde and plente of water For commenly the cauſe of euery wrache Is exceſſe of wynde where water doth lacke In rage of theſe ſtormes the peryll is ſuche That better were no wynde then ſo farre to muche. ❧Wynde myller. ¶Well yf my reaſon in this may nat ſtande I wyll forſake the ſee and lepte to lande In euery churche where goddes ſeruyce is The organs beare brunt of halfe the quere I wys Whiche cauſeth the ſounde of water or wynde More ouer for wynde this thynge I fynde For the moſte parte all maner mynſtrelſy By wynde they delyuer theyr ſounde chefely Fyll me a bagpype of your water full As ſwetly ſhall it ſounde as it were ſtuffyd with woll. ¶Water myller. ¶On my fayth I thynke the moone be at the full For franty ke tanſyes be then moſte plente full Whiche are at the pryde of theyr ſprynge in your hed So farre from our mater he is nowe fled As for the wynde in any inſtrumente It is no percell of our argumente We ſpake of wynde that cometh naturally And that is wynde forcyd artyfycyally Whiche is nat to purpoſe but yf it were And water indede ryght nought coulde do there Yet I thynke organs no ſuche comodite Wherby the water ſhulde banyſhed be And for your bagpyppes I take them as nyfuls Your mater is all in fanſyes and tryfuls. ☜Wynde myller. ☜By god but ye ſhall nat tryfull me of ſo Yf theſe thynges ſerue nat I wyll reherſe mo And nowe to mynde there is an olde prouerbe come One buſhell of marche duſt is worth a kynges raunſome What is a hundreth thouſande buſhels worthe than. ☜Water myller. ¶Nat one myte for the thynge ſelfe to no man. ¶Wynde myller. ¶Why ſhall wynde euery where thus be obiecte Nay in the hye wayes he ſhall take a effecte Where as the rayne doth neuer good but hurt For wynde maketh but duſt and water maketh durt Pouder or ſyrop ſyr which lycke ye beſte Who lycketh nat the tone may lycke vp the reſte But ſure who euer hath aſſayed ſuche ſyppes Had leuer haue duſty eyes then durty lyppes And it is ſayde ſyns afore we were borne That drught doth neuer make derth of corne And well it is knowen to the moſte foole here Howe rayne hath pryced corne within thi. vii. yere. ❧Water miler. ❧Syr I pray the ſpare me a lyteell ſeaſon And I ſhall preuely conclude the with reaſon Put caſe on ſomers day without wynde to be And ragious wynde in wynter dayes two or thre Muche more ſhall dry that one calme day in ſomer Then ſhall thoſe thre wyndy dayes in winter Whom ſhall we thanke for this when all is done The thanke to wynde nay thanke chyefly the ſon And ſo for drought of corne therby encres The ſon doth comfort and rype all doutles And oft the wynde ſo leyth the corne god wot That neuer after can it rype but rotte If drought toke place as ye ſay yet may ye ſe Lytell helpeth the wynde in this commoditie But nowe ſyr I denye your pryncypall If drought euer were it were impoſſybyll To haue any grayne for, or it can growe Ye muſt plowe your lande harro we and ſowe Which wyll not be excepte ye may haue rayne To temper the grounde and after agayne For ſpringyng and plumynge all maner corne Yet muſt ye haue water or all is forlorne If ye take water for no commoditie Yet muſt ye take it for thynges of neceſſitie For waſhynge for ſhowrynge all fylth clenſynge Where water lacketh what beſtly beynge In brewynge, in bakynge, in dreſſynge of meate It ye lacke water what coulde ye drynke or eate Without water coulde lyue neyther man nor beaſt For water preſerueth both moſte and leaſte For water coulde I ſay a thouſande thynges mo Sauynge as nowe the tyme wyll not ſerue ſo And as for that wynde that you do ſewe fore Is good for your wyndemyll and for no more Syr ſyth all this in experience is tryde I ſay this mater ſtandeth clere on my ſyde. Wynde myller. ¶Well ſyns this myll not ſerue I wyl alledge the reſte Syr for our wyll I ſay myne is the beſte My wyndmyll ſhall grynde more corne in one houre Then the water myll ſhall in thre or foure Ye more then thyne ſhulde in a hole yere If thou myghteſt haue as thou haſt wyſhed here For thou deſyreſt to haue exceſſe of rayne Whiche thynge to the were ye worſt thou coudeſt obtayne For yf thou dydeſt it were a playne induccion To make thyue owne deſyre thyne owne deſtruccion For in exceſſe of rayne at any flood Your mylles muſt ſtand ſtyll they can do no good And whan the wynde doth blowe the vttermoſt Our wyndemylles walde a mayne in euery coſt For as we ſe the wynde in his eſtate We moderour ſayles after the ſame rate Syns our mylles grynde ſo farre faſter then yours And alſo they maye grynde all tymes and houres I ſay we nede no water mylles at all For wyndemylles be ſufficient to ſerue al. ¶Water myller. ¶Thou ſpekeſte of all and conſydereſt nat halfe In boſte of thy gryſte thou art wyſe as a calfe For thoughe aboue vs your mylles grynde farre faſter What helpe to thoſe frome whome ye be muche farther And of two ſortes yf the tone ſhulde be conſerued I thynke ye mete the moſt nomber be ſerued In vales and weldes where moſte commodytie is There is moſte people ye muſte graunt me this On hylles and downes whiche partes are moſt varain There muſt be fewyt can no mo ſuſtayne I darre well ſaye yf it were tryed euen nowe That there is ten of vs to one of you And where ſhulde chefely and neceſſaries be But there as people are moſte in plente More reaſon that you com. vii. myle to myll Then all we of the vale ſhode clyme the hyll Yf rayne came raſonable as I requyre it We ſhulde of your wynde mylles haue nede no whyt. ¶Entreth Mery reporte. ☜Mery reporte. ¶Stop folyſhe knaue, for your reaſonynge is ſuche That ye haue reaſoned euen ynonght and to muche I harde all the wordes that ye bothe haue hadde So helpe me god the knaues be more then madde Nother of them bothe that hath wit nor grace To perceyue that bothe mylles may ſerue in place Betwene water and wynde there is no ſuche ſet But eche myll may haue tyme to vſe his fet Whiche thynge I can tell by experiens For I haue of myne owne not farre from hens In corner togyther a couple of mylles Standynge in a marres betwene two hylles Nat of wherytaunce but by my wyfe She is feofed in the tayle for terme of her lyfe The one for wynde the other for water And of them bothe I thanke god there ſtandeth nother For in a good houre be it ſpoken The water gate is no ſoner open But clap ſathe the wyndemyll euyn ſtreight behynde There is good ſpedde, the deuyll and all they grynde But whether that the hopper be duſty Or that the mylſtones be ſomwhat ruſty By the mas the meale is myſcheuous muſty And yf ye thynke my tale be nat truſty I make ye true prompſe come when ye lyſte We ſhall fynde meane ye ſhall taſte of the gryſte ¶Water myller. ¶The corne at receyt happely is nat good ¶Mery reporte. ¶There can be no ſweter by the ſwete rood Another thynge yet whiche ſhall nat be cloked My water myll many tymes is choked. ¶Water myller. ☜So wyll ſhe be thought ye ſhulde bruſte your bones Excepte ye be perfyte in ſettynge of ſtones Fere nat the lydger beware your conner Yet this for the lydger or ye haue wonne her Perchaunce your lydger dothe lacke good peckynge ¶Mery reporte, ¶So ſayth my wyfe and that maketh all our checkynge She wolde haue the myll peckt, peckt peckt euery daye But by god myllers muſt pecke when they maye So ofte haue we peckt that our ſtones wax ryght thynne And all our other gere nat worth a pynne For with peckynge and peckynge I haue ſo wrought That I haue pecke a good peckynge yron to nought Howe be it yf I ſtycke no better tyll her My wyfe ſaythe ſhe wyll haue a newe myller But let it paſſe and nowe to our mater I ſaye my mylles lacke nother wynde nor water No more do yours as farre as nede dothe requyre But ſyns ye can nat agree I wyll deſyre Iupyter to ſet you bothe in ſuche reſte As to your welthe and his honour maye ſtande beſte. ¶Water myller. ¶I pray you hartely remember me. ☜Wynde myller, ❧Let nat me be for gotten I beſecheye ¶Bothe myllers goeth forth. ¶Mery reporte. ¶If I remember you nat bothe a lyke I wolde ye were ouer the eares in the dyke Nowe be we ryd of two knaues at one chaunce By ſaynte Thomas it is a knauiſh ryddaunce. ¶The gentylwoman entreth. ¶Gentylwoman. ❧Nowe good god what a foly is this What ſhulde I do were ſo muche people is I knowe not howe to paſſe into the god nowe. ¶Mery report. ¶No but ye knowe howe he maye paſſe into you. ¶Gentylwoman. ¶I praye you let me in at the backe ſyde. ❧Mery report. ¶Ye ſhall I ſo, and your forſyde ſo wyde Naye nat yet but ſyns ye loue to be alone We twayne wyll into a corner anone But fyrſt I praye you come your waye hyther And let vs twayne chat a whyle togyther. ¶Gentlwoman. ☜Syr as to you I haue lyttell mater. My commynge is to ſpeke with Iupyter. ❧Mery report. ¶Stande ye ſtyll a whyle and I wyll go proue Whether that the god wyll be brought in loue My lorde howe nowe loke vp luſtely Here his a derlynge come by ſaynt Antony And yf it be your pleaſure to mary Speke quyckely for ſhe maye nat tary In fayth I thynke ye may wynne her anone For ſhe wolde ſpeke with your lordſhypen alone. ☜Iupiter. ☜Sonne that is nat the thynge at this tyme ment Yf her ſute concerne no cauſe of our hyther reſorte Sende her out of place, but yf ſhe ve bent To that purpoſe, he are her, and make vs reporte. ☜Mery report. ☜I counte women loſt yf we loue them not well For ye ſe god loueth them neuer a dele Mayſtres ye can not ſpeke with the god. ¶Gentylwoman. ❧No, why. ❧Mery report. ¶By my fayth for his lordſhyp is ryght beſy With a peece of worke that nedes muſt be doone Euen nowe is he makynge of a newe moone He ſayth your olde moones be ſo farre taſted That all the goodnes of them is waſted Which of the greate wete hath ben moſte matter For olde moones be lyke, they holde no water But for this newe moone I durſt lay my gowne Excepte a fewe droppes at her goynge downe Ye get no rayne tyll her aryſynge Without it nede and then no mans deuyſynge Coulde wyſhe the faſhyon of rayne to be ſo good Not guſhinge out lyke gutters of Noyes fludde But ſmall droppes ſprynklynge ſortely on the grounde Though they fel on a ſponge they wolde gyue no ſounde This new moone ſhal make a thynge ſprynge more in this whyle Thē a old moae ſhall whyle a man may go a myle By that tyme the god hath all made an ende Ye ſhall ſe howe the wether wyll amende By ſaynt Anne he goeth to worke euen boldely I thynke hym wyſe ynough for he loketh holdely Wherfore mayſtres be ye nowe of good chere For though in his preſence ye can not appeare Tell me your matter and let me alone May happe I wyll thynke on you when you be go en ¶Gentylwoman. ¶Forfoth the cauſe of my comynge is this I am a woman ryght tayre as ye ſe In no creature more beaute then in me is And ſyns I am fayre, fayre wolde I kepe me But the ſonne in ſomer ſo ſore doth burne me In wynter the winde on euery ſyde me No parte of the yere wote I where to turne me But euen in my houſe am I ſayne to hyde me And ſo do all other that beuty haue In whoſe name at this tyme this ſute I make Beſcchynge Iupyter to graunte that I craue Whiche is this that it may pleaſe hym for our ſake To ſende vs wether cloſe and temperate No ſonne ſhyne no froſt nor wynde to blowe Then wolde we get the ſtretes tryme as a parate Ye ſhulde ſe howe we wolde ſet our ſelfe to ſhewe. ¶Mery reporte. ☜Yet where ye wyll I ſwere by ſaynte Quintyne Ye paſte them all both in your owne conceyt and myne ☜Gentylwoman. ¶If we had wether to walke at our pleaſure Our lyues wolde be mery out of meaſure One parte of the day for our apparelynge Another parte for eatynge and drynkynge And all the teſte in ſtretes to be walkynge Orin the houſe to paſte tyme with talk ynge. ¶Mery reporte. ¶When ſerue ye god. ¶Gentylwoman. ¶Who boſteth in vertue are but dawes. Mery reporte. Ye do the better namely ſyns there is no cauſe Howe ſpende ye this nyght ❧Gentylwoman. ¶In daunſynge and ſyngynge Tyll mydnyght and then fal to ſlepynge. ❧Mery report. ¶Why ſwete harte by your falſe fayth can ye ſynge ☜Gentylwoman. ☜Nay nay but I loue it all thynge. ❧Mery report ¶Nowe by my trouth for the loue that I owe you You ſhall here what pleaſure I can ſhewe you One ſonge I haue for you ſuch as it is And yf it were better ye ſhulde haue it by gys. ☜Gentylwoman. ❧Mary ſyr I thanke you euen hartely. ¶Mery report. ¶Come on ſyrs but nowe let vs ſynge luſtely. ¶Here they ſynge. ¶Gentylwoman. ❀Syr this is well done I hartely thanke you Ye haue done me pleaſure I make god a vowe Ones in a nyght I longe for ſuche a fyt For longe tyme haue I ben brought vp in it. ❧Mery report. ¶Oft tyme is ſene both in court and towne. Longe be women a bryngynge vp & ſone brought downe So fete it is, ſo nete it is, ſo nyſe it is, So trycke it is, ſo quycke it is, ſo wyſe it is I feare me ſelfe excepte I may entreate her I am ſo farre in loue I ſhall forget her. Nowe good mayſtres I praye ye let me kys ye ☜Gentylwoman.

Kys me quoth a why nay ſyr I wys ye.

 ¶Mery report. ☜What yes hardly kys me ones and no more I neuer deſyred to kys you defore. ¶Here the launder commeth in. ❀Launder. ❧Why haue ye alway kyſt her behynde In fayth good ynough yf it be your mynde And yf your appetyte ſerue you ſo to do By lady I wolde you had kyſt my ars to. ¶Mery report. ¶To whome doeſt thou ſpeke foule hore canſt thou tel. ❀Launder. ☜Nay by my trouth I ſyr not very well But by coniectour this ges I haue That I do ſpeke to an olde baudy knaue I ſawe you dally with your ſymper de cocked I rede you beware ſhe pycke not your pocket Suche ydell huſyfes do nowe and than Thynke all well wonne that they pycke from a man Yet ſuche of ſome men ſhall haue more fauour Then we that for them dayly tayle and labour But I truſt the god wyll be ſo indifferent That ſhe ſhall fayle ſome parte of her entent ❧Mery report. ☜No doubte he wyll deale ſo graciouſly That all folke ſhall be ſerued indifferently Howe be it I tell the truth my offyce is ſuche That I muſt report eche ſute lytell or muche Wherefore with the god ſyns thou cauſt not ſpeke Truſt me with thy ſute I wyll not fayle it to breke. ¶Launder. ¶Then leane not to muche to gender gyglet For here deſyre contrary to myne is ſet I herde by her tale ſhe wolde banyſhe the ſone And then were we poore launders all vndone Excepte the ſonne ſhyne that our clothes may dry We can do ryght nought in our laundry Another maner loſſe yf we ſhulde mys Then of ſuche nyreby ceters as ſhe is. ¶Gentylwoman. ❧I thynke it better that thou enuy me Then I ſhulde ſtande at rewarde of thy pytte It is the guyſe of ſuche groſe queynes as thou art With ſuche as I am euermore to thwart By cauſe that no beaute ye can obtayne Therefore ye haue vs that be fayre in diſdayne. ❧Launder. ¶When I was as yonge as thou art nowe I was within lyttell as fayre as thou And ſo myght haue kepte meyf I had wolde And as derely my youth I myght haue ſolde As the tryckeſt and fayreſt of you all But I feared parels that after myght fall Wherfore ſome belines I dyd me prouyde Leſt vyce myght enter on euery ſyde Whiche hath tre entre where ydylneſſe dothe reygne It is not thy beauty that I diſdayne But thyne ydell lyfe that thou haſt reherſed Whiche any good womans herte wolde haue perced For I perceyue in daunſynge and ſyngynge In eatynge and drynkynge and thyne apparelynge Is all the ioye wherin thy herte is ſet But nought of all this dothe thyne owne labour get For haddeſt thou nothynge but of thyne owne trauayle Thou myghteſt go as naked as my nayle Me thynke thou ſhuldeſt abhore ſuche ydelnes And paſſe the tyme in ſome honeſt beſines Better to leſe ſome parte of thy beaute Then ſo ofte to ieoberde all thyne honeſte But I thynke rather then thou woldeſt ſo do Thou haddeſt leuer haue vs lyue ydylly to And ſo no doute we ſhulde yf thou myghteſt haue The clere ſonne banyſht as thou doſt craue Then were we launders marde and vnto the Thyne owne requeſt were ſmale commodytie For of theſe twayne I thynke it farre better Thy face were ſonne burned and thy clothes the ſwetter Then that the ſonne frome ſhynynge ſhulde he ſmytter To kepe thy face fayre and thy ſmocke be ſhytter Syr howe lycke ye my reaſon in her caſe. ❧Mery reoorte. Suche a raylynge hore by the holy mas I neuer harde in all my tyfe tyll nowe Iu dede I loue ryght wel the tone of you But or I kepe you bothe by goddes mother The deuyll ſhall haue the tone to fet the other. ¶Launder. ¶Promyſe me to ſpeke that the ſonne may ſhyne bryght And I wyll be gone quyikly for all nyght. ❧Mery reporte. ❧Get you bothe hens I pray you hertely Your ſutes I perceyue aud wyll reporte them truely Vn to Iupiter at the nexte leaſure And in the ſame deſyre to knowe his pleaſure Whiche knowledge had euen as he dothe ſhewe it Fere ye nat tyme ynough ye ſhall knowe it. ❧Gentylwoman. ❧Syr yf ye medyll remember me fyrſt ❀Launder. ¶Then in this medlynge my parte ſhalbe the wurſt. ☜Mery report. ¶Nowe I beſeche our lorde the deuyll the burſt Who medleth with many I holde hym accurſt Thou hore can I medle with you bothe at ones. ¶Here the gentylwoman goeth forth. ☜Launder. ¶By the maſſe knaue I wolde I had bothe thy ſtones In my purs yf thou meddel not indifferently That both our maters in iſſue may be lykely. ☜Mery report. ¶Many wordes lytell matter and to no purpoſe Suche is the effect that thou diſcloſe. The more ye byb, the more ye babyll. The more ye babyl, the more ye fabyl The more ye fabyl, the more vnſtabyl. The more vnſtable, the more vnabyll In any maner thynge to do any good No hurte though ye were hanged by the holy rood. ❀Launder. ❧The leſſe your ſcilence, the leſſe your credence The leſſe your credence, the leſſe your honeſtie The leſſe your honeſtie the leſſe your aſſiſtence The leſſe your aſſiſtence the leſſe abylyte In you to do ought wherefore ſo god me ſaue No hurte in hangyng ſuch a raylynge knaue. ❧Mery report. ¶What monſter is this I neuer harde none ſuche For loke howe muche more I haue made her to muche And ſo farre at laſte ſhe hath made me to lyttell Where be ye Launder I thynke in ſome ſpyttell Ye ſhall waſhe me no gere for fere of fretynge I loue no launders that ſhrynke my gere in wettynge I praye the go hens and let me be in reſt I wyll do thyne errande as I thynke beft. ¶Launder. ¶Nowe wolde I take my leue yf I wyſte howe The lenger I lyue the more knaue you, ❧Mery reporte. ¶The lenger thou lyueſt the pyte the gretter The ſoner thou be ryd the tydynges the better Is nat this a ſwete offyce that I haue When euery drab ſhall call me knaue Euery man knoweth not what goddes ſeruyce is Nor I my ſelfe knewe it not before this I thynke goddes ſeruauntes may lyue holyly But the deuyll ſeruauntes lyue more merely I knowe not what god gyueth in ſtandynge fees But the deuyll ſeruauntes hane caſweltees A hundreth tymes mo then goddes ſeruauntes haue For thoughe ye be neuer ſo ſtarke a knaue Yt ye lacke money the deuyll wyll do wurſe But brynge you ſtreyght to another mans purſe Then wyll the deuyll promote you here in this worlde As vnto ſuche tyche it doth moſte accorde Fyrſt Pater noſter quies in celis And then ye ſhall ſens the ſtryfe with your helys The greateſt frende ye haue in felde or towne Sandynge a typ to ſhal nat reche your crowne. ❧The boy cometh in, the leſte that can play. ¶This ſame is euen he by allycklyhod Syr I pray you be not you maſter god. ❧Mery reporte. ¶No in good fayth ſonne but I may ſay to the I am ſuche a man that god may nat myſſe me Wherfore with ye god yf thou woldeſt haue ought done Tell me thy mynde and I ſhall ſhewe it ſone. ¶Boy. ¶Forſothe ſyr my mynde is this at fewe wordes All my pleaſure is in catſynge of vyrdes And makynge of ſnow bailes and throwynge the ſame For the whiche purpoſe to haue ſet in frame With my god father god I wolde fayne haue ſpoken Deſyrynge him to haue ſente me by ſome token Where I myght haue had greate froſt for my pytfalles And plente of ſuowe to make my ſnowe balles This ones had boys lyues be ſuche as no man leddes O to ſe my ſnowe balles lyght on my felowes hedes And to here the byrdes howe they ſlyckere there wynges In the pytfale I ſaye it paſſeth all thynges Syr yf ye be goddes ſeruaunte or his kynſman I pray you helpe me in this yt ye can. ¶Mery reporte. ¶Alas poore boy who ſente the hether. ¶Boy. ¶A hundred boyes that ſtode togyther Where they herde one ſay in a cry That my god father god almyghty Was come frome heuen by his owne accorde This nyght to ſuppe here with my lorde And farther he ſayde come whoſe wull They ſhall ſure haue theyr bylles full I fall wethers who lyſte to craue Eche ſorte ſuche wether as they lyſte to haue And when my felowes thought this wolde be had And ſawe me ſo prety a pratelynge lad Vpon agrement with a great noys Sende lytell Dycke cryed all the boys By whoſe aſſent I am purueyd To ſewe for the wether a foreſayde Wherin I pray you to be good as thus To helpe that god may gyue it vs. ¶Mery report. Gyue boys wether quoth a nonny nonny. ☜Boy. ¶If god of his wether wyll gyue nonny I pray you wyll ye ſell ony Or ſende vs a buſhel of ſnowe or twayne. And poynt vs a day to pay hym agayne. ❧Mery report. ¶I can not tell for by this lyght. I chepte nor barowed none of hym this nyght But by ſuche ſhyfte as I wyll make Thou ſhalt ſe ſoone what way he wyll take. ☜Boy. ❧Syr I thanke you then I may departe. ❀The boye goeth out. ¶Mery reporte. ❀Ye farewell good ſonne with all my harte Nowe ſuch an other ſorte as here hath bene In al the dayes of my lyfe I haue not ſene No ſuters nowe but women knaues and boys And all theyr ſutes are in fanſyes and toys If that there come no wyſer after this crye I wyll to the god and make an ende quickely Oyes, yf that any knaue here Be wyllynge to appeare For whether foule or clere Come in before this flocke And be he hole or ſyckly Come ſhewe his mynde quickly And yf his tayle be nat lyckly Ye ſhall lycke my tayle in the nocke All his tyme I perceyue is ſpente in waſt To wayte for mo ſuters I ſe none make haſt Wherefore I wyll ſhewe the god all this proces And be delyuered of my ſymple offes Nowe lorde accordynge to your commaundement Attendynge ſuters I haue ben diligent And at begynnynge as your wyll was I ſhulde I come nowe at ende to ſhewe what eche man wolde The fyrſt ſuter before your ſelfe dyd appere A gentylman deſyrynge wether clere Cloudy, nor myſty, nor no wynde to blowe For hurt in his huntynge and then as ye knowe The Marchaunte ſude for as of that kynde For wether clere and meaſurable wynde As they maye beſte bere theyr ſayles to make ſpede And ſtreyght after there came to me in dede Another man who named hym ſelfe a ranger And ſayde all of his crafte be farre brought in daunger For lacke of lyuynge whiche chefely is wynde fall But he playnely ſaythe there bloweth no wynde at all Wherfore he deſyreth for encreaſe of theyr fleeſes Extreme rage of wynde trees to tere in peces Then came a water myller and he cryed out For water and ſayde the wynde was ſo ſtout The rayne coulde not fall wherfore he made requeſte For plenty of rayne to ſet the wynde at reſte And then ſyr there came a wynde myller in Who ſayde for the rayne he coulde no wynde wyn The water he wyſht to be banyſhe all Beſechynge yout grace of wynde continuall Then came there another that wolde banyſhe all this A goodly dame an ydyll thynge ywys Wynde, rayne, nor froſt, nor ſon ſhyne wolde ſhe haue But fayre cloſe wether her beaute to ſaue Then came there another that lyueth by laundry Who muſt haue wether hote and clere here clothes to dry Then come there a boy for troſt and ſnowe continuall Snow to make ſnow balles and froſt for his pytfall For whiche god wote he ſueth full gredely Your fyrſt man wolde haue cooles to blowe meanly The ſeconde the ſame ſaue wether clere and nat wyndy The thyrde deſyred ſtormes and wynde moſt extermely The fourth all in water and wolde haue no wynde The fyfte no water but all wynde to grynde The ſyxte wolde haue none of all theſe nor no bryght ſon The ſeuent extremely the hote ſone wolde haue woone The eyght and the laſte for the froſt and ſnowe he prayd By lady we ſhall take ſhame I am afrayd Who marketh in what maner this ſort is led May thynke it impoſſyble all to be ſpede This nomber is ſmale there lacketh twayne of ten And yet by the maſſe amonge ten thouſande men No one thynge coulde ſtande more wyde frome the other Nat one of theyr ſuters agreeth with an other I promyſe you here is a ſhrewe pece of warke This gere wyll trye wether ye be a clarke Yf ye truſte to me it is a great foly For it paſſeth my braynes by goodes body. ☜Iupiter. ❧Son thou haſt beſt diligent and done ſo well That thy labour is ryght muche thanke worthy But be thou ſure we nede no whyt thy counſel For in our ſelfe we haue forſene remedy Whiche thou ſhalt ſe but fyrſte departe hens quyckly To the gentylman and al other ſuters here And commaunde them all before vs to appeare ☜Mery report. ☜That ſhall be no lenger in doynge Then I am in commynge and goynge ❀Mery reporte goeth out. ¶Iupiter. ❧Suche debate as from aboue he haue harde Suche debate beneth amonge your ſelues ye ſe As longe as heddes from temperaunce be defarde So longe the bodyes in diſtemperaunce be This perceyue ye all but none can helpe ſaue we But as we there haue made peace concordantly So wyll we here now gyue you remedy. ❧Mery report and all the ſuters entreth. ❧Mery report. ¶If I had caught them Or euer I taught them I wolde haue taught them To be nere me. Full dere haue I bought them Lorde ſo I ſought them Yet haue I brought them Suche as they be. ¶Gentylman. ☜Pleaſeth it your maieſtie lorde ſo it is We as your ſubiectes and humble ſuters all Accordyng as we here your pleaſure is Are preſed as your preſens beynge pryncypall Hed and gouernour of all in euery place Who ioyeth not in your ſyght no ioye can haue Wherfore we all commyt vs to your grace As lorde of lordes vs to peryſhe or ſaue. ☜Iupyter. ☜As longe as diſcrecion ſo well doth you gyde Obediently to vſe your dutye Dout ye nat we ſhall your ſauete prouyde Your greuys we haue harde wherefore we ſende for ye To receyue aunſwere eche man in his degre And fyrſt to content moſt reaſon it is The fyrſt man that ſude wherfore marke ye this Oft ſhall ye haue the wether elere and ſtyll To hunte in for recompence of your payne Alſo you marchauntes ſhall haue muche your wyll For oft tymes when no wynde on lande doth remayne Yet on the ſee pleaſaunt cooles you ſhall obtayne And ſyns your huntynge may reſt in the nyght Oft ſhal the wynde then ryſe and before day lyght. ❀It ſhall ratell downe the woode in ſuche caſe That all ye rangers the better lyue may And ye water myllers ſhall obtayne this grace Many tymes the rayne to fall in the valey When at the ſelfe tymes on hylles we ſhall puruey Fayre wether for your windmilles wt ſuch cooles of winde As in one inſtant both kyndes of mylles may grynde. ☜And for ye fayre women that cloſe wether wolde haue We ſhall prouyde that ye may ſuffyciently Haue tyme to walke in and your beautie ſaue And yet ſhall ye haue that lyueth by laundry The hote ſonne oft ynough your clothes to dry Alſo ye prety chylde ſhall haue both froſt and ſnowe Nowe marke this concluſyon we charge you arowe. ¶Muche better haue we nowe deuyſed for ye all Then ye all can perceyue or coude deſyre Eche of you ſude to haue contynuall Suche wether as his crafte onely doth requyre All wethers in all places yf men all tymes myght hyer Who coulde lyue by other what is this negligence Vs to attempt in ſuch inconuenience. ¶Nowe on the other ſyde yf we had graunted The full of the ſome one ſute and no mo And from all the reſt the wether had forbyd Yet who ſo had obteyned hadde wonne his owne wo There is no one crafte can preſerue man ſo But by other craftes of neceſſitie He muſt haue muche parte of his commoditie. ¶All to ſerue at ones and one deſtroy an other Or elles to ſerue one and deſtroye all the reſt Nother wyll we do the tone nor the other But ſerue as many or as fewe as we thynke beſt And where or what tyme to ſerue moſt or leſt The dyrectyon of that doubtles ſhall ſtande Perpetually in the power of our hande. ❀Wherfore we wyll the hole worlde to attende Eche ſorte on ſuche wether as for them doth fall Nowe one nowe other as lyketh vs to ſende Who that hath it ply it and ſure we ſhall So gyde the wether in courſe to you all That eche with other ye ſhall hole remayne. In pleaſure and plentyfull welth certayne. ❧Gentylwoman. ☜Bleſſed was the tyme wherein me were borne Fyrſt for the blyſfull chaunce of your godly preſence Next for our ſute was there neuer man beforne That euer harde ſo excellent a ſentence As your grace hath gyuen to vs all arowe Wherin your hyghnes hath ſo bountyfully Diſtrybuted my parte that your grace ſhall knowe Your ſelfe ſoole poſſeſſed. ☜Merchant ☜Lykewyſe marchauntes ſhall yelde vs holy Onely to laude the name of Iupyter As god of all goddes you to ſerue ſoolly For of euery thynge I ſe you are noryſher. ❧Ranger. ¶No doute it is ſo for ſo we nowe fynde Wherin your grace vs rangers ſo doth bynde That we ſhall gyue you our hartes with one accorde For knowledge to knowe you onely as our lorde ¶Watermyller. ☜Well I can no more but for our water We ſhall gyue your lordſhyp our ladyes ſauter ☜Wynde myller. ¶Muche haue ye bounde vs for as I be ſaued We haue all obtayned better then we craued. ¶Gentylwoman. ❧That is true, wherfore your grace ſhall truely The hartes of ſuche as I am haue ſurely. ☜Launder. ¶And ſuche as I am who be as good as you His hyghnes ſhall be ſure on I make a vowe. ❀Boy. ¶Godfather god I wyll do ſomwhat for you agayne By Chriſt ye may hap to haue a byrde or twayne And I promyſe you yf any ſnowe come▪ When I make my ſnowe balles you ſhall haue ſome