A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume I Part 54

MANHOOD. Conscience! what the devil man is he?

CONSCIENCE! Sir, a teacher of the spirituality.

MANHOOD. Spirituality! what the devil may that be?

CONSCIENCE. Sir, all that be leaders into light.

MANHOOD. Light! yea, but hark, fellow, yet light fain would I see.

CONSCIENCE! Will ye so, sir knight, then do after me.

MANHOOD. Yea, and it to pride's pleasing be; I will take thy teaching.

CONSCIENCE. Nay, sir, beware of pride, and you do well.

For pride Lucifer fell into h.e.l.l: Till doomsday there shall he dwell, Withouten any outcoming; For pride, sir, is but a vain glory.

MANHOOD. Peace, thou brothel, and let those words be, For the world and pride hath avanced me To me men lewt[233] full low.

CONSCIENCE. And to beware of pride, sir, I would counsel you; And think on King Robert of Sicile,[234]

How he for pride in great poverty fell, For he would not Conscience know.

MANHOOD. Yea, Conscience, go forth thy way, For I love pride, and will go gay: All thy teaching is not worth a stra',[235]

For pride clepe I my king.

CONSCIENCE. Sir, there is no king but G.o.d alone, That bodily bought us with pain and pa.s.sion, Because of man's soul's redemption: In Scripture thus we find.

MANHOOD. Say, Conscience, sith thou wouldst have pride from me, What sayest thou by the king of lechery?

With all mankind he must be, And with him I love to ling.

CONSCIENCE. Nay, Manhood, that may not be: From lechery fast you flee.

For inc.u.mbrance it will bring thee, And all that to him will lind.[236]

MANHOOD. Say, Conscience, of the king of sloth.

He hath behight me mickle troth, And I may not forsake him for ruth.

For with him I think to rest.

CONSCIENCE. Manhood, in Scripture thus we find, That sloth is a traitor to heaven king: Sir knight, if you will keep your king[237]

From sloth clean you cast.

MANHOOD. Say, Conscience, the king of gluttony: He sayeth he will not forsake me, And I purpose his servant to be With main and all my might.

CONSCIENCE. Think, Manhood, on substance, And put out gluttony for c.u.mbrance, And keep you with good governance, For this longeth to a knight.

MANHOOD. What, Conscience, from all my masters thou wouldst have me: But I will never forsake envy, For he is king of company, Both with more and la.s.s.[238]

CONSCIENCE. Nay, Manhood, that may not be.

And[239] ye will cherish envy; G.o.d will not well pleased be To comfort you in that case.

MANHOOD. Ay, ay, from five kings thou hast counselled me, But from the king of wrath I will never flee, For he is in every deed doughty, For him dare no man rowt.

CONSCIENCE. Nay, Manhood, beware of wrath; For it is but superfluity that cometh and goeth: Yea, and all men his company hateth, For oft they stand in doubt.[240]

MANHOOD. Fie on thee, false flattering frere:[241]

Thou shalt rue the time that thou came here.

The devil mot set thee on a fire, That ever I with thee meet, For thou counsellest me from all gladness, And would me set into all sadness; But ere thou bring me in this madness, The devil break thy neck!

But, sir frere, evil mot thou the,[242]

From six kings thou hast counselled me, But that day shall thou never see To counsel me from covetise.

CONSCIENCE. No, sir, I will not you from covetise bring, For covetise I clepe a king.

Sir, covetise in good doing Is good in all wise: But, sir knight, will ye do after me, And covetise your king shall be?

MANHOOD. Ye, sir, my troth I plight to thee.

That I will wark at thy will.

CONSCIENCE. Manhood, will ye by this word stand?

MANHOOD. Yea, Conscience, here my hand.

I will never from it fong,[243]

Neither loud ne still.

CONSCIENCE. Manhood, ye must love G.o.d above all thing.

His name in idleness ye may not ming: Keep your holy-day from worldly doing: Your father and mother worship aye: Covet ye to sle no man, Ne do no lechery with no woman: Your neighbour's good take not by no way, And all false witness ye must denay: Neither ye must not covet no man's wife, Nor no good that him be-lith.

This covetise shall keep you out of strife.

These been the commandments ten: Mankind, and ye these commandments keep, Heaven bliss I you behete,[244]

For Christ's commandments are[245] full sweet, And full necessary to all men.

MANHOOD. What, Conscience, is this thy covetise?

CONSCIENCE. Yea, manhood, in all wise: And covet to Christ's service, Both to matins and to ma.s.s.

Ye must, Manhood, with all your might, Maintain holy church's right, For this longeth to a knight Plainly in every place.

MANHOOD. What, Conscience, should I leave all game and glee?

CONSCIENCE. Nay, Manhood, so mot I the, All mirth in measure is good for thee: But, sir, measure is in all thing.

MANHOOD. Measure, Conscience? what thing may measure be?

CONSCIENCE. Sir, keep you in charity, And from all evil company, For doubt of folly doing.

MANHOOD. Folly! what thing callest thou folly!

CONSCIENCE. Sir, it is pride, wrath, and envy, Sloth, covetise, and gluttony, Lechery the seventh is: These seven sins I call folly.

MANHOOD. What, thou liest! to this seven The world delivered me, And said they were kings of great beauty, And most of main and mights.

But yet I pray thee, sir, tell me, May I not go arrayed honestly?

CONSCIENCE. Yes, Manhood, hardily In all manner of degree.