The Ship of Fools, Volume 1 2

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Come nere disgysed foles: receyue your Foles Hode.
And ye that in sondry colours ar arayde.
Ye garded galantes wastinge thus your goode
Come nere with your Shertes brodered and displayed.
In fourme of Surplys. Forsoth it may be sayde.
That of your Sort right fewe shal thryue this yere.
Or that your faders werith suche Habyte in the Quere.

And ye Jentyl wymen whome this lewde vice doth blynde
Lased on the backe: your peakes set a loft.
Come to my Shyp. forget ye nat behynde.
Your Sadel on the tayle: yf ye lyst to sit soft.
Do on your Decke Slut: if ye purpos to come oft.
I mean your Copyntanke: And if it wyl do no goode.
To kepe you from the rayne. ye shall haue a foles hode.

By the ale stake knowe we the ale hous
And euery Jnne is knowen by the sygne
So a lewde woman and a lechcrous
Is knowen by hir clothes, be they cours or fyne
Folowynge newe fassyons, not graunted by doctryne
The bocher sheweth his flesshe it to sell
So doth these women dampnyng theyr soule to hell

What shall I more wryte of our enormyte
Both man and woman as I before haue sayde
Ar rayde and clothyd nat after theyr degre
As nat content with the shape that god hath made
The clenlynes of Clergye is nere also decayed.
Our olde apparale (alas) is nowe layde downe
And many prestes asshamed of theyr Crowne.

Unto laymen we vs refourme agayne
As of chryste our mayster in maner halfe asshamed
My hert doth wepe: my tunge doth sore complayne
Seing howe our State is worthy to be blamed.
But if all the Foly of our Hole Royalme were named
Of mys apparayle of Olde, young, lowe, and hye,
The tyme shulde fayle: and space to me denye.

Alas thus al states of Chrysten men declynes.
And of wymen also disfourmynge theyr fygure.
Wors than the Turkes, Jewes, or Sarazyns.
A Englonde Englonde amende or be thou sure
Thy noble name and fame can nat endure
Amende lyst god do greuously chastyce.
Bothe the begynners and folowes of this vyce.

THE ENUOY OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY YE TRANSLATOUR.

Reduce courters clerly vnto your rembrance
From whens this disgysyng was brought wherein ye go
As I remember it was brought out of France.
This is to your plesour. But payne ye had also.
As French Pockes hote ylles with other paynes mo.
Take ye in good worth the swetnes with the Sour.
For often plesour endeth with sorowe and dolour.

But ye proude Galaundes that thus yourselfe disgise
Be ye asshamed. beholde vnto your Prynce.
Consyder his sadnes: His honestye deuyse
His clothynge expresseth his inwarde prudence
Ye se no Example of suche Inconuenyence
In his hyghnes: but godly wyt and grauyte.
Ensue hym: and sorowe for your enormyte.

Away with this pryde, this statelynes let be
Rede of the Prophetis clothynge or vesture
And of Adam firste of your ancestrye
Of Johnn the Prophete, theyr clothynge was obscure
Uyle and homly, but nowe what creature
Wyll then eusue, sothly fewe by theyr wyll
Therfore suche folys my nauy shall fulfyll

* * * * *

Of old folys that is to say the longer they lyue the more they ar gyuen to
foly.

[Illustration: Howe beit I stoup, and fast declyne
Dayly to my graue, and sepulture
And though my lyfe fast do enclyne
To pay the trybute of nature
Yet styll remayne I and endure
In my olde synnes, and them nat hate
Nought yonge, wors olde, suche is my state.]

The madnes of my youthe rotyd in my age
And the blynde foly of my iniquite
Wyll me nat suffer to leue myne old vsage
Nor my fore lyuynge full of enormyte
Lame ar his lymmys, and also I can nat se
I am a childe and yet lyuyd haue I
An hundreth wynter, encresynge my foly.

But though I myght lerne my wyll is nat therto
But besy I am and fully set my thought
To gyue example to children to mysdo
By my lewde doctryne bryngynge them to nought
And whan they ar onys into my daunce brought
I teche them my foly wysdome set asyde
My selfe example, begynner, and theyr gyde.

My lewde lyfe, my foly and my selfwyllyd mynde
Whiche I haue styll kept hytherto in this lyfe
In my testament I leue wryten behynde
Bequethyng parte both to man childe and wyfe
I am the actour of myschefe and of stryfe
The foly of my youth and the inconuenyence
In age I practyse, techynge by experyence

I am a fole and glad am of that name
Desyrynge lawde for eche vngracious dede
And of my foly to spred abrode the same
To showe my vyce and synne, as voyde of drede
Of heuen or hell. therfore I take no hede
But as some stryue disputynge of theyr cunnynge
Right so do I in lewdnes and myslyuynge.

Somtyme I bost me of falshode and dysceyt
Somtyme of the sede that sawyn is by me
Of all myschefe, as murder flatery debate
Couetyse bacbytynge theft and lechery
My mynde is nat to mende my iniquyte
But rather I sorowe that my lyfe is wore
That I can nat do as I haue done before

But syns my lyfe so sodaynly dothe apeyre
That byde I can nat styll in this degre
I shall infourme and teche my sone and heyre
To folowe his fader, and lerne this way of me
The way is large, god wot glad shall he be
Lernynge my lore with affeccion and desyre
And folowe the steppys of his vnthryfty syre

I trust so crafty and wyse to make the lad
That me his father he shall pas and excell
O that my herte shall than be wonder glad
If I here of may knowe, se, or here tell
If he be false faynynge sotyll or cruell
And so styll endure I haue a speciall hope
To make hym scrybe to a Cardynall or Pope.

Or els if he can be a fals extorcyoner
Fasynge and bostynge to scratche and to kepe
He shall be made a comon costomer
As yche hope of Lyn Calays or of Depe
Than may he after to some great offyce crepe
So that if he can onys plede a case
He may be made Juge of the comon place.

Thus shall he lyue as I haue all his dayes
And in his age increas his folysshenes
His fader came to worshyp by suche ways
So shall the sone, if he hym selfe addres
To sue my steppes in falshode and lewdnes
And at leste if he can come to no degre
This shyp of folys shall he gouerne with me

BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.

Awake age alas what thynkest thou be
Awake I say out of thy blynde derkenes
Remembrest thou nat that shortly thou shalt dye
Aryse from synne amende thy folysshenes
Though thy youth reted were in vyciousnes
Aryse in age is full tyme to leue it
Thy graue is open thy one fote in the pyt

Leue thy bostynge of that thou hast done amys
Bewayle thy synnes, sayeng with rufull mone
Delicta iuuentutis mee deus ne memineris
Amende the or thy youth be fully gone
That sore is harde to hele that bredes in the bone
He that is nought yonge, procedynge so in age
Shall skant euer his vyciousnes asswage

What thinge is more abhomynable in goddes syght.
Than vicious age: certaynly no thynge.
It is eke worldly shame, whan thy corage and mycht
Is nere dekayed, to kepe thy lewde lyuynge.
And by example of the, thy yonge children to brynge.
Into a vicious lyfe: and all goodnes to hate.
Alas age thus thou art the Fendes bate.

* * * * *

Of the erudicion of neglygent faders anenst theyr chyldren.

[Illustration: That fole that suffreth his Chylde for to offende
Wythout rebukynge, blame, and correccion.
And hym nat exhorteth, hymselfe to amende.
Of suche fawtes as by hym ar done.
Shal it sore repent: god wote howe sone
For oft the faders foly, fauour, and neglygence
Causeth the Chylde for to fall to great offence]

A myserable Fole euermore shal he be.
A wretche vnauysed, and a Catyf blynde.
Whiche his chyldren fawtes forseth nat to see
Hauynge no care for to induce theyr mynde
To godly vertue: and vyce to leue behynde.
For whyle they ar yonge fereful and tender of age
Theyre vyce and foly is easy to asswage.

Two dyuers sortes of these foles may we fynde.
By whome theyr chyldren ar brought to confusion.
The one is neglygent. the other is starke blynde.
Nat wyllynge to beholde his childes yl condicion.
Whyle he is in youthe: But for a conclusion
He is a Fole that wyl nat se theyr vyce.
And he that seyth: and wyl it nat chastyce.

Alas thou art a cursed counselloure
To wanton youth that tender is of age
To let them wander without gouernoure
Or wyse mayster, in youthes furious rage
Get them a mayster theyr foly to asswage
For as a herdles flocke strayth in Jepardy
So children without gyde wandreth in foly.

To moche lyberty pleasoure and lycence
Gyuen vnto youth, whether it be or age
Right often causyth great inconuenyence
As ryot mysrule with other sore damage
Theyr londe and goodes solde or layde to gage
But thou folysshe father art redy to excuse
Thy yonge children of theyr synne and abuse

Thou sayst they ar ouer tender to eschewe
Theyr folysshe maners and they haue no skyll
To knowe the wayes of goodnes or vertue
Nor to discerne what is gode, what is yll
Thou blynde dodart these wordes holde thou styll
Theyr youth can nat excuse thy folysshenes
He that can yll as well myght lerne goodnes

A yonge hert is as apt to take wysdome
As is an olde, and if it rotyd be
It sawyth sede of holy lyfe to come
Also in children we often tymes se
Great aptness outwarde and syne of grauyte
But fyll an erthen pot first with yll lycoure
And euer after it shall smell somwhat soure

So youth brought vp in lewdnes and in sin
Shall skant it shrape so clene out of his mynde
But that styll after some spot wyll byde within
A lytell twygge plyant is by kynde
A bygger braunche is harde to bowe or wynde
But suffer the braunche to a byg tre to growe
And rather it shall brake than outher wynde or bowe

Correct thy childe whyle he is lyke a twygge
Soupyll and plyant, apt to correccion
It wyll be harde forsoth whan he is bygge
To brynge his stubron herte to subieccion
What hurtyth punysshement with moderacion
Unto yonge children, certaynely no thynge
It voydeth vyce, gettynge vertue and cunnynge

Say folysshe fader haddest thou leuer se
Thy sonnes necke vnwrested wyth a rope.
Than with a rod his skyn shulde brokyn be.
And oft thou trustest: and hast a stedfast hope
To se thy son promoted nere as hye as is the Pope
But yet perchaunce mourne thou shalt ful sore.
For his shameful ende: fortuned for lacke of lore.

Some folowe theyr chyldrens wyl and lewde plesour
So grauntinge them theyr mynde: that after it doth fal
To theyr great shame: they sorowe and dolour
As dyd to Priamus a Kynge Imperial
Whiche suffred his men: his son chefe of them al
By force from Grece to robbe the fayre Helayne.
Wherby both Fader and son were after slayne.

With noble Hector and many thousandes mo.
The Cyte of Troy vnto the ground clene brent.
I rede in the Cronycles of the Romayns also
Howe Tarquyne the proude had shame and punysshment
For rauysshynge chaste Lucres agaynst hyr assent.
Wherfore hyrselfe she slewe hyr seynge thus defiled.
For the which dede this Tarquyn was exiled,

From Rome: wandrynge in the Costes of Italy.
Dyd nat the traytour Catelyne also conspyre
And many mo sworne to his cruel tyranny
Agaynst the Romans to oppresse theyr Impyre,
But he and all his were murdred for theyr hyre,
And nat vnworthely. Beholde wherto they come
Which ar nat enfourmed in youth to ensue wysdom.

The son oft foloweth the faders behauour
And if the fader be discrete and vertuous.
The son shal suche wayes practyse both day and hour.
But if that the fader be lewde and vicious
By falshode lyuynge: and by wayes cautelous.
The son also the same wayes wyl ensue
And that moche rather than goodnes or vertue

Therfore it nedeth that better prouysion.
Were founde for youthe by sad and wyse counsayle
Far from theyr faders of this condicion.
And other lewde gydes which myght theyr myndes assayle
Greuously wyth syn. So were it theyr auayle
From theyr faders frawde and falshode to declyne
And them submyt to some lawdable mannys doctryne.

Peleus, somtyme a noble and worthy kynge
Subdued Achylles vnto the doctryne
Of phenix whiche was both worthy and cunnynge
Wherfore Achyllys right gladly dyd enclyne
With his hert and mynde vnto his disciplyne
Wherby his name so noble was at the last
That all Asy in worthynes he past

Ryght so Philippus a kynge worthy of name
Ouer all Grece made great iniquicion
To fynde one wyse, sad and laudable of fame
To Alexander his sonne for to gyue Instruccion
Founde was great Aristotyl at the conclusion
Disciple of Plato. whiche in euery Science.
Infourmed this chylde with parfyte diligence.

Whiche Alexander afterward had so great dignyte.
What by his strength, his cunnynge, and boldenes.
That he was lorde both of Londe and See.
And none durst rebel aganst his worthynes.
Lo here the lawde, the honour, and nobles.
Which dothe procede of vertue and doctryne
But few ar the faders that nowe hereto inclyne

Fewe ar that forceth nowe adayes to se
Theyr chyldren taught: or to do any cost
On som sad man, wyse, and of auctorite:
Al that is theron bestowed thynke they loste.
The folyssh Fader oft tymes maketh great boste.
That he his son to habundant riches shal auance
But no thynge he speketh of vertuous gouernance.

The feder made but smal shyft or prouysion.
To induce his Son by vertuous doctryne.
But whan he is dede and past: moche les shal the son
To stody of grace his mynde or hert inclyne.
But abuse his reason: and from al good declyne.
Alas folysshe faders gyue your aduertence
To Crates complaynt comprysed in this sentence.

If it were graunted to me to shewe my thought
Ye follysshe faders Caytifes I myght you cal
Whiche gather riches to brynge your chylde to nought.
Gyuynge him occasion forto be prodigal.
But goode nor cunnynge shewe ye hym none at all.
But whan ye drawe to age, ye than moste comonly.
Sorowe for your suffrance. But without remedy.

An olde sore to hele is oft halfe incurable
Ryght so ar these Chyldren roted in myschefe
Some after euer lyueth a lyfe abhomynable
To all theyr Kyn great sorowe and reprefe.
The one is a murderer the other a fereles thefe,
The one of god nor goode man hath no fors ne care.
Another so out wasteth that his frendes ar ful bare.

Some theyr londe and lyuelode in riot out wasteth,
At cardes, and, tenys, and other vnlawful gamys.
And some wyth the Dyce theyr thryft away casteth.
Some theyr soule damnes, and theyr body shames.
With flesshly lust: which many one dyffamys.
Spendynge the floures of youth moche vnthryftely.
On dyuers Braunches that longe to Lechery.

Another delyteth hymselfe in Glotony.
Etynge and drynkynge without maner, or mesure:
The more that some drynke: the more they wax drye.
He is moste Galant whyche lengest can endure.
Thus without mesure ouercharge they theyr nature.
So that theyr Soule is loste theyr body and goode is spent.
For lacke of doctryne, Norture and punysshment.

Se here playne prose, example and euydence
Howe youthe which is nat norysshed in doctryne.
In age is gyuen vnto al Inconuenyence.
But nought shall make youthe soner forto inclyne.
To noble maners: nor Godly dysciplyne:
Than shal the doctryne of a mayster wyse and sad:
For the rote of vertue and wysdome therby is had.

Without dout Noblenes is moche excellent
Whiche oft causeth youth to be had in great honour.
To haue the name, and lawde they ar content.
Thoughe it be nat gotten by theyr owne labour.
But what auayleth them this lewde obscure errour
Of suche hye byrthe them self to magnyfy.
Sythe they defyle it with vice and Uilany.

Why art thou proude thou foul of that nobles
Whyche is nat gotten by thyne owne vertue.
By thy goode maners, wyt nor worthynes:
But this forsothe oft tymes fynde I true
That of a goode beste, yl whelpes may weshewe.
In lyke wyse of a Moder that is bothe chast and goode.
Often is brought forth a ful vngracious Brode.

But though the childe be of lewde condicion
And of his nature frowarde and varyable
If the fader be slacke in the correccion
Of his childe, he onely is culpable
Whiche wyll nat teche hym maners commendable
Thus is the fader a fole for his suffraunce
And the sone also for his mysgouernaunce

THE ENUOY.

Auoyd faders your fauour and suffraunce
Anenst your children in theyr faute and offence
Reduce ye clerely vnto your remembraunce
That many a thousande inconuenyence
Haue children done by theyr faders negligence
But to say trouth brefely in one clause
The fader's fauour onely is the cause

* * * * *

Of tale berers, fals reporters, and prometers of stryfes.

[Illustration: Of folys yet fynde I another maner sorte
Whiche ar cause of brawlynge stryfe and deuysion
Suche ar dowble tongyd that lesyngys reporte
Therby trustynge to come to great promosion
But suche lewde caytyfes at the conclusion
Bytwene two mylstons theyr legges puttes to grynde
And for rewarde, theyr confusion shall they fynde.]

Some ar that thynke the pleasoure and ioy of theyr lyfe
To brynge men in brawlynge to discorde and debate
Enioynge to moue them to chydynge and to stryfe
And where loue before was to cause mortall hate
With the comonty, and many great estate
Suche is moche wors than outher murderer or thefe
For ofte of his talys procedeth grete myschefe

Within his mouth is venym Jeperdous and vyle
His tonge styll laboryth lesynges to contryue
His mynde styll museth of falshode and on gyle
Therwith to trobyll suche as gladly wolde nat stryue
Somtyme his wordes as dartis he doth dryue
Agaynst good men: for onely his delyte.
Is set to sclaunder to diffame and bacbyte.

And namely them that fautles ar and innocent.
Of conscience clene, and maners commendable
These dryuyls sclaunder, beynge full dilygent.
To deuyde, louers that ar moste agreable
His tonge Infect his mynde abhomynable
Infectyth loue and ouertourneth charyte
Of them that longe tyme haue lyuyd in amyte

But he that accused is thus without all faute
And so sclaundred of this caytyf vnthryfty
Knowyth nought of this ieoperdous assaute
For he nought dowteth that is no thynge fauty
Thus whyle he nought feryth comyth sodaynly
This venemous doloure distaynynge his gode name
And so gyltles put to rebuke, and to shame.

Thus if one serche and seke the worlde ouerall
Than a backbyter nought is more peryllous
His mynde myscheuous, his wordys ar mortall
His damnable byt is foule and venemous
A thousande lyes of gyles odyous
He castyth out where he wolde haue debate
Engendrynge murder whan he his tyme can wayt

Where as any frendes lyueth in accorde
Faythfull and true: this cowarde and caytyf
With his fals talys them bryngeth to dyscorde
And with his venym kepeth them in stryfe
But howe beit that he thus pas forth his lyfe
Sawynge his sede of debate and myschefe
His darte oft retourneth to his own reprefe

But nat withstandynge, suche boldely wyl excuse
His fals dyffamynge: as fautles and innocent.
If any hym for his dedes worthely accuse
He couereth his venym: as symple of intent.
Other ar whiche flater: and to euery thynge assent.
Before face folowynge the way of adulacion,
Whiche afterwarde sore hurteth by detraccion.

The worlde is nowe alle set on dyffamacion.
Suche ar moste cherisshed that best can forge a tale.
Whych shulde be moste had in abhomynacion.
And so they ar of wyse men without fayle.
But suche as ar voyde of wysdom and counsayle
Inclyneth theyr erys to sclander and detraccion,
Moche rather than they wolde to a noble sermon.

But euery Sclanderer, and begynner of stryfe.
Lousers of loue, and infecters of Charite.
Unworthy ar to lyue here at large in this lyfe.
But in derke Dongeon they worthy ar to be.
And there to remayne in pryson tyl they dye.
For with there yl tunges they labour to destroy
Concorde: whiche cause is of loue and of ioy.

An olde quean that hath ben nought al hyr dayes.
Whiche oft hath for money hyr body let to hyre
Thynketh that al other doth folowe hyr olde wayes.
So she and hyr boul felawes syttinge by the fyre.
The Boule about walkynge with theyr tunges they conspyre
Agaynst goode peple, to sclander them wyth shame.
Than shal the noughty doughter lerne of the bawdy dame.

By his warkes knowen is euery creature
For if one good, louynge, meke and charitable be.
He labours no debates amonge men to procure.
But coueyteth to norysshe true loue and charite.
Where as the other ful of falshode and iniquyte
Theyr synguler plesour put to ingender variaunce.
But oft theyr folysshe stody retournes to theyr myschaunce

Therfore ye bacbyters that folke thus dyffame
Leue of your lewdnes and note wel this sentence.
Which Cryist hymself sayd: to great rebuke and shame
Unto them that sclandreth a man of Innocence.
Wo be to them whych by malyuolence
Slandreth or dyffameth any creature.
But wel is hym that wyth pacience can indure.

* * * * *

Of hym that wyll nat folowe nor ensue good counsell, and necessary.

[Illustration: Of folys yet another sorte doth come
Vnto our shyp rowynge with great trauayle
Whiche nought perceyue of doctryne nor wysdome
And yet dysdayne they to aske wyse counseyll
Nor it to folowe for theyr owne auayle
Let suche folys therat haue no dysdayne
If they alone endure theyr losse and payne]

He is a fole that dothe coueyt and desyre
To haue the name of wysdome and prudence
And yet of one sought thorugh a cyte or a shyre
None coude be founde of lesse wysdome nor science
But whyle he thynketh hym full of sapience
Crafty and wyse, doutles he is more blynde
Than is that fole whiche is out of his mynde

But though he be wyse, and of myght meruaylous
Endued with retoryke and with eloquence
And of hym selfe both ware and cautelous
If he be tachyd with this inconuenyence
To dysdayne others counseyll and sentence
He is vnwyse, for oft a folys counsayle
Tourneth a wyse man to consort and auayle

But specially the read and auysement
Of wyse men, discrete, and full of grauyte
Helpeth thyne owne, be thou never so prudent
To thy purpose gyuynge strength and audacyte.
One man alone knowys nat all polycye
Thoughe thou haue wysdome cunnynge and scyence
Yet hath another moche more experience

Some cast out wordes in paynted eloquence
Thynkynge therby to be reputed wyse
Thoughe they haue neyther wysdome nor science
Suche maner folys them self do exercyse
A plughe and teame craftely to deuyse
To ere the path that folys erst hath made
The trouth vnder glose of suche is hyd and layde

For why, they trust alway to theyr owne mynde
And furour begon whether it be good or yll
As if any other, no wyser read coude fynde
Thus they ensue theyr pryuate folysshe wyll
Oft in suche maters wherin they haue no skyll
As did Pyrrus whiche began cruell Batayle
Agaynst Orestes refusynge wyse counsayle

But folowyd his owne rasshe mynde without auayle
As blynde and obstynat of his intencion
Wherfore he was disconfyted in Batayle
Hymselfe slayne, his men put to confusyon
If that the Troyans in theyr abusyon
With false Parys, had confourmed theyr intent
To Helenns counsayle Troy had nat ben brent.

For that Priamus his mynde wolde nat aply
To the counseyll of Cassandra Prophetes
The grekys distroyed a great parte of Asy
Hector also by his selfwyllydnes
Was slayne with Peyn for all his doughtynes
Of Achylles in open and playne Batayle
For nat folowynge of his faders counsayle

If Hector that day had byddyn within Troy
And vnto his fader bene obedient
Perchaunce he sholde haue lyuyd in welth and ioy
Longe tyme after and come to his intent
Whereas his body was with a spere through rent
Of the sayd Achyllys cruell and vnkynde
Alas for suynge his owne selfwyllyd mynde

I rede of Nero moche cursed and cruell
Whiche to wyse counsayle hymself wolde nat agre
But in all myschef all other dyd excell
Delytynge hym in synne and crueltye
But howe dyde he ende forsoth in myserye
And at the last as wery of his lyfe
Hymselfe he murdred with his owne hand and knyfe

The Bybyll wytnessyth howe the prophete Thoby
Gaue his dere sone in chefe commaundement
That if he wolde lyue sure without ieoperdy
He sholde sue the counsayle of men wyse and prudent
The story of Roboam is also euydent
Whiche for nat suynge of counseyll and wysdome
Lost his Empyre, his scepter and kyngdome

If that it were nat for cawse of breuyte
I coude shewe many of our predecessours
Whiche nat folowynge counceyll of men of grauyte
Soone haue decayed from theyr olde honours
I rede of Dukes, Kynges, and Emperours
Whiche dispysynge the counsayle of men of age
Haue after had great sorowe and damage.

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