The Ship of Fools, Volume 1 2
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Sebastian Brandt >> The Ship of Fools, Volume 1 2
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BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Thou fole mysmyndyd to large of sconscyence
To the I speke that art a lewde dettour
Borowe thou no thynge, noble grote ne pens.
More than thou mayst agayne pay thy credytour
Right so endeuer the to pay thy sauyour
His right and dewty, with a glad wyll and fayne
That is true seruyce, with glory and honour
Than shalt thou surely escape infernall payne.
* * * * *
Of inprofytable and vayne prayers vowes
and peticyons.
[Illustration: That man whose herte vnhappy synne doth blynde
And prayth gasynge into the fyrmament
Or he that setteth nat his herte and mynde
Upon his wordes, theyr sentence or intent
And he that desyreth thynge nat conuenyent
Suche folys shall nat theyr peticion obtayne
For without the herte the tonge laboureth in vayne]
Here we repreue (reperue) ye and reuyle.
A sorte of folys lewde of condicions
Whose herte and tunge theyr soules doth defyle
By theyr blynde prayers and yll peticions
Suche folowe no techynge nor gode monysyons
For often many of them with tunge doth pray
Theyr mynde, abstract nat knowynge what they say
Man oft desyreth with great affeccion
That thynge of god, whiche thynge if god wolde graunt.
Sholde be at last vnto thyer destruccyon
Examples hereof thou canst nat lacke nor want
The great Medas somtyme kynge tryumphant.
Of Phrygye By his owne folysshe desyre
With paynfull hunger, his lyfe breth dyd expyre
This kynge Mydas of whom I haue you tolde
Of god desyred with prayer dylygent.
That all that he touchyd tourne myght vnto golde
His prayer was harde, he obteynyd his intent
But nat to his welth, but mortall punysshement
For whan he brede or drynke tast or touche sholde
Incontynent was it tourned in to golde
Thus was his prayer to his owne damage
For at the laste he dyed in wo and payne
For no golde coude his sore hunger asswage
Nor his desyre coude he nat call agayne.
Thus his peticion desyred was in vayne:
And where he wenyd great welth to get therby
He dyed in shame hunger and mysery.
Some dayly pray with marueylous besynes
Cryeng and syghynge to god omnypotent
For to haue plenty of welth ioy and ryches
And to be made ryche myghty and excellent.
O cursyd lyuers, o blynde men of intent
On suche desyres they set theyr mynde and thought
Whiche thousandes vnto shamefull ende hath brought
What profyted the myghty edefyces:
Of Lycynus, or lyuelode of excesse:
What profyteth the money gotten in vyces
Of riche Crassus, or cresus, great ryches
They all ar dede by theyr vnhappynes
And that lewdely, nat by deth naturall
Theyr blynde desyres chefe rote and cause of all
Another whiche is in youthes prosperyte
For strength and myght often to god doth pray
Some of theyr lyfe to haue prolyxyte
Desyreth god, and here to byde alway
In riches welth, ioy and solempne aray
But yet they in glotony take suche custome
That they slea them selfe longe or theyr day be come
Alas mad fole why prayest thou for age
Syns it so greuous is and ymportable
Unstable and full of dolour and damage
Odyous to youth and intollerable
Say folysshe man whiche art of mynde vnstable
Is it nat great foly to any creature
To pray for that thynge, whiche he can nat endure
Peleus, and Nestor and many other mo
As Itackes and laertes, sore haue complayned
For to longe age, euer full of payne and wo
Wherwith theyr bodyes sore haue ben constrayned
And with great sorowes and dyuers often payned:
And to conclude brefly in one sentence
Oft to age falleth moche inconuenyence
Yet ar mo folys whiche ought repreued be
And they ar suche whiche styll on god doth call
For great rowmes, offyces and great dignyte
No thynge intendynge to theyr greuous fall
For this is dayly sene, and euer shall
That he that coueytys hye to clym aloft
If he hap to fall, his fall can nat be soft
Some other pray for bewty and fayrnes
And that to a cursyd purpose and intent
Wherby they lese the heuenly blyssydnes:
Theyr soule subduynge to infernall turment
O ye mad folys of myndes ympotent
Pray your Pater noster with deuoute herte and mynde
For therin is all that is nedefull to mankynde
Our sauyour criste whyle he was on this grounde
Amonge vs synners in this vale of mysery
Taught his disciples this prayer whiche doth sounde
Nere to this sentence, nor greatly doth nat vary
(Our father wiche art in heuen) eternally
Thy name be halowyd (graunt that to thy kyngdome)
All we thy seruauntis worthely may come
In heuen and erth thy wyll be done alway
And of thy great grace and thy benygnyte
Our dayly brede graunt vnto vs this day
Forgyuynge our synnes and our iniquyte:
As we forgyue them that to vs detters be
And to auoyde temptacion thy grace vnto vs len
And vs delyuer from euery yll amen.
Whan thou hast clensyd thy mynde from syn before
And sayd this prayer to thy maker deuoutly
Thou nedyst nat of hym to desyre more
Yet mayst thou pray and desyre rightwysly
For helthe of soule within thy hole body
For stedfast fayth and yll name to eschewe.
And chastely to lyue (by his help) in vertue
Thus sholde thou pray thou wretche both day and nyght
With herte and mynde vnto thy creatoure:
And nought by foly to asshe agaynst right
To hurte or losse to thy frende or neyghboure
Nor to thy fo by yll wyll or rygoure
But if god to thy prayers alway sholde enclyne
Oft sholde come great sorowe to the and to all thyne
THE ENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Man clere thy mynde or thou begyn to pray
Els though thy prayer be iust it is but vayne
And kepe togyther thy hurte and tonge alway
Or els doutles thou lesest all thy payne
From lewde peticions thy mynde thou ought refrayne
If thou desyre yll to thy fo by malyce
At thy peticion god shall haue dysdayne
For though thou be wrothe god is nat in lyke wyse
* * * * *
Of vnprofytable stody.
[Illustration: He that vayne stody doth haunt or exercyse
And lesyth his tyme, of fruyte voyde and barayne
Resortynge to ryot whiche cunnynge doth dispyse
And that of doctryne (in maner) hath disdayne
Suche shall in age of his madnes complayne
And seynge that he lesyth his tyme thus in foly
Let hym come to our folysshe company.]
Nowe in this Nauy many them selfe present
Of this our roylame and from beyond the see
Whiche in theyr stody or lewde and neglygent
Lesynge theyr tyme at the vnyuersyte
Yet count they them selfe of great auctoryte
With theyr proude hodes on theyr neckes hangynge
They haue the lawde: but other haue the cunnynge
They thynke that they haue all scyence perfytely
Within theyr hertes bostynge them of the same
Though they therto theyr mynde dyd neuer aply
Without the thynge, they ioy them of the name
But suche mad folys to theyr great losse and shame
Whyle they sholde norysshe theyr myndes with science
They seke theyr pleasour, gyuen to neglygence
They wander in euery inconuenyence
From strete to strete, from tauerne to tauerne
But namely youth, foloweth all offence
No thynge intendynge the profyte to dyscerne
Nor fruyte of cunnynge wherby they myght gouerne
Them selfe by reason, but suche thynges they ensue
Wherby they neyther get good maners nor vertne
But he that intendeth to come to the science
And godly wysdome of our elders: certayne.
He must sore stody, for without dilygence
And besy laboure no man can it obtayne
None ought to cesse: though it firste be a payne.
In good perseueraunce getteth great ryches
Where no good cometh by sleuthfull ydelnes.
But moste I marueyll of other folys blynde
Whiche in dyuers scyencis ar fast laborynge
Both daye and nyght with all theyr herte and mynde
But of gramer knowe they lytyll or no thynge
Whiche is the grounde of all lyberall cunnynge
Yet many ar besy in Logyke and in lawe
Whan all theyr gramer is skarsly worth a strawe
If he haue onys red the olde dotrinall
With his diffuse and vnparfyte breuyte
He thynketh to haue sene the poyntis of grammer all.
And yet of one errour he maketh two or thre
Precyan or sulpice disdayneth he to se
Thus many whiche say that they theyr grammer can
Ar als great folys as whan they firste began
One with his speche rounde tournynge lyke a whyle
Of logyke the knottis doth lows and vndo
In hande with his sylogysimes, and yet doth he fele
No thynge what it menyth, nor what longeth therto
Nowe sortes currit: Nowe is in hande plato
Another comyth in with bocardo and pheryson
And out goeth agayne a fole in conclusyon
There is nought else but Est and non est
Blaberynge and chydynge, as it were beawlys wyse
They argue nought els but to proue man a beest
Homo est Asinus is cause of moche stryfe
Thus passe forth these folys the dayes of theyr lyfe
In two syllabis, not gyuynge aduertence
To other cunnynge doctryne, nor scyence.
I wyll nat say but that it is expedyent
The to knowe of Logyke the chrafte and connynge
For by argument it maketh euydent
Moche obscurenes, somtyme enlumynynge
The mynde: and sharpynge the wyt in many a thynge
But oft yet by it a thynge playne bryght and pure
Is made diffuse, vnknowen harde and obscure
It is ynoughe therof to knowe the grounde
And nat therin to wast all thy lyfe holly
Styll grutchynge lyke vnto the frogges sounde
Or lyke the chaterynge of the folysshe pye
If one afferme the other wyll deny
Sophestry nor Logyke with their art talcatyfe
Shewe nat the way vnto the boke of lyfe
With suche folyes tender youth is defylyd
And all theyr dayes on them they set delyte
But godly doctryne is from theyr myndes exylyd
Whiche sholde the body and soule also profyte
They take no layser, pleasur nor respyte
To other scyences, pleasaunt and profytable
But without ende in one thynge chat and bable
One rennyth to almayne another vnto fraunce
To parys padway Lumbardy or spayne
Another to Bonony, Rome or orleance
To cayne, to Tolows, Athenys or Colayne
And at the last retournyth home agayne
More ignorant, blynder and gretter folys
Than they were whan they firste went to the scolys
One bostynge the name of a lawer or deuyne
His proude hode hye vpon his stately necke:
Thus muste a gode clerke vnto a foule enclyne
Lowt with the body and with obedyence becke
And thoughe it tourne to theyr rebuke and checke
Yet nowe a dayes ouer many suche there be.
Whiche in stede of cunnynge vseth audacyte
The hode must answere for the follysshe student
Theyr tyme hath ben lost frutles and barayne.
Theyr frendes godes on suche folyes ar spent
To their damage thought hunger and payne:
Thus to conclude: me thynke it is but vayne
The frendes to labour the dayes of theyr lyue
To spare for suche scolers whiche shall neuer thryue
The great foly, the pryde, and the enormyte
Of our studentis, and theyr obstynate errour
Causeth me to wryte two sentences or thre
More than I fynde wrytyn in myne actoure
The tyme hath ben whan I was conductoure
Of moche foly, whiche nowe my mynde doth greue
Wherfor of this shyp syns I am gouernoure.
I dare be bolde myne owne vyce to repreue
Howe be it I knowe my wordes shall suche greue
As them selfe knoweth fawty and culpable
But if they be wroth: take they me by the sleue
For they shall bere the hode and I wyll the bable:
But firste ye studentis that ar of mynde vnstable
Ye wasters and getters by nyght in felde or towne
Within my Nauy wolde I set you to a cable
If I not fered lyst ye your selfe wolde drowne
Also I fere lyst my shyp sholde synke for syn
If that Cupido and Uenus seruytours
On the vnsure se my shyp entred within
Or all the folys promotyd to honours
I none receyue can of hye progenytours
My shyp is nat dressyd for them conuenyent
And to I fere lyst theyr cruell rygours:
Sholde rayse to my shyp some tempest or tourment
THENUOY OF BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Fy studentis clens your myndes of this cryme
Gyue ones your hertis to parfyte dylygence
Howe longe in Idelnes, wyll ye lese your tyme
In pryde and ryot, with all other offence
Alas what profyte get ye by neglygence
But spende your goodes in all iniquyte
And where your frendes thynke, ye labour for scyence:
Ye lese your tyme bryngynge them to pouertee
Leue of suche stody as is vnprofytable
Without fruyte outher godly discyplyne
And gyue your myndes to scyences lawdable
Where ye may your herte set and inclyne:
To Arystotyls or Platoys doctryne
And nat alway on logyke or Sophestry
I wyll nat say but it is a thynge dyuyne
And moche worth to knowe Phylosophy
* * * * *
Of them that folysshly speke agaynst
the workes of god.
[Illustration: Here note we fowlys whiche can nat be content
With goddes worke, and ordynaunce dyuyne
Thynkynge theyr owne wyll moche more expedyent
Nat wyllynge theyr myndes to his wyll to enclyne
But suche folys often sholde come to ruyne
And wo with sorowe and losse sholde they fynde
If god sholde conforme his workes to theyr mynde]
He is a fole and laboreth in vayne:
Whiche with small brondes of fyre flamynge bryght
Entendyth with laboure besynes and payne
Of the shynynge sonne for to encrease the lyght
Suche one assayeth a thynge passynge his myght
And is a fole to set thought or delyte
To mende that thynge whiche god hath made perfyte
But yet is he a moche gretter fole truely
Whiche wyll correct that thynge whiche god hath done
And doth nat his herte his wyll and mynde aply
To goddes workes and deuyne prouysyon
Of all other maddest is his condycion
And more frantyfe forsoth I may hym call
Than they that ar vext with furyes infernall:
(Thou fole) the myght of god omnipotent
In vertue and wysdome so largely doth extende
His maiesty, and power is so excellent
His glorious godhede his workes doth defende
So that no mortall man can them amende
Wenest thou mad fole that thou amende cannest ought
That he hath done: whiche made all thynge of nought
He that hath made the heuen and firmament
The londe, the se, and euery other thynge
Is so discrete, so wyse, and prouydent
Before his presence parfytely seynge
All thynge to come that neuer hath had beynge
His workes and dedys ar so perfyte and ryght
That none can increas nor yet decreas his myght
He doth all thynge dispose moderate and dispence
Knowynge our mynde, and what is to vs most mete
All thynge is open and playne in his presence
Our inwarde thought must he nedes knowe and wete
And euery fortune is playne before his fete
He hath all thynge by lawe and order drest
And doth no thynge but it is for the best
Therfore whether he gyue thunder snowe or rayne
Wynde or wether, tempest or tourment
Frost lyghtnynge, fayre wether, outher storme sodayne
Mystes or clowdes, yet man sholde be content
And nat with worde nouther inwarde intent
Agaynst god grutche, but euery day and houre
Magnyfye the dedys of god his creatoure
It were moche better thou fole that thou were dome
Than to cast lewde wordes agaynst thy lorde in vayne
Thou fole he worketh no thynge but by wysedome
And yet art thou nat content but dost complayne
Thou sekest vengeaunce (for thy synne) and payne
In hell for euer, thynkynge thy selfe so wyse
To teche thy god, and his warke to dispyse
It is nat lawfull for any, hye nor lowe
To be so bolde so blynde or so cruell
Grutchynge wordes agaynst his god to throwe
Thughe to theyr plaseour a thynge nat fortune well
Take example by the children of Israell
Whiche oft for this synne suffred great payne and wo
Slayne and distroyed, so haue ben many mo
Many a lewde body without wysdome or rede
Grutche in theyr myndes, and openly do blame
Almyghy god, whan theyr children ar dede
Where rather they ought to enioye of the same
For it myght fortune that great rebuke and shame
Myght to theyr frendes haue come by theyr synne and cryme
Soone after: if they had nat dyed at that tyme
Wherfore this one clause is my conclusyon
That god our maker is wyse and prouydent
Blame nat his workes by thyne abusyon
For all that he doth is for the best intent
But if that god sholde alwaye assent
To our desyres and euer perfourme our wyll
Our owne requestis sholde tourne vs to great yll
ALEXANDER BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
O ye mad myndes that no thynge vnderstonde
O man presumptuous and vnobedyent
Howe darest thou be so bolde to take on honde
To repreue the workes of god omnipotent
Wylt thou hym teche, as more wyse and prouydent
Than he is (whiche made all thynge of nought)
Leue of this thy foly, and holde thy selfe content
For thou art a fole to set theron thy thought
* * * * *
Of them that gyue jugement on other.
[Illustration: Who that reputyth hym selfe iust and fawtles
Of maners gode, and of lyuynge commendable.
And iugeth other (parchaunce that ar gyltles)
To be of a condicion reprouable
Hymselfe nat notynge, thoughe that he were culpable
He is a fole, and onys shall haue a fall
Syns he wyll other iuge, hym selfe yet worst of all.]
Many fallyth in great peryll and damage
And greuous deth by the vyce of folysshnes
Perseuerantly bydynge in theyr outrage
Theyr soule infect with synne and viciousnes
And though that deth hym alway to them addres
Yet hope they in longe lyfe and prosperyte
And neuer asswageth theyr blynde iniquyte
The tyme passeth as water in a ryuere
No mortall man can it reuoke agayne
Dethe with his dartis vnwarely doth apere
It is the ende of euery man certayne
The last of all ferys and ende of worldly payne
But thoughe we knowe that we all must haue an ende
We slepe in synne disdaynynge vs to amende
Some thynke them gode, iust and excellent
Myghty stronge and worthy of preemynence:
Charitable, chast, constant and innocent
Nat doutynge deth nor other inconuenyence
But yet ar they wrappyd sore in synne and offence
And in a vayne hope, contynue in suche wyse
That all the worlde (saue them selfe) they dispyse
They take on them the workes of god omnipotent
To iuge the secrete of mannys mynde and thought
And where no sygne is sene playne and euydent
They iuge a man saynge, his lyfe is nought
And if deth one hath vnto his last ende brought
(As mad) they mende nat theyr mysgouernaunce
Nat thynkynge that they ensue must the same daunce
Suche folys fayne causes and often tymes say:
That he that is dede vsed ryot and moche foly
Whiche causyd hym to dye before his day
And that he was feble, or full of malancoly
Ouer sad, or prowde, disceytfull and pope holy
Uiciously lyuynge in couetyse and gyle
Wherfore god suffred hym lyue the shorter whyle
Lo these blynde folys saciat with vyce
Jugeth hym that perchaunce dyd nat amys
Whyle he here lyuyd, and is in paradyce
Rewardyd for his workes in endles ioy and blys
Where as this lewde Juger, here in this worlde is
Styll lyuynge in synne, suffrynge great payne and wo
And though he thynke hym gode shall neuer come therto
He that in synne here lyeth fettered fast
And iugeth the deth of his frende or neyboure
Whiche from this lyfe is departed and past.
Let hym beware, for onys come shall the houre
That he must fele dethis dolorouse rygoure.
And after that endure infernall punysshement
For iugynge and mysdemynge of people innocent
The terme and day, of deth is moche vnsure
The deth is sure, the houre is vncertayne
Deth is generall to euery creature
Theder we must all, be it pleasour or payne
Wherfore wysdome wyll that we shulde refrayne
From folysshe demynge and nons deth discus
After deth god wot howe it shall be with vs
Alas full often a iust man gode and true
Of mynde innocent sad sober and sympyll
Passynge his tyme in goodnes and vertue
Is of these folys thought and demyd for yll
And he that is nought, frowarde of dede and wyll
Of these folys blynde frantyke and wode.
Without all reason is iugyd to be goode
Wherfore I proue that a blynde fole thou art
To iuge or deme a mannys thought or intent
For onely god knoweth our mynde and hart
Wherto we gree and to what thynge we assent
But who that is rightwyse iust, and innocent
And louyth god with honour and with reuerence
Than, may he boldely iuge anothers offence
ALEXANDER BARKLAY TO THE FOLYS.
Amende you folys: do way these folysshe wayes
Take ye no charge: nat mete for your degre.
And note these wordes: whiche criste our sauyour sayes
Juge nat another, and thou shalt nat iugyd be
It longeth onely to the hye dyuynyte
To iuge our mynde: for he is true iustyce
All thynge discernynge by right and equyte
No man sholde deme, whyle hym selfe is in vyce
* * * * *
Of pluralitees that is to say of them whiche
charge them selfe with many benefycis.
[Illustration: That myller is a fole and here shall haue a barge
And as a mad man shall fast therin be bounde
Whiche his Asse wyll with so many sackes charge
That the pore beste for payne fallys to the grounde
Many in the chirche lyke hym may be founde.
Whiche so many benefycis labour to procure
That their small myght can nat the charge endure.]
Amonge our folys delytynge them in vyces
Is yet another sorte of the speritualte
Whiche them ouerchargeth with dyuers benefyces
And namely suche that lowest ar in degre
Of byrth and cunnynge, of this condycion be
Defylynge goddes rentis and the chirches goode
Them selfe ouer ladynge, as men frantyke and wode
The weght is so great they can it nat endure
Theyr myght is small, theyr cunnynge is moche lesse
Thus this great charge wherof they haue the cure
To infernall Fenn doth this pore Asse oppresse
And to an Asse moste lyke he is doutles
Whiche takynge on his backe sackes nyne or tenne.
Destroyeth hymselfe them leuynge in the fenne
But though one prebende were to hym suffycient
Or one benefyce his lyuynge myght suffyse
Yet this blynde fole is nat therwith content
But labowreth for mo, and alway doth deuyse
Fals meanes to come therto by couetyse
He gapeth with his wyde throte insaciable
And neuer can content his wyll abhomynable
So for the loue of the peny and ryches.
He taketh this charge to lyue in welth and eas.
Howe be it that sole that hath suche besynes
And dyueres charges fyndeth great disseas
Neyther shall he god, nor yet the worlde pleas
And shall with his burthyns his mynde so vex and comber
That halfe his cures, can he nat count nor nomber
These carefull caytyfs, that ar of this same sort
With cures ar ouerchargyd so that of theyr mynde.
Rest haue they none, solace, pleasour nor conforte
Howe be it they thynke therby great welth to fynde
They gape yet euer, theyr maners lyke the wynde
Theyr lyfe without all terme or sertaynte
If they haue two lyuynges, yet loke they to haue thre
The folys whose hertis vnto this vyce ar bounde
Upon theyr sholders bereth aboute a sacke.
Insaciable without botome, outher grounde:
They thynke them nat lade though all be on theyr backe.
The more that they haue (the more they thynke they lacke)
What deuyll can stop theyr throte so large and wyde
Yet many all waste aboute Ryot and pryde
But yet is this moche more abhomynable
That asses vntaught without wysdome or scyence
Haue theyr proude myndes moste vnsaciable
Nat commynge to worshyp by vertue nor prudence
Yet counte they them worthy of this excellence
Courters become prestis nought knowynge but the dyce
They preste not for god, but for a benefyce
The clerke of the kechyn is a prest become
In full trust to come to promosyon hye
No thynge by vertue cunnynge nor wysdome
But by couetyse, practyse and flatery
The Stepyll and the chirche by this meane stand awry
For some become rather prestis for couetyse.
Than for the loue of god or his seruyce.
Alas oft goddes goodes and cristis herytage
Of suche folys is wastyd and spent in vayne
In great folyes mundaynes and outrage
Where it decreed, and ordeyned is certayne.
That prestis sholde helpe pore people that lyue in payne
And with suche goodes kepe hospytalyte
Whiche pryde ryot and Uenus suffreth nat to be
Thus is the grettest parte of the spiritualte
Pore preste, persone, vicayr, relygyon and prelate
With couetyse acloyde outher prodigalyte
And folys promotyd causyth good clerkis haue hate
Say lordes and bysshops with other of estate
What mouyth you so gladly, suche to promote
Whiche haue no cunnynge their wyt skant worth a grote
Wyll ye alway the folysshe asse ouercharge
With suche burthyns wherwith it can nat fare
And suffer other to walke and ren at large
And where they best myght bere theyr backes ar left bare
And that is worst of all, suche folys can nat be ware
But whan they ar promotyd after theyr owne entent.
Yet theyr insaciable mynde can neuer be content.
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