her quoth thou
whoorson”?
Dodsley - Select Collection of Old Plays - v1
Forsoth, ye be
Pedler. There sayde ye muche, but yet no lye. Pardoner. Now lye ye bothe, by our lady.
Thou lyest in bost of hys honestie, And he hath lyed in affyrminge the.
Poticary. Yf we both lye, and ye say true,
Then of these lies your parte adew: And if ye wyn, make none avaunt, For you are sure of one servaunte.
an honest man.
You may perceyve the wordes He taketh your mashyp but for But who tolde truthe" lyed
gave,
knave. dede,
That wyll knowe *we procede. Syr, after that fyrste began
To prayse you for honest man,
When affyrmed for lye”,
Now, your fayth, speke even truely; Thought your affyrmacyion true?
Palmer. Ye mary, for woldeye knewe,
thynke my selfe honest man.
Poticary. What thought the contrary than?
Pardoner. that thynke from trouth
Policary. And what
now] and, 1st edit.
your mushyp) i. e. your mastership.
truthe] true, 1st edit.
for tolye) for lie, edit. 1569.
your] our, 1st edit.
thought Poticary. And thought
Pardoner.
god that dyed.
be] you are, edit. 1569.
or] ere, edit. 1569.
sayde the contrary, dyd nat vary.
my wordes? lyed.
“1°1"**
I
II
no
yeof
I In *I
16"
I, *ye by
ye in
in
a he
so
an
it an
I no or1% yll
II S.
or
by
byye ye
TIIE FouR P's. 85
Nowe have you twayne eche for hym selfe layde,
That none hath lyed, but bothe true sayd And twayne none hath denyed,
But bothe affyrmed that have lyed. Now syns bothe ye" the trouth confes, "How that Ilyed, doo bear witnes. That twain may soon agree,
And that the lyer the wynner must be, Who coulde provyde suche evydens,
have done this pretens?
Me thymketh this mater sufficient cause you gyve judgement;
And gyve me the mastrye,
For perceyve these knaves can nat lye.
Palmer. Though neyther" yet had lyed,
untryed;
For yet we have vysed nothynge,
But answered you, and geven you hyring.
Pedler. Therfore have devysed one waye, Wherby thre your mindes may saye.
For eche you one tale shall tell,
And whiche you telleth most mervell,
Yet what we can
And most unlikest
true,
Shall most prevayle, what ever ensew. Poticary. set mervaylynge,
mervaylouse thynge. And though dede nat true,
Yet suer the most parte shall new. dyd cure longer ago,
But
Then shall here
Anno domini millesimo, woman yonge and fayre,
On
That never have sene
God save all women that lyknes. This wanton had the fallen syknes,
gayre.
none] one, edit. 1569. yel your, 1st edit. How, &c. ] First edition reads,
And that we both my lye
That twayne thre newther] nother, 1st edit.
from, 1st edit.
witnes, one agree.
unlikest] unlyke, 1st, edit.
110* ** of
I To As aI
of us
us in
of
70 a so
a be '99 all to
I deis
so *
*
be
of us as
ina
as yeto
of all
of I ye do
of us
'so
no
in yeIf of
to
in
be on be
I
:
86 THE Fou R P's
Whiche by dissent came lynyally, For her mother had it naturally: Wherfore this woman to recure,
It was more harde ye may be sure.
But though I boste my crafte is suche, That in suche thynges I can do muche:
How ofte she fell were muche to reporte,
But her hed so gydy and her helys so shorte, That with the twynglynge of an eye,
Downe wolde she falle evyn by and by.
But or she wolde aryse agayne,
shewed muche practyse muche my payne.
For the tallest man within thys towne
Could "* nat with ease have broken her swowne.
Although for lyfe dyd nat doute her,
Yet dyd take more paines” about her, Then wolde take with my owne syster.
Syr,
the last gave her thrust thampyon
glyster: her tewell,
heevy
And bad her kepe for
But knew there 174° was
That sure was wolde nat tary:
cary,
vice. —A tewel (tuyau tuyal, Fr. ) pipe; and the sake continuing the metaphor) for bore
his Mechanick Exercises, defines the tewel smith's forge into which the nose the bellows
here used (for caliber. Moxon,
be that pipe introduced; and
jewell;
or] ere, edit. 1569.
17* Could] Shulde, 1st edit. paines] payme, 1st edit.
trust thampyon her tewell The allusion gunnery. Thampion (tampon, Fr. bung, cork, plug wood) now writ
ten tompion, and signifies the stopper with which the mouths
cannon are closed up, prevent the admission rain, sea water, whereby their charges might rendered incapable ser
Ms. fragment, said written Sir Francis Drake, con cerning the stores one the ships under his command,
“master shippe passinge while the court lay theare, and
“meaning (as the manner is) with sayle and shot honour “place, unadvisedly gave fire piece charged with stone
“stede tampion, which lightinge the Quene's house “ranne throughe chamber, and did further harme. ”
applied gun.
word tewel
Lambarde's Dictionarium Topographicum Historicum, 129.
said, “It happened the reigne Quene Marye, that
a
of itI to or a it
to by
a in
a
it
is In a
I I
in
a to ofbe
to in
it
in in
'7*
I II atII
of of is of aaa
'7'
a S. of is or to
no
on of
a be
'7°
&
to
is or
of
to
by
to
to
a to
p. of or
in inthe the the a
of
is of is
is
'7" 17
a
I
THE Four P's. 87
For where gonpouder is ones fyerd,
The Thampyon wyll no lenger be hyerd :
Whiche was well sene in tyme of thys chaurice, For when I had charged this ordynaunce, Sodeynly, as it had thonder'd,
Even at a clap losed her bumberd 17°.
Now marke, for here begynneth the revell: This thampion flew x longe myle levell,
To a fayre castell of lyme and stone, For strength I know nat suche a one, Whiche stode upon a hyll full hye,
At fote wherof a ryver ranne bye,
So depetyll chaunce had it forbyden,
*Well might the regent there have ryden.
But when this thatmpyon at this 77 castle did lyght,
It put the castel so farre to flyght,
That downe they came eche upon other,
No stone lefte standynge by goddes mother,
But rolled downe so faste the hyll In suche a nomber, and so dyd fyll
From botom to bryme, from shore to shore, Thys foresayd ryver, so depe before,
Our antiquary writes like one unacquainted with his subject, no man, I believe, ever talked of charging a gun with a tampion ; neither would the said tampion (consisting of a piece of hard oak)
have done much less mischief than a stone, if pointed f-rom the Thames at the Queen's Palace at Greenwich. S.
17* there] Addition in the 2d edit.
bumberd] piece ordnance.
Wellmyght the regent there have ruden] The Regent was one
the largest ships war the time King Henry the Eighth.
the fourth year his reign, Sir Thomas Knevet, master the horse, and Sir John Carew, Devonshire, were appointed captains
her, and company with several others she was sent fight the French fleet near 13rest haven. An action accordingly ensued, and the Regent grappled with French Carrick, which would
have been taken had not her falling into the hands room. This communicating
gunner board the vessel, prevent
the English, set fire the powder
the flames both ships, they shared
the same fate together, being both burnt. On the part the
French 900 men were lost; and that the English more than
700. See Hall's Chronicle, tempore Henry VIII. fol. 21, '77 this] thys castell lyght, 1st edit.
on
in
A
on of
a to
S.
of
to
to
of
In of
of on
of
of
to
a
of of in
of
of
*17*
88
THE Fou R r's.
That who lyste nowe to walke thereto, May wade it over and wet no shoo. So was thys castell layd wyde open,
That every man myght se the token.
But in a good houre maye these wordes be. spoken
After the thampyon the walles was wroken, And pece pece peces broken.
And she delyvered, with suche violens,
Ofall her inconveniens,
left her good helth and luste;
And she doth contynew, truste.
Pedler. Syr, your cure can nothynge tell;
But your" purpose have sayd well.
Pardoner. Well, syr, then marke what can say
pardoner many day, And done greater cures gostely,
have ben
dyd bodely.
Namely thys one, whiche shall here,
Of one departed within thys seven yere, frende myne, and lykewyse
To her agayne was frendly who fell syke sodeynly,
That dede she was even and by, And never spake with preste nor clerke,
Then ever
whyt thys holy warke; For was thens, coulde nat be,
Nor had
say she asked for me.
bethought me howe thys chaunced,
have heven avaunced So many soules me but straungers,
And coude nat kepe my frende from daungers,
Yet harde
But when And that
daungerously, For her soule helth especyally;
these] this, edit. 1569.
your] our, 1st. edit. line,
The edit. 1569 has this
“And done more cures ghostely. ”
But she
C.
I
* *9'78
A I
to III no so of he a of dy
in
by
:
so
it of
in
to to
so
* as
by
:
ye
a
ye II
-
* ,.
II
I
17°
to
so
in
on
Wherto they sayd, she came nat here
Then ferd I muche it was nat well; Alas, thought I, she is in hell;
THE Fou R P's. 89
That was the thynge that greved me soo, That nothynge could release my woo, Tyll I had tryed even out of hande,
In what estate her soule dyd stande. For whiche tryall, shorte tale to make,
I toke thys journey for her sake.
Geve ear, for here begynneth the story:
From hens I went to purgatory,
And toke with me thys gere in my fyste,
Wherby I may do there what I lyste. I knocked and was let in quyckly:
But Lorde, how lowe the soules made curtesy; And I to every soule agayne
* Dyd gyve a beck them to retayne,
And axed them thys question than,
If that the soule of suche a woman Dyd late amonge them there appere 2
For with her lyfe I was so acqueynted, That sure I thought she was mat saynted.
With thys it chaunced me to snese;
Christe helpe, quoth a soule that ley for his fees. Those wordes, quoth I, thou shalt mat lees;
Then with these pardons of degrees, payed his tole and set hym quyght,
That strayt heaven toke his flyght,
hell that nyght, myght;
And from thens help this wonan
Nat who sayth
But the waye
And fyrst the devyll that kept the gate
came, and spake after this rate.
All hayle, syr devyll, and made lowe curtesy: Welcome, quoth he, thus smillyngly.
Dyd gyve cations has that
beck them retayne] beck among other signifi salutation with the head. So, Shaks
S.
authorite,
entreate.
peare’s Timon
“A serving becks, and jutting out bums. ”
Athens thus] thys, 1st edit.
”
*
I
To
I
of to to a
of of: a
ofby to
A of
in
to *
yf I
he
so all
byas
I
90 THE FOUR P's.
He knew me well, and I at laste
Remembred him syns longe time paste: For as good happe wolde have it chaunce,
T*his devyll and I were of olde acqueyntaunce;
oft, play corpus Cristi, For in the of
He hath playd the devyll at Coventry. By acqueyntaunce and my behavoure, He shewed me ryght frendly favoure,
And sayd
make my returne the shorter,
this devyll, good mayster porter,
olde love, lye your power, Helpe me speke with my lorde and your. Be sure, quoth he, tongue can tell,
For
What tyme thou coudest have come well:
thys daye lucyfer fell, Whiche our festywall hell,
Nothynge unreasonable craved thys day, That shall hell have any may.
But yet ware thou come natin,
Tyll tyme thou may “thy pasporte wyn.
Under seale, and the devyls hande ample wyse, shall here;
began: Lucyfere,
For oft, the play corpus Cristi,
For
Wherfore stand styll, and will wyt", Yf can get thy save condyt.
He taryed nat, but shortely gat
Thus
He . . . '. . . '#o Coventry. ] “sion the monasteries, this city
“Before the
suppres CoventRY) was very “famous for the pageants that were play'd therein upon Corpus “Christi day (this one their ancient faires), which occasioning
“very great confluence people thither from far and pear, was “small benefit thereto; which pageants being acted with mighty
“state and reverence the friers this house, had theaters “the several scenes very large and high, placed upon wheels, and
“drawn all the eminent parts the city, for the better advan
“tage spectators, and contained the story “ment, composed old English rithme, “ancient Ms. entitled, Ludus Corporis Christi,
the New Testa appeareth
Ludus Coventrie, Bibl. Cotton. (sub Effigie Vesp. 9). ” Dugdale's War
wickshire,
on] Add the edit. may] maist, edit, 1569.
116.
wytj Mr. Dodsley has writc.
*** ** as
of of it p. to #
as
all to his to
“ in
*In I
I
in
in
as ye
no yf it
by of
2d ofof
18"
D.
(i. e.
it
oras of
at it,
so
by an
for
no
of
of
I
in
in
in is
be in
is on to
to
to
THE Fou R P's. Q1
By the power of god chyese devyll of hell, To all the devyls that there do dwell,
And every of them we sende gretynge, Under streyght charge and commaundynge,
That they aydynge and assystent be To suche a Pardoner, and named me, So that he may at lybertie
Passe save without any to jeopardy, Tyll that he be from us extyncte,
And clerely out of helle's precincte. And hys pardons to kepe in savegarde;
We wyll they lye in the porter's warde. Gevyn in the formes of our palys,
In our highe courte of maters of malys, Suche a day and yere of our reyne.
God save the devyll, quoth I, amain”. I truste thys wrytynge to be sure:
Then put thy truste, quod he, in euer”
Syns thou art sure to take no harme.
Thys devyll and I walket arme in arme, So farre, tyll he had brought me thyther,
Where the devylls hell togyther Stode ray, suche apparell
for that day there metely fell.
Theyr hornes well gylt, theyr clowes full clene,
Theyr taylles wel kempt, and, wene,
With sothery butter theyr bodyes anoynted;
never sawe devylls well appoynted The mayster devyll sat his jacket,
And the soules were playinge racket.
None other rackettes they hadde Save every soule good fyre brand; Wherwith they played pretely, That Lucyfer laughed merely;
hande,
any] hys, 1st edit. amain] for playne, 1st edit.
euer] cure, edit. 1569. Porrex,
See note Ferrex and this vol.
sothery. ]
well appointed] See Note The Ordinary, vol.
Sweet fresh made from the old word sote.
18 to
187
'90 **
188**
I all
As
or
C. X.
in at
*.
12 to
in
as I
so
in
a
1” so
in
of
in all a
92 THE FouR P's.
And the resedew the feends", *Did laugh thereat ful wel like freends. But my frende sawe whyt,
Nor durst not axe for her
Anone this rout was brought silens, And usher brought presens *Of Lucyfer: then lowe, wel
knelyd, whiche well alowde,
That thus beckte, and saynt Antony
He smyled me well favouredly,
Bendynge his browes brode Shakynge hys eares ruged
Rolynge his eyes rounde
barne durres, burres;
two bushels;
Flastynge the fyre out Gnashinge hys teeth
his nose thryls; vaynglorously,
yet.
could,
That me thought tyme fall Wherwith tolde, shall tell.
plesant pycture! prince
flatery,
hell! fashyon abominable,
Feutred”
And syns that inestimable For me prayse the worthyly,
prayse, unworthy
To geve the prays, besechynge the
leve
To heare my sewte, and then
graunt the thynge shorte, thys wolde
feends] frendes, 1st edit.
Did, &c. ] First edition reads,
crave;
good And
The soule
Delivered "hens, and me remitted.
And thys doynge though nat quyt, Yet
one which hyther
have: flytted,
some parte shall deserve
Dyd laugh full well togyther lyke frendes. Qf Lucifer, &c. ] First edition reads,
Then
'94 Feutred
feutre—garnir grown with grass.
feutre. —To stuff with felt. Feutré d'herbe, over -
Lucyfer low coude.
fashyon abominable] Feutrer, Fr. —faire
Delivered] Deliver, edit. 1569. shall] wil, edit. 1569.
19°
So
inin to of
I of
*
asas in
* ** S.
IOI
to de in
of
beto
in
I
an
de
as I
as
OIso asas so of
I
” to
is as
as
he
I
it,
al II be is
of to
as by asin asno
to
by all
all
to of
to
be I
onhe
THE Fou R P's. 93
As thus: I am a pardoner,
And over soules as controller,
Thorough out the erth my power doth stande, Where many a soule lyeth on my hande,
That spede in maters as I use them,
As I receyve them or refuse them. Wherby, what tyme thy pleasure
I”shall requyte any part thys,
. devyll thyther, The leste here that can come
Shall chose soule and brynge him hyther. Ho", ho, quoth the devyll, we are well pleased;
What hys name thou woldest have eased
Nay, quoth My comynge What
Now by our honour, sayd Lucyfer,
No devyll hell shall withholde her; And thou woldest have twenty mo, Wert not for justyce, they shulde goo.
good evyll, for she devyll.
her quoth thou whoorson”? Forsooth quoth Margery Coorson.
devylls within thys den
do with two women,
the charge we have besyde
For we Have more
Then with
Wherfore
Aply thy pardons women so, That unto us there come no mo.
thou our frende wyll tryed,
To my beste promysed
Which have kepte, for thys day”, heven
othe;
the fayth goth
procure Ten women one man, be sure. Then Lucyfer my leve toke,
And streyght unto the mayster coke was hadde, into the kechyn,
For Margerie's offyce was therin.
Ye] 1st edit.
And properly, the meaning being that the Pardoner
requite part this favour whenever
* Hol. Nowe, 1st edit.
the,
we] edit. 1569.
ready shall the devil's pleasure.
whoorson] horyson, 1st edit.
day] dayes,
1st edit.
*1 . " w
it be
* of .
I At '97
is to
I, ofIdo allyf is
to
yfallto“” in I,
a
to I
I isbe
I Ias
do by
he or
of
is,
it to a
be
:
\
?
94 THE Fou R P's.
All thyngs handled there discretely, For every soule bereth offyce metely:
Woiche myght be sene to se her syt So bysely turnynge of the spyt.
For many a spyt here hath she turned,
And many a good spyt hath she burned :
And many a spyt ful hoth hath rosted, Before t*he meat coulde be halfe rosted
dede,
And how the soules therin dyd synge; And how we were brought the gate, And how we toke our leve therat,
Be suer lacke tyme sufferyth nat
To reherse the xx parte that, Wherfore thys tale conclude brevely. Thys woman thanked me chyefly.
That she was ryd thys endles deth,
And we departed newmarket heth.
And that any man mynde her,
Who lyste seke her, there shalle fynde her,
Pedler. Syr, have sought her wunderous” well,
And or
I toke her then fro the spy with spede.
the meate were halfe rosted in
But when she sawe thys brought to pas, To tell the joy wherin she was;
And of the devylls, for joy how they
Did rore her delyvery,
And how the cheynes hell dydrynge,
And where founde her
To here the chaunce had “in hell,
finde were great peril". perilous”;
Palmer. But parte
His tale muche muche more mervaylous:
sayde the devylls complayne,
As where
That women put them
suche payne.
croked and crabbed, wayward and wrabbed”,
wayward and wrabbed] suppose wrabbed - word coined for the sake of rhime.
Be theyr condicions Frowardly fashonde,
20: or] ere.
-
*wunderous] wonders, 1st edit. had] founde,
edit. 295 perill parell, 1st edit. perilous] parellous, 1st edit.
tell,
S. I
is
so to all ye doon
of to
in
”
I
*
as ye
of
*0% to
he
be a
1st
so
heis
ye to ye
all
yfso ye
at all of
in
to
THE Fou R P's.
So farre in devision, and sturrynge suchestryfe,
95
That the devylls wery *theyr
effect he tolde for
Whereby muche marvell me ensueth,
That women hell suche shrewes can be,
cristendom, but have ben thorough,
And this wolde shulde understande, have sene women hundred thousande:
And oft with them have longe tyme taried
Yet places where have ben, "Of the women that have sene,
This *
life. trueth.
never sawe nor knewe
gentyll
And here
Yet have sene many myse,
And many woman the whyle.
Nat one good cytye, towne nor borough
Policary. By the masse, there
Pardoner. never harde greater,
great lye.
our Lady
farre se.
my conscyens, Any one woman out paciens,
Pedler. greater! nay, knowe any great?
Palmer. Syr, whether that lose get,
For my parte jndgement shall prayd. Pardoner. And desyer hath sayd.
Poticary. Procede, and shall
Pedler. Then shall nat judgment these thre eche mannes tale
obeyed. delayd,
Poole's churche yarde were set
sale, some mannes hande that hath the sleyghte,
shulde sure sell these tales weyght: they wey, they worth,
For
But whiche weyth beste,
that now forth. the tale that dyd tell,
mynde, and yours
sawe the mater metely,
Syr,
bere And
lyed
This] Thus, edit. 1569.
taried] maryed, 1st edit. will rhime to the line
well: bothe well and discretely
“And with them have long tyme taried”
and probable that line has here dropped out ending with maryed, which the word the oldest the two editions.
for edit. 1569. observed that there
it is
asinall as yeye
all in
all
is
oft
AI
a so
in
in
be Itto in to
of be
C.
no
*So *10
I
HeIn In Of all
I
In
- soyfIyeI av
is
209
of,
as
yeas I a by hebe is onbebe oryea
as of I
ye be of I I in a as
by so
"o
all I I in
96 THE Four P's.
Yet were your lyes with the lest, truste me; For yf ye had said ye had made
Ten tampyons out ten women's tayles, Ten tymes ten myle ten castles jayles, And fild ten ryvers ten tymes depe,
ten that whiche your castell stones dyd kepe ten tymes had bodely
purgatory; And ten tymes many out hell:
Yet, these ten bonnes coulde right well, Ten tymes sooner that have beleved,
Then the tenth parte that hath meved
Poticary. Two knaves before lacketh knaves fvve:
Or
Fet ten soules out
Then and then one, and bothe knaves alyve. Then two, and then two, and threat cast,
Thou knave, and thou knave, and thou knave Nay knave, try me nomber,
wyll knavishly you accomber”.
Your mynde your pryvy tythe,
For ten me thynketh your wyt lythe.
Now ten tymes beseche hym that hye syttes,
laste.
Thy wives Then ten
commaundementes may serch thy wittes. my tordes ten thy teth,
-
Now ten tymes beseech hym that hye syttes,
Thy wives ten commaundementes may serch thy five wyttes. ] Eleanor, The Second Part King Henry VI. A. 1. says,
“I’d set my ten commandments your face. ” - Ten Commandments seem have been cant terms for the nails
thy nose, whiche every man seth wolde
And ten
And twentie tymes ten, this wyshe That thou haddest been hanged
For thou goest about wyll thou knowe
Fet soules, &c. , Spenser, and Shakspeare.
ten yere olde: slave;
make me
am gentleman knave.
fetch'd. The word used Tusser,
See also Note 73 Gammer Gurton's Needle, vol. II. accomber] overcome. See Note God's Promises, 21.
the hands.
See also Mr. Steevens's Note the above passage. *gentleman] gentle, edit. 1569.
on
in
of a by
he of so
of
of
So*I *I *As 21% all yf
in ten
on of x
S. 3,
I to
is
I all ye
so
* on
of
i, fle a or
a atI
p. by v at
is *
;
ii
all in
as
o:
by yeof
yf
yf on all of
S. i. I of to to e. toin ofI
:
THE Four P's. 97
And here is an other shall take my parte.
Pardoner. Nay fyrste Ibeshrew your knave's herte, Or I take parte in your knavery:
I wyll speak fair, by our” lady.
Syr, I beseeche your mashyp to be
the hotest, and thre
the wysest, and thre the chastest, and thre
the lowest, and thre the farthest, and thre the fayrest, and thre
the foulest, and thre
the coldest, the shrewdest,
the lewdest” the hyest,
*
As good as ye can
Pedler. I wolde be glade to do you good;
And hym also, be he never so wood”. But dout you not I wyll now do
The thynge my consciens ledeth me Both your tales take farre unpossyble, Yet take his farther incredyble.
Not only the thynge itselfe alloweth
But also the boldenes therof avoweth it.
knowe nat where your tale trye; Nor yours, but hell purgatorye.
But hys boldnes hath faced lye,
That may tryed evyn thys companye.
lyste take thys order, Amonge the women thys border,
Take thre the yongest, and thre the oldest,
Thre
Thre Thre
Thre
Thre
Thre
eche thre, two justly nomber
Shall founde shrewes, excepte thys fall,
That hap fynde them shrewes all. Hymselfe for trouth this doth knowe, And oft hath tryed some thys rowe; And yet swereth his consciens,
He never saw woman breke patiens.
** our] one, 1st edit.
** can] you may, edit. 1569,
wood] mad, furious. See Note 98, *” Addition the second edition.
WOLs re
Thre
And when all these threes be had asonder
be unto me.
the nyest, the maddest, the saddest,
h
in
of
be
* ye
Of
As yf ye
I
yebe he
ofof of of ofof of
I
I
by all of
in in
to
to
by
or in
ofofofofofof of
a
to
of
it,
to.
98 THE FouR P's.
Wherfore consydered with true entente, Hys lye to be so evident,
And to appere so evydently,
That both you affyrmed it a ly;
And that my consciens so depely,
So depe hath sought thys thynge to try, And tryed it with mynde indyfferent; Thus I awarde by way of judgement:
Of the lies have spent, His lye most excellent.
Palmer. Syr, though were bounde
2.
equyte
never knewe
Nor never wyll truste pedlynge knave more. What doest thou there, thou horson nody?
Poticary. By the masse, lerne make curtesy, Curtesy before, and curtesy behynde hym,
And then eche syde, the devyll blynde hym. Nay, when ye” have perfytly,
Ye shall have the devyll and curtesy: But natsone lerned, gentle” brother,
me,
Yet thanke you your payne,
To have done
And wyll requyte some parte agayne. Pardoner. Mary, syr, can les do,
cometh to: Now vengeaunce thy knave's hearte,
But thanke hym asmuche
And wyll for my parte.
One knave make curtesy Yet when am angry, that
shall call my master knave
another. the worste,
the fyrste.
pedler judge before,
Palmer. Then wolde some may ster perhappes clowt €,
Then have suche besynesse aboute ye.
lever] rather, edit. 1569.
But as
me nede not doute ye; For had lever without ye,
yel
1st edit.
*gentle] Addition the second edition.
**I; I,
II
Ito in be
on
I do
to ye be
*ye
at is to
a
ye all
it is
a
so
dodo I as
all
all of
as it
it on of
to ye
to
a
ye no
of
Poticary.
To compell them to kepe theyr bonde; And syns ye lyste nat to wayte on me, I clerely of waytinge do dyscharge ye.
THE Four P's.
99
So helpe me god, so were ye better; What shulde a begger be a jetter”?
It were no whyt your honestie, To have us twain jet after ye.
Pardoner. Syr, be you sure he telleth you true, Yf we shulde wayt thys wolde ensew :
It wolde be sayd, truste me at a worde, Two knaves made” curtesy to the thyrde.
Pedler. Now, by my trouth, to speke my mynde,
Syns they be so loth to be assyned”. To let them lose I thynke it beste.
And so shall ye lyve the better” in rest. Palmer. Syr, I am nat on them so fonde,
Pardoner. Poticary.
*Marry, syr,
I hertely thanke you.
And I, likewise
to God I vow. Pedler. Now be ye all evyn as ye begoon;
No man hath loste, nor no man hath woon. Yet in the debate wherewith ye began,
By waye of advyce I wyll speke as I can.
Idoo perceyve that pylgrymage
Is chyefe” the thynge ye have in usage;
Wherto in effect, for the love of Chryst, Ye have, or shulde have been entyst: And who so doth with suche intent,
Do*th well declare hys tyme well spent.
a jetter]
So, i. e. one who struts or agitates his body in a pompous
manner. in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night,
* “How he jets under his advanced plumes. ” S. See also Note 23 to Edward II. vol. II.
* made] make,
nity
edit. 1569.
assyned] 1
to each other. So, in Othello,
believe we should read affin'd, i. e. joined by affi
“If partially affin'd or leagued in office. ” S.
*It probably means assigned to the Palmer to wait on him, which
was part of the agreement before the contention began.
better] beste,
1st edit.
*And likewise I, I
&c. ] First edition reads,
God a vowe.
And Ilykewyse, *chyefel cheefest, edit. 1569.
make 4
100
THE Four P's.
And so do ye in yo*ur pretence,
If ye procure thus indulgence Unto your neyghbours charytably,
For love of them in god onely.
All “ ryght well applyed thys may be
To shew you both well occupyed:
For though ye walke nat bothe one waye, Yet walkynge thus, thys dare I saye, end; That bothe your walkes come to one”
And so for that pretende
By ayde goddes grace ensewe Any maner kynde vertue; gyve: As some, great almyse for lyve:
Some, wyllfull povertie
lyke” warkes, Some, make hye wayes and suche clarkes, -
And some, mayntaine prestes and
To synge and praye for soule departed:
These, with all other vertues well marked, Although they sondry kyndes,
Yet they nat used with sondry myndes. But god only doth those move,
So every man onely for his love,
With love and dred obedeintly Worketh these vertues unyformly.
Thus every vertue we lyste scan, pleasaunt god and thankfull man.
And who that grace the Holy Goste
To any one vertue moved moste, That man that grace that one apply,
And therin serve god moste plentyfully”, Yet nat that one farre wyde wreste, So lykynge the same myslyke the reste. For who wresteth his worke vayne;
And even that case Lykynge your vertue That eche other's vertue
227 thus] this, edit. 1569.
229 one] on, edit. 1569.
plentyfully] plenteously, edit. 1569.
perceyve you twayne,
suche wyse,
doo dyspyse. w
*shew) shewell, 1stedit. like] other, 1st edit.
281
Is
as be
**
is to in
to
in so
so
by
in
to in to
of all
is
yf
of to
do
to by
be of
in I to
ye toto
of
all
to
-
Poticary. * For fere lest suche parels” to me myght fall,
THE Fou R P's. 101
Who walketh thys way for god wolde fynde hym,
The farther they seke hym, the farther behynde hym: One kynde of vertue to dyspyse another,
Is lyke as the syster myght hange the brother.
I thanke god I use no vertue at all.
Pedler. That is of the very worste waye;
For more harde have harde saye, begynne vertue where none pretended,
Then where
begonne th' abuse
mended.
pardons and relyques leudly.
Poticary. that thinke my faute nat great;
How
One syne
thys,
be” nat all
begynne,
vertue suppose
are entred did saye true
sayd
that
the whiche wordes dare well reporte,
use vertue.
thys sorte, By your raylynge here openly
You are well beloved
For all that he hath
knowe counterfete.
other that knowe fayned,
nor constrayned any suche case,
Pedler. For his, and You not* counceled any suche thynge
To give any reverence
any suche place. But where dout, the truthe nat knowynge,
elevynge the beste, good may
growynge, the leste;
judgynge the beste,
judging the worste,
But beste these thynges
judgement upon ye;
But the churche doth judge take them,
make” receyve
the beste. semeth me,
And
But may
Forfere
meant pareilles, Fr.
only corruption
parels myght fall. ) Perhaps parels
forsake them. you sure cannat erre,
frutfull folower.
suche
things similar, parels. perils.
Pedler. There sayde ye muche, but yet no lye. Pardoner. Now lye ye bothe, by our lady.
Thou lyest in bost of hys honestie, And he hath lyed in affyrminge the.
Poticary. Yf we both lye, and ye say true,
Then of these lies your parte adew: And if ye wyn, make none avaunt, For you are sure of one servaunte.
an honest man.
You may perceyve the wordes He taketh your mashyp but for But who tolde truthe" lyed
gave,
knave. dede,
That wyll knowe *we procede. Syr, after that fyrste began
To prayse you for honest man,
When affyrmed for lye”,
Now, your fayth, speke even truely; Thought your affyrmacyion true?
Palmer. Ye mary, for woldeye knewe,
thynke my selfe honest man.
Poticary. What thought the contrary than?
Pardoner. that thynke from trouth
Policary. And what
now] and, 1st edit.
your mushyp) i. e. your mastership.
truthe] true, 1st edit.
for tolye) for lie, edit. 1569.
your] our, 1st edit.
thought Poticary. And thought
Pardoner.
god that dyed.
be] you are, edit. 1569.
or] ere, edit. 1569.
sayde the contrary, dyd nat vary.
my wordes? lyed.
“1°1"**
I
II
no
yeof
I In *I
16"
I, *ye by
ye in
in
a he
so
an
it an
I no or1% yll
II S.
or
by
byye ye
TIIE FouR P's. 85
Nowe have you twayne eche for hym selfe layde,
That none hath lyed, but bothe true sayd And twayne none hath denyed,
But bothe affyrmed that have lyed. Now syns bothe ye" the trouth confes, "How that Ilyed, doo bear witnes. That twain may soon agree,
And that the lyer the wynner must be, Who coulde provyde suche evydens,
have done this pretens?
Me thymketh this mater sufficient cause you gyve judgement;
And gyve me the mastrye,
For perceyve these knaves can nat lye.
Palmer. Though neyther" yet had lyed,
untryed;
For yet we have vysed nothynge,
But answered you, and geven you hyring.
Pedler. Therfore have devysed one waye, Wherby thre your mindes may saye.
For eche you one tale shall tell,
And whiche you telleth most mervell,
Yet what we can
And most unlikest
true,
Shall most prevayle, what ever ensew. Poticary. set mervaylynge,
mervaylouse thynge. And though dede nat true,
Yet suer the most parte shall new. dyd cure longer ago,
But
Then shall here
Anno domini millesimo, woman yonge and fayre,
On
That never have sene
God save all women that lyknes. This wanton had the fallen syknes,
gayre.
none] one, edit. 1569. yel your, 1st edit. How, &c. ] First edition reads,
And that we both my lye
That twayne thre newther] nother, 1st edit.
from, 1st edit.
witnes, one agree.
unlikest] unlyke, 1st, edit.
110* ** of
I To As aI
of us
us in
of
70 a so
a be '99 all to
I deis
so *
*
be
of us as
ina
as yeto
of all
of I ye do
of us
'so
no
in yeIf of
to
in
be on be
I
:
86 THE Fou R P's
Whiche by dissent came lynyally, For her mother had it naturally: Wherfore this woman to recure,
It was more harde ye may be sure.
But though I boste my crafte is suche, That in suche thynges I can do muche:
How ofte she fell were muche to reporte,
But her hed so gydy and her helys so shorte, That with the twynglynge of an eye,
Downe wolde she falle evyn by and by.
But or she wolde aryse agayne,
shewed muche practyse muche my payne.
For the tallest man within thys towne
Could "* nat with ease have broken her swowne.
Although for lyfe dyd nat doute her,
Yet dyd take more paines” about her, Then wolde take with my owne syster.
Syr,
the last gave her thrust thampyon
glyster: her tewell,
heevy
And bad her kepe for
But knew there 174° was
That sure was wolde nat tary:
cary,
vice. —A tewel (tuyau tuyal, Fr. ) pipe; and the sake continuing the metaphor) for bore
his Mechanick Exercises, defines the tewel smith's forge into which the nose the bellows
here used (for caliber. Moxon,
be that pipe introduced; and
jewell;
or] ere, edit. 1569.
17* Could] Shulde, 1st edit. paines] payme, 1st edit.
trust thampyon her tewell The allusion gunnery. Thampion (tampon, Fr. bung, cork, plug wood) now writ
ten tompion, and signifies the stopper with which the mouths
cannon are closed up, prevent the admission rain, sea water, whereby their charges might rendered incapable ser
Ms. fragment, said written Sir Francis Drake, con cerning the stores one the ships under his command,
“master shippe passinge while the court lay theare, and
“meaning (as the manner is) with sayle and shot honour “place, unadvisedly gave fire piece charged with stone
“stede tampion, which lightinge the Quene's house “ranne throughe chamber, and did further harme. ”
applied gun.
word tewel
Lambarde's Dictionarium Topographicum Historicum, 129.
said, “It happened the reigne Quene Marye, that
a
of itI to or a it
to by
a in
a
it
is In a
I I
in
a to ofbe
to in
it
in in
'7*
I II atII
of of is of aaa
'7'
a S. of is or to
no
on of
a be
'7°
&
to
is or
of
to
by
to
to
a to
p. of or
in inthe the the a
of
is of is
is
'7" 17
a
I
THE Four P's. 87
For where gonpouder is ones fyerd,
The Thampyon wyll no lenger be hyerd :
Whiche was well sene in tyme of thys chaurice, For when I had charged this ordynaunce, Sodeynly, as it had thonder'd,
Even at a clap losed her bumberd 17°.
Now marke, for here begynneth the revell: This thampion flew x longe myle levell,
To a fayre castell of lyme and stone, For strength I know nat suche a one, Whiche stode upon a hyll full hye,
At fote wherof a ryver ranne bye,
So depetyll chaunce had it forbyden,
*Well might the regent there have ryden.
But when this thatmpyon at this 77 castle did lyght,
It put the castel so farre to flyght,
That downe they came eche upon other,
No stone lefte standynge by goddes mother,
But rolled downe so faste the hyll In suche a nomber, and so dyd fyll
From botom to bryme, from shore to shore, Thys foresayd ryver, so depe before,
Our antiquary writes like one unacquainted with his subject, no man, I believe, ever talked of charging a gun with a tampion ; neither would the said tampion (consisting of a piece of hard oak)
have done much less mischief than a stone, if pointed f-rom the Thames at the Queen's Palace at Greenwich. S.
17* there] Addition in the 2d edit.
bumberd] piece ordnance.
Wellmyght the regent there have ruden] The Regent was one
the largest ships war the time King Henry the Eighth.
the fourth year his reign, Sir Thomas Knevet, master the horse, and Sir John Carew, Devonshire, were appointed captains
her, and company with several others she was sent fight the French fleet near 13rest haven. An action accordingly ensued, and the Regent grappled with French Carrick, which would
have been taken had not her falling into the hands room. This communicating
gunner board the vessel, prevent
the English, set fire the powder
the flames both ships, they shared
the same fate together, being both burnt. On the part the
French 900 men were lost; and that the English more than
700. See Hall's Chronicle, tempore Henry VIII. fol. 21, '77 this] thys castell lyght, 1st edit.
on
in
A
on of
a to
S.
of
to
to
of
In of
of on
of
of
to
a
of of in
of
of
*17*
88
THE Fou R r's.
That who lyste nowe to walke thereto, May wade it over and wet no shoo. So was thys castell layd wyde open,
That every man myght se the token.
But in a good houre maye these wordes be. spoken
After the thampyon the walles was wroken, And pece pece peces broken.
And she delyvered, with suche violens,
Ofall her inconveniens,
left her good helth and luste;
And she doth contynew, truste.
Pedler. Syr, your cure can nothynge tell;
But your" purpose have sayd well.
Pardoner. Well, syr, then marke what can say
pardoner many day, And done greater cures gostely,
have ben
dyd bodely.
Namely thys one, whiche shall here,
Of one departed within thys seven yere, frende myne, and lykewyse
To her agayne was frendly who fell syke sodeynly,
That dede she was even and by, And never spake with preste nor clerke,
Then ever
whyt thys holy warke; For was thens, coulde nat be,
Nor had
say she asked for me.
bethought me howe thys chaunced,
have heven avaunced So many soules me but straungers,
And coude nat kepe my frende from daungers,
Yet harde
But when And that
daungerously, For her soule helth especyally;
these] this, edit. 1569.
your] our, 1st. edit. line,
The edit. 1569 has this
“And done more cures ghostely. ”
But she
C.
I
* *9'78
A I
to III no so of he a of dy
in
by
:
so
it of
in
to to
so
* as
by
:
ye
a
ye II
-
* ,.
II
I
17°
to
so
in
on
Wherto they sayd, she came nat here
Then ferd I muche it was nat well; Alas, thought I, she is in hell;
THE Fou R P's. 89
That was the thynge that greved me soo, That nothynge could release my woo, Tyll I had tryed even out of hande,
In what estate her soule dyd stande. For whiche tryall, shorte tale to make,
I toke thys journey for her sake.
Geve ear, for here begynneth the story:
From hens I went to purgatory,
And toke with me thys gere in my fyste,
Wherby I may do there what I lyste. I knocked and was let in quyckly:
But Lorde, how lowe the soules made curtesy; And I to every soule agayne
* Dyd gyve a beck them to retayne,
And axed them thys question than,
If that the soule of suche a woman Dyd late amonge them there appere 2
For with her lyfe I was so acqueynted, That sure I thought she was mat saynted.
With thys it chaunced me to snese;
Christe helpe, quoth a soule that ley for his fees. Those wordes, quoth I, thou shalt mat lees;
Then with these pardons of degrees, payed his tole and set hym quyght,
That strayt heaven toke his flyght,
hell that nyght, myght;
And from thens help this wonan
Nat who sayth
But the waye
And fyrst the devyll that kept the gate
came, and spake after this rate.
All hayle, syr devyll, and made lowe curtesy: Welcome, quoth he, thus smillyngly.
Dyd gyve cations has that
beck them retayne] beck among other signifi salutation with the head. So, Shaks
S.
authorite,
entreate.
peare’s Timon
“A serving becks, and jutting out bums. ”
Athens thus] thys, 1st edit.
”
*
I
To
I
of to to a
of of: a
ofby to
A of
in
to *
yf I
he
so all
byas
I
90 THE FOUR P's.
He knew me well, and I at laste
Remembred him syns longe time paste: For as good happe wolde have it chaunce,
T*his devyll and I were of olde acqueyntaunce;
oft, play corpus Cristi, For in the of
He hath playd the devyll at Coventry. By acqueyntaunce and my behavoure, He shewed me ryght frendly favoure,
And sayd
make my returne the shorter,
this devyll, good mayster porter,
olde love, lye your power, Helpe me speke with my lorde and your. Be sure, quoth he, tongue can tell,
For
What tyme thou coudest have come well:
thys daye lucyfer fell, Whiche our festywall hell,
Nothynge unreasonable craved thys day, That shall hell have any may.
But yet ware thou come natin,
Tyll tyme thou may “thy pasporte wyn.
Under seale, and the devyls hande ample wyse, shall here;
began: Lucyfere,
For oft, the play corpus Cristi,
For
Wherfore stand styll, and will wyt", Yf can get thy save condyt.
He taryed nat, but shortely gat
Thus
He . . . '. . . '#o Coventry. ] “sion the monasteries, this city
“Before the
suppres CoventRY) was very “famous for the pageants that were play'd therein upon Corpus “Christi day (this one their ancient faires), which occasioning
“very great confluence people thither from far and pear, was “small benefit thereto; which pageants being acted with mighty
“state and reverence the friers this house, had theaters “the several scenes very large and high, placed upon wheels, and
“drawn all the eminent parts the city, for the better advan
“tage spectators, and contained the story “ment, composed old English rithme, “ancient Ms. entitled, Ludus Corporis Christi,
the New Testa appeareth
Ludus Coventrie, Bibl. Cotton. (sub Effigie Vesp. 9). ” Dugdale's War
wickshire,
on] Add the edit. may] maist, edit, 1569.
116.
wytj Mr. Dodsley has writc.
*** ** as
of of it p. to #
as
all to his to
“ in
*In I
I
in
in
as ye
no yf it
by of
2d ofof
18"
D.
(i. e.
it
oras of
at it,
so
by an
for
no
of
of
I
in
in
in is
be in
is on to
to
to
THE Fou R P's. Q1
By the power of god chyese devyll of hell, To all the devyls that there do dwell,
And every of them we sende gretynge, Under streyght charge and commaundynge,
That they aydynge and assystent be To suche a Pardoner, and named me, So that he may at lybertie
Passe save without any to jeopardy, Tyll that he be from us extyncte,
And clerely out of helle's precincte. And hys pardons to kepe in savegarde;
We wyll they lye in the porter's warde. Gevyn in the formes of our palys,
In our highe courte of maters of malys, Suche a day and yere of our reyne.
God save the devyll, quoth I, amain”. I truste thys wrytynge to be sure:
Then put thy truste, quod he, in euer”
Syns thou art sure to take no harme.
Thys devyll and I walket arme in arme, So farre, tyll he had brought me thyther,
Where the devylls hell togyther Stode ray, suche apparell
for that day there metely fell.
Theyr hornes well gylt, theyr clowes full clene,
Theyr taylles wel kempt, and, wene,
With sothery butter theyr bodyes anoynted;
never sawe devylls well appoynted The mayster devyll sat his jacket,
And the soules were playinge racket.
None other rackettes they hadde Save every soule good fyre brand; Wherwith they played pretely, That Lucyfer laughed merely;
hande,
any] hys, 1st edit. amain] for playne, 1st edit.
euer] cure, edit. 1569. Porrex,
See note Ferrex and this vol.
sothery. ]
well appointed] See Note The Ordinary, vol.
Sweet fresh made from the old word sote.
18 to
187
'90 **
188**
I all
As
or
C. X.
in at
*.
12 to
in
as I
so
in
a
1” so
in
of
in all a
92 THE FouR P's.
And the resedew the feends", *Did laugh thereat ful wel like freends. But my frende sawe whyt,
Nor durst not axe for her
Anone this rout was brought silens, And usher brought presens *Of Lucyfer: then lowe, wel
knelyd, whiche well alowde,
That thus beckte, and saynt Antony
He smyled me well favouredly,
Bendynge his browes brode Shakynge hys eares ruged
Rolynge his eyes rounde
barne durres, burres;
two bushels;
Flastynge the fyre out Gnashinge hys teeth
his nose thryls; vaynglorously,
yet.
could,
That me thought tyme fall Wherwith tolde, shall tell.
plesant pycture! prince
flatery,
hell! fashyon abominable,
Feutred”
And syns that inestimable For me prayse the worthyly,
prayse, unworthy
To geve the prays, besechynge the
leve
To heare my sewte, and then
graunt the thynge shorte, thys wolde
feends] frendes, 1st edit.
Did, &c. ] First edition reads,
crave;
good And
The soule
Delivered "hens, and me remitted.
And thys doynge though nat quyt, Yet
one which hyther
have: flytted,
some parte shall deserve
Dyd laugh full well togyther lyke frendes. Qf Lucifer, &c. ] First edition reads,
Then
'94 Feutred
feutre—garnir grown with grass.
feutre. —To stuff with felt. Feutré d'herbe, over -
Lucyfer low coude.
fashyon abominable] Feutrer, Fr. —faire
Delivered] Deliver, edit. 1569. shall] wil, edit. 1569.
19°
So
inin to of
I of
*
asas in
* ** S.
IOI
to de in
of
beto
in
I
an
de
as I
as
OIso asas so of
I
” to
is as
as
he
I
it,
al II be is
of to
as by asin asno
to
by all
all
to of
to
be I
onhe
THE Fou R P's. 93
As thus: I am a pardoner,
And over soules as controller,
Thorough out the erth my power doth stande, Where many a soule lyeth on my hande,
That spede in maters as I use them,
As I receyve them or refuse them. Wherby, what tyme thy pleasure
I”shall requyte any part thys,
. devyll thyther, The leste here that can come
Shall chose soule and brynge him hyther. Ho", ho, quoth the devyll, we are well pleased;
What hys name thou woldest have eased
Nay, quoth My comynge What
Now by our honour, sayd Lucyfer,
No devyll hell shall withholde her; And thou woldest have twenty mo, Wert not for justyce, they shulde goo.
good evyll, for she devyll.
her quoth thou whoorson”? Forsooth quoth Margery Coorson.
devylls within thys den
do with two women,
the charge we have besyde
For we Have more
Then with
Wherfore
Aply thy pardons women so, That unto us there come no mo.
thou our frende wyll tryed,
To my beste promysed
Which have kepte, for thys day”, heven
othe;
the fayth goth
procure Ten women one man, be sure. Then Lucyfer my leve toke,
And streyght unto the mayster coke was hadde, into the kechyn,
For Margerie's offyce was therin.
Ye] 1st edit.
And properly, the meaning being that the Pardoner
requite part this favour whenever
* Hol. Nowe, 1st edit.
the,
we] edit. 1569.
ready shall the devil's pleasure.
whoorson] horyson, 1st edit.
day] dayes,
1st edit.
*1 . " w
it be
* of .
I At '97
is to
I, ofIdo allyf is
to
yfallto“” in I,
a
to I
I isbe
I Ias
do by
he or
of
is,
it to a
be
:
\
?
94 THE Fou R P's.
All thyngs handled there discretely, For every soule bereth offyce metely:
Woiche myght be sene to se her syt So bysely turnynge of the spyt.
For many a spyt here hath she turned,
And many a good spyt hath she burned :
And many a spyt ful hoth hath rosted, Before t*he meat coulde be halfe rosted
dede,
And how the soules therin dyd synge; And how we were brought the gate, And how we toke our leve therat,
Be suer lacke tyme sufferyth nat
To reherse the xx parte that, Wherfore thys tale conclude brevely. Thys woman thanked me chyefly.
That she was ryd thys endles deth,
And we departed newmarket heth.
And that any man mynde her,
Who lyste seke her, there shalle fynde her,
Pedler. Syr, have sought her wunderous” well,
And or
I toke her then fro the spy with spede.
the meate were halfe rosted in
But when she sawe thys brought to pas, To tell the joy wherin she was;
And of the devylls, for joy how they
Did rore her delyvery,
And how the cheynes hell dydrynge,
And where founde her
To here the chaunce had “in hell,
finde were great peril". perilous”;
Palmer. But parte
His tale muche muche more mervaylous:
sayde the devylls complayne,
As where
That women put them
suche payne.
croked and crabbed, wayward and wrabbed”,
wayward and wrabbed] suppose wrabbed - word coined for the sake of rhime.
Be theyr condicions Frowardly fashonde,
20: or] ere.
-
*wunderous] wonders, 1st edit. had] founde,
edit. 295 perill parell, 1st edit. perilous] parellous, 1st edit.
tell,
S. I
is
so to all ye doon
of to
in
”
I
*
as ye
of
*0% to
he
be a
1st
so
heis
ye to ye
all
yfso ye
at all of
in
to
THE Fou R P's.
So farre in devision, and sturrynge suchestryfe,
95
That the devylls wery *theyr
effect he tolde for
Whereby muche marvell me ensueth,
That women hell suche shrewes can be,
cristendom, but have ben thorough,
And this wolde shulde understande, have sene women hundred thousande:
And oft with them have longe tyme taried
Yet places where have ben, "Of the women that have sene,
This *
life. trueth.
never sawe nor knewe
gentyll
And here
Yet have sene many myse,
And many woman the whyle.
Nat one good cytye, towne nor borough
Policary. By the masse, there
Pardoner. never harde greater,
great lye.
our Lady
farre se.
my conscyens, Any one woman out paciens,
Pedler. greater! nay, knowe any great?
Palmer. Syr, whether that lose get,
For my parte jndgement shall prayd. Pardoner. And desyer hath sayd.
Poticary. Procede, and shall
Pedler. Then shall nat judgment these thre eche mannes tale
obeyed. delayd,
Poole's churche yarde were set
sale, some mannes hande that hath the sleyghte,
shulde sure sell these tales weyght: they wey, they worth,
For
But whiche weyth beste,
that now forth. the tale that dyd tell,
mynde, and yours
sawe the mater metely,
Syr,
bere And
lyed
This] Thus, edit. 1569.
taried] maryed, 1st edit. will rhime to the line
well: bothe well and discretely
“And with them have long tyme taried”
and probable that line has here dropped out ending with maryed, which the word the oldest the two editions.
for edit. 1569. observed that there
it is
asinall as yeye
all in
all
is
oft
AI
a so
in
in
be Itto in to
of be
C.
no
*So *10
I
HeIn In Of all
I
In
- soyfIyeI av
is
209
of,
as
yeas I a by hebe is onbebe oryea
as of I
ye be of I I in a as
by so
"o
all I I in
96 THE Four P's.
Yet were your lyes with the lest, truste me; For yf ye had said ye had made
Ten tampyons out ten women's tayles, Ten tymes ten myle ten castles jayles, And fild ten ryvers ten tymes depe,
ten that whiche your castell stones dyd kepe ten tymes had bodely
purgatory; And ten tymes many out hell:
Yet, these ten bonnes coulde right well, Ten tymes sooner that have beleved,
Then the tenth parte that hath meved
Poticary. Two knaves before lacketh knaves fvve:
Or
Fet ten soules out
Then and then one, and bothe knaves alyve. Then two, and then two, and threat cast,
Thou knave, and thou knave, and thou knave Nay knave, try me nomber,
wyll knavishly you accomber”.
Your mynde your pryvy tythe,
For ten me thynketh your wyt lythe.
Now ten tymes beseche hym that hye syttes,
laste.
Thy wives Then ten
commaundementes may serch thy wittes. my tordes ten thy teth,
-
Now ten tymes beseech hym that hye syttes,
Thy wives ten commaundementes may serch thy five wyttes. ] Eleanor, The Second Part King Henry VI. A. 1. says,
“I’d set my ten commandments your face. ” - Ten Commandments seem have been cant terms for the nails
thy nose, whiche every man seth wolde
And ten
And twentie tymes ten, this wyshe That thou haddest been hanged
For thou goest about wyll thou knowe
Fet soules, &c. , Spenser, and Shakspeare.
ten yere olde: slave;
make me
am gentleman knave.
fetch'd. The word used Tusser,
See also Note 73 Gammer Gurton's Needle, vol. II. accomber] overcome. See Note God's Promises, 21.
the hands.
See also Mr. Steevens's Note the above passage. *gentleman] gentle, edit. 1569.
on
in
of a by
he of so
of
of
So*I *I *As 21% all yf
in ten
on of x
S. 3,
I to
is
I all ye
so
* on
of
i, fle a or
a atI
p. by v at
is *
;
ii
all in
as
o:
by yeof
yf
yf on all of
S. i. I of to to e. toin ofI
:
THE Four P's. 97
And here is an other shall take my parte.
Pardoner. Nay fyrste Ibeshrew your knave's herte, Or I take parte in your knavery:
I wyll speak fair, by our” lady.
Syr, I beseeche your mashyp to be
the hotest, and thre
the wysest, and thre the chastest, and thre
the lowest, and thre the farthest, and thre the fayrest, and thre
the foulest, and thre
the coldest, the shrewdest,
the lewdest” the hyest,
*
As good as ye can
Pedler. I wolde be glade to do you good;
And hym also, be he never so wood”. But dout you not I wyll now do
The thynge my consciens ledeth me Both your tales take farre unpossyble, Yet take his farther incredyble.
Not only the thynge itselfe alloweth
But also the boldenes therof avoweth it.
knowe nat where your tale trye; Nor yours, but hell purgatorye.
But hys boldnes hath faced lye,
That may tryed evyn thys companye.
lyste take thys order, Amonge the women thys border,
Take thre the yongest, and thre the oldest,
Thre
Thre Thre
Thre
Thre
Thre
eche thre, two justly nomber
Shall founde shrewes, excepte thys fall,
That hap fynde them shrewes all. Hymselfe for trouth this doth knowe, And oft hath tryed some thys rowe; And yet swereth his consciens,
He never saw woman breke patiens.
** our] one, 1st edit.
** can] you may, edit. 1569,
wood] mad, furious. See Note 98, *” Addition the second edition.
WOLs re
Thre
And when all these threes be had asonder
be unto me.
the nyest, the maddest, the saddest,
h
in
of
be
* ye
Of
As yf ye
I
yebe he
ofof of of ofof of
I
I
by all of
in in
to
to
by
or in
ofofofofofof of
a
to
of
it,
to.
98 THE FouR P's.
Wherfore consydered with true entente, Hys lye to be so evident,
And to appere so evydently,
That both you affyrmed it a ly;
And that my consciens so depely,
So depe hath sought thys thynge to try, And tryed it with mynde indyfferent; Thus I awarde by way of judgement:
Of the lies have spent, His lye most excellent.
Palmer. Syr, though were bounde
2.
equyte
never knewe
Nor never wyll truste pedlynge knave more. What doest thou there, thou horson nody?
Poticary. By the masse, lerne make curtesy, Curtesy before, and curtesy behynde hym,
And then eche syde, the devyll blynde hym. Nay, when ye” have perfytly,
Ye shall have the devyll and curtesy: But natsone lerned, gentle” brother,
me,
Yet thanke you your payne,
To have done
And wyll requyte some parte agayne. Pardoner. Mary, syr, can les do,
cometh to: Now vengeaunce thy knave's hearte,
But thanke hym asmuche
And wyll for my parte.
One knave make curtesy Yet when am angry, that
shall call my master knave
another. the worste,
the fyrste.
pedler judge before,
Palmer. Then wolde some may ster perhappes clowt €,
Then have suche besynesse aboute ye.
lever] rather, edit. 1569.
But as
me nede not doute ye; For had lever without ye,
yel
1st edit.
*gentle] Addition the second edition.
**I; I,
II
Ito in be
on
I do
to ye be
*ye
at is to
a
ye all
it is
a
so
dodo I as
all
all of
as it
it on of
to ye
to
a
ye no
of
Poticary.
To compell them to kepe theyr bonde; And syns ye lyste nat to wayte on me, I clerely of waytinge do dyscharge ye.
THE Four P's.
99
So helpe me god, so were ye better; What shulde a begger be a jetter”?
It were no whyt your honestie, To have us twain jet after ye.
Pardoner. Syr, be you sure he telleth you true, Yf we shulde wayt thys wolde ensew :
It wolde be sayd, truste me at a worde, Two knaves made” curtesy to the thyrde.
Pedler. Now, by my trouth, to speke my mynde,
Syns they be so loth to be assyned”. To let them lose I thynke it beste.
And so shall ye lyve the better” in rest. Palmer. Syr, I am nat on them so fonde,
Pardoner. Poticary.
*Marry, syr,
I hertely thanke you.
And I, likewise
to God I vow. Pedler. Now be ye all evyn as ye begoon;
No man hath loste, nor no man hath woon. Yet in the debate wherewith ye began,
By waye of advyce I wyll speke as I can.
Idoo perceyve that pylgrymage
Is chyefe” the thynge ye have in usage;
Wherto in effect, for the love of Chryst, Ye have, or shulde have been entyst: And who so doth with suche intent,
Do*th well declare hys tyme well spent.
a jetter]
So, i. e. one who struts or agitates his body in a pompous
manner. in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night,
* “How he jets under his advanced plumes. ” S. See also Note 23 to Edward II. vol. II.
* made] make,
nity
edit. 1569.
assyned] 1
to each other. So, in Othello,
believe we should read affin'd, i. e. joined by affi
“If partially affin'd or leagued in office. ” S.
*It probably means assigned to the Palmer to wait on him, which
was part of the agreement before the contention began.
better] beste,
1st edit.
*And likewise I, I
&c. ] First edition reads,
God a vowe.
And Ilykewyse, *chyefel cheefest, edit. 1569.
make 4
100
THE Four P's.
And so do ye in yo*ur pretence,
If ye procure thus indulgence Unto your neyghbours charytably,
For love of them in god onely.
All “ ryght well applyed thys may be
To shew you both well occupyed:
For though ye walke nat bothe one waye, Yet walkynge thus, thys dare I saye, end; That bothe your walkes come to one”
And so for that pretende
By ayde goddes grace ensewe Any maner kynde vertue; gyve: As some, great almyse for lyve:
Some, wyllfull povertie
lyke” warkes, Some, make hye wayes and suche clarkes, -
And some, mayntaine prestes and
To synge and praye for soule departed:
These, with all other vertues well marked, Although they sondry kyndes,
Yet they nat used with sondry myndes. But god only doth those move,
So every man onely for his love,
With love and dred obedeintly Worketh these vertues unyformly.
Thus every vertue we lyste scan, pleasaunt god and thankfull man.
And who that grace the Holy Goste
To any one vertue moved moste, That man that grace that one apply,
And therin serve god moste plentyfully”, Yet nat that one farre wyde wreste, So lykynge the same myslyke the reste. For who wresteth his worke vayne;
And even that case Lykynge your vertue That eche other's vertue
227 thus] this, edit. 1569.
229 one] on, edit. 1569.
plentyfully] plenteously, edit. 1569.
perceyve you twayne,
suche wyse,
doo dyspyse. w
*shew) shewell, 1stedit. like] other, 1st edit.
281
Is
as be
**
is to in
to
in so
so
by
in
to in to
of all
is
yf
of to
do
to by
be of
in I to
ye toto
of
all
to
-
Poticary. * For fere lest suche parels” to me myght fall,
THE Fou R P's. 101
Who walketh thys way for god wolde fynde hym,
The farther they seke hym, the farther behynde hym: One kynde of vertue to dyspyse another,
Is lyke as the syster myght hange the brother.
I thanke god I use no vertue at all.
Pedler. That is of the very worste waye;
For more harde have harde saye, begynne vertue where none pretended,
Then where
begonne th' abuse
mended.
pardons and relyques leudly.
Poticary. that thinke my faute nat great;
How
One syne
thys,
be” nat all
begynne,
vertue suppose
are entred did saye true
sayd
that
the whiche wordes dare well reporte,
use vertue.
thys sorte, By your raylynge here openly
You are well beloved
For all that he hath
knowe counterfete.
other that knowe fayned,
nor constrayned any suche case,
Pedler. For his, and You not* counceled any suche thynge
To give any reverence
any suche place. But where dout, the truthe nat knowynge,
elevynge the beste, good may
growynge, the leste;
judgynge the beste,
judging the worste,
But beste these thynges
judgement upon ye;
But the churche doth judge take them,
make” receyve
the beste. semeth me,
And
But may
Forfere
meant pareilles, Fr.
only corruption
parels myght fall. ) Perhaps parels
forsake them. you sure cannat erre,
frutfull folower.
suche
things similar, parels. perils.
