The Ship of Fools, Volume 1

by Sebastian Brant

Of contempt, or dispisynge of holy scripture.

He that gyueth his erys or credence
To euery folys talys or talkynge
Thynkynge more wysdome and fruytfull sentence
In theyr vayne talys than is in the redynge
Of bokes whiche shewe vs the way of godly lyuynge
And soulys helth: forsoth suche one is blynde
And in this shyp the anker shall vp wynde.

Suche as dispyseth auncyent scripture

Whiche prouyd is of great auctoryte

And hath no pleasoure felycyte or cure

Of godly Prophetis whiche wrote of veryte

A fole he is for his moste felycyte

Is to byleue the tales of an olde wyfe

Rather than the doctryne of eternall lyfe

The holy Bybyll grounde of trouth and of lawe

Is nowe of many abiect and nought set by

Nor godly scripture is nat worth an hawe

But talys ar louyd grounde of rybawdry

And many blynddyd ar so with theyr foly

That no scripture thynke they so true nor gode

As is a folysshe yest of Robyn hode.

He that to scripture wyll not gyue credence

Wherin ar the armys of our tuycion

And of our fayth foundacion and defence

Suche one ensueth nat the condycion

Of man resonable, but by abusyon

Lyuyth as a best of conscyence cruell

As saue this worlde were neyther heuen nor hell.

He thynketh that there is no god aboue

Nor nobler place than is this wretchyd grounde

Nor goddes power suche neyther fere nor loue

With whom all grace and mercy doth abounde

Whiche whan hym lyst vs wretches may confounde

Alas what auayleth to gyue instruction

To suche lewde folys of this condycion.

It nought auayleth vnto them to complayne

Of theyr blyndnes, nor enfourme them with vertue

Theyr cursed lyfe wyll by no mean refrayne

Their viciousnes, nor their erroure eschewe

But rather stody theyr foly to renewe

Alas what profytis to suche to expresse.

The heuenly ioy, rewarde of holynesse.

Alas what auayleth to suche to declare

The paynes of hell, wo dissolate and derke

No wo nor care can cause suche to beware

From their lewde lyfe corrupt and synfull warke

What profyteth sermons of any noble clarke

Or godly lawes taught at any Scolys

For to reherse to these myscheuous folys.

What helpeth the Prophetis scripture or doctryne

Unto these folys obstynate and blynde

Their hertis ar harde, nat wyllynge to enclyne

To theyr preceptis nor rote them in theyr mynde

Nor them byleue as Cristen men vnkynde

For if that they consydred heuen or hell

They wolde nat be so cursed and cruell

And certaynly the trouth apereth playne

That these folys thynke in theyr intent

That within hell is neyther car nor payne

Hete nor colde, woo, nor other punysshement

Nor that for synners is ordeyned no turment

Thus these mad folys wandreth euery houre

Without amendement styll in theyr blynde erroure

Before thy fete thou mayst beholde and se

Of our holy fayth the bokys euydent

The olde lawes and newe layde ar before the

Expressynge christes tryumphe right excellent

But for all this set is nat thyne intent

Theyr holy doctryne to plant within thy brest

Wherof shold procede ioy and eternall rest

Trowest thou that thy selfe wyllyd ignoraunce

Of godly lawes and mystycall doctryne

May clense or excuse thy blynde mysgouernaunce

Or lewde erroure, whiche scorne hast to inclyne

To theyr preceptis: and from thy synne declyne

Nay nay thy cursed ignoraunce sothly shall

Drowne thy soule in the depe flodes infernall

Therfore let none his cursydnes defende

Nor holy doctryne, nor godly bokes dispyse

But rather stody his fawtes to amende

For god is aboue all our dedes to deuyse

Whiche shall rewarde them in a ferefull wyse

With mortall wo that euer shall endure

Whiche haue dyspysyd his doctryne and scripture

Barclay To the Folys.

Out of your slomber folys I rede you ryse.

Scripture dyuyne, to folowe and inbrace

Be nat so bolde it to leue nor dispyse

But you enforce it to get and purchase

Remember mannys consort and solace.

Is holy closyd within the boke of lyfe

Who that it foloweth hath a speciall grace

But he that doth nat a wretche is and caytyfe

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