Transcriber's Note:
A paragraph break was added for the insertion of the side note. All original spelling has been retained. Obvious punctuation errors have been corrected.
The cover for the eBook version of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
Of the yong man and the
euill disposed woman.
Lucrecia. Sophronius.
Iesu mercy my olde louing Frynde Sophronius, are you at length come againe vnto vs? nowe mee thinkes you haue beene awaye euen a worlde space, Truelye at the first blushe I scarce knewe you.
Sophronius. And why so myne olde acquanintaunce Lucres?
Lucres. Why so? bicause at your departing you had no berd at al, now you become a handsome beardling. But what is the matter my sweete harte: for me thinks you are waxed more sterne and graue countenaunced then to fore you had wont.
Sophronius. I would gladly talke with you friendlye in some place aparte from all companye.
Lucres. Why are we not here alone (my luste?)
Sophronius. No, let vs go our selues into some place yet more secret and priuie.
Lu. Be it so, let vs go into my inwarde chamber, if ought you list to doe.
Sophronius. Yet mee thinketh this place is not close & secret ynough.
Lucres. Why? whence comes this new shamefastnesse vpon you. I haue a Closet wherein I lay vp my Iewels and array, a place so darke that vnneth the one of vs shall see the other.
So. Looke round about it, if there be any crany or rifte.
Lu. Here is not a cranye nor rifte to be seene.
So. Is there no body neere that mought listen and here vs?
Lu. No verily not a flie (my ioy) why doubt you? Why go you not about your purpose?
So. Shall wee here beguile the eies of God?
Lu. Not so, for he seeth thorow all things?
So. Or shall wee be out of the sight of his Aungels?
Lu. Neyther, for no bodie can hide him out of their sight.
So. How happeneth it then, that we be not ashamed to doe that before the eies of God, and in the presence of his holy Aungels, which wee woulde be ashamed to doe in the syght of men?
Lu. What a strange thing is this, came you hither to preache? put yee on, one of Saint Francis cowles, and get ye vp into the Pulpit, and let vs heare you there my yong Beardling.
So. Neither would I thinke it much so to doe, if by that meane I might call you backe from thys kind of life, not only most foule & shameful, but also most miserable.
Lu. And why so good sir? I must get my liuing one way or other, euery man liueth and is maintained by his craft, & science, this is our trade our lands and reuenues.
So. I would to God (good friende Lucres) that you, voyding for a while this dronkennesse of the mynde, coulde finde in your heart rightly to ponder and consider with me, the thing as it is.
Lu. Keepe your sermond till an other time, nowe let vs take our pleasure (my good friende Sophronie).
So. All that you doe, you doe it for lucre and gaines I am sure.
Lu. Therin you haue gone nere the marke.
So. Well, you shall loose no parte of that, which you make your accompt vppon, I will giue you euen foure times as much onely, to lend me your attentiue care.
Lu. Say on then euen what you please.
So. First aunswere me to this. Haue you any that beareth you euill wil?
Lu. Mo then one.
So. And are there not some againe, whome you hate likewise?
Lu. Euen as they deserue at my hande.
So. Now if it lay in thee to pleasure them wouldest thou in faith do it?
Lu. Nay sooner woulde I giue them their bane.
So. Verie well, consider now, consider I saye whither ought thou mayest doe to them more pleasaunt and better lyked, then to let them see thee leade this maner of lyfe, so shamefull and wretched. On the other side, what canst thou do more to the griefe and misliking of them, which be thy verye friendes in deede?
Lu. Such was my lot, and destinie.
So. Moreouer, that which is compted to be the most harde, and heauie happe of those which are cast out into Ilands, or banished vnto the people most inhumaine and barbarous, the same haue you of your owne free will, and election, taken vnto your selfe.
Lu. And what is that?
So. Hast not thou of thine accorde renounced & forsaken all naturall affections and loues, your father, mother, brethren, sistrene, aunt, great aunt, & whomsoeuer beside nature hath linked vnto thee for they in verye deede, are full euill ashamed of thee, and thou darest not once come into their sight.
Lu. Naye marrye, mee thinkes I haue luckilye chaunged myne affectes, in that for a few louers, nowe I haue won me verie many, among whome you are one, whome I haue accompted off as my naturall brother.
So. Let passe this light accustomed talke, & way the matter as it is, in earnest. And first beleeue mee this (my Lucres) shee that hath so many louers, hath no loue at all. They that resort vnto thee, doe not take thee for their loue, but rather for their luste, see howe thou hast debased thy selfe wretched Woman. Christ helde thee so deere, that hee vouchsafed to redeeme thee with his most precious bloud, to the ende, thou mightest partake with him in his heauenlye kingdome. And thou makest thy selfe a cõmon Gonge, or muckhill wherevnto fowle and filthy, scalde, and scuruie, doth at their pleasure resort, to shake off their filth and corruption. That if thou be yet free and not infected wyth that lothsome kinde of leprie, commonly called the french pockes, assure thy selfe thou cannot long be wythout it. Which if it chaunce thee to haue, what in more miserable and wretched case then thou, yea, though other things were as thou wouldst wish (I meane) thy substance and fame, what shalt thou then be, but a lump of quick carraine: you thought it a great matter to be obedient vnto your mother, now you liue in seruitude, vnder a filthie bawde. It went to your heart to heare the good aduertisements of your father, here you must often tymes take in good parte, euen the stripes of dronkardes, and madbraines, you coulde awaye with no maner of worke, when you were with your friendes, to helpe towardes your lyuing, but in this place what trouble, what continuall watcking are you faine to sustaine?
Lu. From whence (and God will) coms this new prating preacher.
So. Now I praye thee, haue this also in thy minde. The flower of beautie, which is the baite that allureth men to loue thee, in shorte time it shall fade, and decaye. And what shalt thou then doe, vnhappie creature, what donghill shall be more vile, and vnregarded than thou then? than loe, thou shalt of an hoore, become a bawde, yet euery one of you commeth not vnto that promotion, but if that befalleth thee, what is more abhominable, or nerer reprocheth euen to the wicked occupacion of the deuill.
Lu. Truth it is in good faith, Sophronie in a maner all that you haue hitherto sayde. But howe commeth this newe holinesse vpon you, who were wont to be amongst all the little goods, yet one of the least, for no man repaired hither, eyther oftener or at more vntimely howres, than your self? I heare say you haue beene at Roome latelie.
So. I haue so in deede.
Lucres. Why men are wont to come from thence worse than they went thither. How happeneth the contrarie to you?
So. I will tell you, bycause I went not to Rome, with that minde, and after that sort, other commonlie goe to Rome, euen of set purpose to retourne woorse, & so doing they want none occasions when they come there, to be as they purposed. But I went thither in the companie of an honest vertuous man, by whose aduise, in steede of a bibbing bottel, I caried with me, a handsome little booke the new testament of Erasmus translation.
Lu. Of Erasmus? And they saye he is an heretike and an halfe.
So. Why hath the name of that man come hither also?
Lu. None more famous with vs.
So. Haue you euer seene his persone?
Lu. Neuer, but in good fayth I woulde I might, bycause I haue hearde so much euill of hym.
So. Perhaps of them that be euill themselues.
Lu. Nay truely, euen of reuerend personages.
So. What be they.
Lucres. I may not tell you that.
So. And why so I pray.
Lu. Bicause if you should blab it out, and it come vnto their eares, I should loose no small part of my lyuing.
So. Feare thou not, thou shalt speake it to a stone.
Lu. Harken hither in thine eare thẽ.
So. A fonde wench, what needeth it to lay mine eare to thine, seing we be alone? except it were that God shoulde not heare it. Oh lyuing God, I see thou art a religious whore, thou doest thy charity vpon Mendicants. Mendicant Friers.
Lu. Well, I get more by these Mendicants & simple beggers, than by you riche folke.
So. So I thinke, they spoyle and prowle from honest matrones to cast at whores tayles.
Lu. But tell on your tale concerning the booke.
So. I will so doe, and better it is. Therein Paule taught me a lessõ, who being indued with the spirite of truth could not lie, that neyther whores, nor whore haunters shall inherite the kingdome of heauen. When I had reade this, I beganne to consider with my selfe in this wise. It is a small thinge, which I looke to be heire of by my father, and yet neuerthelesse rather I had to shake hands with all wanton women, then to be set beside that inheritance, how muche more then doth it sit me on, to beware ye my father in heaue doth not disinherite me of that far more excellent inheritance, for against mine earthly father, which goeth about to disinherite me, or to cast me off, the ciuill lawes doe offer a remedie, but if God list to cast of, or disinherite, there is no helpe at all. Wherevpon, I foorthwith vtterlie forefended my selfe, the vse and familiaritie of all euill disposed women.
Lu. That is if you be able to lyue chaste.
So. It is a good parte of the vertue of continencie, hartilie to couit and desire the same, if it will not so bee, well, the vttermost remedie is to take a Wife. When I was come to Rome, I powred out the hole sincke of my conscience into the bosome of a certayne Frier penitentiarie, who with many words, right wiselye exhorted mee to puritie, and cleannesse of minde and bodye, and vnto the deuout reading of holie scripture, with oft prayer & sobernesse of life, for my penaunce he enioyned me naught else, but that I shoulde kneele on my knees before the high alter, and say ye Psalme Miserere mei deus. And if I had mony to giue in almoys vnto some poore bodie a Carolyne. And wheras I meruayled much, that for so many times, as I hadde confessed my selfe to haue played the brothell, he layed vppon me so small a penaunce, hee aunswered me right pleasauntlye thus. Sonne (quoth he) if thou truely repent, if thou change thy conuersation, I passe not on thy penance, but if thou proceed stil therin, thy very lust it self shal at the length bring thee to paine and penaunce ynough I warrant thee, though the Priest appointeth thee none, for example loke vpon my selfe, whome thou seest now, bleare eyed, palsey shaken, and crooked, and in time paste I was euen such a one as thou declarest thy selfe to be. Thus loe haue I learned to leaue it.
Lu. Why then for ought that I can see I haue loste my Sophronius.
So. Nay rather thou hast him safe, for before he was in deede loste, as one which neyther loued thee nor hymselfe. He now loueth thee with a true loue, and thirsteth thy saluation.
Lu. What aduise you me then to doe, friende Sophronius?
So. As soone as possible you may to withdrawe your selfe from this kinde of lyfe, you are yet but a girle (to speake off) and the spot of your misdemeanour maye be washed away. Either take an husband (so doing we wyll contribute some thing to preferre you) eyther else get you into some godly Colledge or Monestery which receyueth those that haue done amisse, vpon promise of amendment, or at the leastwyse departing from this place, betake your selfe into the seruice of some vertuous and well disposed Matrone. And to which of these you liste to enclyne your minde, I offer you my friendly helpe and furtheraunce.
Lu. Now I besech you with all my hart Sophronie looke about & prouide for me, I will follow your counsayle.
So. But in the meane while conuey your selfe from out of this place.
Lu. Alack so sone,
So. Why not, rather this day than to morrow? namely since lingering it is damage, and delay is daungerous.
Lu. Whether should I then repaire, where should I stay my selfe?
So. You shall packe vp all your apparell and Iewels, & deliuer it vnto me in the euening, my seruaunt shall closelye carrie it, vnto a faithfull honest Matrone. And within a while after, I will leade you out, as it were to walke with me and you shal secretly abide in that Matrons house, at my charge, vntill I prouide for you: And that time shall not bee long.
Lu. Be it so my Sophronius, I betake my selfe wholy vnto you.
So. For so doing here-after, you shall haue ioy.
FINIS.