We shall go forth together to keep my father's year-day:
A tapster! a tapster! stow, statt, stow!
Mis. A mischief go with [thee]! here I have a foul fall.
Hence! away from me! or I shall beshit you all!
New G. What ho, ostler! ostler, lend us a foot-ball!
Whoop! ho! anow, anow, anow! [They go out.
Mer. My mind is dispersed; my body tir-trimmeleth as the aspen leaf;
The tears should trickle down by my cheeks, were not your reverence!
It were to me solace, the cruel visitation of death!
Without rude behaviour I can[not] express this inconvenience:
Weeping, sighing, and sobbing, were my sufficiance;
All natural nutriment, to me, as carene, is odible;
My inward affliction yieldeth me tedious unto your presence;
I cannot bear it evenly that Mankind is so flexible.
Man unkind, wherever thou be! for all this world was not apprehensible
To discharge thine original offence, thraldom and captivity,
Till God's own well-beloved Son was obedient and passible:
Every drop of His blood was shed to purge thine iniquity.
I discommend and disallow this often mutability!
To every creature thou art dispectuous and odible—
Why art thou so uncurtess, so inconsiderate? alas, woe is me!
As the vane that turneth with the wind, so thou art convertible!
In trust is treason: thy promise is not credible;
Thy perversious ingratitude I cannot rehearse;
To go over, to all the holy court of heaven thou art dispectable,
As a noble versifier maketh mention in his verse:
"Lex et natura, Christus et omnia jura
Damnant ingratum; lugetur eum fore natum."
O, good Lady, and Mother of Mercy! have pity and compassion
Of the wretchedness of Mankind, that is so wanton and so frail!
Let mercy exceed justice, dear Mother! admit this supplication!
Equity to be laid over part[l]y, and mercy to prevail!
Too sensual living is reprovable, that is now-a-days,
As by the comprehence of this matter it may be specified.
New Guise, Now-a-days, Nought, with their allectuous ways
They have perverted Mankind, my sweet son, I have well espied.
A! with these cursed caitiffs, and I may, he shall not long endure;
I, Mercy, his father ghostly, will proceed forth and do my property.
Lady, help! this manner of living is a detestable pleasure;
Vanitas vanitatum: all is but a vanity!
Mercy shall never be convict of his uncurtess condition;
With weeping tears, by night and by day, I will go and never cease.
Shall I not find him? Yes, I hope; now, God be my protection!
My predelict son! where be ye? Mankind! Ubi es?
[Mischief re-enters with his companions.
Mis. My prepotent father! when ye sup, sup out your mess!
Ye are all to-gloried in your terms; ye make many a lesse.
Will ye hear? he cryeth over Mankind, Ubi es?
New G. Hic, hic, hic! hic, hic, hic! hic, hic!
* * * * *
That is to say: here! here! here! nigh dead in the crick.
If ye will have him, go and seek, seek, seek!
Seek not over long, for losing of your mind!
Now. If ye will have Mankind—ho, domine, domine, domine!—
Ye must speak to the shrive for a cepe coppus;
Else ye must be fain to return with non est inventus.
How say ye, sir? my bolt is shot!
Nought. I am doing of my needings; beware how ye shoot!
Fie, fie, fie! I have foul arrayed my foot!
Be wise for shooting with your tackles, for, God wot!
My foot is foully over-shit.
Mis. A parlement! a parlement! come forth, Nought, behind!
A counsel, belive! I am afeared Mercy will him find.
How say ye? and what say ye? how shall we do with Mankind?