Actio. Yea, but was he not mired with hypocrisy?
Eug. No, man; he spake so ghostly B3,r.
He had almost changed my mood.
I had thought to give away my good
And then ask myself for charity.
Actio. Why, wouldest thou have been so witty?
Nay, thou art a fool and thou wilt for any egging
Give away thine own good, and go thyself a-begging,
For so will not I do yet, trust me!
Eug. Sir, he promised most largely
That I should in joy live ever,
Where I shall die never.
Thus also he said verily,
That I should feel there no ill,
And have all that I desire will,
And see God in His majesty.
Also he promised me a greater hire
That I should have all that I would desire.
Actio. I rede thee lay that thought away;
For mayst thou not see all day
That they that useth sport and play
Liveth at ease merrily?
They have most heartiest rest
And fareth of the best
That thus spendeth their lives in jollity.
Eug. Well, then, my wit I will renew,
For I trow thou sayest full true.
If I do it, and afterward rue it
As to give away my good,
I trow I should it forethink. B3,v.
Without a cup then might I drink,
For that purse that sowneth not trink
His master weareth a thread-bare hood.
Actio. Yea, yea, man, that is true indeed.
But let us go walk a space,
For Evil Counsel hither will speed;
That person, I trow, he be void of all grace.
Eug. Go we hence then in time;
Hastily we will come again,
For John will be here by prime;
His sermon would I hear fain.
[They go out and Evil Counsel entereth.
Evil Counsel. By your leave, let me come near.
What doth all this company here?
Whereafter is your gaping?
By our lady and master! I have sought nigh and far;
For sith I came from Rochester
I have spent all my winning.
By our lady! I will no more go to Coventry,
For there knaves set me on the pillory,
And threw eggs at my head
So sore that my nose did bleed
Of white wine gallons thirty.
Some time in London did I dwell;
I was prentice with Evil Counsel,
And so men calleth me.
I hope again to go thither,
If summer were come and fair weather,
And live full merrily.
I have sought England through and through, B4,r.
Village, town, city, and borough;
With many a thousand bequainted I am,
As ill-tongued churls and many a proud gentleman,
That shrewdly roundeth many a pistle
When they in young wives' ears doth whistle
Of matters pertaining to Venus' acts;
With fair flattering words and pretty knacks
Both men and women they bring to lechery,
Through me, Evil Counsel, to live in advoutry.
In Cornwall I have been and in Kent,
Westminster, St. Catherine's, and in Unthrift's Rent,
There I rested very lately.
Now fain would I have a master [Enter Idleness.
That would do by my counsel,
For though he spend and be a waster
To get money I can teach him the craft well.