Sens. No, on my life!
For, when they fought, I ran between
And cried, "Keep peace and leave debate!"
But ye would have laughed had ye seen
How I departed them; and, for all that,
Sometime I clapped Reason on the pate,
And cried "Keep the peace," as fast as I could
Till I was hoarse, I cried so loud.
Wor. Aff. But, can our master play the man now
And fare with this gear?
Sens. Yea, make God avow!
And, beware ye of one thing:
Meddle ye no more with Margery;
For, by Cock's precious body!
If our master may it espy,
Or have an understanding
That ye use her company,
I tell you he will be angry;
He is so full of jealousy
As ever I knew man.
Wor. Aff. Jealousy? peace, man, be still!
He can thereof no manner of skill.
Sens. No! but say what ye will
I am sure he can.
He is now as familiar
With bodily lust as ever ye were;
Yea! and thereto as great a swearer.
When time requires
Knew I never, of his age,
A man of better courage
To do all manner of outrage
After our desires.
Sith Reason and he were thus at variance
He hath be full of such dalliance;
And hath called to his favour and acquaintance
Your kinsmen by and by—
Envy, Wrath, Gluttony, and Covetise,
Sloth and Lechery become to his service;
And utterly he hateth their contrariwise,
And that he professeth openly.
Wor. Aff. And be these folks of his retinue?
Sens. Yea, every one, I tell you true.
But, marry! their names be changed new
For to blear his eye.
I tell you he is a serefull man,
For Reason stirreth him, now and than;
And, therefore, do we what we can
It is little enow, hardely!
Sirra! there is first Pride, as ye wot well,
The sweet darling of the devil of hell:
How his name is changed ye can tell.
Wor. Aff. Yea, marry! on the best wise—
Worship I ween is now his name.
Sens. Yea, by the rood! even the same.
And Covetise, to eschew all blame,
Doth his name disguise,
And calleth himself Worldly Policy.
Wrath, because he is somewhat hasty,
Is called Manhood. Then is there Envy,
And he is called Disdain.
Gluttony, for Good Fellowship is taken;
And Sloth his old name hath forsaken,
And as fair a name hath he shapen
As ever man could ordain—
He is called Ease; right comfortable to the blood,
Specially for them that lust to do no good.
And, among all other, I would ye understood
That Lechery is called Lust.
Lo! these be fair names, parde!
Both good and honest as seemeth me;
As for their conditions, what they be,
Ye know well!
Wor. Aff. Very just!
I know their conditions on the best wise
If they keep still their old guise.