Envy. Agreed, quod a? in the mere name;
Marry, sir! that were a game
To make some of us weep.
Sens. Weep or laugh, man! so it is;
And who, trow ye, is the cause of this?
Envy. Who?
Sens. Age, the devil him quell!
Envy. Why, is Age now come in place?
Sens. Yea, and that may ye spy by his face
And ye mark it well.
His stomach fainteth every day;
His back crooketh; his head waxeth gray;
His nose droppeth among;
His lust is gone and all his liking;
I see it well, by everything,
He may not live long;
And all maketh Age, as I said before.
He is the doer, and what trow ye more
This Age hath done?
Envy. What?
Sens. By my faith! he hath brought in Reason
In such wise that, at no season,
Nothing can be wrought
But Reason must be called thereto:
I fear me he will us all undo
Within few days.
As soon as Gluttony had espied
All this gear, he would not abide;
But went even his ways.
Our master prayed him to tarry a season—
Nay, nay, quoth he! now have I done;
I may no longer tarry:
For Age and I may not together dwell.
And straightway he departed, fair and well.
Bodily Lust stood by,
And saw that Gluttony would needs be gone.
Have with thee, Gluttony, quod he! anon,
For I must go with thee.
So that two be gone together;
Came there none of them both hither?
Envy. Never a one, that I see!
Sens. Well, they be gone some other way
To get a new master as soon as they may;
They cannot be unpurveyed.
And, as soon as they two were gone,
Our master sent for Covetise anon,
And heartily him prayed
To await on him well for a year or two;
And he hath promised him so to do,
As for a year or twain;
But Reason may not thereof know.