The castle of labour. Here beginneth the prologue of this present treatise YE mortal people that desire to obtain Eternal bliss by your labour diligent With mortal riches subdue you to pain To read this treatise to the right intent Which shall show you plain and evident That idleness mother of all adversity Her subjects bringeth to extreme poverty The rich by idleness to poverty are brought By it the orator loseth his science The great clerk by it is set at nought Thus is it enemy unto sapience Wherefore let us do our diligence This lewd capitain fro us to exile Which nought intendeth but man to beguile Idle people ever troubled are with thought With indigence misadventure and necessity And in the snare when they are caught They are environed with poverty Than cometh discomfort in their adversity And also despair them doth menace And thought and trouble ever doth them chase Therefore ye people that be subject to this vice By your great sleuth and negligence Break your bonds/ I advise you to arise And to these words give your advertence Which the wise man saith in brief sentence Who laboureth not to get his living Is no worthy here to have abiding ¶ Thus when this vice a man doth assail Of sleuthsulnes and of otiosity By their means doth riches fail What followeth than but poverty Thus turneth his wealth unto adversity So of his folly doth he repent Than eachone to him doth injury Which oft to us appeareth evident ¶ Therefore to us it is right profitable For to take reason for to be our guide With understanding/ which are agreeable Us for to govern in every tide Whereby we may/ if sleuth be set aside Overcome poverty & obtain richesse And destroy thought misfortune & distress ¶ But man's mind is full unsteadfast More prone to vice than to goodliness And when by vice man thus is overcast Than cometh deceit/ usury and falseness Counseyling man all to unthreftynesse Thus if that reason be not our friend and guide Truth shall decay by falsehood and pride But who would live in mean moderate And by way of diligence richesse purchase Good will must he have to be his advocate With a good heart/ for therein is solace intention to good must we purchase And than may we live between high and low By such mean that our friends may us know In this life can none have skarsnesse While that reason is his protector If he in labouring take pain and business avoiding sleuth that blind governor Which man assaileth every day and hour Whereby are many brought to distress But diligence bringeth man to richesse By which richesse man cometh to nobleness Which to virtue is as chief nouryse Therefore leave we sleuth drawing to business inclining to virtue and leaving covetise Thus is it good to each that is wise Remembering how soon he shall have an end In troth and virtue his short time to spend Thus in conclusion who readeth this treatise To the rude language give none advertence It is but written the time to exercise Without study/ pain/ or diligence With style inornate/ void of eloquence Expressing the ways of diligence & idleness The one of poverty the other of richesse ¶ Thus endeth the prologue and be ginneth the castle of labour. IN musing an evening with me was none An old proverb came in me subvenaunce A natural fool in a house alone Will make for himself shift or chevysaunce Than came in to my remembrance A cyrcunspect of many dignities From which a man having suffisance Withdraweth his heart as fro vanities It is ay seen that youths lustiness For to subdue is hard and dangerous Some live in joy/ pleasure and gladness Fortune to some is right contrarious Some death tacheth in their estate prosperous Whom he overthroweth with his mortal blast Thus goeth the world/ none is so eurous But other must he die first or last A young heart is unstable and volage And knoweth not in what estate to bide Sometime disposed unto marriage Sometime to serve god the world set aside Thus as my mind varying did glide I thought it most for mine advantage desiring god for to be my guide firmly I concluded upon marriage Thus having all my friends at assent In short process I purveyed me a wife Without wisdom/ yet was I content To her to keep the days of my life I thought no thing on winning loss or strife She unto me lightly did consent Than in an evening sad and pensyfe By her dying simple of mine intent poverty necessity distress Need. suddenly I was in great danger For to me fiercely did appear An odious man/ a unknown stranger With three women cruel of manner This company to me approached near When that I them together saw assemble So cruel was their countenance and cheer That fere constrained my body for to tremble The man was misshapen/ pale/ and rusty Rude/ foul/ and right abominable The women also as I could spy Of shape were foul and detestable Their cheer was ill and miserable With countenance replenished with ire Lene as any wolf ravysable Their eyen brenning as red as fire The man approached fierce as he woldefyght With staring eyen/ & said his name was need His wife said necessity she height The second poverty/ and the third in deed Her named distress so thought I by her weed Than I desired to know their lineage poverty was their mother full of dread This told they me in brief language touching their father they could not deny But that he dwelled in the deepest pit of hell When I that hard right sore afeard was I Than need approached with countenance cruel Mine body straining so that it did swell necessity me so sore did handle So that soothly it seemed right well Or that she went she would me strangle Than suddenly came poverty Which me tormented with rudeness Than with great crudelity Upon my belly leapt distress They all abounded in cruelness On me smiting with all their might disgorging fire in their fierceness Upon me as a torch light Some at me foined/ some smote down right That the strokes loud did redound For all my pain/ during that night My wife ever slept still and sound She in her pleasure did abound And would not wake for my disease For if I were brought to the ground I trow she cared not a pease thought AS she thus slept and I in pain With these four fures did endure To me approach I saw certain A foul and counterfeited creature odious/ proud/ & fierce I you ensure And by the hand she took me fast She thought her purpose to procure And drew mine arms that they near braced This false witch me so did grieve Which by her name was called thought That uneath could I me remove Thus unto death she me near brought Of words and tales she wanted nought Ever she talked I wot not what And behind her a villain caught That was as blereyed as a cat heaviness Being in this perturbation This churl on me gaped full wide I feared sore his intention When that I saw him by my side He looked as he had been fried Of shape and colour was he full vile Than he began with me to chide In his language which was subtile Upon my belly he set his knees And said his name was heaviness With scarled bordered were his eyes Bald and full of unlustiness He seemed father of all unthryftnesse jagged and guarded full ungay With a race filled with falseness berd like to a kytling of may Him to behold I was dismayed How he of things past did clatter Many a new tale to me he said He had well learned for to patter Of things to come fast did he chatter Bidding me call them to remembrance He list no thing with me to flatter But put me to extreme utterance He bade I should remember my debts And brought me forth my counting book He showed me there of my recepts And me compelled thereon to look By fere constrained me body quoke That power was passed me for to speak That ribald feared me with his look That comfort to me could I none take Of his torment what should I say I never was in such encumbraunce He bode still and went not away And did me much more grievance Than all the other by their nuisance And turned me fro side to side To sleep he left me no sufferance But fyresly still at me did chide This falls caitiff by his cruelness Troubled me that my wit was gone He put me in so great distress That my heart was cold as any stone I knew not to whom me for to moon So was I environed round about They me tormented so eachone That of my life I had great doubt ¶ Than round about me did I look first of all same I poverty And false need by the beard me shaken There were distress and necessity Thought was in their company And heaviness did clater fast All these sir so laid at me That fro my bed they me near cast Than as I did my heed remove About me looking for comfort I saw one come/ which did me grieve More than all the other sort He said his name was discomfort Of colour was he pale and wan It nought availed him to exhort I saw never such an other man Disconfort By the hand fast he me took And with great might did m constrain Full sore me by the beard he shaken This these renewed all my pain His encumbraunce wasted my brain That often I wished that I were deed He would himself no thing refrain But kept me still fast by the heed In froward imagination Dysconforte kept me a long space He bade me in conclusion To sue to him after his grace saying that the time and space Ones lost could not recovered be With such terms did he me manase Than in conclusion thus said he A poor man how shalt thou pay All thy debts that are behind Brede and drink must thou purvey And a house to keep the fro the wind Both men and maidens must thou find With every thing that longeth them to Doth not fortune strongly the bind Now let see how thou canst do What I this hard I was near mad And often fortune cursed I The special cause why I was sad Was for my purse was clean empty Than was it need I did espy My gown to pledge unto one I saw there was no remedy Though that I had but that alone O blessed Jesus what may this be Married was I in an evil chance To live in such poverty As I this said the same instance Came to me Despair in cruel ordonance One of the worst of all the sort She was chief capitain of their dance And daughter unto Dysconfort Despair discomfort. This Despair did me so assail That lost was my discretion My face began to wax pale By fere of her cruel vexation So cruel was her perturbation Which on me she did extend That I thought in conclusion Of myself to make an end ¶ I was ready to run here and there To climb up high and than to fall By my life set I not an here By means of this fury infernal I thought/ who needs to his death shall It is but folly it to prolong This is a word said overall He that is drowned may no man hang And therefore thought I for to do The worst that either I could or might To slay my father and mother also If I had found them in my sight Than unto my mind came full right That I should die no more but ones Wherefore despair that wretched wight Bade me go thereto at ones I saw well that without labour I never should should obtain richesse Fortune thereof is governor To some she giveth with largesse But I have neither more nor less So that I weary am of my life Avoid of joyful of distress Lo what it is to take a wife I see discomfort doth me grieve Despair increaseth my long our That foot ne hand can I remove such is my pain and my dolour Neither thought I on worship ne honour On knight squire baron ne lord My mind was on no thing that hour But to hang myself with a cord Or else to leap in to some river And there with pain myself to drown I cared not in what manner I died so that my life were done Despair made me her champion And had me so take in her snare That suddenly as I fell in suowne She me near strangled or I was ware treason Despair AS I was in this perturbation I saw a lady pleasant and bright For to behold her meek fashion soothly it was a pleasant sight Her caperon with parley was pight With precious stones about illumining Her beauty full face shone as bright As phoebus doth in a may morning This lady standing me before In her behaviour was meek and liberal Good and gracious to rich and poor She seemed to me the queen celestial A queen excellent I may her call For she was daughter shortly to say Unto that meek lord and immortal The which was borne on christmas day Sore I desired to know her name By cause she was of such excellence She said reason whom none doth blame Than was I right glad of her presence This noble lady by her diligence Approached near unto my side Despair anon gate her thence And discomfort with her did glide All the hole company did avoid What time reason sat by me thus It was some wind would me have noyed Send unto me by might of Aeolus I trow that Pluto/ or Neptunus' Or mars chief forger of battle Or else helporter Cerberus Engendered them me to assail What should I say they fled that tide Both despair and the other rout Than was there none with me to chide I rising up looked round about Than of no thing was I in doubt When reason began to speak softly When she had driven the other out That her to here great joy had I Reason spoke with deliberation Replete with wisdom excellently So that soothly in conclusion She seemed an orator witty What she said was said plainly To the understanding of every man And sitting in a chair me by Wisely to speak thus she began My friend this thought see thou eschew Ferest thou that richesse will fail Subdue thyself to force and virtue And be reuled by my counsel Which shall the guide in each battle So thou consider what thou hast to do Thou mayst get good by thy travail For to find the and all thine to ONe god alone must thou honour And him serve with all diligence And as thyself love thy neighbour Against him do thou none offence In trouble see thou have patience After the time and the season To each man have thou obedience These be the terms of reason Thou shouldest not to largely Rejoice thyself of thy richesse Nor yet be wroth semblably Of poverty/ pain/ or distress When Atropos himself doth dress Each to smite with his mortal lance He smiteth the rich with cruelness And to the poor hath oft sufferance Why should thine heart for fear thus fail Is it not richesse enough to the To have thy hands ready to travail Without wem or maim of thy body If that thou ●●bour certainly Thou shall ●ot fail to have richesse So that thou from all sin do i'll peaceably living in meekness first avoid each sin mortal Replenysshe the with the grace divine Behave the so in this life mortal That thou to hell do not decline submit thyself unto the discipline Of him that made each creature Pray him thine heart so to enlumine That thou adversity may endure When need cometh to thy presence To busy labour infyx thy courage So shalt thou make him to go thence Constreyning him maugre his visage And if distress do unto the outrage Through business away him chase If thought would do to the damage In some good deed put thy solace And if poverty do the assail Or falls and feeble necessity Enforce thy body unto travail By such mean shalt thou cause them i'll If discomfort do trouble the Tend not unto his temptation If despair 〈…〉 old thy lady be Leave her and come unto me reason humility casteth Pride IF pride on the do adventure Despite disdain or presumption Beware of them they are not sure Of them cometh great abusion Cast fro the collaudation Vain glory with misgovernance flee fro falls imagination flee boasting and oultrecuydaunce If such vices on the do war Them and their works see thou despise constrain them by might to stand a far Pray humility the to promise Her help and succour in any wise With contemplation and devotion But above all I the advise Be meek of thine intention humility must be the chief Against pride ground of all vice And for to keep the fro mischief Do so that thou mayst have justice get good provision if thou be wise let him ever keep the vanguard Than shall pride full of malice renouncing the avoid rearward charity casteth Envy AFter that pride is fro the chased By the might of humility With another thou shalt be menased Which is dangerous called envy Accompanied with misery With falsehood/ murder/ and treason such shall be in his company With slander and falls detraction As a dangerous capitain Envy will the assail and touch He shall do the full much pain If thou as subject unto him crouch Ill report hath he in his pouch With many vices and divers Which unto virtue are reproach Him always tending to reverses When that thou seest her the about In me put thou thy trust and joy Be not afraid nor do not doubt Trust well I shall them all destroy Faith and charity shall them noye See thou alway do her honour So shall she wit on the employ To know how she men doth succour charity hath waiting on her dignity Very true love and miserycorde Benevolence with grace and verity Among them found is no discord But peace meekness and concord These shall the help in thy necessity And thus as I unto the record They shall envy avoid fro the patience ca●●●● ire ANd than when done is this assault On the shall come a tyrant dangerous Whose name is Ire withouten fault To all vice fierce and desirous And unto virtue alway contrarious The which in servants doth abound He may well say that he is eurous Whom this vice doth not confound Cruelty beareth his banner felony is his chief champion perversity is his porter Madness reigneth in his dungeon Cursed murder that falls fellow Of his house is as chief captain Here is a cursed religion To him that followeth their train Therefore if Ire do the distress Show thy force and thy puissance Call unto the debonayrnesse Against ire a full mighty lance With her shall come fair sufferance patience is chief/ with discretion Steadfastness with attemperance Subduing the unto correccyen Ire hath neither mercy nor petty On man nor woman here living But eachone assaileth full cruelly enemy to peace and to war according Susteyner of each vice seeming Whose furor melteth man's heart Which to his counsel are leaning Wherefore thy sight therefro dyvert It is impossible that a man Irous May unto god do good service For Ire is a sin right dangerous Which is governed without justice It is a fierce and mortal vice Which often doth right great damage Sith thou art warned be thou wise List that he do to the outrage Show thy force and puissance Call unto the force with nobleness Pray patience to be thy lance Which shall this vice lightly oppress When ire is gone sleuth shall her dress On every side with the to fight Which of all vice is chief mistress A strong tyrant despising right Diligence casteth sleuth AS chief capitain of all the rout Sleuth shall have pleasure the to assail And son I put the out of doubt That in thy bed she shall not fail On the to lie both wan and pale On her shall wait unlustiness With negligence void of travail chief guider of all unthryftenesse Defend the fiercely as a man For with sleuth shall come rychelesse For to subdue the if he can putting the to unlustiness Accompanied with false faintness The which by their iniquity Many one bringeth fro tychesse Unto great pain and poverty cowardice will the follow fast If thou do not thyself defend Unto the ground he will the cast But if that thou thy might extend And her withstanding if thou intend With her to fight by force sovereign Unto the ground shall she descend Like the wind peased by rain Sleuth to the will make good cheer By faint and feeble dissimulation But at the end is his manner For to strange like the scorpion Beware of his abusion List that thou in his bonds rest But for help in conclusion To god must thou make thy request Against sleuth for thy defence intention to good must thou require provide chiefly for diligence business with charge see thou desire And for good heart see thou inquire Pray good will to be thy guide So shalt thou sleuth cast in the mire Him and his ass as he doth ride Largesse casteth covetise. After this assault perilous On the shall come void of justice One ugly fierce and dangerous Whose name is called avarice Beware his cursed covetise For by his words falls and subtile Many one to him doth he atyse Whom at the end he doth beguile Avarice is so ill and unsatiable Never fulfilled with richesse And of his mind ay found unstable By thought ever fulfilled with heaviness This avarice doth all them oppress Which lightly findeth not succour He and his servants will them dress The to assail at every hour When avarice doth the assail With him will come full lightly usury and rapine withouten fail Falls swearing and okerye Murder/ theft/ and treachery Fraud/ falsehood/ and deception Accompanied with roberye Malice and cavillation When that thou seest this company With avarice the to distress Withdraw thyself to charity To suffisance and to largesse But in largesse avoid excess And by alms I the ensure Avarice thou shalt oppress That he no longer shall endure And if that any manner creature Would say that these vices all Be given unto them by nature Or yet by destiny infernal Mesemeth nay/ their will is liberal God hath us given reason and wit Us for to guide unto joy eternal Which we shall have ye we deserve it Therefore my son see that thou intend Unto thyself with perfit diligence Whereby thou mayst the fro this vice defend For ever thou seest by plain evidence That avarice full of malyvolence Him most hurteth that loveth it best With largesse make for him defence If thou wouldest have thy mind in rest sob●●te casteth gluttony SO when thou overcome haste avarice With the branches of his lineage To the will come a cruel vice Named gluttony full of outrage Which will to the do great damage If thou thyself to him subdue As well in youth as in thy age This vice on many doth renew To drink when thou hast no thirst Without measure or any reason And to eat when thou hast no lust Therein is no discretion He may be called a foul glutton That of his womb his god doth make Beware of this abusion life in his bonds this vice the take Dysordered appetite is with gluttony And serveth him chief on the night And gurmandyse is of his meinie And sleuth with him increaseth might All these fiercely on the will light On each side the tempting mightily But life up thine eyen to heaven bright beseeching god of help meekly soothly when that thy stomach Is furnished with meet beyond nature Thou mayst be likened unto a sack Replete with filth dung and ordure It displeaseth god sore/ I the ensure And to thyself dost thou outrage Than babbleth thy tongue without measure To others hurt/ slander and damage Yeast mayst thou make right good resistance Against them maugre their visage So that thou wilt take abstinence The which shall be for thine advantage sobriety is chief of this passage Which shall gluttony fro the avoid Who in great drinking hath usage By death lightly is destroyed Drunkenness doth the longs burn And maketh the membres for to quake Dr●nken men often laugh and green Than me ●●ooth them for fools take Drunkenness the wit doth brake It maketh a man to fight and chide soothly this vice often doth make A man of his friends homicide chastity casteth lechery When thou escaped haste gluttony And passed his cruel morsure The sore assail will lechyerye A cruel vice I the ensure The which is of such nature At her beginning her face to paint But if that she a while endure Thy body will she make full faint This foul sin ugly to name With her branches right many fold Him that it loveth bringeth to shame Example of Hercules the bold I could more count if that I would Whom lechery hath made to smart briefly if thou wilt have told It destroyeth many a noble heart It will the give foolish pleasance With a desire right disordinate superfluity with his lance If he with the do make debate He will the lay on the ground prostrate And bring the unto captivity Making the fall fro thine estate And to know thy fragility cupido shall thine eyen bind Having venus' him to succour Thus when these two have made the blind They shall the bring in great error Than shall thou fall in to langoure For when thou art in their bonds caught If thou leave not by their rigour Shortly they shall the bring to nought For to avoid the crudelity Of this false archer amorous Take thou the shield of chastity Therein is fortune prosperous chastity is so victorious That he will take vindication Of this false vice full vicious And vanquish his operation Many be that will them excuse Of their look and beholding saying that none can them accuse For beholding of any thing This reason is unto them seeming Be not our eyen made for to see Such excusations will they bring For to defend their infelycyte Thus say they for their excusaunce Why may we not look here and there That is troth without doutaunce Of thy look needest thou not to fere But yet my son this master thou lere Thine eyen unto the god hath sent With them to look every where So that thou have a good intent The fair regard of marriage Is unto god right great delight In good hope for to have lineage Or else it is of no profit Therefore if thou wilt be perfit drive away this foolish pleasance giving unto him no respite For to take the in to his dance Remember the great and fore vengeance Taken of god for this outrage Often times without doutaunce Of the master it maketh the page But as I said in marriage Behave the as thou ought to do With good hope for to have lineage Or else soothly thou sinnest to Therefore in brief conclusion To avoid the pain infernal flee from all ill operation proceeding of these sins mortal And of pride in especial For which lucifer fell down to hell Take this for a doctrine general Which ensuing I shall the tell ¶ Against pride take thou meekness For envy take thou charity patience putteth Ire in distress By diligence sluethe is in captivity For covetise take thou liberality gluttony by soberness is made thrall chastity subdueth lechery But good and farm faith ruleth all It is troth that man's nature To all ill vice is prone and ready Wherefore the better may he endure The which useth somewhat percyte Which is a great friend unto chastity Against sin take such resistance If thou wilt avoid adversity And purchase a place in god's presence Therefore if thou wilt heaven obtain As thyself love thy neighbour From mortal sin thyself refrain Fere god and do him honour Do his bidding which is thy creature Speke little here what wise men say So mayst thou escape terrene languor And have whereon to live always Where as many words are spoken For to speak in brief language Often wisdom and troth is broken Of moche speech cometh great damage Who in great language hath usage Some word may he say in good intent The which soundeth to great outrage And causeth him after to repent Behave thyself curtes and amiable Cause no debate/ strife/ nor discord Be prudent/ simple/ and serviable Speke thou of no man ill report Take good hope and good comfort Lo here the plain way of hardness Which shall the bring unto the fort That thou desirest that is richesse richesse gotten by fore labour By watching travail and by pain Is unto god much more pleasure Than it is when it is sudden One may in this life mundane Obtain richesse with great virtue But when it is ill gotten certain The getters unto the devil subdue Follow therefore the virtuous way On the right hand that none doth beguile Leave the left/ the which alway Destroyeth man/ be he never so subtile This way that none doth defile On the right hand is called diligence For though the left on the do smile The latter end is void of all defence In this cursed way on the left side Many a man doth walk gladly So at the end are they destroyed For that their good is gotten falsely Some be drowned and some hanged on high Be they never so hardy/ subtile/ or wise such is the end/ but the other soothly Bringeth a man unto paradise A man that followeth the left way Can uneath himself refrain He that himself refrain not may Shall find it hard to come again Therefore begin in the way of pain Which shall the bring to the stirred region And for thy ledars have no disdain To take understanding wit and reason Some fools ill and obstinate When they are reproved by justice Say that they there to are destinate weening for the excuse their malice They say that fortune must accomplyse That/ that is their destiny Thus doth the devil these wretches atyse To keep them in their incredulity Good will must thou have therefore Avoid ill thought fro thine intent And if that thou be tempted sore Beware do not thereto consent life up thine eyen to the firmament praying for help and than I reason Shall be right glad/ fain and diligent The to delyvet in every season If destryne should have domination Than our good deeds should not avail Echone would make transgression If thou so think thy mind doth fail If thou do well for thy travail Thou shalt have joy/ and for ill punition get heaven/ and withouten fail Thou escapest all tribulation Though that thy destiny be nought Be thou not ready to do the wert He that is of a cursed thought Evermore leaveth the best If thou do ill beware the last justice to each giveth his guerdon When thy soul trow this life is past Thou shalt have even as thou hast done In this noble way of diligence If that thou thyself redress Thou shalt by plain experience By mean there of obtain richesse As for the way of sleuthfulnesse Now ever it appear the end is nought There is but woe/ pain and distress Dysconfort/ trouble/ care/ and thought The way of sleuth a man doth bring Unto a place of captivity Where nought is but hunger and mourning Called the manner of woe and povette There is no thing but necessity Brede nor drink/ work nor travail There liveth man in such penury That hunger constraineth his heart to fail When one is fall in such mischance And subdued in such poverty He must to have his sustenance His clothes sell relieved for to be When they are gone than what doth he Than must he be a beggar or a thief So in conclusion here may ye see Of sleuth what is the end and press Of such folk that been ocyous By right no man should have mercy They are to themself contrarious Sleuth deceiveth them so falsely Some be pale black and rusty Against the son sitting for solace Some die for hunger some cold and thirsty Sorrow mote he have that it doth purchase If thou hast passed a place perilous And thence escaped without damage Take good heed see thou be cautelous Return not thither for thine advantage But the behave as prudent wise and sage avoiding all sleuth and negligence Go about by another passage Which is the way of diligence If thou see some going amiss lightly avoid their company such as in thy presence thy mouth will kiss And would the slay if they might privily Be not acquainted with such commonly Keep well thy counsel show not it When one blind leadeth another lightly Often they both fall in the pit Take therefore the right passage Of good hope and good esperance Be diligent for thine own advantage For therein is richesse and pleasance Both in plenty and in suffisance But set not thine heart thereon to sore get not wrongfully such abundance That thy soul suffer pain therefore Who that tychesse to moche doth prise For it taking labour and grievance Is so brought by unhappy covetise That he is never at his pleasance Though he have richesse in abundance For all is he not there with content But a man that hath suffisance To all good gladly doth consent suffisance doth god greatly please As thou full well mayst understand And covetise doth him displease Therefore avoid his cruel hand Let him not take the in his bond List his excess do the beguile If thou remember thou art but fond With it thou endurest but a while Remember it is no thing permanent In abundance to have richesse As water running soon is it spent When death cometh all thine excess Of wealth and richesse turneth to heaviness Thou must it all leave the behind Than one of thy kin with largesse Bloweth thy pens out with the wind Therefore with little be thou content Thanking ever god of poverty Thank him of that he hath the sent Avoiding sin and iniquity If thou with sin subdued be Thou canst do no deed meritory Do well and than I ensure the Thou shalt obtain the heavenly glory Some folk in all their life To get good are full diligent letting neither for hatred ne strife And yet are they never content Unto all falsehood they do consent They tend not but to get and save With covetise is their heart so brent That they think never enough to have When they are most in fortunes grace lifted up high unto the moan She showing them her froward face Causeth them lightly to come down Though they before sat in their throne Fortune on them hath made a mow Whereby their richesse fro them is gone Than on the ground lie they full low Therefore see thou fortune defy Sith her richesse is so unstable And in god only thyself affy In whom is richesse perdurable His suffisance is full profitable Therefore in him thyself assure And in this purpose be thou stable God him loveth that doth endure A man rich full of ignorance Which in time passed hath had honour In fortune's richesse having pleasance Is now down driven by a sudden shower He never afore was used to labour Thus after he hath leapt from hype to low By idleness fortune doth on him louvre He lieth on the ground & none will him know Of clothing desire thou no new guise But cloth thyself always honestly Suffer not pride upon the to rise But go ay meek and simply And see thou be content only So thou have good whereon to jyve Without gathering over largely Thou knowest not when death will arrive If it fortune that by necessity Thou put thyself in the service Of any man of great authority Other lord/ merchant/ or justice Be not foolish/ flattering/ nor nice Nor yet slothful in any wise Se. that thou flee fro echo vice least he the utterly despise What ever he say suffer meekly Fere him with love entire and cordial Serve him both day and night truly Say of him good over all Remember love is so special That without it no good is done Of his goods be not liberal And god shall pay the thy guerdon Thou ought of right to set thy heart With all thy might and thy puissance Thy masters will for to advert And it to fulfil without doutaunce So call thou unto thy subvenaunce This proverb that I the lere Keep it in thy remembrance Love goth never without fere Fere without love may right well be We fear without love them that us menase But where as true love is in certainty It maketh men live even by compass Therefore this love see thou purchase And than thou shalt fall in his favour soon Than thy reward to thy solace Shall be even after as thou hast done If thou truly thy master serve He shall perceive it within a while Than shalt thou have that thou dost deserve With a a good name which none doth file But if that thou do him beguile He shall perceive it at the last Than shall thy deeds thy name defile So out of his house he shall the cast When that thou art thus departed Without his love full foolishly As a servant full ill adverted Another master must thou seek truly Than shall other come privily And inquire whether thou were ill or good If he say ill that they may spy No man will have the by the road But if that any be in necessity And can none other servant find Than peraventure he will have the And always be to the unkind But if he be a fool or blind else will he none of thy service Than shalt thou wander out with the wind No master shall love thy guise If that thou wilt thy master please Thou must have these three properties first must thou have an asses ears With an hearts feet in all degrees An hogs snout/ and after these By such means shall I declare That in time of adversities By them the better thou mayst far By an asses ears this is meant That thou must hearken him about If thou see he be not content Say nought but see thou him doubt Where as he is see thou not rout What he commandeth do gladly Than shall he not put the out If thou behave the thus wisely By this hogs snout mean I this What meet so ever to the is brought Though it be somewhat a miss Take patience and say thou nought Eat thou it not but it be ought Rather suffer thou a little penury Another time better shall be bought For to amend that Injury Let thy snout smell in each place And specially for to seek labour If thou so do in little space Thou shalt not fail of his favour Let thy patience overcome his rigour And take good heed to his condition See that thou always him honour submitting the to his correction This signifieth the feet of an heart Thou must do thy master succour Both day and night though thou should smart To run and go at every hour day nor night spare no labour Rather than he should have damage Help him in wealth and in dolour If any man do to him outrage Thus reason left of her parliament Than after turned I me to rest And than came wisdom full diligent A man prudent/ discrete and honest standing near afore my breast I lifted my heed unto him near He made such gloze upon the text That I had marvel him to here wisdom. HE that him ruleth by reason getteth both riches and honour Taking upon him labour Ever hath he a rich mansion That is ruled by reason He purveyeth each thing in season As best is when the time is green After a storm the son doth sheen That man is quite of all dissension Which is ruled by reason ¶ soothly my friend it is abusion This caduke richesse greatly to praise To many a man it doth disease He avoideth slander and detraction Which is ruled by reason ¶ Ye know that within a little season Fortune's favour many one procure But of her grace no man is sure Therefore he wise is in conclusion Which is ruled by reason I make towns & castles strong of walls I make jests/ stories/ and comedies I made the seven arts lyberalles With poems and many tragydees I have made many omelyes Which unto man are full profitable Whereby he may avoid all follies And of his mind be farm and stable When reason on man hath domination I promote him unto great dignity I hate discord/ and adulation And love peas/ concord/ and equity He that will live well in prospetyte Must have reason to be his governor And than will I of mine own liberty Of very right be his protector I am wisdom which have knowledging Of good and ill without doutaunce But without reason I do no thing For in her is so manner ignorance Who me procureth I him advance Wherefore soon if thou wilt proceed Be ever consent with suffisance Than shall I help the at thy need Obey to reason what ever she say With all thine heart in lowliness Than by her grace shalt thou purvey Both worship honour and richesse She helpeth men out of distress By her wit and discretion If thou wilt come to parfytnesse Put the in her subjection The author ¶ Thus wisdom unto me spoke At reasons will and commandment Whereby great comfort died I take His reasons were so wise and prudent On whose saying I fixed mine intent Concluding upon the way of pain But for the time passed I was dolent Which lost/ could not be called again Than half faint for watching excessive I lifted my heed up looking me about Left alone sore/ sad/ and pensive Than was I again in doubt I feared them that afore went out Than saw I one full of gravity Go compassing my bed about With two servants in his company When he unto me died appear I thought he had been some advocate His hood was furred with menyvere His gown of the same like his estate He me beheld without any debate And said his name was deceit full sly Of whom cometh many a mortal fate His little varlet was named usury Falsehood was his servants name So knew I by his false visage The master cared no thing for shame Yet was he a comely parsonage He me so flattering by his language Set him down there by my cheek I marveled what was his usage Than thus unto me he began to speak usury falsehood deeeyte SAy my friend whereon dost thou 〈…〉 Thou dost thyself destroy which thought All thy wit thou dost abuse Thou studiest sore and all for nought Reason hath the in her bonds caught But let her go by my counsel Than of richesse that thou hast sought By my help thou shalt not fail Wisdom hath the advertised To put the in reasons subjection A straw man let her be despised And yield the under my protection Who loveth reason lacketh discretion Thou always seest a man reasonable That feareth god justice and punition Hath never aught this is veritable Reason that fool doth the counsel To live always virtuously Thou shalt have hunger for thy travail She biddeth the always labour busily But by my craft I all suddenly Make him this day poor rich to morrow Therefore reason see thou defy Let her and all hers go with sorrow Reason with little is well content She setteth no thing by excess For to labour she is ever diligent Without gathering of great richesse But I exalt men unto noblesse suddenly by my art subtile If any would do me falseness I take him lightly in his own wile But while that thou ensuest reason Thou shalt never come to dignity But poor and simple in every season As a bond man had in captivity Out of all manner hope liberty Oppressed shalt thou be over all Every day well mayst thou see That the great doth the small Leave therefore reason by my counsel If thou wilt have richesse lightly And if that any do the assail By my craft I shall blear their eye If that thou do intend to me Thou shalt find that thou hast sought I shall be at thy will ready And while I live thou shalt lack nought If that thou wilt come to thine ease And have gold at thy pleasure Thy neighbour see that thou disease With iniwaye/ damage/ force/ and rigour Let me deceit be as thy governor Or else my servant usury From one to other go every hour With a glozing language of flattery Let thy tongue be as a knife With every man therewith to rage And where thou wouldest have no strife Show thyself discrete and sage specially where as is 〈◊〉 Speke fair till thou have thy prey But yet let not to do damage To every man while that thou may Govern the ever with disception Care not for them that are in pain At poor folk have thou deryson To get good do the not refrain For to deceive men set thy brain In their presence show them good cheer But of their hurt see thou be fain In their absence in each manner Speke fair with falsehood among Show thyself meek and treatable Take money by right and wrong Make the rich man miserable Gather together tychesse arable Fere neither god ne the devil of hell Of thy words be thou not stable To rich envious to poor cruel pay nought in plead/ nor in process Lene no thing but unto usure see that thou the poor oppress Take their heritage and nouriture Spare no thing the to perjure And if that any do the reprove By swearing fast thyself assure From his good him to remove Thou shalt have richesse at the last To live in great prosperity If thou speak fair and borrow fast Feigning thyself in charity For now a days in troth and verity No man of the will have count Without clothing of authority Like a knight or a viscount Keep thy terms like thine estate With ermyne or sables fur thy gown If any man have envy therate By thy craft turn him up set down Thus mayst thou increase thy renown And if any come with the to speak Let thy man say thou art not in the town That he may come often the to seek Let him return the to inquire Be not ashamed for to lie And what thing that thou dost desire Be it good or bad do it lightly Take no heed to well nor truly So it be done take thou no thought And I shall help the ever busily So that at need thou shalt lack nought To him that is courteous and lowly Every man dare agaynsaye But to one rich gay and hasty Scant is one that dare say nay They will him fere list that he fray Therefore each man will him forbear Fayne felony on them to lay And than shall every man the fere What ever thou dost work by whle Fill thy stomach full of falseness From the reason do thou exile Of her nought cometh but distress Refuse faith take thou falseness For such is the world in this season As thou mayst see by evidence express They are all poor that follow reason See thou be ready aye to take Without giving aught again Thy promise swearing see thou forsake Thus mayst thou have richesse sudden Let thy tongue follow the common train Of adulation covered with eloquence Thus shall every man be fain Unto the for to do reverence If there come to the any mischance Care not it shall do the no grief Thou shalt have for thy sustenance Me and my men the to relief We shall defend the fro mischief And under the umbre of verity Though he be never so falls a thief We shall overcome him by our subtlety Look what it is for to have policy With craft subtlety and practic By which means he that worketh sly Casteth his encmye lightly in the dyke True wisdom see thou exile Which causeth thought and heaviness Muse always men to beguile Let not to make fair promesses Every day here twenty masses But have at none of them devotion And space thou not to take excesses Of theft/ falshhode/ and extortion believe me for thine advantage And refuse thou reason utterly Falsehood my friend shall be thy page Exalting the to richesse mightily When thou art in such case truly Every man shall do the honour And if that any do to the villainy See thou him tame by thy rigour While that reason on the doth rain Thou shalt never come to worthiness But ever of poverty complain Avoid of mirth full of sadness Thou shalt not need to count express Crowns/ nobles/ nor royals Thou shalt be void of all richesse And of degrees temporals Thou hast herd what I have the told This is my mind and my counsel Wherefore on me see thou be bold And do here after for thine avail Thus mayst thou come without travail To richesse so thou autoyde reason If thou thus do without fail No more will I say at this season The author. ¶ When this falls catyf had thus said I was abstract near fro my mind His words made me sore afraid That I unstable was as the wind About me succour could I none find For fere I quaked/ cold were my feet I had in me as good a mind As hath a goose upon a spete That which reason died me counsel Was good wholesome and reasonable deceit contrary died me assail Showing me crafts dysceyvable Thus was my mind as variable As a fane stronding in the wind In no purpose farm nor stable As now a days we may find As I thus lay troubled full sore Wisdom returned to me again More prudent than he was before Which with his language discrete & plain exhorted me for to refrain Me fro that thief deception And than reason should me maintain And thus said he in conclusion ¶ Wisdom. wisdom. DOst thou trust falsehood or deceit A poor man they will the diffame They love but discord and debate They praise the ill & good doth blame And they principally are the same Which bringeth man to the pit of hell Trust in reason most noble of fame Which no thing doth but that is well That man is mad that leaveth reason Unto deceit for to be leaning He that so doth after in brief season Against himself is murmuring Therefore be thou the withdrawing For of him venom doth descend Live after reason above all thnge For who well liveth well doth end How many daily dost thou see That leaving reason themself assure In falsehood having great dignity From poor men taking their pasture In this extortion they long endure By falsehood getting good mundayne But when that known is their nature They he made poor by chance sudden We have oft seen great winds blow And with a little rain overcome So many men be brought full low Before exalted by false custom Some rayed in scarlet/ and other some Arrayed in gold/ tissue/ and velvet The one after unto the sword become The other trained unto the gibbet If that they had trusted in reason leaving falsehood that dysceyvour They should not have had such confusion But still have lived in their honour Reason that lady of great valour Doth nought that is to reprove But deceit that falls traitor His chief subgertes doth mischief Sith that richesse is so variable Wherefore take we therefore such pain considering our life so unstable From death we can us not refrain The day and hour is uncertain Therefore let us live scarcely For this is a thing most certain That first or last we must needs die deceit in his first beginning To each man well enough doth sound But an evil death is his ending His scholars thus doth he confound But him that in richesse doth abound By reason gotten each man doth praise In deceit such end is found That every man doth it dispraise By reason well mayst thou obtain richesse mundayne sufficiently Who that hath none bideth in pain And oft is entreated uncourteously Who hath not money and that largely Were he as holy as was saint paul Where ever he goth continually He shall be taken but for a fool Who that by reason doth good purchase He liveth therewith right merely To his pleasure with great solace But if that any through envy Would do him wrong or injury He must to god call for succour And than shall he full hastily Him aid and help at every hour Thus in my bed sore troubled laid Half relieved was my courage I took good heed to that he said For he was wise discrete and sage And thinking it for mine advantage submitted me to the grace divine I know deceit by his outrage Would me have brought unto ruin So purposed I fully to take The counsel of my lady reason And deceit utterly forsake With his falsehood and abusion Than being of this opinion Reason died unto me appear With her face bright as the son Arrayed in a rich manner This lady was right gracious Pleasant courteous and amiable On me looking with cheer joyous With a salutation right honourable For this falls caitiff miserable deceit with his servants two For all their cheer abominable At her coming died fro me go Reason. Reason I Am glad of the perfit victory Which thou hast obtained this night It shall be to the right meritory In the high throne that is so light Wisdom with his noble might Hath been for the a good solycytour But sith thou hast agreed to the right Now shalt thou be my servitor I give the in commandment For to serve me farm and faithfully Haunt company wise and prudent So shalt thou have riches largely I know that man's mind truly By temptation full oft doth vary What I command do thou gladly And to me reason be not contrary What man that I do sustain I make clean from all manner vice But he that falsehood doth maintain Hateth concord/ peas/ and justice God will that thou leave malice And usury in principal Which thou must do if thou be wise With perfit will and cordial I keep men in their franchise I make the feeble strong and able deceit to ill men doth atyse And doth nought that is profitable Be therefore constant/ firm/ and stable Endue thy heart with fort and virtue So shalt thou deceit full miserable By godly wisdom strongly subdue Good name is better than richesse The grace of god is full excellent Trust not in the fair promise Of deceit/ ne his terms eloquent Behave thyself wise and prudent Be ruled by grace and patience Both day and night be diligent To get the treasure of sapience And if that god give the wisdom Be not thereof proud nor glorious But more simple see thou become Thanking him with cheer piteous Let thy mind be ever virtuous submitting the to thy creator Which is so meek and gracious That he will be thy governor With each man be in charity Beginning at thyself first of all Let all thy deeds sound unto equity To poor men be thou liberal Men wise and virtuous to the call Which shall the keep from all damage Avoid flatterers from thy hall The to deceive is their usage With me abideth none malicious Tyrant traitor nor coward But noble people wise and virtuous And peace as chief beareth the standard Who casteth on me his regard Shall surely scape both hole and sound Who in deceit hath his forward When he most trusteth is brought to ground If that by fortune thou have adversity Without noise patiently endure God knoweth thy fragility From point to point I the ensure And if deceit on the procure Avoid the cause the time and place For without doubt I the ensure deceit stinketh in god's face Where as is pride mischief is buy Therefore of humility take comfort Falls flattery see thou defy And tend no thing to discomfort Beware falsehood and ill report Avoid robbery and all manner wrong If thou do as I the exhort In virtue shalt thou live full long Thou mayst get if thou follow me richesse mundane in suffisance Without falsehood or iniquity Or doing thy neighbour any grievance Thy good and ill in a balance Shall be weighed at the day extreme And than after thine ordinance The mighty judge shall the dame Therefore soon by me thou may Obtain goods mundane & eternal Live without thought in low array Without any pain corporal Of this richesse that is temporal Thou mayst with joy have here thy part And the high glory celestial When thy soul shall hens depart Behold what two great benefices I ordain for my servitor Where other filled with malices By falsehood lose all such honours Perjurers thieves and seductours Saturate with sin and ordure Live here in castles and in towers But their estate can not endure Robbery/ piking/ and cavillation Theft with falsehood doth govern That falls tyrant deception And leadeth him unto the tavern Falls usury doth discern Their arms with his terms blazing With pride of all vice lantern Unto their counsel is leaning such as they have but small conscience Wherefore see that thou them despise They refuse virtue/ cunning/ and science leaning to ryotte such is their guise Wherefore dear son I the advise Let not their power on the extend For if it do I the promise At tyburn will they make the end If falsehood through his wylynes' exalt a man unto honour And after if that his riches Be lost by some sudden shower They to whom ye died rigour Before will joy of his damage They will be ready at every hour To him to render his outrage One unto another will say Look where he lieth that was so rich His good ill gotten is now away And lo where he lieth in the dyche We thought that his end would be such He hath lived in wealth to long His scabbed skin lo now doth itch That he dare not come us among Thus mayst thou see it is profitable To live truly in this mortal life Getting richesse by means veritable Sith it ill gotten increaseth strife Who laboureth for richesse excessive weeneth to come unto high estate But at the last he abideth pensive And every good man doth him hate Leave therefore vice and love virtue If thou wilt live in liberty And than men knowing the good & true Will be glad of thy company But yet must thou have humility With patience & concord thy way to dress With faith/ troth/ and equity If thou wilt get heavenly richesse Be thou simple of countenance Speke fair with cheer amiable Beware deceit and fere his lance Be not of purpose variable It is a thing abominable unde an abide of faithfulness To have a false heart & reprovable Full of wrath/ ire/ and falseness Under the umbre of verity Many one useth false disception Using to speak right faithfully But falsehood is in their intention Then think other to deceive by treason But theirself deceived do they find But learn this son of me reason God knoweth every man's mind God knoweth plain and clearly Man's mind thought and courage For he by his grace ineffably Made him like to his own image shouldest thou not than do him homage Which hath the given so great a benefice Passing all other in advantage That is the realm of paradise And after when by disobedience Man was dampened to be in pain That high lord a lamb of innocence With his own blood brought him again This blessed lord had no disdain For to become a man mortal And suffer death with many a pain To make us free that erst were thrall This lord chief master of justice Shall keep his judgement final Than some that there be most of price Shall then be miserablest of all The poor and rich shall be equal Each man shall have like audience All mankind there in general Shall there abide this judges sentence The angels shall their trumpets blow Calling men to the judgement Than every man full well shall know How that he here his life hath spent With an high voice that lord omnipotent Shall call my servants with him to dwell The bad all pensive/ woe/ and dolent Perpetually shall be dampened to hell Now art thou so that thou mayst choose The hard way of salvation Or else if thou wilt that abuse Thou findest the way of perdition Do after me soon that am reason To avoid the fiends cruel bond And than that judge prince of discretion Shall the set on his right hand On the rain bow meek and propice On high shall sit that mighty lord Having on his one hand justice And on the other misericord With them shall be peace and concord And verity shall be there plain This judge with these at one accord Shall judge the lineage human God shall my servants unto him call With meek cheer and countenance Unto his high seat imperial But after another manner of chance He shall say words of great penance To falsehood servants which shall be dumb putting them to extreme utterance Ite maledicti in ignem eternum What shall their richesse than avail When they shall have but rightwiseness Each man shall have after his travail The good light and the ill darkness Some shall think it a day of sweetness But other some with cry and yell Shall think that day of bitterness descending down to the pit of hell Therefore friend to thyself take heed Renounce falsehood with all iniquity This day shall make the to have dread If thou it call to mind truly Who getteth richesse here falsely Of hell pains shall have his part And therefore hither come am I from this pain the to divert Therefore arise and do me homage With meek heart and intention Refusing falsehood with his outrage Making suck provision That thou mayst live by discretion Than shall I make the to possede A place in the heavenly region Lo all my servants hath such meed ¶ The author. Reason AFter that I heard my lady reason So wisely speak full of prudence I forsook deceit/ falsehood & treason Yielding me unto her magnificence I kneeled down in her presence Knowing it for mine advantage With meek jove and obedience Unto reason I made homage Holding my hands up to her grace With low cheer died I me present There showed I her all the case How that I my life had spent This noble lady wife and prudent Surely unto me died promise So I would make amendment To be my lady and mistress Than this lady approached neat Of all other most good and gracious With lowly countenance and cheer Of my health greatly desirous And to her servants never contrarious saying her near thus unto her said I most excellent lady most good & glorious To you will I me submit gladly Do ye with me what is your pleasure I am ever ready glad and diligent To do all thing that may you honour Never willing more to be negligent To such virtues/ or counsel prudent I defy falsehood with his subtleties To you obeying with hole intent Both in wealth and adversities Reason was glad in each degree When she heard me say in this wise Than as sister unto humility Out of her chair soon died she rise And kissing me she died promise Ever at my need for to be kind Than suddenly in a secret wise This lady entered in to my mind Thus while that reason was my guide I governed me well and wisely deceit and falsehood setting aside With wretchedness and usury To bide with reason purposed I As long as god lent me my life Being in this purpose died I espy Approach an old man and his wife When I them saw I was content They were so meek and gracious The man's name was evident Good will/ to none was contrarious The woman's good heart to none envious The which two had with them brought A young child/ pleasant/ good and virtuous In excellence passing my thought This child ever by good will stood Upon her hand to her leaning This was his name/ lust to do good As me thought unto my seeming These three together on me smiling Approached near and first of all Good heart began with this saying With meek countenance and liberal ¶ Good heart. good heart good will lust to do good SIth that reason resteth in the son I shall not from the depart The time & season now mayst thou see Which to the bringeth the ease of heart We shall fro the all yil divert putting in to thy subjection Thy wife & children hole & quart When age cometh the upon We three together shall the convey Unto a place full of all pleasance There shall we shift for to purvey To help the out of all grievance This place is of great chevisance gotten only by way of diligence The which place shall the advance To the high degree of excellence Follow us and we shall the bring In to the high way which is right spacious The which way hath at his ending A fair castle pleasant and sumptuous In which remaineth a treasure precious That is worldly goods full of noblesse This place is called that is so beauteous Labour/ wherein remaineth richesse Reason right often hath the told Of this castle which is so honourable Passing all castles a thousand fold And unto mankind most profitable But the way is so variable That none can come thither without us three But he must have some fortune miserable And be compelled again to i'll Therefore who thither doth him dress Not having us in his company Shall never truly have richesse His fortune is in great difficulty Many one cometh unto dignity By falsehood/ usury/ and rapine But at the rnde simple poverty Keepeth them fallen in to ruin Sith thou appliest to reason's doctrine I shall help the ever at thy need My wife shall unto the incline My sone shall help the for to speed Do after us and have no dread For we three shall to the be kind When thou hast laboured/ for thy meed If thou well do thou shalt well find Lust to do good is now ready Unto this place the to convey Therefore arise and come lightly And we shall well for the purvey Reason her servants helpeth always Which hath us hither unto the brought Rise up let us go without delay For after great rest oft cometh thought ¶ The author. ¶ I accorded unto them lightly Avoid of sloth and negligence With them thither to go gladly Unto this place chief of diligence Which of all honour hath pre-eminence Each man for to help at his need Than thought I for to recompense The time lost/ and thither to speed But I told them I knew no thing Of diligence/ nor yet of business Good heart said/ by our teaching Thou shalt know the way express Thou mayst both say & think doubtless While we three are thy conductors That thou art void of heaviness And sure of all worldly honours Awake and put the in apparel To much sleep hurteth man certain In this way must thou fore travail For reason so doth it ordain For what man that taketh pain On him with travail and abstinence To richesse needs must attain Therefore arise and go we hens Go soon thou must bestow thy time In other wise than thou hast done Let not to labour for no crime letting thy deeds ay sound to reason And as for me I me abandon With my husband on the to wait Unto this castle and noble mansion Wherein is richesse without deceit Who other beguileth himself deceiveth richesse ill gotten cometh to ill end Who in this castle falsehood conceiveth Shall not his power far extend But after death if thou wilt ascend Take me and travail to be thy guide Which in this castle shall the defend By our means in every tide. ¶ Lust to do good. ¶ Do my faders commandment If thou truly would have richesse And to my mother be diligent In that thou mayst with lowliness And I shall do my will and business Unto my power the to sustain Wherefore avoid thou slothfulness And us to follow take on the pain ¶ The author. good heart good will Lust to do good THus I having great delight To hear them speak so wisely leaped fro my bed without respite And made me ready hastily Good will went full readily To light a candle at mine instance Which as she went song so merely That her to here I had pleasance I took my clothes unto me necessary And made me ready at their instance Lust to do good full gladly To bear the candle had great pleasance. Than went they forth all in ordinance As folk replenished with meekness That to behold their countenance My heart was filled with gladness Lust to do good went alway Before bearing the candel●●yght Good ●yll went next in tayre array And than good heart I followed right soothly it was a pleasant sight To see together so meek a company I had not such sorrow all the night As I had than mirth and melody good heart good will business. THan entered we in to the way Of great pain called diligence Without resting I went alway There found I no resistance These three were ever in my presence For the way was unknown to me I hasted me under their defence That I might there the sooner be Thus went we forth a little while Of the way was I ignorant My three fellows died on me smile On me beholding with glad semblant Than saw I this castle fair & pleasant most rich/ strong and sumptuous When I it saw so resplendaunt soothly of heart I was full joyous Unto the gate when I was nigh I would have entered without safeguard But the porter resisted me Beholding me with cheer froward Of that castle he kept the guard His wife was ever in his presence thinkest thou to enter he said coward Not having our love nor our licence ¶ business. ¶ thinkest thou to enter without our leave In to this castle chief ground to richesse Nay nay thou must hens remove None entereth here but by meekness My wife Cure and I business Have such office in this castle To us obeyeth both more and less That hath intention therein to dwell By the fair path of diligence Thou art come hither as I believe Yet mayst thou not here have residence Without our love favour and leave Thou mayst not enter therefore remove For with the am I not content Avoid or else I shall the grieve His wife than said incontinent ¶ Cure. ¶ gentle husband hold him excused He will obey unto your commandment Let not his meekness be refused He will nought without your assent I know him wise/ discrete/ & prudent He will gladly do you homage So it will please you be content Of favour to grant him passage Command him what so ever ye please And he shall do it without fallacy He purposeth not you to displease But him submitteth unto your grace praying that he may have place In to this castle for to go He hath our favour to purchase Good heart and good will also ¶ The author. ¶ Than business as a man full kind Said/ sith thou hast such succour My favour ready shalt thou find The for to help at every hour To hear him speak I had pleasure Than said he/ sith thou hast reason Thou shalt not fail of great honour With wealth and richesse in brief season ¶ business. The castle of labour. cure business I That called am business Unto man richesse do procure My wife also in all distress Doth man of her help assure This place is called by droyture The excellent castle of labour If thou here be I the ensure Thou must be busy in every hour Sith thou art in our subjection Trust well thou shalt come to richesse For while in thy mind abideth reason By no mean cannest thou have skarsnesse I shall help the in all business In this castle to ensue the train The capitain thereof and the mistress Are called by name travail and pain Thou shalt in this place have moche ad. Man's good will for to deserve Thou shalt scant find the mean thereto The capitain is so ill to serve uneath his bidding canst thou observe Without it be well done and a pace But in goodness thou the still preserve Thou shalt be soon out of their grace Thus do I the afore advert Of the great pain that thou shalt find Lest that after it should grieve thy heart Therefore on wisdom set thy mind The capitain is somewhat unkind Which shall do to the great rigour Each thing turneth as the wind Within this castle of labour ¶ The author. ¶ All that shall do me none ill I shall assay them for to please I have found good heart and good will With lust to do good which shall me case I trust no man for to displease While I of them do take counsel I will not let for no disease To go in to this castle of travail cure. business THan business & cure brought me in to This castle/ ample/ and spacious Showing me men and women also Sore working and none ocyous Then to behold was a thing marvelous Both young and old of every faculty To labour was there none contrarious Each one would afore his fellow be They smote with hambers that were strong That to behold I had great wonder Such a noise was them among That it sounded like the thunder Some were above and some were under In their shirts labouring for heat Some died pieces break in sunder Some again them together beat To behold them I had delight saying them work so lustily That to labour I had appetite Cure and business that dydespye Which said unto me shortly That if I could labour well They would get me licence gladly In that castle for to dwell Than to them answered I certain That to labour I was content Than spoke they to the capitain requiring him for to assent He granted me a place present convenient for my degree There promised I for to be diligent So that in their favour I might be I set me down unto labour With business and perfit diligence trusting thereby to have honour Cure and business were not thence I was right glad of their presence For they taught me how I should do Unto them I gave audience And what they said I agreed thereto Than came the wife of the capitain Going here and there trotting They told me that her name was pain Each man's labour visiting Her hands and her forehead seating She tarried no more in any place Than doth a pursuyvaunt riding When he would purchase some grace Sometime in her smock running fast No thing tending to rest nor ease She ran still while her breath would last Not sparing for no disease She was diligent each man to please And me beheld approaching near She said sir porter ye me displease For bringing of this stranger here ¶ pain. Sir business that are porter Of this castle show me plain Who hath brought hither this stranger I saw him never afore certain Cometh he fro france or fro brytayne I must know his cause and his intent He must submit him unto my pain Or else in vain his time is spent ¶ business. ¶ My lady pain have ye no doubt For hither is he come truly With good heart and good will him about Which hither hath him borough busily Lust to do good is to him nigh Which is a child right honourable Ye shall find him to you ready Humble of heart and serviceable ¶ Cure. ¶ My husband and I love him right well We shall help him at every need Ye shall not need him ●●ght to tell Therefore my lady have ye no dread Even as he doth give him his meed And my husband shall be his borrow That in his labour he shall speed And neither spare for pain nor sorrow ¶ pain: pain Cure YE say both well and wisely I know not yet how he will prove For many one be soon weary Of labour when it doth them grieve But such soothly be to reprove But we shall soon see what labour He can do/ or that he remove To come to richesse and honour ¶ The author. ¶ Than pain to me approached near Bidding me labour diligently And that I should in each manner Do my business well and wisely Not sparing my body nor my bones And he that died not so truly Should avoid that place at ones I told her that I had desire To work fast without fain And for to follow her pleasyre So that she should not complain saying I trusted to obtain By my labour wealth and richesse And that I should my setfe constrain To be near Cure/ and business ¶ pain. ¶ That is answered by good moyen When travail my husband shall you see The which is feeble and auncyen Your work and labour shall he oversee Of him rewarded shall ye be After your work and your labour And in the mean time ye shall have me Always ready at your succour ¶ The author. ¶ Than began I to labour fast Employenge thereon pleasure & might Contynuenge while the night died last Than in the morning appeared light In at a window that was bright Than blewe I my candellout Labouring still with all my might As other that were me about Still to labour I died me cast By sufferance of the grace divine Unto the time of the breakfast Where we had neither ale ne wine They might not tarry for to dine So sure on labour was their purpose Till labour caused them to decline By pain constrained so up they rose They were all homely as companions Their labour gave them an appetyt real Some eat garlic/ some eat onions Such service was among them all Brown breed to them was cordial Witting it in the water clear drinking of the fountain clear as crystal They had no scorn of this manner There was neither beef ne mutton To eat when hunger died them assail Such is the manner in this season Some be rewarded ill their travail They wrought in peace and in battle Some eating and labouring both at ones Not sparing their body without fail As chief labourers for the nonce When that I saw their condition So prone to labour and business I set mine hole and farm intention By such labour to get richesse Than upon me came faintness That I had lust to refresh nature When they me saw in such distress I lacked no breed I you ensure I would be of their company And taking this breed with good will I thereof boat right merely Still working not thinking ill I had no scorn me for to fill With this breed but thereon boat And after with cheer meek and still With fair water I washed my throat I filled my belly fair and well With this fair breed made of rye drinking always at the well And yet still wrought I merely I was as well at ease truly As though I had had all deyntees In the world/ for certainly To moche is nought in all degrees Shortly to say I was as full As was convenient to nature For excess maketh the mind dull I report me to business and cure For often times man doth murmur When he is full of meet and wine To all vice prone I the ensure Excluding him from the grace divine When I was thus refreshed well I drew me to my work again Good heart and good will died me tell How I should do also certain Lust to do good died me maintain Thus drew I me unto business I spared neither travail nor pain Without falsehood to get richesse Cure business good heart good will lust to do good CVre and charge died me behold Commanding me to labour fast And told me surely that they would Reward me truly at the last So laboured I till the day was past And as I laboured song I merely Till hesperus clouds the day overcast And that the night approached nigh Than cure unbyden went a p●ce And lightly lighted a candle She set it by my working place And many new points to me died tell She said who bideth in this castle After the commandment of reason Must work unto the curfue knell considering the time and season At her bidding I wrought still fast Having therein delight and pleasure Till that the bell range at the last Which was a convenient hour Than hunger came with his rigour Which cruelty died me assail With that saw I come from a tour The capitain called travail travail Friend thou arte welcome unto this place For thy labour true and diligent Which hath brought the in to my grace Therefore shall I give the riches permanent So after that thy youth is spent I shall the promise and behest After thy labour incontinent Thou shalt come to the house of rest Thou shalt have rest at thy desire After thy pain and tribulation Thou shalt sit merely by the fire After that thy work is done There shalt thou find consolation After thy pain and thy travail Thus shalt thou find in conclusion After poverty rich apparel And therefore at one word shortly Now do as thou thinkest best For with good will the leave give I For to go home unto thy rest And thy prayer and thy request I travail shall unto the promise Go now thou shalt have my behest After labour/ that is richesse ¶ The author. ¶ Than took I leave of travail Going to rest full of gladness Than with high voice withouten fail I called the porter named business Than to the gates I died me dress The which were shit than had I doubt Yet showed I the porter such meekness Than he agreed to let me out business Cure. business and cure his wife Let me out at the gate meekly Always me warning for breed of strife On the mo●nynge to rise early My labour for to finish perfectly saying all that I had done was nought Without it were ended lightly Wherefore thereon set thy thought He said in the castle of richesse No man can have any audience While he sojourneth with idleness The capitain hath given that sentence But by the way of diligence One may right well obtain this place Here mayst thou see in thy presence By what hardness thou fell in grace In labour must thou have perseverance avoiding great test that is so dangerous Which bringeth wise men in to ignorance And to richesse is right contrarious Avoid sloth which is so odious That of him cometh nought but poverty Above all to falsehood be contrarious Despising his goods full of iniquity If thou him love son I ensure the Of my word mayst thou be certain That thou offendest the deite Of our lord and deservest pain Eternal/ therefore the refrain from this falsehood in each degree And if that sloth upon the fain As poor as job was shalt thou be Without rest no man may live For it is according to travail But if in richesse if thou wysten prove Rest not to much by my counsel Remember this lesson see thou not fail And to the intent thou forsake not this law Not it forgetting/ for thine avail By thine ear I shall the draw ¶ Cure. My friend one can not aye endure For to labour to his advantage Therefore see thou thyself assure To labour fast in thy young age Infyre thy mind and thy courage On reason and thou shalt have richesse By idleness thou dost outrage Both to the and all thy doubtless ¶ The author. ¶ Than drew she mine ere again As cure had done before doubtless And than vanished away certain leaving me there full of faintness proceeding of my labour and business Thus saying them gone I thought it best To refresh nature without excess And so drew me to the house of rest I saw rest which died me abide Within his house withouten blame And my wife on the other side Dressed my souper without diffame There rested I in god's name Famylyarly not as a stranger Thanking god of immortal fame That I escaped was that danger The house of rest Unto the table I went that tide Intending to soup without outrage My wife sat on the other side After my custom and old usage There had we breed wine & pottage And of flesh a small ꝓytaunce Without to any hurt or damage We souped together at our pleasance My wife voided the table clean And unto me approached near Than on my shoulder died she lean After her custom and manner There told I her of the danger Which I was in the night before How that she slept with merry cheer The while that I was troubled sore I told her that in all my life I had not so great perversity Now in pleasure and now in strife tormented fiercely felt I me For falls Nede/ and necessity With poverty/ & her fellow distress Thought and heaviness with cruelty Say on my bed me to oppress discomfort and Dysesperaunce Say upon me with their treason Ready to bring me to mischance Or in the way of perdition That had not been my lady reason Which me informed to mine advantage They had brought me unto confusion Or done to me some great outrage Wisdom died greatly me profit For I haunted his company Which by his means made me quite Of falsehood/ deceit/ and usury Which three by their policy Had me near brought to confusion But after again comfort had I Of that wise lady called reason To whom I have made homage For the of her own benevolence Hath given me at brief language Good heart and good will for my defence Which have a child ay in my presence Lust to do good named is he. Ready to help me in all indigence Out of pain and perversity We went unto the castle of labour Where was many an artificer Cure stood at the gate that hour business her husband was porter They received me with good cheer Travail was their capitain His wife's name was called pain There wrought I all day & night certain With fire will and glad pleasance To morrow must I return again To this castle of fair ordinance There found I but small pytaunce But every man after his degree After his labour had his fe And therefore my well-beloved wife Consider the pain and the travail Which while ye slept without strife Right cruelly died me assail But now am I well without fail Sith I have escaped this danger And in your presence may appear My wife thereof cared no thing But leughe me to derision She scorned me and my talking For were it winning or perdition It was to her all one conclusion For so she were served at her desire She cared not if I lay in the mire She called me fool and cared nought And was near ready with me to fight She swore by god that her deer bought She would make me remember that night Therefore I went to bed even right For the there footed stole fore feared I To that with a woman it is but folly A man should take no heed at all To what somever a woman say Of her tongue she is liberal It is no wisdom her to denay In peace may he be by no way That would still a woman/ it is contrary She is a public and common secretary Who ever he be that hath a wife Had need for to have paryence Or else must he live always in stryse Though she be bound to obedience Yet doth she after her own sentence I dare no more say for dread of blame That man is happy that one can tame On this point I made we ready And so went to my bed full right Where I slept still and merely Cyll four of the clock after midnight Than up I rose by the candle light Thinking on cure and business And to my work soon bide I me dress Ay praying god by his ordinance That if I may not obtain richesse That I may purchase suffisance Which is my lady and my maysteresse To inform me to live in simpleness So that after this lice mortal I may rejoice the realm eternal ¶ Actoris excusatio. GO forth small treatise & humbly the present Unto the readers as indign of audience exhorting them with meek and low intent To this rude language to give none advertence For many one hath perfit diligence Which by no mean his mind can express The cause thereof is lack of eloquence Which now is caduke by mean of slothfulness The young child is not all perfit To renew when he can neither creep nor go But when he beginneth he hath great delight In his new science/ wherefore he hath great woe Enduring falls with many pains more Thus such pain so long doth he endure And to himself he intendeth so That of his feet he is perfit and sure So certainly in such case am I Somewhat assaying if I can ensue The steps of them the which craftily All vice of writing utterly eschew But ignorance right oft doth me subdue And often I fall for lack of exercise This rude language so on me both renew That I again uneaths may arise The cause why I follow not these orators Is for lack of intelligence And that I have not smelled of the flowers springing in the garden of perfit eloquence Wherefore with humble and meek obedience I submit me to the correction Of them whom Minerva with her science Hath endued this is my conclusion ¶ Thus endeth the castle of labour wherein is richesse/ virtue/ & honour. imprinted at London in Fleetstreet in the sign of the son. by Wynkyn de word. Anno dni. M. CCCCC.vi.