A play of love, ¶ A new and a merry interlude concerning pleasure and pain in love, made by John Heywood. , ', The player's names., ', A man a lover not beloved. A woman beloved not loving. A man a lover and beloved. The vyse neither lover nor beloved. SAM. PEPYS. CAR. ET. LAC. ANGL. REGIB. A. SECRETIS. ADMIRALIAE Mens cujusque is est Quisque The lover not beloved. LO sir, who so that looketh here for courtesy And sith me seem as one pretending none But as unthought upon thus suddenly Approacheth the mids among you every eachone And of you all saith nought to any one. May think me rued perceiving of what sort ye seem to be, and of what stately port. But I beseech you in most humble wise To omit displeasure and pardon me My manner is to muse and to devise So that some time myself may carry me Myself knoweth not where, and I azure ye So hath myself done now, for our lord wots where I am, or what ye be, I know not. Or whence I came, or whither I shall All this in manner as unknown to me But even as fortune guideth my foot to fale So wander I, yet where so ever I be And whom or how many so ever I see As one person to me is every eachone So every place to me but as one And for that one person every place seek I which one once found I find of all the rest Not one missing, and in the contrary That one absent, though that there were here priest All the creatures living most and lest yet lacking her I should and ever shall Be as alone sins she to me is all And alone is she without comparison concerning the gifts gyvyn by nature In favour fairness and port as of person No life beareth the like of that creature Nor no tongue can attain to put in ure Her to describe, for how can words express That thing the full whereof no thought can ges. And as it is thing inestimable To make report of her beauty fully So is my love to ward her unable To be reported as who saith rightly For my soole service and love to that lady Is given under such abundant fashion That no tongue thereof can make right relashyon. wherein I suppose this well supposed Unto you all, that sins she perceiving As much of my love as can be disclosed even of very right in recompensing She ought for my love again to be loving For what more right to grant when love love requireth Then love for love, when love nought else desireth But even as far wurs as otherwise then so Stand I in case in manner desperate No time can time my sewt to ease my woe Before none to early and all times else to late Thus time out of time mystymeth my rate For time to bring time to hope of any grace That time tymyth no time in any time or place. whereby till time have time so far extinc That death may determine my life thus deadly No time can I rest alas I am so lyncte To griefs both so great and also many That by the same I say and will veryfy Of all pains the most incomparable pain Is to be a lover not loved again. The woman beloved not loving entereth. beloved not loving. Sir as touching those words of comparison which ye have said and would seem to verify If it may please you to stand thereupon Hearing and answering me patiently I doubt not by the same incontinently yourself to see by words that shall ensue The contrary of your words verified for true. Lover not loved Fair lady pleaseth it you to repayrenere And in this cause to show cause reasonable whereby cause of reformation may appear Of reason I must and willbe reformable loved not loving well sins ye pretend to be confirmable To reason, in avoiding circumstance briefly by reason I shall the truth advance. ye be a lover no whit loved again And I am loved of whom I love nothing Then standeth our question between these twain Of loving not loved, or loved not loving which is the case most painful in suffering whereto I say that the most pain doth move To those beloved of whom they can not love Lover not loved. Those words approved lo, might make a change Of mine opinion/ but verily The case as ye put it I think more strange Than true, for though the beloved party Can not love again, yet possibly Can I not think, nor I think never shall That to be loved can be any pain at all. beloved not loving. That reason perceived and received for troth From proper comparison should clear confound me Between pain & no pain, no such comparison growth Then or I can on comparison ground me To prove my case painful ye have first bound me To which sins ye drive me by your denial Mark what ensueth before further trial. I say I am loved of a certain man whom for no sewt I can favour again And that have I told him sins his sewt began A thousand times but every time in vain For never seizeth his tongue to complain And ever one tale which I never can flee For ever in manner where I am is he. Now if you to here one thing every where Contrary to your appetite should be led were it but a mouse lo should peep in your ere Or always to harp on a crust of bred How could you like such harping at your head Loving not loved. Somewhat displeasant it were I not deny loved not loving. Then somewhat painful as well said say I displeasure and pain be things jointly annexed For as it is displeasant in pain to be So it is painful in displeasure to be vexed Thus by displeasure in pain ye confess me whereby sins ye part of my pain do see In my further pain I shall now declare That pain by which with your pain I compare. Small were the quantity of my painful smart if his jangling pierced no further than mine ears But through mine ears directly to mine heart percyth his words even like as many spears By which I have spent so many and such tears That were they all red as they be all white The blood of my heart had be gone or this quite And almost in case as though it were gone Am I except his sewt take end shortly For it doth like me even like as one Should offer me service most humbly with an axe in his hand, continually beseeching me gently that this might be sped To grant him my good will to strike of my head I allege for general this one similitude Avoiding rehersale of pains particular To abreveate the time and to exclude Surplusage of words in this our matter By which ensample if ye consider rightly my case at lest wise ye may see My pain as painful as your pain can be. And yet for shorter end put case that your pain were oft times more sharp and sore in degree Than mine is at any time yet will I prove plain My pain at length sufficient to match ye which proof to be true yourself shall agree if your affection in that I shall resyght May suffer your reason to understand right you stand in pleasure having your love in sight And in her absens hope of sight again keepeth most times possession of some delight Thus have you oft times some way ease of pain And I never no way for when I do remain In his presence, in deadly pain I solorne And absent, half did in fear of his return sins presence nor absens absenteth my pain But always the same to me is present And that by presence and hope of presence again There doth appear much of your time spent Out of pain, me think this consequent That my pain may well by mean of the length Compare with your shorter pain of more strength Lover not loved. master if your long pain be no stronger Than is your long reason against my short pain ye lack no lycklyhod to live much longer Than he that would strike of your head so fain yet lest ye would note me your words to disdain I am content to agree for a season To grant and enlarge your latter reason Amytte by her presens' half my time pleasant And all your time as painful as in case can be yet your pain to be most, reason will not grant And for ensample I put case that ye Stood in cold water all a day to the knee And I half the same day to mid leg in the fire would ye change places with me for the drier Loved not loving. Nay that would I not be ye assured Lover not loved. Forsooth and my pain above yours is as ill As fire above water thus to be endewred Came my pain but at times and yours continue still yet should mine many ways to whom can skill Show yours, in comparysen between the twain scantly able for a shadow to my pain Felt ye but one pang such as I feel many One pang of despair, or one pang of desire One pang of one displeasant look of her eye One pang of one word of her mouth as in ire Or in restraint of her love which I require One pang of all these felt once in all your life Should quail your opinion and quench all our strife which pangs I say admitted short as ye list And all my time beside pleasant as ye please yet could not the shortness the sharpness so resist The piercing of my heart in the lest of all these Burr much it overmatheth all your disease For no whit in effect is your case displeasant But to deny a thing which ye list not to grant Or to here a sewter by daily petition In humble manner as wit can devise Require a thing so standing in condyshyon As no portion of all his enterprise without your consent can speed in any wise This sewt thus attempted never so long Doubt ye no death till your pain be more strong Now sins in this matter between us disputed Mine admittance of your words notwithstanding I have thus fully your part confuted what can ye say now I come to denying your principle, granted in my foresayeng which was this, by the presence of my lady I granted you half my time spent pleasantly Although mine affection leadeth me to consent That her seld presence is my relief only yet as in reason appeareth all my torment Bred by her presence and mark this cause why Before I saw her I felt no malydy And sins I saw her I never was fire From twain the greatest pains that in love be Desire is the first upon my first sight And despair the next upon my first sewt For upon her first answer hope was put to flight And never came sins in place to dyspewt How bringeth then her presence to me any frewt For hopeless and helpless in flames of desire And drops of despair I smolder in fire These twain being endless sins they began And both by the presence of her wholly Begun and continued, I wonder if ye can Speke any word more, but yield ymmedyately For had I no more pains but these, yet clearly A thousand times more is my grief in these twain Then yours in all the case by which ye complain Loved not loving. That is as ye say but not as I suppose Nor as the truth is, which yourself might see By reasons that I could and would disclose Saving that I see such partiality On your part, that we shall never agree Unless ye will admit some man indifferent indifferently to hear us, and so give judgement. Lover not loved. Agred, For though the knowledge of all my pain Ease my pain no whit yet shall it declare Great cause of abashment in you to complain In counterfeit pains with my pain to compare But here is no judge meet, we must seek else where loved not loving. I hold me content the same to condescend Please it you to set forth and I shall attend. Here they go both out and the lover beloved entereth with a song. Lover beloved. By comen experience who can deny Inpossibylyte for man to show His inward intent, but by signs outwardly As writing, speech, or countenance, whereby doth grow Outward perceiving inwardly to know Of every secrecy in man's breast wrought From man unto man the effect of each thought These things well weighed in many things show need In our outward signs to show us so that plain According to our thoughts/ words and signs proceed For in outward signs where men are seen to fain what credence in man to man may remain Man's inward mind with outward signs to fable May soon be more comen than commendable. Much are we lovers then to be commended For love his appearance dissembleth in no wise But as the heart feeleth like signs always pretended who fain in appearance are loves mortal enemies As in despair of speed who that can mirth devise Or having grant of grace can show them as morners Such be no lovers but even very skorners. The true lovers heart that can not obtain Is so tormented that all the body Is evermore so compelled to complain That sooner may the sufferer hide the fury Of a fervent fever, then of that malady By any power human he possible may Hide the lest pain of a thousand I dare say. And he who in loving hath lot to such luck. That love for love of his love be found shallbe of power even as easily to pluck The moan in a momet with a finger to ground As of his joy to enclose the rebound But that the reflection thereof from his heart To his beholders shall shine in each part Thus be a lover in joy or in care All though will and wit his estate would hide yet shall his semblance as a dyale declare How the clock goeth which may be well applied In abrygement of circumstance for a guyed To lead you in few words by my behaviour To know me in grace of my ladies favour. For being a lover as I am in deed And thereto disposed thus pleasantly Is a plain appearance of my such speed As I in love cold wish and undoubtedly My love is requited so lovingly That in every thing that may delight my mind. My wit can not wish it so well as I find which thing at full considered, I suppose That all the whole world must agree in one voice I being beloved as I now disclose Of one being chief of all the hole choice Must have incomparable cause to rejoice For the highest pleasure that man may obtain Is to be a lover beloved again Nother lover nor loved entereth No lover nor loved. Now god you good even master woodcock Lover loved. Cometh of rudeness or lewdness that mock No lover nor loved. Come whereof it shall ye come of such stock That god you good even master woodcock. Lover loved. This lozel by like hath lost his wit No lover nor loved. Nay nay master woodcock not a whit I have known you for a woodcock or this Or else like a woodcock I take you amiss But though for a woodcock ye deny the same yet shall your wit witness you meet for that name. Lover loved. How so? No lover nor loved. Thus lo. I do perceive by your formare process. That ye be a lover whereto ye confess yourself beloved in as loving wise As by wit and will ye can wish to devise concluding therein determinately That of all pleasure's pleasant to the body The highest pleasure that man may obtain Is to be a lover beloved again In which conclusion before all this flock I shall prove you plain as wise as a woodcock Lover loved. And me think this woodcock is turned on thy side Contrary to curtsy and reason to use Thus rudely to rail or any word be tried In proof of thy part, whereby I do refuse To answer the same, thou canst not excuse Thy folly in this, but if thou wilt say aught Assay to say better for this seeing is nought No lover nor loved. well sins it is so that ye be discontent To be called fool or further matter be spent will ye give me leave to call ye fool anon when yourself perceiveth that I have proved you one. Lover loved. ye by my soul and will take it in good worth No lover nor loved. Now by my father's soul then will we even forth That part rehearsed of your seeing or this Of all our debate the only cause is For where ye afore have fastly affirmed That such as be lovers again beloved Stand in most pleasure that to man may move That tale to be false truth shall truly prove Lover loved. what folk above those live more pleasantly No lover nor loved. what folk marry even such folk as am I Lover loved. Being no lover what man may ye be No lover nor loved. No lover no by god I warrant ye I am no lover in such manner meant As doth appear in this purpose present For as touchyug women go where I shall I am at one point with women all. The smoothest the smirkest the smallest Thetrewest/ the trymest/ the tallest/ The wisest/ the wylyest/ the wildest/ The merriest/ the manerlyest/ the mildest/ The strangest/ the straightest/ the strongest/ The lustiest/ the lest/ or the longest/ The rashest/ the ruddyest/ the roundest/ The sagest/ the salowest/ the soundest/ The coyest/ the cursedest/ the coldest/ The bysyest/ the brightest/ the boldest/ The thankfullest/ the thynest/ the thickest/ The sayntlyest/ the sewrest/ the sickest/ Take these with all the rest and of everichone So god be my help I love never one. Lover loved. Then I beseech the this one thing tell me How many women thinkest thou doth love the No lover nor loved. Sir as I be saved by aught I can prove I am beloved even like as I love Lover loved. Then as appeareth by those words rehearsed Thou art neither lover nor beloved No lover nor loved. Norther lover nor beloved that is even true Lover loved. sins that is true I marvel what can ensue For proof of thy part in that thou madest avaunt Of both our estates to prove thine most pleasant No lover nor loved. My part for most pleasant may soon be guessed By my continual quieted rest Lover loved. Being no lover who may quiet be? No lover nor loved. Nay being a lover what man is he That is quiet Lover loved. Marry I No lover nor loved. Marry ye lie Lover loved. what patience my friend ye are to hasty If ye will patiently mark what I shall say yourself shall perceive me in quiet always No lover nor loved. Say what thou will and I therein protest To believe no word thou sayest most nor lest Lover loved. Than we twain shall talk both in vain I see Except our matter awarded may be By judgement of some indifferent hearer No lover nor loved. Marry go thou and be an inquerer And if thou canst bring one any thing lyckly He shallbe admitted for my part quickly Lover loved. Now by the good god I grant to agree For be thou assured it scorneth me That thou shouldest compare in pleasure to be Like me, and surely I promise the One way or other I will find redress No lover nor loved. find the best and next way thy wit can ges And except your nobs for malous do need ye Make brief return a fellowship speed ye. The lover loved goth out. No lover nor loved. My marvel is no more than my care is small what knave this fool shall bring being not partial And yet be he false and afolyshe knave to So that it be not to much a do To bring a daw to here and speak right I force for no man the worth of a mite And sins my doubt is so small in good speed what should my study be more than my need Till time I perceive this woodcock coming My part hereof should pass even in mumming Saving for pastime sins I consider He being a lover and all his matter To depend on love and contrary I No lover, by which all such standing by As favour my part, may fear me to weak Against the loving of this lover to speyke I shall for your comfort declare such a story As shall perfectly plant in your memory That I have knowledge in lovers laws As deep as some dosyn of those doting daws which told all ye whose fancies stick near me Shall know it causeless in this case to fear me For though as I show I am no lover now Nor never have been yet shall I show you Now that I ones chanced to take in hand To fain myself a lover ye shall understand Toward such a sweating as by sweet sent savour I know not the like in fashion and favour And to begin At setting in first was her skin Whit smooth & thine And every vain So blewe seen plain Her golden hear To see her wear Her wearing gear Alas I fere To tell all to you I shall undo you Her eye so rolling Each heart controlling Her nose not long Nor stood not wrong Her finger typs So clean she clyps Her rosy lips Her cheeks gossyps So fair so ruddy It asketh study The hole to tell It did excel It was so made That even the shade At every glade would hearts invade The paps so small And round with all The waste not myckyll But it was tyckyll The thigh the knee As they should be But such a leg A lover would beg To set eye on But it is gone Then sight of the foot rift hearts to the rote And last of all scent katheryns wheel was never so round, as was her he'll Asawt her heart and who could win it As for her he'll no hold in it yet over that her beauty was so much In pleasant qualities her graces were such For dalyaunt pastance pass where she should No greater difference between lead and gold Then between the rest and her, and such a wit That no wight I ween might match her in it If she had not wit to set wise men to school Then shall my tale prove me a stark fool But in this matter to make you meet to ges ye shall understand that I with this master Fill late acquainted and for love no whit But for my pleasure to approve my wit Now I could love to this trycker dyssymble who in dyssymeling was perfit and nimble For where or when she list to give a mock She could and would do it beyond the nock wherein I thought that if I trysed her I should thereby like my wit the better And if she chanced to trip or trice me It should to learn wit a good lesson be Thus for my past time I did determine To mock or be mocked of this mocking vermin For which her presence I did first obtain And that obtained forth with fell we twain In great acquaintance and made as good cheer As we had been acquainted twenty year And I through fair flattering behaviour Seemed anon so deep in her favour That though the time then so far passed was That time required us asunder to pass yet could I no passport get of my sweating Till I was full wooed for the next days meeting For sewrauns whereof I must as she bade give her in gage best jewel I there had And after much mirth as our wits could devise we parted and I the next morn did arise In time not to timely such time as I could I allow no love where sleep is not aloud I was or I entered this journey vowed Decked very cleanly but not very proud But trim must I be, for slovenly lobers' Have ye wots well no place among lovers But I thus decked at all points point device At door were this trull was I was at a trice whereat I knocked her presence to win wherewith it was opened and I was let in And at my first coming my minion seemed Very merry, but anon she mysdemed That I was not merrily disposed And so might she think, for I disclosed No word nor look, but such as showed as sadly As I in deed inwardly thought madly And so must I show for lovers be in rate Sometimes merry but most times passionate In giving thanks to her of over night we set us down an heavy couple in sight And therewithal I fet a sigh such one As made the form shake which we both sat on whereupon she without more words spoken Fell in weeping as her heart should have broken And I in secret laughing so heartily That from mine eyes came water plenteously Anon I turned with look sadly that she My weeping as watery as hers might see which done these words anon to me she spoke Alas dear heart what wight might undertake To she we one so sad as you this morning Being so merry as you last evening I so far then the merrier for you And without desert thus far the sadder now. The self thing quoth I which made me then glad The self same is thing that maketh me now sad The love that I own you is origynale Ground of my late toy and present pain all And by this mean, love is evermore lad Between two angels one good and one bad Hope and dread which two be always at strife which one of them both with love shall rule most rife And hope that good angel first part of last night Draw dread that bad angel out of place quyght Hope swore I should straight have your love at ones And dread this bad angel swore blood and bones That if I won your love all in one hour I should lose it all again in three or four wherein this good angel hath lost the mastery And I by this bad angel won this agony And be ye sewer I stand now in such case That if I lack your continued grace In heaven/ hell/ or earth/ there is not that he Save only god that knoweth what shall come on me I love not in rate all the common flock I am no fainer nor I can not mock wherefore I beseech you that your reward May witness that ye do my truth regard Sir as touching mocking quoth she I am sewer ye be to wise to put that here in ure For neither give I cause why ye so should do Nor nought could ye win that way worth an old shoe For who so that mocketh shall surely stur This old proverb mockum moccabitur But as for you I think myself assured That very love hath you hither alewred For which quoth she let hope hop up again And vaynquysh dread so that it be in vain To dread or to doubt but I in every thing As cause giveth cause willbe your own darling Sweet heart quoth I after stormy cold smertes warm words i warm lovers bring lovers warm hearts And so have your words warmed my heart even now That dreadless and doubtless now must I love you Anon there was I love you and I love you Lovely we lovers love each other I love you and I for love love you My lovely loving loved brother Love me, love thee, love we, love he, love she, Depper love apparent in no twain can be duty over the ears in love and felt no ground Had not swimming holp in love I had been drowned But I swum by the shore the bauntage to keep To mock her in love seeming to swim more deep Thus contynull we day by day Till tim that 〈…〉 was passed away In all the which tya●● 〈…〉 she took That by no mean 〈…〉 ●● set one look Upon any 〈…〉 ● But straight way she set the ●y●●er in the eye And by that same aptness in jealousy I thought sewer she loved me perfectly And I to show myself in like loving Dyssimyled like cheer in all herlyke looking By this and other like things then in hand I gave her minks me thought above a thousand whereby I thought her own tale like a burr Stack to her own back mockum moccabitur And upon this I felt in devising To bring to end this idle dysgysing whereupon suddenly I stolen away And when I had ben absent half a day My heart mysgave me by god that bought me That if she mist me where I thought she sought me She 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 by love that she ought me wherein not love, 〈…〉 ught me That to 〈…〉 a●one I bethought me And so returned to ●●th 〈…〉 brought me To 〈…〉 and hard I knocked knock sofrequ●th ●n●●●o the fame unlocked An 〈…〉 who was never From this said 〈…〉 out about her ever Moths ●●●●th I 〈…〉 oth●●ydere darling dead match 〈…〉 by thine absenting And without ●● 〈…〉 ●●re to her she shut I standing without 〈…〉 of my wit In that this woman should die in my fault But ●●●● I could ●● t●●●●●y●●ne assault To he 〈…〉 I got about To see at the least way 〈…〉 laid out And there looking in 〈…〉 blessed mother I saw the 〈…〉 another And 〈…〉 me to scorn As 〈…〉 as 〈…〉 before The which when I 〈…〉 then rememb●yd The 〈…〉 words that another B rendered And also he 〈…〉 thing ●● he●ed in this to 〈…〉 love betokening Myself to see served thus ●●●tely To myself I laughed even heartily with myself considering to have had like speed If myself had been a lover in deed. But now to make some matter whereby I may take my leave of my love honestly Sweet heart quoth I ye take to much upon ye No more than becomes me know thou well quoth she But thou hast take to much upon the In taking that thou took in hand to mock me wherein from beginning I have seen the jet Like as a fool might have jetted in a net believing himself save of himself only To be perceived of no living body But well saw I thine intent at beginning was to bestow a mock on me at ending when thou laughedest dyssymuling a weeping hare Than I with weeping eyes played even the like part wherewith I brought in moccum moccabitur And yet thou being a long snouted cur Could no whit smell that all my meaning was To give mock for mock as now is come to pass which now thus passed if thy wit be handsome May defend the from mocks in time to come By clapping fast to thy snout every day Noctum moccabitur for a nosegay wherewith shestart up and shut her window to which done I had no more to say nor do But think myself or any man else a fool In mocks or wiles to set women to school But now to purpose wherefore I began All though I were made a fool by this woman Concerning mocking yet doth this tale approve That I am well seen in the art of love For I intending no love but to mock yet could no lover of all the hole flock Ctrcumstaunce of love disclose more nor better Than did I the substance being no greater And by this tale afore ye all may see All though a lover as well loved be As love can devise him for pleasant speed yet two displeasures telousy and dread Is mixed with love whereby love is a drink meet To give babes for worms for it drynkth bitter sweet And as for this babe our lover in whose head By a frantic worm his opinion is bred After one draft of this medsyn ministered In to his brain by my brain appointed Reason shall so temper his opinion That he shall see it not worth an onion And if he have any other thing to lay I have to convynse him every way And sins my part now doth thus well appear Be ye my partners now all of good cheer But silence every man upon a pain For master woodcock is now come again. The lover loved entereth Lover loved. The old seeing saith he that seeketh shall find which after long seeking true have I found But for such a finding myself to bind To such a seeking as I was now bound I would rather seek to less twenty pound how be it I have sought so far to my pain That at the last I have found and brought twain ¶ The lover not loved, and loved not loving entereth. No lover nor loved. Come they a horse back Lover loved. Nay they come a foot which thou might see here, but for this great mist No lover nor loved. By iys and yet see I thou blind bald cote That one of those twain might ride if he list Lover loved. How? No lover nor loved. Marry for he leadeth a nag on his his fist masters ye are welcome, and welcome ye be Loved not loving. Nay welcome be ye, for we were here before ye No lover nor loved. ye have been here before me before now And now I am here before you And now I am here behind ye And no we ye be here behind me And now we be here even both together And now be we welcome even both hither sins now ye find me here with curtsy I may Bid you welcome hither as I may say But setting this aside, let us set a brooch The matter wherefore ye hither approach wherein I have hope that ye both will be Good unto me, and especially ye For I have a mind that every good face Hath ever some pity of a poor man's case Being as mine is a matter so right That a fool may judge it right at first sight Lover not loved. Sir ye may well doubt how my wit will serve But my will from right shall never serve Loved not loving. Nor mine, and as ye sew for help to me Like sewt have I to sew for help to ye For as much need have I of help as you No lover nor loved. I think well that dear heart but tell me how Loved not loving. The case is this, ye twain seem in pleasure And we twain in pain which pain doth procure By comparison between him and me As great a conflict which of us twain be In greatest pain, as is between ye twain which of you twain in most pleasure doth remain wherein we somewhat have here debated And both to tell truth so greedily grated Upon affection each to our own side That in conclusion we must needs provide Some such as would and could be indifferent And we both to stand unto that judgement whereupon for lack of a judge in this place we sought many places and yet in this case No man could we meet that medyll will or can Till time that we met with this gentleman whom in like errand for like lack of aid was driven to desire our judgement he said Lover loved Forsooth it is so I promising plain They twain between us twain giving judgement plain we twain between them twain should judge right again No lover nor loved. That promise to perform I not disdain For touching right as I am a righteous man I will give you as much right as I can Loved not loving. Nothing but right desire I you among I willingly will neither give nor take wrong No lover nor loved. Nay in my conscience I think by this book your conscience will take nothing that cometh a croak For as in conscience what ever ye do ye nothing do but as ye would be done to O hope of good end, o Marry mother masters one of us may now help another But sir I pray you some matter declare whereby I may know in what grief ye are Lover not loved. I am a lover not loved which plain Is daily not doleful but my deadly pain No lover nor loved. A lover not loved have ye knit that knot Lover not loved. ye forsooth No lover nor loved. Forsooth ye be the more sot Now masters I heartily beseech ye Tell me what manner case your case may be Loved not loving. I am beloved not loving whereby I am not in pain but in tormentry No lover nor loved. Is this your tormentor god turn him to good Loved not loving. Nay there is another man one me as wood As this man on another woman is No lover nor loved. ye think them both mad and so do I by iys So mote I thrive but who that list to mark shall perceive here a pretty piece of work Let us fall somewhat in these parts to scaning Loving not loved, loved not loving Loved and loving, not loving nor loved will ye see these four parts well joined Loving not loved, and loved not loving Those parts can join in no manner reckoning Loving and loved, loved nor lover These parts in joining in likewise differ But in that ye love ye twain joined be And being not loved ye join with me And being no lover with me joineth she And being beloved with her join ye Had I a joiner with me joined jointly we joiners should join joint to joint quickly For first I would part these parts in flese And ones departed these parted peses part and part with part I would so partlyke part That each part should part with quiet heart Lover not loved. Sir sins it passeth your power that part to play Let pass, and let us partly now assay To bring some part of that purpose to end For which all parties yet in vain attend Loved not loving. I do desire the same and that we twain May first be hard that I may know my pain Lover loved. I grant for my part by faith of my body why where the devil is this whoreson noddy No lover nor loved. I never sit in justice but ever more I use to be shriven a little before And now sins that my confession is done I will departed and come take penance soon when conscience pricketh conscience must be searched by god In discharging of conscience or else gods forbade which maketh me meet when conscyens must come in place To be a judge in every comen case But who may like me his advancement avaunt Now am I a judge and never was sergeant which ye regard not much by aught that I see By any reverence that ye do to me Nay yet I praise women when great men go by They crouch to the ground look here how they lie They shall have a beck by saint Antony But alas good master I cry you mercy That you are unanswered but ye may see Though two tales at ones by two ears hard may be yet can not one mouth two tales at one's answer which maketh you tarry but in your matter sins ye by haste in having farthest home would first be sped of that for which ye come I grant as he granted your will to fulfil you twain to be hard first, begin when you will Lover not loved. As these twain us tweyn now grant first to break sins twain to be hard, at ones can not speak I now desire your grant, that I may open first tale which now is at point to be spoken which I crave no whit my part to advance But with the pith to avoid circumstance Loved not loving. Speke what and when so ever it please you Till reason will me, I will not disease you Lover not loved. Sirs other here is a very weak brain Or she hath if any a very weak pain For I put case that my love I her gave And that for my love, her love I did crave For which though I daily sew day by day what loss or pain to her if she say nay No lover nor loved. yes by saint Mary so the case may stand That some woman had liefer take in hand To ride on your errand on hundredth mile Then to say nay one Pater noster while Lover not loved. If ye on her part any pain define which is the more painful her pain or mine No lover nor loved. your pain is most if she say nay and take it But if that she say nay and forsake it Then is her pain a great way the greater Loved not loving. Sir ye allege this nay in this matter As though my denial my sewter to love where all or the most pain that to me doth move wherein the truth is a contrary plain For though to oft speaking one thing be a pain yet is that one word the full of my hoping To bring his hoping to despair at ending Thus is this nay which ye take my most grief Though it be painful yet my most relief But my most pain is all an other thing which though ye forget or hide by dyssymyling I partly showed you, but all I could nor can But masters to you with pain of this man That pain that I compare is partly this I am loved of one whom the truth is I can not love, and so it is with me That from him in manner I never can flee And every one word in sewt of his part nips through mine ears and rons through my heart His ghastful look so pale that uneath I Dare for mine ears cast toward him an eye And when I do that eye my thought presentyth Straight to my heart and thus my pain augmenteth One tale so oft alas and so importune His exclamations sometime on fortune Some time on himself some time upon me And for that thing that if my death should be Brought straight in place except I were content To grant the same, yet could I not assent And he seeing this yet seasyth not to crave what death could be worse than this life that I have Lover not loved. This tale to purpose purporteth no more But sight and hearing complaint of his sore Is only the grief that ye do sustain Alas tender heart sins ye die in pain This pain to perceive by sight and hearing How could you live to know our pain by feeling Mark well this question and answer as ye can A man that is hanged or that man's hangman which man of those twain suffereth most pain Loved not loving. He that is hanged No lover nor loved. By the mass it is so plain Lover not loved. well said for me, for I am the sufferer And ye the hangman understand as it were These cases vary in no manner a thing Saving this serves in this man's hanging commonly is done against the hangman's will And ye of delyghtfull will, your lover kill Loved not loving. Of delyghtfull will, nay that is not so As ye shall perfectly perceive or we go But of those at whose hanging have hangmen by How many have ye known hang willingly No lover nor loved. Nay never one in his life by'r lady Loved not loving. In this lo your case from our case doth vary For ye that love where love will take no place your own will is your own leader a plain case And not only uncompelled without alewre But fore against her will your sewt ye endewre Now sins your will to love did you procure And with that will, ye put that love in use And now that will, by wit seth love such pain As witty will would will love to refrain And ye by will that love in each condition To extinct, may be your own phesition Except ye be a fool or would make me one what seeing could set a good ground to sit on To make any man think your pain thus strong Making your own salve your own sore thus long Lover not loved. masters much part of this process purposed Is matter of truth truly disclosed My will without her will brought me in love which will without her will doth make me hove Upon her grace to see what grace will prove But where ye say my will may me remove As well from her love, as will brought me to it That is false my will can not will to do it My will as far therein out weyth my power As a sow of led out weyth a saforne flower Loved not loving. your will out weyth your power then where is your wit I marvel that ever ye will speak it Lover loved. Nay marvel ye masters thereat no whit For as far as this point may stretch in verdict I am clearly of this man's opinion No lover nor loved. And I contrary with this minion Lover loved. Then be we come to a demurrer in law No lover nor loved. Then be ye come from a woodcock to a daw And by god it is no small cunning brother For me to turn one wild fool to another Lover not loved. Nay masters I heartily pray you both banish contention till ye see how this goth I will repet and answer her tale forth with The pith for your part whereof pretendyth A proof for your pain to be more than mine In that my will not only did me incline To the same, but in the same by the same will I willingly will to continue still And as will brought me and keepeth in this bey when I will ye say, will will bring me away Concluding thereby that if my pain were As great as yours that I should surely bear As great and good will to flee my love thus meant As do ye your suitors presence to absent Loved not loving. This tale showeth my tale perceived every dell Lover not loved. Then for entry to answer it as well Answer this put case ye as deeply now, Did love your lover as he doth love you Should not that loving suppose ye redress That pain which lack of loving doth possess Loved not loving. yes Lover not loved. sins love given to him giveth yourself ease, than Except ye love pain, why love ye not this man Loved not loving. Love him nay as I said must I straight chose To love him or else my head here to lose I know well I could not my life to save with loving will grant him my love to have Lover not loved. I think ye speak truly for will will not be Forced in love wherefore the same to ye sins this is to you such difficulty why not a thing as difficult to me To will the let of love where will my love hath set As you to will to set love where will is your let Loved not loving. well said and put case it as hard now be For you to will to leave her, as for me To love him, yet have ye above me a mean To learn you at length to will to leave love clean which mean many thousands of lovers hath brought From right fervent loving to love right nought which long and oft approved mean is absens whereto when ye will ye may have lycens which I crave and wish and can not obtain For he will never my presence refrain Lover not loved. This is a medsyn like as ye would will me For thing to kewre me the thing that would kill me For presence of her, though I seld when may have Is fool the medsyn that my life doth save Her absens can I with as ill will will As I can will to let to love her still Thus is this will brought in insydently No aid in your purpose worth tail of a fly And as concerning our principal matter All that ye lay may be laid even a water I wonder that shame suffereth you to compare with my pain, sins ye are driven to declare That all your pain is but sight and hearing Of him that as I do dieth in pain feeling O pain upon pain what pains I sustain No craft of the devil can express all my pain In this body no limb/ joint/ senow/ nor vain/ But martreth each other, and this brain Chief enemy of all by the inventing Mine unsavoury sewte to her discontenting My speaking, my hearing, my looking, my thinking In sitting, in standing, in waking, or winking, what ever I do, or where ever I go My brain and mishap in all these do me woe As for my senses each one of all five wondereth as it can to feel itself a live And than hath love gotten all in one bed Himself and his servants to lodge in this head Vain hope, despair, dread, and audacity, Hast, waist, lust without liking or liberty diligence, humility, trust, and jealousy, Desire, patient sufferance, and constansy, These with other in this head like swarms of bees Sting in debating their contraryetees The venom whereof from this head distilleth Down to this breast and this heart it killeth All times in all places of this body By this distemperance thus dystempored am I Shevering in cold and yet in heat I die Drowned in moisture parched perchment dry No lover nor loved. Cold hot most dry all in all places at one's Mary sir this is an ague for the nonce But or we give judgement I must search to view whether this evidences be false or true Nay stand still your part shall prove never the wars Foe by saint savour here is a hot arse Let me feel your nose, nay fear not man be bold well though this arse be warm and this nose cold yet these twain by attorney brought in one place Are as he saith cold and hot both in like case O what pain drought is see how his dry lips Smake for more moister of his warm moist hyps' Breath out. these eyes are dull but this nose is quicker Here is most moister, your breath smelleth of lycker Loved not loving. well sins ye have opened in this tale telling The full of your pain for speed to ending I shall in few words such one question disclose As if your answer give cause to suppose The hole of the same to be answered at full we need no judgement for yield myself I will Put case this man loved a woman such one who were in his liking the thing alone And that his love to her were not so myckyll But her fancy toward him were as little And that she hid herself so day and night That seld time when he might come in her sight And then put case that one to you love did bear A woman that other so ugly were That each kiss of her mouth called you to gybbes fest Or that your fancy abhorred her so at lest That her presence were as sweet to suppose As one should present No lover nor loved. A torde to his nose Loved not loving. ye in good faith, whereto the case is this That her spytfull presence absent never is Of these two cases if chance should drive you To choose one, which would ye choose tell troth now what ye study No lover nor loved. Tarry ye be to greedy Men be not like women always ready Lover not loved. In good sooth to tell truth of these cases twain which case is the worst is to me uncertain Loved not loving. first case of these twain I put for your part And by the last case appeareth mine own smart If they proceed with this first case of ours Then is our matter undoubtedly yours And if judgement pass with this last case in fine Then is the matter asewredly mine sins by these cases our parts so do seem That which is most painful yourself can not dame. If ye now will all circumstance eschew Make this question in these cases our issue And the pain of these men to abrevyate Set all our other matter as frustrate Lover not loved. Agreed Loved not loving. Then further to abridge your pain sins this our issue appeareth thus plain As folk not doubting your consciens nor cunning we shall in the same let pass all reasoning yielding to your judgement the hole of my part Lover not loved. And I likewise my with will and good heart No lover nor loved So lo make you low curtsy to me now And straight I will make as low curtsy to you Nay stand ye near the upper end I pray ye For the neither end is good enough for me your cases which include your grief each whit Shall dwell in this head Lover loved. And in mine but yet Or that we herein our judgement publish I shall desire you that we twain may finish As far in our matter toward judgement As ye have done in yours to the intent That we our parts brought together thither May come to judgement fro thence to gythes No lover nor loved By'r lady sir and I desire the same Loved not loving. I would ye began Lover not loved. Begin then in god's name Lover loved. Shall I begin No lover nor loved. sins I look but for winning give me the end and take you the beginning Lover loved. who shall win the end, the end at end shall try For my part whereof now thus begin I I am as I said a beloved lover And he no lover nor beloved neither In which two cases he maketh his avaunt Of both our parts to prove his most pleasant But be ye assured by aught I yet see In his estate no manner pleasure can be No lover nor loved. yes two manner pleasures ye must needs confess first I have the pleasure of quietness And the second is I am contented Lover loved. That second pleasure now secondly invented To compare with pleasure by contentashyon Is a very second ymagynashyon No lover nor loved. Then show your wit for proof of this in hand Lover loved. Pleasure without contentation can not be But contentation without pleasure we see In things innumerable every day Of all which mark these which I shall now ley Putskie case that I for pleasure of some friend Or some thing which I longed to see at end would be content to ride three score mile this night And never would bait nor never alight I might be right well content to do this And yet in this doing no pleasure there is Moreover ye by patient sufferance May be contented with any mischance The loss of your child friend or any thing That in this world to you can be longing wherein ye contented never so well yet is your contentation pleasure no dell No lover nor loved. These two exsamples by aught that I see Be no thing the things that any thing touch me with death of my child my being contented Or pain with my friend willingly assented Is not contentation voluntary For that contentation cometh forcibly But my contentation standeth in such thing As I would first wish if it went by wishing Lover loved. Sir be ye contented even as ye tell yet your contentation can neither excel Nor be compared equal to mine estate For touching contentation I am in rate As highly contented to love as ye see As ye to forbear love can wish to be Had I no more to say in this argument But that I am as well as you content yet hath my part now good approbation To match with yours even by contentation But contentation is not all the thing That I for my love have in recompensing Above contentation pleasures feeling Have I so many, that no wight living Can by any wit or tongue the same report O the pleasant pleasures in our resort After my being from her any whither what pleasures have we in coming together Each tap on the ground toward me with her foot Doth bathe in delight my very heart rote Every twynke of her alluring eye reviveth my spirits even thorowoutly Each word of her mouth not a preparative But the right medicine of preservative we be so jocund and joyfully joined Her love for my love so currently coined That all pleasures earthly the truth to declare Are pleasures not able with ours to compare This mouth in manner receiveth no food Love is the feeding that doth this body good And this head despiseth all these eyes winking Longer than love doth keep this heart thinking To dream on my sweet heart, love is my feader Love is my lord, and love is my leader Of all mine affairs in thought, word, and deed, Love is the Christ's cross that must be my speed No lover nor loved. By this I perceive well ye make reckoning That love is a goodly and a good thing Lover loved. love good what ill in love canst thou make apere No lover nor loved. yes I shall prove this love at this time meant here In this man's case as ill as is the devil And in your case I shall prove love more evil what tormentry could all the devils in hell devise to his pain that he doth not tell what pain bringeth that body those devils in that head which myny sters always by love are led He frysyth in fire he drowneth in drought Each part of his body love hath brought about where each to help other should be diligent They martyr each other the man to torment without stint of rage his pains be so sore That no fiend may torment man in hell more And as in your case to prove that love is worse than the devil my meaning is this Love dystempereth him by torment in pain And love dystempereth you as far in joy plain your own confession declareth that ye Eat, drink, or sleep even as little as he And he that lacketh any one of those three Be it by joy or by pain clear ye see Death must be sequel how ever it be And thus are ye both brought by loves induccyon By pain or by joy to like point of destruction which point approveth love in this case passed Beyond the devil in tormentry to have a cast For I trow ye find not that the devil can find To torment man in hell by any pleasant mind whereby as I said I say of love still Of the deayll and love, love is the more ill And at beginning I may say to you If god had seen as much as I say now Love had been Lucyfer and doubt ye no whit But experience now hath taught god such wit That if ought come at lucifer other then good To whip souls on the breach love shallbe the blood And sewer he is one that can not live long For aged folk ye wots well can not be strong And an other thing his phisicyou doth ges That he is infect with the black iawndes Lover loved. No ferther than ye be infect with folly For in all these words no word can I espy Such as for your part any proof avoucheth No lover nor loved. For proof of my part, no but it toucheth The dysprofe of yours for where you alleged your part above mine to be compared By pleasures in which your displeasures are such That ye eat, drink, nor sleep, or at most not much In lack whereof my tale proveth plainly Each part of your pleasure a tormentry whereby your good love I have proved so evil That love is apparently worse than the devil And as touching my part there can arise No manner displeasures nor tormentryes In that I love not, nor am not loved I move no displeasures nor none to me moved But all displeasures of love fro me absent By absens whereof I quietly content Lover loved. Sir where ye said and think ye have said well That my joy, by love shall bring death in sequel In that by the same in manner I disdain Food and sleep, this proverb answereth you plain Look not on the meat, but look on the man Now look ye on me and say what ye can No lover nor loved Nay for a time love may puff up a thing But lacking food and sleep death is the ending Lover loved well sir till such time as death approve it This part of your tale may sleep every whit And where ye by absent displeasure would Match with my present pleasure ye seem more bold Than wise, for those twain be far different sewer No lover nor loved. Is not absens of displeasure a pleasure Lover loved. yes in like rate as a post is pleased which as by no mean it can be diseased By displeasure present so is it true That no pleasure present in it can ensue Pleasures or displeasures feeling sensibly A post ye know well can not feel possibly And as a post in this case I take you Concerning the effect of pleasure in hand now For any feeling ye in pleasure endure More than ye say ye feel in displeasure No lover nor loved. Sir though the effect of your pleasure present Be more pleasant than displeasure absent yet how compare ye with mine absent pain By present displeasures in which ye remain Lover loved. My present displeasures I know none such No lover nor loved. Know ye no pain by love little nor much Lover loved. No. No lover nor loved. Then shall I show such a thing in this purse As shortly shall show herein your part the worse Now I pray god the devil in hell blind me By the mass I have left my book behind me I beseech our lord I never go hens If I would not rather have spent forty pens But sins it is thus I must go fetch it I will not tarry, a sir the devil stretch it Lover loved. Farewell dawcock No lover nor loved. Farewell woodcock Lover loved. He is gone Loved not loving. Gone ye but he will come again anon Lover loved. Nay this night he will no more disease you give judgement hardly even when it please you which done sith he is gone myself straight shall Ryghtously between you give judgement final But lord what a face this fool hath set here Till shame defaced his folly so clear That shame hath shamefully in sight of you all with shame driven him hens to his shameful fall wherein all though I nought gain by winning That aught may augment my pleasure in loving yet shall I win thereby a pleasure to see That ye all shall see the matter pas with me what though the profit may lightly be lodyn It grieveth a man to be overtrodden Nay when I saw that his winning must grow By pain pretending in my part to show Then wist I well the noddy must come To do as he did or stand and play mum No man/ no woman/ no child in this place But I durst for judgement trust in this case All doubt of my pain by his proof by any mean His ronning away hath now scraped out clean wherefore give judgement and I shall return In place hereby where my dear heart doth sojourn And after salutation between us had Such as is meet to make lovers hearts glade I shall to rejoice her in merry tidings Declare the hole rabble of this fools losings Here the vyse cometh in ronning suddenly about the place among the audyens with a high copyn tank on his head full of squibs fired crying water water/ fire fire/ fire/ water/ water/ fire/ till the fire in the squibs be spent. Lover loved. water and fire No lover nor loved. Nay water for fire I mean Lover loved. well thanked be god it is out now clean how came it there No lover nor loved. Sir as I was going To fet my book for which was my departing There chanced in my way a house hereby To fire which is burned piteously But marvelously the people do moan For a woman they say a goodly one A feloner who in this house burned is And showing of the people for help in this Made me ●●●●● thither to have done some good And at a window thereof as I stood I thrust in my head and even at a flush Fire flashed in my face and so took my bush Lover loved. what house? No lover nor loved. A house painted with red ochre The owner whereof they say is a broker Lover loved. Then break heart alas why live I this day My dear heart is destroyed life and wealth away No lover nor loved. what man sit down and be of good cheer God's body master woodcock is gone clear O master woodcock fair mot be fall ye Of right master woodcock I must now call ye master stand you here afore and rub him And I will stand here behind and dub him Nay the child is a stepe ye need not rock Master woodcock master wood wood woodcock where folk be far within a man must knock Is not this a pang trow ye beyond the nock Speke master woodcock, speak parot I pray ye My leman your lady eye will ye see My lady your leman one untertakes To be safe from fyreby stypping through a takes Lover loved. That word I hard but yet I see her not No lover nor loved. No more do I master woodcock our lord wots Lover loved. Unto that house where I did see her last I will seek to see her and if she be passed So that to apere there I can not make her Then will I burn after and overtake her The lover loved goeth out. No lover nor loved. well ye may burn together for all this And do well enough for aught that is yet amiss For gods sake one run after and baste him It were great pity the fire should waste him For being fat your knowledge must record A woodcock well roast is a dish for a lord And for a woodcock ye all must now know him By matter of record that so doth show him And briefly to bring you all out of doubt All this have I feigned to bring about him self to convince himself even by act Is he hath done here in doing this fact He taketh more thought for this one woman now Then could I for all in the world I make avow which hath so shamefully defaced his part That to return neither hath he face nor heart which fain, whiles he and she lose time in kissing give ye with me judgement a gods blessing Lover loved. The proof of my saying at my first entre That wretch bringeth now in place in that I laid Dyssimbling man's mind by appearance to be Thing meanuenyent, which thing as I said Is proved now true, how was I dismaid By his false facing the death of my darling whom I thank god is in health and aileth nothing No lover nor loved Synon I beseech you of all your dysmaying what other cause can ye lay than your loving Lover loved. My loving nay all the cause was your lying No lover nor loved. what had my lie done if ye had not loved Lover loved. what did my love till your lie was moved No lover nor loved. By these two questions it seemeth we may make your love and my lie to part evenly the stake Loving and lying have we brought now hither Lovers and liars to lay both together But put case my lie of her death were true what excuse for your love could then ensue Lover loved. If fortune god save her did bring her to it The fault were in fortune and in love no whit No lover nor loved. The hole fault in fortune by my sheath well it God send your fortune better than your wit Lover loved. well sir at extremity I can prove The fault in fortune as much as in love No lover nor loved. Then fortune in like case with love now join you As I with loving joined lying even now And well they may join all by aught that I see For each of all three I take like vanity But sins ye confess that your part of such pain Cometh half by love, and that it is certain That certain pains to loved lovers do move In which the fault in nothing save only love As dread and jealousy each of which with more To your estate of love is a daily foe And I clear out of love declaring such show As in my case no pain to me can grow I say this considered hath pith sufficient In proof of my part to drive you to judgement Lover loved. Nay first a few words, sir though I confess That love bringeth some pain and your case paynses By mean of your contented quietness Yet rha●t●ail pleasures that I possess Are as far above the case that ye profess As is my pain in your 〈…〉 Under the pleasures of continuation Thus wade how ye will one way or other If ye win one way ye shall lief another But if ye mind for end to be brief jeine with me herein for indifferent proof A tree ye know well is a thing that hath life And such a thing as never feseth pain or strife But ever quiet and always contented And as there can no way be muented To bring a tree displeasure by feeling pain So no feeling pleasure in it can remain A horse is a thing that hath life also And he by feeling feeleth both wealth and woe By driving or drawing all day in the mire Many painful journeys hath be in hire But after all those he hath always at night These pleasures following to his great delight first fair washed at a river or a weyre And strait brought to a stable warm and fair Dry rubbed and chafed from head to hele And toryd till he be flyke as an eel Then he is littered in manner no●●●●● And hay as much as well in his bely Then provender hath he oats peses beans or breed which feeding infelinge as pleasant to his heed As to a covetous man to behold Of his own westminster hall full of gold After which feeding he flepeth in quiet rest Dewring such time as his meat may digest All this considered a horse or a tree If ye must those the tove which would ye be No lover nor loved. when the horse must to labour by our lady Lever loved. I had liefer be a tree then a horse I No lover nor loved. But how when he refreth and filleth his gorge Lover loved. Then would I be a horse and no tree by saint George No lover nor loved. But what if he must needs flick to the tone which were then best by the mass I can name none Lover Loved The first case is yours and the next is for me In case like a tree I may liken ye For as a tree hath life within feeling whereby it feeleth pleasing not displeasing And can not be but contented quietly Even the like case is yours now presently And as the horse feeleth pain and not the tree Like wise I have pain and no pain have ye And as a horse above a tree feeleth pleasure So feel I pleasure above you in rate sure And as the tree felith neither and the horse both Even so pleasure and pain between us twain goeth Sins these two cases so indifferently fall That yourself can judge neither for partial For indifferent end I think this way best Of all our reasoning to debar the rest And in these two cases this one question To be the issue that we shall join on No lover nor loved. Be it so Lover loved. Now are these issues couched so nigh That both sides I trust shall take end shortly Lover not loved. I hope and desire the same and sins we were first hard, we both humbly beseech ye That we in like wise may have judgement first Lover loved. I grant No lover nor loved. By the mass and I come best or worst Lover loved. Though nature force man stiffly to incline To his own part in each particular thing! yet reason would man when man shall determine Other men's parts by indifferent awarding Indifferent to be in all his reasoning wherefore in this part cut out of affection So that indifferency be direction No lover nor loved. Contented with that and by aught I espy we may in this matter take end quickly Stan we their cases as she did apply them That we may perceive what is meant by them He loveth unloved a goodly one She is loved not loving of an ugly one Or in his eye his lover seemeth goodly And in her eye her lober seemeth as ugly Her most desired angels face he can not see His most lothly hell hounds face she can not flee He loveth, she abhorreth whereby presence is His life, her death, whereby I say even this Be his feeling pains in every degree As great and as many as he saith they be yet in my judgement by these cases hath she As great and as many feeling pains as he Lover loved. When matter at full is indifferently laid As ye in this judgement have laid this now what reason the time by me should be deleyd ye have spoken my thought wherefore to you In peysing your pains my consciens doth allow A just counterpass and thus your pains be A judged by us twain one pain in degree Lover not loved. Well sins your conscience driveth you thus to judge I receive this judgement without grief or grudge Loved not loving. And I in like rate, yielding unto you twain Hearty thanks for this your undeserved pain Lover not loved. Now masters may it please you to declare As touching their parts of what mind ye are Loved not loving. With right good will sir, and sure I suppose Their parts in few words mate come to point well The two examples which he did disclose All errors or doubts do clearly expel The estate of a tree his estate doth tell And of the horse his tale well understand Declareth as well his case now in hand For as nothing can please or displease a tree By any pleasure or displeasue feeling Nor never bring a tree discontent to be So like case to him not loved nor loving Love can no way bring pleasing or displeasing Live women, die women, sink women, or swim, In all he content, for all is one to him And as a horse hath many painful ●orneis A lover best loved hath pains in like wise As here hath appeared by sundry ways which showeth his case in worst part to rise But then as the horse feeleth pleasure in size At night in the stable above the tree So feeleth he some pleasure as far above ye In some case he feeleth much more pleasure than he And in some case he feeleth even as muchelesse Between the more and the less it seemeth to me That between their pleasures no choice is to guess Wherefore I give judgement in short process Set the tone pleasure eviu to the t'other No lover nor loved. Womanly spoken masters by the roods mother Lover not loved. Who heareth this tale with in different mind And seethe of these twain each one so full bend To his own part that neither in heart can find To change pleasures with other must needs assent That she in these words hath given right judgement In affirmance whereof I judge and award Both these pleasures of yours as one in regard Lover loved. well sins I think ye both without corruption I shall move no matter of interruption No lover nor loved. Nor I but masters though I say nought in this May I not think my pleasure more than his Loved not loving. Affection unbridled may make us all think That each of us hath done other wrong But where reason taketh place it can not sink sins cause to be percial here is none us among That one head that would think his own wit so strong That on his judges he might judgement devise what judge in so judging could judge him wise Lover loved. well mine estate right well contenteth me No lover nor loved. And I with mine as well content as ye Lover not loved. So should ye both likewise be contented Each other to see content in such degree As on your parts our judgement hath awarded your neighbour in pleasure like yourself to be Gladly to wish Christ's precept doth byndeye Thus contentation should always prefer One man to joy the pleasure of an other Lover loved. True and contention may be in like case All though no health yet help and great relief In both your pains for ye having such grace To be contented in sufferance of grief Shall by contentation avoid much mischief Such as the contrary shall surely bring you pain to pain as painful as your pain is now Thus not we four but all the world beside Knowledge themself or other in joy or pain Hath need of contentation for a guide Having joy or pain content let us remain In joy or pain of other flee we disdain Be we content wealth or woe, and each for other Rejoice in the tone and pity the other Lover not loved. sins such contention may hardly accord In such kind of love as here hath ben meant Let us seek the love of that loving lord who to suffer passion for love was content whereby his lovers that love for love assent Shall have in fine above contentation The feeling pleasure of eternal salvation which lord of lords whose joyful and blessed birth Is now remembered by time presenting This accustomed time of honest mirth That lord we beseech in most humble meaning That it may please him by merciful hearing Thestate of this audyens long to endure In mirth, health, and wealth, to grant his pleasure AMEN. printed by. w. Rastell M. ccccc. xxxiiii. Cum privilegio Regali.