¶ Here beginneth a little treatise named the bouge of court. IN Autumpne when the son in virgin By radyante heat enryped hath our corn When luna full of mutability As Emperes the diadem hath worn Of our pole arctic smiling half in scorn At our folly and our unsteadfastness The time when Mars to were him died dies I calling to mind the great authority Of poets old which full craftily Under as covert terms as could be Can touch a troughte and cloak it subtilely With fresh utterance full sentencyously diverse in style some spared not vice to writhe Some of mortality nobly died indite Whereby I read their renome and their fame May never die but evermore endure I was sore moved to a force the same But Ignorance full soon died me dysture And showed that in this art was not sure For to illumine she said I was to dull advising me my pen away to pull And not to writhe/ for he so will attain exceeding ferther than his cunning is His heed may be hard but feeble is his brain Yet have I known such ere this But of reproach surely he may not miss That clymmeth higher than he may foting have What and he slide down who shall him save Thus up & down my mind was drawn & cast That I ne wist what to do was best So sore enwered that I was at the last Enforced to sleep and for to take some rest And to lie down as soon as I my dressed At harwyche port slumbering as I lay In mine hosts house called powers key Me thought I saw a ship goodly of sail Come sailing forth in to that haven brood Her takeling rich and of high apparel She kissed an anchor and there she lay at road Merchants her boarded to see what she had load There in they found Royal merchandise Fraghted with pleasure of what ye con●e devise But than I thought I would not dwell behind Among all other I put myself in prece Than there could I none aquentaunce find There was moche noise anon one cried cese Sharply commanding each man hold his piece Masters he said the ship that ye here see The bouge of court it hight for cert●ynet The awnner thereof is lady of estate whose name to tell is dame sans peer Here merchandise is rich and fortunate But who will have it must pay therefore dear This Royal chaffer that is shipped here Is called favour to stand in her good grace Than should ye see there pressing in a pace Of one and other that would this lady see Which sat behind a tranes of silk fine Of gold of tessew the finest that might be In a throne which far clearer died shine Than Phoebus in his spear celestine Whoos beauty honour goodly port I have to little cunning to report But of each thing there as I took heed Among all other was written in her throne In gold letters this word which I died read Garder le fortune que est mauelz et bone And as I stood reading this verse myself alone Her chief gentlewoman danger by her name Gave me ataunte and said I was to blame To be so part to press so proudly up She said she trowed that I eaten sauce She asked if ever I drank of sauces cup And I than softly answered to that clause That so to say. I had given her no cause Than asked she me Sir so god the speed What is thy name and I said it was dread What moved the quoth she hither to come Forloth quoth I to buy some of your ware And with that word on me she gave a glome With brows bent and 'gan on me to stare Full daynnously and fro me she died fare leaving me standing as a mazed man To whom there came an other gentlewoman Desire her name was and so she me told saying to me brother be of good cheer abash you not but hardly be bold Advance yourself to approach and come near What though our chaffer be never so dear Yet I advise you to speak for any dread Who spareth to speak in faith he spareth to speed master quoth I. I have none aquentaunce That will for me be mediator and mean And this an other I have but small substance Piece quoth Desire ye speak not worth a been If ye have not in faith I will you leanly A precious jewel no richer in this land Bonaventure have here now in your hand Shift now therewith let see as ye can In bouge of court chevisance to make For I dare say that there nies earthly man But an he can bone adventure take There can no favour nor friendship him forsake Bone adventure may bring you in such case That ye shall stand in favour and in grace But of one thing I werne you ere I go She that stirreth the ship make her your friend master quoth I. I pray you tell me why so And how I may that way & means find Forsooth quoth she how ever blow the wind Fortune guideth and ruleth all our ship Whom she hateth shall over the see board skip Whom she loveth of all plesyre is rich Whiles she laughed and hath lust for to play Whom she hateh she casteth in the ditch For when she froneth she thinketh to make a fray She cherished him and him she casseth a way Alas quod I how might I have her sure In faith quoth she by bone adventure Thus in a row of martchauntes a great rout Suwed to fortune that she would be their friend They throng in fast and flocked her about And I with them prayed her to have in mind She promised to us all she would be kind Of bouge of court she asketh what we would have And we asked favour/ and favour she us gave ¶ Thus endeth the prologue. And beginneth the bouge of Court briefly compiled. ¶ dread THe sail is up fortune ruleth our helm We want no wind to pass now over all Favour we have toughther than any elm That will abide and never from us fall But under honey oft time lieth bitter gall For as me thought in our ship I died see Full subtle persons in number four and three The first was Favell full of flattery With fables false that well could fain a tale The second was Suspect which that daily Mysdempte each man with face deadly & pale And Haruy haster that well could pick a male With other four of their affynyte disdain. Ryotte. Dyssymuler. subtlety. Fortune their friend with whom oft she died dance They could not fail they thought they were so sure And oftentimes I would myself anaunce With them to make solace and pleasure But my disport they could not well endure They said they hated for to deal with dread Than Favell 'gan with fair speech me to feed ¶ Favell. No thing earthly that I wonder so sore As of your cunning that is so excellent dainty to have with us such one in store So virtuously that hath his days spent Fortune to you gifts of grace hath lente Loo what it is a man to have cunning All earthly treasure it is surmounting Ye be an apt man as any can be found To dwell with us & serve my ladies g●ace Ye be to her ye a worth a thousand pound I heard her speak of you within short space When there were diverse that sore died you menace And though I say it I was myself your friend For here be diverse to you that be unkind But this one thing ye may be sure of me For by that lord that bought dear all mankind I can not flatter I must be plain to the And ye need aught man show to me your mind For ye have me whom faithful ye shall find Whiles I have aught by god thou shalt not lack And if need be a bold word I dare crack Nay nay be sure whiles I am on your side Ye may not fall trust me ye may not fail Ye stand in favour and fortune is your guide And as she will so shall our great ship sail these lewd cock watt shall nevermore prevail against you hardly therefore be not afraid Fare well till soon but no word that I said ¶ dread. Than thanked I him for his great gentleness But as me thought he ware on him a cloak That lined was with doubtful doubleness Me thought of words that he had full a poke His stomach stuffed oft times died reboke suspicion me thought met him at a braid And I drew near to hark what they two said In faith qd suspect) spoke dread no word of me Why what than wilt thou let men to speak He saith he can not well accord with the Twist qd suspect) go play him I ne reek By christ qd favell dread is soleyne freke What let us hold him up man for a while Ye so qd suspect) he may us both beguile And when he came walking soberly With whom/ and/ ha/ and with a crooked look Me thought his heed was full of jealousy His eyen rolling his hands fast they quoke And to me ward the straight way he took God speed brother to me quoth he than And thus to talk with me he began ¶ suspicion Ye remember the gentleman right now That command which you me thought a party spoke Beware of him for I make god avow He will beguile you and speak fair to your face Ye never dwelt in such an other place For here is none that dare well other trust But I would tell you a thing and I durst Spoke he a faith no word to you of me I wot and he died ye would me tell I have a favour to you whereof it be That I must show you moche of my counsel But I wonder what the devil of hell He said of me when he with you died talk By mine advice use not with him to walk The soveraynst thing that any man may have Is little to say/ and moche to here and see For but I trusted you so god me save I would no thing so plain be To you only me think I durst shrive me For now am I plenarely disposed To show you things that may not be disclosed ¶ dread Than I assured him my fidelity His counsel secret never to dysture If he could find in heart to trust me Else I prayed him with all my busy cure To keep it himself for than he might be sure That no wan earthly could him bewreye Whiles of his mind it were locked with the key By god quoth he this and thus it is And of his mind he showed me all and some Far well quoth hew will talk more of this So he departed there he would be come I dare not speak I promised to be doom But as I stood musing in my mind Haruy haster came leaping light as lined Upon his breast he bore a versing box His throat was clear and lustily could fain My thought his gown was all furred with fox And ever he sang/ sith I am no thing plain To keep him from piking it was a great pain He gazed on me with his gotyshe beard When I looked on him my purse was half afeard ¶ Heruy haster. Sir god you save why look ye so sad What thing is that I may do for you A wonder thing that ye wax not mad For and I study should as ye do now My wit would waste I make god avow Tell me your mind me think ye make a verse I could it stan and ye would it rehearse But to the point shortly to proceed Where hath your dwelling been ere ye came here For as I trow I have seen you in deed ere this when that ye made me Royal cheer Hold up the helm look up & let god steer I would be merry what wind that ever blow Have & how rombelow row the boat norman row Princes of youghte can ye sing by rote Or shall I sail with you a felashyp assay For on the book can not sing a note Would to god it would please you some day A ballad book before me for to lay And learn me to sing (Re mi fa sol) And when I fail bob me on the ●oll Loo what is to you a pleasure great To have that cunning & ways that ye have By God's soul I wonder how ye get So great pleasyre or who to you it gave Sir pardon me I am an homely knave To be with you thus part and thus bold But ye be welcome to our household And I dare say there is no man here Inn But would be glad of your company I wist never man that so av could win The favour that ye have with my lady I pray to god that it may never die It is your fortune for to have that grace As I be saved it is a wonder case For as for me I served here many a day And yet uneath I can have my living But I require you no word that I say For and I know any earthly thing That is again you ye shall have witting And ye be welcome sir so god me save I hope here after a friend of you to have ¶ dread. With that as he departed so fro me Anon there met with him as me thought A man/ but wonderly beseen was he He looked haught he set each man at nought His gaudy garment with storunys was all wrought With indignation lined was his hood He frowned as he would swear by cocks blood He boat the lip he looked passing coy His face was belymmed as bees had him stounge It was no time with him to jape nor toy Envy hath wasted his liver and his lounge Hatred by the heart so had him wrung That he looked pale as ashes to my sight disdain I ween his comerous carbes hight To heruy haster than he spoke of me And I drew near to hark what they two said Now quoth disdain as I shall saved be I have great scorn & amryghce evil apaid Than quoth Heruy why art thou so dismayed By christ quoth he for it is shame to say To see johan daws that came but yester day How he is now taken in conceit This doctor dawcocke dread I ween he hight By God's bones but if we have some sleyte It is like he will stand in our light By god quoth Heruy & it so happen might let us therefore shortly at a word find some mean to cast him over the board By him that me bought than qd disdain I wonder sore he is in such conceit Turd qd Haster I will the no thing say There must for him be laid some pretty bait We twain I trow be not without deceit first pick a quarrel & fall out with him then And so outface him with a card of ten Forthwith he made on me a proud assault With scornful look moved all in mood He went about to take me in a fault He frounde he stared he stampped where he stood I looked on him I wend he had be wood He set the arm proudly under the side And in this wise he 'gan with me to chide ¶ Disdain. Remember'st thou what thou said yester night Wilt thou abide by the words again By god I have of the now great despite I shall the anger once in every vain It is great scorn to see such an hayne As thou art one that came but yesterday With us old servants such masters to play I tell the I am of countenance What weenest I were. I trow thou know not me By God's wounds but for displeasance Of my quarrel soon would I venged be But no force I shall once meet with the Come when it will oppose the I shall What somever adventure thereof fall Trowest thou drivel I say thou gaudy knane That I have dainty to see the cherished thus By God's side my sword thy beard shall shave Well ones thou shalt be chermed I wus Nay straw for tales thou shalt not rule us We be thy betters and so thou shalt us take Or we shall the out of thy clothes shake ¶ dread. With that came Ryotte rushing all at ones A rusty gallande to ragged and to rent And on the board he whirled a pair of bones Quater treye dews he clatered as he went Now have at all by saint Thomas of kent And ever he threw & kissed I wot near what His here was grown thorough out his hat then I beheld how he dysgysed was His heed was heavy for watching over night His eyen blereed his face shone like a glass His gown so short that it ne cover might His rump he went so all for summer light His hose was guarded with a list of green Yet at the knee they were broken I ween His cote was checked with patches read & blue Of kyrkeby kendal was his short demi And ay he sang in faith deacon thou crew His elbow bore he ware his gear so nigh His nose a dropping his lips were full dry And by his side his whynarde & his pouch The devil might dance therein for any crouch Counter he could (Olux) upon a pot An ●estryche fedder of a capon's tail He set up freshly upon his hat a loft What revel rout quoth he and 'gan to rail How oft he had it jenet on the tail Of felyce fetewse dnd little pretty cate How oft he knocked at her klycked gate What should I tell more of his rebaudrye I was ashamed so to hear him prate He had no pleasure but in harlotry Ay quod he in the devils date What art thou I saw the now but late Forsooth quoth I in this court I dwell now Welcome quoth Riot I make god auwe ¶ riot. And sir in faith why comste not us among To make the merry as other fellows done Thou must swear and stare man alday long And wake all night and sleep till it be none Thou mayst not study or muse on the moan This world is no thing but eat drink & sleep And thus with us good company to keep Pluck up thine heart upon a merry pine And let us laugh a plack or twain at ale What the devil man mirth was never one What loo man see here of dice a bale A brydeling cast for that is in thy male Now have at all that lieth upon the bird Fie on this dice they be not worth a turd Have at the hazard or at the dozen brown Or else I pass a penny to a pound Now would to god thou would lay money down Lord how that I would cast it full round Ay in my pouch a buckell I have found The arms of calyce I have no coin nor cross I am not happy I run ay on the loss Now run must I to the stews side To wete if malkyn my leman have get ought I let her to hire that men may on her ride Her harms easy far and near is sought By God's sides sins I her thither brought She hath got me more money with her tail Than hath some ship that in to bordews sail Had I as good an horse as she is a mare I durst adventure to journey thorough France Who rideth on her he needeth not to care For she is trussed for to break a lance It is a curtet that well can winch & prance To her will I now all my poverty league And till I come have here is mine hat to plege ¶ dread Gone is this knave this ribald foul & lewd He ran as fast as ever that he might Vnthryftnes in him may well be showed For home tyburn groaneth both day and night And as I stood and kissed aside my sight disdain I saw with dissimulation Standing in sad communication But there was pointing & nodding with the heed And many words said in secret wise They wandered ay and stood still in no stead Me thought alway Dyscymular died devise Me passing sore mine heart than 'gan arise I dempte & dread their talking was not good Anon dyscymular came where I stood Than in his hood I saw there faces twain That one was lean & like a pined ghost That other looked as he would me have slain And to meward as he 'gan for to cost When that he was even at me almost I saw a knife hid in his one sleeve Whereon was written this word mischief And in his other sleeve me thought I saw A spoon of gold full of honey sweet To feed a fool and for to prey a daw And on that sleeve these words were wrete A false abstract cometh from a falls concrete His hood was side his cope was roset grey these were the words he to me died say ¶ Dyssymulatioy/ How do ye master ye look so soberly As I be saved at the dreadful day It is a perilous vice this envy Alas a cunning man ne dwell may In no place well but fools with fray But as for that connyge hath no foo Save him that nought can/ scripture saith so. I know your versu and your lytterkture By that little cunning that I have Ye be maligned sore I you ensure But ye have craft yourself alway to save It is great scorn to see a mysproude knave With a clerk that cunning is to prate let them go louse them in the devils date For all be it that this long not to me Yet on my back I bear such lewd dealing Right now I spoke with one I trow I see But what a straw I may not tell all thing By god I say there is great heart brenning Between the person ye wot of jou Alas I could not deal so with a yew I would each man were as plain as I It is a world I say te here of some I hate this feigning fie upon it fie A man can not wot where to become I iwis I could tell but humlery home I dare not speak we be so laid await For all our court is full of deceit Now by saint fraunceys that holy man & frere I hate this ways again you that they take Were I as you I would ride them full near And by my truth but if an end they make Yet will I say some words for your sake That shall them anger I hold there on a groat For some shall ween be hanged by the throat I have a stopping oyster in my poke Trust me and if it come to a need But I am loath for to raise a smoke If ye could be otherwise agreed And so I would it were so god me speed For this may breed to a confusion Without god make a good conclusion Nay see where yonder standeth the teder man A flattering knave & false he is god wot The dridevilvel standeth to hearken and he can It were more thrift he bought him a new cote It will not be/ his purse is not on float All that he weareth it is borrowed ware His wit is thin his hood is thread bare More could I say but what this is enough A dew till soon we shall speak more of this Ye must be ruled as I shall tell you how Amendis may be of that is now a miss And I am your sir so have I bliss In every point that I can do or say give me your hand fare well & have good day ¶ dread Suddenly as he departed me fro Came pressing in one in a wonder array Ere I was ware behind me he said bo then I astonied of that sudden fray start all at once I liked no thing his play For if I had not quickly fled the touch He had plucked out the nobles of my pouch He was trussed in a garment straight I have not seen such an others page For he could well upon a casket wait His hood all pounced and guarded like a cage Light lime finger he took none other wage hearken quod he loo here mine hand in thine To us welcome thou art by saint quintine ¶ disobeyed. But by that lord that is one two and three I have an errand to round in your ere He told me so by god ye may trust me part remember when ye were there There I winked on you/ wot ye not where In (A) loco I mean juxta (B) Woe is him that is blind and may not see But to here the subtlety and the craft As I shall tell you if ye will hark again And when I saw the horsons would you haft To hold mine hand by god I had great pain For forth with there I had him slain But that I drde murder would come out Who dealeth with shrews hath need to look about ¶ dread. And as he roynded thus in mine ere Of false collusion confetryd by assent Me thought I see lewd fellows here and there Came for to slay me of mortal intent And as they came the shypborde fast I hent And thought to leap/ and even with that work Caught pen and ink & wroth this little book I would therewith no man were myscontente beseeching you that shall it see or read In every point to be indifferent Sith all in substance of slumbering doth proceed I will not say it is matter in deed But yet oft-time such dreams be found true Now construe ye what is the residue ¶ Thus endeth the bouge of court. imprinted at westminster By me Wynkyn the word.