Nay, I will taste of other assays  
And space our dame for holy days  
So that for very need she must use her feat  
With other of her house, and such as she can get,  
Yet is she not much to blame  
Though she increase her husbands name  
Such children ●o bring as now ye see me  
Tall men as I am unworthy though I be.  justice 
¶ Thou speakest like a Lorell full large & full lewdly  
And not like a child gotten of true matrimony  
And yet though thy person induce no likelihood  
That in thee should be any manhood  
Yet beside that thou seemest of manhood frail  
Because so abused is thy light apparel.  Iniuri. 
¶ Apparel, good sir, what fault is that  
Though grey be her cote why blame ye the wild cat  
Why should ye him dame of nature frail  
Though as wise as ye would were a Fox tail  
Or a cote after the comen usage  
Or have by nature a mad visage  
These be no witness for justice to dyserne  
Nor certain knowledge of nature to learn  
And christ taught you sir how ye should judge men  
S●yenge Noli●e judicare secundum faciem.  
And yet in nature better knowledge should be  
Then is in apparel ye know perdie.  justice 
¶ O yet in apparel is great abusion  
If it be framed without discretion  
For in apparel there may a great token be  
Of frailness, of pride, and instabylytie,  
If comen assize therein use no measure  
For then is apparel a wanton foolish pleasure  
And folly, best meed is of presumption  
When nature or reason used resumption,  
And therefore christ taught a great wise prose  
saying Ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos.  Iniuri. 
¶ Yet with the same text I pray you wipe your nose  
He said not Ex vestibus eorum cognoscetis eos.  Albion. 
¶ Yet friends I pray you once again  
To seat your travice that breeds disdain  
And heartily both I do you pray  
That both your friendships have I may.  Injury 
¶ Sir as for mine ye shall not miss  
But this gentleman I think will go piss.  justice 
¶ Nay sir Albyon I will not draw back  
If that of me ye have lack,  
So that I were in perfit surety  
That this man here should manhood be.  Injury 
¶ Now Christ'S benedycyte  
How Albion and justice hath forgot me  
Because of me they had no exercise  
Of long time by any enterprise  
Wherefore sithen ye can not know me by experience  
I wot not how ye should know me but by my credence  
Therefore by my troth & by my honesty  
Believe me, for manhood truly I am he.  Albion. 
¶ Then by your oath I am content  
To have your friendship with good assent  
And justice I pray you to do the same.  justice 
¶ Sir if manhood be his name  
As he hath sworn I would be glad  
That his friendship also I had.  Albion. 
¶ Then justice I pray you both  
Let me knit you both upon his oath.  And then he taketh both their hands together saying 
Now friends I trust we be all three  
And with this knot I pray you contented to be  justice 
¶ Sir ye ought to be contented best of all  
Where justice is treited with due equity  
And where no favour nor meed should be  
And when reason hath tried there every deal  
That such an act were good for the comen weal  
If therein any loss may be  
To the disadvantage of Principaltie  
Such an act loseth all his suit  
With a little indoysing of reason astute  
And if it touch the Lords spiritual  
Or be disadvantage to the Lords temporal  
Far well, go bet, this bill may keep  
As well as through the parliament creep  
And if that Merchants be moved with all  
Or any multitude of the comen hall  
This is not for us say they than  
This bill is nought but for to wipe a pan  
And this is all your new equity  
And for all your message, yet thus will it be.  Albion. 
¶ Alas if this may not reform be  
I shall never be sure of prosperity.  Iniuri. 
¶ Ye and what followeth hereof master Albion  
To your person universal derision  Albion. 
¶ Why to me derision.  Iniuri. 
¶ For all other strange nations  
They will rail on you with open proclamations  
saying whosoever do as he dose  
Is half a man and half a wild goose.  Albion. 
¶ Why half a man and half a wild goose.  Iniuri. 
¶ For with high reason they say ye can dispute  
And try out perils with labourous suit  
And eke the treasure for the comen vail  
As far as wit or reason can assail  
But when all is done and your statute made  
Then forth ye go in a wise trade  
To bring it all to good conclusion  
And put it never in execution  
Then speak they further in steed of a mock  
They have made a statute like a woodkoeke  
That hath but one eye and the other blind  
And it will turn with every wind  
And for because ye study but for the beginning  
And never provide for a sure ending  
beginning like a man ye take great assay  
At last like a wild goose even but to fly away.  justice 
¶ Well if this be true it is more pity  
Yet let us endeavour both ye and I  
To taste our message that it were done  
To help here of some reformation.  Albion. 
¶ Ye that to do I pray you both  
And to you two I promise by oath  
I shall me endeavour with the commonalty  
Their hole allegiance to keep in unity.  justice 
¶ Then God be your speed for I will forth my way  Albion. 
¶ And I will after god guide us that best may.  Iniuri. 
¶ And I will tarry no longer while  
But as I see you over the style.  Then departeth Albion & justice both. Iniuri. 
¶ Now here beginneth a game iwis  
For manhood they ween my name is  
But trust me sirs if I should not lie  
My name is called Injury  
Which name to hide I thought it polysie  
And turn it to manhood, and wot ye why?  
It is a part of our new experience  
When I against right make stiff defence  
That justice in his seat may not be enstabled  
Then am I Injury manhood called  
O than of me craketh every man  
How like a Lord this fellow steer can  
The law to defend without a fall  
For all their pleading in Westminster hall,  
Or say what they will and babble there  
Yet maintenance and I will keep the cheer  
If it come once to the country  
Then as I will so shall it be  
A very cause sirs why I hide my name  
Was, they should not suspect my fame  
Because I would spy all their intent  
To change their purpose after my judgement  
And so will I do, for this is their pretence  
By mean of justice to bring in experience  
That peace should continue the people among  
And so by that mean to banish me wrong  
But trust me sirs I will none of that  
But rather by their faces I will them scrat  
And me to maintain in this opinion  
I have an old mate called Dyvytion  
That shallbe of my counsel in this case  
Which I trust will not turn his face  
Till Peace be driven clean from albion  
And then let justice and me alone  
For I trust or he and I have done  
He shall go whistle in a mary bone  
As for any rightful judgement  
That after this shall follow his intent  
And now sirs will I go my way  
My fellow to seek, find him if I may.  Here Injury goeth out, & then Division cometh in with a bill, a sword a buckler, & a dagger. division 
¶ Have in the ruske  
Out of the busk  
A lusty Captain,  
A Boor with a tusk  
A sturdy Luske  
Any battle to detain  
A stalyon stout  
To bear it out  
In every where,  
And never to Lout  
For a knaves clout  
though my head it bear.  
As stiff as a stake  
Battle to make  
As never afeard.  
I can awake  
These knaves and take  
Them fast by the beard.  
For Peace is bend  
Nor 〈◊〉 intent  
To live at ease,  
Shall not prevent  
Let of my judgement  
To 〈◊〉 in disease.  
Such can I have  
To conjure a knave  
Out of his skin,  
Though justice rave  
To hang or save  
Fie on him whoreson.  Here cometh Injury in again. Iniuri. 
¶ Marry fie on him whoreson  
What art thou mad again.  division 
¶ What 〈◊〉 old friend Injury  
How were other hanged and 〈…〉  Injury 
¶ By god because I took delay▪  
For lack of thee to be mine 〈…〉.  division 
¶ What whoreson wouldest thou have me  
Be trussed up in stead of thee.  Injury 
¶ Ye by god, but even for a say  
That I might learn of you to know the play.  division. 
¶ To play whoreson, what menist thou by that  Iniuri. 
¶ By god me thought even now ye were in a snare  
Or else an hunting to catch an bare  
But hark I say, do together and spell  
Beware ever among of the frery clerks bell.  division. 
¶ It is doubtful to me all that thou speakest  
I pray thee spell it thyself & tell me what thou meanest  Iniuri. 
¶ But wouldest thou needs so fain know it  
I tell thee with Albion and justice I am knit  
Therefore it were wisdom for thee  
To beware what thou sayest before me  division. 
¶ What whoreson then thou hast forsaken me.  Iniuri. 
¶ Nay I had liefer ye were skinned all three  
For I have turned the wrong side of my hood  
And told them my name was manhood  
And now by god in any wise  
For both our eases I must have thine advise.  division. 
¶ What hast thou now changed thine old copy  
To justice and albion to be a comen hoby,  
Or art thou a feared of thy old name  
That in every place is had in fame  
And is supported in such suffrentie  
From the lowest unto the highest degree.  Iniuri. 
¶ Nay by god I was not afeard  
It was but for to claw their beard  
Or rub it of all that they meant  
That I might know all their intent  
Whereof the matter is to long to tell  
For the time that we did mell  
But shortly to show thee for a conclusion  
Their mind is to bring us both to confusion.  division. 
¶ I pray thee by what mean.  Iniuri. 
¶ Albyon hath sent justice to Pryncypaltie  
To have assistance, and me to suffreyntie  
Of the Lords temporal to have their aid  
That justice in no wise should be delayed.  
And this thou knowest well enough pardie  
Thus they mean to destroy thee and me  
And as for justice forth is gone  
Speed as he can, but I tarried alone  
And yet I would no messenger be  
Till I had the advice of thee  
Therefore how sayest thou now in this case  
We shall not be idle to play at this base.  division. 
¶ Tush as for this I care not a Pudding prick  
For we two will go thorough thine and thick  
Maygresse their heads everichone  
Though they be as hard as rock or stone  Injury 
¶ I pray thee tell me how  division. 
¶ first I myself will enterprise  
That peace shall have no exersyse  
Between the commons and Pryncypalitie  
Nor between lords spiritual & lords of the temporalty  Injury 
¶ Or thou go any further tell me by what mean  division. 
¶ I have two spies of great exercise  
The one is called double device  
Him will I send I may tell thee  
Unto the court to principality,  
And him will I charge that with his provision  
principality and the commons to set at division  
The second spy is called old debate  
A singular fellow with a bald pate  
Him will I send to the lords spiritual  
To cause them to wrangle with the lords temporal.  Iniuri. 
¶ What shall they use in their devise.  division. 
¶ The one to principality shall surmise  
That the commons hearts do arise  
Against him, when that he doth ask  
In time of need, our money for task,  
His heart to move with such unkindness.  
Then the same spy shall use like doubleness  
And go to the commons and to them tell  
That Principality with equtie doth rebel  
More to his lucre in every deal  
applying his affection then to the comen weal  
And how that he of negligence  
Doth not apply for their defence,  
Neither by Sea nor by land  
Neither by high ways, neither by strand  
But thieves and raveners and murders eke  
Daily true men they pursue and seek  
And that his laws indifferently  
Be not used, but maintenance and brybary  
Is suffered alone without reformation  
That the poor commons is in altercation  
Of this matter and wot not what to say  
Bringing them in opinion that they ought not to pay  
To pryncypalytie their duty of very desert  
Except like duty be ministered on his part.  Iniuri. 
¶ I make god a vow this is a sovereign bait  
To bring our purpose to a narrow straight  
But what shall the other spy then do  
A fellowship tell me that also.  division. 
¶ Marry he shall inform the lords temporal  
That the spiritual men would rule all  
And say it were shame to them by the rood  
That been descended from the noble blood  
To suffer any other of such power to be  
To have the governance about principality  
sithen they inheritors are borne to be  
Of the high counsel by blood and dignity  
Which medicine I trow will not lyghlie start  
Till it hath tickled them all by the heart  
Then shall the same spy taste the other part  
And turn to them the wrong side of the cart  
And say that god of his high great grace  
To them hath given good fortune and space  
By learning sadness and gravity  
And for their due reward in honour to be  
And bear to them boldly in hand  
That they ought by reason to rule this land  
Because the power of temporalty  
Hath no knowledge in cunning perdie  
Neither in youth will labour the passage  
Of pain for virtue to rule in age  
So that if they rulers would be  
They know not how, for in suffycientie  
Thus will I divide by this proper train  
That peace amongst them shall not rain.  Iniuri. 
¶ Marry this is a cast of a new horse comb  
To rub any on the navel that hath a tickle womb  
This gear will work after my fantasy  
To make of an old grudge a new frenzy  
And this openeth the gate even for me  
That both the one and the other degree  
Shall wrestle with themself in such afflictions  
That everichone shall disdain at other jurisdictions  division. 
¶ What wilt thou do them let me here thy cast  Iniuri. 
¶ This gentle seed will I sow at the last  
When Peace by thee is in perplexity  
And wore not in what part quiet to be  
Then justice must ever be in doubt  
Which part at need shall bear him out  
So that for my part he shall stand still  
While I run at large and have all my will.  division. 
¶ But to what conclusion wilt thou bring it then  Iniuri. 
¶ Why knowest not thou, then hark me man  
This justice is a fellow of a far cast  
And driveth such drifts to rule all at the last  
And Peace is his brother of one degree  
Which hath a fair daughter that is called plenty  
And Albion as long as rest him treats  
He loveth fair flesh of all meats  
And it is a comen saying that justice Peace & he  
Will conclude a marriage with fair dame plenty  
And then will Albyon that old soot  
With rest and peace so on her do't  
That than she by her and her friends  
Shall sail in storms at all winds.  division. 
¶ By god's bread thou sayest troth  
But this to help we must not use sloth.  Iniuri: 
¶ No, and therefore hark me to an end  
Thou and I shall this matter defend  
For thou shalt to albion a messenger be  
And say thou were present when principality  
With justice fell at great debate  
When that his message he did delate  
From Albion, & tell him that principality in no wise  
His will with equity will grant to exercise  
But that the law should be out after his liking  
And every writ after his entyteling  
And that his will who ever list to strife  
Should be the best part for his prerogative  
And then they both suddenly upon this  
In great rages departed wis  
Wherefore justice said I am in such confusion  
That I am ashamed to turn again to albion  
And when this message thou hast done soberly  
Tell him thy name is Polysy.  division. 
¶ What the devil meanest thou by that  
Should I decemble from a wild cat  
That ever before this have used patching  
And now to play the wise man & leave scratching.  Iniuri. 
¶ Why whoreson it is a point of high madness  
For a time to dissemble sadness,  
And though thou be all ready as mad as a heart  
Yet will I make thee madder than thou art  division. 
¶ Well say on then.  Iniuri. 
¶ Marry then even thus I say  
When that to Albion thou hast taken thy way  
And done thy message as I thee bade  
He will for a while be pensive and sad  
And he will ask thine advise  
Then must thou dissemble thyself wise.  division. 
¶ I make god a vow that is unpossible  
That I and wisdom should knit in one quyneble  
Or in my brain to print such abusion  
That wisdom and I should be in one conclusion  
For when I was young my mother charged me  
And said beware wit son though thou never thee.  Iniuri. 
¶ & I am not disposed to change much your live  
But here me speak an end though you never thrive  division. 
¶ Well say on then and tell me what counsel  
I shall give Albion that may sound dwell  
To both our profits that would I know.  Iniuri. 
¶ Thou shalt teach him a wrong cross row  
And tell him best it is after thine advise  
With mirth and Prodigality him to exercise  
And take of his own good while he may  
Lest all at last be brybid away