I.

THE COMPLAINT OF CONSCIENCE.

I shall begin this third book with an old allegoric Satire; a manner of moralizing, which, if it was not first introduced by the author of _Pierce Plowman's Visions_,[745] was at least chiefly brought into repute by that ancient Satirist. It is not so generally known that the kind of verse used in this ballad hath any affinity with the peculiar metre of that writer, for which reason I shall throw together some cursory remarks on that very singular species of versification, the nature of which has been so little understood.[746]

The following Song, intitled, _The Complaint of Conscience_, is printed from the Editor's folio Manuscript: Some corruptions in the old copy are here corrected; but with notice to the Reader, wherever it was judged necessary, by inclosing the corrections between inverted 'commas.'

* * * * *

[This poem entitled _Conscience_ is printed in Hales and Furnivall's edition of the Percy folio MS. (vol. ii. p. 174), with a long preface by Mr. Furnivall, on the earnest side of Early English literature.

It will be seen from the foot-notes that Percy left many of his corrections unnoticed.]

* * * * *

As I walked of late by 'an' wood side,[747] To God for to meditate was my entent; Where under a hawthorne I suddenlye spyed[748] A silly poore creature ragged and rent, With bloody teares his face was besprent,[749] 5 His fleshe and his color consumed away,[749] And his garments they were all mire, mucke, and clay.[750]

This made me muse, and much 'to' desire To know what kind of man hee shold bee; I stept to him straight, and did him require 10 His name and his secretts to shew unto mee. His head he cast up, and wooful was hee, My name, quoth he, is the cause of my care, And makes me scorned, and left here so bare.

Then straightway he turn'd him, and pray'd 'me' sit downe,[751] 15 And I will, saithe he, declare my whole greefe; My name is called CONSCIENCE:--wheratt he did frowne, He pined to repeate it, and grinded his teethe, 'Thoughe now, silly wretche, I'm denyed all releef,'[752] 'Yet' while I was young, and tender of yeeres,[753] 20 I was entertained with kinges, and with peeres.

There was none in the court that lived in such fame,[754] For with the kings councell 'I' sate in commission;[755] Dukes, earles, and barrons esteem'd of my name; And how that I liv'd there needs no repetition: 25 I was ever holden in honest condition, For howsoever the lawes went in Westminster-hall, When sentence was given, for me they wold call.

No incomes at all the landlords wold take, But one pore peny, that was their fine; 30 And that they acknowledged to be for my sake. The poore wold doe nothing without councell mine: I ruled the world with the right line: For nothing was passed betweene foe and friend,[756] But Conscience was called to bee at 'the' end.[757] 35

Noe bargaines, nor merchandize merchants wold make[758] But I was called a wittenesse therto: No use for noe money, nor forfett wold take, But I wold controule them, if that they did soe: 'And' that makes me live now in great woe, 40 For then came in Pride, Sathan's disciple, That is now entertained with all kind of people.[759]

He brought with him three, whose names 'thus they call'[760] That is Covetousnes, Lecherye, Usury, beside: They never prevail'd, till they had wrought my downefall; 45 Soe Pride was entertained, but Conscience decried,[761] And 'now ever since' abroad have I tryed[762] To have had entertainment with some one or other; But I am rejected, and scorned of my brother.

Then went I to the Court the gallants to winn, 50 But the porter kept me out of the gate:[763] To Bartlemew Spittle[764] to pray for my sinne,[765] They bade me goe packe, it was fitt for my state;[766] Goe, goe, threed-bare Conscience, and seeke thee a mate. Good Lord, long preserve my king, prince, and queene, 55 With whom evermore I esteemed have been.[767]

Then went I to London, where once I did 'dwell':[768] But they bade away with me, when they knew my name; For he will undoe us to bye and to sell! 59 They bade me goe packe me, and hye me for shame; They lought[769] at my raggs, and there had good game; This is old threed-bare Conscience, that dwelt with saint Peter: But they wold not admitt me to be a chimney-sweeper.

Not one wold receive me, the Lord 'he' doth know;[770] I having but one poor pennye in my purse, 65 On an awle and some patches I did it bestow;[771] 'For' I thought better cobble shooes than doe worse.[772] Straight then all the coblers began for to curse,[773] And by statute wold prove me a rogue, and forlorne,[774] And whipp me out of towne to 'seeke' where I was borne.[775] 70

Then did I remember, and call to my minde, The Court of Conscience where once I did sit:[776] Not doubting but there I some favor shold find,[777] For my name and the place agreed soe fit; But there of my purpose I fayled a whit, 75 For 'thoughe' the judge us'd my name in everye 'commission,'[778] The lawyers with their quillets[779] wold get 'my' dismission.[780]

Then Westminster-hall was noe place for me; Good lord! how the Lawyers began to assemble,[781] And fearfull they were, lest there I shold bee! 80 The silly poore clarkes began for to tremble; I showed them my cause, and did not dissemble; Soe they gave me some money my charges to beare,[782] But swore me on a booke I must never come there.

Next the Merchants said, Counterfeite, get thee away,[783] 85 Dost thou remember how wee thee found? We banisht thee the country beyond the salt sea, And sett thee on shore in the New-found land; And there thou and wee most friendly shook hand,[784] And we were right glad when thou didst refuse us;[785] For when we wold reape profitt here thou woldst accuse us.[786] 91

Then had I noe way, but for to goe on[787] To Gentlemens houses of an ancyent name; Declaring my greeffes, and there I made moane, 'Telling' how their forefathers held me in fame:[788] 95 And at letting their farmes 'how always I came'.[789] They sayd, Fye upon thee! we may thee curse: 'Theire' leases continue, and we fare the worse.[790]

And then I was forced a begging to goe To husbandmens houses, who greeved right sore, 100 And sware that their landlords had plagued them so[791] That they were not able to keepe open doore, Nor nothing had left to give to the poore:[792] Therefore to this wood I doe me repayre,[793] Where hepps and hawes, that is my best fare. 105

Yet within this same desert some comfort I have Of Mercy, of Pittye, and of Almes-deeds; Who have vowed to company me to my grave. Wee are 'all' put to silence, and live upon weeds,[794] 'And hence such cold house-keeping proceeds':[795] 110 Our banishment is its utter decay,[796] The which the riche glutton will answer one day.

Why then, I said to him, me-thinks it were best To goe to the Clergie; for dailye they preach Eche man to love you above all the rest;[797] 115 Of Mercye, and Pittie, and Almes-'deeds', they teach. O, said he, noe matter of a pin what they preach,[798] For their wives and their children soe hange them upon,[799] That whosoever gives almes they will[800] give none.[801]

Then laid he him down, and turned him away, 120 'And' prayd me to goe, and leave him to rest. I told him, I haplie might yet see the day[802] For him and his fellowes to live with the best.[803] First, said he, banish Pride, then all England were blest;[804] For then those wold love us, that now sell their land,[805] 125 And then good 'house-keeping wold revive' out of hand.[806]

FOOTNOTES:

[745] [The correct title is _William's Vision of Piers Plowman_. It is William (the author) who has the vision of Piers Plowman.]

[746] [This essay is printed as an Appendix.]

[747] Ver. 1. one, MS.

[748] [V. 3. espyed, MS.]

[749] [Between vv. 5, 6 the MS. has this line, "with turning and winding his bodye was toste."]

[750] [After v. 7, the MS. has the following lines:--

"good lord! of my liffe deprive me, I pray for I silly wretch am ashamed of my name! my name, "quoth hee," is the cause of my care, and I cursse my godfathers that gave me the same!"

Percy omits three of these, and transfers the third line to v. 13.]

[751] V. 15. him, MS.

[752] V. 19. not in MS.

[753] [V. 20. _for_ in place of _yet_, MS.]

[754] [Ver. 22. in all the court.]

[755] V. 23. he sate, MS.

[756] [V. 34. that was passed.]

[757] V. 35. an end, MS.

[758] [V. 36. Noe merchandize nor bargaines the merchants wold make.]

[759] [V. 42. now is.]

[760] V. 43. they be these, MS.

[761] V. 46. was deride, MS.

[762] [V. 47. Yet still abroad have I tried.]

[763] [Ver. 51. gates.]

[764] [St. Bartholomew's Hospital.]

[765] [V. 52. sinnes.]

[766] V. 53. packe me, MS.

[767] [V. 56. have esteemed.]

[768] V. 57. wonne, MS.

[769] [laughed.]

[770] [V. 64. the Lord God doth.]

[771] [V. 66. of an.]

[772] [V. 67. I thought better to cobble shoes than to doe worse.]

[773] [V. 68. all they cobblers.]

[774] [V. 69. and by statute thé wold prove me I was a rouge and forlorne.]

[775] [V. 70. And they whipt me out of towne to see where I was borne.]

[776] [Ver. 72. they Court.]

[777] [V. 73. some favor I.]

[778] [V. 76. did use my name in everye condicion.]

[779] [quibbles.]

[780] [V. 77. for lawyers get a.]

[781] [V. 79. good god.]

[782] [V. 83. soe then they.]

[783] [V. 85. then the merchants.]

[784] [V. 89. hands.]

[785] [V. 90. verry glad ... did ...]

[786] [V. 91. wold.]

[787] [V. 92. goe an.]

[788] [V. 95. and how ... had held, MS.]

[789] [Ver. 96. and in letting of their ffarmes I always used the same.]

[790] [V. 98. they have leases.]

[791] [V. 101. who sware ... so sore.]

[792] [V. 103. thé had.]

[793] [V. 104. doe repayre.]

[794] V. 109. ill, MS.

[795] V. 110. not in MS.

[796] [V. 111. their utter.]

[797] [V. 115. of pittie and of almes they doe teach.]

[798] [V. 117. doe preach.]

[799] [V. 118. hangs.]

[800] We ought in justice and truth to read '_can_

[801] V. 119. almes-deeds, MS.

[802] [Ver. 122. I might happen to see.]

[803] [V. 123. to have him.]

[804] [V. 124. you must banish pride and then.]

[805] [V. 125. and then ... sells their lands.]

[806] V. 126. houses every where wold be kept, MS.