II.

PLAIN TRUTH AND BLIND IGNORANCE.

This excellent old ballad is preserved in the little ancient miscellany, intitled, _The Garland of Goodwill_.--_Ignorance_ is here made to speak in the broad Somersetshire dialect. The scene we may suppose to be Glastonbury Abbey.

* * * * *

TRUTH.

God speed you, ancient father, And give you a good daye; What is the cause, I praye you So sadly here you staye? And that you keep such gazing 5 On this decayed place, The which, for superstition, Good princes down did raze?

IGNORANCE.

Chill[807] tell thee, by my vazen[808], That zometimes che[809] have knowne 10 A vair and goodly abbey Stand here of bricke and stone; And many a holy vrier[810], As ich[811] may say to thee, Within these goodly cloysters Che did full often zee. 15

TRUTH.

Then I must tell thee, father, In truthe and veritiè, A sorte of greater hypocrites Thou couldst not likely see; 20 Deceiving of the simple With false and feigned lies: But such an order truly Christ never did devise.

IGNORANCE.

Ah! ah! che zmell thee now, man; 25 Che know well what thou art; A vellow of mean learning, Thee was not worth a vart: Vor when we had the old lawe, A merry world was then; 30 And every thing was plenty Among all zorts of men.

TRUTH.

Thou givest me an answer, As did the Jewes sometimes Unto the prophet Jeremye, 35 When he accus'd their crimes; 'Twas merry, sayd the people, And joyfull in our rea'me, When we did offer spice-cakes Unto the queen of heav'n. 40

IGNORANCE.

Chill tell thee what, good vellowe, Before the vriers went hence, A bushell of the best wheatè Was zold vor vourteen pence; And vorty egges a penny, 45 That were both good and newe; And this che zay my zelf have zeene, And yet ich am no Jewe.

TRUTH.

Within the sacred bible We find it written plain, 50 The latter days should troublesome And dangerous be, certaine; That we should be self-lovers, And charity wax colde; Then 'tis not true religion 55 That makes thee grief to holde.

IGNORANCE.

Chill tell thee my opinion plaine, And choul'd[812] that well ye knewe, Ich care not for the bible booke; Tis too big to be true. Our blessed ladyes psalter Zhall for my money goe; Zuch pretty prayers, as there bee[813], The bible cannot zhowe.

TRUTH.

Nowe hast thou spoken trulye, 65 For in that book indeede No mention of our lady, Or Romish saint we read: For by the blessed Spirit That book indited was, 70 And not by simple persons, As was the foolish masse.

IGNORANCE.

Cham[814] zure they were not voolishe That made the masse, che trowe; Why, man,'tis all in Latine, 75 And vools no Latine knowe. Were not our fathers wise men, And they did like it well; Who very much rejoyced To heare the zacring bell?[815] 80

TRUTH.

But many kinges and prophets, As I may say to thee, Have wisht the light that you have, And could it never see: For what art thou the better 85 A Latin song to heare, And understandest nothing, That they sing in the quiere?

IGNORANCE.

O hold thy peace, che pray thee, The noise was passing trim 90 To heare the vriers zinging, As we did enter in; And then to zee the rood-loft Zo bravely zet with zaints;-- But now to zee them wandring 95 My heart with zorrow vaints.

TRUTH.

The Lord did give commandment, No image thou shouldst make, Nor that unto idolatry You should your self betake: 100 The golden calf of Israel Moses did therefore spoile; And Baal's priests and temple Were brought to utter foile.

IGNORANCE.

But our lady of Walsinghame 105 Was a pure and holy zaint, And many men in pilgrimage Did shew to her complaint. Yea with zweet Thomas Becket, And many other moe: 110 The holy maid of Kent[816] likewise Did many wonders zhowe.

TRUTH.

Such saints are well agreeing To your profession sure; And to the men that made them 115 So precious and so pure; The one for being a traytoure, Met an untimely death; The other eke for treason Did end her hateful breath. 120

IGNORANCE.

Yea, yea, it is no matter, Dispraise them how you wille: But zure they did much goodnesse; Would they were with us stille! We had our holy water, 125 And holy bread likewise, And many holy reliques We zaw before our eyes.

TRUTH.

And all this while they fed you With vain and empty showe, 130 Which never Christ commanded, As learned doctors knowe: Search then the holy scriptures, And thou shalt plainly see That headlong to damnation 135 They alway trained thee.

IGNORANCE.

If it be true, good vellowe, As thou dost zay to mee, Unto my heavenly fader Alone then will I flee: 140 Believing in the Gospel, And passion of his zon, And with the zubtil papistes Ich have for ever done.

FOOTNOTES:

[807] [I will.]

[808] _i.e._ faithen: as in the Midland counties they say housen, closen, for houses, closes. _A._

[809] [I.]

[810] [friar.]

[811] [I.]

[812] [I would.]

[813] Probably alluding to the illuminated Psalters, Missals, &c.

[814] [I am.]

[815] [the sacring bell was rung to give notice of the elevation of the host.]

[816] By name Eliz. Barton, executed Apr. 21, 1534. Stow, p. 570.