The Ship of Fools Part 12

To Shyp galantes the se is at the ful.

The wynde vs calleth our sayles ar displayed.

Where may we best aryue? at Lyn or els at Hulle?

To vs may no hauen in Englonde be denayd.

Why tary we? the Ankers ar vp wayed.

If any corde or Cabyl vs hurt, let outher hynder.

Let slyp the ende, or els hewe it in sonder.

Retourne your syght beholde vnto the sh.o.r.e.

There is great nomber that fayne wold be aborde.

They get no rowme our Shyp can holde no more.

Haws in the c.o.c.ke gyue them none other worde.

G.o.d gyde vs from Rockes, quicsonde tempest and forde If any man of warre, wether, or wynde apere.

My selfe shal trye the wynde and kepe the Stere.

But I pray you reders haue ye no dysdayne.

Thoughe Barclay haue presumed of audacite This Shyp to rule as chefe mayster and Captayne.

Though some thynke them selfe moche worthyer than he.

It were great maruayle forsoth syth he hath be.

A scoler longe: and that in dyuers scoles But he myght be Captayne of a Shyp of Foles

But if that any one be in suche maner case.

That he wyl chalange the maystershyp fro me Yet in my Shyp can I nat want a place.

For in euery place my selfe I oft may se.

But this I leue besechynge eche degre: To pardon my youthe and to bolde interprise.

For harde is it duely to speke of euery vyce.

For yf I had tunges an hundreth: and wyt to fele Al thinges natural and supernaturall A thousand mouthes: and voyce as harde as stele.

And sene all the seuen Sciences lyberal.

Yet cowde I neuer touche the vyces all.

And syn of the worlde: ne theyr braunches comprehende: Nat thoughe I lyued vnto the worldes ende.

But if these vyces whiche mankynde doth incomber.

Were clene expellyd and vertue in theyr place.

I cowde nat haue gathered of fowles so great a nomber.

Whose foly from them out chaseth G.o.ddys grace.

But euery man that knowes hym in that case To this rude Boke let hym gladly intende.

And lerne the way his lewdnes to amende.

[The Prologe of James Locher.]

After that I haue longe mused by my self of the sore confounded and vncertayne cours of mannys lyfe, and thinges therto belonginge: at the last I haue by my vigilant meditacion found and noted many degrees of errours: wherby mankynd wandreth from the way of trouth I haue also noted that many wyse men and wel lettred haue writen right fruteful doctrines: wherby they haue heled these dyseses and intollerable perturbacions of the mynde: and the goostly woundes therof, moche better than Esculapius which was fyrst Inuentour of Phesyke and amonge the Gentyles worshypped as a G.o.d. In the contrey of Grece were stodyes fyrst founded and ordeyned in the which began and sprange holsom medicyne which gaue vnto infect myndes frutful doctryne and noriss.h.i.+nge. Amonge whome Socrates that great begynner and honourer of wysdom began to dispute of ye maners of men. But for that he coude nat fynde certayne ende of goodnes and hyest felicite in naturall thinges: nor induce men to the same, he gaue the hye contemplacions of his mynde to moral vertues. And in so moche pa.s.sed he al other in Philosophy moral that it was sayde that he called Philosophy down from the Imperial heuen. whan this Socrates perceyued the mindes of men to be p.r.o.ne, and extremely inclyned to viciousnes he had gret affeccion to subdue suche maners.

Wherfore in comon places of the Cyte of Athenes he instruct and infourmed the peple in such doctrynes as compasith the clere and immaculate welles of the moste excellent and souerayne G.o.de. After the disces of Socrates succeded ye G.o.dly Plato whiche in moral Philosophy ouerpa.s.sed also a great part of his tyme And certaynly nat without a cause was he called G.o.dly. For by what stody myght be more holely or better socour mankynde than by suche doctrynes as he gaue. He wrote and ordeyned lawes moste egal and iust He edityed vnto the Grekes a comon welthe stable, quyet and commendable. And ordeyned the societe and company of them most iocund and amyable. He prepared a brydel to refrayne the l.u.s.t and sensualyte of the body. And fynally he changed the yl ignorance feblenes and negligence of youth vnto dylygence, strength and vertue. In tyme also of these Phylosophers sprange the florisshynge age of Poetes: whiche amonge lettred men had nat smal rowme and place. And that for theyr eloquent Retoryke and also for theyr mery ficcions and inuencions. Of the whiche Poetes some wrote in moste ornate termes in ditees heroycal wherin the n.o.ble actes and lyues both of dyuyne and humayne creatures ar wont to be noted and writem. Some wrote of tylling of the grounde. Some of the Planetes, of the courses of ye sterres: and of the mouynge of the heuyn and fyrmament. Some of the Empyre and shameful subieccion of disordred loue. And many other of the myserable ruyne and fal of Kynges and princes for vice: as Tragedies. And some other wrote Comedyes with great libertye of speche: which Comedies we cal Interludes. Amonge whome Aristophanes Eupolis and Cratinus mooste laudable Poetes pa.s.sed al other. For whan they sawe the youth of Athenes and of al the remanent of Grece inclyned to al ylles they toke occasion to note suche myslyuinge. And so in playne wordes they repreued without fauour the vyces of the sayd yl disposyd peple of what condicion or order they were: Of this auncient wrytinge of Comedyes our laten Poetes deuysed a maner of wrytinge nat inelegant. And fyrst Lucilius composed one Satyre in the whiche he wrote by name the vices of certayne princes and Citezyns of Rome And that with many bourdes so y^t with his mery speche myxt with rebukes he correct al them of the cyte that disordredly lyued. But this mery speche vsed he nat in his writing to the intent to excercyse wanton wordes or vnrefrayned lascyuyte, or to put his pleasour in suche dissolute langage: but to ye intent to quenche vyces and to prouoke the commons to wysdome and vertue, and to be a.s.shamed of theyr foly and excessyfe lyuynge. of hym all the Latyn poetes haue takyn example, and begynnynge to wryte Satyrs whiche the grekes named Comedyes: As Fabius specifyeth in his X boke of inst.i.tucions.

After Lucilius succeded Horacius, moche more eloquent in wrytynge whiche in the same deseruyd great laude: Persius also left to vs onely one boke by the whiche he commyttyd his name and laude to perpetuall memory. The last and prynce of all was Juuenall whiche in his iocunde poemys comprehendyd al that was wryten most eloquent and pleasaunt of all the poetis of that sorte afore his tyme: O n.o.ble men, and diligent hertes and myndes, o laudable maners and tymes, these worthy men exyled ydelnes, wherby they haue obtayned nat small worshyp and great commodyte example and doctryne lefte to vs theyr posteryours why begyn we nat to vnderstonde and perceyue. Why worshyp nat the people of our tyme these poetis why do nat they reuerence to ye interpretours of them do they nat vnderstonde: that no poetes wryte, but outher theyr mynde is to do pleasure or els profyte to the reder, or ellys they togyther wyll doo bothe profyte and pleasoure why are they dyspysed of many rude carters of nowe a dayes which vnderstonde nat them, And for lacke of them haue nat latyn to vtter and expresse ye wyl of their mynde. Se whether poetes ar to be dispised. they laude vertue and hym that vseth it rebukyng vices with the vsers therof, They teche what is good and what is euyll: to what ende vyce, and what ende vertue bringeth vs, and do nat Poetis reuyle and sharply byte in their poemys all suche as ar vnmeke, Prowde, Couetous, Lecherous, Wanton, delycyous, Wrathfull glotons, wasters, Enuyours, Enchauntours, faythebrakers, ra.s.she, vnauysed, malapert, drunken, vntaught foles, and suche lyke. Shulde theyr writyng that suche thinges disprayse and reuyle be dyspised of many blynde Dotardes y^t nowe lyue whiche enuy that any man shulde haue or vnderstonde ye thyng whiche they knowe nat. The Poetes also wyth great lawdes commende and exalt the n.o.ble folowers of vertue ascribyng to euery man rewardes after his merytes. And shortly to say, the intencion of al Poetes hath euer ben to repreue vyce: and to commende vertue. But syns it is so that nowe in our dayes ar so many neglygent and folysshe peple that they ar almost innumerable whiche despisynge the loue of vertue: folowe the blyndenes and vanyte of this worlde: it was expedient that of newe some lettred man, wyse, and subtil of wyt shulde awake and touche ye open vices of foles that now lyue: and blame theyr abhomynable lyfe. This fourme and lybertye of writinge, and charge hathe taken vpon hym the Right excellent and worthy Mayster Sebastian Brant Doctour of both the Lawes and n.o.ble Oratour and Poete to the comon welthe of al people in playne and comon speche of Doche in the contrey of Almayne: to the ymytacion of Dant Florentyne: and Francis Petrarche Poetes heroycal which in their maternal langage haue composed maruelous Poemes and ficcions. But amonge diuers inuencions composed of the sayde Sebastian brant I haue noted one named ye Shyp of Foles moche expedient and necessary to the redar which the sayd Sebastian composed in doche langage. And after hym one called James Locher his Disciple translated the same into Laten to the vnderstondinge of al Christen nacions where Laten is spoken. Than another (whose name to me is vnknowen) translated the same into Frenche. I haue ouersene the fyrst Inuencion in Doche and after that the two translations in Laten and Frenche whiche in blaminge the disordred lyfe of men of our tyme agreeth in sentence: threfolde in langage wherfore wylling to redres the errours and vyces of this oure Royalme of Englonde: as the foresayde composer and translatours hath done in theyr Contrees I haue taken vpon me: howbeit vnworthy to drawe into our Englysshe tunge the sayd boke named ye shyp of folys as nere to ye sayd thre Langages as the parcyte of my wyt wyll suffer me. But ye reders gyue ye pardon vnto Alexander de Barklay If ignoraunce negligence or lacke of wyt cause hym to erre in this translacion his purpose and synguler desyre is to content youre myndes. And sothely he hathe taken vpon hym the translacion of this present Boke neyther for hope of rewarde nor lawde of man: but onely for the holsome instruccion commodyte and Doctryne of wysdome, and to clense the vanyte and madnes of folysshe people of whom ouer great nombre is in the Royalme of Englonde. Therfore let euery man beholde and ouerrede this boke: And than I doute nat but he shal se the errours of his lyfe of what condycyon that he be. in lyke wyse as he shal se in a Myrrour the fourme of his countenaunce and vysage: And if he amende suche fautes as he redeth here wherein he knoweth hymself gylty, and pa.s.se forth the resydue of his lyfe in the order of good maners than shall he haue the fruyte and auauntage wherto I haue translatyd this boke.

Here begynneth the prologe.

Amonge the people of euery regyon And ouer the worlde, south north eest and west Soundeth G.o.dly doctryne in plenty and foyson Wherin the grounde of vertue and wysdome doth rest Rede G.o.de and bad, and kepe the to the best Was neuer more plenty of holsome doctryne Nor fewer people that doth therto enclyne

We haue the Bybyll whiche G.o.dly doth expresse Of the olde testament the lawes mysticall And also of the newe our erour to redresse Of phylosophy and other artes liberall With other bokes of vertues morall But thoughe suche bokes vs G.o.dly wayes shewe We all ar blynde no man wyll them ensue

Banysshed is doctryne, we wander in derknes Throughe all the worlde: our selfe we wyll not knowe Wysdome is exyled, alas blynde folysshenes Mysgydeth the myndes of people hye and lowe Grace is decayed, yll governaunce doth growe Both prudent Pallas and Minerua are slayne Or els to heuyn retourned are they agayne

Knowledge of trouth, Prudence, and iust Symplicite Hath vs clene left: For we set of them no store.

Our Fayth is defyled loue, goodnes, and Pyte: Honest maners nowe ar reputed of: no more.

Lawyers ar lordes: but Justice is rent and tore.

Or closed lyke a Monster within dores thre.

For without mede: or money no man can hyr se.

Al is disordred: Vertue hathe no rewarde.

Alas, Compa.s.sion: and Mercy bothe ar slayne.

Alas, the stony hartys of pepyl ar so harde That nought can constrayne theyr folyes to refrayne But styl they procede: and eche other meyntayne.

So wander these foles: incresinge without nomber.

That al the worlde they vtterly encomber.

Blasphemers of Chryst; Hostlers; and Tauerners: Crakars and bosters with Courters auenterous, Bawdes and Pollers with comon extorcioners Ar taken nowe adayes in the worlde moste glorious.

But the gyftes of grace and al wayes gracious We haue excluded. Thus lyue we carnally: Utterly subdued to al lewdnes and Foly.

Thus is of Foles a sorte almost innumerable.

Defilynge the worlde with syn and Vylany.

Some thynkinge them self moche wyse and commendable Thoughe al theyr dayes they lyue vnthryftely.

No goodnes they perceyue nor to no goode aplye.

But if he haue a great wombe, and his Cofers ful Than is none holde wyser bytwene London and Hul.

But to a.s.semble these Foles in one bonde.

And theyr demerites worthely to note.

Fayne shal I Shyppes of euery maner londe.

None shalbe left: Barke, Galay, Shyp, nor Bote.

One vessel can nat brynge them al aflote.

For yf al these Foles were brought into one Barge The bote shulde synke so sore shulde be the charge.

The sayles ar hawsed, a pleasant cole dothe blowe.

The Foles a.s.sembleth as fast as they may dryue.

Some swymmeth after: other as thycke doth rowe In theyr small botes, as Bees about a hyue The nomber is great, and eche one doth stryue For to be chefe as Purser and Capytayne Quarter mayster, Lodesman or els Boteswayne.

They ron to our shyp, eche one doth greatly fere Lyst his slacke paas, sholde cause hym byde behynde The wynde ryseth, and is lyke the sayle to tere Eche one enforseth the anker vp to wynde The se swellyth by planettes well I fynde These obscure clowdes threteneth vs tempest All are nat in bed whiche shall haue yll rest

We are full lade and yet forsoth I thynke A thousand are behynde, whom we may not receyue For if we do, our nauy clene shall synke He oft all lesys that coueytes all to haue From London Rockes almyghty G.o.d vs saue For if we there anker, outher bote or barge There be so many that they vs wyll ouercharge

Ye London Galantes, arere, ye shall nat enter We kepe the streme, and touche nat the sh.o.r.e In Cyte nor in Court we dare nat well auenter Lyst perchaunce we sholde displeasure haue therfore But if ye wyll nedes some shall haue an ore And all the remenaunt shall stande afar at large And rede theyr fautes paynted aboute our barge.

Lyke as a myrrour doth represent agayne The fourme and fygure of mannes countenaunce So in our shyp shall he se wrytyn playne The fourme and fygure of his mysgouernaunce What man is fautles, but outher ignoraunce Or els wylfulnes causeth hym offende: Than let hym nat disdayne this shyp, tyll he amende.

And certaynly I thynke that no creature Lyuynge in this lyfe mortall in transytory Can hym self kepe and stedfastly endure Without all spot, as worthy eternall glory But if he call to his mynde and memory Fully the dedys both of his youthe and age He wyll graunt in this shyp to kepe some stage