The Ship of Fools Part 13

But who so euer wyll knowlege his owne foly And it repent, lyuynge after in sympylnesse Shall haue no place nor rowme more in our nauy But become felawe to pallas the G.o.ddesse But he that fyxed is in suche a blyndnesse That thoughe he be nought he thynketh al is well Suche shall in this Barge bere a babyll and a bell

These with other lyke may eche man se and rede Eche by themselfe in this small boke ouerall The fautes shall he fynde if he take good hede Of all estatis as degres temporall With gyders of dignytees spirituall Bothe pore and riche, Chorles and Cytezyns For hast to lepe a borde many bruse theyr shynnys

Here is berdles youth, and here is crokyd age Children with theyr faders that yll do them insygne And doth nat intende theyr wantones to swage Nouther by worde nor yet by discyplyne Here be men of euery science and doctryne Lerned and vnlerned man mayde chylde and wyfe May here se and rede the lewdenes of theyr lyfe.

Here ar vyle wymen: whome loue Immoderate And l.u.s.t Venereall bryngeth to hurt and shame.

Here ar prodigal Galantes: wyth mouers of debate.

And thousandes mo: whome I nat wel dare name.

Here ar Bacbyters whiche goode lyuers dyffame.

Brakers of wedlocke, men proude: and couetous: Pollers, and pykers with folke delicious.

It is but foly to rehers the names here Of al suche Foles: as in one Shelde or targe.

Syns that theyr foly dystynctly shal apere On euery lefe: in Pyctures fayre and large.

To Barclays stody: and Pynsones cost and charge Wherfore ye redars pray that they both may be saued Before G.o.d, syns they your folyes haue thus graued.

But to thentent that euery man may knowe The cause of my wrytynge: certes I intende To profyte and to please both hye and lowe And blame theyr fautes wherby they may amende But if that any his quarell wyll defende Excusynge his fautes to my derysyon Knowe he that n.o.ble poetes thus haue done.

Afore my dayes a thousande yere ago Blamynge and reuylynge the inconuenyence Of people, wyllynge them to withdrawe therfro Them I ensue: nat lyke of intellygence And though I am nat to them lyke in science Yet this is my wyll mynde and intencion To blame all vyce lykewyse as they haue done.

To tender youth my mynde is to auayle That they eschewe may all lewdenes and offence Whiche doth theyr myndes often sore a.s.sayle Closynge the iyen of theyr intellygence But if I halt in meter or erre in eloquence Or be to large in langage I pray you blame nat me For my mater is so bad it wyll none other be.

[The Argument.]

Here after foloweth the Boke named the Shyp of Foles of the world: translated out of Laten, French and Doche into Englysse in the Colege of saynt Mary Otery By me Alexander Barclay to the felicite and moste holsom instruccion of mankynde the whiche conteyneth al suche as wandre from the way of trouth and from the open Path of holsom vnderstondynge and wysdom: fallynge into dyuers blyndnesses of ye mynde, folysshe sensualytees, and vndlawful delectacions of the body. This present Boke myght haue ben callyd nat inconuenyently the Satyr (that is to say) the reprehencion of foulysshnes, but the neweltye of the name was more plesant vnto the fyrst actour to call it the Shyp of foles: For in lyke wyse as olde Poetes Satyriens in dyuers Poesyes conioyned repreued the synnes and ylnes of the peple at that tyme lyuynge: so and in lyke wyse this our Boke representeth vnto the iyen of the redars the states and condicions of men: so that euery man may behold within the same the cours of his lyfe and his mysgouerned maners, as he sholde beholde the shadowe of the fygure of his visage within a bright Myrrour. But concernynge the translacion of this Boke: I exhort ye reders to take no displesour for y^t it is nat translated word by worde acordinge to ye verses of my actour. For I haue but only drawen into our moder tunge, in rude langage the sentences of the verses as nere as the parcyte of my wyt wyl suffer me, some tyme addynge, somtyme detractinge and takinge away suche thinges a semeth me necessary and superflue. wherfore I desyre of you reders pardon of my presumptuous audacite trustynge that ye shall holde me excused if ye consyder ye scarsnes of my wyt and my vnexpert youthe. I haue in many places ouerpa.s.sed dyuers poetical digressions and obscurenes of Fables and haue concluded my worke in rude langage as shal apere in my translacion. But the speciyl cawse that mouethe me to this besynes is to auoyde the execrable inconuenyences of ydilnes whyche (as saint Bernard sayth) is moder of al vices: and to the vtter derision of obstynat men delitynge them in folyes and mysgouernance. But bycause the name of this boke semeth to the redar to procede of derysion: and by that mean that the substance therof shulde nat be profitable: I wyl aduertise you that this Boke is named the Shyp of foles of the worlde: For this worlde is nought els but a tempestous se in the whiche we dayly wander and are caste in dyuers tribulacions paynes and aduersitees: some by ignoraunce and some by wilfulnes: wherfore suche doers ar worthy to be called foles.

syns they gyde them nat by reason as creatures resonable ought to do.

Therfore the fyrst actoure w.i.l.l.ynge to deuyde suche foles from wys.e.m.e.n and G.o.de lyuers: hathe ordeyned vpon the se of this worlde this present Shyp to contayne these folys of ye worlde, whiche ar in great nomber. So that who redeth it perfytely consyderynge his secrete dedys, he shall not lyghtly excuse hym selfe out of it, what so euer good name y^t he hath outwarde in the mouth of the comontye, And to the entent y^t this my laboure may be the more pleasaunt vnto lettred men, I haue adioyned vnto the same ye verses of my Actour with dyuerse concordaunces of the Bybyll to fortyfy my wrytynge by the same, and also to stop the enuyous mouthes (If any suche shal be) of them that by malyce shall barke ayenst this my besynes.

Here begynneth the foles and first inprofytable bokes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: I am the firste fole of all the hole nauy To kepe the pompe, the helme and eke the sayle For this is my mynde, this one pleasoure haue I Of bokes to haue grete plenty and aparayle I take no wysdome by them: nor yet auayle Nor them preceyue nat: And then I them despyse Thus am I a foole and all that sewe that guyse]

That in this shyp the chefe place I gouerne By this wyde see with folys wanderynge The cause is playne, and easy to dyscerne Styll am I besy bokes a.s.semblynge For to haue plenty it is a plesaunt thynge In my conceyt and to haue them ay in honde But what they mene do I nat vnderstonde

But yet I haue them in great reuerence And honoure sauynge them from fylth and ordure By often brusshynge, and moche dylygence Full goodly bounde in pleasaunt couerture Of domas, satyn, or els of veluet pure I kepe them sure ferynge lyst they sholde be lost For in them is the connynge wherin I me bost.

But if it fortune that any lernyd men Within my house fall to disputacion I drawe the curtyns to shewe my bokes then That they of my cunnynge sholde make probacion I kepe nat to fall in altercacion And whyle they comon my bokes I turne and wynde For all is in them, and no thynge in my mynde.

Tholomeus the riche causyd longe agone Ouer all the worlde good bokes to be sought Done was his commaundement anone These bokes he had and in his stody brought Whiche pa.s.syd all erthly treasoure as he thought But neuertheles he dyd hym nat aply Unto theyr doctryne, but lyued unhappely.

Lo in lyke wyse of bokys I haue store But fewe I rede, and fewer understande I folowe nat theyr doctryne nor theyr lore It is ynoughe to bere a boke in hande It were to moche to be it suche a bande For to be bounde to loke within the boke I am content on the fayre couerynge to loke

Why sholde I stody to hurt my wyt therby Or trouble my mynde with stody excessyue Sythe many ar whiche stody right besely And yet therby shall they neuer thryue The fruyt of wysdom can they nat contryue And many to stody so moche are inclynde That utterly they fall out of theyr mynde

Eche is nat lettred that nowe is made a lorde Nor eche a clerke that hath a benefyce They are nat all lawyers that plees doth recorde All that are promotyd are nat fully wyse On suche chaunce nowe fortune throwys hir dyce That thoughe one knowe but the yresshe game Yet wolde he haue a gentyllmannys name

So in lyke wyse I am in suche case Thoughe I nought can I wolde be callyd wyse Also I may set another in my place Whiche may for me my bokes excercyse Or else I shall ensue the comon gyse And say concedo to euery argument Lyst by moche speche my latyn sholde be spent

I am lyke other Clerkes whiche so frowardly them gyde.

That after they ar onys come vnto promocion They gyue them to plesour theyr stody set asyde.

Theyr Auaryce couerynge with fayned deuocion.

Yet dayly they preche: and haue great derysyon Against the rude Laymen: and al for Couetyse.

Though theyr owne Conscience be blynded w^t that vyce.

But if I durst trouth playnely vtter and expresse.

This is the special cause of this Inconuenyence.

That greatest foles, and fullest of lewdnes Hauynge least wyt: and symplest Science Ar fyrst promoted: and haue greatest reuerence For if one can flater, and bere a hawke on his Fyst He shalbe made Person of Honyngton or of Clyst.

But he that is in Stody ay ferme and diligent.

And without al fauour prechyth Chrystys lore Of al the Comontye nowe adayes is sore shent.

And by Estates thretened to Pryson oft therfore.

Thus what auayle is it, to vs to Stody more: To knowe outher scripture, trouth, wysedom, or vertue Syns fewe, or none without fauour dare them shewe.

But O n.o.ble Doctours, that worthy ar of name: Consyder our olde faders: note wel theyr diligence: Ensue ye theyr steppes: obtayne ye such fame, As they dyd lyuynge: and that by true Prudence.

Within theyr hartys they planted theyr scyence And nat in plesaunt bokes. But nowe to fewe suche be.

Therefore in this Shyp let them come rowe with me.

THE ENUOY OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY TRANSLATOUR EXORTYNGE THE FOLES ACCLOYED WITH THIS VICE TO AMENDE THEYR FOLY.

Say worthy doctours and Clerkes curious: What moueth you of Bokes to haue such nomber.

Syns dyuers doctrines throughe way contrarious.

Doth mannys mynde distract and sore encomber.

Alas blynde men awake, out of your s...o...b..r And if ye wyl nedys your bokes multyplye With diligence endeuer you some to occupye.

Of euyl Counsellours, Juges and men of lawe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: He that Office hath and hyghe autorite.

To rule a Royalme: as Juge or Counsellour Which seynge Justice, playne ryght and equyte Them falsly blyndeth by fauour or rigour Condemnynge wretches gyltles. And to a Transgressour For mede shewinge fauour. Suche is as wyse a man As he that wolde seeth a quycke Sowe in a Pan.]

Right many labours nowe, with hyghe diligence For to be Lawyers the Comons to counsayle.

Therby to be in honour had and in reuerence But onely they labour for theyr pryuate auayle.

The purs of the Clyent shal fynde hym apparayle.

And yet knowes he neyther lawe good counsel nor Justice.

But speketh at auenture: as men throwe the dyce.

Suche in the Senate ar taken oft to counsayle With Statis of this and many a other region.

Whiche of theyr maners vnstable ar and frayle Nought of Lawe Ciuyl knowinge nor Canon.

But wander in derknes clerenes they haue none.

O n.o.ble Rome thou gat nat thy honours Nor general Empyre by suche Counsellours.