The Ship of Fools, Volume 1-2 by Sebastian Brant (novels in english TXT) 📕

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 passyd 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 noble 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 slomber

And if ye wyl nedys your bokes multyplye

With diligence endeuer you some to occupye.

 

*

 

Of euyl Counsellours, Juges and men of lawe.

 

[Illustration: 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 noble Rome thou gat nat thy honours

Nor general Empyre by suche Counsellours.

 

Whan noble Rome all the worlde dyd gouerne

Theyr councellers were olde men iust and prudent

Whiche egally dyd euery thynge descerne

Wherby theyr Empyre became so excellent

But nowe a dayes he shall haue his intent

That hath most golde, and so it is befall

That aungels worke wonders in westmynster hall.

 

There cursyd coyne makyth the wronge seme right

The cause of hym that lyueth in pouertye

Hath no defence, tuycion, strength nor myght

Suche is the olde custome of this faculte

That colours oft cloke Justyce and equyte

None can the mater fele nor vnderstonde

Without the aungell be weyghty in his honde

 

Thus for the hunger of syluer and of golde

Justyce and right is in captyuyte

And as we se nat gyuen fre, but solde

Nouther to estates, nor sympell comonte

And though that many lawyers rightwysnes be

Yet many other dysdayne to se the ryght

And they ar suche as blynde Justycis syght

 

There is one and other alleged at the barre

And namely suche as chrafty were in glose

Upon the lawe: the clyentis stande afarre

Full lytell knowynge howe the mater goose

And many other the lawes clene transpose

Folowynge the example, of lawyers dede and gone

Tyll the pore Clyentis be etyn to the bone

 

It is not ynough to conforme thy mynde

Unto the others faynyd opynyon

Thou sholde say trouthe, so Justyce doth the bynde

And also lawe gyueth the commyssyon

To knowe hir, and kepe hir without transgressyon

Lyst they whome thou hast Juged wrongfully

Unto the hye Juge for vengeaunce on the crye.

 

Perchaunce thou thynkest that god taketh no hede

To mannes dedys, nor workes of offence

Yes certaynly he knowes thy thought and dede

No thynge is secrete, nor hyd from his presence

Wherefore if thou wylt gyde the by prudence

Or thou gyue Jugement of mater lesse or more

Take wyse mennys reade and good counsayle before

 

Loke in what Balance, what weyght and what mesure

Thou seruest other. for thou shalt serued be

With the same after this lyfe I the ensure.

If thou ryghtwysly Juge by lawe and equyte

Thou shalt haue presence of goddes hyghe maiestye

But if thou Juge amys: than shall Eacus

(As Poetis sayth) hell Juge thy rewarde discusse

 

God is aboue and regneth sempiternally.

Whiche shall vs deme at his last Jugement,

And gyue rewardes to echone egally

After suche fourme as he his lyfe hath spent

Than shall we them se whome we as violent

Traytours: haue put to wronge in worde or dede

And after our deserte euen suche shall be our mede

 

There shall be no Bayle nor treatynge of maynpryse

Ne worldly wysdome there shall no thynge preuayle

There shall be no delayes vntyll another Syse

But outher quyt, or to infernall Gayle.

Ill Juges so iuged, Lo here theyr trauayle

Worthely rewarded in wo withouten ende.

Than shall no grace be graunted ne space to amende.

 

THE ENUOY OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY THE TRANSLATOUR.

 

Therfore ye yonge Studentes of the Chauncery:

(I speke nat to the olde the Cure of them is past)

Remember that Justyce longe hath in bondage be

Reduce ye hir nowe vnto lybertye at the last.

Endeuer you hir bondes to louse or to brast

Hir raunsome is payde and more by a thousande pounde

And yet alas the lady Justyce lyeth bounde.

 

Thoughe your fore Faders haue take hir prysoner

And done hir in a Dongeon nat mete for hir degre

Lay to your handes and helpe hir from daungere

And hir restore vnto hir lybertye

That pore men and monyles may hir onys se

But certaynly I fere lyst she hath lost hir name

Or by longe prysonment shall after euer be lame.

 

*

 

Of Auaryce or Couetyse and prodygalyte.

 

[Illustration: Ye that ar gyuen ouer moche to Couetyse

Come nere, a place is here for you to dwel

Come nere ye wastfull people in lyke wyse

Youre rowme shall be hye in the Topcastell

Ye care for no shame, for heuen nor for hell

Golde is your god, ryches gotten wrongfully

Ye dame your soule, and yet lyue in penury.]

 

He that is besy euery day and houre

Without mesure, maner, or moderacion

To gather riches and great store of treasoure

Therof no ioy takinge, confort nor consolacion.

He is a Fole: and of blynde and mad opynyon

For that which he getteth and kepeth wrongfully

His heyre often wasteth moche more vnthryftely.

 

While he here lyueth in this lyfe caduke and mortal.

Ful sore he laboureth: and oft hungry gothe to bed

Sparinge from hymselfe: for hym that neuer shal

After do hym goode. thoughe he were harde bested.

Thus is this Couetous wretche so blyndly led

By the fende that here he lyueth wretchydly

And after his deth damned eternally.

 

There wandreth he in dolour and derknes

Amonge infernall flodes tedyous and horryble

Let se what auayleth than all his ryches

Ungracyously gotyne, his paynes ar terryble

Than wolde he amende but it is inpossyble

In hell is no order nor hope of remedy

But sorowe vpon sorowe, and that euerlastyngly.

 

Yet fynde I another vyce as bad as this

Whiche is the vyce of prodygalyte

He spendyth all in ryot and amys

Without all order, pursuynge pouertye

He lyketh nat to lyue styll in prosperite

But all and more he wastyth out at large

(Beware the ende) is the leste poynt of his charge.

 

But of the couetous somwhat to say agayne

Thou art a fole thy soule to sell for riches

Or put thy body to labour or to payne

Thy mynde to fere, thy herte to heuynesse

Thou fole thou fleest no maner cruelnesse

So thou may get money, to make thy heyr a knyght

Thou sleest thy soule where as thou saue it myght

 

Thou hast no rest thy mynde is euer in fere

Of mysauenture, nor neuer art content

Deth is forgoten, thou carest nat a here

To saue thy soule from infernall punysshement

If thou be dampned, than art thou at thy stent

By thy ryches which thou here hast left behynde

To thy executours, thou shalt small comforte fynde

 

Theyr custome is to holde fast that they haue

Thy pore soule shall be farthest fro theyr thought

If that thy carkes be brought onys in the graue

And that they haue thy bagges in handes cought

What say they, than (by god the man had nought)

Whyle he here lyuyd he was to lyberall

Thus dampned is thy soule, thy ryches cause of all

 

Who wyll denay but it is necesary

Of riches for to haue plenty and store

To this opynyon I