Sir! Our master shall have a gown That all the gallants, in this town, Shall on the fashion wonder: It shall not be sewed but with a lace Betwixt every seam, a space Of two handful asunder.
Then a doublet of the new make; Close before, and open on the back, No sleeve upon his arm; Under that a shirt as soft as silk, And as white as any milk To keep the carcase warm.
Then shall his hosen be striped With corselets of fine velvet, sliped Down to the hard knee; And, from the knee downward, His hosen shall be freshly gard With colours two or three.
And when he is in such array-- "There goeth a rutter," men will say; "A rutter, huffa gallant!" Ye shall see these fools on him gaze, And muse as it were on a maze New brought into the land.
_Wor. Aff._ Ha, ha, ha! now, by the Mary Virgin! This will set him on a merry pin, Even as it should be. But ever I am in great fear That Reason will whister him in the ear, And turn his mind clean from this gear: This thing feareth me!
_Pride._ Reason! nay, nay, hardely! He is forsaken utterly Sith I came to his company; He would not once appear. Nevertheless, for a surety, Worldly Affection, I advise thee As shortly as ever it may be For speed of the matter, To bring him shortly in acquaintance With all the company of mine affiance; And let them give continual attendance, Every man busily, After the property of his office; Then shall ye see him utterly despise Reason's counsel, on warrantise, And forsake him, utterly.
_Sens._ Nay, nay, sirs! care ye nothing That matter is sped well and fine.
_Sens._ Yea, by heaven king! Even as we sat together at the wine.
_Wor. Aff._ Thou shalt have God's blessing and mine-- But is it true?
_Sens._ Yea, sir! by this day! Our master and Reason have made a great fray.
_Sens._ By my faith! we sat together At the tavern, next hereby; And, anon, who should come together But flee[r]ing Kate and Margery, She that beguiled you, parde! so prately And bare away your shirt the last morning Stead of her smock, while ye lay sleeping.
_Pride._ I wot whom ye mean, well I know; But that is nothing to this purpose-- Tell on thy tale, for God avow!
_Sens._ I shall, anon, had I wiped my nose: Sir! when I spied them, anon I rose; And called them unto me by name; And, without more tarrying, anon they came; And sat down with us, and made nothing strange, As they be full courteous--ye know it well. And, anon, our master's colour began to change-- Whereof it came I cannot tell; His cheer was appalled, every deal, And scant that he could speak to me one word; But start him even up and rose from the board. He said he would go lie down on a bed; And prayed me, for the manners' sake, That Margery might come hold his head Which, as he told me, began to ache. And so she hath him undertake To make him whole, in an hour or twain, Whensoever he hath any such sudden pain. What it meaneth, I wot never; But he liketh her physic so well That I trow the devil of hell Can not them two dissever! Lo! this have I done; and what trow ye more? Yet can I tell you better tiding.