FACSIMILES BY HORACE HART, M.A., AT THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
An enterlude of Welth, and Helth, very mery and full of Pastyme, newly att his tyme Imprinted
Welth. Helth, Lybertie. Ilwyll. Shrowdwyt. Hance. Remedy
¶ Here entreth Welth, and Helth synging together a balet of two partes, and after speaketh Welth.
Why is there no curtesy, now I am come I tcowe that all the people be dume Or els so god helpe me and halydum They were almost a fleepe. No wordes I harde, nor yet no talking No instrument went nor ballattes synging What ayles you all thus to syt dreaming 10 Of whom take ye care? Of my coming ye may be glad Therefore I pray you be nof sad For all your desyre shall be had I can amende your cheare By God I thinke ye haue forgotten me I am welth of this realme looke upon me For I am to euery man louing and freendly For welth hath no pere.
+Helth.+ Brother welth haue ye not yet doone? 20 ye prayse your selfe aboue the moone Euery man may perceyue therby soone That you lacke discresyon
+Weith.+ Wherfore, by god I cannot say to much Iam so welthy of substaunce and rych In all the worlde where is one such As I am ofcomparison.
+Helth.+ Welth is good I cannot denay Yet prayse your selfe so muche ye may For welth oftentimes doth decay 30 And welth is nothing sure.
+Welth.+ Welth hath ben euer in this countrey And here I purpose styll for to be For this is the lande most mete for me And here I wyll endure.
+Health+ Therin ye speake full louingle For in this realme welth should be yeth no displeasure I pray you hartely But in the way of communicacion. And for pastyme I would speake some wayes 40 Of no comparison, nor to you no dyspayre, I doo not intende that maner alwayes, But for a recreation,
+Wealth+ Brother what soeuer ye say to me. I wyll heare you paciently I am content and I thanke you hartely Begyn and say your pleasure
+Health+ I thanke you hartely then wyll I Some what unto my purpose apply Though welth be praised marualufly 50 Yet to myne understanding. Welth is mutable, and that iu shame And welth is hauty and proude of name Welth is cruell, and in great blame For welth ts euer wauerynge.
+Wealth.+ To whom haue I doone any harme can ye say, Ye stander me nowe, yet I trust I may Aunswere for my selte in euery maner way Ye wyl not deny that?