Marke More Foole
To : passe the time there as I went,
a history there I chanced to reede;
when as Salamon raigned K ing ,
he did many a worthie deede,
& many statutes hee caused to be made;
& this was one amongst the rest plaine,
" itt was ffelomy to any one tha t found ought was lost,
& wold not restore itt to the owner againe "
Soe then there was a rich Merchant,
as he rode to a markett towne,
itt was his chance to lose his pursse;
he said there was in itt a 100
a p ro clamation he caused to be made,
" whosoeuer cold find the same againe,
shold giue itt him againe w i thout all doubt,
& hee shold have ffor 20 his paine. "
Soe then there was a silly poore man
had 2 sheepes pells vpon his backe to sell,
& going to the Markett towne
hee ffound the pursse, & liked itt well;
hee tooke itt vp into his hand,
& needs see what was in it hee wold;
but the same he cold not vnderstand;
ffor why, there was nothing in it but gold
The rich man hee pursued him soone,
" thou horeson villaine, " q uo th he then,
" I thinke itt is thou tha t has found my pursse,
& wilt thou not giue itt me againe? "
" good S i r, " sayd hee, " I ffound such a pursse;
the truth ffull soone itt shall be knowne;
you shall haue itt againe, its neuer the worse,
but pay me my safteye tha t is mine owne. "
" Let me see whats in the pursse, " said the Merchant;
" ffound thou a 100 and no more?
thou horeson villaine! thou hast paid thy-selfe;
for in my pursse was ffull sixe score
itts best my pursse to me thou restore,
or before the K ing thou shalt be brought. "
" I warrant, " q uo th hee, " when I come the K ing before,
heele not reward me againe w i th nought "
Then they Ledd him towards the Kinge,
& as they led him on the way,
& there mett him a gallant K nigh t,
& w i th him was his Ladye gay.
w i th tugging & lugging this pore man,
his lether sckins began to cracke;
the gelding was wanton they Ladye rode on,
& threw her downe beside his backe.
Then to the earth shee gott a thawacke;
no hurt in the world the pore man did meane;
to the ground hee cast the Ladye there;
on a stubb shee dang out one of her eyen.
the K nigh t wold needs vpon him haue beene.
" nay, " sayd the Merchant, " I pray you, S i r, stay;
I haue a actyon against him alreadye;
he shalbe brought to the K ing , & hangd this day. "
Then they Ledd him towards the K ing ,
but the poreman liked not their Leading well;
& coming neere to the sea side,
he thought to be drowned or saue him selfe.
& as hee lope into the sea,
no harme to no man he did wott,
but there hee light vpon 2 ffisher-men;
w i th the leape he broke one of their neckes in a boate.
The other wold needs vpon him haue beene.
" nay, " said the Merchant, " I pray thee now stay;
we haue 2 actyons against him alreadye;
he shalbe carryed to the K ing & hangd this day. "
then they Led him bound before the K ing ,
where he sate in a gallerye gay.
" my Leege, " said the Marchant, " wee haue brought such a villane
as came not before you this many a day.
" ffor itt was my chance to loose my pursse,
& in itt there was ffull sixe score;
& now the villaine will not giue itt me againe
except tha t hee had 20 more "
" I kut I have a worsse mache then tha t, " sayd the K night ,
" for I know not what the villaine did meane;
he caused my gelding to cast my Ladye;
on a stubb shee hath dang out one of her eyen. "
" But I have the worst match of all, " sayd the ffisher,
" ffor I may sighe & say god wott:
hee lope att mee & my brother vpon the seas;
w i th the leape he hath broken my brothers neck in a bote. "
the K ing hee turned him round about,
being well aduised of euery thinge:
Q uo th he, " neuer since I can remember,
came 3 such matterrs since I was Kinge. "
Then Marke More, ffoole, beinge by,
" how now, Brother Solomon? " then q uo th hee,
" giue you will not giue iudgment of these 3 matters,
I pray you returne them ore to mee. "
" w i th all my hart, " q uo th Salomon to him,
" take you the iudgment of them as yett;
ffor neuer came matters me before,
tha t ffainer of I wold be quitt. "
" Well, " q uo th Marke, " wee haue these 3 men heere,
& euery one hath put vp a bill;
but, pore man, come hither to me,
lets heare what tale thou canst tell for thy selfe. "
" why, my Lo rd , " q uo th hee, " as touching this Merchant,
as he rode to a markett towne
itt was his chance to loose his pursse;
he said there was in itt a 100
" A p ro clamatyon he caused to be made,
" whosoeu er cold find the same againe plaine,
shold giue itt him againe w it hout all doubt,
& hee shold haue 20 ffor his paine."
& itt was my chance to ffind tha t pursse,
& gladlye to him I wold itt restore;
but now hee wold reward mee w i th nothinge,
but Challengheth in his pursse 20 more. "
" Hast thou any wittnesse of tha t? " said my Lo rd Marke;
" I pray thee, fellow, tell me round. "
" yes, my Lo rd heres his owne man
tha t carryed the Message ffrom towne to towne. "
the man was called before them all,
& said itt was a 100 plaine,
& tha t his master wold giue 20
to any wold giue him his pursse againe.
" I had fforgotten 20, " said the Merchant,
" giue me leaue ffor my selfe to say "
" nay, " said Marke, " thou Chalengeth more then thine owne;
therfore w i th the pore fellowe the pursse shall stay.
& this shall bee my iudgment straight:
thou shalt ffollow eche day by the heeles playne
till thou haue ffound such another pursse w i th him,
& then keepe itt thy selfe, & neere giue itt him againe. "
" Marry, ou er gods fforbott, " said the Merchant,
" tha t euer soe badd shold be my share!
how shold I ffind a 100 of him
tha t hath not a 100 pence to loose?
rather Ile giue him 20 more,
& w i th tha t hee hath, lett him stay "
" Marry, render vs downe the money, " said Marke,
" soe may thou chance goe quietlye away. "
" ffellow! how hinderedst thou the Knight?
thou must make him amends here, I meane;
itts against Law & right;
his Ladye, shee hath lost one of her eyen. "
" why, my Lo rd , as they ledd me towards the K ing ,
for ffeare lest I shold loose my trattle,
these lether skins you see mee bringe,
w i th tugging and lugging began to rattle "
* " The gelding was wanton the Lady rode vpon, —
no hurt in the world, my Lord, I did meane, —
to the ground he cast tha t Ladye there,
& on a stub shee dang out one of her eyen. "
" fellow, " q uo th Marke, " hast thy wiffe 2 eyes?
I pray thee, " q uo th hee, " tell me then. "
" yes, my Lo rd , a good honest pore woman,
tha t for her liuinge takes great paine "
" Why then, this shalbe my iudgment straight,
tho thou p er happs may thinke itt strange:
thy wiffe w i th 2 eyes, his Ladye hath but one,
as thou hast drest her, w i th him thoust change "
" marry ou er gods fforbott, " then sayd the Knight,
" tha t euer soe badd shold be my shame;
I had rather giue him a 100
then to be trobled w i th his dunish dame. "
" Marry! tender vs downe the mony, " said Marke,
" soe may thou be gone w i thin a while. "
but the ffisher ffor feare he shold have beene called,
he ran away a quarter of a mile
" I pray you call him againe, " q uo th Marke,
" giffe hee bee w i thin sight;
for neuer came matter me before,
but euerye man shold haue his right "
They called the ffisher backe againe:
" how now, fellow? why didst not stay? "
" my Lo rd , " q uo th hee, " I haue a great way home,
& ffaine I wold be gone my way. "
" but, ffellow, how hinderedst thou this ffisher?
I pray thee, " q uo th Marke, " to vs tell. "
" my Lo rd , as I came neere the sea syde,
I thought either to be drowned or saue my selfe.
" And as I lope into the sea, —
no harme to no mann I did wott, —
there I light vpon this ffishers brother;
w i th a leape I broke his necke in a boate "
" ffisher, " q uo th Marke, " knowest thou where the boate stood?
thoust sett her againe in the selfe same steade,
& thoust leape att him as he did att thy brother,
& soe thou may quitt thy brothers deede. "
" Marry, gods fforbott, " then sayd the ffisher
" tha t euer soe badd shold be my lucke!
If I leape att him as he did att my brother,
Ist either be drowned or breake my necke;
rather Ile giue him 20:
& I wold, my Lord, I had neere come hither. "
" Marry, tender vs downe the money, " said Marke,
" & you shalbe packinge all 3 together. "
The pore man he was well content,
& verry well pleased of euerye thinge;
he sayd he wold neere take great care
how oft hee came before the Kinge.
these other 3 cold neuer agree,
but euery one ffell out w i th other,
& sayd they wold neere come more to the K ing
while hee was in companye w i th marke his brother.
a history there I chanced to reede;
when as Salamon raigned K ing ,
he did many a worthie deede,
& many statutes hee caused to be made;
& this was one amongst the rest plaine,
" itt was ffelomy to any one tha t found ought was lost,
& wold not restore itt to the owner againe "
Soe then there was a rich Merchant,
as he rode to a markett towne,
itt was his chance to lose his pursse;
he said there was in itt a 100
a p ro clamation he caused to be made,
" whosoeuer cold find the same againe,
shold giue itt him againe w i thout all doubt,
& hee shold have ffor 20 his paine. "
Soe then there was a silly poore man
had 2 sheepes pells vpon his backe to sell,
& going to the Markett towne
hee ffound the pursse, & liked itt well;
hee tooke itt vp into his hand,
& needs see what was in it hee wold;
but the same he cold not vnderstand;
ffor why, there was nothing in it but gold
The rich man hee pursued him soone,
" thou horeson villaine, " q uo th he then,
" I thinke itt is thou tha t has found my pursse,
& wilt thou not giue itt me againe? "
" good S i r, " sayd hee, " I ffound such a pursse;
the truth ffull soone itt shall be knowne;
you shall haue itt againe, its neuer the worse,
but pay me my safteye tha t is mine owne. "
" Let me see whats in the pursse, " said the Merchant;
" ffound thou a 100 and no more?
thou horeson villaine! thou hast paid thy-selfe;
for in my pursse was ffull sixe score
itts best my pursse to me thou restore,
or before the K ing thou shalt be brought. "
" I warrant, " q uo th hee, " when I come the K ing before,
heele not reward me againe w i th nought "
Then they Ledd him towards the Kinge,
& as they led him on the way,
& there mett him a gallant K nigh t,
& w i th him was his Ladye gay.
w i th tugging & lugging this pore man,
his lether sckins began to cracke;
the gelding was wanton they Ladye rode on,
& threw her downe beside his backe.
Then to the earth shee gott a thawacke;
no hurt in the world the pore man did meane;
to the ground hee cast the Ladye there;
on a stubb shee dang out one of her eyen.
the K nigh t wold needs vpon him haue beene.
" nay, " sayd the Merchant, " I pray you, S i r, stay;
I haue a actyon against him alreadye;
he shalbe brought to the K ing , & hangd this day. "
Then they Ledd him towards the K ing ,
but the poreman liked not their Leading well;
& coming neere to the sea side,
he thought to be drowned or saue him selfe.
& as hee lope into the sea,
no harme to no man he did wott,
but there hee light vpon 2 ffisher-men;
w i th the leape he broke one of their neckes in a boate.
The other wold needs vpon him haue beene.
" nay, " said the Merchant, " I pray thee now stay;
we haue 2 actyons against him alreadye;
he shalbe carryed to the K ing & hangd this day. "
then they Led him bound before the K ing ,
where he sate in a gallerye gay.
" my Leege, " said the Marchant, " wee haue brought such a villane
as came not before you this many a day.
" ffor itt was my chance to loose my pursse,
& in itt there was ffull sixe score;
& now the villaine will not giue itt me againe
except tha t hee had 20 more "
" I kut I have a worsse mache then tha t, " sayd the K night ,
" for I know not what the villaine did meane;
he caused my gelding to cast my Ladye;
on a stubb shee hath dang out one of her eyen. "
" But I have the worst match of all, " sayd the ffisher,
" ffor I may sighe & say god wott:
hee lope att mee & my brother vpon the seas;
w i th the leape he hath broken my brothers neck in a bote. "
the K ing hee turned him round about,
being well aduised of euery thinge:
Q uo th he, " neuer since I can remember,
came 3 such matterrs since I was Kinge. "
Then Marke More, ffoole, beinge by,
" how now, Brother Solomon? " then q uo th hee,
" giue you will not giue iudgment of these 3 matters,
I pray you returne them ore to mee. "
" w i th all my hart, " q uo th Salomon to him,
" take you the iudgment of them as yett;
ffor neuer came matters me before,
tha t ffainer of I wold be quitt. "
" Well, " q uo th Marke, " wee haue these 3 men heere,
& euery one hath put vp a bill;
but, pore man, come hither to me,
lets heare what tale thou canst tell for thy selfe. "
" why, my Lo rd , " q uo th hee, " as touching this Merchant,
as he rode to a markett towne
itt was his chance to loose his pursse;
he said there was in itt a 100
" A p ro clamatyon he caused to be made,
" whosoeu er cold find the same againe plaine,
shold giue itt him againe w it hout all doubt,
& hee shold haue 20 ffor his paine."
& itt was my chance to ffind tha t pursse,
& gladlye to him I wold itt restore;
but now hee wold reward mee w i th nothinge,
but Challengheth in his pursse 20 more. "
" Hast thou any wittnesse of tha t? " said my Lo rd Marke;
" I pray thee, fellow, tell me round. "
" yes, my Lo rd heres his owne man
tha t carryed the Message ffrom towne to towne. "
the man was called before them all,
& said itt was a 100 plaine,
& tha t his master wold giue 20
to any wold giue him his pursse againe.
" I had fforgotten 20, " said the Merchant,
" giue me leaue ffor my selfe to say "
" nay, " said Marke, " thou Chalengeth more then thine owne;
therfore w i th the pore fellowe the pursse shall stay.
& this shall bee my iudgment straight:
thou shalt ffollow eche day by the heeles playne
till thou haue ffound such another pursse w i th him,
& then keepe itt thy selfe, & neere giue itt him againe. "
" Marry, ou er gods fforbott, " said the Merchant,
" tha t euer soe badd shold be my share!
how shold I ffind a 100 of him
tha t hath not a 100 pence to loose?
rather Ile giue him 20 more,
& w i th tha t hee hath, lett him stay "
" Marry, render vs downe the money, " said Marke,
" soe may thou chance goe quietlye away. "
" ffellow! how hinderedst thou the Knight?
thou must make him amends here, I meane;
itts against Law & right;
his Ladye, shee hath lost one of her eyen. "
" why, my Lo rd , as they ledd me towards the K ing ,
for ffeare lest I shold loose my trattle,
these lether skins you see mee bringe,
w i th tugging and lugging began to rattle "
* " The gelding was wanton the Lady rode vpon, —
no hurt in the world, my Lord, I did meane, —
to the ground he cast tha t Ladye there,
& on a stub shee dang out one of her eyen. "
" fellow, " q uo th Marke, " hast thy wiffe 2 eyes?
I pray thee, " q uo th hee, " tell me then. "
" yes, my Lo rd , a good honest pore woman,
tha t for her liuinge takes great paine "
" Why then, this shalbe my iudgment straight,
tho thou p er happs may thinke itt strange:
thy wiffe w i th 2 eyes, his Ladye hath but one,
as thou hast drest her, w i th him thoust change "
" marry ou er gods fforbott, " then sayd the Knight,
" tha t euer soe badd shold be my shame;
I had rather giue him a 100
then to be trobled w i th his dunish dame. "
" Marry! tender vs downe the mony, " said Marke,
" soe may thou be gone w i thin a while. "
but the ffisher ffor feare he shold have beene called,
he ran away a quarter of a mile
" I pray you call him againe, " q uo th Marke,
" giffe hee bee w i thin sight;
for neuer came matter me before,
but euerye man shold haue his right "
They called the ffisher backe againe:
" how now, fellow? why didst not stay? "
" my Lo rd , " q uo th hee, " I haue a great way home,
& ffaine I wold be gone my way. "
" but, ffellow, how hinderedst thou this ffisher?
I pray thee, " q uo th Marke, " to vs tell. "
" my Lo rd , as I came neere the sea syde,
I thought either to be drowned or saue my selfe.
" And as I lope into the sea, —
no harme to no mann I did wott, —
there I light vpon this ffishers brother;
w i th a leape I broke his necke in a boate "
" ffisher, " q uo th Marke, " knowest thou where the boate stood?
thoust sett her againe in the selfe same steade,
& thoust leape att him as he did att thy brother,
& soe thou may quitt thy brothers deede. "
" Marry, gods fforbott, " then sayd the ffisher
" tha t euer soe badd shold be my lucke!
If I leape att him as he did att my brother,
Ist either be drowned or breake my necke;
rather Ile giue him 20:
& I wold, my Lord, I had neere come hither. "
" Marry, tender vs downe the money, " said Marke,
" & you shalbe packinge all 3 together. "
The pore man he was well content,
& verry well pleased of euerye thinge;
he sayd he wold neere take great care
how oft hee came before the Kinge.
these other 3 cold neuer agree,
but euery one ffell out w i th other,
& sayd they wold neere come more to the K ing
while hee was in companye w i th marke his brother.
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