The Interlude of Wealth and Health | Page 4

the lawe, and ioly rych marchauntes
There be
welthy both of goodes and lands,
Without comparyson is in their
handes
I welth hatg all freasure.
+Health.+ O good syr, of whom commeth all this
Of god only, to you
no thanke Iwys
And yet mans welth stands not all in ryches
I dare
saye that boldly,
Whan a man hath a cempetent liuing 100 with the
grace of god that passeth all thyng
Loue of his neyghbour, and good
reporting
Then is he welthy,
Welth of goodes is but a fame
Ye is
welthy that hath a good name
Euery wyse man wyll coueyte the same

For otherwelth I not reche
yf a man haue neuer so much good
name
Euerywise man wyll coueyte the same
if his dtsposicions be
nought and wood 110 Then he is but a wretch,
+Welth.+ Nay thou art a wretch, and a foole vnwyse
welth of ryches
thus to despyse
Doest thou not se all the worlde aryse
By goodes
and substaunce
He that hath plenty of syluer and golde
May haue
all thyng whatsoeuer he woulde
Whan can welth lacke, seing all thing
is solde
And welth is of assuraunce.
+Health+ I denye that, your saying is nought 120 Grace, heauen, nor
cunning, cannot be bought
without great paine, ãd good dedes
wrought
Els man cannot them haue.
+wealth+ Stop thereat, and hold thy peace
May not men by heauen
with richesse
As to bylde churches and make bye wayes
Such
deedes mans soule doth saue
+Health+ Yea, but yet ye must marke one thynge
yf these goodes
came with wronge doyng
Shall ye haue heauen for so spendynge 130
Or yet any mede.
Nay nay except that man himselfe doo meeke

And make resystance the ryght honour to seeke
Els all such good

dedes is not woth a leeke
welth hereof take heede.
+wealth.+ Why thinkest thou that all men which hath welth Getteth
theyr goodes with brybry and stealeth
Thy reporte is nought therfore
Helthe
I counsell thee to say the best.
+Health+ So I wyll, but yet I must say true 140 And now a lyttle more I
wyll say to you
Much sorowe and care welth doth brewe
He is
seldome in rest.
when a man is a lyttle hit and welthy
And hath in
his cheste treasures plentye
Then wyl he wrangle, and do shreudly

By his power and might.
With his neighboures he wyll go to lawe

And a wreke his malyce for valew of strawe
welth is fykle and out nf
awe 150 wylfull in wronge or ryght
+Welth.+ Thou speakest with a slaunderous tonge
All of euyll wyll,
and yet it is wronge
welth in this realme hath bin longe
Of me
commeth great honour.
Because that I welth hath great porte
All the
worlde, hyther doth resorte
Therfore I welth, am this realmes comfort,

And here I wyll indure.
+Helth.+ So I wold ye should, and I shall do the same 160 Helth I am
called, and that is my name
If I would not abyde heare I were to
blame
For here I am well cherished
Yet say your selfe, nhw
indifferenily
And if euery man doo not loue me
Helth as well as
welth, yes verely
Therof I dare be reported
+Weith.+ Why should they loue thee? that woulde I knowe
As wel as
me, I pray you showe
I am the superiour of hie and lowe 170 No man
may compare with me.
+Helth.+ To shew why I wyll not be afraied
For I can bide by that I
haue sayde
Yf welthy men be very well apayd
Or muche they set
you by.
But of welth, if they haue neuer so much
Goodes, tryasure
and golde, and be called rych
Yet yfthey lacke helth, there payne is
suche
That they were better dye.
A man to were golde, and be in

payne 180 What ioy hath he? none, but would be fayne
To giue all
his treasure for helth playne
Or els he were very mad:
For if a man
be neuer so poure
Yet if he haue helth, that is a treasure,
Then for
his liuing, he may laboure
And in his harte be glad,
+Welth.+ I neuer marked thus muche, nor vnderstood
That Helth was
such a treasure, and to man so good
Wherfore I am sory, and I wil
chaunge my moode 190 Now I pray you forgiue me.
+Health+ I will forgiue or els I were to blame
And I pray you to
forgiue me the same
I loue you hartly, and wyll prayse your name

yf it please youto keepe my company.
¶ Here entreth lyberty with a song & after speaketh
+libert+ Why tary syrs whether are ye going
I see well ye looked not
for my comming
Loe, out of syght out of remembryng
Absence is
cause of straungnes, 200 What looke ye on werwhy are ye so straunge

From your fellow liberty, doth your minds cha[=u]ge
In your
company I was wont to range
What nedes all this busines,
+wealth+ By liberty now I doo not set
Seyng that helth and I am met

As feloweh together no man shall let
Me for to loue hym best.
+liberty.+ Let me heare what ye do say
Then ye are about to cast me
away