A Supplication to Eldertonne, for Leaches unlewdnes:
Desiring him to pardone, his manifest unrudenes.
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GOod gentle maister Eldertonne,
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may I not you intrete?
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To pardon Leache that he hath donne,
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and not with him to frete?
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For I confesse and know the same,
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it was for lack of lewdnes:
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That he so blasde abrode your name,
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therfore forgive his rudenes.
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For you maye see he is in deed,
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an unrude simple man:
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Therfore of him take you no heed,
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sithe nurture none he can.
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A seely simple man hee is,
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as proof may well be made:
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For nomore wit he hath ywis,
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but to call a spade, a spade.
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Therefore though that your filthy rymes,
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he filthy name to bee:
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Accuse him not I say of crimes,
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you heare his qualitie.
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It was no doubt unhomely donne,
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to chalenge in such case:
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So fyne a felow as Eldertonne,
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that hath so fayre a face.
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But though your face be never so riche,
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so precious or so gay:
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Yet wil he scratche it if it itche,
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the paines for to delay.
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Wherfore you ought him thankes to geve,
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that worketh you suche good:
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And not to shake him by the sleeve,
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to wreke your angry moode.
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I may wel muse and mervel much,
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what might be your intent:
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Sith that you prove your selfe one such,
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as truthe cannot content.
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You showe that Leache you doo contemne,
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even by the self same reed:
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Wherin you doo your self condemne,
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I wishe you wolde take heed.
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You binde it up with othes inow,
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in faith, in faith, saye yee:
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But by such frutes a man may know,
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the goodnes of the tree.
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A shame it is that you should bring,
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thexample of Christ I say:
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And eke forthwith the self same thing,
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so sore to disobey.
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For with the breache of charitie,
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you doo him sharply charge:
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And by and by outragiously,
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you raile on him at large.
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Thus Sathan also for his turne,
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the scriptures can out pike:
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And as you wel his lesson learne,
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so are your deedes a like.
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Your harte is vaine and bent to evill,
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your toung also is naught:
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How can it be then but the devil,
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must rule both toung and thought.
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But hereby men may easely spie,
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how you doo Leache abuse:
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Sith that your quarell for to trie,
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by scripture you refuse.
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Therfore you go about I see,
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the scripture set aparte:
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Unto your toies and vanitie,
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his penne for to convart.
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And if in deed you could him cause,
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from scripture for to flie:
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No doubt forsoth but clause by clause,
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much bravery should we see.
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Then wolde you leke then wold you laffe,
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as you doo make reporte:
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Then wold you answere every staffe,
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and that in sugred sorte.
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In sugred sorte? nay poisened then,
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I might it better call:
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Although it sugred semes to men,
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which are in sinfull thrall.
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A worthy worke it is doubtles,
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and ful of lerned skill:
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Wherby appeareth your shameles,
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and wilful wicked will.
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And where you write that secretly,
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your fault he should have tolde;
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That might not be sith openly,
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your selfe did it upholde.
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And where as he ful skilfully,
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takes scriptures for his staie:
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You say in deed that wickedly,
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he useth them alwaie.
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It is not streight way proved so,
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when that you have it said:
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Except you bring a profe therto,
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which cannot be denaid.
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As if, that I should say in deed,
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you were an honest man:
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All wise men might me then deride,
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sith prove it not I can.
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I wolde now wishe you should forget,
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his science to deface:
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For honestly a man may get,
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his living in that race.
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Muche better then the witte to spend,
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a Parasite to play:
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The bad to please, the good to offend,
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and play the foole all day.
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And him me thinkes you should not blame,
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that can wel shape a hose:
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For he may likewise cut and frame,
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a case for your riche nose.
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To make a hose is no suche shame,
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to Leache in his degree:
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As is your nose a glorious fame,
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uppon your face to see.
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It doth become you very ill,
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to talke so of your taile:
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But you shal there your toung hold still,
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as fitte for tounges that raile.
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And if you still thus doo deny,
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your knaverie to forbeare:
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You shal therin have victory,
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the garland you shall weare.
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But heere I must ful sore lament,
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the counsel you still geve:
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To your vile Jone, not to repent,
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but beastly still to live.
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O wicked man darste thou be bolde,
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such sinful seed to sowe?
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And eke the same for to upholde,
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in sinful hartes to growe?
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Oh Lord shal whoredom thus prevaile?
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shal men thus sinne mainteine?
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Is this a christen common weale,
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and can such filth susteine?
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O magistrates play Phinehes parte,
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towardes such be not to milde:
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Which may procure most grevous smart,
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to many a mothers childe.
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The whoredom of one heretofore,
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Great plagues to many hath brought:
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Although the lord eftsones therfore,
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in him repentance wrought.
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What shal our lot be then Oh Lord?
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which foster suche foule swine:
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As live a life to bee abhorde,
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yet glory and joye therein?
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Repent (O wretche) and cal for grace,
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leave of these wicked toyes:
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Lest Sathan reache thee sower sauce,
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to these thy pleasant joyes.
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Now sir, if Leache, as you doe tell,
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semes fondly thinges to knit:
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It is because you cannot well,
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them home with reason hit.
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A homely cloke wold serve full wel,
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is there none to be had?
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If Eldertonne of none heare tell,
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I doubt he will goe mad.
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But if as you doo threaten, so
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you fall for to bee wood:
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You shall streight waies to Bedlem go,
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to tame your madding mood.
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Now Eldertonne I must desire,
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you to hold Leache excusde:
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For that no reason doth appeere,
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why he shuld so be usde.
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And sith that I thus curteously,
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for Leache doo you intreat:
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Your phrensie so to satisfy,
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you need no more to freat.
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Wherfore gentle Maiste Elderton,
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as I may doo you pleasure:
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Graunt this my supplication,
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which is not out of measure.
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And thus subscribed,
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The first day of June:
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At which time you said,
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Beginneth your fume.
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