Anonymous British

Cock Lorrelle's Bote

She had a desyre ofte to be wedde And also to lye in an other mannes bedde Lytell rought she therfore She is as softe as a lamme yf one do her meue And lyke to ye deuyll wan a ma dothe her greue So well is she sette O good condycyon to her housbonde Yf he call her calat she calleth hy knaue agayne She shyll not dye in his dette By saynt Ione sayd Cocke than These be fayre vertues in a woman Thou shalte be my launder To wasshe and kepe clene all my gere Our two beddes togyder shall be sette Without ony lette The nexte that came was a coryar And a cobeler his brother As ryche as a newe shorne shepe They offred Cocke a blechynge pot Other Iewelles they had not Scant shoes to theyr fete The coryer dresseth so well his lether That it wolde drynke water in fayre weder Therfore he hath many a crystes curse And the cobeler for his cloutynge The people blesseth hym with euyll cheuynge To knytte fast in his purse A shomaker came to these other two Bytwene them two was moche a do For a pyese of lether Cocke Lorell. They togged with theyr teth & gnewe it there And pulde as it had ben grehondes at a hare It was a shepes skyne of a wether And than they tanned it whan they had done To make lether to hym with mennes shone And all for theyr auayle For as sone as the hemme is tore The sho is lost for euermore And it is lytell meruayle A tanner for euyll tannynge of leder They foure with sorowe Cocke dyde set togyder And neuer a good without fayle Than came one wt two bolddogges at his tayle And that was a bocher without fayle All be gored in reed blode In his hande he bare a flap for flyes His hosen gresy vpon his thyes That place for magottes was very good On his necke he bare a cole tre logge He had as moche pyte as a dogge And he were ones wrothe He loked perysshe and also rowe A man wolde take hym for a shrewe I trowe And of his company be lothe Than came a gonge fermourer Other wyse called a masser scourer With hym a canyell raker Theyr presence made Cocke & his me to spewe For as swete was they brethe as henka or rewe To wasshe them they laked water On these Irysshe cople I wyll not tare Cocke dyde set the there as knaues sholde be Amonge the slouenly sorte Than came two false towlers in nexte He set them by pykers of the best For there sholde they abyde But before yt they were plonged in the ryuer To searche theyr bodyes fayre and clere Therof they had good sporte A myller dustypoll than dyde come A Ioly felowe with a golden thome On his necke a sacke was Many sayd that he with reprefe Cocke Lorell. Of all craftes was nexte a thefe In that Cocke founde no lacke He sayd that the touled twys for forgetynge And stele floure and put chauke therin Be sherewe hym that taught hym that Cocke bad hym grynde cherystones & peson To make his men brede for a season By cause whete was very dere Than came a pardoner with his boke His quaterage of euery man he toke But Cocke wolde theyr names here The pardoner sayd I wyll rede my roll And ye shall here the names poll by poll There of ye nede not fere Here is fyrst Cocke Lorell the knyght And symkyn emery mayntenauce agayne ryght With slyngethryfte fleshemonger Also fabyane flaterer And sesly claterer With adam auerus flayle swenger And frauces flaperoche of stewys captayne late With gylys vnyeste mayer of newgate And lewes vnlusty the lesynge monger Here also baude baudyn boller And his brother copyn coler With mathew marchaunte of shoters hyll Cry stofer catchepoll a crystes course gaderer And wat welbelyne of ludgate Iayler With laurence lorell of clerken well Here is gylys Iogeler of ayebery And hym sougelder of lothe bery With wallys the wrangler Pers potter of brydge water Saunder fely the mustarde maker With Ielyan Iangeler Here is Ienkyne berwarde of Barwycke And tom tombler of warwyke With Phyllyp fletcher of fernam Here is wyll wyly the mylpeker And patrycke peuysshe heerbeter With lusty hary hange man Also mathewe tothe drawer of London And sybly sole mylke wyfe of Islyngton With dauy drawelache of rokyngame Cocke Lorell. Here is maryone marchauntes at all gate Her husbode dwelleth at ye sygne of ye cokeldes pate Nexte house to Robyn renawaye Also hycke crokenee the rope maker And steuen mesyll mouthe muskyll taker With Iacke basket seler of alwelay Here is george of podynge lane carpenter And patrycke peuysshe a conynge dyrte dauber Worshypfull wardayn of slouens In There is maryn peke small fremason And pers peuterer that knocketh a basyn With gogle eyed tomson shepster of lyn Here is glyed wolby of gylforde squyere Andrewe of habyngedon apell byer With alys esy a gay tale teller Also peter paten maker With gregory loue good of rayston mayer And hary halter seler at tyborn the ayer Here is kate with the croked fote That is colsys doughter the dronken koke A lusty pye baker Here is faunder sadeler of froge strete corner With Ielyan Ioly at sygne of the bokeler And mores moule taker Also annys angry with the croked buttocke That dwelled at ye sygne of ye dogges hede in ye pot By her crafte a breche maker Cocke sayd pardoner now ho and sease Thou makeste me wery holde thy pease A thynge tell thou me What profyte is to take thy pardon Shewe vs what mede is to come To be in this fraternyte Syr this pardon is newe founde By syde London brydge in a holy grounde Late called the stewes banke Ye knowe well all that there was Some relygyous women in that place To whome men offred many a franke And bycause they were so kynde and lyberall A merueylous auenture there is be fall Yf ye lyst to here how There came suche a wynde fro wynchester That blewe these women ouer the ryuer In wherye as I wyll you tell Some at saynt Kateryns stroke a grounde And many in holborne were founde Some at saynt Gyles I trowe Also in aue maria aly and at westmenster And some in shordyche drewe theder With grete lamentacyon And by cause they haue lost that fayre place They wyll bylde at colman hedge in space Another noble mansyon Fayrer and euer the halfe strete was For euery house newe paued is with gras Shall be full of fayre floures The walles shall be of hauthorne I wote well And hanged wt whyte motly yt swete doth smell Grene shall be the coloures And as for this olde place these wenches holy They wyll not haue it called the stewys for foly But maketh it strabery banke And there is yet a chapell saue Of whiche ye all the pardon haue The saynt is of symme trollanke I wyll reherse here in generall The indulgences that ye haue shall Is these that foloweth with more At the oure of deth whan ye haue nede Ye shall be assoyled of euery good dede That you haue done before And ye shall be parte taker of as many good dedde As is done euery nyght a bedde And also ferthermore At euery tauerne in the yere A solempne dyryge is songe there With a grete drynkynge At all ale houses trewely Ye shall be prayed for hertely With a Ioyefull wepynge And the pope darlaye hath grauted in his byll That euery brother may do what he wyll Whyle that they be wakynge And the pardone gyueth you that hath the pose On your owne sleue to wype your nose Without rebuke takynge Also pope nycoll graunteth you all in this texte The coughe and the colyke the gout and the flyxe With the holsome tothe ache Also it is graunted by our bulles of lede That whan ony brother is dede To the chyrche dogges shall cary hym A ryche pal to ly on ye corse late fro rome is come Made of an olde payre of blewe medly popley hosone For ye worshyppe of all ye bretherne. Theyr knylles shall be roge in ye myddes of tese And theyr masse songe at shoters hyll amonge the elmes With grete deuocyon in dede And many thynges elles shall be done The resydewe I wyll reherse soone For drynke fyrst must I nede Than Cocke cast a syde his hede And sawe the stretes all ouer sprede That to his bote wolde come Of all craftes there were one or other I wyll shewe how many or I passe ferther And reken them one by one The fyrst was golde smythes & grote clyppers Multyplyers and clothe thyckers Called fullers euerychone There is taylers/tauerners and/drapers Potycaryes/ale brewers/and bakers Mercers/fletchers/and sporyers Boke prynters/peynters/bowers Myllers/carters/and botyll makers Waxechaundelers/clothers/and grocers Wolle men vynteners/and flesshemongers Salters/Iowelers/and habardashers Drouers/cokes/and pulters Yermongers/pybakers/and waferers Fruyters/chese mongers/and mynstrelles Talowe chaundelers/hostelers/and glouers Owchers/skynners/and cutlers Blade smythes/fosters/and sadelers Coryers/cordwayners/and cobelers Gyrdelers/forborers/and webbers Quylte makers/shermen/and armorers Borlers/tapstry workemakers/and dyers Brouderers/strayners and carpyte makers Sponers/torners/and hatters Lyne webbers/setters with lyne drapers Roke makers/coper smythes/and lorymers Brydelbytters/blacke smythes/and ferrars Bokell smythes/horse leches/and golde beters Fyners/plommers/and penters Bed makers/fedbed makers/& wyre drawers Founders/laten workers/and broche makers Pauyers/bell makers/and brasyers Pynners/nedelers/and glasyers Bokeler makers/dyers/and lether sellers Whyte tanners/galyors/and shethers Masones/male makers/and merbelers Tylers/brycke leyers/harde hewers Parys plasterers/daubers/and lyme borners Carpenters/coupers/and Ioyners Pype makers/wode mogers/& orgyn makers Coferers/carde makers/and caruers Shyppe wryghtes/whele wryghtes/& sowers Harpe makers/leches/and vpholsters Porters/fesycyens/and corsers Parchemente makers/skynners/and plowers Barbers/bokebynders/and lymners Repers/faners/and horners Pouche makers/belowfarmes/& cage sellers Lanterners/stryngers/grynders Arowe heders/malte men and corne mongers Balancers/tynne casters/and skryueners Stacyoners/vestyment swoers/and ymagers Sylke women/pursers/and garnysshers Table makers/sylke dyers/and shepsters Golde sheres/keuerchef launds/& rebe makers Tankarde berers/bouge men/& spere planers Spynsters/carders and cappe knytters Sargeauntes/katche pollys and somners Carryers/carters/and horskepers Courte holders/bayles/and honters Constables/hede borowes/and katers Butlers/sterchers/and musterde makers Harde waremen/mole sekers/and ratte takers Bewardes/bryckeborners/and canelrakers Potters/bromesellers/pedelers S hepherdes/cowe herdes/and swyne kepers Broche makers/glas blowers cadelstycke casts Hedgers/dykers/and mowers Gonners maryners/and shyp maysters Chymney swepers/and costerde mongers Lode men/and bere brewers Fysshers of the see/and muskeltakers Schouyll chepers/gardeners/& rake fetters Players/purse cutters money baterers Golde washers/tomblers Iogelers pardoners kyges beche gatherers & lether dyers There were theues hores & baudes wt mortherers Crakers/facers and chylderne quellers Spyes/lyers and grete sclaunderers Cursers chyders & grete vengeaunce cryers Dyssy mulynge beggers hede brekers borders Nette makers and harlote takers Swerers and outragyous laughers Surmowsers yll thynkers and make brasers With lollers lordaynes and fagot herers Luskes slouens and kechen knaues Barge men whery rowers and dysers Tyburne collopes and peny pryckers Bowlers mas shoters and quayters Flaterers and two face berers. Sluttes drabbes and counseyll whystelers With smoggy colyers & stykyge goge fermers Of euery crafte some there was Shorte or longe more or lasse All these rehersed here before In Cockes bote eche man had an ore All tho that offyces had Some woude at ye capstayne as Cocke the bad Some stode at ye slyge some dyde trusse & thryge Some pulde at the beryll some sprede ye mayne myssyll Some howysed the mayne sayle Some veryed showte a very slayle Some roped ye hoke some ye pope & some ye lauce Some ye loge bote dyde lauce some mede ye corse Mayne corte toke in a refe byforce And they that were abyll drewe at the cabyll Some the anker layde some at the plope a sayll One kept ye compas & watched ye our glasse Some ye lodysshestoe dyd seke some ye bote dyd swepe Cocke Lorell. Some made knottes of lynkes endes Some the stay rope suerly byndes Some a satte borte a stare borde Some the standerdes out dyde brynge Some one the shrowedes dyde clyme Some couched a hogges heed vnder a hatche Some threwe out bayte fysshe to catche Some pulled vp the bonauenture Some to howes the tope sayle dyde entre Some stered at the helme behynde Some whysteled after the wynde There was non that there was But he had an offyce more or lasse Than Cocke Lorell dyde his whystell blowe That all his men sholde hym knowe With that they cryed and made a shoute That the water shoke all aboute Than men myght here the ores classhe And on the water gaue many a dasshe They sprede theyr sayles as voyde of sorowe Forthe they rowed saynt George to borowe For Ioye theyr trupettes dyde they blowe And some songe heue and howe rombelowe They sayled fro garlyke hede to knaues in And a pele of gonnes gan they rynge Of colman hedge a syght they had That made his company very glad For there they thought all to play Bytwene tyborne and chelsay With this man was a lusty company For all raskyllers fro them they dyde trye They banysshed prayer peas and sadnes And toke with them myrthe sporte & gladnes They wolde not haue vertu ne yet deuocyon Cocke Lorell. But ryotte and reuell with Ioly rebellyon They songe and daunsed full merely With swerynge and starynge heuen hye Some sayd yt they were getylme of grete myght That ther purses were so lyght And some wente in fured gownes & gaye shone That had no mo faces than had the mone Of this daye gladde was many a brothell That myght haue an ore with Cocke Lorell Thus they daunsed with all theyr myght Tyll that phebus had lost his lyght But than came lucyna with all her pale hewe To take her sporte amonge the cloudes blewe And marcury he trewe downe his golde bemes And sperus her syluer stremes That in the worlde gaue so grete lyght As all the erth had be paued with whyte Tha Cocke wayed anker and housed his sayle And forthe he rowed without fayle They sayled Englande thorowe and thorowe Uyllage towne cyte and borowe They blessyd theyr shyppe whan they had done And dranke aboute saynt Iulyans torne Than euery man pulled at his ore With that I coude se them no more But as they rowed vp the hyll The bote swayne blewe his whystell full shryll And I wente homwarde to mowe shame stere With a company dyde I mete As ermytes monkes and freres Chanons chartores and Inholders And many whyte nonnes with whyte vayles That was full wanton of theyr tayles To mete with Cocke they asked how to do And I tolde them he was a go Than were they sad euerychone And went agayne to theyr home Cocke Lorell. But my counseyll I gaue them there To mete with Cocke another yere No more of Cocke now I wryte But mery it is whan knaues done mete Cocke had in his hande a grete route The thyrde persone of Englande Thus of Cocke Lorell I make an ende And to heuen god your soules sende That redeth this boke ouer all Chryst couer you with his mantell perpetuall. Here endeth Cocke Lorelles bote. Inpryted at London in the Flete Strete at the sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn de Worde.