Parson. Study, quod ha! beware, and let suche matter go; John. Yea; but, mast Parson, thynke ye it were ryght, Parson. I marvell muche ye wyll reason so farre: John. No, no, sir! I truste of that I wylbe ware. I pray you wyth your matter agayne fourth to fare. Parson. And then we go forth, and Christes body receyve; John. The devill it is! ye have a greate grace Parson. And so we make an ende, as it lieth in an order. 140 But now the blissed messe is hated in every border, And railed on, and reviled, with wordes most blasphemous; But I trust it wylbe better with the help of Catechismus; For, thoughe it came forth but even that other day, Yet hath it tourned many to ther olde waye; And where they hated messe, and had it in disdayne, There have they messe and matins in Latyne tongue agayne. Ye, even in London selfe, (John) I tel the troeth, They be ful glade and mery to here of thys, God knoweth. John. By my trueth, mast Parson, I lyke ful wel your talke: But masse me no more messinges. The right way I walke. wil 151 For thoughe I have no learning, yet I know chese from chalke, And yche can perceive your juggling, as crafty as ye walke. But leve your devilish masse, and the communion to you take, And then will Christ be with you, even for his promisse sake. Parson. Why, art thou suche a one, and kept it so closse? Wel, al is not golde that hath a fayre glosse. But farewel, John Bon, God bringe the in better mind. John. I thanke you, sir, for that you seme verie kynde; But praye not so for me, for I am well inoughe. Ha! browne done! forth, that horson crabbe! Finis. 160 Emprinted at London, by John Daye, and Wyllyam Seres, dwellinge in Sepulchres Parishe, at the signe of the Resur= rection, a littel above Holbourne Conduite. Cum gratia et privilegio ad imprimendum solum. The Hye Way to the Spyttel Hous. THE Hye Way to the Spyttel Hous. [Woodcut of Copland, the Porter, and a beggar.] COPLAND AND THE PORTER. ¶ Who so hath lust, or wyll leaue his thryft, [Colophon] Enprynted at London in the Fletestrete at the rose garland by Robert Copland. n. d. 4to. black letter, 20 leaves.1 The following production, which has been reprinted by Mr. Utterson in his Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry, 1817, can only lay claim to the title of a poem from being in the metrical form. But it is valuable and curious, nevertheless, as a contribution to our knowledge of the state of the hospitals and of the In the library of James West, Esq. sold in 1773, there were two copies of this tract. poor in the time of Henry VIII,' and as a link in the history of mendicity. Many of its pages might be read side by side with Mayhew's "London Labour and the London Poor;" but it is to be remarked that the "Hye Way to the Spyttel Hous" has in view rather the exposure of the frauds of beggars and almspeople than the illustration of their pursuits and struggles in search of a livelihood. As a picture, presumed to be faithfully drawn, of the lower forms of human life three hundred years ago, the "Hye Way to the Spyttel Hous" possesses unquestionable interest and importance, though its literary merit may be of an infinitesimal Rind, and Ritson may be thought to have gone quite far enough in characterizing it as "a dialogue of some humour and merit."2 Robert Copland, the "compiler and printer of this boke," as he styles himself in the Prologue, was an apprentice of Wynkyn de Worde, and probably the father or brother of William Copland, a printer of considerable note. Like his contemporary Crowley, who enjoys the meritorious distinction of having been the first to commit to the press the Vision of Piers Ploughman, Robert Copland probably wrote many pieces of a satirical character without putting his name to them which, like the Hye Way to the Spyttel Hous, he also printed. We may perhaps be allowed to doubt, whether Robert Copland The statute 22 Henry VIII, was renewed and confirmed, with some additions, &c. by 14 and 18 Eliz. But practically, the law in this respect was of very slight force, and the evil against which it sought to provide a remedy remained as serious as ever. In his "Treatise against Dicing," &c. 1577, Northbrooke bitterly complains of the inoperative character of the acts 14 and 18 Eliz. 2 Bibliographia Poetica, art. Copland. Ritson, however, appears, in this case, merely to have followed Herbert who, in his edition of Ames, has given an account of the tract from a copy in his own possession. 3 Weever, in his Ancient Funerall Monuments, 1631, quoting Stow, mentions that "one William Copeland, Churchwarden [of St. Mary Bow] gaue the great Bell which is rung nightly at nine of the clocke [An. 1515]." |