_Magn._ In faythe, Largesse, welcome to me.
_Fan._ I pray you, syr, I may so be, And of my seruyce you shall not mysse.
_Magn._ Togyder we wyll talke more of this: Let vs departe from hens home to my place.
_Fan._ I folow euen after your noble grace. 400
_Hic discedat MAGNIFICENS cum FANSY, et intrat[789] COUNTERFET COUNTENAUNCE._
_Fan._ Do away, I say, the deuylles torde!
_C. Count._ Ye, but how longe shall I here awayte?
_Fan._ By Goddys body, I come streyte: I hate this blunderyng that thou doste make.
_C. Count._ Nowe to the deuyll I thé betake, For in fayth ye be well met. Fansy hath cachyd in a flye net This noble man Magnyfycence, Of Largesse vnder the pretence. 410 They haue made me here to put the stone: But nowe wyll I, that they be gone, In bastarde ryme, after the dogrell gyse, Tell you where of my name dothe ryse. For Counterfet Countenaunce knowen am I; This worlde is full of my foly. I set not by hym a fly, That can not counterfet a lye, Swere, and stare, and byde therby, And countenaunce it clenly, 420 And defende it manerly. A knaue wyll counterfet nowe a knyght, A lurdayne lyke a lorde to fyght,[790] A mynstrell lyke a man of myght, A tappyster lyke a lady bryght: Thus make I them wyth thryft to fyght, Thus at the laste I brynge hym[791] ryght To Tyburne, where they hange on hyght. To counterfet I can by praty wayes: Of nyghtys to occupy counterfet kayes, 430 Clenly to counterfet newe arayes, Counterfet eyrnest by way of playes: Thus am I occupyed at all assayes; What so euer I do, all men me prayse, And mekyll am I made of nowe adays: Counterfet maters in the lawe of the lande, Wyth golde and grotes they grese my hande, In stede of ryght that wronge may stande, And counterfet fredome that is bounde; I counterfet[792] suger that is but founde; 440 Counterfet capytaynes by me are mande; Of all lewdnesse I kyndell the brande; Counterfet kyndnesse, and thynke dyscayte; Counterfet letters by the way of sleyght; Subtelly vsynge counterfet weyght; Counterfet langage, fayty bone geyte. Counterfetynge is a proper bayte; A counte to counterfet in a resayte; To counterfet well is a good consayte. Counterfet maydenhode may well be borne, 450 But counterfet coynes is laughynge to scorne; It is euyll patchynge of that is torne; Whan the noppe is rughe, it wolde be shorne; Counterfet haltynge without a thorne; Yet counterfet chafer is but euyll corne; All thynge is worse whan it is worne. What, wolde ye, wyues, counterfet The courtly gyse of the newe iet? An olde barne wolde be vnderset: It is moche worthe that is ferre fet. 460 What, wanton, wanton, nowe well ymet! What, Margery Mylke Ducke, mermoset! It wolde be masked in my net; It wolde be nyce, thoughe I say nay; By Crede, it wolde haue fresshe aray, And therfore shall my husbande pay; To counterfet she wyll assay All the newe gyse, fresshe and gaye, And be as praty as she may, And iet it ioly as a iay: 470 Counterfet prechynge, and byleue the contrary; Counterfet conscyence, peuysshe pope holy; Counterfet sadnesse, with delynge full madly; Counterfet holynes is called ypocrysy; Counterfet reason is not worth a flye; Counterfet wysdome, and workes of foly; Counterfet countenaunce euery man dothe occupy: Counterfet worshyp outwarde men may se; Ryches rydeth out, at home is pouerte; Counterfet pleasure is borne out by me: 480 Coll wolde go clenly, and it wyll not be, And Annot wolde be nyce, and laughes, tehe wehe; Your counterfet countenaunce is all of nysyte, A plummed partrydge all redy to flye: A knokylbonyarde wyll counterfet a clarke, He wolde trotte gentylly, but he is to starke, At his cloked counterfetynge dogges dothe barke; A carter a courtyer, it is a worthy warke, That with his whyp his mares was wonte to yarke; A custrell to dryue the deuyll out of the derke, 490 A counterfet courtyer with a knaues marke. To counterfet this freers haue lerned me; This nonnes nowe and then, and it myght be, Wolde take in the way of counterfet charyte The grace of God vnder _benedicite_; To counterfet thyr counsell they gyue me a fee; Chanons can not counterfet but vpon thre, Monkys may not for drede that men sholde them se.