What, lift me, who? and Imagination were here now, I-wis with his fist he would all-to clout you: Hence, whoreson, tarry no lenger here; For by Saint Pintle the apostle I swear, That I will drive you both home, And yet I was never wont to fight alone: Alas, that I had not one to bold[149] me, Then you should see me play the man shamefully; Alas, it would do me good to fight; How say you, lords, shall I smite? Have among you, by this light: Hence, whoresons, and home at once, Or with my weapon I shall break your bones. Avaunt, you knave: walk, by my counsel. PERSEVERANCE. Son, remember the great pains of hell, They are so horrible that no tongue can tell; Beware, lest thou thither do go. FREEWILL. Nay, by Saint Mary, I hope not so; I will not go to the devil, while I have my liberty, He shall take the labour to fet me, and he will have me; For he that will go to hell by his will voluntarily, The devil and the whirlwind go with him: I will you never fro thence tidings bring; Go you before, and show me the way, And as to follow you I will not say nay: For, by God's body, and you be in once, By the mass, I will shit[150] the door at once, And then ye be take in a pitfall. CONTEMPLATION. Now, Jesus, soon defend us from that hole, For, "Qui est in inferno nulla est redemptio:" Holy Job spake these words full long ago. FREEWILL. Nay, I have done; and you laid out Latin with scope, But therewith can you clout me a pair of boots?[151] By our lady, ye should have some work of me, I would have them well underlaid and easily, For I use alway to go on the one side; And trow ye how? by God, in the stocks I sat till, I trow a three weeks, and more a little stound, And there I laboured sore day by day, And so I tread my shone inward in good fay; Lo, therefore methink you must sole them round. If you have any new boots, a pair I would buy, But I think your price be too high. Sir, once at Newgate I bought a pair of stirrups,[152] A mighty pair and a strong, A whole year I ware them so long, But they came not fully to my knee, And to clout them it cost not me a penny: Even now, and ye go thither, ye shall find a great heap, And you speak in my name, ye shall have good cheap. PERSEVERANCE. Sir, we came never there, ne never shall do. FREEWILL. Marry, I was taken in a trap there, and tied by the toe, That I halted a great while, and might not go. I would ye both sat as fast there; Then should ye dance as a bear, And all by gangling of your chains. CONTEMPLATION. Why, sir, were ye there? FREEWILL.