WANTON. Ha, ha, Wanton is my name: I can many a quaint game. Lo, my top I drive in same, See, it turneth round! I can with my scourge-stick My fellow upon the head hit, And lightly[196] from him make a skip, And blear on him my tongue. If brother or sister do me chide, I will scratch and also bite: I can cry, and also kick, And mock them all berew.[197] If father or mother will me smite, I will ring with my lip, And lightly from him make a skip, And call my dame shrew. Aha, a new game have I found: See this gin, it renneth round! And here another have I found, And yet mo can I find. I can mow[198] on a man, And make a lesing[199] well I can, And maintain it right well then. This cunning came me of kind, Yea, sirs, I can well geld a snail, And catch a cow by the tail: This is a fair cunning, I can dance and also skip, I can play at the cherry-pit,[200] And I can whistle you a fit,[201] Sires, in a willow rine: Yea, sirs, and every day, When I to school shall take the way Some good man's garden I will essay, Pears and plums to pluck. I can spy a sparrow's nest, I will not go to school but when me lest,[202] For there beginneth a sorry feast, When the master should lift my dock. But, sirs, when I was seven year of age, I was sent to the world to take wage,[203] And this seven year I have been his page, And kept his commandment. Now I will wend to the world the worthy emperor. Hail! Lord of great honour, This seven year I have served you in hall and in bow'r With all my true intent.[204] MUNDUS. Now welcome, Wanton, my darling dear. A new name I shall give thee here: Love-Lust, Liking, in fere; These thy names they shall be, All game and glee, and gladness, All love-longing in lewdness. This seven year forsake all sadness, And then come again to me. LUST AND LIKING. Ha, ha, now Lust and Liking is my name. I am as fresh as flowers in May, I am seemly-shapen in same, And proudly apparelled in garments gay: My looks been full lovely to a lady's eye, And in love-longing my heart is sore set: Might I find a fode[205] that were fair and free, To lie in hell till doomsday for love I would not let. My love for to win All game and glee, All mirth and melody, All revel and riot, And of boast will I never blin. But, sirs, now I am nineteen winter old, I-wis, I wax wonder bold: Now I will go to the world A higher science to assay: For the World will me avance, I will keep his governance, His pleasing will I pray, For he is a king in all substance. All hail! master, full of might, I have you served both day and night: Now I comen, as I you benight.[206] One and twenty winter is comen and gone.