CONSCIENCE. Manhood, ye must love God above all thing. His name in idleness ye may not ming: Keep your holy-day from worldly doing: Your father and mother worship aye: Covet ye to sle no man, Ne do no lechery with no woman: Your neighbour's good take not by no way, And all false witness ye must denay: Neither ye must not covet no man's wife, Nor no good that him be-lith. This covetise shall keep you out of strife. These been the commandments ten: Mankind, and ye these commandments keep, Heaven bliss I you behete,[244] For Christ's commandments are[245] full sweet, And full necessary to all men. MANHOOD. What, Conscience, is this thy covetise? CONSCIENCE. Yea, manhood, in all wise: And covet to Christ's service, Both to matins and to mass. Ye must, Manhood, with all your might, Maintain holy church's right, For this longeth to a knight Plainly in every place. MANHOOD. What, Conscience, should I leave all game and glee? CONSCIENCE. Nay, Manhood, so mot I the, All mirth in measure is good for thee: But, sir, measure is in all thing. MANHOOD. Measure, Conscience? what thing may measure be? CONSCIENCE. Sir, keep you in charity, And from all evil company, For doubt of folly doing. MANHOOD. Folly! what thing callest thou folly! CONSCIENCE. Sir, it is pride, wrath, and envy, Sloth, covetise, and gluttony, Lechery the seventh is: These seven sins I call folly. MANHOOD. What, thou liest! to this seven The world delivered me, And said they were kings of great beauty, And most of main and mights. But yet I pray thee, sir, tell me, May I not go arrayed honestly? CONSCIENCE. Yes, Manhood, hardily In all manner of degree. MANHOOD. But I must have sporting of play. CONSCIENCE. Sickerly,[246] Manhood, I say not nay: But good governance keep both night and day, And maintain meekness and all mercy. MANHOOD. All mercy, Conscience: what may that be? CONSCIENCE. Sir, all discretion that God gave thee. MANHOOD. Discretion I know not, so mot I the. CONSCIENCE. Sir, it is all the wits that God hath you send. MANHOOD. Ah, Conscience! Conscience! now I know and see Thy cunning is much more than mine: But yet I pray thee, sir, tell me, What is most necessary for man in every time? CONSCIENCE. Sir, in every time beware of folly: Folly is full of false flattering; In what occupation that ever ye be, Alway, ere ye begin, think on the ending for blame. Now farewell, Manhood, I must wend. MANHOOD. Now farewell, Conscience, mine own friend. CONSCIENCE. I pray you, Manhood, have God in mind, And beware of folly and shame.