_Sensuality._ What, lady Nature! have I none intress As well as Reason or Innocency? Think ye this, lady! a good process That they are advanced and I let go by? Ye know right well that I ought naturally, Before all other, to have of him the cure: I am the chief perfection of his nature. Alas! what could the silly body do? Or, how should it live nor were the help of me? Certes! it could not well creep nor go; At the leastwise it should neither feel here nor see, But be as other insensate bodies be; In much worse case than worms of the ground In which unneth any token of life is found. Meseemeth it should abhor him for to hear That I destrained should be in any wise, Standing that I was create to be his fere; Of all his guiding to take the enterprise: And now ye put me out of his service, And have assigned Reason to be his guide-- With Innocency, his nourice, thus am I set aside. Ye clepe him lord of all beasts living; And nothing worthy, as far as I can see. For, if there be in him no manner of feeling, Nor no lively quickness, what lord is he? A lord made of clouts, or carved out of tree; And fareth as an image graved out of stone That nothing else can do but stand alone. If ye intend him to continue long In honour, or worldly felicity, He must needs follow his appetite among; And conform himself to the more part. I tell you men will have no dinty To do service or homage to a block: All the world will think it but a mock. Suffer me, therefore, to have with him a room, And to be with him as chief counsell[or]; And if he do so, I think to doom He shall reign in the world as chief governor. But, if Reason tickle him in the ear, Or bear him on hand the cow is wood, He shall never be able to do earthly good.