English poetry -- Translations from German; German poetry -- Translations into English
But be it payne or nat: there many suche ende.
At Newgate theyr garmentis ar offred to be solde.
Theyr bodyes to the Jebet solemly ascende.
Wauynge with the wether whyle theyr necke wyl holde.
But if I shulde wryte al the ylles manyfolde.
That procedeth of this counterfayt abusion
And mysshapen Fassions: I neuer shulde haue done.
For both States, comons, man, woman, and chylde
Ar vtterly inclyed to this inconuenyence.
But namely therwith these Courters are defyled.
Bytwen mayster and man I fynde no dyfference.
Therfore ye Courters knowledge your offence.
Do nat your errour mentayne, support nor excuse.
For Fowles ye ar your Rayment thus to abuse.
To Shyp Galauntes come nere I say agayne.
Wyth your set Busshes Curlynge as men of Inde.
Ye counterfayted Courters come with your fleinge brayne
Expressed by these variable Garmentes that ye fynde.
To tempt chast Damsels and turne them to your mynde
Your breste ye discouer and necke. Thus your abusion
Is the Fendes bate. And your soules confusion.
Come nere disgysed foles: receyue your Foles Hode.
And ye that in sondry colours ar arayde.
Ye garded galantes wastinge thus your goode
Come nere with your Shertes brodered and displayed.
In fourme of Surplys. Forsoth it may be sayde.
That of your Sort right fewe shal thryue this yere.
Or that your faders werith suche Habyte in the Quere.
And ye Jentyl wymen whome this lewde vice doth blynde
Lased on the backe: your peakes set a loft.
Come to my Shyp. forget ye nat behynde.
Your Sadel on the tayle: yf ye lyst to sit soft.
Do on your Decke Slut: if ye purpos to come oft.
I mean your Copyntanke: And if it wyl do no goode.
To kepe you from the rayne. ye shall haue a foles hode.
By the ale stake knowe we the ale hous
And euery Jnne is knowen by the sygne
So a lewde woman and a lechcrous
Is knowen by hir clothes, be they cours or fyne
Folowynge newe fassyons, not graunted by doctryne
The bocher sheweth his flesshe it to sell
So doth these women dampnyng theyr soule to hell
What shall I more wryte of our enormyte
Both man and woman as I before haue sayde
Ar rayde and clothyd nat after theyr degre
As nat content with the shape that god hath made
The clenlynes of Clergye is nere also decayed.
Our olde apparale (alas) is nowe layde downe
And many prestes asshamed of theyr Crowne.
Unto laymen we vs refourme agayne
As of chryste our mayster in maner halfe asshamed
My hert doth wepe: my tunge doth sore complayne
Seing howe our State is worthy to be blamed.
But if all the Foly of our Hole Royalme were named
Of mys apparayle of Olde, young, lowe, and hye,
The tyme shulde fayle: and space to me denye.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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