me. I have been friendly to you, and brought you in every place of pleasaunce and disport. Now show your kindness again to me and speak to Faith and Hope for me, that they would charitably do my message unto the most glorious Prince that ever was, is, or ever shall be.
The Answer of the Five Wits
Certainly we marvel that ye will desire us to speak, for you understand those worshipful people hath denied and refused to speak for you; your Good Angel, Reason, Dread, and Conscience. How should ye be heard ? Or what credence will be given unto us that have been your servants and under your obeisance, and nothing done all times but as ye have commanded us to do ? Call to your remembrance how you ruled us Five, Sight, Hearing, Feeling, Tasting and Smelling. Ye have at all times brought us in places of pleasance and disport; and though it were disport and pleasance for the time, it is now sorrow, weeping, and wailing for your sake, that we cannot excuse you nor anything say for you that might be your weal or to your ease. For we have been privy and partners to all that hath been mis-done in any wise, and in every place. And our offence in all things is in your default. For, and ye had sadly[1] ruled us as a sovereign should, ye should have restrained in us every vice. For we should have been ruled by you in every thing; and otherwise than ye
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