By this liberty they entered into a very laudable
emulation to do all of them what they saw did please
one. If any of the gallants or ladies should
say, Let us drink, they would all drink. If any
one of them said, Let us play, they all played.
If one said, Let us go a-walking into the fields
they went all. If it were to go a-hawking or
a-hunting, the ladies mounted upon dainty well-paced
nags, seated in a stately palfrey saddle, carried on
their lovely fists, miniardly begloved every one of
them, either a sparrowhawk or a laneret or a marlin,
and the young gallants carried the other kinds of
hawks. So nobly were they taught, that there
was neither he nor she amongst them but could read,
write, sing, play upon several musical instruments,
speak five or six several languages, and compose in
them all very quaintly, both in verse and prose.
Never were seen so valiant knights, so noble and
worthy, so dexterous and skilful both on foot and
a-horse-back, more brisk and lively, more nimble and
quick, or better handling all manner of weapons than
were there. Never were seen ladies so proper
and handsome, so miniard and dainty, less froward,
or more ready with their hand and with their needle
in every honest and free action belonging to that
sex, than were there. For this reason, when the
time came that any man of the said abbey, either at
the request of his parents, or for some other cause,
had a mind to go out of it, he carried along with
him one of the ladies, namely, her whom he had before
that chosen for his mistress, and (they) were married
together. And if they had formerly in Theleme
lived in good devotion and amity, they did continue
therein and increase it to a greater height in their
state of matrimony; and did entertain that mutual
love till the very last day of their life, in no less
vigour and fervency than at the very day of their wedding.
Here must not I forget to set down unto you a riddle
which was found under the ground as they were laying
the foundation of the abbey, engraven in a copper plate,
and it was thus as followeth.
Chapter 1.LVIII.
A prophetical Riddle.
Poor mortals, who wait for a happy day,
Cheer up your hearts, and hear what I shall say:
If it be lawful firmly to believe
That the celestial bodies can us give
Wisdom to judge of things that are not yet;
Or if from heaven such wisdom we may get
As may with confidence make us discourse
Of years to come, their destiny and course;
I to my hearers give to understand
That this next winter, though it be at hand,
Yea and before, there shall appear a race
Of men who, loth to sit still in one place,
Shall boldly go before all people’s eyes,
Suborning men of divers qualities
To draw them unto covenants and sides,
In such a manner that, whate’er betides,
They’ll move you, if you give them ear, no doubt,
With both your friends and kindred to fall out.
