'Pastyme With Good Companye', or, 'Pastime with Good Company'

Original text:

Pastyme with good companye

I love and shall untyll I dye;

Grugge who lust, but noon denye;

So god be plecyd, thus leve woll I;

For my pastaunce

Hunte, syng and daunce;

My hert ys sett

All godely sport

For my cumfort:

Who shall me lett?

Yowth must have sum dalyaunce,

Of good or yll some pastaunce;

Companye my thynckyth then best

All thoftes and fancys to dygest.

For idelnes

Ys cheff mastres

Of vices all;

Than who can say

But myrth and play

Ys best of all?

Cumpany with honeste

Ys vertu, vices to flee;

Cumpany ys gode and yll,

But every man hath hys frewyll.

The best insew,

The worst eschew,

My mynde shall be;

Vertu to use,

Vyce to reffuse,

Thus schall I use me.

Transliteration in present day English:

Pastime with good company

I love, and shall until I die

Grudge who will, but none deny,

So God be pleased, thus live will I.

For my pastance:

Hunt, sing, and dance,

My heart is set!

All goodly sport,

For my comfort,

Who shall me let?



Youth must have some dalliance,

Of good or ill some pastance.

Company methinks them best,

All thoughts and fancies to digest.

For idleness

Is chief mistress

Of vices all:

Then who can say,

But mirth and play,

Is best of all



Company with honesty,

Is virtue, vice to flee.

Company is good and ill,

But every man has his free will.

The best ensue,

The worst eschew,

My mind shall be:

Virtue to use,

Vice to refuse,

Thus shall I use me!