The Minor Poems of John Lydgate edited from all available mss. with an attempt to establish The Lydgate Canon: By Henry Noble MacCracken |
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The Minor Poems of John Lydgate | ||
19. SO AS THE CRABBE GOTH FORWARD.
465
Takeþe heede my lordes for here foloweþe a balade of
þe same sentence made in oure englishe langage
by Daun Iohan Lidegate of Bury þe Munke / nowe
iugeþe yee þat beoþe kunyng / which yowe lykeþe
þe beter þe nsh or þenglissh.
1
Þis worlde is ful of stabulnesse,Þer is þer inne no varyaunce;
But trouthe, feyth, and gentylesse,
Secrenesse, and assuraunce,
Plente, ioye, and al playsaunce
466
Verrayly by ressemblaunce
So as þe crabbe goþe forward.
2
Þer is nowe founde no falsnesse,Right is so mighty of puissaunce;
Feyth haþe exyled doublenesse,
Fortune chaungeþe not hir chaunse,
Beheest abydiþe in constaunce,
Frenship is founde no coward,
Light with derkeness haþe acordaunce—
So as þe crabbe goþe forward.
3
Prynces soustene Rightwysnesse,Knighthood in Trouthe haþe whett his launce,
Lawe haþe putte Meede in gret distresse
And avoyded hir acqueyntaunce,
Pariuree in England and Fraunce
Is fledde byyonde Mount Godard,
Iuroures with Trouth haue allyaunce—
So as þe crabbe gooþe forwarde.
4
Sergeauntes, pledirs of Kyndenesse,Haue made oon Guerdoun a defyaunce;
Consistoryes for Hoolynesse,
Bytweene hem and Meede is gret distaunce;
Flatterye haþe lost his countenaunce,
Plentee is founden no nygarde,
Scarsytee is goone to meschaunce—
So as þe crabbe gooþe forwarde.
5
Iche man haþe enoughe Rychesse,Poure folke feele no grevaunce;
Preesthode lyveþe in parfytnesse,
467
Relygyoun haþe noon attendaunce
Vn-to þe worlde, but al vpward—
To gyf ensaumple, in substaunce,
Howe þat þe crabbe gooþe forward.
6
Takeþe heede also, bavysynesse,Wymmen frome Cartage to Constaunce
Ebaunysshed haue Newfangelnesse,
Putt in his place Perseueraunce;
In clergye is parfyte gouuernaunce;
Mesure with marchaundes is cheef stuward,
Weght holdeþe truwly þeyre ballaunce—
So as þe crabbe gooþe forwarde.
Lenvoye.
Prynce, þe reuers to expresseOf yche thing by contynuaunce:
Entendement Double is cheef maystresse,
Fals compassing by disseyvaunce,
Which causeþe alwey gret distourbaunce;
Frensshe, Englysshe, Normand, and Pycard,
Þe hevenly signe makeþe demonstraunce
Howe þat þe crabbe gooþe bakward!
The Minor Poems of John Lydgate | ||