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 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
269
176. Virtues Exiled—Vices Enthroned
Lex is layde and lethyrly lukys,Iusticia is exylde owt of owre bowkys,
Paciencia is plukytt þat mony men hyme Lothys,
ffides is fybled & goys in torynde clothys,
Caritas is lowkyde & knokytt full smawyll,
Verus is noght vsyde nothyng att all,
Humilitas is hyde, he wyll noght be seyne,
Castitas is prisonde as mony men weynys,
Veritas is demytt to hange one the ruyde,
Verecundia was drownytt at þe laste fluyde,
So þat few freyndys may a mane fynde,
ffor rectum iudicium commys so farre be-hynde.
ffraus is fykyll as a fox, & reuys in þis lande,
ffuror is hys freynde, as I vndyrstande,
Decepcio is his chamerlande, haif heire-of no dowtte
Detraccio is of his cownsell—I be-schrew þat rowtte!
ffalsum Iudicium is a lordschype of hys,
Violencia berys hys swerde, he may noght mysse,
Inuidia is als vmpeire qwen þai be-gyne to stryfe.
Syche anothyre felyschype, god latt þam neuer thryfe!
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |