 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
177. A Series of Triads
Ther ben iij poyntis of myscheff
Þat arun confusion to many man,
Weche þat werkyn þe soule gret gryff,
I schall hem telle ȝou as I can.
Pore men proude þat lytyl han,
Þat wolden beryt owte as riche men goo;
Ȝyf þei don foly and þan be tan
þei may wytyn hem-self her owyn woo.
Þat arun confusion to many man,
Weche þat werkyn þe soule gret gryff,
I schall hem telle ȝou as I can.
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Þat wolden beryt owte as riche men goo;
Ȝyf þei don foly and þan be tan
þei may wytyn hem-self her owyn woo.
A Ryche man thef is a-nodyr,
Þat of covetyse wyll not slake;
Ȝyf he with wrong be-gyle his brother
In blis þat he schall ben forsake—
be-forun god thefte it is take.
Al þat wit wrong he wynnyt soo;
but ȝif he A-mendys make
he may wytyn hym-self his owyn woo.
Þat of covetyse wyll not slake;
Ȝyf he with wrong be-gyle his brother
In blis þat he schall ben forsake—
be-forun god thefte it is take.
Al þat wit wrong he wynnyt soo;
but ȝif he A-mendys make
he may wytyn hym-self his owyn woo.
Olde man lechere is þe iijde,
for his complexion waxit colde;
It bryngit his soule peyne in-mydde,
And stynkit on god many a folde.
The iij thyngis þat I haue told
arun plesyng to þe fende, oure fo.
Hem to vsyn, hoso is bold,
may wytyn hym-self his owyn wo.
for his complexion waxit colde;
It bryngit his soule peyne in-mydde,
And stynkit on god many a folde.
The iij thyngis þat I haue told
arun plesyng to þe fende, oure fo.
Hem to vsyn, hoso is bold,
may wytyn hym-self his owyn wo.
Many defautis god may fynde
In vs that schuldyn his seruantis be;
He schewyt vs loue and we on-kynde—
sertis þe more to blame are we.
Summe stare brode and may not se—
be many a clerk it faret so—
[Ther] þe dred of god wele not be,
þei may wytyn hem-self her owyn wo.
In vs that schuldyn his seruantis be;
He schewyt vs loue and we on-kynde—
sertis þe more to blame are we.
Summe stare brode and may not se—
be many a clerk it faret so—
[Ther] þe dred of god wele not be,
þei may wytyn hem-self her owyn wo.
In iij poyntis, I dar wel say,
god schuld be wurchapyd ouer all thynge:
With ryghtwysnesse & mercy—þer be twaye—
þe iijde is clennesse in levynge.
To men of holy chyrche þat kepyng
it is her charge & to lordys also,
and whan þei don contrari goddis byddyng
þei may wytyn hem-self her ow[yn] w[o].
god schuld be wurchapyd ouer all thynge:
With ryghtwysnesse & mercy—þer be twaye—
þe iijde is clennesse in levynge.
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it is her charge & to lordys also,
and whan þei don contrari goddis byddyng
þei may wytyn hem-self her ow[yn] w[o].
Wrong is set þer right schuld be,
mercy fro manhod is put A-way,
lecchery clennesse hat mad to fle,
loue dar not bydyn neyther nyght ne day.
Thus þe deuyl, I dar wel say,
wolde makyn oure frende oure ful fo.
Man, A-mende the whyl þu may,
or wyte þi-self þin owyn wo.
mercy fro manhod is put A-way,
lecchery clennesse hat mad to fle,
loue dar not bydyn neyther nyght ne day.
Thus þe deuyl, I dar wel say,
wolde makyn oure frende oure ful fo.
Man, A-mende the whyl þu may,
or wyte þi-self þin owyn wo.
It is no wondyr thow þu be wo,
þi owyn wyl quan þu wolt sewe;
goddis byddyng þu wilt not do—
þu art fals and he is trewe,
Syn he sende þe alle thyng newe
and þu seruyst þe fende & gost hym fro,
but þu mende it schall þe rewe,
þu schalt wytyn þi-self þi owyn wo.
þi owyn wyl quan þu wolt sewe;
goddis byddyng þu wilt not do—
þu art fals and he is trewe,
Syn he sende þe alle thyng newe
and þu seruyst þe fende & gost hym fro,
but þu mende it schall þe rewe,
þu schalt wytyn þi-self þi owyn wo.
In iij degreis þe werd kepis:
with presthod, knyghthod, and labourere.
Þer ar but fewe þat nede don A-mys
þer-for a-byd þei schal ful dere.
Be good exampyl þe prestis schuld lere
to on-lernyd how þat þei schuldyn do
and, for þat wurde & werke acordit not in fere,
þei schul wytyn hem-self her owyn w[o].
with presthod, knyghthod, and labourere.
Þer ar but fewe þat nede don A-mys
þer-for a-byd þei schal ful dere.
Be good exampyl þe prestis schuld lere
to on-lernyd how þat þei schuldyn do
and, for þat wurde & werke acordit not in fere,
þei schul wytyn hem-self her owyn w[o].
Lordys also, boþe knytis & other,
many arun of consciens lyght;
þei schulde helpe þe pore syster and brodyr
for to streynye hem in her ryght.
Pride and coueytyse hat lost here myght,
grace, for lecherye, is kept hem fro;
Ȝyf þei be-heldyn her owyn syth,
þei may wytyn hem-self her owyn wo.
many arun of consciens lyght;
þei schulde helpe þe pore syster and brodyr
for to streynye hem in her ryght.
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grace, for lecherye, is kept hem fro;
Ȝyf þei be-heldyn her owyn syth,
þei may wytyn hem-self her owyn wo.
The labourere schuld trauayle for god and man
ryghtfully in word & dede,
In what degre þat he hath tan,
And resonabylly takyn his mede.
Wrongfully summe her lyfe lede—
A-mong ryche and pore it is foundyn so—
þe last ende is to drede,
þei schal wytyn hem-self her owyn wo.
ryghtfully in word & dede,
In what degre þat he hath tan,
And resonabylly takyn his mede.
Wrongfully summe her lyfe lede—
A-mong ryche and pore it is foundyn so—
þe last ende is to drede,
þei schal wytyn hem-self her owyn wo.
Man, take hed what þu arte—
but wormys mete, þu wost wel þis;
Whan þat erthe hat taken hys parte,
heuyn or helle wyl haue his.
Ȝif þu do weel þu gost to blys,
yf þu do euyl to þi foo;
loue þi lord and thynk on this,
or wyte þi-self þin owyn wo.
but wormys mete, þu wost wel þis;
Whan þat erthe hat taken hys parte,
heuyn or helle wyl haue his.
Ȝif þu do weel þu gost to blys,
yf þu do euyl to þi foo;
loue þi lord and thynk on this,
or wyte þi-self þin owyn wo.
Glorious god, for þi mercy
þi wretthe gostly þu slake!
to vs þat leuyn here ful falsly
on-to þi mercy euer vs take!
Now, ihū cryst, oure saueour,
fro vr foo vs defende;
In al oure nede be oure socour
or þat we schul hens wende,
þi wretthe gostly þu slake!
to vs þat leuyn here ful falsly
on-to þi mercy euer vs take!
Now, ihū cryst, oure saueour,
fro vr foo vs defende;
In al oure nede be oure socour
or þat we schul hens wende,
And sende vs grace so to A-mende
þi blysse þat we may come to,
Here to haue so good an ende
þat we be not cause of oure owyn wo.
þi blysse þat we may come to,
Here to haue so good an ende
þat we be not cause of oure owyn wo.
Amen.
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |