 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
181. See Much, Say Little, and Learn to Suffer in Time
Virtutem primam.
See much, sey lytill, and lerne to suffre in tyme;
empreynt thes thre yn thy remembraunce.
lyke as the mone chaungyth a-for the prime
so faryth thes world, replete with variaunce.
Oft lewyd langage causyth grete distaunce,
Werfor wyse Catoun seyth to old & ȝong:
‘the fyrst chefe vertu is to kepe owr tong.’
empreynt thes thre yn thy remembraunce.
lyke as the mone chaungyth a-for the prime
so faryth thes world, replete with variaunce.
Oft lewyd langage causyth grete distaunce,
Werfor wyse Catoun seyth to old & ȝong:
‘the fyrst chefe vertu is to kepe owr tong.’
Werfore, wold god thes fals tongys all—
meuyng and clappyng lyk to the leue of apse,
Woys dayly venym more byttur is than gall—
Were boundyn euerchon with a claps[e]!
Tyl trowth and temperance lust them to [vnhapse];
for fals detraccioun, lesyng & dysclaunder
Hath slay mor peple than dud kyng Alysa[under].
meuyng and clappyng lyk to the leue of apse,
Woys dayly venym more byttur is than gall—
Were boundyn euerchon with a claps[e]!
Tyl trowth and temperance lust them to [vnhapse];
for fals detraccioun, lesyng & dysclaunder
Hath slay mor peple than dud kyng Alysa[under].
Yf yn thes lyf thu woll encrese and eche
thyn worldly Ioy, thyn ese, and thyn wellfar[e],
Be wele avysyd at all tymes of thy [speche],
and saue the sure fro satan & hyse [snare].
Oft yll reportis engenderyth sorw[e and c]are;
Were-for in spekyng at no tyme [is] he ydill
That can hys tong at all tyme wysly bridill.
thyn worldly Ioy, thyn ese, and thyn wellfar[e],
Be wele avysyd at all tymes of thy [speche],
and saue the sure fro satan & hyse [snare].
Oft yll reportis engenderyth sorw[e and c]are;
Were-for in spekyng at no tyme [is] he ydill
That can hys tong at all tyme wysly bridill.
A lytell spark may set a towne a-fyre,
But wen it brennyth it is nought lyghly quey[nt].
On word myspoken may bryng the yn the myre
So depe y-wyss till thu theryn be draynt.
A fals tong may florysch weell & peynt
as for a cesoun, but euer the end ys schame;
And wo is hym hoys tong h[ath lost hys name].
But wen it brennyth it is nought lyghly quey[nt].
On word myspoken may bryng the yn the myre
So depe y-wyss till thu theryn be draynt.
A fals tong may florysch weell & peynt
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And wo is hym hoys tong h[ath lost hys name].
lytill mellyng causyth [meche reste];
Ouer besy was [neuer] yit commend[able].
loke were thu art yn dowt, and deme the [beste];
Dele nogth with dowblenesse, ne be nogth desceyuable;
Rechelesse & racle [are] oft tymys repreuable;
Werfor, thysylf and thu wollt kepe fro crime,
See much, sey lytill & lerne to suffyre yn tym[e].
Ouer besy was [neuer] yit commend[able].
loke were thu art yn dowt, and deme the [beste];
Dele nogth with dowblenesse, ne be nogth desceyuable;
Rechelesse & racle [are] oft tymys repreuable;
Werfor, thysylf and thu wollt kepe fro crime,
See much, sey lytill & lerne to suffyre yn tym[e].
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |