71. THEY THAT NO WHILE ENDURE (TWO VERSIONS).
First Version.
[_]
[MS. B.M. Harley 2255, leaves 118, back, to 119, back.]
1
This wyde woourld is so large of space,
No man hath poweer it holly to restreyne:
Kyng Alisaundre myght not alwey enbrace
Al to conquere, though he did his peyne;
Nor riche Cresus nevir myght atteyne
With tresour gadryd by soort or aventure,
Whan fortune list at hym disdeyne,
But that he afftir myght no whyle endure.
2
Myghty prynces, abydyng on the werrys,
Which them delyte in there oppynyouns,
As ferre as Phebus shyneth or his sterres,
By ther conquest in diuers regiouns,
To gadre vp al to ther pocessiouns,
What fallith of them? recoord of scripture,
Whoo al conveyeth, by manyfoold resouns,
Heer lordshippe here may no whyle endure.
3
Certeyn folk be diuersly disposyd,
Summe for the wourld as it shulde evir laste,
Summe in ther consceyt fully be purpoosyd
Al ther studye and ther wittys caste,
Previd this dayes and tymes that be past,
Care no ferther, but lyk the chaunteplure;
But wheer so be that they suppe or faste,
Whoo nat providith, shal no while endure.
4
A knyght in werrys hardy as a lyoun,
And hasty squyers that been amerous,
Or a facoun that flyeth for the herown,
Nor a grehound on boorys coragious,
Nor he that is to stryve desirous,
For noon of alle, I do yow weel assure,
Of folk fool-hardy, causelees despitous,
Off kyndely ryght may no whyle endure.
5
Nor no woman that bargeyneth hire bewte,
Ne no greet glotoun nor no chyderesse,
Nor a strong theef, bydyng in o cuntre,
Ne noon morderer, nor no fals sorceresse,
Nor noo wastour that spendith by excesse,
Ne he that falsly doth ony lond recure,
And he that vsith to bere fals witnesse,
Of right me semyth they shuld not longe endure.
6
For he that is a comoun cutpurs,
And vsith longe to ryote on nyght,
Nor he that hath of ech man Goddys curs,
And he that doth to euery man vnright,
Nor an owle that fleth be dayes lyght,
Nor a seruaunt froward to come to lure,
Ne he that hath disdeyn of euery wyght,
Off right me semyth they may not longe endure.
7
Therfore in this be wys, and take good counsayl,
And prey God fro suych vices teschewe them in-dede,
For comoun profight and for our greet avayl,
In our diffence that we may procede,
In alle vertues, and therto also to takyn hede
To exclude necligence that he may recure
By devoute prayeer to helpe in suych a nede
Thorugh mercy and grace, and so longe endure.
Explicit.
