University of Virginia Library

Þe wikkede gost onswerde þo:
“Lete we þis tale go,
Leue we þis disputyng
And speke we of oþur þing.
Þow spekest aȝeyn pruide
And þer-of takest muche hyde.
Aȝeyn þe riȝte is þat þou says,
And þerfore me mis-pays.
Þou seist þe prest, þat syngeþ Messe,
Lered þe to Boxumnesse;
He was wod, so art þou ek,
And alle þo þat so spek.
Leef þou nouȝt þat hit be soþ!
Hit nis no-mon þat so doþ.
I sigge þat pruide nis no synne:
ffor þer-þorwȝ comeþ worldes wynne.
Þat maiȝt þou witen, I-wis,
Whon þou wost what hit is.
Ȝif þou be knowen for wys
And holden art of muche prys
And þat þou art riche mon and wlouȝ
And of richesse hast inouh:
Þauȝ þou lyȝe, as mony mon doþ,
Men wolleþ wene þat hit be soþ,
And clepe þe forþ for heore euenyng,
Bi-foren hem þat habbeþ no-þing.
Ȝif þou art proud and Modi
And berest þe bold and hardi,
Men þat stondeþ þe aboute
Þenne of þe wolen haue gret doute,
Wiþ þe wolen þei comen and speke,
Þi loue to haue and hem to wreke.
Þou mayȝt for þi bolde beryng
Be proud & riche in alle þing,
And ouur-al maiȝt þou comen and go,
Whon a Moppe dasart schal not so;
As a lord schalt þou be cald,
Þer oþure schul stonde be-hynde vn-bald,
And oueral þer þou gost aboute
Þe schal folewe ful gret route;
Of þe schal vche mon stonde gret eiȝe,
Wher þou wolt, þou miȝt go pleye.
Do nou as I haue I-counseyled þe:
Proud & stout euer þat þou be!
ffor ȝif þou drawe þe to cumpaigny
Of pore wrecches þat wone þe by,
Vche a Mon þat beo þe wey goþ
Of hem schalt þou be swiþe loþ,
And alle wolle þei ful ȝare
Lauhwhe þe to bisemare
And sigge: “lo, Men mowe wel se
What Mon þat he þenkeþ to be!
A wrecche sone wol he ben,
To wrecches he draweþ, as alle men sen;
Wel Men may seo alle bi þan
Þat neuer-more wol he beo man.”