| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | ||
Þe gode mon wel vnderstod
Þat þat þe toþur seide was not good.
“Aftur þi counseil wol I not do,
ffor þe prest seide not so.
No mon haþ so muche good : Þat I wolde he hedde more,
Ne so feir ne so strong ne so wys of lore,
Hit of-þuncheþ me nouht : Ne þer-to haue I non onde,
ffor al þe godes þat mon haþ : Is of godes sonde.
God, þorw whom comeþ alle þing : Con ful good skile,
Alle worldes winne : He sendeþ, whon he wile.
Whi scholde I for monnes god haue sorinesse,
Whon I haue for him neuer þe lesse?
God deleþ his dole : To pore and to riche,
And ȝiueþ wit and auhte : But not alle I-lyche.
Whon he haþ I-ȝiuen his þing : As Ichaue I-seyd,
Vche mon of his del : Schulde holde him paid;
No mon schulde grucchen : Of oþeres wel-fare,
And ȝif he doþ, for soþe : He mispayeþ god þare.
ffor god wol ȝiue : To whom his wille is.
Whose haþ envye þer-to : ffor soþe, he nis not wys.”
Þat þat þe toþur seide was not good.
“Aftur þi counseil wol I not do,
ffor þe prest seide not so.
No mon haþ so muche good : Þat I wolde he hedde more,
Ne so feir ne so strong ne so wys of lore,
Hit of-þuncheþ me nouht : Ne þer-to haue I non onde,
ffor al þe godes þat mon haþ : Is of godes sonde.
God, þorw whom comeþ alle þing : Con ful good skile,
Alle worldes winne : He sendeþ, whon he wile.
Whi scholde I for monnes god haue sorinesse,
Whon I haue for him neuer þe lesse?
God deleþ his dole : To pore and to riche,
338
Whon he haþ I-ȝiuen his þing : As Ichaue I-seyd,
Vche mon of his del : Schulde holde him paid;
No mon schulde grucchen : Of oþeres wel-fare,
And ȝif he doþ, for soþe : He mispayeþ god þare.
ffor god wol ȝiue : To whom his wille is.
Whose haþ envye þer-to : ffor soþe, he nis not wys.”
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | ||