University of Virginia Library

Þe wikked schrewe onswerde þon
Þus to þe gode mon:
“Ne forbed he neuere : Þat I þe plihte,
Mon to be riche : Ȝif he miht:
Hou miȝte men on e[n]y wyse
Be riche wiþ-outen couetyse?
Þe riche Mon, wher he is,
Holden is boþe ȝep and wys,
fforþ I-cald and muchel of told,
ffor he haþ good mony-fold;
He is holden of muche pris,
And al for good þat is his.
Þe pore Mon al þat schal misse;
Haþ he non such worldes blisse;
His Meeles are ofte lene—
Luitel hit helpeþ, þauȝ he him mene—
His Robes are badde and þinne,
Luitel he haþ of worldes wynne.
Purueye þe wel on vche a syde,
Þat such teone þe ne be-tyde!
Ȝif þou ne const, I wol þe teche
Hou þou schalt good to þe reche
And riche mon bi-come and wlouh
And haue of alle goodes I-nouh,
And wiþ-outen eny synne
Geten I-nouȝ of worldes wynne.
Beo peny pound bi-twene two
Þou maiȝt gedere mo and mo,
Al wiþ queyntise and wiþ ginne
Muche good maiȝt þou wynne.
Slep þou nouȝt to muche a-niht,
But win þe good, hou þou miht;
Ren a-boute bi þe strete,
Bi wey and bi weonlete;
Ȝif þou seost in eny wyse
Wher eny bi-ȝete wol aryse,
Tac sum, and lef I-nouh—
Þouȝ þou do so, hit nis no wouh;
Haue þou no doute, I rede, of þas,
No mon wot ho hit was.
Þauh Mon make muche fare,
Þer-of haue þou no care,
Ne dred no-þing þe prestes curs—
Þerfore þou schalt neuere be þe wors.
Ne spare non, þer þou gest,
Nouþer þe parsun ne þe prest;
Tac þe part of heore tyþinge
And bere hit hom to þi wonynge.
And so þou miȝt muche good take
And be riche monnes make.
Whon þou hast þus wel bi-gonne
And muche good hast I-wonne,
Þat þou hast, kep hit wel,
Þerof ȝif þou neuer a del;
But men bringe two for on,
Ȝiue hem not, but let hem gon!
Þer wol come to þin hous
Mony on ful coueytous,
ffor to haue of þi þinge,
To bere a-wei, and nouȝt to brynge:—
So wole þei don eft-sone;
Let hem gon riht as þei come;
Let hem seche heor owne biȝete
As þou dudest, or elles lete;
Let hem fare neer and ferre
And for þe neuer be þe nerre!”