University of Virginia Library

Þe gode mon wel vnderstod
Þat at oþur seide was not good.
“Couetyse is not good : ffor hit is forbode,
So seiþ þe prest on his bok : Þorw biddyng of gode.
Men mowe wel be riche : Whose hit may wynne
Wiþ rihte & wiþ treuþe : And wiþ-outen synne;
Wiþ trewe craft and Marchaundise : Wel wynnen he may,
But Robbe ne to-reue : Nouþer niht ne day.
Mony on wiþ falsnesse : And wiþ Oker also
Haþ so muche good : Þat he not wher hit do;
Þat may ben here his heuene—: At his endynge
In to þe put of helle : Sone hit wole hym bringe.
Ȝif Mon haþ eny þing : Bi-gete wiþ trewenesse
Of worldliche good : More oþer lesse,
Tac to his nedfulnesse : Þer-of what he wile,
And do to holi chirche : Þat riht wole and skile:
Of al þat neweþ him be ȝere : Do his tiþinge,
And foure tyme in þe ȝere : Ȝif his Offringe;
Þe pore schal he helpe : Also, þat haþ nede,
Ȝif hem mete and drinke : And cloþe hem wiþ wede.
Hose wol not tiþe : Þat god him haþ I-lent,
His lyf and his soule : Boþe schul be schent;
He schal for þe synne : Haue Godes curs,
And eke alle his goodes : Schul fare wel þe wors;
His godes schulen at-falle : And faste a-wey go,
And for þat ilke synne : Mony on haueþ wo.
Þat is in toune and felde : Seene, sikerli,
Þat fewe aren in londe : Þat liuen rihtfuli:

Þe eorþe ȝeldeþ not fruit : As hit wont was,
Of Corn of þe feld : Ne of þe Medewe Gras,
Ne non oþer-cunne fruit : Þe folk for to frore—
I-wis, hit is for synne : Þat mony Mon is pore.—
Haue þou neuer so muche : Of worldes good here,
Al schal passen a-wey : As fantum hit were.
ffor to haue þin herte : To muche þer-Inne,
Of þi mok to make þi god : Hit is dedly synne.
And ȝit, ar þow war be : ffrom þe wol hit fare,
Þenne schalt þou haue þerfore : Boþe serwe and care,
And ȝit at þin ende : Gret stryf in cas,
And puite þe out : Of al þat þin was;
Þin Executours schul take : Þi goodes at heore wille
And lete þi soule ligge : In pyne ful stille.
Beo þou in þi put i-brouȝt : Wormes schul eten þe,
And sone schalt þou be for-ȝeten : Siker mayȝt þou be.
Þerfore I rede, as Salamon his sone bad,
Þat vche Mon skilfuli of his god mak him glad,
Mete and drynke and cloþ : Catel and oþer þyng
Þat nedful is to haue : Wiþ-outen wastyng;
Þe pore schal he helpe : Wher þat is nede,
Of þat god haþ him sent : Don his Almes-dede,
Ȝif him mete and drynk : And cloþe him wiþ wede—
In al þi werkes, be þe syker : Þe better schalt þou spede;
Ȝif him of þi Cuppe : Of þat is þer-in,
Water to drynke : Ale oþer Wyn;
And ȝif he haþ nede : Clepe him þe neer
And make him sitte & warme him : Bi þyn hote fuyr;
Bedde hym esyliche : Ȝif þat he seek be,
And serue him wel, for his loue : Þat al haþ ȝeuen þe.

Worldes wele is wonderful : Wel may I seyn,
Lyk þe se þat floweþ : And ebbeþ a-ȝeyn;
Þer nis no sikernesse : In þis worldes won,
No-mon not whon hit wole : A-wei from him gon,
Ne how longe hit wol laste : Ne how luytel while—
Þulke þat hit loueþ most : Ofte hit doþ hem gyle.

He þat loueþ catel wel : And bounden is in Couetyse,
He schal ben I-bounden : In þreo-kynne wyse:
Þouȝt and drede are þe two : Þat schul bynden hym faste,
Þe þridde is muche serwe : Þat euermore schal laste.

Ofte for his catel : Mon moot wake of slepe,
Trauaylen in reyn and in snowh : Beo þe weyes neuer so depe,
ffrom toune to toune : Boþe fer and neer,
As Chapmen mote don : To heore mesteer;
Ouer þe salte séé ofte þei fare
ffor heor Marchaundise, in gret peril and care,
And ofte and mony a tyme : [leseþ] Catel and heore lyf
And makeþ vuel to fare : Boþe Chyld and Wyf.

Oþer Men dyke and delue : And gon to þe plouh,
To Cart and to þreschynge : And oþur swynk I-nouh.
Whon he wiþ his swynk : Haþ wonne gret be-ȝete,
Euere he is afert : Þat he schal hit forleete;
And ȝif he hit leten schal : Hym is wo þerfore,
And is so sori þenne : þat euer was he bore.
Þouȝt and drede & sorinesse : Aren Monnes fo—
He ouȝte neuere loue : Þing þat doþ hym so wo.

Ȝif he leose eny þing : And he gret good con,
Beo-þenk hym of Iob : Þat was a good mon:
He hedde of alle richesses : Swiþe muche won
And in a luytel while : He nedde riht non;

Þo he hedde riht nouȝt : But al was a-go,
Ne seide he for his harm : Enes ‘me is wo,’
But louede God wel : And þonkede hym þon—
He dude as þe wyse : So schulde eueri mon;—
Nolde he not for his los : Noþing sori be,
‘God,’ he seide, ‘hit me ȝaf : And bi-raft hit me;’
Ne grucched he nouȝt, but þonked godes sonde
And seide ‘blesset be his nome, in water & in londe.’”