 | [Poems from the Vernon MS] |  |
Þe gode Mon, þat in god was stable,
Vnderstod, þat he seide, was fable.
“Wel I wot þat men mote liue : Be Mete and be drynk,
As skile is and resun : And Mesure in alle þyng.
Þei þat liuen as beestes : Aren wiþ-outen lay,
Þat erliche eteþ and drynkeþ : And holdeþ on al day.
Þe beest doþ his kynde : And þe glotun synne
Doþ aȝeyn his kynde : Þat wol neuer blynne.
Suche foule glotounes : Doþ a-ȝeyn þe lawe.
Ar þe wombe be ful : Beo þei neuer fawe;
Vnderstod, þat he seide, was fable.
“Wel I wot þat men mote liue : Be Mete and be drynk,
As skile is and resun : And Mesure in alle þyng.
Þei þat liuen as beestes : Aren wiþ-outen lay,
Þat erliche eteþ and drynkeþ : And holdeþ on al day.
Þe beest doþ his kynde : And þe glotun synne
Doþ aȝeyn his kynde : Þat wol neuer blynne.
Suche foule glotounes : Doþ a-ȝeyn þe lawe.
Ar þe wombe be ful : Beo þei neuer fawe;
Þenne wol þei chiden and fiȝten also—
Serwe on heore hedes, but þei wel do!
Mete and drynke is ȝiuen to mon : As salue to sore,
Þat neodful is to take þerof : And neuere a del more.
Ȝif þow to muche salue : Leyst to þi sar,
Hit wol beo þi deþ : Bote þow sone be war;
So wol hit of Mete & of drinke be:
Þi soule bone, ȝif þou take mor þen nedeþ þe.
Whon mon haþ at Meel-tyme : Such as he wile,
Tak þat he haþ neode of : Be Mesure and bi skile,
And parte wiþ þe pore : Of þat is on [his] bord,
And not in his wombe : Make al his hord—
ffor þer is foul tresorie : And al ful of stinke.
Al þat þou takest mor þen neod is : In peyne þou schalt of-þinke.
In þe Bok of priuetes : Glotons are Manased so:
‘Aȝeyn O drauȝt þei drinke ouer-muche : Þei schul han þre or two
Of hot led and walled bras. : Þei schul beo ful wo,
ffor stynkyng brumston and for pich : Þat in heore þrotes schal go.’
Þus seide þe prest þat god wol take wreche,
But ȝif ȝe leue synne and do as I ow teche.”
Serwe on heore hedes, but þei wel do!
Mete and drynke is ȝiuen to mon : As salue to sore,
Þat neodful is to take þerof : And neuere a del more.
Ȝif þow to muche salue : Leyst to þi sar,
Hit wol beo þi deþ : Bote þow sone be war;
So wol hit of Mete & of drinke be:
Þi soule bone, ȝif þou take mor þen nedeþ þe.
Whon mon haþ at Meel-tyme : Such as he wile,
Tak þat he haþ neode of : Be Mesure and bi skile,
And parte wiþ þe pore : Of þat is on [his] bord,
And not in his wombe : Make al his hord—
ffor þer is foul tresorie : And al ful of stinke.
Al þat þou takest mor þen neod is : In peyne þou schalt of-þinke.
In þe Bok of priuetes : Glotons are Manased so:
‘Aȝeyn O drauȝt þei drinke ouer-muche : Þei schul han þre or two
Of hot led and walled bras. : Þei schul beo ful wo,
ffor stynkyng brumston and for pich : Þat in heore þrotes schal go.’
Þus seide þe prest þat god wol take wreche,
354
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | |