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The poems of John Audelay

Edited with introduction, notes and glossary [by Ella Keats Whiting]
Audelay, John

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184

31

De quinque sensus.

Thy v wittis loke þat þou wel spende,
And þonke þat Lord þat ham þe sende.
Þe furst hit is þi heryng;
Loke þou turne away þyne ere
Fro ydil wordis, vntrew talkyng;
Þe laus of God loke þat þou lere,
Lest þou be chent.
Þe ij hit is þi seyng;
Þou hast fre choys and fre wil
To behold al wordle þyng,
Þe good to chese, to leue þe ille,
Lest þou be chent.
Þe iij hit is þi towchyng;
Worche no worke vnlawfully;
Goueren þi fete in þi walkyng
Toward heuen, and fle foly,
Lest þou be chent.
Þe forþ hit is þi smellyng;
To sauer þi sustinans sote of smelle
Let resun þe rewle in þyne etyng;
Be ware fore sorfet hit may þe spille,
Lest þou be chent.
Þe v hit is þi tung tastyng
Þi mete, þi drynke, holsum and clene;
Ȝif hit be luste to þi lykyng,
Þen mesuere hit is a mery mene.
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