University of Virginia Library

I. BERNARDUS DE CURA REI FAMULIARIS.

Awtenyk bukys and storis alde and new
Be wyß poetys ar tretit, þe quhilk trew,
Sum maide for law of god in document,
And oþir sum for varldly regiment,
Experyence throw þam þat men may haffe
Off sapience, and sa, amange þe laiffe,
A lytil epistile I fande for to comende,
Be þe doctor bernarde, and sende
To raymwnde knycht of chewalry þe roß:
Þe forme as he his howsalde sulde contene,
And his famele miserabilly sustene,
Wyt mony oþir virteus eligant,
Rycht necessar to vaike and ignorant.
And quhar I say to lang or ȝit to schort,
To pacience mekly I me report;
And in þe nam of mary and Ihesus,
I wyl begyne his text fyrst sayande þus.

Gracioso et felici militi raymundo domino castri sancti angeli Bernardus in senium deductus Salutem.

Ande of his text fyrst in begynynge
To raymonde knycht he sendys salusyng.

Salutem et sincerem in domino caritatem. doceri petis a nobis de modo & cura rei famuliaris gubernande, qualiter patres familias debeant se habere: ad quod tibi respondemus, quod licet omnium rerum mundanarum status et exitus negociorum sub fortuna liborent, non tum hec timore est viuendi regula omittenda.

Þoch alkyne stat of varldly regiment
Be dame fortowne, cruele and dement
And variance, ar febyle as þe wynde,
Ȝit rewle of lyffe is nocht to leff behynde.

Audi ergo et attende, quod si in domo tua sumptus et redditus sint equales.

And fyrst prouide with werteu þat þi rent
To þi expensis be equiuolente

Quia casus inopinatus poterit destruere statum tuum. Status hominis negligentis est domus ruinosa.

For foly expenß but temporance is noy
And of his houß þe stat it may destroy.

Quid est negligencia gubernantis domum? ignis in domo validus et accensus.

Qwhat is he speris þe foly negligens
Of hym þat sulde his howsald and expenß
Gowerne with grace: he sayis þe man þat spendis
Vnsparandly mar þan his rent extendis.
For as þe fyr throw brandis red ande hate
Vastis þe selffe sa is he desolate.

Discute diligenter eorum diligenciam negligenciam et propositum qui tua administrant.

He says al tyme se thou with diligence
Off þi seruandys haff gud experience,
And þar purpoß persew for tyl haf plane,
So thow consaffe gef þa be the agane
Quhilk in þar handis haß gouernans
Off þi gud in tyme but harme
Þat þow may þam exclude.

Labenti & nondum lapso vtile est abstinere antequam cadat, &c. Sepius reuidere que tua sunt, quom sint, maxima prouidencia est.

This famus doctor says it is gret prudence,
Souerene verteu and rycht he sapience,
Oft tyl ourese þi gud and gouernance,
Þat þow may hafe in freche remembrance
Gef þar be ocht in perel for to spyle:
Of ourseynge may mende it at þi vyle
For it is sene and saide in sampylle batht
Slewthe and delay oft causis mekyl skatht.

Nupcie sumptuose dampnum sine honore conferunt.

For to mak fest he sayis and hee costage
And sumpteuß spenß is foly and barnage:
For gef ane loffys, ane oþir discomendys;
And tyl honowris throw festyn few ascendis.

Sumptus pro milicia honorabilis est.

Bot for to spend wyt spensys mesurabyle,
For worchip is and profet honorabyl.

Sumptus pro adiuuando amicos racionabilis est.

And for þi tendyr frende for tyl exspende
Þi gudis for gud of hym is to comende.

Sumptus pro adiuuando prodigos perditus est.

Bot for to spende þi gude and þi substance
On foly men, þat lefys by temporance,
Proponande þat þi gud and þi vertew
Sic fulechte men with worchipe suld renew,
Or ȝit maik rychce, lat be: for in sertane
Owt of þe flesche wyl nocht brede in þe bane.

Considera itaque de cibo et de potu animalium tuorum nam esuriunt et non petunt.

Familiam de grosso cibo & non delicato enutries.

Þi famel fede and thus sal be þar fude,
Nocht delicate, smale drynk and metis rude.

Qui gulosus effectus est vix aliter quam morte mores mutabit, &c.

This famus clerk þus in his buk sayis he:
Qwha is infekyt with gulosite,
Or ȝit dedit wyt. wyce of drunkynneß,
It leffys þam nocht quhile dede þam part dowtleß.

Gulositas vilis & negligentis hominis putredo est.

This vofule wyce of drunkynneß þe name
In til a man þat has na drede of schame
May be reput of sorow and of syne
A sary smyt tyle hyme þat leffys þar in.

Sobrietas soliciti hominis & diligentis solacium est.

Qwhat man delitis and haffys diligence
On glutony to waste and mak expence
And haile his Joy ande solace is þar In
Ande reputis sport þat wyss men reputis syne.

Diebus paschalibus habundanter et non delicate pasce familiam tuam, &c.

In ioyfule dayis and haly tyme paschale
Fede nocht þi famel with costly victuale
Geffe þame enwcht of drynk and metis rude
Quhilk may suffice to seruandis and þer fude

Fac gulam litigare cum bursa & caue cuius aduocatus existas, aut inter gulam et bursam qualem sentenciam feras.

Alß he comawndis betwenß glutony
And þi purß be striffe for þe mastry,
And be sa wer al tym in thyne expenß
Betwene þame twa þat thow gef rycht sentence.
For glutony prouokys þe tyl expende
And vast þi gudis; quhilk to discomende
Þi purs þe prayis to spende as thow may wyne
Or ellis þin arthe sal be oft bare wythin.

Si autem inter gulam & bursam iudex existas, sepius, sed non semper, pro

bursa sentenciam feras. Tunc male iudicas contra gulam quom auaricia ligat bursam.

Bot wrang iugment thow geffys and sentence blynde
Geff auarice þi purß sal lowß and bynde

Nam gula affectionibus probat contra bursam, & sic testibus non iuratis: bursa euidenter probat archa & cellario vacuatis vel brevi tempore vacuandis. Nunquam inter gulam & bursam auaricia recte iudicabit.

For glutony walde wast þat elderys wane,
And auarice walde gef noþer god na mane:
Thare-for largeneß thow tak and lef þam batht
For he cane spende in tym and do na skatht.

Quid est auarus? sui homicida. Quid est auaricia? paupertatis timor: semper in paupertate viuere.

Qwhat is, he speris, auarice þe syne?
To dred purete and euer to leffe þar in.

Recte viuit auarus in se non perdens diuicias, sed aliis reseruando.

Thar-for a wreche he leffys rycht wysly
In til hym selffe, and I sal tel þe quhy.
It is aganys þe wrechiß properte
To spende, þar-for he leffys in pauperte
And oþir men oft spendys þat he may wyne;
Þar for he leffys in sorow and deis in syne.

Melius est enim aliis reseruare quam in se perdere.

Bot better is to oþir kepe þi pelffe
Þan to forswme and wast away þi selffe.

Si habundas blado non diligas caristiam: diligens caristiam cupit esse pauperum homicida.

Geff thow be rycht man of gouernance,
And hase to sel wetale in gret substance,
Se be na way na derth þat thou desyre
For þi wynnyng for dred of goddis Ire:
Thow cowattyß þane, planly I þe assur,
To be oppresser and slaar of þe pur.

Vende bladum tuum dum satis valet non quando per pauperem emi non potest.

Mane, sel þi corne and alß þi victuale
For mesurabyl vynnynge profet and awale,
And in þat tym desyr for to sel nocht,
Qwhen be þe pur na way it may be bocht.

Vicinis minore precio vende etiam inimicis. Non gladio sed sepe seruicio vincitur inimicus.

And to þi nychtbowr, as resone is and skyle,
Sel better chepe na thow oþir tyle:
And to þi fayis gud chepe, prente þis worde,
For he is nocht ay wencuste with þe sworde
But oft throw lufe and dedys of cheryte.
Ande lawlyneß ourcummyne oft his he.

Superbia contra vicinum habere balteum est expectens tonitruum cum sagitta.

Se thow be sobyr ande ber þe, man, ewynli
To þi nychbowr þat dwellis þe ner by.
And in þi harte inwy þam nocht throw pryde;
For and thow do dowtleß, mane, confyde,
It is þe fendys prouocacione
Takyne of noy ande tribulacione.

Habens inimicum conuersacionem non habeas cum ignotis sed cogita inimici tui vias.

Geff þat it happynnis throw rancor or Inwy
The for to haf a dedly inimy,
It is na wyt, na wertu sekyrli,
For to conwerß wyth strangeris inwartly.
To þe of case, for it may happyn sa,
Sum mane is frende til hyme þat is þi fa

Debilitas in inimici non est loco pacis sed treuga ad tempus.

On þe gef þat þi mortale inimy
For cauß may nocht schaw furtht his felony
He bydis his howre þat he may be þi bane
Ande quhile his tym hys trewis þai ar bot tane.

De feminis tuis suspectis quid agant ignoranciam queras. Postquam sciueris crimen male uxoris a nullo medico curaberis.

This doctor sayis off wysdome in his saw,
Quhat sum euer mane happynnis for to knaw
Þe wykytneß and sorow of a wyfe,
Na medicine may mende hyme in his lyffe,
Na þe dolowr of hyr þat is his make
Be na science þar is na leche can slake.

Dolorem de mala muliere tunc mitigabis quando audies facta de vxoribus alienis.

Bot it wyl slak sum part of sowrowis ser
Of oþir wyffys þe sorow for to her,
And mare sobyr to thole sic vikytneß,
Mane, to consaife þat þow art nocht makleß.

Cor altum et nobile non inquirit de operibus mulierum.

Bot nobyl hartis ande gentyl settys nocht by
Off wice and verkys quhilk ar wnwomanly.
For þa consaue þat womannys wyttis ar thyne
And noch[t] sa abyl to werteu as to syne:
Quhilk cummys þam of kynde and of nature
Of þar formodyr eua þat þam bure.

Malam uxorem pocius risu quam baculo castigabis.

This nobyl clerk says thow sal soner sese
Of ewyl women þe sorow þan be pese
Quhen þat þai chide and chauner for to lacht
Na bet with staffeis quhile þa ly by þe wacht.

Femina meretrix & senex si lex permitteret sepelienda esset viua, &c.

This doctor says, ane aulde woman þat is
Licherus and wyl not lef hir myß,
And law wald thole hir for to persewere
Nan oþir hewyne scho walde neuer eftyr sper,
Thocht elde be cummyne ande passit al hir flowris
Ȝit walde scho luffe and be luffyt paramowris.

Si securum putas inimicum vt supra.

Man, of þi fa gef thow hase ony dowte,
Be wakyr al tyme and war þe abowte,
Þe to conserffe with vertu fra his ile
Wycht sobyrneß stedfastly and style.

De vestibus vero teneas. Vestis sumptuosa est probacio pauci sensus, &c.

Off clethyng now þis clerk wyl spek a spase.
Costly clething se sais is wantonase,
Off lityle wyt to men of sympil state,
Off meswre ay he byddis the halde þe gate

Vestis nimis apparens vicinis tedium parat.

For ryche aray and freche apparalyne
Dois oft tymis skath, & principaly in þis thing:
Nychbouris abowt wyl say in þar entent,
Loo se so gay ȝon man is of his rent!
And þe in hart þar-for þa hewy ber.
Eftyr þi wyne with worschipe clethyng wer.

Stude ergo bonitate non veste placere.

Bot erare sone þe forß at al þe power
To pleß gudneß and gud be callit her.
That men may say, ȝon man is of renowne,
Þat is bettyr na for to ruß þi gowne.

Mulieris peticio habentis vestes & vestes quærentis non indicat firmitatem. De amicis tene quod maior est amicus qui sua tribuit quam qui seipsum offert, &c.

Off frendys þus þis doctor cane decide;
In to þat frende erar thow confyde
Quhilk the supportis in þi necessite,
Na in hym says, al myn frend sal be
Chargis me at al ȝour owne I am sekyr.
Þar is nocht ellis bot ioly wordis as þir.

Nam de verbis magna est copia amicorum.

Bot mony frendis to nowmer ar be tale,
In to þir wordis bot few in speciale.

Amicum non reputes qui te presentem laudat.

Man, reput nocht hym frende quhilk in þi face
Gyffis grei lowynge and sais þow art makleß.
Consaffe sic gloß and al sic fenȝit fere
In to þi hart and in þi brest thow bere,
And trast hym nocht, suppoß he were þi brudyr,
Bot gef a ioly worde ay for ane vdyr.

Si consolis amico non queras placere ei sed rationi.

Sone to þi frend gef thow sal gef consele,
For his profet honowr ande awale,
As resone askys þi consel gef hym tyl,
And folow nocht his plesance na his vyle.

Dicas in consulendo amico, sic mihi videtur, non precise, sic agendum est, &c.

Alß be þi frend in way of consellyng
Geffe thow be chargit gef it but fenȝeing
How he sal doo but dowt determinatly,
And discuß nocht his mater mistely.

Facilius enim de malo exitu consilii sequitur redargucio quam de bono laus, &c.

For oftersyß reprwfe and welany
And ewyle consele folowis mare sodanly
Þan doys loffyng or comendacione
Of trew consel or gud prouisione.

Audiui quod visitant te ioculatores; audi que sequuntur, &c.

Man or childe haffande a gret delyte
For to wesy with diligence perfit
Ioculatouris or trumpouris, sone, attende
Quhat falowis eftyr or quhat sal be þe ende.

Homo ioculatoribus intendens & impendens cito habebit uxorem cuius nomen erit paupertas, & erit huius uxoris filius derisio.

A mane, he says, quhik al his fantasy
Has geffyne to vice and vesy ioculary,
A wyfe he sal hafe, purte til hir name,
And a sone alß callit scorne and schame.

Placent tibi verba ioculatoris finge te audire et aliud cogitare, &c.

Gef quhillumys pleseis ioculatoris, my dere,
Fenȝe þe þar fantasy to here
Bot lat þi mynde and þine inwart entent
On odyr materß be sade and diligent.

Ridens & gaudens de verbis ioculatoris Jam pignus sibi dedit. Ioculatores improperantes digni sunt suspendio, &c.

A mane to lach at ioculatouris fantasy,
It is rewarde to þam, sone, sekyrli,
And pryseis þat a gyft of gudly price
For it fosteris and rutis þam in þar vice.

Quid est ioculator mala improperans? anime homicidium secum portans, &c.

Quhat is, he says, a ioculatour, late see,
A mane inclinande to iniquite,
Ande of his saule a slaar sekyrli
Ande mony oþiris throw his falß fantasy.

Ioculatores instrumenta nunquam deo placuerunt.

The instrumentis pertenande ioculary
War neuer plesande to god ȝeit sekyrly.

Audi de famulis: famulum alti cordis repelle ut futurum inimicum.

This nobyle doctor to þe he wyl declare,
Qwhat kynde of seruande is familier,
That seruande, sone, quhilk has a hart of pryde
In þi seruice thou thole hym nocht to byde,
Bot fra þe sone þat seruande thou exclude
As inimys þe quhilk walde the na gud.

Famulum tuis moribus blandientem repelle.

Þa seruandys, sone, þe quhilk ar in þar langagis
Thow felis flech schawand a far visagis,
In tym be wer, sone, for þar sutelte
For seruandis þa ar batht falß and sle.

Famulo et vicino te laudantibus resiste, aliter cogita te esse deceptum.

That seruande sone I rede thow cheß nocht alß
Þat loffys þe in þi face, he is falß,
For wyrk thow oder wnwerteusly or vele
All is done weile þat schrew sweris be his sele.

Famulum de facili verecundantem dilige ut filium.

Bot þat seruande, my swet sone, thow cheß
Þe quhilk schamys with his mysdeide þou seis,
And argewis nocht agane presumptuusly,
No in þi chargis schawis na prophesy,
As gef thow sayis, o seruande, feche me þis,
He sayis, son, al redy schir I wyß,
Bot he þat passis with murmur and a sang
And wyl nocht get it he wat weil or he gang,
Serve nequam þat childe to nam has tane,
Now in þis varlde of sic is mony ane.

Vis edificare: ad edificandum inducat te necessitas et non voluntas.

How sal thow byg castel towne or toure
This clerk he kennys, or lytil hal or bowre,
Thow prent in hart fyrst þi necessiite
And of howseis quhat may suffice the
And lat thou nocht þi wyl and wantonaß
Consum þar-one þi substance and rychaß.

Cupiditas edificandi edificando non tollitur, &c., &c.

Gef thow cowatis to byg with gret desyr,
Ȝeit biggyne haue nocht þi cowatynge exspire,
Þe mar þow art applyit to polisy
The mare encreseis þi mynde in fantasy.

Nimia & inordinata edificandi cupiditas expectat edificiorum vendicionem.

Sumpteuß biggyne inordinat and hee
It is bot bydyne of sellyn thow may se
Off tenementis and biggynis ryche agane:
For halffe þe golde to geff þam men ar fane.

Turris edificata & completa & archa vacuata vel brevi tempore vacuandafaciunt valde sed tarde hominem sapientem.

Thi tenement complet and consummat,
Thyne siluer and þine arch euacuate,
It makys quhill trew towris he of price
Þar-for thow byg na mar na wyl suffice.

Vis aliquid vendere caue ne vendas partem hereditatis tue potenciori te sed pocius minori precio des minori.

For mistyr gefe it happyinis þe to sel
Thyne heritage to quham sone, I sal tel.
Wyth mychti men se þat thow haf na dale
Þoth þai promyt þe twis for it þe wale.
In mystir quhen þe nedis for to hafe
Þa wil displeß þam at þe and thou crafe.
To gudly men thow sel þi land and gud
Þan nedis thow nocht to rewerß hate na hude,
To crafe þine awne bot haf it at þi wyl.
Sone, for leß price þi thing sel sic men tyl.

Totum autem vendas plus offerenti.

And louandly wyth vertue sel þi lande
Til hym geffis maste and tak it in þi hande.

Melius est grauem pati famem quam patrimonium vendicionem.

Sone, bettyr is to sustene hungir gret
And grest skantneß, sone, batht of drink & met
Na for to sel þine herytagis and lande
Þe quhilk þi fadyr seseit in þi hand.

Sed melius est partem vendere quam vsuris subicere. Quid est vsura? venenum patrimonii. Quid est vsurarius? legalis latro predicens quod intendit. Nichil emas in consorcio potenciorum.

Sone, dreß þe nocht na marchandiß to by
Of mychti men in to þe company.

Paruum consortem pacienter sustineas, ne tibi sorciat forciorem.

Gyf a smale frend it hapynnis þe to haue,
Or a falow þou luffys our þe laffe,
Se þow sustene and thole hym paciently,
Thocht he excede sum tyme reklesly.
For suld it happyn þe hym til exclude
Perawentour þu wal nocht get sa gude.

Quesisti de vsu vini. qui in duersitate et habundanciâ vinorum est sobrius, ille est quasi terrenus deus.

A mane, se says, of wyne þat has vsage
Ande habundance and syne is nocht saffage
Thow mychtineß and confort of þe wyne
At temporance bydis and sobyr syne;
It is a gyft of grace and god abufe
Sende fra þe hewyne in to þat man for luffe.

Ebrietas nichil recte facit nisi cum in lutum cadit.

Schir drunkyineß þat syre doys no thing rych[t],
Thocht salomon he be and sampsone wycht,
Ande quhilis a nape to mak mowis as a fule,
Bot as a sow quhen he fallis in a pule.

Sentis vinum? fuge consorcium, quere somnium pocius quam colloquium.

Persaweis þu þe lycht of wyne and blycht?
Fra company my swet sone draw þe swycht,
To þi chalmer to beek þi nape is best.
Litil of langage be þan bot tak þe rest.

Qui se ebrium verbis excusat suam ebrietatem a parte accusat, &c.

Quhat sum euer man excuseis reklesneß
Of worde and verk with schyr drunkynneß,
He accuseis hym selffe and his foly,
As wnwysmane þat temperance gayis by.

Male sedet in Juuine vinum cognoscere.

It cordis il in ȝouthhede of a childe
Off tendyr age, or ȝit in madyne mylde,
Diuersiteis of wynis for to knaw,
And þar gudneß, for þat wyl viceis draw.

Fuge medicum ebrium.

In to þe handys put nocht þi hape and hele,
Sone, of þat leche with drunkynneß cane dele.

Caue tibi a medico volenti in te experiri qualiter alios de simili morbo curabit, &c.

Caniculos valde paruos dimitte clericis et reginis.

Litile doggis and messanys with þar bellis
To clerkis and qweynis cordis and to non ellys.

Canes pro custodiâ vtiles sunt.

Bot wakyr doggis ar profitabyl to fede
To kepe þi hale one nycht gef þu has nede.

Canes ad venandum plus constant quam conferunt.

Bot hwndis gret to fed to hwnte on felde
Ar costlyar þan þa wyl mak ganȝelde.

Habentem filios dispensatorum bonorum tuorum non instituas, &c.

Haf þow sonnis, for consel I conclude,
Thow mak þam nocht disponeris of þi gude,
Perauentowr throw slewcht and negligence
Or wanfortowne or wnganand expence
Thow waxis pur, þane fortone wil þe wyt,
And haf na dantetht of þi sone na delite,
Bot say quhat profettis þis reid of lif to lere
For murmur man dispone þi gud and ger.

Sed tu dicas si aduersetur fortuna, quid prodest viuendi doctrina. Audi quid de hoc viderim. Stultos obnitentes contingenciam & se excusantes sub fortuna, eorum infortunium aliis imputantes, vidi facultatibus cito labi, &c.

Sone, foly menne quhilk ar inoportwne,
Quhen þa wax pure, throw þar slewcht wil say sone
Quhat kynde of stat may fortowne be agane,
Bot þis doctryne to kepe and þu þe pane
Þi spirit sal and besyneß accuse
Fortowne and þow wil nocht þi gud abwß.

Raro enim diligenciam cum infortunio sociabis, sed rarius a pigricia infortunium sociabis.

For seldyne, sone, besy diligence
Folowis with wanfortonys violence:
Bot seldinar wanfourtowne þu dessewyr
Sale fra swerneß, quhilk de na wirk had leuer.

Expectat piger sibi subueniri a deo qui vigilare precepit in mundo, &c.

For schyr swerneß to vyrke he wyl sone tyre
And cryis one god quhen he lyis in þe myre
Hyme for to helpe, bot helpe hyme selff no wyle
Bot quhil god cum and tak hym upe lys stile,
Quham god of mycht bade wald and virke & leffe
In wytneß of adame and of eue.

Tu ergo vigila et leuitatem expendendi cum grauitate lucrandi compensa, &c.

Tharfor, o mane and wrechyte creatowr
Maide in þis warlde dolowr to endour,
Be wyß and were and walkyr for to wyne
Thi liffys fude but det and dedly syne,
Expendande ay þi wynnyng and rycheß
Be ewyne compenß to þe swet of þi face
And forsum nocht þi weilefar viciusly
Syn wyt fortowne and thow þi selffe gilty.

Appropinquat senectus: consulo quod deo pocius quam tuo filio te committas, &c.

Qwhen febyle elde has tane þe throw his dat,
And þi spretis vax dul and blat,
Errer to god þi saul þi selff commit
Nay to þi sone þow ded to do for it.

Disponis legata: consulo quod primo seruitoribus quam sacerdotibus solui mandes, &c.

Gef thow dysponis and leffys legasy
In fyrst thow pay þi seruandis, consel I,
For haly wyrt sayis þat seruandis fee
Wnpayit wengeance cryis to þe hewyne one hee.

Diligentibus personam tuam non committas animam tuam, &c.

Commyt þu nocht þi sawle in to þer handis
Þat luffys the to bryng it owt of bandis.

Committe animam tuam diligentibus animam suam.

Bot in þar handys þi sawle thow sal comende
Þat luffys þar saule, for sic mene may it mende.

Dispone de rebus tuis ante morbum. Sepe enim quis efficitur infirmitatis seruus & seruus testari non potest. liber ergo testeris antequam seruus efficiaris.

In freche memor befor Infirmyte
Thow sulde dispone and lefe legasye
For quhen sekneß abowte þi hart is plet,
Thy mynde þi sawle to god þan sulde be set.
Ande paynnys gret with schowrys scharpe amange
Causeis þi wyt to wauer and ga wrange.

De filiis autem audi, &c.

This nobyl clerke now wyl he spek a space
Of ȝonge childyr quhilk ar left fadyrleß.

Mortuo patre querunt diuisionem filii.

And fyrste, he says, þe fadyr beande dede,
Oftsyß þe sone flittys to fremyt sted.

Si nobiles sunt melior est eorum per mundum dispersio quam hereditatis diuisio.

And syne he says gef þer progenitouris
War nobyl men, gentyl and of valouriß,
Haffande liflate and land in herytagis,
Better is stalynge of þar barnagis
In to þe warlde to gowerne be þer grace
Na to dewyde þar herytagis dowtlaß.

Si vero sunt laboratores faciunt quid volunt.

And gef þer faderis war seruandis or hwsbandis,
Lat þam ga seike sic laboris in þe landis,
Batht tel and saw and dyk and delff þe erde,
Or vse sum craft as geffyne it to þam verde.

Si mercatores tucior est diuisio eis quam communicacio ne vnius infortunium aliis imputetur.

And gef þar faderys be marchande men of mycht
And tile ilk barne dewydis his rycheß rycht,
Be hiis powr ilkane a porcione
Better is of þam diuisione
And of þar guddys batht be se ande lande
Þane may nane sic vnhap til oþeris hande.

Mater vero tua senex forte remaritari querit, stulte agit, sed vt peccata sua deploret,

Thar moderis þan desyris mariage
Quhilk is wanwyt and foly in þar age.

Vtinam ipsa senex maritum accipiat iuniorem qui non ipsam sed que sua sunt querit quibus habitis & deuastatis bibet cum ea calicem doloris quem optauit ad quem eam perducunt merita sue dampnabilis senectus. Amen.

But mare þar moderis in elde wyl mary þane
To spende þar gudys bryngis hame a swet ȝong mane,
Quhilk mary þane bot for þar gud ande ger,
Qwhen þat is gane, þar is bot lestande wer.
For euer day þane wyl þa fecht and flyt:
Sic ful women þar wantoneß may wyt,
Þat can nocht leffe in lykyne þam alane:
Be this vertew na sampylle may be tane.