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44
53. Alas, quid eligam ignoro
Consideryng effectually the gret diuersite
Of sectys conteynyd in the church present
How eche of hem lyve in a dew degre
Presthode and religion euer to be continent
The layfee in sposayll/ the solitary doth consent
Euer to be contemplatyf/ we se well it is so
Wherefore thus I said verayly as I ment
Alas/Quid eligam ignoro
Of sectys conteynyd in the church present
How eche of hem lyve in a dew degre
Presthode and religion euer to be continent
The layfee in sposayll/ the solitary doth consent
Euer to be contemplatyf/ we se well it is so
Wherefore thus I said verayly as I ment
Alas/Quid eligam ignoro
Thre thyngges quod Salamon ben vnknowyn to me
And to know the fowrth I can not vtterly
The way of shypp saylyng in the see
The way of an heddyr glydyng sodayly
Of the egle in the ayere the way is full slye
The worst of all to know is of a yong man loo
Wherefore thus I said sore syghyng inwarly
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
And to know the fowrth I can not vtterly
The way of shypp saylyng in the see
The way of an heddyr glydyng sodayly
Of the egle in the ayere the way is full slye
The worst of all to know is of a yong man loo
Wherefore thus I said sore syghyng inwarly
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
ffor whan I was determined fyrst to go to scole
It was to me ryght lothe by cause of castigacion
ȝit me thowght ageynward elles shuld I be a fole
Wich to all my frendes shuld be diffamacion
Thus toward and froward I had persuasion
Vtterly vnknowyng the best for me to do
Wherefore thus I said havyng noo consolacion
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
It was to me ryght lothe by cause of castigacion
ȝit me thowght ageynward elles shuld I be a fole
Wich to all my frendes shuld be diffamacion
Thus toward and froward I had persuasion
Vtterly vnknowyng the best for me to do
Wherefore thus I said havyng noo consolacion
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Yit as my fortune wold I was set to lore
And growndly in gramer had congrue vndirstondyng
ffurther to procede than set I lityll store
Thynkkyng myself able to purchase my lyvyng
Yit in my consaite I was ymaginyng
If I forth procede muche better shuld I doo
Wherefore thus I said of thys mater musyng
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro
And growndly in gramer had congrue vndirstondyng
ffurther to procede than set I lityll store
Thynkkyng myself able to purchase my lyvyng
Yit in my consaite I was ymaginyng
If I forth procede muche better shuld I doo
Wherefore thus I said of thys mater musyng
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro
45
Thys yit not withstondyng with a good avise
My frendes me told it is thy furtheraunce
To lerne the .Vij. science replenyschyd with delite
Yit me thowght to lucre they shuld me nowt avance
And to be a Ciuilistre is a full hard chaunce
Bokes be so dere I know well it is so
Wherefore sore complaynyng thys was my daliance
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro
My frendes me told it is thy furtheraunce
To lerne the .Vij. science replenyschyd with delite
Yit me thowght to lucre they shuld me nowt avance
And to be a Ciuilistre is a full hard chaunce
Bokes be so dere I know well it is so
Wherefore sore complaynyng thys was my daliance
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro
Than happyd that in arte I had the magistery
My Regency finischyd I had habilite
ffurther to procede I wold no lenger tary
to ffysyk or to Ciuille was my felicite
But wheder of them both had more affinite
To iust adquisicion I cowde not chese thoo
Wherefore thus I said in that aduersite
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro/
My Regency finischyd I had habilite
ffurther to procede I wold no lenger tary
to ffysyk or to Ciuille was my felicite
But wheder of them both had more affinite
To iust adquisicion I cowde not chese thoo
Wherefore thus I said in that aduersite
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro/
Than thowght I forto be in spirituall lawe
An officiall / aduocat / proctour / or notary
Anone I was counsellyd thens me to withdraw
Lest I shuld misuse the law / wich wold not varye
Thus mouyd vnwarly I gan both banne and wary
Like vnto a Reede wavyng too and fro
Wherefore thus I said I cowd no lenger tarye
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro.
An officiall / aduocat / proctour / or notary
Anone I was counsellyd thens me to withdraw
Lest I shuld misuse the law / wich wold not varye
Thus mouyd vnwarly I gan both banne and wary
Like vnto a Reede wavyng too and fro
Wherefore thus I said I cowd no lenger tarye
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro.
Wel I wote thatt Canon and holy theologie
Ben best of all other mannys sowle to conuay
All heresy confoundyng and fals Ipocrisye
Them wold I haf lernyd the soth for to sey
My fraylte me commandyd not for clymme so hye
Lest I beyng there sodaynly fall hem fro
Wherefor thus I said seyng non othyr way
Alas Quid eligam ignoro/
Ben best of all other mannys sowle to conuay
All heresy confoundyng and fals Ipocrisye
Them wold I haf lernyd the soth for to sey
My fraylte me commandyd not for clymme so hye
Lest I beyng there sodaynly fall hem fro
Wherefor thus I said seyng non othyr way
Alas Quid eligam ignoro/
Thus mortally bewavyd with stormys procellows
I nyst where to fynd the porte of stedfastnesse
To which I myght well guye my lyfe thus trobelows
ffor if I were a prest sum men wold than gesse
That I so dyd for couetyse of ease and sikyrnesse
Agayneward if I weddyd war than shuld I lefe in woo
Wherfor thus I said havyng gret heuynesse
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
I nyst where to fynd the porte of stedfastnesse
46
ffor if I were a prest sum men wold than gesse
That I so dyd for couetyse of ease and sikyrnesse
Agayneward if I weddyd war than shuld I lefe in woo
Wherfor thus I said havyng gret heuynesse
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
The mownte of contemplacion strong it is to stey
Inhabited with possessioner and with mendinant
If I be a frere I may begge alway
Many diuerse townys frely for to hawnt
Yf I be possessioner I haf noo such grawnt
ffor I must lyffe in cloystre wheder I wyl or noo
Wherfor thus I sayd in wytte a yong enfawnt
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Inhabited with possessioner and with mendinant
If I be a frere I may begge alway
Many diuerse townys frely for to hawnt
Yf I be possessioner I haf noo such grawnt
ffor I must lyffe in cloystre wheder I wyl or noo
Wherfor thus I sayd in wytte a yong enfawnt
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Whan I had thus complaynyd expressyng myn entent
A yong man herd my processe disposyd worldly
O mercy god quod he now am I but shent
Sith thys wyse clerk complaynyth so vttirly
what is best to doo / not knowyng verayly
And in worldly besinesse is most trobles woo
Wherfor thus I say gretter cause haf I
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro/
A yong man herd my processe disposyd worldly
O mercy god quod he now am I but shent
Sith thys wyse clerk complaynyth so vttirly
what is best to doo / not knowyng verayly
And in worldly besinesse is most trobles woo
Wherfor thus I say gretter cause haf I
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro/
A man to be a marchaunt he said was aventure
Of body and goodes hit is trowth in dede
Of shipwrak and piratys hard is the recure
To dyeke or to delue he wold for no nede
To begge hym thowght shame so god hym spede
Of theys to chese the lest was payne and woo
Wherfore thus he said I toke to hym good hede
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Of body and goodes hit is trowth in dede
Of shipwrak and piratys hard is the recure
To dyeke or to delue he wold for no nede
To begge hym thowght shame so god hym spede
Of theys to chese the lest was payne and woo
Wherfore thus he said I toke to hym good hede
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
In cowrt to be bownde to dew attendaunce
Or to be in office myght torne to hys avayle
Yit hym thowght agayneward ther myght hap a chaunce
That as an vngiltles innocent he shuld be put in gayle
As Ioseph was and daniell that is with owt faile
And for to gete hys lyvyng sumwhat must he do
Wherfor thus he said and gan both wepe and waile
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Or to be in office myght torne to hys avayle
Yit hym thowght agayneward ther myght hap a chaunce
That as an vngiltles innocent he shuld be put in gayle
As Ioseph was and daniell that is with owt faile
47
Wherfor thus he said and gan both wepe and waile
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
To lerne the lawe temporall grete goodes myght he gete
As to be in the chauncery or theschequire
Aftyr to be sargeant causys for to plete
Which gettyng as hym thowght was not inly clere
Accordyng with hys conscience which shuld be the stere
Of thys wrechyd lyvyng yf we shall well doo
Wherfor he said with ryght a piteuowse chere
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro
As to be in the chauncery or theschequire
Aftyr to be sargeant causys for to plete
Which gettyng as hym thowght was not inly clere
Accordyng with hys conscience which shuld be the stere
Of thys wrechyd lyvyng yf we shall well doo
Wherfor he said with ryght a piteuowse chere
Alas / Quid eligam ignoro
To be an hand crafty man must hafe gret besinesse
As to be a tailyour wryghte / or coteler
And dayly now in craftys is falshode and dowblenesse
Therfor to þis yong man in noo wyse they were dere
And vttyrly he forsoke to be a laborere
As to dawbe or dyke he myght not swynk soo
Wherfor thus he said standyng in grete dwere
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
As to be a tailyour wryghte / or coteler
And dayly now in craftys is falshode and dowblenesse
Therfor to þis yong man in noo wyse they were dere
And vttyrly he forsoke to be a laborere
As to dawbe or dyke he myght not swynk soo
Wherfor thus he said standyng in grete dwere
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
In any wyse he said I will haf a wyfe
Shall I wed the bewteuose nay quod jelosye
I wyll not wed the fowle for irkyng of my lyfe
The ryche be passyng strawnge the good ryght rare to spie
To parell with the jentyll I may not clymbe soo hye
And if I wed a chrewe my good days than be doo
Wherfor thus he said as lowde as he myght crye
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Shall I wed the bewteuose nay quod jelosye
I wyll not wed the fowle for irkyng of my lyfe
The ryche be passyng strawnge the good ryght rare to spie
To parell with the jentyll I may not clymbe soo hye
And if I wed a chrewe my good days than be doo
Wherfor thus he said as lowde as he myght crye
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Thys piteuows gret complaynt of thys yong persone
Vggyd so myn erys my tounge cowd not refrayne
To say on thys wyse yong man leve thy mone
The mater that thow waylist towchith both us twayne
And thow we be now lokkyd with one woful chayne
Yit we may haf remedy expellyng all owre woo
Neuer sayng aftyr / as we wer wont to sayne
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Vggyd so myn erys my tounge cowd not refrayne
To say on thys wyse yong man leve thy mone
The mater that thow waylist towchith both us twayne
And thow we be now lokkyd with one woful chayne
Yit we may haf remedy expellyng all owre woo
Neuer sayng aftyr / as we wer wont to sayne
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
48
Lat us take ensample of wofull susanne
By duresse put to dye / orto consent to synne
Synne yit she ne wyll / for noo powere of man
But rather chese to dye by fore all hyr kynne
The peple sorowyd sore both more and mynne
Yit god thorow hys grace deliuerd hyr fro woo
So may he do us to say than may we blynne
Alas Quid Eligam ignoro
By duresse put to dye / orto consent to synne
Synne yit she ne wyll / for noo powere of man
But rather chese to dye by fore all hyr kynne
The peple sorowyd sore both more and mynne
Yit god thorow hys grace deliuerd hyr fro woo
So may he do us to say than may we blynne
Alas Quid Eligam ignoro
Beseche we now for grace the lord omnipotent
That we may chese the way most to hys plesaunce
Whos grace to saint powle was so sufficient
That of hys gostly enmys he had no noyance
What nedith rehersall of Grisild or Custaunce
Preseruyd thorow grace and othyr many moo
We shall trust in god voydyng thys daliaunce
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
That we may chese the way most to hys plesaunce
Whos grace to saint powle was so sufficient
That of hys gostly enmys he had no noyance
What nedith rehersall of Grisild or Custaunce
Preseruyd thorow grace and othyr many moo
We shall trust in god voydyng thys daliaunce
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Who made the so hardy thow simple balad
The presence to approche of poetys lawreate
With robys of rethoryk sith thow art not clad
But with rusty roset like to thyn astate
Of homly boystyrs langage most rude and desolate
Make therfor thys excuse in place which thow commyst
I wyll neuer reherse thys clause disconsolate
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
The presence to approche of poetys lawreate
With robys of rethoryk sith thow art not clad
But with rusty roset like to thyn astate
Of homly boystyrs langage most rude and desolate
Make therfor thys excuse in place which thow commyst
I wyll neuer reherse thys clause disconsolate
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Eke say to thyn excuse I were upon my bake
The first mysshape cote of vnpullischyd speche
That euer my maister made whos colour is ryght blak
To dye with tungges purpurat wold god ȝe wold hym teche
Which hygh a bofe the sterrys in rethoryk doun a reche
That I myght ben arayed like the gloriose poo
Than durst I be ryght bold thys refreyt for to preche
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
The first mysshape cote of vnpullischyd speche
That euer my maister made whos colour is ryght blak
To dye with tungges purpurat wold god ȝe wold hym teche
Which hygh a bofe the sterrys in rethoryk doun a reche
That I myght ben arayed like the gloriose poo
Than durst I be ryght bold thys refreyt for to preche
Alas Quid eligam ignoro
Explicit
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