The kalender of shepherdes the edition of Paris 1503 in photographic facsimile: a faithful reprint of R. Pynson's edition of London 1506. Edited with a critical introduction and glossary by H. Oskar Sommer |
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Here begynneth the songe of dethe.
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 | The kalender of shepherdes |  |
88
Here begynneth the songe of dethe.
Though yt my picture be nat to your plesaūs.
And ye thynke that it be dredable.
Take it a worth for suerly in substauns.
The sight of it may to you profytable.
There is no waye alo more doutable.
Therfore lerne/ knowe yourselfe and se.
And ye thynke that it be dredable.
Take it a worth for suerly in substauns.
The sight of it may to you profytable.
There is no waye alo more doutable.
Therfore lerne/ knowe yourselfe and se.
Loke man howe I am/ and thus must thou nedys be.
And take hede of thy selfe in aduenture red I.
For adams aple all ye shall dye.
Alas worldely peple beholde my manere.
Sometyme I lyued and had a fayre vysage.
Myn iyen be gone I haue two holowe holes here.
I was mete to wormes in this passage.
Take hede whyle ye lyue if ye be wyse & sage.
For as I am thou shalt come to pouder.
As holowe as a thymble/ what shall the auaunce.
Nought but thy gode dedes thou shalt be as other.
And with my lykenes you all must daūce.
The tyme that I was in this worlde leuynge
I was honoured with lowe and hye
But I kept not my consyence clene fro synne
Therfore nowe I do it dere aby.
Lo what auayleth couetyse pryde and enuy
They be the brondes that dothe bren in hell.
Truste not to your frendes whan ye be dede reed I
Nor your excecutours for fewe dothe well.
But do for thy selfe or thou dye.
And remembre whyle thou arte lyuynge.
That god blessyd all thynge without nay
with his owne honde all but synne.
The deuyll can not clayme the but by synne I say
A mende therfor by tyme and go the ryght way
I wolde that I myght haue but one houre or two
To do penaunce in or halfe a day
But whyle I lyued I dyd none do
And nowe my dettes I do trewly pay
Thou man I do gyue better counsell to the.
yf that thou wyll do after it
Than any was shewed to me
Thou ar halfe warned thynke on thy pytt.
And cheuse of two wayes whiche thou wylte flete
To ioye or payne any of tho.
In welthe or wo for euer to syte
Nowe at thyne owne choyce thou mayst go.
For god hathe gyue the a frewyll
Nowe chose the/ whether thou wylte do gode or yll.
And take hede of thy selfe in aduenture red I.
For adams aple all ye shall dye.
Alas worldely peple beholde my manere.
Sometyme I lyued and had a fayre vysage.
Myn iyen be gone I haue two holowe holes here.
I was mete to wormes in this passage.
Take hede whyle ye lyue if ye be wyse & sage.
For as I am thou shalt come to pouder.
As holowe as a thymble/ what shall the auaunce.
Nought but thy gode dedes thou shalt be as other.
And with my lykenes you all must daūce.
The tyme that I was in this worlde leuynge
I was honoured with lowe and hye
But I kept not my consyence clene fro synne
Therfore nowe I do it dere aby.
Lo what auayleth couetyse pryde and enuy
They be the brondes that dothe bren in hell.
Truste not to your frendes whan ye be dede reed I
Nor your excecutours for fewe dothe well.
But do for thy selfe or thou dye.
And remembre whyle thou arte lyuynge.
That god blessyd all thynge without nay
with his owne honde all but synne.
The deuyll can not clayme the but by synne I say
A mende therfor by tyme and go the ryght way
I wolde that I myght haue but one houre or two
To do penaunce in or halfe a day
89
And nowe my dettes I do trewly pay
Thou man I do gyue better counsell to the.
yf that thou wyll do after it
Than any was shewed to me
Thou ar halfe warned thynke on thy pytt.
And cheuse of two wayes whiche thou wylte flete
To ioye or payne any of tho.
In welthe or wo for euer to syte
Nowe at thyne owne choyce thou mayst go.
For god hathe gyue the a frewyll
Nowe chose the/ whether thou wylte do gode or yll.
| The kalender of shepherdes | |