76. A WICKED TUNGE WILLE SEY AMYS.
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[MS. Ellesmere 4, leaves 20 to 22.]
A resoun de fallacia mundi.
1
Considere welle with eueri circumstaunce,
Of what estate euer that thowe be,
Riche, stronge or myghti of puysaunce,
Prudent or wis, discrete or avyse,
The dome of folkes yn sothe thow maiste not fle.
What-euer thow do, truste right welle this,—
A wicked tunge wille alwei sey a-mys.
2
For yn thi port or yn thyn apparaile,
Ȝif thow be glad or honestli be-seyne,
A-noon the peple of malis wille not faile,
With-owte aduyse or resoun, for to seyne
That thyn arrai is made, or wrowght yn veyne.
What, suffre hem speke! & truste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sey a-mys.
3
Thow wolt to kynges ben equypolent,
With grete lordes euene and peregal,
And ȝif thow be to-torne & to-rent,
Then wille thei seyne, & ianglyn ouer al,
Thow art a slogarde, that neuer thryue shal.
Ȝitte suffre hem speke, & trust[e] right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwey sey a-mys.
4
Ȝif thow be feire, excellyng of beaute,
Than wille they seyne that thow art amerous.
Ȝif thow be fowle & owgle vn-to see,
They wille afferme that thow art vycious,
The peple of langage is so despitous.
Suffre al ther speche & trust[e] right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwey sey a-mys.
5
Ȝif hit be-falle, that thow take a wif,
Thei will falsly seyne yn ther entent
Thow art lyke euer to lyue yn strif
Voide of al reste, with-owte allegement;
Wyues ben maistres, thus there iugement.
Ȝitte suffre ther speche, & truste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sey a-mys.
6
And ȝif so be that of perfitnesse
Thow haste a-vowed to lyue yn chastite,
Than wille folkes of thy person expresse
Thow art ympotent tengendre yn thi degre.
And thus whether thou be chaste or dislaue
Suffir hem speke, & truste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sei a-mys.
7
Ȝif thow be fatte owther corpolent,
Than wille folke seyn thow art a grete glotoun,
A deuowrer or ellis vinolent;
Ȝif thow be lene or megre of fassioun,
Calle the a negard yn ther oppynyoun,
Ȝitte suffre hem speke & triste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sei a-mys.
8
Ȝif thow be riche, somme wille ȝeue the laude,
And seyne, hit cometh of prudent gouernaunce;
And somme wille sai[en], hit comyth of fraude,
Owther be sleighte or false cheuysshaunce.
To seyne her worste folke han so grete plesaunce:
What, suffre hem sai! & triste right welle this,
A wicked tonge wille alwei sei a-mys.
9
Ȝif thow be sad and sowbre of contenaunce,
Men will seyn thow thenkest somme tresoun;
And ȝif thow be glad of daliaunce,
Men wil deme it dissolucioun,
Callen faire speche adulacioun
Ȝitte let hem speke & trist[e] right wel this,
A wicked tonge wille alwey sey a-mys.
10
And who that is holi bi perfeccioun,
Men of malice wil cal hym ypocrite;
And who that is meri of clene entencioun
Men seyne yn riot he dothe hym delite
Somme morne yn blak, somme laweth in clothis white,
What, suffre hem speke, & triste right wel this
A wicked tonge wil alwey sei a-mys.
11
Honest a-rai, men deme it pompe & pride,
And who go pore men calleth hym a wastour;
And who go stille, men marke hym on the side,
Seyn that he is a spie or a gylour,
Who wasteth not, men seyn he hathe tresour,
Wherefore conclude, & triste right wel this,
A wicked tonge wil alwey sey a-mys.
12
Who speketh moche me[n] calle hym prudent,
And who that debateth, men seyn he is hardi.
And who seyeth litel, with grete sentement,
Somme folke wil hym atwyten of foli
Trouth is putte doun, & vp goth flaterie,
And who liste pleynli to know the cause of this,
A wicked tonge alwey seyinge a-mys.
13
For thowgh a man were as pacient
As was Dauid thorow his humylite,
Or with Salamon yn wysdom as prudent,
Or yn knyȝthode egal with Iosue,
Or manli preuyd as Iudas Machabe,
Ȝitte for al that, trist[e] right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wolde sei of hym a-mys.
14
And thowgh a man had[de] the prewesse
Of worthi Ector, Troies champioun,
The loue of Troylis, or the kyndenesse,
Or of Cesar the famous high renoun,
With al Alisaundres domynacioun,
Ȝit for al that, trist[e] right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wil sey of hym a-mys.
15
Or thowgh a man of hye or lowe degre
Of Tullyus had the sugred eloquence,
Or of Senek the moralite,
Or of Catoun the for-sight & prouydence,
The conquest of Charlous, Arturs magnyficence,
Ȝit for al that, triste right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wol sey of hym a-mys.
16
Towchyng of wymmen the perfite innocence,
Thowgh they had of Ester the mekenesse,
Or Gresildis humble pacience,
Or of Iudith the preued stabulnesse,
Or Pollicenys virgynal clennesse,
Ȝit dar I seyne, & triste right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wole sey [of hem] a-mys.
17
The wifli trowthe of Penolope
Thowgh thei had yn her possessioun,
Elenes beaute, the kyndenesse of Mede,
The loue vnfeyned of Mercia Catoun,
Or of Alceste the trewe affeccioun,
Ȝit dar I sain, & triste right wel this,
Somme wicked tonge wole sey of hem a-mys.
18
Than seweth it that no man mai eschewe
The swerde of tongus, but hit wole kerue & bite,
Ful harde hit is a man for to remewe
Out of ther daunger hymsilf for to a-quyte,
Woo to thoo tongis that hem so delite
To hyndre and sclaundre, and sette her studie yn this,
And ther plesaunce, al-wai [to] say a-mys.
19
Moste noble princes, cherissheris of vertu,
Remembreth ȝow of hygh discrecioun,
The first vertu most plesyng to Ih[es]u
Be the writyng and sentence of Catoun
Is a gode tonge, yn his oppynyoun.
Chastiseth the reuers, & of wisdom dothe this,
Voideth ȝowre heryng from al that sey a-mys.
