77. THE WORLD IS VARIABLE.
[_]
[From MS. B.M. Harley 2255, leaves 126, back, to 128.]
1
Toward Aurora in the monyth of Decembre,
Walkyng alloone in contemplacioun,
On flittyng fortune I gan me remembre,
Callyng to mynde wourldly variacioun
In poyntes dyvers be computacioun,
Prevyng that she ay was vntretable;
And euere my mynde concludid this resoun
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
2
Musis poetichall includyng royalte,
In feyned tragedyes put therto delyght,
Philisoffres moral, hih of auctorite,
Thorugh experience of konnyng had delight.
Among the Romayns previd was the knyght
Whanne ad Rem puplicam he was profitable,
With dynt of swerd lyst to diffende ryght,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
3
Off his crafft talkyth the artificeer,
Frute folwith the tarage of the tree,
Beyn twygges cause smokyng feer
A beggere sett in a chayer of degree,
Hym silff not knowyng in souereyn dignite,
If this teerme to hym were appliable,
Clene forgetith his consanguinite,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
4
In the goldene wourld ech man kept his degree,
Chevalrye delityd nat with marchaundise,
Nyse array in the comunaltee
Lefft was, lyst them nat desguyse;
Knyghtes in bataylle took greet empryse,
Here laureat crownys to make perdurable.
Al wourldly rychesse for wourship did despise
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
5
In the Capitolye among the senatours
Honowryd he was, writyng whoo list se,
Which lyst nat spare fel and sharpe shours,
The right to diffende of the comunalte,
Pryvat avayl lyst in no degree
Vnto hym sylf make acceptable,
In metal corrupt put noon felicite,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
6
The owle with the egle doth nat compare,
Ne the lamb with the furious lyoun,
The sleyghty ffox pleyeth with the hare,
In feyned pees, to fals conclusioun,
Ryght delyuered for ambicioun
Vnto trewthe is nat appliable,
Colowryd trety conuertible with tresoun
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
7
An argement sophistical doth me conclude,
Hym which to resoun yevith aduertence,
Dalida Sampson sotilly did delude,
Materys sumtyme put be in suspence,
Which partyes doth put to greet exspence,
Wrechydnesse causyd that is detestable,
Manhood withstondith in the prime temps
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
8
Mars goddesse souereyn of bataylle
Brennyng Venus doth exyle froom hire ryght,
Which shewyn hire sylff in countirfeet apparaylle,
Froom his propirte drawith the hardy knyght
In marcial prowesse that put shulde his delyght,
Holdyng of the swerd to hym moost covenable,
Enemyes foreyn to put vnto flight,
Exsperience shewyth the wourld is varyable.
9
Off nedyl and stoon direccioun fayllyng,
In his iourne the shipman doth erre,
In Aurora a-fore Phebus doth spryng,
Risyth with Esperus, namyd the day sterre,
Thy tydy shepperde to save froom mortal werre,
His owne sheep to hym moost amyable,
On fooldys foreyn lyst nat looke to ferre,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
10
Whoom the egle lyst to diffende,
Be poweer absolute moost imperial,
To hym vengeaunce wyl not ostende,
Othir foolys in poweer not egal,
Othir conserve in a boody natural,
Ech membre to othir supportable,
Whoos contrarye destroyeth the body political,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
11
The eraunt theef is hange be the purs,
Smal polaylle the kyte doth offende,
Of the Chirche they purchace Crystes curs,
Ageyn the sensours colours which pretende,
A summe notable for hem to dispende,
Rollyd at Rome in the audyte countable,
Vndir colowryd pretens mateerys which diffende,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
12
Ageyn Aurora the cok doth meryly crowe,
Which for envye redily doth fight,
Countirfeet poetis seedys doun sowe,
In mynde imagyned ageyn trouthe & right.
Al is not goold which shynyth cleer & bryght,
A beggere to a lord is not comperable,
Lyk in apparaylle which apperyth to sight,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
13
Vnprofitable talkyng with-oute discrecioun,
As of Aristotyll doth teche the sentence,
Is men to comowne ffailyng discrecioun,
On teermys passyng there intelligence;
A beggere to trete the hih magnificence
Off a prynce famous and aggreable,
Contrarye doth take for wisdam vnprudence,
Exsperience shewith the wourld is varyable.
Lenvoye
Goo, litil bille, and vndir socour
To euery estaat, this proverbe present,
Ech tale is endid, as it hath favour,
For among many ech man seith his entent.
A greet multitude in oon to make assent
Thyng celestial is, and devynable,
Envye feerfull for devyne iugement,
Experience shewith the wourld is varyable.
Explicit quod Lydgate.
