 | The ABC of Aristotle in The Babees book |  |
11
The A B C of Aristotle.
Who-so wilneþ to be wijs, & worschip desiriþ,
Lerne he oo lettir, & looke on anothir
Of þe .a. b. c. of aristotil: argue not aȝen þat:
It is councel for riȝt manye clerkis & knyȝtis a þousand,
And eek it myȝte ameende a man ful ofte
For to leerne lore of oo lettir, & his lijf saue;
For to myche of ony þing was neuere holsum.
Reede ofte on þis rolle, & rewle þou þer aftir;
Who-so be greued in his goost, gouerne him bettir;
Blame he not þe barn þat þis .a. b. c. made,
But wite he his wickid will & his werk aftir;
It schal neuere greue a good man þouȝ þe gilti be meendid.
Now herkeneþ & heeriþ how y bigynne.
Lerne he oo lettir, & looke on anothir
Of þe .a. b. c. of aristotil: argue not aȝen þat:
It is councel for riȝt manye clerkis & knyȝtis a þousand,
And eek it myȝte ameende a man ful ofte
For to leerne lore of oo lettir, & his lijf saue;
For to myche of ony þing was neuere holsum.
Reede ofte on þis rolle, & rewle þou þer aftir;
Who-so be greued in his goost, gouerne him bettir;
Blame he not þe barn þat þis .a. b. c. made,
But wite he his wickid will & his werk aftir;
It schal neuere greue a good man þouȝ þe gilti be meendid.
Now herkeneþ & heeriþ how y bigynne.
A to amerose, to aunterose, ne argue not to myche.
B to bolde, ne to bisi, ne boorde not to large.
C to curteis, to cruel, ne care not to sore.
D to dul, ne to dreedful, ne drinke not to ofte.
E to elenge, ne to excellent, ne to eernesful neiþer.
F to fers, ne to famuler, but freendli of cheere.
G to glad, ne to gloriose, & gelosie þou hate.
H to hasti, ne to hardi, ne to heuy in þine herte.
I to iettynge, ne to iangelinge, ne iape not to ofte.
K to kinde, ne to kepynge, & be waar of knaue tacchis.
L to looth for to leene, ne to liberal of goodis.
M to medelus, ne to myrie, but as mesure wole it meeue.
N to noiose, ne to nyce, ne use no new iettis.
O to orped, ne to ouerþwart, & ooþis þou hate.
P to presing, ne to preuy with princis ne with dukis;
Q to queynte, ne to quarelose, but queeme weel ȝoure souereyns.
R to riotus, to reueling, ne rage not to rudeli.
S to straunge, ne to stirynge, ne straungeli to stare.
T to toilose, ne to talewijs, for temperaunce is beest.
V to venemose, ne to veniable, & voide al vilonye.
W to wielde, ne to wraþful, neiþer waaste, ne waade not to depe,
B to bolde, ne to bisi, ne boorde not to large.
C to curteis, to cruel, ne care not to sore.
D to dul, ne to dreedful, ne drinke not to ofte.
E to elenge, ne to excellent, ne to eernesful neiþer.
F to fers, ne to famuler, but freendli of cheere.
G to glad, ne to gloriose, & gelosie þou hate.
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I to iettynge, ne to iangelinge, ne iape not to ofte.
K to kinde, ne to kepynge, & be waar of knaue tacchis.
L to looth for to leene, ne to liberal of goodis.
M to medelus, ne to myrie, but as mesure wole it meeue.
N to noiose, ne to nyce, ne use no new iettis.
O to orped, ne to ouerþwart, & ooþis þou hate.
P to presing, ne to preuy with princis ne with dukis;
Q to queynte, ne to quarelose, but queeme weel ȝoure souereyns.
R to riotus, to reueling, ne rage not to rudeli.
S to straunge, ne to stirynge, ne straungeli to stare.
T to toilose, ne to talewijs, for temperaunce is beest.
V to venemose, ne to veniable, & voide al vilonye.
W to wielde, ne to wraþful, neiþer waaste, ne waade not to depe,
For a mesurable meene is euere þe beste of alle.
| The ABC of Aristotle in The Babees book | |